succeeded in doing.”
Smoke, sitting on Eva’s shoulder in house cat form, sniffed delicately. “Does smell like somebody threw a hell of a lot of power around. Among other things.” He glanced at the massive hole the scout had punched in the back wall. “What did that?”
“Also,” Morgana said, her gaze distant, “it seems every human in this building is unconscious.”
“Gaia wanted to keep them out of the line of fire,” Cheryl said. “It was safer to put them out.”
Arthur turned the glare on her. “Hope none of them was in surgery at the time.”
“No, they hadn’t started the next procedures yet, and the others were in recovery. Gaia checked. I’ll wake them all in a minute.”
“Why did you knock them out to begin with?” Suspicion narrowed Arthur’s black eyes.
Ulf really didn’t like his liege’s body language. His right hand longed for the sword he’d left back in the Mageverse. Instead he stepped forward, planted his palm in the middle of Arthur’s chest, and pushed him back a step. Hard.
And had the pleasure of seeing black eyes widen in astonishment. Ulf wasn’t on the list of people who got up in Arthur’s face -- about anything.
“You forget yourself,” Arthur snapped.
“No, you do. Cheryl damn near died saving us all. You’re not going to bully her.”
“Then maybe you should tell me what the fuck just happened.”
God, he wanted to knock Arthur’s teeth down his throat. “For one thing, she destroyed an entire genocidal race of aliens who were planning to kill and eat humanity.”
“As they did to Gaia’s people fifteen centuries ago,” Cheryl added, sounding much calmer than he was. “The Hive were psychic predators who have wiped out thousands of intelligent species across countless universes, including Gaia’s people. That’s why the Fae…”
Arthur stared, brows lifted. “Merlin’s people?”
“Exactly. The Fae considered the Hive one of the multiverse’s worst threats to intelligent life. That’s why they sent Merlin to help Gaia’s Errul create a spell to exterminate the bastards. Unfortunately, the plan hinged on killing the Hivemother, and she never got close enough. But Merlin Saw they’d get another shot in 2020, when the Hive would come to Earth. He saved Gaia, who was dying after the battle, and put her in that ring. Which he then gave to Ulf so she could try again when the Hive came for us.”
Arthur’s nostrils flared, parsing their scents for any indication they were lying. He frowned at Ulf. “You believe all that?”
That punch was getting more tempting all the time. “Yes, because it’s the truth.”
“Maybe it’s the truth. Then again, you wouldn’t be the first Magekind agent to fall under a spell.” He flicked Cheryl a glance. “We really don’t know what she’s capable of.”
“Gaia’s dead,” Cheryl snapped. A muscle worked in her jaw. “She died killing the Hive.”
Morgana lifted a dark brow. “Did she, now?” Her skeptical drawl suggested she didn’t believe a word of it.
Ulf spread his arms. “Probe my memories. Hell, project them. See what you think.” He’d endured Morgana’s memory spells before. He’d always hated the process. No one with sense wanted Morgana le Fay rummaging in his head like a cat burglar in Tiffany’s. But it would be worth it to get Arthur off Cheryl’s ass.
Morgana eyed him a long moment, then gave a short nod. He braced as she shaped a glyph in the air.
The spell stabbed into his forehead like the blade of a dagger. He felt the cool touch of Morgana’s mind reaching into his consciousness. A heartbeat later, it was happening all over again.
* * *
Cheryl started as a three-dimensional projection bloomed in midair, as sharp and vivid as if it was happening now. They all fell silent, watching. She blinked, a little shocked at how incredibly violent the fight had been, at the horrific forms the scout had taken.
“Glad I didn’t have to take the fucker on,” Gawain said, watching the lizard slam her against the wall. “That does not look like fun.”
They started exchanging critiques of the fight. She flushed a little at their murmured approval at the way she’d fought -- the leaps, the power of her blows, the inhuman strength, speed, and agility. And they had a point. A growing sense of unreality rolled over her as she watched. Is that really me?
Of course, she’d known what Gaia had done to turn her into the Vengeance. Yet to see herself fighting felt… odd, as if she were watching a movie.
Just as she was starting to feel a little impressed with herself, Arthur