Page 88 of Hellfire

My eyes widened as the elemental opened its mouth and roared. Chaos unleashed on the Cairn. Clouds of darkness wrapped around the foundations, which rumbled, stone crumbling from the structure, sending us toppling.

Blaze rolled free and climbed to one knee, beating at his djinn family with crimson blows, defending the master claiming his mind.

“Now, Princess,” Gable urged.

As if by some stroke of luck, Talon and Cole took out the last Sanctuary and charged at the Queen of Serpents, bowling her over, knocking the sigil from her palm. I raced over and captured it. Cole restrained Phoebe’s arms behind her back, preventing her from etching any spells.

Camus’ expression turned murderous. “Get your hands off my wife, you vile Guild filth!” he croaked as his skin cracked and flaked like a snake shedding scales rather than his entire skin.

Talon climbed to his feet and spun his spear. “Get ready to die,snakes.”

The freedom gave me time to take charge of the elemental python.

“Rarc vul shak.” My first order.Bow to me, great beast.

“Yarbara,” the beast hissed and stopped in front of me, a good ten feet away, dropping its head. Close enough to eat me if my plan didn’t work.

The name translated to snake whisperer. I bet old Grandaddy regretted teaching me the serpent language now.

“Sluv nek vena kev shi, shak.” Two more orders. “Destroy the Dark Queen and King who summoned you, do no harm to the djinni or my men and I, and I will free you.”

Vibrations rippled up my leg as the elemental rumbled with delight, wanting nothing more than to rid itself of the lowly creatures who woke it and disturbed its slumber. Executing my command, it slid up the side of the Cairn and cranked open its colossal jaws. My breakfast threatened to resurface as I scampered out of the way. Lightning crackled as it came down hard on Phoebe, her screams dying out.

“What did you do, you fool?” Camus came at me with a pulsing ball of dark magick, ready to wipe me from the face of this planet for his last action before his expiration.

Talon thumped him on the back of the head, and he went down. The elemental thundered down over him.

“Wait!” Gable shouted at me.

I held my hand in the air, warning the elemental to halt, and it obeyed, hissing with impatience to be done with the Snake Queen and King. Long fangs made of electricity flashed with power.

Gable removed a stick from his pocket and unwound the black ribbon and hair wound around it. “Now we’re no longer tethered to him. Please proceed, Princess.” He kissed my cheek.

“Bossy.” I tapped his ass.

He drew me into his arm, leaning me on his chest. “I prefer to think of it as knowing that I want.”

I laughed and shook my head, gazing back at the darkening storm composing the python elemental’s body. “Finish him,” I commanded, and the mighty jaws swallowed my grandfather.

Thunder rumbled and lightning flickered as the snake waited for its freedom. A promise was a promise.

I went to release it when Gable grabbed my shoulder and said, “Not yet, Princess. I think you have a little more work to do before you let this beast go.”

CHAPTER 30 - LUNA

“What’s that?” I asked my beautiful dark knight.

Gable took my hand and lifted it for a single kiss. “Don’t you want to destroy the Brotherhood for good, Princess?”

Yes, I did. Only then could Gable, Mary, and I be truly free.

His eyes flicked to the sixth element, hinting at our next step.

Ah. Gotcha.

I squeezed his hand and lifted my gaze back to the stormy snake, telling it, “I have more requests of you, great wonder.”

The landscape shuddered at a terrifying boom.

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