Chapter 46

W ith Emara's hand in his, Torin stood at the top of the temple steps looking down at a bloodthirsty army.

Kellen's words ran through his mind over and over again. "I saw Balan. Here. The King of the Underworld is here."

But the King of the Underworld was locked in a cage. The vision had to be wrong.

Emara's hand tightened on his own as his gaze finally fell upon the giant portal that hovered like a dying star between the gates of the temple and their exit. It swirled like a maddened galaxy, blowing apart the garden's shrubbery, sending leaves and twigs into the air. His heart fell still and fear for his wife spread thick in his veins. He had never seen a portal from the underworld, only the disgusting creatures that crawled from it. They were unusual to catch, normally only open for a few moments to let demons rush into his world. But this one was huge, pulling the air around them, commanding it into chaos.

No elemental magic surrounded the portal, only dark energy that looked like it could be the soul of Veles himself. Bubbles of blackness festered as sparks of power burst from within it. It oozed death and destruction. Torin raised his chin, showing no fear to the army whose crimson gazes were hungry for blood.

He could hear daggers being pulled from their sheaths, the promise of a battle in the silence of the space.

He could feel Breighly's magic urging her to devour them. He could feel Artem itching to sink his axe into the demons' skulls. He could hear the stretching of Gideon's bow beside him, ready for release. He could feel Emara's magic radiating from her like a beacon. But they all waited for his instruction. He let go of Emara's hand and unsheathed his second sword and swaggered down a few steps. He picked out the biggest bastard he could find in the crowd of demons. He wanted his swords to bathe in the blood of the biggest fucker there.

"Are you going to let us through the gardens peacefully, or are you going to feel my steel corrupt your pathetic skulls?"

The madness that he knew glittered in his eyes began working its way through his veins, brewing a storm of violence in his heart. They were outnumbered, like always, but that didn't mean it was a losing battle. Gods only knew how many Emara could wipe out with her power, and the normally peaceful witch standing beside her had a glint in her eyes that promised death. He knew how capable his clan was; he wasn't worried.

"Since none of you answered my question, I guess death is on your spirit cards today." He winked at Emara before he jumped off the steps and planted his sword in the skull of a lower demon. In the same breath, he swung his right arm and decapitated another one.

Before its head hit the ground, the promised chaos erupted around him. As he sliced through another two demons, arrows and steel began flying through the air, taking out the army around him.

His clan was on the move.

Battle cries ruptured the air, and the smell of death and blood was no longer on the horizon, but in front of him. Soldiering forward, he took down four demons with brute strength, stabbing his swords through their hearts. Spinning to stand, he saw a demon running at him. Before he could pin it and make the kill, flames engulfed the demon.

Torin had never felt heat like it before. Emara's power was undeniable, a rage of wind whipping around her as her palm glowed with fire. Still safe on the stairs, she sent out another blast of flames and wiped out a full line of demons in Torin's path.

He was so utterly proud of her. She was making her title her own. She was anything she wanted to be, and he loved that about her.

She gave him a look that sprinkled shivers all over his spine.

She was so dangerous, an ultimate weapon.

Her mystical eyes left his face and she pulled on her magic once more, sending fire across the gardens to a new target.

Torin reluctantly turned away from her and noted a wolf diving and ducking, slicing through the army with her fangs. Artem Stryker was just behind her, ending anyone who came close to her. Gideon fired arrows from beside the earth witch, who was still on the steps, pulling on her magic to create vines from the ground. The vines wormed their way around the demons' legs, rooting them to the spot, making them easy targets, or pulling them to the ground. Arlo was fighting closely with Kellen, and Torin could see how united they had been in the Selection with how synchronised their movements were. A single heartbeat later, he felt a thrumming power radiating behind him. He turned to face a demon. He was ancient, clad in battle regalia. This creature was no minion. He had the features of a human man and the build of a warrior. Torin recognised the pointed features and crimson eyes immediately.

He had come face to face with him before.

He was the same knight that had put a demon blade in Gideon's arm, almost killing him in the Blood Moon battle. The bastard was born and bred in darkness, and its power reeked from its core.

"It's a shame that you have lived so long only to die in a battle such as this one," Torin taunted. The knight's vile lips parted to show rows of black teeth that had been sharpened into lethal points, and his tongue swished over his lips like he could already taste Torin's blood.

"You are blind, Warrior of Thorin," the demon sneered. "The Light Gods have given you such a false purpose."

Torin twirled the sword in his right hand. "Oh, and what would that be?"

"To think that you could find happiness with the daughter of Balan." Torin's heart stilled in his chest. "She does not belong to the Light, but to the Darkness." The demon's words were a blow to Torin's heart. "She will not be with you long, son of Clan Blacksteel." The knight's crimson eyes were unfaltering on Torin's face. "She will return with us to where she belongs."

"That's where you're wrong." Torin raised his swords again. "And I am just about to show you how blind you are if you think that I am going to let anyone or anything come between us." He shot the creature a dangerous smirk of his own. "I will tell your fucking Dark God that myself."

Torin moved quickly, but he knew a demon of that calibre would be able to anticipate his move, so he didn't strike him yet.

He had a secret weapon.

Kellen Blacksteel thrust out from behind the demon, severing an arm.

So much satisfaction thrilled through Torin's bones when shock lit up the creature's blood-red eyes. It was then that Torin moved, severing the arm that held the weapon intended to end his life. As Torin swung for the head, Kellen stabbed through the heart. The surprise was still lingering on the knight's face as its head rolled from its body and hit the ground.

"Well done, Baby Blacksteel." Torin nodded.

"Now that I have helped kill a knight of the underworld twice in one battle, does that mean I have earned the right to never be called that again?"

Torin felt his lip turn up at the corner. "Never. You will always be the baby." But Torin could see the satisfaction of the kill in Kellen's eyes, and it was beautiful to see him happy even if it was just for a moment.

A rumble vibrated through the grounds. Shrubbery was uprooted, and a scream came from Sybil as her vines were tugged out and broken. Lightning flashed and thunder broke from the portal. Even the demons stood still as a vicious wind pulled through the trees, making them tremble. It was not the air of the empress that was tearing through the kingdom, but the wrath of the underworld. Dark tendrils of smoke poured from the underworld's portal, reaching for Emara. Torin pushed her back from the grip of the underworld's claws. He heard Gideon roar, but he couldn't make it out as the winds whipped his ears numb and a piercing sound breached the night sky.

Emara tried to pull at Torin's back, but he rooted his feet into the ground and watched as the darkness filtered out into his world like poisonous snakes that were ready to strike.

He would not let them take her.

One of the dark tendrils struck for Emara and Torin jumped in front of her, cutting through the mist with his sword. A terrible, insufferable shriek split the air, pushing Torin to his knees. His vision was cut off and then the world went black.