Page 30 of Redemption

“Get back,” my father says. He goes to conceal me behind him, but Maximus is already there, pushing me back and shielding me.

Not again. I attempt to peer around his massive shoulders, but it’s no use.

There’s no way I’m going to stand back and let them risk themselves like this. I pull off my cardigan and toss it behind me, already hearing the protests from Adrian and Kyros beside me. I call on my wings and they come bursting forth, the feathers fluffing out behind me. Hands grab for me, but I stretch my golden feathers, knocking their hands away as I lift into the air.

I float through the air just above their heads and land right in front of them, back by my father’s side.

Shouts and gasps erupt from the crowd below, but I drown them out. A mix of gods and demigods have already taken up positions along the main road, ready for whatever is about to come our way.

“Olivia,” my father sighs, shaking his head in exasperation. “I thought you were—”

“Haven’t you learned yet that I’m not going to be pushed to the sidelines?” I grin at him.

“Sorry,” I whisper to Maximus as he steps up beside me, giving me his unimpressed glower.

“I should have known you’d find a way around,” he grumbles, but nods in respect.

“Osias!” The thunder cracks over us again, rage rolling off the bolts of lightning as they crash into Adrian’s shield. “Octavia!”

“It can’t be,” Octavia murmurs, searching the skies. “We need to make sure there hasn’t been a breach.”

My father snaps his fingers, and a paper flashes in and out of existence. I can only imagine he’s passing on the order to the guards shielded by Adrian’s invisible cloak at the gates.

“What is going on?” Ajax rumbles from behind us, clearly still confused despite the face forming in the clouds above him.

“Romulus,” I murmur, a shiver of unease running up my spine.

“Olivia!” The thunder cracks next, sending tendrils of fear skittering along my skin.

The clouds converge above the courtyard, and Romulus’ face becomes even clearer; the voidless eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and even his scar become visible, making it unmistakable which god is truly controlling this storm.

“You thought you could take what was mine and get away with it?” Romulus demands, his voice becoming clearer now as well. My stomach drops as his words sink in. There can only be one thing he’s talking about.

“You thought I wouldn’t notice that you left me with a fake?”

Fuck. I was hoping it would at least take him a bit longer than this.

“I’m coming for you, Olivia. I’m going to destroy everything you’ve ever loved—your father, your bitch of a traitor mother, your mates, your school, and all of your little friends.”

I grit my teeth, wishing I could go after the asshole now.

“You can say goodbye to everything you hold dear, because I’m coming for you. This will be the end of you all, the end of light and dark. We will prevail, and I will be your master. And once I get that blade back, I’ll slay any god who stands in my way.”

Murmurs and shouts echo around the courtyard as the demigods and gods hear Romulus’ threats firsthand.

My father lifts his hand to the sky, and a bright ball of light emerges from the darkness. “You will die before you ever come close enough to touch my daughter,” my father roars. The light breaks through the face formed of clouds, sending them dissipating into a light foggy mist. Rain smatters down in droves, but it ricochets off of the shield keeping the city dry from the toxic rain, leaking from Romulus’ clouds as he fades away without a trace.

“If you thought this was some benign issue, that Romulus was making idle threats, I hope you see the true gravity of our situation now,” my father says, his voice echoing through the streets. “This is not the time to sit back, to rely on the soldiers we have to keep you safe as you sit comfortably in your houses, waiting for the threat to pass. This is real. All of our lives are at stake here because Romulus will not stop until each of you is subservient—until he has total and complete control over you all.”

Demigods and gods all gather closer as my father’s power, the power of the sun, fades, leaving only twinkling stars shining in the night sky.

“The secret is out now, we have the blade that can kill a dark god, and we suspect it can be used against light gods as well,” my father admits. “We have the upper hand in this fight, but if you all cower in fear or just refuse to do your part out of complacency, we will lose that advantage, and most of you will lose your lives if it comes to that and Romulus takes control of Ethereal.”

“I’ll stand with you,” Ajax says, stepping before my father and kneeling on the marble stairs. “Whatever you need us to do.”

One by one, the other gods and demigods kneel, the courtyard filling up more than it had before as the rest of the residents come from the neighboring streets.

“We have information that Romulus is ready to attack the school in conjunction with our city,” my father continues. “Mateo and I will be setting up our defenses. If you received a summons to the academy, that is where we need you for the time being. We need to make sure our demigods are ready for this fight too. My own daughter has already been at the front line, battling directly against Romulus and ensuring us and our demigods the best chance at success by capturing the dagger.”

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