Chapter 4

The Stryx'sevil magic pulled me deep into the darkness. All around, the explosions shook the air. Shook the ground. Only magic kept me upright, but I fought it anyway, trying to escape the grip of the Stryx. They were calling me to them, and if they got ahold of me, I was dead.

The Menacing Menagerie were gone, no doubt forced away by this evil power.

What kind of magic could do this?

When a golden light blared through the darkness, it was like a breath of air to a drowning person. Something grabbed me—a hand, tight around my arm. It yanked me backward, strong and sure.

I stumbled, breaking away from the pull of the Stryx. The hand that had grabbed me belonged to someone with great power. Golden magic, strong and bright. The figure pulled me from the black smoke.

Once the magic had loosened its grip on me, I coughed and spun. I stood within a golden circle, a clearing in the middle of the smoke.

In front of me, Hermes stood. The messenger god wore his winged sandals and a golden helmet. His skin and white tunic were stained with the smoke around us, and his brow was creased with worry.

"What happened?" I shouted over the sound of explosions. "Where are we?"

"A protective circle." Hermes coughed, using his tunic to cover his mouth so he could breathe. "The Stryx dragged you in. They want you."

I shivered, eyeing the darkness that surrounded us. "Why?"

"They need you. For what, I do not know. But you must not go to them. Your goal must be to defeat them."

"I wasn't trying to go to them. Something dragged me toward them. They've never been able to do that before."

"They are powerful. More powerful than you have seen." Strain creased his brow. "Even now, it is difficult for me to keep you safe from them."

"Why did you save me?"

"Queens Hippolyta and Penthesilea demanded that I do so. I owe them a favor."

"Who the hell are they?" The smoke was starting to make it hard to breathe.

"The Amazons, the greatest warriors in Greek history."

My jaw nearly dropped. "They're real?"

He gave me a look that suggested I was an idiot.

He wasn't totally off the mark, actually. If Hermes, the messenger god, existed, of course the Amazons existed.

"Why do they care about me?" I asked.

"They wish to see you. And not only that—you need to see them. Your magic is not settling well within you—it is fractured. If you are lucky, this journey will help you fix that." His gaze turned dark. "But it must be soon, before it is too late. Before the magic devours you. Your magic, your soul."

I swallowed hard. "Devours me?"

"The fate of a DragonGod is not an easy one, and the Greek gods have gifted you with such great power that you must work hard to control it. You don't have much time left. Perhaps a week?"

I swallowed hard. Less time than I'd thought. "Where do I find the Amazons?" I wracked my mind for any memory of the great warrior women. "Don't they live on an island somewhere?"

"That is fiction. They once lived along the shore of the Black Sea. In the modern day, they have adapted. You will find them in Istanbul. Search for the symbol of the warrior woman, and you will find them." He reached for my hand and pressed something into it. A stone. "That transport charm will take you to them."

"What do I do once I find them?"

"Whatever they tell you to. If you're lucky, you'll learn to control your magic. You might also learn how to stop the Stryx. They're connected to you, Rowan. You must get control of your magic to have any hope of defeating them."

"So I might figure out what they are up to?"

"Yes, if you survive."

A pulse of power from the darkness nearly bowled me over. Even Hermes stumbled.

His face paled. "I must go. It is becoming too dangerous."

Before I could speak, he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the smoky air. For the briefest moment, it threatened to suck me back in and drag me toward the Stryx. But Hermes kept his grip firm.

When we stumbled out onto the mountainside, the orange light of the nearly setting sun blinded me. Hermes disappeared immediately, and I spun in a circle, searching for my friends.

Explosions still sounded from within the crater, and dark debris flew into the sky. About twenty feet down the slope into the crater, my friends looked as if they were banging on an invisible wall, trying to push their way through. Maximus, Bree, and Ana fought like mad, punching and kicking the wall. Jude looked like she was trying to funnel glowing orange magic into the barrier, perhaps to break it or drain it of its power.

They're trying to save me.

"Guys!" I shouted as I stumbled down the hill. "Stop!" When the tug of the Stryx pulled at me once more, I halted, gasping. Everyone turned to look at me. "Come on!"

Relief flashed on their faces. I didn't spare a second more. I just turned and ran, scrambling up the hillside. I had to get far, far away. The Stryx still had a hold on me, and I couldn't let them suck me back in. No way I could count on Hermes to save me twice.

I reached the top and began to slide down the hill on the other side, heading toward a low-lying bank of mist.

"Rowan! What's wrong?" Bree shouted from behind.

"Just need some"—I gasped, sprinting forward—"distance!"

I kept running, finally stumbling to a halt about halfway down. The sound of explosions was fainter here, and if my friends saw me start to zombie-walk back toward the Stryx, they'd stop me.

Panting, I dropped to my knees, trying to catch my breath. In the distance, the mist cleared a bit. I squinted toward it. Were there buildings there?

Yes, there were.

