Page 115 of Gates of Rapture
“Yes.As soon as the fold took place, and because of all the training that Seriffe has demanded of his Militia Warriors for years, all two hundred thousand of the parade troops, as well as the warriors that held civilian places in the grandstands, started folding to prearranged barracks around the world.The spectacle performers, the birds, and their handlers are in Apache Junction Two.”
“And Greaves’s army—or ratheryourarmy?”
“Brynna confirmed.We have one million warriors on our side.”
She rubbed her forehead, but she smiled and her heart expanded.“That’s fantastic.Now, tell me what the parade grounds look like?”
“Like a battlefield.”
“Did Greaves show up with his troops and tanks?”
“No.It looks like he meant only to blow the site all to hell with his artillery.Fortunately, Marcus got it all on film.No doubt he’ll have this flying around the Web right away, along with obsidian flame’s mass fold.”
“And everyone’s really safe?”
He nodded slowly.“Everyone’s safe.”
“We did it,” she said softly.
“Yes, we did.Now retract your wings so I can get you back to the palace.”
She looked around, then called out, “Casimir, show yourself.I can feel that you’re here.”
Casimir became visible and he was smiling.“That was a beautiful show you just put on.I’m proud of you, Grace.”
“Thank you.”
Casimir glanced at Leto and waited.
“What?”Leto snapped.
“I won’t leave until you’re both out of the desert.”
Leto scowled.“You would have taken me out of the air if you’d had to, wouldn’t you?”
Casimir merely dipped his chin, but he added, “I didn’t need to, though, did I?”
“No, you’re right.You didn’t.”He put his hand on Grace’s shoulder.“To the palace.”
With her wings safely retracted, Grace smiled, and was once more flying through nether-space.
***
Greaves still couldn’t believe what had happened.He had even viewed the disastrous results on the Internet.The ruse had been perfect.All he’d thought about over the past twenty-four hours was when and how to obliterate obsidian flame with a bombing; it never occurred to him that he was looking at a massive fucking deception.
But to add insult to injury, the Web was full of Marcus’s propaganda about how Greaves had attempted to do harm to the women of obsidian flame and to a bunch of swans and geese.PETA Two was in an uproar.Talk about spin.
He might have found it amusing that he’d actually been duped, but he was far too angry and the stakes had been way too high.The terrible reality had already begun sinking in that Leto had taken back at least half the army he’d built on behalf of the Coming Order.Half.
He couldn’t say he was heartsick.You had to be in possession of a heart to be heartsick.In this sense, he was a true vampire, the kind of Mortal Earth mythology, the creature without a heart.
He didn’t even particularly feeldespair.
No, what possessed him so strangely in this moment was a rage so pure, it was like a flame in his soul expanding, growing hotter, burning brighter, and most of all demanding recourse.
He needed recourse.
Action.
