Page 329 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Blinking in dirt, I lay immobile.

Behind me the student section screamed encouragement, and their shouts jumbled together.

Jinx.

I strained to roll over as the heavy weight of my wings pinned me down.

They crushed me.

With every ounce of strength I possessed, I pulled myself upward. Tipping backward, I threw myself forward to counteract gravity and managed just barely to stay on my feet.

I staggered toward a child’s limp body.

Bruises were already forming on her skin, but her limbs were attached. When her chest rose with a shaky breath, I nearly collapsed with gratitude.

The relief didn’t last long.

Whoosh. Three kings landed on their feet with a crack as the dirt cratered beneath them.

The three devils had jumped from the tops of their posts and landed on their feet. It should have been impossible.

I forced myself to stand up straight, and I stepped toward Jinx.

White light still shot out of Scorpius’s three eyes, and Orion’s pink petals floated around him.

Malum pointed a flaming finger at Jinx.

No.

Still winded from the fall, with heavy wings holding me back, I couldn’t move fast enough.

One second, Jinx was lying mostly unharmed.

The next moment, Jinx’s leg was on fire.

Orion sang, “Judgment is here,” as Malum’s scarlet flames spread rapidly up her leg and left nothing but ashes behind.

“Stop!” I shrieked like a maniac as I flung myself at Jinx. I landed atop her small body, and turquoise leapt from my hands as I patted at Jinx’s leg desperately.

Ice fought fire.

I nearly wept with relief when the flames dissipated.

The kings took a step forward and towered over us, blocking out the eclipse, casting us in cold shadows.

Three nightmarish villains with unbelievable powers.

Three men built for murder.

Death incarnate stood before us.

They were mindless killing machines.

Judge. Jury. Executioners.

As I stared up at them, visions flashed before me: cities on fire, people screaming for help as they burned to death. You could feel it in the air around the kings—the capacity for atrocity and the sheer lack of control.

How were they allowed to live? How could the sun god name these creatures his kings?

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