Page 109 of Gods' Battleground

I wasn’t giving up. No way, no how. As I poked and prodded, seeking out any weaknesses in the spell, I was vaguely aware of Mordon moving, walking, giggling. Giggling?

“It feels sogood!” he sang.

Yep, he was definitely giggling. He was totally drunk on my magic.

He clapped my hands together and a fireball formed between them. Harker’s team advanced, swords drawn.

“What are you going to do, angel boy? Stab me?” Mordon said with a mocking laugh. “This is Leda Pandora’s body. And let’s be honest here. You are all still hoping that you’ll get her back.”

He clapped my hands together again, and the fireball went out. He cackled, and wow, he sure could make my voice sound super evil.

Mordon spun again, and I felt my wings burst out of my back. “Nice,” he cooed. He stroked the pale pink feathers, and they turned black. He giggled again. “Verynice.”

Harker looked at Nero, the worry evident in his eyes. Nero met his gaze and shook his head, the movement so subtle that Inearly missed it. Mordon was so caught up in the ecstasy of my magic that he hadn’t noticed their silent exchange.

“You got what you wanted,” Nero said, stepping forward. “Now leave.” His face was a hard granite mask, so devoid of emotion that even I couldn’t read it.

“Oh, but I don’t haveeverythingI want just yet,” Mordon tittered. Then he raised his voice, projecting so loudly that the whole castle could surely hear him. “Oh, Sierra dear!” he called out. “Come to Mommy!”

“No!” Bella shouted. “You promised you would leave Sierra alone!”

“I lied,” Mordon hissed, his lips curling with relish.

He snapped his fingers, teleporting Sierra into the throne room. She was just steps away from him.

Sierra blinked up at him with wide eyes. “Mommy?”

“That’s right,” Mordon said in a soothing voice. “Come to Mommy, Sierra. Mommy needs you.”

“Don’t do it, Sierra,” Bella warned her. “That’s not your mother.” A magic halo fired up around Bella’s body.

“Put the fireworks away, sweetheart,” Mordon said, sounding quite bored. “We both know you aren’t going to hurt your sister.”

“Who said anything about hurting Leda?” Bella shot back.

Then she hit me with her magic, curse-powered magic that could kill a god or a demon. But her magic didn’t kill me. It only made me stronger.

Mordon roared with laughter when the magic hit him, drinking it in. “You really are stupid, aren’t you?”

He tossed Bella aside with a telekinetic flick of his wrist. She jumped up again.

“Hit me again, princess.” He licked his lips. “This body likes it.”

Bella balled her fists, glowering at him.

“Don’t want to play?” Mordon let out a derisive snort. “Fine. I’ll just take what’s mine and be on my way.” He took a step toward Sierra.

Nero trapped Mordon in a telekinetic field, skin-tight and taut as a towing cable. The spell froze my body in place.

“This won’t hold me,” Mordon told him. “I will break free.”

“No,” Nero said, short and certain. “You won’t.”

Mordon’s gaze clashed with Nero’s. “Hate to break it to you, Windstriker, but your wife’s been holding out on you. She’s much stronger than she lets on, especially after Little Miss Witchy-Woo juiced her up with that delicious magic bomb.”

Mordon cackled, and Nero’s spell shattered like a dropped mirror. Mordon moved so quickly. He grabbed Sierra, and in a flash, he’d teleported us out of my throne room—straight into the Guardians’ fortress, totally bypassing the magic shield, the guards, and any other security.

Then he turned to look down at Sierra. “Well, my dear, here we are: your new home.” A vicious grin twisted his lips. “This is all going perfectly to plan.”

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