A small village sat in the valley between two hills, ancient and stalwart through the ages.

The village that will be destroyed by the Stryx if they keep going with this mad plan.

An ache started up in my chest. The buildings were small, little white houses of the style that were so recognizably Greek. A street led into the village, passing between two houses. I caught sight of a boy, no older than six. He stared at me with big dark eyes, his right arm wrapped around a big goofy dog.

The ache turned to a lightning bolt of fear.

That little boy would die if the explosions went on much longer. At best, he'd evacuate and lose his home. Lose everything. Even now, rubble from the overflow was spilling down the hillside toward them. It would bury the village soon enough.

My gaze went from the boy to the dog.

Fates, I have to fix this.

Panting, I stood and turned to watch Maximus, Bree, Ana, and Jude race down the mountain toward me, confusion and worry on their faces.

"What the heck is going on?" Ana demanded.

Maximus strode up to me and gripped my arms, concern on his handsome face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

I nodded, reaching up to clasp his hand with my own. Warmth flowed through me at the touch, and I smiled. "I'm fine. For now. But I can't get near those explosions. Not right now."

"Fates, you had me worried." He pulled me to him in a tight hug, and I squeezed him back. Warmth, comfort, acceptance. His touch made all of those flow through me, and I drank them up.

Finally, I pulled back and stepped away. Jude was nearly to us. I didn't think my teacher and hopefully future boss knew about us, and I wasn't sure what she would say. Not that her opinion would sway my feelings, but I didn't need any extra complications right now. I turned from Maximus to decrease suspicion, and looked at my sisters.

"What's the deal?" Bree reached out and grabbed my arm, as if wanting to assure herself that I was safe and alive.

"The Stryx dragged me to them." I shuddered at the memory of the loss of control. "I don't know how they managed it, but they're strong."

"You're the only one who could cross the barrier," Jude said. "They protected their operations with a spell, and we can't get any closer. How did you get out?"

"Hermes, the Greek messenger god, saved me." I told them about the Amazons sending him and wanting to meet me. How I might be able to fix my power there, and I might even be able to get answers about what the Stryx were doing.

"Then you need to go," Jude said. "Without question."

"Yes." Bree's gaze was intense. "Anything that will help you get your magic under control."

I nodded. "I'll go."

"We'll stay here and try to find a way to break past their barriers and stop whatever they are doing." Jude's face paled. "Though you should hurry, Rowan. I don't know that we have anything in our arsenal that will work, and if they keep going, the village will be destroyed."

I had a horrible feeling that the village would be a relatively minor casualty of what the Stryx were planning. Something far worse would happen if they succeeded in their goals.

"I'll go with you," Maximus said.

My gaze flashed to him. "You will?"

"Why?" Jude asked, a glint in her eye.

Oh yeah, she was onto the fact that there was something between us. Hopefully I wouldn't get a talking-to about professionalism, given that he was my trainer. I'd have a hard time sitting through that and not saying something I shouldn't.

"The Order needs answers as much as you do," Maximus said. "And my colleagues can help you try to find a way to break through the Stryx's barrier. That's not my specialty. But I could help Rowan. And I want to." He turned to me. "I don't want you going alone into the unknown."

My eyes flared wide briefly. We'd shared a kiss and some serious sexual tension, but this was practically a proclamation that he cared for me.

And he'd said it in front of other people.

I nodded, trying to keep my face set in professional lines. "I could use some help, and since Bree and Ana will be busy here…" I trailed off, making it a question.

Jude nodded. "They will be."

"Then Maximus is definitely the perfect person," I said. "We work well together."

He nodded.

"Fine," Jude said. "I like the idea of you having backup. And if today in class was any indication, you need to take every opportunity you can get to learn to harness your magic."

Her words triggered a memory of Hermes's words. Before the magic devours you.

I swallowed hard and nodded, determined to fix my magic—and stop the Stryx—before either of them had a chance to devour me.

Jude looked at Bree and Ana. "Let's get back to it."

I hugged my sisters hard, whispering, "Be careful."

"You too." Bree squeezed my arms. "I know you can do this."

"No doubt in my mind," added Ana.

I smiled at them, blinking away the prick of tears and wondering why I was suddenly a bit weepy.

They hurried up the hill, and I turned to Maximus, holding up the transportation charm. "Can we stop by the Protectorate to grab some potion bombs? Do you have a transport charm?"

Maximus frowned. "You have your lightning and water magic now. And the death magic. Do you really need them?"

I could hear what was unspoken. He thought the potion bombs were my crutch. And maybe they were.

Still, I wanted them.

I raised the special transportation charm Hermes had given me.

"Wait a moment." He strode toward me and gently gripped my arms. At his touch, I realized I hadn't been alone with him in days. He gazed down at me, a crease of concern between his brows. His blue eyes were intense. Too intense to look away. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"If I'm not, I'll be fine as soon as I figure out my magic."

