Page 54 of Winter Goddess
I pull back and open my eyes again.
"The battle has begun," I announce, feeling very weird about saying that. It's such a grave, dramatic statement that sounds more like from a film than reality. This is really happening. Doubt creeps through my mind again, but I push it away. My Guardians believe in me, the other Gods trust me, now I just need to believe in myself.
"Do you think the Morrigan could be wherever Flora is being held?" Crispin suddenly asks.
"It would make sense," Storm agrees. "We still don't know why she took Flora, so if she needs the Spring Goddess for something, surely she'd stick close to her?"
I swallow hard. I have a bad feeling about this.
I connect with my spread out magic again to check if one of the Gods in the castle is Flora, but of course, we aren't that lucky. However, now that we're in the Demon Realm, I might be able to sense her, if she's not too far away.
Before I can try that, my magic alerts me to movement inside the castle.
"They must have been alerted to the attacks," I tell the Guardians. "Demons are moving in the castle and so are the Gods."
A moment later, we hear the large castle gate open and a cacophony of shouts and shrieks fills the air. The demons are leaving their fortress to go into battle.
"Two of the Gods have disappeared, they must be able to teleport. One of them is moving fast, out of the gate, and... he's coming here!"
Immediately, my Guardians jump into action, surrounding me protectively. It's a sweet gesture, but I don't need their protection.
The God running towards us doesn't feel familiar. He's not one we've hosted at the Palace before. Wait, not he. She.
"That's Nyx!" Frost hisses. "The Goddess of Night. I didn't know she was still alive, I hadn't heard of her for decades."
"She must have been hiding out in the shadows with the Morrigan," Crispin mutters. "I met her when I was still... her prisoner. Let's try and make this quick, she's devious and likes to play with her prey."
I feel sick at that thought. People taking pleasure in the suffering of others are the worst, whether they're humans, Guardians or Gods.
The Goddess is almost upon us and I create an invisible barrier just in front of her. When she runs against it and crashes to the ground, I have to suppress a laugh.
She'd be beautiful with her glowing dark skin and her long black hair, if the corners of her mouth weren't downturned in a sour expression and her brows weren't drawn together in a scowl. She's cursing in an unknown language, but it's clear she's not exactly saying nice things to me.
She jumps up and dark fog starts to swirl around her outstretched arms.
"Nightmare magic," Crispin explains from behind me. "Don't let it touch you."
"I have no intention of doing so."
I make the barrier visible as an icy sphere surrounding us. I've learned my lesson and made sure that the protection extends to above and below us. There's no way for her magic to enter our safe space. Now that the defence is sorted, let's start the offence. I decide on water and ice magic, my mother's elements. This is in her honour. Unbeknownst to Nyx, I conjure ten sharp icicles behind her, pointing at her back. This time, I'm not wanting to start the attack though. I want to give her a chance to surrender. Call me weak, call me naive, but I don't want to turn into a murderer.
"Where is the Morrigan?" I ask calmly, keeping my body as relaxed as possible, as if I wasn't ready to skewer her any second now.
Nyx sneers. "I can bring you to her. Dead or alive, it's your choice. Just lower your barrier and I'll show you where she is."
I laugh. "Do you think I'm stupid? Tell me now or fight."
"Not as stupid as your mother, but-"
She doesn't finish. She's dead.
I let go of the icicles that have pierced her lifeless body and she crumples to the floor.
"Did you just kill a Goddess?" Storm asks. "It shouldn't be this easy."
I'm wondering the same thing, but then the answer comes to me as if it's always been there.
"My mother created her," I say slowly, speaking as the thoughts enter my mind. "Beira couldn't kill her creations, but I can. I know their weak spots because of my mother's memories, but I'm not bound by the same laws. I think if I have theintentionof killing a God she created, then I can do it even with normal magic. I don't need poison or special knives like Angus had to use."
