Page 87 of The Daughters of Nyx

Could I do that? Or was I completely slipping now?

The house was empty, save for the bodies. Death clung to the air. I waited to hear moans of pain, or maybe the murmuredDeath to the Queenline again, but everything around me seemed so eerily detached from the fight happening outside.

Jay paused at the front door. It had been kicked in, the hinges splintered, the glass window that had once been a pretty, stained glass, geometric pattern now smashed, the debris crunching beneath our feet. I sidestepped the pieces as best I could, and without thought, reached for a pair of slip-on flats. They were a size too small.

They belonged to Kerry.

I sucked in a calming breath, but the calm didn’t return. It didn’t burrow into my mind, as familiar as the voice who whispered directions in my mind.

It, too, was gone.

Jay let out two shots, keeping his back to us. “Beta team, run for the cars,now.Girls, stay behind me.”

I wanted to run, to keep my eyes on my sisters, but the soldiers carrying them and Kerry darted past Thea and I. One was fast, faster than the others—he carried Ginny—and he was a blur of nothing for a moment before he reappeared beside an SUV. He threw the door open and dropped my sister inside, before turning and taking Eloise and dumping her small form on the backseat too.

The soldier carrying Maisie let off three shots before appearing by the SUV. They handed Maisie over and shot three more anti-Queen guards before a bullet pierced their right shoulder.

Kerry was dropped in the front seat, and the faster soldier slipped into the driver’s side. The SUV was gone before any more shots could go off.

“Glamour,” Jay explained, his jaw tight. “It’ll protect them until they reach the safe house. From there, we go to the ferry.”

Neither Thea nor I questioned that. We merely waited, lips shut, though I doubted either of us could get any words out anyway.

A familiar wolf appeared before us, a deep, guttural growl passing its maw. Thea lifted her gun, but I stepped in front of her.

Elias’s wolf was almost as tall as I was, broad and a deep, shaggy brown like his hair, gold highlights littering his fur. Familiar, comforting green eyes met mine, and the growl spluttered out, replaced by a whimper.

“I’m okay,” I whispered, voice hoarse. “None of this blood is mine.”

At least, I didn’t think any of it belonged to me. It belonged mostly to the second guard I’d killed.

I think I’m going to need therapy after all this is over.

Thankfully, once again, the voice didn’t bother to respond.

Elias took a step closer, but a growl sounded somewhere beside the house, causing his hackles to rise, a snarl lifting his lips. He darted off towards the sound before any of us could react, disappearing into the shadows of the forest bordering the house.

“Holy shit,” Thea breathed, hand trembling as it took mine. “Holyfucking shit.”

I nodded. I didn’t need to respond. She’d said enough for the two of us.

The fight outside should have drawn the authorities; a bear rampaged through at least three fully grown, six foot something men with broad, line-backer shoulders. It tore into one of those men like he was putty, while another shot at the nearly seven-five bear, who barely flinched as pullets pierced its hide.

I found Adrian, with his golden hair slicked back, eyes glowing with magic, fighting hand to hand with two anti-Queen guards. I could tell the difference between those on either side now: those who fought against Nyx gave themselves away, their faces uncovered like they were proud of their treachery, while those who fought under Nyx wore masks over the bottom halves of their faces.

At Adrian’s back, Rowan fought. A breath of relief shuddered past my lips.He’s okay. His moves were slower than Adrian’s, telling me he was hurt, but he still fought hard against his opponent.

A tall woman with glowing red eyes appeared in front of Adrian, a cruel smirk playing at her red lips. Shadows snaked over her wrists and wrapped around the rest of her body like a second skin.

I didn’t know what she was, but I could feel her power from where I stood behind Jay.

“Maeve is waiting in the SUV thirty paces away,” Jay said, pressing his fingers to what looked like a rune on his wrist. “She’s going to get you out of here, but you’re going to have to run. I’ll cover your escape.”

My gaze flickered to the SUV he’d mentioned, but I couldn’t make myself move. “I’m not leaving without the others. Not without Adrian and Rowan and Elias.”

Thea’s hand tightened in mind. “They know what they’re doing, Ivy, but we don’t,” she whispered.

But I couldn’t move my eyes from the fighting mages, not as Adrian took a dagger to the side, the sharp blade slicing through his tactical gear and marring his golden skin.

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