Horsemen's War (The Rebellion Chronicles #3) - Steve McHugh Page 0,112

in hers.

“Both,” Mordred said. “We need to get to Shadow Falls or kill Arthur, whichever one comes first.”

Mordred stood, and with Hel beside him, he walked over to the increasingly large group. He told Hades and Persephone everything that Merlin had divulged.

Hades turned to Zamek. “Get that realm gate working to go back to Shadow Falls as soon as possible.”

“On it,” Zamek said. He stopped by a large group of dwarves. “All of you—with me.”

The nearly forty dwarves set off at a run through the city.

“Anything else?” Persephone asked.

Mordred looked around. “Where’s Nate?”

“He took off up there,” Irkalla said.

Mordred took a step toward the citadel, and there was a rumble beneath his feet as the ground shook violently. Before anyone had time to react, building after building collapsed all across the city, the plumes of smoke and dust threatening to cover everyone.

“Anyone with air magic, get to it,” Mordred commanded and started to push out the dust coming toward the group of nearly a hundred people.

The soldiers with air magic capabilities encircled everyone else, Mordred shouting commands as needed.

When the buildings were all down and the earth stopped rumbling, Mordred looked around the ruined city.

“What just happened?” Irkalla asked.

“The monsters are all gone,” Mordred said, the fear in his voice something he couldn’t hide. “We need to get to Shadow Falls, now.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

LAYLA CASSIDY

Washington, DC, Earth Realm

The soldiers in Lafayette Square moved aside to let Chloe, Layla, Selene, Tego, and Jinayca through toward the tent where President Lopez had originally been. It was now full of various high-ranking officials who were trying to decide how to deal with the continued Avalon-centric problems facing the city.

All the soldiers were battle hardened and had seen combat against Avalon forces in the years since Arthur’s return. They were dependable and would do their jobs tirelessly to the very best of their abilities. But Jinayca had an expression that suggested that she might fuck someone up for getting in her way, and even Selene would be cautious of that.

The group was stopped by a guard, and Jinayca pushed past him wordlessly. The guard was about to open his mouth to shout something when Layla stopped beside him and whispered, “I would just let her talk to who we need to. Have you seen any shadow elves?”

“Shadow what?” the soldier asked and looked at Tego before swallowing. Jinayca hurried into the tent and started asking questions in a raised voice. Layla had never seen Jinayca so angry, so determined to hunt someone.

Layla described the shadow elves and Lamashtu, both in her own form and in Piper’s.

“Yeah, they went over toward New York Avenue,” he said. “There’s an abandoned building there; we sent some of the Avalon human prisoners there for interrogation.”

“Thanks,” Layla said as Jinayca exited the tent. “You’re going to want to tell everyone in charge that it wasn’t Piper but Lamashtu, the same person who masqueraded as the president.”

“They’ve posted guards at each of the elven runes but haven’t destroyed them for fear of some kind of booby trap.” Jinayca said. “We need to go, now . . .” She was already at a full run toward two SUVs that Roberto had requisitioned from the Secret Service members there, and everyone got in. The agents drove as fast as possible toward New York Avenue.

The abandoned building was five stories high, with a revolving door at the front of the gray, drab building. It was far enough away from the mess at the White House that people were still walking around. It was daytime, and the curfew didn’t come into force until nightfall.

“Clear the streets,” Roberto said to one of his people, who took three other agents and set about doing as they were told.

“Let’s try to do this without demolishing any buildings,” Roberto continued, talking to everyone else.

Chloe walked up to one of the large plate glass windows and punched it, activating her ability to absorb and redirect kinetic energy. The window shattered, and she stepped into the building.

“That wasn’t subtle,” Layla said, stepping over the glass as she followed Chloe inside.

“Worked, though,” Chloe said.

“That revolving door will take too long,” Jinayca said, a battle-ax in her hands.

“This isn’t going to be quiet, is it?” Roberto asked. Layla had spotted several newly arrived FBI agents looking slightly concerned about what they’d gotten themselves into.

“Nope,” Layla said.

“Where are the prisoners kept?” Jinayca asked.

“Top floor,” Roberto said. “Everything above the third floor is rune scribed. No powers. No way of activating them. Zamek himself did