Page 45 of Rebel in the Deep

“This is so fucked.” She gives a softoofas she wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck. Even though she tries not to choke me, it’s all but impossible.

We are so fucked.

Chapter23

Nox

Despite my assurances to theothers that I can fight Bull, dismantling a storm is damn near impossible when it’s natural. When it’s magical? It’s a feat that only the most skilled and powerful could pull off. Maybe on my best day I’d have a decent shot at it despite the danger of burnout. This is not my best day.

Being jostled in Siobhan’s arms doesn’t help my concentration, but I know better than to ask her to stop or, gods forbid, to put me down. More importantly, my magic well hasn’t refilled from the last fight. I dip down into it, pulling what I can to me, and can’t stop a sliver of fear at how little there is to gather.

It doesn’t matter. If I don’t fight, then more people will die. People just trying to live their lives. People who didn’t choose to settle in a city that the Cwn Annwn have apparently decided is disposable.

I close my eyes and devote all my magic to picking apart thegathering wind above us. I’ll make do with what I have. I can’t siphon off the power of the storm with my elemental magic, but I can direct the wind in increasingly chaotic waves that will fight Bull’s hold on it. And if he loses hold, then we’ll be dealing with a normal storm instead of an acid rain. I hope.

“Bowen,” Evelyn calls, “the moment it starts raining, create a shield above us.” She mutters under her breath, and Siobhan’s steps stutter as she shifts on her back. “Sorry. I’m trying to figure out a spell to help.”

“If you want to help, stop fucking moving.” Siobhan tightens her hold on me. “Andyou. Don’t you dare fucking die.”

I have no plans to. But I can’t speak without losing my hold on the air currents. Damn, this fucker’s strong. Bull must have built up the storm out over the sea and then directed it here. It’s fully formed and fearsome.

A fiery dollop of pain splats my forehead and my eyes fly open, my concentration faltering. “Damn it!” Overhead, the sky is even uglier than it was earlier, orange and purple having blossomed in the midst of the green. I curse hard. “I can’t stop it. I didn’t do anything but let him know that we’re here.” I fucked up. Truly fucked up.

And now the people of Kanghri and all of First Sister will pay the price.

Except Bowen is slowing and turning back. He deposits Dia in front of us. “Bastian will take you if you need to run.”

Bastian looks a little green. “I will.”

Bowen pivots to face the way we came. “I can hold it off.”

Siobhan tenses, but I’m already speaking. “Absolutely fucking not. If I can’t pull it apart, there’s no way you can.”

He shakes his head, expression distant. “I’m not going to dispel the storm. I’m going to shield the city.”

My eyes go wide as shock grips me. What he’s suggesting…The sheer amount of power that kind of feat would require…“Impossible.” I struggle to get out of Siobhan’s arms, failing spectacularly. “Even if you could manage it for a beat, the burnout will kill you. I won’t allow it.”

“You don’t have a choice. And it’s not impossible—not with an amplification circle.” He looks over me into Evelyn’s eyes. “I know this is dangerous, but you understand that I have to do it.”

She appears absolutely miserable, but she slides off Siobhan’s back and nods. “You have to try to save them.” She swallows hard. “Don’t you dare die.”

“I would never leave you willingly.”

She pulls a piece of chalk from an inside pocket. “I need a flat surface to work with.”

The words are barely out of her mouth before the rocks beneath our feet disintegrate and are swept away, revealing a mostly flat dirt surface. And he did it with a simple thought, faster than I could fully come up with a plan to give her that flat surface.

I wriggle in Siobhan’s arms. “Put me down.”

Instead of obeying, Siobhan gives me a severe look. “I’ll put you down the moment you promise me that you aren’t going to do anything foolish like try to fight Bull with wind when he’s drawing forth a storm that’s not even elemental.”

“We’re heroes, Siobhan. Noble sacrifice is what heroes do.” I use her huff of outrage to slide free and come to my feet next to Evelyn. She’s already got half the circle drawn, Bowen’s shield above us, keeping the increasing acid rain from peppering uswith holes. She glances at me. “I’ll need an extra second to create a shield for us and Bowen so he can concentrate on the city. Don’t let him start until I’m ready.”

Impossible words, an impossible promise. The only person who can stop Bowen is Evelyn, and even then, she’s not always successful. It’s that damn fucking honor again. It makes even the smartest people into fools. “I’ll try.”

I move to Bowen, only pausing long enough to ensure that Siobhan is keeping an eye on Dia and Bastian. “This will be a battle of stamina. Can you hold him? Because if you can’t, we’re better off running now and getting ourselves far from here while he unloads his fury.”

“Unloads his fury on the unsuspecting and innocent people of Kanghri.” His dark eyes are steely. His jaw set. “You would know that’s unacceptable if you weren’t so distracted.”

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