Page 76 of Absolved In Death

My wings sprang from my back of their own accord, magical instinct kicking in. I flew into the air above the army, hovering so everyone could see me. After magically enhancing my voice, Apollo cracked a bolt of lightning through the sky, getting all of their attention. Most of the soldiers cheered and waved when they saw me. Others whistled. I hoped their confidence in me would be justified when this was all said and done—they’re survival rested on my shoulders.

“Red is in the beginning stages of breaching our wards and storming Pit 13. His forces will come through the transition area, and most likely appear at the far edge of the camp,” I said, pointing away from the woods, to the other side of the camp.

“August betrayed us by giving away our location and allowing them access here.” Whispers and gasps broke out across the crowd. He was Judas’ right hand, a member of our leadership. Looking back on it, it makes perfect sense he was the rat. Whoelse would have been able to evade the hive mind and Judas’ efforts to find him? “He shall be destroyed on sight. He doesn’t get a trial for selling out his own people and backstabbing our movement!”

The soldiers cheered. I let the noise die down before starting damage control.

“Desmond, Azazel, Mal, and Ares joined my fathers on a special mission to take out as many of Red’s forces as they can before they make it here. Apollo, Morrigan, and I will lead you into battle.”

Some of the soldiers cheered, while others whispered among themselves, their feelings on Ares’ absence divided. I couldn’t blame them. I didn’t train them. This wasn’t what many of our allies signed up for. They wanted their armies trained by the best, the God of Warhimself. The four men who carved out gruesome reputations for themselves as Satan’s hitmen.

Some of them knew who I was, and others merely thought I was one of Lucifer’s many children. I formed a sword with my magic, then lit it on fire, waving it for the crowd. The ones who had been with us since the beginning recognized the imagery from back at the compound and chantedsword. Some of the newer soldiers were impressed, while others were stone faced. I need to say something to get their buy-in, and quickly. I had no clue how much time was left before Red arrived.

“Centuries ago, Azazel had a prophecy. A witch-hybrid female would be born into the world when Hell was in turmoil, destined to either save or destroy it. He had a vision of this magical uprising. And a second vision of me fighting Red for our freedom from his megalomaniac expansion. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted this responsibility. When Desmond, Mal, Ares, and Bash found me, I was working my way through school to become a human rights lawyer by mixing cocktails. Once I fully came into my magic, I wasn’t sure I could handle theresponsibility. I trained for hours, day and night, learning how to wield this immense power to protect you all. Some days, it seemed almost impossible. How could I make up for a lifetime of magical education in mere months? Now I stand before you, wondering if I’ll be good enough to kill Red once and for all and free us from an eternity of being crushed on his boot, forced to live in a world without free will.

“But as I look down at your faces, I realize something—all of it is worth it. I may not become a lawyer to help the disenfranchised like I had dreamed of since I was a child, but I’ll save both the human and paranormal worlds from an eternity of ruin. The responsibility and power may at times seem like a weight on my chest, but it’s a weight I’ve learned to carry for the good of our people. The training may have been rigorous—extra grueling because my partners and fathers have high expectations for me—but it made me into the woman I am today. The woman who will kill Red without remorse. Who will save the world from certain destruction at the hands of someone who will only selfishly take from it. And someone who will destroy the parts of it that don’t work for the weakest of us all and rebuild it into a place where all paranormal beings prosper.”

The crowd clapped and cheered, their excitement infectiously spreading. Whispers of uncertainty turned to assured shouts. The raven shifters were cawing and the wolf shifters howled, their calls echoing through the center of camp. Soldiers shot bursts of magic into the air, ready to take on our enemy.

“When you’re fighting for your life out there, remember the people who couldn’t be here to fight for theirs. The people in your communities and families back home. The people who don’t have the agency to fight for themselves. Think of Lucifer Morningstar’s commitment to free will, and exercise your ownto be the change the paranormal world needs in this pivotal moment.”

A loud crash boomed through the air, and the sky warped above us. I could feel how close Red’s forces were to breaking through the transition barrier. They’d be here any minute… The worst scenario was finally happening.

“Get to your stations! We take no prisoners, and Red is mine. I’ll see you all after this. Remember, you’re making history today!” I flew down to meet Apollo before he left, because I had no clue what Ares actually did while he was leading an army.

Before I could ask, he said “You’ll be at the rear, on the high ground near the apartments. You need to keep a vantage point. This is going to hurt, so don’t tell Ares.” He put his hands on the sides of my head, and a jolt of magic shot through my brain.Holy shit!I tried to break away, but he kept a firm grip on me, then joined our foreheads while he mumbled something in Greek.

A loud raucous chattering took over my brain, like a thousand mindlinks going on at once. Stars above, it fucking hurt. Like a blinding, head splitting, teeth aching migraine.

“Diana, you’re now connected to the army’s mindspace. Think of it like a chatroom, or a hivemind like the Costa Coven has,” Apollo said in a lighter accent than his brother. “I need you to focus on me. Do you feel our connection? Tell me something using it.”

I’m so telling Ares you did that to me,I teased him, trying to lighten the anxiety clawing at my insides.

You cry baby,he snarked.Morrigan, she’s connected. Are you ready?

Ready to do these assholes an unkindness…Morrigan’s voice rang through my head. It took me a moment to realize she was making a pun. Because a group of ravens was an unkindness.

Apollo chuckled aloud, then slapped me on the back. “She cracks me up. I’ll drop you off before I take up my post. Remember, let the soldiers handle the fighting. You take out Red.”

He faded me to the top of the tallest apartment building. It had the best vantage point of the entire camp, and would allow me to keep an eye on everything. I casted security wards, so no one could fade up here or come through the roof door.

A crashing sound rained down from the sky, a mix of thunder and shattering glass. Ripple marks shot through the sky, and black streaked through them. Red’s soldiers faded from thin air, landing throughout Pit 13 in small groups instead of attacking in one large force. They played right into Ares’ battle plan. Every area was covered by our soldiers, who were ready to attack. Before I could get lost in the fighting, I scanned the skirmishes around the camp for Red. I didn’t see him anywhere, but he could be hiding.

Does anyone have eyes on Red?I asked through the mindspace, hoping I was using it correctly. It was almost the same thing as a mindlink, but more crowded.

Negative,Morrigan replied.

No,a rough male voice said.

Not here,Apollo said.

The space filled with different versions of no, and I pushed the mindspace to the back of my head, so I could focus. The fighting grew more chaotic the longer the fighting drew out. I saw a group of soldiers in Red’s signature crimson uniforms setting the training building on fire. Morrigan’s unkindness decimated groups of soldiers, and Judas’ vampires turned this place into a blood buffet. The majority of the corpses littering the ground wore red, and I thanked the stars for that.

A burst of pain between my shoulder blades knocked me over, punching the breath out of me. I immediately shieldedmyself, rising to find Red on the other side of the roof. He wore his usual crimson robe, but this time his hood was down, showing his pallored, gnarled complexion. His skin was tight, with eyes so dark and sunken in, his face resembles a skull.

“Did you think your wards could keep me out?” His gruff voice sounded cocky, like he had already won this fight. “Think again, Ms. Morningstar.”

The spell he casted at my shield exploded on impact, showering embers of magic all over the roof. Hit after hit bounced off the shield, wearing and breaking it down. I dropped it, cracking a flame whip at his ankle. It wrapped around, and I pulled his leg out from under him. When he landed on the floor, I smothered him with a fire net.

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