Page 85 of Wicked Warlock
I curled my hands into fists. “It’s time to end this once and for all.”
Chapter 40
Astrid
My portal opened and I stepped out at the top of the hills overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Zinnia, Tabi, and Serrina stood waiting for us. Tuck flew overhead in his phoenix form and down in front of the bridge. Brax prowled back and forth in his tiger form. Sherman, his giant piranha pup, marched behind him. Drool dripped from Sherman’s shark teeth and he barked and snarled at the line of Unseelies. Ophelia and Cross stood off to the side, pointing down toward the bridge and talking to each other. When I looked out over the bridge, I sucked in a sharp breath. “How long have they been standing like that?”
“A few minutes now.” Zinnia lifted her hand and Kumi, her nine-tailed wolf familiar, rubbed her head under her touch. Zinnia gave a dark chuckle. “Yes, kill them all.”
Kumi sat back on her haunches and practically purred. Zinnia sighed. “Just don’t swallow then. You’ll get a stomachache.” She shook her head. “No, they won’t taste good.”
Logan walked up beside me and ground his teeth together. He stared down at Nylore. “Today is the day he dies.”
I placed my hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Yes, it is.”
Maze walked up beside me. His cards were already swirling over his head and smoke billowed around him. Tilly hung back a few feet and he glanced at her. “You good?”
She didn’t say anything, just took another step closer to him.
I groaned. “Are you sure she should be here?”
“Our girl still has her demon strength and abilities. Inside she’s not herself yet, but I know her, and she’d be pissed if she wasn’t here.”
I nodded. “You’re right. She would be.”
When I glanced at Tilly, she stood watching me with those glowing green eyes, but I couldn’t tell how she felt, what she wanted, or if she even remembered me. I wanted my bestie back more than any words could say. She was only standing feet from me, yet I felt like I lost her.
Maze cracked his knuckles. “I’m ready to bring the pain.”
Rows of Unseelie warriors filled the bridge from one end to the other. They didn’t move, didn’t growl or roar like I’d grown used to. They just all stood there. Waiting. Beckett walked up on the other side of us and nodded. “I thought it might come to this.”
“Did you get the scroll translated?” There was a coldness to Zinnia that sent shivers down my spine. This wasn’t the girl who came to sleep over in my room at Warwick to hang out and have pizza. No, this was the queen who killed her father to save the world, and as she looked out over the Unseelie, I could see it in her face. She would kill again.
Adrienne pulled the paper from her back pocket and held it out toward her. Ophelia marched over to our group and snatched it from Adrienne’s hand. “I’ll take that.”
“Do you know what it all means?” Adrienne went to reach for the paper.
Ophelia stepped back. “Duh.” She turned toward me. “Astrid, imma need a cauldron but like a handheld one.”
“One cauldron coming up.” I’d seen these a million times. I opened my hand and made her a cauldron that was the size of a mixing bowl. It laid on the ground at her feet and she bent over to pick it up. “Travel size… I like.”
A hole opened in the ground right next to me, and Nova popped out. She had her hair tied into a braid that fell down the side of her body and she had on full battle gear, complete with weapons dripping from her body. “Did you miss me?”
“Nova!” Zinnia’s excitement was visible. “How did you get away?”
“I have my ways.” She winked.
Before I could greet her, Nylore raised his hand and all the Unseelies roared. This time, he stood in the middle of them with his sword held high.
Zinnia called out, “Penny portals.”
Penny floated over our heads like a superhero with her arms out, like she was standing, and opened her hands. Two portals opened at the base of the hills and students of Evermore all began to filter out. They were strapped with weapons and all colors of magic glowed in their hands. Some wore their bomber jackets from Warwick and others had on long cloaks that matched their caste. There was no terror, no fear in their eyes. They were ready for battle.
Nylore threw back his head, chuckling. He pointed toward the line of our warriors and the Unseelie vaulted toward them. They clashed at the base of the hill with screams and magic explosions.
“We’ll take the back. You take the front.” She motioned to Beckett and me. “Serrina, stay here and make sure all those Unseelies stay on that bridge. Logan, keep them on the back if any get by me and Tuck. O, let’s get the damn walls up. Tabi, unleash hell.”
We all nodded, taking our directions. Maze lifted his hand. “What about me?”
