Horsemen's War (The Rebellion Chronicles #3) - Steve McHugh Page 0,115

into dragon-kin form and picked Chloe up, and the pair flew out of the building.

Layla dodged a sword attack from a shadow elf and shot him in the head twice before running past with Roberto and Jinayca behind her.

Layla was at full sprint when she reached the edge of the window and leaped out, dragging as much metal as she could with her, wrapping it around herself and forming spiderlike legs. She turned and caught Jinayca in a web of metal. Together they ran down the side of the building, Layla’s new spider legs cracking concrete and glass with every step.

They both reached the bottom of the building and were in a flat-out run a moment later, Layla’s arm re-forming as they chased after Selene and Chloe, who were easily spotted in the sky. Tego crashed through one of the windows of the lobby to join them, and Layla and Jinayca climbed up on her back.

“Lamashtu and the elf are on foot,” Layla said as they raced through the city toward the White House.

A black SUV pulled up beside them, Roberto winding the window down. “Get in,” he shouted.

“This is faster,” Layla said, and Tego snorted, increasing her speed.

They followed Selene and Chloe through Washington until Roberto stopped the SUV next to the camp outside the White House.

“What’s going on?” Layla asked.

“Lamashtu jumped the gate,” he said.

“What’s inside there that she might want?” Jinayca asked.

Everyone exited the vehicle, and Selene landed beside Layla.

“The bitch got away,” Chloe said.

“And the elf?” Layla asked.

“Not sure,” Selene said. “Didn’t see him, but possibly.”

“Let’s go get her, then,” Chloe said.

Layla spotted Roberto having a deep conversation with several people, some of whom were in military uniform. He walked over to them.

“Lamashtu killed three of ours when she entered the White House,” Roberto said. “We have permission to go reclaim her.”

“But?” Chloe asked.

“The White House was damaged last time; try not to do it again,” Roberto said. “Please.”

Chloe walked over to the partially destroyed gate, everyone else following after.

“Where’d she go?” Jinayca asked.

“West Wing,” Roberto said.

There were several dozen armed agents outside the West Wing, all looking very nervous as Layla and her team arrived.

“We’ll make sure she doesn’t try to leave through the back,” Selene said and took to the skies with Chloe.

They’d vanished from view when the remains of the West Wing exploded, showering pieces of brick and stone, killing several of the agents, and knocking everyone else to the ground.

Layla had been hit in the head by a large piece of rock and was dazed when she saw Lamashtu, still wearing Piper’s face, walk toward them from the ruin of the West Wing. Jinayca and Roberto ran toward her, the former brandishing her battle-ax and the latter firing his gun. Two bullets hit Jinayca’s black leather armor in the chest, causing the runes to spark, but she wasn’t harmed. Lamashtu threw her knife at Roberto, who dodged just as Jinayca swung her ax at Lamashtu’s head.

Layla got back to her feet in time to see Lamashtu evade the ax swing and spin back toward Roberto, driving her sword into his heart.

Layla avoided a blade thrown at her as Jinayca’s and Lamashtu’s blades connected time and time again. One would gain the upper hand for a moment, then need to retreat from an attack from their opponent. More than once, Jinayca’s ax came close to cutting through Lamashtu’s body.

Jinayca continued the offensive until her ax cut through the runes on Lamashtu’s armor, and even with the distance between them, Layla saw that Lamashtu’s expression of joy melted into desperation and rage. She parried Jinayca’s attack and drove her sword into the side of Jinayca’s head, twisted it, and pulled it free as Layla screamed in rage.

Lamashtu left Jinayca’s body where it fell and strode over to remove Roberto’s head.

Layla reached out with every bit of power she had, and Lamashtu stopped walking. Layla sprinted toward her opponent at high speed.

Lamashtu regained the use of her body and threw a plume of fire at Layla, who easily dodged it, just as Tego crashed into Lamashtu, taking her off her feet and using her massive claws to tear through the remains of the now-useless armor.

Lamashtu yelled in pain and created a block of ice around Tego’s head, kicking the saber-tooth panther away.

Layla reached out and used the metal in Tego’s armor to smash through the ice.

“You can’t kill me,” Lamashtu said, getting back to her feet and brushing herself down. “Two of your friends are