Page 40 of Villainous Greed

I was free. I could do anything. The Reapers were at my mercy if I wished. A choice truly changed everything.

“They were my family, too. You’re still my family.”

I turned away from August as he spoke. Could there truly be more to the past than what I knew? Hades. I was a fool in August’s presence. After everything, I still wanted to search for a reason to believe him.

Harvest ported in front of me. He finally arrived.

Chapter Seventeen

Nova

A few yards ahead, Harvest smirked. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face beneath the mask.” He tipped his chin up as he looked at someone behind me. The flames on his head heightened. “Isabella…”

“Don’t fucking talk to her!” Sebastian yelled.

A roar echoed through the woods. The ground shook beneath my boots as Joy’s mate tore through the trees. Since they were already brittle from my decaying magic, the trees turned to ash as his massive wings plowed through them.

Harvest turned slowly. “It’s a shame you’ve broken free, Nova. Just one little blast of yours to Payne’s heart and he’d die. His hide is impenetrable.”

From the glint in Harvest’s eyes, he didn’t appear worried as Payne roared and rushed forward.

“But my creations are getting closer and closer to matching him,” Harvest said.

Joy, still bound by my magic, whined behind me.

Payne closed in on Harvest, mouth stretched wide. Payne’s snout snapped together right as Harvest disappeared.

“Isabella, help me put up a barrier!” Melinda shouted.

I turned to face them, glancing left, then right. Where would Harvest go? Where would he attack? Who would he go for first?

“Move!” Barron shouted. He shoved me aside right as I sensed Harvest’s eerie presence. I stumbled backward as Barron unsheathed a sword. Harvest also materialized a sword, and their blades clanked together. Barron parried left, then swung again.

Payne stomped his giant dragon feet, making the ground shake. Before he could get any closer to Harvest, several of Harvest’s dragons dove for the Reapers. Payne roared and took off after one. I glanced at the rotted beasts. One hovered above me and two flew in from the right. I exploded their hearts before they could reach the barrier Isabella and Melinda had erected around the mortal Reapers.

When Harvest materialized another sword behind Barron, I pushed against Harvest’s power. The floating blade shook and rattled in a battle between my magic and Harvest’s power. I shoved the sword and sent it flying. Harvest glared, and I beamed.

“Move,” I said to Barron as I threw him aside with a wave of magic. “I don’t know what I’m capable of. Stay back.”

I never thought I would get the chance to find out just what I can do.

“Are you really protecting them?” Harvest laughed. “Did you forget what August did?”

“I’ll never forget what he didn’t do,” I said as I fisted my hands. “Just like I’ll never forget who killed us that day. You dared coming here knowing I’m free.” I lifted my arms, letting my magic crackle from my fingertips. “You’re immortal, so thatmeans there is no limit to how many times I can hurt you, right? You would know about killing someone for pleasure. It’s my turn to see if I might enjoy ruining you.”

As I pulled at the magic inside me, my stomach felt like I swallowed fire. The burn was good. I tapped into my full potential, but it was painful.Using my magic never throbbed before, and I wondered if that was because of August. Perhaps I channeled his power all that time to use mine.

The ground shook as the burning intensified. Trees, untouched by my decay, ripped from the ground and swirled in the sky. The ground came next. Huge chunks of dirt floated, too.I kept pulling and pulling from Grim’s world, plucking and destroying what was once beautiful and different. But I thought the chaos was marvelous.Look at what I can do.

I was at the center, staring up at the destruction.

The air stirred, causing a thunderous crackle. Soon, everything spun around me. My tattered dress whipped around my legs.

In the distance, I saw my enemy. The flames on Harvest’s head were gone. He lifted his hands and laughed. “You’re destroying Grim’s home. Beautiful,” Harvest said in awe. “You’ve always known how to destroy, Nova.”

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” I agreed. “I amfree.”

His smile waned. I sent my magic out toward him,seekingto trap. He clutched his pants pocket right as I ripped into him with an explosion. The entity never screamed, but he stumbled and reached forward as his portal chip floated in the air away from him.

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