Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(47)

The Legion thought Colonel Starborn was experimenting with dark powers, pulling them into her to boost her magic. And everyone knew the darkness, the magic of hell’s demons, always pulled back.

They weren’t dark beasts, I said. They were a mixture of both light and dark magic, just like the other monsters on Earth. If they’d come straight from hell, shouldn’t they be purely dark?

Yes, they should be, he replied.

It’s more than that, I said as we entered the base’s garage. The monsters weren’t just a mixture of light and dark magic. They were an even split, a perfect balance of the two.

I felt that too, he said. It’s likely why it was easy for you to control them.

I was an even split of light and dark magic too. That had to mean something, hopefully not that those monsters and I were blood relatives.

Nero moved toward a big, beige truck suited for mountainous terrain. He got into the driver’s seat.

“We’re heading for the Fire Mountains?” I asked as I took the seat next to him.

“Someone is trying to keep us away. That is reason enough to go there.”

We passed the drive in silence. As we crossed the border into the fire lands, the desert sands gave way to cracked earth. Hot steam rose from crooked fissures in the ground. The sky was black, smoky. Sulfur puffed out in ragged gasps from the tops of burning volcanoes. Despite the foreboding atmosphere, not so much as a mosquito attacked us. I didn’t feel monsters anywhere. I hoped that meant we’d gotten them all.

We parked at the entrance to the Fire Caverns, a system of caves and fire pools within the volcanoes. Inside, steam baked the air. It was like stepping into an oven. The heat was so intense, I could barely stand it. My movements were staggered, my head dizzy. Sweat sizzled against my skin.

“I wish Captain Somerset had been more specific than just the Fire Mountains,” I said groggily.

“That’s all she felt. Now it’s up to us to follow the trail of Colonel Starborn’s dark magic.”

“I feel a lot of dark magic in here, but I’m not sure it’s Colonel Starborn’s. There’s light magic too.” I coughed. “There’s something familiar about the magic.” I blinked, trying to clear my blurry vision—and my foggy head. Gods, I hated this place. “A perfect blend of light and dark. Mixed magic.”

Nero caught my arm as I stumbled. “Just like the monsters we just fought.”

“Right. That’s it.” I snapped my fingers, looking at him. “The monsters were born from these mountains.”

Nero’s expression was hard.

“Sorry, that sounded stupid.”

“No, you’re right. The monsters were made here.” He brushed a strand of hair from my face.

I leaned my cheek against his lingering hand. “Nero…”

“We should keep going,” he said, turning away.

We moved deeper into the caverns. Either it was getting cooler, or I was getting used to the heat. I was going for the latter. It meant my elemental resistance was growing stronger, which gave me a needed ego boost.

It wasn’t just the heat. Something else felt different. There was another magical trail now. Unlike the monsters’ magic, this one was not a natural, harmonious blend of light and dark powers. It felt wrong, discordant, like the revolting screech of nails on a chalkboard. Like one magic had been grafted onto another. Like the two kinds of magic were fighting each other every step of the way.

“I feel it too,” Nero replied when I voiced my thoughts.

We followed the trail of foreign mixed magic, buried within a sea of tranquility. It was like listening to a symphony with a few notes out of place, a few notes that did not belong. We had to follow those stray notes.

The caverns were dark, lit only by the harsh red glow of the fires sprouting out of the rocky walls like fiery flowers. If this were a movie, ominous music would be playing right now. I had a sinking feeling that we wouldn’t like whatever was waiting for us at the end of this path. My nerves were shot already, and the hazy smoke shapes floating around like phantoms weren’t doing wonders for my state of mind. I needed a distraction.

I looked at Nero. “Your father…”

I stopped when I saw the dark expression in his eyes. Like blackout curtains: this way barred, not safe for entry. I changed directions.

“My sister Tessa has a thing for him,” I said. Tessa certainly had been sending me a lot more mail lately, ever since Damiel had visited our house.

Nero responded with a noncommittal grunt. Call me an optimist, but I took that as a sign to continue. It was probably more like ‘continue at your own risk’.

“Tessa has decided she’s going to marry Damiel,” I said. “His lack of love letters are just him being a gentleman and not wanting everyone to know about them, or judge their forbidden love. That or him playing hard-to-get. Apparently, Paranormal Teen says angels like to play hard-to-get.”

“No, we’re just good at evasive maneuvers.”

I snorted at the corny joke. “Tessa has their whole love story worked out. It involves me passing secret messages to him.”

Nero moved around a fire geyser. “And did you?”

I smirked at him. “Nah, I didn’t want to encourage Tessa’s silliness. Besides, Damiel is obviously still in love with your mother.”