Page 98 of Ignited Spirits
If scary boy isn’t a fitting name for Legion, I don’t know what is. He’s terrifying and deadly and imposing. But he’s also soft and loving toward me, showing me a gentleness I would’ve never thought him capable of.
He rests his forehead against my upper back as he rasps, “I love you too, mate. So much more than I could ever express to you. I know it has not been long, but it was impossible not to fall in love with you. And your pup loves you, too, with everything he is.”
Levi, Bishop, and Cain all come to kneel on the floor next to us, each of them resting one of their hands on me. I turn my head to face them. “I love you, St. James, screech owl, and quiet boy.”
They chorus their love for me, and just for this moment in time, everything feels perfect and right and how it should be. Tomorrow, I know nothing will feel okay. But right now, I’mgoing to hold on to this moment as tightly as I can and hope it helps me get through everything I have to do tomorrow to keep this little family of ours safe.
CHAPTER 32
IZZY
Ilook down at the rock in my hand and back up to the grassy plain apprehensively. “You sure she’s going to come?”
Hades somehow procured a rock from the Earth’s core for us, the one remaining ingredient that Lua needs to complete her spell to drain the planet of its magic. And I’m currently holding it in the middle of a field in nowhere Iowa to lure Lua to our battlefield.
We picked everyone up way before dawn to assemble our forces on the banks of the Styx, one of the few places Lua can’t see from afar.
The plan is to offer her the rock and then run through a rift back toInfernus. If all goes well, she’ll follow, and we’ll kick her ass. I highly doubt it will be that easy, but a girl can hope.
Along with the jaguars, Joseph, and Angerona fromLa Esperanza, thecuraefrom Hades, the mages from Elemental, the hellhounds Cain rallied, and the enforcers from the Nightshade Pack, Rhys also managed to secure us over a hundred wolf shifters. Where he found them, I have no idea. But I’m grateful for any extra support we can get.
“She’ll be here. She’s just waiting to see if we have any hidden backup.” Levi gazes contemplatively at the sun just peeking out over the horizon as the harsh winter wind whips around us.
We’re all tensely looking around the open field, scanning for any sign of Lua.
We chose the wide-open space purposely so that it would be hard for Lua to sneak up on us. It also has the benefit of limiting any collateral damage because there isn’t anyone around for miles.
“Yeah, I bet she’ll show, kid,” Aggie tries to reassure me. While I tried to get her to sit out the confrontation with Lua, Aggie was having none of it. According to her, she’s my trusty sidekick and the only one who can get me out of trouble.
It’s sweet that she cares, but I care about her too and don’t want her to get hurt. After arguing back and forth, I eventually relented and agreed to let her come for moral support. It’s not like she can really fight as a ghost, so I’m not sure what else she expects to do here.
After waiting a few more minutes, I get fed up with this whole game. Tilting my face up to the sky, I yell, “Lua! I want to make a deal.”
When nothing happens after a beat, I deflate and wonder if we just gathered over a thousand people together for no reason. I close my eyes and let my head fall forward as I reluctantly accept that our plan failed, and I’m going to have to find some other way to take her down.
An unhinged cackle sounds from directly in front of me, and I snap my eyes open to see Lua standing a few feet in front of us.
Like every time I’ve seen her, Lua is covered in blood that drips down to pool at her feet, turning the pure-white snow a crimson red. She has the same twin short swords strapped to her back, curved blades on her hips, and the bandolier of throwingknives across her chest. Her bloodred eyes glow with a feverish light, and her mouth is stretched wide in a savage grin.
Every muscle in my body locks up when I see her, and images from when she killed Archer flash on repeat in my mind. I have a hard time focusing on what’s happening in front of me because I keep getting dragged back into the past.
“Why the long face, sport?” she asks in a singsong voice that feels like nails on a chalkboard.
Her voice snaps me out of the unwelcome trip down memory lane. I can’t afford to be distracted when she’s around, or we’re all going to end up dead.
Throwing my shoulders back, I lift my chin and look her in the eye. “I want to make a trade and was worried you wouldn’t show up.”
I purposely let my posture slump so that she thinks I’ve already given up.
“And why, oh why, would I trade anything with you? What could a tiny, pathetic little mortal like you have that I would want?”
It’s hard to resist the urge to roll my eyes at her. Holding up what’s clutched in my hand, I let her get a good look at it. “A rock from the Earth’s core.”
As soon as she realizes what it is, she lunges for me. Unfortunately for her, she bounces off the barrier Legion created. Apparently, hydras not only shift into terrifying snake monsters, but they can also perform limited defensive magic. It’s way cooler than my own magic.
She stares at the barrier in complete and utter confusion before she locks eyes with Legion, who’s in control of Archer’s body right now. “Anguis,” she hisses in disgust.
Legion gives her a hair-raising grin and dips his head in acknowledgment but doesn’t say anything.
