Infinity Son(46)

June appears and phases through the cage. She unlocks the door from within, and a muscular girl with curly red hair and bright sleeves of flowery tattoos follows her in. Dione, the Blood Caster with hydra blood—and Eva’s former best friend.

I hop over the barricade and into the cage. I hurl fire-darts at Dione, but she ducks and weaves with bursts of swift-speed, and no matter how prepared I thought I was after hitting Wesley during training, I barely have enough time to brace myself before Dione uppercuts me. The hydra is running wild as my fire blooms around the cage, and right as it’s about to tackle Dione, June grips her and they become untouchable. The hydra scratches at Dione and June, like an animal to its reflection, and then gives up.

The cage door rattles as Iris fights Stanton. She bangs him into the bars over and over, and then she swings at him, which he narrowly dodges. If he hadn’t moved, there would’ve been a hole in his face, no doubt. Iris’s punch snaps the bars out of place, and the roaring hydra leaps at the broken barrier and squeezes itself out.

Pandemonium strikes.

Everyone who’s been cheering on the creatures’ deaths is now running for their lives. The hydra barrels through people in the stands with no sense of direction. I don’t want to save any of them, but I can’t let the hydra hurt anyone. This is how I’ll help prove the Spell Walkers are innocent. I chase the hydra, not sure how to stop it without hurting it, when a jet of light shocks the hydra.

A white boy with brown hair is at the top of the steps with a wand. I don’t recognize him, but he clearly knows who I am when he fires off three more shots my way before the wand loses charge. I catch up to him, and the boy kicks me into a chair before dashing the other way. The hydra is breathing, so I pop up and hurl fire-dart after fire-dart at the boy, doing my best not to knock out innocent people. I strike him in the shoulder, and he tumbles down the steps, taking others down with him. There’s a muted gray light within the pile of bodies—it’s the shape-shifter. I rush down, but I can’t figure out who he became. I grab an older man’s wrist and he’s straight terrified, but this might be some act. I spot a woman running off, and she’s massaging her shoulder . . . that’s him. I bullet for him but stop in my tracks when someone screams.

Dione is pinned underneath Maribelle’s foot, and her hand is no longer attached to her wrist. Blood pools out from her stub. Maribelle holds an explosive gem-grenade over Dione.

“Make yourself solid,” Maribelle says to June. “Or she won’t have a body to regrow.”

“Don’t kill her,” I say.

“They’re all going to have to die one day,” Maribelle says.

The fierceness in her eyes is burning as June approaches. The soft glow around June fades away, and Maribelle lunges. June swings a killer kick into Maribelle and snatches the gem-grenade. Before June can drop it, I blast her with fire-darts and she flies into the cage. The gem-grenade rolls out of her hand.

“Grab her!” Maribelle shouts.

I’m quick, and I grab June’s arms, holding them behind her back. This doesn’t feel right. Dione is bleeding out, and I’ve got June bound, but winning shouldn’t feel this sickening. It’s hard to believe we’re going to come off as the good guys in Brighton’s video.

Maribelle picks up her dagger and saunters toward June. “Start talking about the Blackout.” June isn’t reacting. Not even fighting to break free. “Nothing? Fine.”

I look away as Maribelle unleashes punch after punch.

“You . . . killed . . . my . . . parents!”

Maribelle swings back her dagger, and I let go of June. June fades, and Maribelle catches herself just before she drives the blade through my heart.

“What the hell did you do?”

“I can’t kill, I’m sorry!”

“You just had to hold on to her!”

“I’m sorry, I just . . .”

“She’s a Blood Caster, Emil! She’s not innocent! If June kills anyone from here on out, that’s on your conscience!” Maribelle throws the dagger, crouches, and runs her hands through her hair.

I’m shaking and catching my breath, and my face is warm like I’m sitting in front of a fireplace.

Iris drags Dione out of the cage, but not with her usual ease. The fight against Stanton must’ve worn her out. I’m guessing we’ll bring Dione back to Nova for some questioning.

Then Iris rubs her shoulder.

Son of a . . .

Up in the seats, acolytes are wheeling away the chained hydra.

I’m going to get the shape-shifter before he can keep tricking us. The real Iris and Atlas are recovering. I hurl fire-darts at the shape-shifter and accidentally light up some seats. In no time, the fire is spreading. I brave through the gray and gold flames. Iris is running behind me, and Atlas flies above. I shout for Atlas to get Brighton and Prudencia out of here. I can’t believe I’m out here giving instructions, but time is wasting. The higher I get up the steps, the more my rib cage aches. I throw a fire-dart and catch the shape-shifter in the leg. He falls down, taking Dione with him, but Stanton catches her. I grab the shape-shifter as June fades in.

“Leave him,” Stanton says.

The shape-shifter looks up at me with Iris’s eyes, and he’s too weak to fight. The real Iris hoists him over her shoulder.

“Looks like we got a win of our own,” Iris says.