Page 66 of Fallacies

Pax and Phoenix.

They move through the trees on either side of her, holding the line at her feet, and Ceres stands motionless for a moment, hiding in the shadows the forest provides.

She doesn’t stay put long, only a few seconds passing before she chances a step forward. Then another. And when she’s close enough that the orange glow of the flames illuminates her face, Callan starts barking orders again. Devon moves to get May and Pa out of here, and Hunter and Easton cover the Dame entirely, backing her up until she’s right in front of the platform.

“No,” Delia breathes, in complete disbelief. “No,” she says again, and beside her, Laverna has gone pale.

It’s not the hand Ceres holds behind her back that’s scary. It’s not the grey tint to her skin or the ripple of something darker beneath it.

It’s her eyes.

Unmistakably gold through the red-tinted flames.

Right as the fire strengthens, Ceres erupts in a mass of shadows and smoke, a roar ripping from her red-painted lips, and every lantern shatters, glass shards flying through the space. Callan turns to cover me, but I fight against his hold.

“Callan! My friends.”

“ROGUE!” someone screams, and I take the distraction it grants me, slipping free of his grip and tumbling down the platform.

“Lucina!” he shouts after me.

I nearly trip over my boots as I find my footing in the dirt, making it a few running steps in the direction of my friends when another blood-curdling scream rips through the yard.

I come to a skidding halt, wide eyes shooting upwards.

Kimber.

She dangles in the air, a pitch-black rope of shadows twisting tightly around her neck. She claws at the restraint, her legs kicking out for purchase, and I can barely hear the chaos of the Yard behind me as shadows dig into her skin, steam rippling off her neck and hands.

Like hell am I letting this happen.

I rush towards her. There isn’t a single bone in my body that debates staying still—it isn’t even a question. She wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for me.

Fire rises from Pax’s side of the line, and Phoenix struggles to meet its intensity. Ceres jumps back, but her hold on Kimber doesn’t falter, dark black tendrils flaring at her fingertips. There’s pure determination alongside the threat in her eyes as her grip tightens, cutting off Kimber’s attempt to scream.

From behind me, static fills the air, rumbling across the dirt, and I shout for Kimber to hold on. I’m steps away from being right beneath her when Ceres shoots up so high that if she falls…

I don’t know that Gemma will be able to heal her fast enough.

“KIMBER!” I scream.

“SILENCE!” Ceres bellows.

I come to a screeching halt just as Pax bursts from the trees, pure terror widening his eyes as he takes in the sight of Kimber hanging there. “Hey!” he shouts over the crackle of the flames, “Put her down! YOU HAVE TO PUT HER DOWN!” I’ve never seen him so angry. So afraid.

Taking advantage of Ceres’ split attention, I slip into the treeline, searching for any sign of Selene and Gemma. Searching for anything that might be able to stunt Kimber’s fall.

My eyes catch on movement in the bushes, noticing a thin, radiant sheen seeping through the dirt around it. It looks as if rain has made the ground muddy, and it only takes me a few seconds of watching it spread before I realize what’s happening.

Lakelet magic.

Selene’s messing with the dirt. Cushioning it, maybe. Gods, I hope so. That’s the only chance Kimber has.

Pressing my back into the shadows, I do my best to stay quiet. I can’t draw attention to what she’s doing. I can’t draw attention to my friends at all.

“Ceres, please!” Delia begs. “Please just⁠—”

Kimber screams as she’s thrown higher into the air.