Page 273 of Mayhem and Minnie

The black smoke amplifies until it fiercely bursts to the surface. The demons lean back, and a hole opens in their chests that funnels the black smoke and aims it straight at the ice sphere.

Loud bangs reverberate through the domed church, the echo of the blows deafening.

The smoke hits our shield like a myriad of cannon balls, shot in rapid succession.

Minnie wobbles on her feet, her eyes wide. She grasps onto me for balance as the blows become more incessant and more powerful.

Her eyes turn a light shade of blue as she forces more of her energy to the surface, reinforcing the shield with another layer of magical ice.

Her entire body is tense as she focuses her powers to keep the demons out, but I fear even that’s not enough. Not with the way the entire foundation of the cathedral is trembling. Not with the way I can see nothing at all but black smoke devouring our shield.

With the combined strength of twenty high-level demons, I doubt Minnie can last much longer.

“Minnie…”

“I’m trying to reach my brother,” she says in a strangled voice. “But I can’t even make a connection. Something is blocking it. Something…” She gasps for air. “This isn’t right. They shouldn’t be this powerful…”

Oh fuck. If she’s trying to call her brother here despite the danger, that means this is getting out of control. Worry fills me to the brim as I glance from the black balls of smoke that keep hitting our shield to Minnie’s pale features that are marred by pain.

“What do they want?” I ask. “Maybe we can give it to them.”

“What? Are you insane? We can’t give them anything. You can’t reason with demons, Marlowe.”

“They were coming toward me,” I mention. “What if I just surrendered and?—”

“No,” she states categorically. “That’s out of the question.”

Another loud bang rattles the shield. More balls of smoke hit it from all sides, and the first layer is already cracking.

Minnie is almost out of breath.

I hold on to her tightly, but I can tell she’s hanging on by a thread.

Icicles hit the ground as the first layer of the shield collapses.

The demons step forward, increasing their attack.

Minnie’s eyes flicker between a light and dark blue. Her fingers are wrapped tightly around my upper arm as she struggles to keep herself upright.

Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she focuses to maintain the shield, but I can tell this is draining her.

“Tell me how to help,” I whisper. It pains me to see her like this. Not only is she weakening with every passing moment, but it seems the attack on her shield is physically hurting her.

She shakes her head.

“There’s nothing you can do,” she replies, grinding her teeth. “This is as far as my powers go. I’m only a fledgling deity.” She lets out a dry laugh.

“You’re four thousand five hundred and fifty-eight years old,” I remark.

“But my kind is only considered mature at three thousand years old. I’m the youngest in my regimen—was the youngest.” She winces and closes her eyes to take a deep breath. “My brother would have been able to handle this. Anyone would have been able to handle this better than me…” She trails off, her voice filled with hopelessness. “Why do I always mess things up?” She lets out a soft cry as tears roll down her face.

“Minnie,” I start as I shake her.

She slowly opens her eyes to look at me at the same time another loud bang erupts in the air, more ice falling to the ground.

Suddenly, she looks so young and uncertain, and it breaks my heart that she’s doubting herself.

“I destroy everything I touch, Marlowe,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t have come back to Anthropa. I shouldn’t have put you in danger. This is all my fault.”

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