Page 9 of The Crown of Nyx

Because he believed, in some twisted way, that he was owed it.

“Dante has more reach than any of us suspected,” Maeve said, her voice cutting through the tension. “He couldn’t have achieved this without significant help.”

“He has the courts. Why they would side with a mind mage is beyond me, but he got through to half the rulers, and they’ve been helping him for years,” Orion explained. “But from what I’ve gathered, he couldn’t get to the Underworld.”

My stomach twisted. I looked away from the burning ruins of the palace and city to take in my mates. “What does that mean, exactly?” I asked.

“It means we might have allies—and an army—with the demons,” Hawk replied. “There is no way this war is being fought with just the seven of us.”

“There aren’t just seven of you,” Vanya snapped, stepping up beside me. Tears slid down her sooty cheeks as she looked from Hawk to me. “There are plenty who wouldn’t dare betray you or Nyx, Ivy. More than you think.”

“They just need to be rallied.” Adrian squeezed my hand, eyes shining as they met mine. “Vanya is right. There is no way Dante has everyone fooled. There are forces out there that would fight against him in a heartbeat. Ifyoucalled for them.”

“How?” I asked. “I don’t know what to do. Greer never prepared me for this. Oberon didn’t prepare me for this.”

My vision grew hazy as panic reached for me, closing around my throat and lungs. Pressure built in my head, pounding against my skull. In my ears, I heard the whispers of every damned soul lost to Dante and his take-over.

I pressed my hands to my ears, knees buckling. The ringing in my ears drowned out the voices of my mates. Although I felt them try to reach me through the bonds, it felt like I was miles away, falling from their grasps.

No.I didn’t have the benefit of panicking anymore. I didn’t have the privilege of standing here and crying, because there were people who needed me now more than ever. It wasn’t just Thea and the kids that I had to think about. It was everyone else, too; the entirety of Nyx’s children were relying on me to save them.

To protect them from the harm Dante and his people were causing.

Warmth touched the back of my mind, filling me from the inside out.

You must fight, Nyx said, her voice a whisper on the wind.Or death will come for us all.

4

Ivy

Another explosion echoed through the air, propelling us out of the ballroom and down to the gardens of the palace. Nyx’s words replayed in my head as Elias dragged me into the trees. Somewhere behind us, there were hoots and howls, telling us we’d been spotted.

We need to get Vanya to safety, I told Elias, chest burning with the speed I tried to maintain.She can’t be part of this. I won’t put her in more danger, and she’s safer with her family. She’s an original Bloodline.

Elias’s hand tightened around mine, his bond warming reassuringly in my chest.We’ll get her to safety. Don’t worry.

The ground beneath our feet shook with the impact of another attack. I cursed under my breath and chanced a look over my shoulder. But there was only darkness andshadows. The light of the fires didn’t penetrate the thick trees. I wasn’t sure if that scared me or not.

But when I blinked, it was like the darkness cleared.No.My eyes were adjusting to the night.

I blinked again, and then I sawthem.

Wolves. Bears. And creatures made of trees and vines and stone.

We were being hunted.

My chest tightened as I returned my stare to the forest ahead of us. Through the trees, I spied others also running from Dante’s soldiers. Some in gowns made of snow and others in robes of blood. We were not the only ones being hunted, but we were their prey.

The beasts behind us howled again, their battle cries cutting through the air dangerously. I flinched at the sudden sharpness of the sound, my ears ringing.

Either I’m picking up on Elias’s power, or Maeve’s.Both had the same heightened senses. I didn’t feel the ache of fangs like earlier, so I had to assume I was touching on Elias’s shifting ability.

Maybe shifting wouldn’t be so bad right now.

Surely, I’d be able to keep pace with everyone that way. The only other person struggling as much as I was had to be Vanya. I picked up on her sharp breaths and the rattle in her lungs, same as my own. Everyone else seemed fine; Maeve and Elias were built for this, and the others were trained. We were slowing everyone down.

I could almost feel the rancid breaths of the creatures on my neck. They could reach us easily, cut us down and tear into our flesh. We weren’t nearly as fast as we could be. But they were enjoying the chase.

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