Page 131 of Until the End of Ever
We followed him to the wall between Athena and Apollo. Watching him levitate stones, I winced, knowing that sort of refined magic was well beyond my skills. I could summon fire, and I could kill stuff. That was about it. That didn't mean I couldn't help. I lifted one of the smallest stones with a wince, and tossed it on top of the bare gleaming rune on the floor.
Even Lucky was better than me, using the canal water to push the stones to their place.
"Gideon!" someone cried.
I only had a chance to turn when the kid leapt into my arms.
I hadn't seen her in close to a year, so it took me a second. "Rhea? Look at you, you're a proper young lady."
Last time I'd seen the pigtailed menace, she'd looked like a little girl. She was at least a foot taller now, and definitely closer to a teen. "Where are your parents, kiddo?"
She sniffed. "They weren't home. At the Hall, I think. I heard all the screams and the explosion so I went out just now and I saw you."
I couldn't believe they'd left her alone and hadn't returned for her by now.
Actually, that was wrong. I absolutely believed the Valmont-Pendros left her behind without anyone.
"Listen, you need to get to safety. It's seriously dangerous right now.Fuck!"
Spotting more blue eyed enthused fuckers approach, I grabbed her and tossed her in the middle of us. We were far too exposed, and most of them had bows. I looked everywhere, desperate to shield the kid—and Lucky if I could, too. The others could take care of themselves.
"No!" Rhea shouted out.
At first, I assumed the poor kid was terrified. Highly understandable, I was getting there myself, though my fears were never directed towards myself. I was scared the kids would be hurt in front of me. But as I watch a flock of birds descend upon the warriors, coming from every direction, I looked at the kid again.
She wasn't frightened at all, she was focused, hand raised to direct the magic that escaped her in blue green waves.
Some of the birds were predators, sharp talons and beaks, others, tiny little singing birds. All attacked ruthlessly, peaking at flesh, aiming for eyes.
One of the enthused jumped to the nearest canal, the other ran away, bows behind.
We all stared at the little girl who stuffed her head on my shirt.
"Did you say Lucian's here somewhere?" Lucky asked Damian in the pregnant silence.
Wait, silence? I looked around. There no longer was any sound of destruction. Some people still screamed, and ran, yes, but the walls weren't getting attacked anymore.
"Yeah, probably," Damian replied, returning to the stone-lifting. "Why?"
"Because that would make seven of us, defending the walls," Lucky said smugly.
58
SILVER
Ikept punching his pretty face. I doubted he felt any of it, but it made me feel better.
"You can't keep flying away from my friends, you absolutearse!"
Apollo was relentless. "I can and I will. Until it's over."
"No!" I screamed. "I should be down there with Kleos! With everyone. I can help."
"You can't."
"I'm stronger than you give me credit for."
Apollo finally lowered us to the ground, too far from the crumbling city I could only glimpse at in the distance. I started to run towards it.
