Horsemen's War (The Rebellion Chronicles #3) - Steve McHugh Page 0,23

of us have to work to get our power.”

I laughed.

“So I guess my team and I are going to be making sure no one starts a war in the blocks around here,” Layla said. “I get the feeling it’s going to be a full-time job.”

“There’s a large force coming from the north, so I hear,” I said. “I would imagine they’ve sent several smaller groups into the city. But you look geared up already.”

Layla wore black leather armor that was rune scribed to stop magic, or at least slow it down. A sword sat in the scabbard at her back, and a large saber-tooth panther covered in armor padded over beside her. Tego was the size of a small horse and was inseparable from Layla. She did let me scratch her behind the ear, though.

“She likes you,” Layla said.

“She likes being scratched,” I told her.

Tego snorted. She was able to understand us, but no one was quite sure just how smart she really was. All anyone needed to know was that human-level intelligence in an animal that could tear apart an adult elephant was probably not something you’d want to piss off.

“You think we can all get through this in one piece?” Layla asked.

I nodded. “I have to; otherwise I’d just curl up in a ball. Astrid needs a better future for when she’s older. Arthur needs to be stopped. People need to be able to live their lives without fear of persecution. And Gawain needs to die, because he’s a massive asshole.”

“Can’t dis—” Layla started just as an explosion somewhere in the blocks surrounding us caused everyone to stop and look over.

“Be careful,” Layla said.

“You too,” I said as she ran off. “Keep her safe, Tego,” I told the panther, who licked my hand and chased after Layla.

Selene landed beside me, making me jump a little. “There’s fighting further out. It’s getting bad. The National Guard are out there, but they’re humans fighting against giants and werewolves; it’s not going to end well.”

I looked over at the White House. “How bad is it?”

“Four snipers, four spotters. One took a shot at me, but I was too high, and it was an easy avoid. There are rockets up there, too, and from my thermal vision, it looks like a lot of people moving around inside. Can’t see too deep through; the walls are too thick.”

I sighed. “It’s going to be a long night.”

“Yes, it is,” Selene said, taking my hand in hers. “But we’ll get through it.”

I kissed her. “I’m going to kill Gawain and anyone supporting him, even if I have to tear down the entire building to do it.”

Chapter Five

LAYLA CASSIDY

Washington, DC, United States, Earth Realm

Layla had been preparing for a fight from the second she’d landed in Washington with her team. She’d fought Avalon in different realms countless times, but the end result was always the same: innocent casualties on a grand scale. Avalon’s forces simply didn’t care if civilians were in the way; they considered them fair game.

Layla’s team consisted of people she’d known for a long time. Chloe and her wife, Piper, were both umbra. After Tego, there was Tarron, who had been keen to get back to fighting on solid ground after his exploits on the ship.

The final member of her team was the one who was the keenest to fight: Judgement. Since being discovered in Valhalla a year ago, she’d been relentless in her need to find her sister Athena, who’d gone missing on a scouting mission. Usually that involved killing as many Avalon soldiers as she could find.

The team ran through the deserted streets of Washington, DC, toward a raging inferno that used to be a restaurant. They were four blocks away from the White House, and the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Judgement,” Layla shouted.

“On it,” Judgement replied as water magic poured from her hands into the burning building. She was the daughter of Zeus and the Lady of the Lake, Nineve. Both of her parents had been murdered by Avalon, so Judgement had a pretty big reason to want to deliver that pain back tenfold.

A fire truck sped toward them down the street. “Looks like the professionals are here,” Piper said.

Then came a sound that Layla couldn’t quite make out followed by a rocket streaking down from one of the rooftops. Layla tried to reach out to take control of it, but it moved too fast, and she couldn’t stop it from smashing into the fire truck.