Angel Fury (Immortal Legacy #2) - Ella Summers Page 0,31

to wield them well.”

“Perhaps.” Illias’s face was as cryptic as that single word.

“The Hive has people with Immortal blood?” I asked.

“There is a danger of that. As you know, to tap into an immortal dagger’s full power, its wielder must have the right mix of Immortal blood. It’s unlikely anyone in the Hive has that. It’s very rare. But, as you know, the Hive works by combining its members’ magic.”

“So if they bring together enough people with enough magic, they could potentially collectively wield the dagger to great devastation,” said Damiel.

“Yes.”

“But we have the daggers,” I pointed out. “So how will the Hive break the spell?”

Illias glanced at our daggers. “Those aren’t the only two immortal daggers. There are more. Many more. One, in fact, for every Immortal ability. Eight active and eight passive magic abilities. Sixteen in all. And the person who controls them all becomes a true master of magic.”

“The Hive has another one of these immortal daggers,” Damiel realized.

“They have several,” Illias told him. “We know they have the Ruby Tear, which embodies the power of vampires. They stole that one from a temple in another Nightingale city last year. We’ve also seen the Hive using the Amethyst Tear, which has the power of telepathy, of magic sight. They surely looted it from another world. And we just learned that, right before our battle with them last week, Hive soldiers pillaged a Nightingale temple and stole the Emerald Tear.”

“What does the Emerald Tear do?” I asked.

“It has the power of the genie. The Emerald Tear refolds the power of a wish. If the desire is strong enough, the wish is granted. The Hive can combine hundreds of magic users, even thousands. If enough of these linked people wish for something, it might just happen.”

“Such as wishing for the spell on their world, the one keeping them trapped, to be broken,” I suggested.

Illias nodded glumly. “Yes, just like that. If the Hive soldiers break free, they will take their revenge on my world—and on yours. They are very capable soldiers, soldiers free from the burden of morality. And they are cunning. They have planted hidden bombs in the past in many of our towns, using the explosions to distract us while they looted our sacred temples. I have no doubt they would do the same again. By the time we realized that they’ve escaped their world, it would already be too late. Your cities could be leveled in a matter of moments. The Earth is in grave danger.”

“The Hive would take out the Magitech generators on the wall that keep out the monsters on Earth,” Damiel decided. “That’s the way to hit us hardest. Then they would let the monsters finish us off. We can’t fight off all the wild beasts at once. The Legion isn’t large enough.”

“The Hive is our common enemy, a common threat,” Illias declared. “And so we are asking you to help us once more. Go to the Hive’s world and take back our daggers. Because the Hive won’t just come here. They will come to Earth. They will take revenge on the people who exiled and trapped them. And with their combined magic, backed by the power of at least three immortal daggers, no one will be able to stand against them. In short, if you don’t act now to stop them, we are all doomed.”

11

Enemy

“You want us to confront the Hive on their own world, where they are at a distinct advantage. This is hardly a two-person job. You must send soldiers with us to the Hive’s world,” Damiel told Illias.

“We are not warriors,” the priest protested. “We’re not fighters.”

“They sure didn’t waste time fighting us when we first arrived on this world,” I commented to Damiel. “In fact, they tied us up and fully intended to burn us alive.”

“Fear drives desperate people to do terrible things.” Illias’s lips quivered. “The Hive has sent raiding parties to our world for years.”

Damiel looked upon him without pity. “And in all those years, you might have considered building up your own army.”

“We learned to defend ourselves, to protect what was ours, as best we could.”

“Clearly, that strategy failed you, and you lost powerful immortal weapons to the Hive because of your refusal to adapt,” said Damiel. “You must go on the offensive. You must take the initiative and strike first, before they do.”

“I know, but we are ill-prepared to do that. We have no experience. You do. That is why I am asking for