Page 44 of Ignited Spirits
When we skid to a stop next to Luca, he looks over at us with his amber wolf eyes. His gaze lingers on me as he looks me up and down for injuries. Apparently satisfied with what he sees, he dismisses me and moves protectively in front of me.
I sink my hands into his surprisingly soft fur, hoping this isn’t some sort of shifter faux pas. I’ve never really interactedmuch with my mates in their shifter forms, so I don’t quite know what to do.
Hoping he can understand me, I lean down. “We need to get out of here. You can either join our merry band or head back to Rhys, Aiden, and Dad.”
Trusting him to choose an option, I rush off in Levi’s direction, the whole time being pelted with spell after spell. As I tire, I struggle to deflect the hits. One sneaks through and tears a stripe through my abdomen. I grunt as blood seeps out of the wound, but I can’t afford to pay it much attention.
Once I reach Levi, I bend over and place my hands on my knees, needing a second to breathe. I feel like I’ve run a marathon, but all I’ve done is expend way too much magic.
Once I catch my breath, I straighten up and try to ignore the concerned looks from my mates, all of whom, unsurprisingly, decided to follow me.
I meet Levi’s mostly red gaze. “We need to get out of here. Let’s head back to my family so we can open a rift and live to fight another day.”
Levi nods. “Lead the way, little raven.”
With the five of us lobbing attacks at the swarm of goons, it doesn’t take too long to force our way back through the swarm to reach my brothers and dad. Once we’re safely back inside the defensive dome, I realize a flaw in my plan. Snake monster Archer is still out there in the horde, and I have no idea how to get his attention or communicate what we need to do.
Figuring it won’t hurt anything, I cup my hands around my mouth and shout, “Archer!”
It takes him a moment to realize I was calling for him. When he does, he rushes over to me, his giant feet crushing everyone in his path. If we were in a different situation, I would find it comical. As it is, I can’t watch with anything other than anxiety at his advance, hoping he doesn’t get hurt in the process.
Once he’s reached the dome, Archer lowers his massive center head to be even with me. His warm breath blows directly on me, sending my hair flying back like I’m in a windstorm.
He has shimmering black scales covering the entirety of his body, including down his snout. I have the urge to touch him to see if his scales are soft or sharp or smooth or rough, but I hold myself back. The other heads are swiveling around behind him and snapping up anyone who gets too close.
Serpentine purple eyes watch me as I watch him. I manage to tear my gaze away from my inspection of him after a moment.
I make eye contact with what I think is the main head. “Any chance you can turn back to your human form? We really need to leave, and I don’t know how to make a rift big enough for you.”
Tilting his head in thought, Archer bobs it up and down before a flash of purple and black light engulfs his massive form.
I have to cover my eyes from the blinding light. When I no longer feel like my eyes are burning behind my lids, I cautiously peek one eye open.
I grin when I see Archer in front of me. “It’s good to have you back, sunny boy.”
“I am glad I pleased you, mate,” he rumbles, his voice sounding deeper and raspier than it normally does.
It’s then that I realize I’m not speaking with Archer. Whatever new form he has, it seems to come with another consciousness inside him. Guilt at what I did to him bubbles up, but I can’t deal with it now. Shoving it down, I ask, “Um, do you have a name?”
He dips his chin. “I do.”
I blink at him as I wait for him to tell me what it is, which he doesn’t. “What is it?”
“Legion.” He says nothing more but watches me intently. He doesn’t blink as he observes me, and it’s unnerving.
I want my smiley Archer back, but I don’t know how to go about it. And all that really matters right now is getting us all out of here safely.
Blowing out a breath, I open a rift to what I hope is Levi’s suite inInfernus. That way, if any of the lackeys follow us, I won’t lead them back to our house or the Nightshade Pack.
I’m not sure if Hades was joking about me creating portals into his throne room making him look bad, but I want to be careful in case he was serious. I’m very aware that Hades can’t afford to look weak, and it can cost him his position and his life.
When the black abyss spawns in front of me, I gesture for everyone to go ahead of me. “All aboard the train to Hell. It departs promptly, so no dillydallying.”
Aiden rolls his eyes at me, but no one argues as they shuffle into what I’m crossing my fingers is the right place. I don’t think anyone wants to stay here and get obliterated by all the goons, so leaping into a black hole is the better of two bad options.
Once my family is through, my mates wait on me to go first. I sigh. “I need to be last so I can make sure no one follows us through.”
I can tell that they all want to argue. Levi is the first to deflate and go through the rift. Cerberus shrinks down to their rottweiler form and walks through. My other mates follow suit until it’s just me and Legion in Archer’s body.