A wry smile quirked up at the edge of his mouth. "You don't let anything get you down, do you?"

"I did once." I'd been down the whole time I was held by the Rebel Gods. I didn't want to end up like that again. "Keep on keepin' on, right?"

"It's not the worst motto in the world." He bent down and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

I leaned into him, reveling in his touch. But it wasn't enough.

I tilted my head back and pressed my lips to his, stealing a kiss. Not from him, since he gave it willingly. But from time, because it seemed we never had enough. His scent and taste wrapped around me, momentarily making me breathless.

The sound of an explosion tore through the quiet, making my insides vibrate.

I pulled back, slightly breathless. "We have more important things to be doing."

Maximus's gaze was hot as it met mine. "The only thing more important than kissing you is the end of the world."

I hiked a thumb over my shoulder. "Isn't that what this is?"

He nodded, his expression dire. "Indeed."

I stepped back and raised the transport stone.

"Do you know where we're going?" he asked.

"Istanbul. He said this would take me to the Amazons." I hurled the stone to the ground.

A glittery gold cloud burst forth. Not the usual silvery gray of a transport charm, so it must have been something special.

The ether sucked me in and spun me through space, then spit me out in the middle of a heaving, bustling city. Maximus appeared next to me, an anchor in a surging storm of people. I grabbed his arm as hundreds rushed by, all dressed in business suits.

Mid-morning rush?

I glanced up at Maximus. "Let's get out of here."

We pushed our way to the edge of the crowd, which was flowing down the sidewalk in one long stream of people. We tucked ourselves into a doorway nook that led into a shop, and I surveyed the crowd.

Where the heck were we?

A scan of the city street showed tall glass buildings piercing the blue sky, imposing sentinels of businesses that could be located anywhere in the world.

I had expected the Amazons to be ancient warrior women, living in some remote place and wearing old-school armor. Not these Amazons, though.

"I guess this is the closest big city to the shore of the Black Sea where they used to live." Given that most of my knowledge of the Amazons came from comics and Hermes, I was going to really need to bone up. "But where the hell do they live now?"

The place was huge, with millions of people, seemingly everywhere I looked.

"Hermes didn't give you directions?"

"He just said to look for a symbol of a warrior woman." My gaze snagged on a massively tall building. Right in the middle was a huge crest—a woman holding two swords crossed over her head. I pointed. "And that is pretty obvious."

I pushed my way through the crowd, moving quickly toward the building that looked like it was a center of international finance or something equally boring.

Seriously, what the hell were the Amazons doing here?

Maximus kept pace behind me since the crowd was flowing too thick and strong for us to walk side by side. When we finally spilled out into the stone courtyard in front of the building, I sucked in air, grateful for the space.

Huge glass doors beckoned, each of them two stories tall and etched with an image of ancient warrior women.

"Not subtle, are they?" I asked.

"I wouldn't be, if I were them," Maximus said. "And even if they're trying to blend with humans, no one would guess they're the real thing."

I stepped into the echoing foyer of the building. It was huge, seeming to take up the whole bottom floor, and nearly empty. The floor was a gleaming lake of black marble that shined under the modern steel chandeliers. A big granite desk occupied the middle of the space, and two women sat behind it, contemplating a chessboard between them.

As soon as my foot hit the marble floor on the interior side of the doorway, they stood, quickly going to attention, their gazes fixed on me and Maximus.

Well, they certainly weren't dressed like secretaries. Instead of skirts and blouses, they wore black tactical gear. Each wore a strange golden crystal around her neck.

Their stance was casually deadly, shoulders relaxed but hands close to the daggers sheathed at their thighs. It was hard to determine either woman's age, but there was something ancient about them. Powerful. The warriors might look like they were in their twenties, but they sure didn't feel like it.

I began to approach, closing the twenty-yard distance between us with Maximus at my side. My skin prickled with awareness. Familiarity, almost. The women raked their gazes up and down my form, clearly forming their first opinions about me.

Both were over six feet tall. The one on the left had straight dark hair and even features. Her brow was set in a firm line over dark eyes that missed no details. The one on the right wore her red hair up in a high ponytail that trailed down her back. Her face was softer, with rounded cheeks and fuller lips. But no one would mistake her for the weaker one. No one would mistake either of them for weak.

Real-life Amazons.

"How can we help you?" The redhead had a deeper voice than I'd expected, but it wasn't unfriendly.

"I'm, ah—looking for the Amazons. Hermes sent me."

Their brows flew up, and they glanced at each other. When they looked back at me, interest gleamed in their eyes.

"The new girl?" the brunette asked.

"Maybe?" I honestly had no idea.

The brunette's hand went for the dagger at her thigh. Quickly, she drew it from the sheath. As the metal slipped free of the leather, it grew and lengthened into a wickedly long sword.

Nice. The inane thought cut through my shock.

She lunged, and there was no more time for shock. Her sword swiped out for my neck, and very briefly, my life flashed before my eyes.