Heir of Night (The Thorne Hill)

“We should take Juliet to the Covenstead,” I rush out. “If something is happening, I don’t want her—”

I’m interrupted by a boom of thunder and a crack of dark blue lightning. It scares Juliet, making her start crying.

“Shhh,” I soothe, gently swaying her in my arms. She’s still crying, and my heart is racing as I look out with wide eyes. The magical traps, which we moved to the side yard since the front was being seeded, light up with blue hellfire.

“What the fuck,” I mumble, adrenaline surging through me. We planned for this, and Lucas even had us go over it like a fire drill in school. Yet it takes me a minute to spring into action, and it’s only when Lucas’s hand lands on my shoulder that I remember what to do.

“Take Juliet upstairs,” he tells Eliza. “Move the stones into place and don’t come out until we get you.”

Eliza’s blue eyes are wide, and she tears her gaze away from the window. My heart aches the second my baby leaves my arms.

“I’ll keep her safe. She’ll be all right,” Eliza assures me, holding tight onto her sister. Then she speeds up to the attic, sitting in the magical safehouse we made in case plan A—get to the Covenstead—can’t be executed. Freya and Pandora go with her, standing guard until it’s safe to come out.

Running to the fireplace, I wave my hand over the grate inside, uncloaking a metal box that houses Julian’s dagger. A rush goes through me when my fingers wrap around the hilt.

“Scarlet,” I call, and my gangly Irish Wolfhound comes spiriting through the house. I unbuckle her collar and feel the air ripple as she transforms into her true self. Binx is at my side, shadowing around, ready to make our move. I look at Lucas, who gives me a curt nod.

I push back any fear, not allowing it to slow me down, and take Lucas’s hand. We go out the side door, and I turn, sealing the house up with magic. We get down the steps just as another bolt of lightning hits the ground with a bang, shaking everything around it. Blue sparks of magic explode from the impact, and I throw out my hand, telekinetically shielding us from getting burned.

“Stay behind me,” Lucas growls, holding his hands out, fangs flashing in the dwindling light. Black smoke swirls inside one of the gemstone circles, and my eyes go wide thinking Paimon is making his move.

Come and get me, asshole. I’m ready.

The smoke swirls faster and faster, and an oppressive energy weighs down on me. Lucas feels it too and fights against it, reaching behind for my hand. I take it right as the smoke rises, taking the shape of a horse. Scarlet growls and Binx shadows around the magical entrapment.

The smoke clears, and Famine stands before us, sitting on a tall black horse. His dark brown robe is hiding his face, and the horse rears, landing hard on the ground and stomping its hooves into the dry dirt. Famine cues his horse forward, and it bolts, only making it a stride before crashing into the wall of magic that’s holding him in the circle.

Another crack of thunder echoes above us, and hellfire springs up around another gemstone circle. Pulse racing, I hold out a hand, reading the energy of the hellfire. It’s the blue hellfire from the Underworld.

“We can kill him,” Lucas says, turning back to look at me for half a second.

I shake my head, pounding heart in my throat. Something inside me tells me to wait. “No…I…I think this is Julian’s plan.”

“Callie, he’s right there! He’s trapped. Knock him off his horse and I’ll rip his throat out!”

“I…I don’t think we should.”

“Callie! He’s making you think that. He’s right in front of us. We have to act now!”

I blink, breath hitching in my chest. Is Famine making me hesitate? He is right there. He’s trapped and not going anywhere for another few minutes at least. Lucas is right. We have to strike now.

Swallowing hard, I let the dagger fall from my hand and set my face, staring at Famine. The horse paws at the ground, nostrils flaring. Famine gathers his reins, and the hellfire surrounding him reflects off an old pair of measuring scales hanging from his belt.

Famine’s eyes meet mine, and something inside me breaks open. I feel a rush of power begging to be let go. I don’t think. I just act.

Hellfire springs around my fingers of my left hand. Bright blue energy buzzes around my right hand. Famine leans back, making a last-ditch effort to turn his horse and run.

But he can’t. He’s trapped, and I’m not letting him get away.

With a scream, I throw my hands forward, scorching Famine with hellfire and pure magical energy at the same time. His body jerks back and the reins fall from his hands. The power rushes through me, and the grass and weeds under my feet start to smolder.