Page 61 of Chaos Demons

GREY

We’d waitedat the church only long enough for the rescue helicopters to return and get the innocent humans to safety. Trent had gone with them. That left Harmonia, Eva, and me to scout the duo of daemons in the cemetery.

Once again, I used my skills of The Hunt to cloak myself and my two companions so other daemons wouldn’t sense us.

We crept around the periphery of the cemetery, keeping low and using headstones or the occasional trees to stay hidden. Then, once we were on the other side of the two beacons of power, which I could sense easily enough, I followed a line of trees which led from the edge of the cemetery to where they were using the woods as cover, and we inched through bushes until we could see them.

Nari was dancing to some music only he could hear, prancing and balancing on the roof of the church, a huge grin on his sickly-skinned face. Melinoe was summoning creatures of living nightmare from the depths of Hades.

They didn’t react to our presence, so I guessed they hadn’t sensed us.

Good.

As I scanned the area for any other dangers, I saw Anubis lying, discarded and forgotten, in the open, not far from the church walls.

“They don’t seem aware we’re here,” I whispered. “I know I can’t take them both alone, especially with my sister summoning more beasts, but if we can free Anubis and revive him, perhaps he can help us.”

Eva shrugged. “I’m new to this, it’s your call.”

I looked at Harmonia who wore a conflicted grimace.

“We’re only meant to scout,” she whispered. “If you go out there…”

Yeah, I knew it was a risk.

Ishouldwait for Ana…

Gods, I hoped she knew what she was doing going against Fen’s beast.

My heart lurched just thinking of her and that massive world-ender. But she was a goddess now and seemingly far more capable than she had been just this morning. I had to trust her.

I peeked back out through the bushes around us.

A distant crash echoed from the south and west, and both Melinoe and Nari looked, but Nari was the one with the advantage of height.

“He’s getting close again,” Nari said. “Dissuade him, my dear Nightmare Mistress.” His tone was commanding and anger flashed in Melinoe’s eyes.

On any other day, she’d be far more powerful than he was. Even today she might be, but she seemed willing to follow his orders for now.

The flash of anger vanished, and she smiled. “As you say, Lord of the Dead.”

I had to repress a scoff. Nari wasveryfar from being a lord of the dead, having control over only the bodies of the deceased.

Melinoe skipped out of the clearing, leaving her abominations, mostly mindless, hovering and waiting for commands. Now was my chance. She was gone and Nari was still distracted by whatever or whoever had made that noise.

“I’ll be back,” I hissed to Eva and Harmonia, then I sheathed myself in silence and sprinted to the side of the church.

There, I waited for just a moment, my heart pounding with adrenaline.

Nari didn’t react. He hadn’t seen me.

Carefully, I slid along the wall of the church, toward Anubis, getting as close as I dared.

Then, with the lightning speed of a trained hunter striking his prey, I raced out, grabbed Anubis, and bolted back into the bushes, my aspect making sure I made no sound.

Again, I waited for several ragged breaths to see if anyone had noticed… but no one and nothing reacted.

I crept slowly back to the other two. “Take him and get out of here. If Ana can revive him, he could be useful. I’ll wait here and… hopefully when she and the others arrive, I’ll find a moment to strike.”

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