Page 83 of Absolved In Death

Xhaltion huffed and puffed, growing tired of our banter. You’d think after being down here for so long with the same company, he’d enjoy some lively conversation.

“You’re going to play my games, and when you lose, you’ll make a magically binding deal with me on your group’s behalf. Because if you don’t, my men and family will pregame with you all before we go back up and slaughter Red’s entire army. They make me look like a ray of sunshine.”

“Fine. Kiss your people goodbye. I’ll make your death quick for their sake and give them a head start before I slaughter them all,” he quipped.

Everyone stood off to a circle around us, except Lucifer, who bent down to whisper in my ear. “I sentenced him here. He has mind powers, most notably compulsion. Keep your shields strong, and aim for his throat.”

Desmond stood in the center of the circle, acting as the referee. “You’ll fight until someone taps out or to the death. Good luck.”

I casted a shield over the circle the second he left it, sealing us inside a bubble. The shield blocked his ability to cast mind magic, only leaving him the option for magical combat. He hit me with a blast of fire, but I was able to block most of it. A small lick of it hit my leg, but it would heal. I had to focus on incapacitating him. Or worse case scenario, he had to die.

My magic buzzed under my skin, and I let my intuition guide me. It had never steered me wrong before in difficult moments. Opaque black fog erupted from my mouth, curling around and filling the bubble until it blocked our view outside it. It made its way down Xhaltion’s throat, choking him until he was scratching at the shield around us in a desperate bid to escape. I wielded a rope, wrapping it around his throat and pulling him backto me. It winded down his body, trussing him up like a juicy Thanksgiving turkey.

“Do you want me to choke you and burn you to ashes like I did to your friends, or do you want to tap out and live to fight?” I asked him. He thrashed as much as he could, rolling his body and shaking his head.

“I can’t understand you. Can you repeat yourself?” I asked him, sardonically. I tightened the rope around his neck and eased my fog out of his throat so he could respond.

“Fuck you!” he rasped, thrashing harder, banging his head into the stone floor.

“You’re a feisty one. So you’d rather die than fight under a Morningstar? End your life because of your pride then have a second chance at it? You’re so stupid, you don’t deserve to tap out. Hold still, I’m going to saw your head off for Ares’ wall mount.”

I magicked a dagger, putting it right against his throat. I pressed the blade into his skin, just enough to draw blood. The fight left his body, and he sagged onto the floor.

“I yield,” he shouted.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It took you long enough to decide, and I won’t give you the chance to fuck me over. If you truly yield, I’ll give you all a clean slate. Freedom. Position in my father’s army if you earn it. But if you fuck me over, I will kill you, and all of your friends here.” He nodded.

I deactivated my shield, letting all the fog go. Then I unbound him and gave him an expectant look.

He sat up, his eyes firmly on the floor as he announced, “I, Xhaltion, yield to Diana Morningstar and accept her terms and conditions on behalf of the prisoners of the Pit. We will fight under the Morningstars for the chance at a new life.”

I offered him a hand, and he shook it. The sparks erupting from our hand signified the sealing of the deal.

“How many of you are there?” I asked him.

“At least a hundred, maybe a hundred and fifty,’ he said, rubbing the sore skin on his hands.

“Ares, you need to get back to your post, Apollo and Morrigan are already looking for you. Take the new members of our army with you.” I didn’t want to part from any of my men, but they had roles to play to ensure this outcome differed.

Ares kissed my cheek, then Mal’s, Zaz, Bash’s and Desmond. He bent on one knee in front of me, taking my hand.Oh fuck, he’s not proposing right now, is he? For fuck’s sake.

“Little Goddess, I will slaughter your enemies, with a smile on my fucking face. I’ll lead this army to victory. When this is all over, I want that cabin in the woods too. I want to meet our children and go on that picnic in the woods with you and Feathers. The six of us will make it happen, I promise you.”

“How did you know about all that?” I glanced at Zaz, who shook his head. He didn’t tell Ares about it…

“I listened to your whole conversation with Feathers that night. When you finally fell asleep, I made Bash enter your psyche and show me, then promised him not to tell you about it.”

Bash sighed, shaking his head. “This is why no one tells you secrets, A-Bomb. You blow them up. Birdie, I promise you, we will get through this. Together.”

The five of us gathered in a group hug, and being surrounded by my men—knowing they fiercely supported me—it made me feel whole. Loved. Safe. I felt warm as my entire body was set alight with a golden glow. My magic buzzed inside me like a fucking live wire, and every atom of my being aligned just right.

Was I still scared? Of course. I was fucking terrified of defeat and losing the people I loved.

But with my men beside me…I felt like everything was possible.

“Awww, love is beautiful,” a feminine, husky voice behind me said. I turned my head to see a bluish translucent figure. She was a living embodiment of water, as if ocean water had formed a beautiful woman and thrust her into the world.

“Thank you, Diana Morningstar. For giving us a chance at a new life. Red trapped me down here decades ago, for a crime I did not commit. Now I’m free to be part of the world again. We all are.”

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