Page 141 of Revenge of the Forgotten

Sinking through Vega’s heart.

Except it didn’t. It hit the tree behind her.

Bridger ripped the dagger from the tree and spun it in his hand. The blade shined, reunited with him, and a smile broke his face in two. Menacingly beautiful. And she’d just made Bridger stronger than he needed to be with the return of his bonded dagger. Fuck.

She was outnumbered. Stronger than she’d ever been but outnumbered by two others who were also stronger than they’d ever been—all now with the knowledge of what they were.

Gods.

Vega, you’re a god, she reminded herself as a snap of lightning shook the ground, breaking the grassy floor under Marlena and Bridger’s feet. Watching her sister stumble to her knees filled Vega with the best reminder she could have asked for: you’re one step ahead of her. You can stop this curse.

The pitter patter of rain began to fall down in waves, drenching them.

Vega stood, the wind from her storm blowing her loose hair around her face. Her eyes simmered with rage, reflecting off the lightning bolts shattering the land around her, keeping her enemies locked in their places.

Marlena released a scream so feral it could be heard over the tornado desecrating the town around them. “When I get my hands on you, I’m going to rip your heart out for the fun of it! I’m happy to send you back to Earth while I kill every single rebel in these lands!”

A gust of Marlena’s wind pushed at Vega’s tornado, attempting to switch its path. She had no luck—Vega’s storm was finally too powerful for her.

The townspeople of Solum ran in packs, avoiding the destruction Vega caused. Her storm jumped mid-air to avoid them, on a strict path to kill those aiding in the start of a war Vega had every plan of winning.

“You’re going to have to try harder to kill me this time,” Vega gloated, egging Marlena on.

Tree roots cracked around them, shooting from the ground like missiles shooting into the sky. Vega jumped back, digging her boots into the muddy ground.

Behind her, Bridger dodged the intruding branches by wielding his invisible shield around his body, breaking off pieces and sending sharp fragments of wood flying through the air.

A chunk pierced Vega in the side. She gasped from the pain, immediately ripping it from her body. She made eye contact with Bridger, giving him the middle finger before zapping him with a surprise bolt of lightning from the dark, angry sky.

His roar of pain was drowned out by the sound of trees cracking and bending to encase Marlena in a cage of branches. Her fire was useless in the pouring rain, stealing her favorite power.

Vega thought the manipulation of plant life was hers, but when the cage grew smaller, crushing against her frame, Vega knew exactly who it was stepping through the newly made clearing.

Urban’s shoulder length hair was down, plastered around his face, and his hands were beside his body, fingers wiggling while plants continued to grow and move by his decree.

His power wouldn’t keep Marlena held for long, but it gave Vega the upper hand for a breath longer than she needed. A dart of lightning cracked from her palm, straight to Marlena’s chest.

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she slumped against her cage.

Vega smiled at Urban. “Perfect timing!” she called over her raging storm. Her attention bounced between the inside of her head to control the tornado taking out half the small town, to fighting what was happening right in front of her. “Sorry for the destruction!”

Urban’s roots crushed Marlena, her features turning purple from lack of oxygen. “We can rebuild! Try to keep our people out of harm’s way!”

Rebel soldiers ran through the clearing, circling Bridger, whose sword was drawn. Vega turned to him, shrugging her shoulders to say, Make a choice.

She wasn’t dense enough to think Bridger couldn’t fight his way out of a circle twice the size that had formed around him. Vega only hoped he’d do the right thing: flee.

His sword sliced through the first rebel brave enough to come after him.

The tornado of Vega’s wrath sucked back into the sky, looming over the town as a warning—it would be back.

Her bonded blade hummed at her side, warming her hand when it met skin.

Flocks of Bridger’s soldiers who survived Vega’s twisted storm rushed through the trees. As Bridger had said, war waited for no one.

The funnel cloud Vega held above the town split, turning into twin twisters. They dropped from the sky at the same time, plucking soldiers from their places and sending debris crashing into anyone too close.

Bridger sliced and diced, obliterating rebels into pieces. “Twins?!” He cackled, fighting on. His night-kissed sword stuck through the chest of a young rebel Vega had seen around Castra multiple times. Her body slumped to the sodden forest floor as Bridger pulled his sword from her. “You brilliant goddess!”

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