Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(2)
I want this entire place to burn to the ground with the Devil in it. Or maybe ice would be the counter to kill the man who can withstand fiery acid.
“You need to calm down. You didn’t get this upset when you thought Manella was trying to kill us,” Kai says from too close behind me.
“My power wouldn’t work on him, yet it flowed through me to hit the Devil. It only works to protect you, so what does that tell you?” I growl, eyes still on Lucifer as he takes a seat in his throne and lazily lounges like he has all the time in the world to watch them die.
My fists ball at my side, and I struggle not to go whole. I almost think he knows what I am and is trying to lure me into some sort of trap.
“You already tried to kill him, and it didn’t work. Maybe your power is trying to tell you something still. You forget you’re stronger than you were when you attempted to kill Manella,” Gage says from my side, moving closer.
They’re surrounding me and trying to get me to calm down?
“Why are you defending him?” I ask incredulously, feeling an understandable pang of betrayal.
Gage actually looks a little surprised, then his eyes narrow as anger settles into his features. “I’m not trying to defend him. I’m trying to defuse you before you turn whole and he kills you in front of us.”
If he hadn’t just admitted they’ve only kept me around for a power boost, I’d almost think he sounds and looks like he gives a damn right about now.
For whatever reason, the imitation of concern is enough to ice out some of the burning fury, and a weird little contented burn settles in my chest. Without letting them see their effect on me, I turn around and face the course again.
“Competitors, get ready!” Cain shouts, standing in front of everyone.
I have no idea why I do it, but I think of how I burned Lilith, and mimic the same stirring emotions until his pants…burst into flames.
He curses, reaching down to dust the flames away, but then his pants drop like the fire broke the hem. He grabs his pants, jerking them back up, then glares at the Gemini twins before pointing a finger.
“You fucking assholes,” he growls.
Their eyes widen, and they vanish from the room when he starts stalking after them. Apparently no one in this room would have a death wish besides the two of them. He vanishes too, and I smirk.
Well, I just caused at least a little sibling drama among their royal realm. Sure, it’s minor and petty, but at least there’s some satisfaction in it.
Hera steps up and takes over where Cain left off, using a tone that makes it sound like she’s terribly bored with the entire ordeal.
“Ready, set, go, and blah blah,” she says with a dismissive wave of her hand.
A light flashes and momentarily blinds me.
Chapter 2
We’re suddenly alone in the middle of what looks like a fiery canyon. The fire travels up in streams, wrapping over the mountains in front of us. On the other side, we have woods full of black, ashy trees and zero light.
The right and left of us fades into both as they touch. We’re standing in the only clearing between the two options.
“Do we die in the forest or on the mountaintop?” Gage asks, looking back and forth between both.
“At least we can see death coming if we climb the mountain,” Jude answers.
I zap to the top of the mountain, looking around, then zap back down to them. “He didn’t say anything about not siphoning. No rules other than to finish the course,” I tell them. “Which way is the end? We’ll just—”
“Either direction we choose will take us toward the end or in a circle, depending on Lucifer’s agenda at this point,” Gage butts in. “And I’ve been trying to siphon since we got in here. He’s blocked that ability somehow. Maybe because we’re in the belly of hell it doesn’t work. Who knows at this point?”
“And I can only do it in this form—the form where I can’t touch anything or anyone so that I can siphon them with me, because for whatever reason, each new gift has a downside. Yet I’m not supposed to be a gift from Lilith because that’s impossible,” I state-matter-of-factly, rambling again.
Gage starts climbing the side of the mountain with Ezekiel right behind him.
Jude and Kai move as well, and I grin when I hear Ezekiel yell down at Jude. “Really glad I got that good night of sleep now.”
Jude mutters something as he climbs a little more angrily now. I just hang out, watching them near the ledge, making sure nothing comes at them while they’re distracted. As soon as they reach the ledge, I zap up there, and start looking around, inspecting it for dangers that might catch them off guard.
“I wonder if I can create weapons the same way I create clothes,” I say to them, moving from spot to spot on the barren mountainside ledge in front of them as they start hiking up behind me.
“Don’t risk it,” Kai says to me absently. “Lucifer is likely watching our every move. Besides, we need certain weapons to actually be able to do any damage in hell. I don’t think you’ll be able to materialize those.”
“Can the Devil hear you?” I ask him.
“No,” Jude answers. “Not unless he comes down here.”
I look around, but don’t see an obvious hole in the air where the doorway once was.