“What the hell?” Chi asked. “Is she pulling something out?”
“No, I think she’s summoning. That is something we all need to learn. You think she can teach us?” I truly would have loved to add something to my arsenal. The dancer's leaps and jumps could only get me so far, as well as how to bitch slap someone with a gun, but that was for another battle.
I squinted, and then I saw them: a pack of spiky-haired hounds. Their eyes glowed red, and foam dripped from their mouths. “What are those?”
Ola had a magical association, and despite all of the tension in Richmond, mindless violence by the oppressors against us, Ola had a jarring connection we didn’t. But she was one of us, whatever she was.
I frowned. “Hellhounds?” If they caught us using magic, even if we were just magic adjacent, the punishment would likely mean treason. It wasn’t something I worried about. The main thing was to get the mana.
Ola clapped her hands, and the pack broke into two groups and charged forward.
It was just the distraction needed. The soldiers focused on the dogs. I took a deep breath and concentrated on the soldiers, picking them off one by one.
“Go help Graham and Emili,” I told Chi. “The guards are moving toward the pipe player.”
“What about you?”
“I have to keep an eye out on Rust.” I scanned the area, still not seeing him, like he’d up and vanished. “You know the deal. We’ll meet back at the safe house. If I don’t come, it’s because it isn’t safe to.”
It was our one rule: never endanger the lives of the only family we had.
I ducked down and moved back toward the fire escape.
Fyre hurried back to me. “They are taking the fairies to drain them,” she buzzed. “We have to stop them.”
I frowned, not understanding. Panning the area, I saw what Fyre meant. The dark elves were unloading what appeared to be a bunch of downtrodden fairies, leading them out with silver chains. Unlike pixies and disir, small in stature, these fairies were human in size, with large wings that protruded through their clothes.
My gaze finally landed on Rust. With his hands raised, I noticed he held a satchel of what must have been the mana, but a guard had him pinned down on his knees.
I didn’t have a clear shot. The guard stood right before him, and at this angle, if I took it, I could likely hit Rust, too. Dammit to hell!
Killing the guards meant our basic survival, as we rebelled against those in power to regain a society we’d lost. The war might have officially ended according to the peace accords out of what used to be Washington D.C., signed by our former President. But he’d been deposed, and now the rebellion continued.
“Sorry, Rust,” I whispered. Pushing back the lump in my throat that felt like cotton on the back of my tongue, I pulled the trigger.
A loud boom suddenly rocked the building on which I stood, and I crashed through the roof. Coughing, I sputtered, tasting blood in my mouth, while the grit of dust and pulverized concrete covered my face.
I should have been happy that I’d landed as soft as one could through a roof. I rolled to the side and glanced at the fire ballooning from the other side and leaned in to listen.
I didn’t have much of a chance if those things showed up to end me. I’d been too careless.
My ribs ached, as did my head. I pulled my weapon to me and cradled it tightly. It was all I had to protect the entire world.
The sound of approaching jackboots combined with spoken Elvish rang in my ears. Rapidly blinking and gasping, I squirmed away from the fire into a far corner, covering my body with a soiled tarp.
If I ever needed to believe in a deity, it was now, for they’d gotten us into this mess.
The pain beckoned me, and into its clutches, I crumbled.
Chapter Two
It took death to appreciate life.
I came to with an IV of mana in my arm, and Ola was wiping the sweat from my brow. My muscles ached like my body had been through the ringer. “What’s going on?” I asked, my throat parched, my mouth tasting like cotton candy. Weird.
“Hush now,” Ola chastised. “I’m happy to have you back.”
“Back?” That was a strange thing to say. I leaned forward, my head swimming. “What’s happening? I glanced around the room and noticed that I was at Rust’s apartment. Unlike my hovel, his place was sterile in design, reflecting his Tier-B status. Stainless steel, clean lines, white walls, and exposed brick meant home to him.
“Where’s Rust?” My lips and chin trembled uncontrollably. My vision blurred.
“He’s at the fire station, working like he’s supposed to be. Remember our rules: everything is supposed to look normal, be normal. You scared the crap out of us when you crashed through the roof.”
I didn’t recall much: the echoing sounds of jackboots, Elvish, and the glowing red eyes of a hellhound.
“Hellhound?” I asked.
“That is how I found you. They let me know.”
Ola’s connection with these mythical beasts was foolish. I didn’t know how she could trust anything that these gods of hers sent her way, but if one allowed her to save me, maybe I should be a little bit grateful.
I moved to pull the IV from my arm.
“Don’t,” Ola said. “You need to keep it in there until this bag drains. It’s the only thing keeping you alive. We had to do a transfusion.
“A what now?”
Let’s be honest here. The thought of carrying dark elven magic in my body made me feel violated, like
