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“Calm yourself, child,” Josephine crooned. “I’m not angry with you. I just need to know that you understand.”
She took a step closer and another, until only a few feet separated us.
“Freya,” Josephine said. My name on her lips startled me. “You understand why I did it. Don’t you?”
It wasn’t a question, but a demand.
I stared at my goddessmother. She was the only mother I had left. The memory of twinkling laughter rang in my ears, and images of us brewing new potions flashed through my mind. She’d given me healing herbs after my Awakening and trained me to use wind as an extension of myself. She’d watched silly human movies with me that Mom had refused to endure. She’d shown me spells to make mean girls trip and taught me how to convince the world I was strong, even when I was not.
She killed my mother.
“No.”
Her face twisted into disbelief. Silence stretched between us.
Josephine sneered.
“Then tell your mother I said hello.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Walker
With a scream that pierced my ears, Josephine launched herself at Freya. I raced forward to help her, but Josephine’s army moved with her. Witches crashed upon witches, fighting with steel and spells and sheer violence. Vampires and golems surrounded my family. The vampires flashed fanged-grins, and the golems stared at us with their lifeless eyes.
I pulled the Sol sword from its sheath. It instantly came to life—blue flames danced on the silver blade. Its flames would kill any vampire, at any time of day or night.
Gifts would never make up for Dad’s behavior, but this one came pretty close.
Dad raised his own weapons—two daggers crafted of obsidian that could cut through almost anything—and attacked vampires with lightning-quick speed. He moved almost as gracefully as Freya and with swiftness that rivaled the vampires’. Cadence tucked close to my side and chanted the protection spell Freya had taught her. Careful not to hit Cadence, I swung the Sol sword at any golems or vampires within range.
It was working—Cadence’s spell slowed any golem that got close to us. Overwhelmed by the Sol sword, vampires stumbled right into Dad’s swinging blade. I was quick to finish them with the Sol sword’s flames. I kept alert for any attackers that fought past the spell, but then Freya screamed.
I spun to find her. She had crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll and clutched a bloody wound on her shoulder. Witches launched flames, wind, and even electric currents at each other. Blood spattered across their bodysuits and robes. Across the chaos, Freya’s burning gaze met mine.
“Look out!” she shouted.
Coldness seeped into my back. I spun around and found myself up close and personal with a vampire. Seconds before the vampire’s rotting teeth sank into my throat, I swung the Sol sword into his midsection. His dying hiss echoed in my ears. Beyond us, I caught a glimpse of Dad. He killed so quickly, I could barely see him in the plumes of sand.
Ash rained down on us, and Cadence coughed. Two golems used her momentary distraction to come down on us. I recalled what my father taught me.
Two attackers—get them in a line. Make them face you one-by-one.
I shuffled around, and Cadence followed me perfectly. The golems were large and strong, but they didn’t actually have minds of their own. They weren’t great at anticipating movements.
The first one got frustrated with my antics and charged. I thrust my sword into his stone heart. The collision reverberated up my arm, but it did the trick. The golem disintegrated into a pile of sand. Cadence held her breath, then resumed her chant.
The next golem moved sluggishly, but he was significantly larger than his friend. He stood at least eight feet tall, and his earthy body was much thicker.
I struck his chest, but my sword sank into nothing but sand. When I tried to remove it, it wouldn’t budge.
“Uh-oh,” I muttered.
The golem roared and shook. I lost my grip on my sword and fell to the ground. Cadence dodged me and screamed her spell at the beast. The golem raised its hand to swat at her, and I lunged at the thing.
I tackled it—or, tried to. It only budged a few inches, but it gave Cadence time to escape. I tried to retreat from the golem, but my left arm was gripped by its quicksand-body. In what I suspected was its version of laughter, the golem huffed. Curses tumbled from my lips.
Cadence’s eyes brightened, until they were an unnatural green.
