Page 130 of Blood of Olympus

“Not like that.” She snorted around her tears. “You have to mean it. Show ‘em who's boss.”

There must be some logic to it… some sense of where they belong, otherwise how does Nyssa sentence them? A guess? A feeling? Sheer dumb luck?

I narrowed my focus on a small section of the whirling vortex. Concentrated on what they looked like, how they felt to me. And in doing so, I discovered that they were rising higher than the others — drifting slower. And they were sad.

Horrifyingly, sorrowfully sad.

I picked another section, tracked them around and around as they vaulted past us over and over again. They felt icy — more so than the rest. They were darker.

And these ones? They felt malevolent.

A shudder darted down my spine. They were not meant for this place, not even when alive. These souls were dark. Foul.

Destined for Tartarus, I knew that for certain.

As I targeted a third batch of shades, I realised that the cohort were actually moving in three different ways. There were three distinct groups when I broke it down, not just one massive vortex as I’d initially assumed.

“This will be easy, then,” I murmured, more to myself than Aphrodite.

I focused on the upper section — the lighter, sadder ones. Encompassing them all in my gaze, I pointed again at the leftmost arch and willed them to go to it. “Leave this place. Reclaim your paradise and forget this ever happened.”

And strangely, they looped around and drifted towards the arch with its already-growing buds of wisteria. The souls paused, until one was brave enough to try. It disappeared within the shimmering veil, and then they all followed, bolstered by the first’s resolve.

With the tempest reduced by a third, the howling winds quieted significantly. The air seemed to weigh less, and my breaths came somewhat easier.

Without stopping to second-guess my newfound talent, I focused on the middling group. Grey, monotone, and almost stagnant.

“Go,” I commanded, steel finding its way into my tone.

They went. The arch with fresh floral growths at its base accepted them all with ease.

And then there was only the third group. The worst of them all. Smaller than the others, but much more fearsome. They roared with all the hatred and fury they felt at having to go back.

“Go,” I said again.

None obeyed.

“Go back to your well-deserved hell. Leave this place and forget it ever existed, for you shall know nothing else but the cold pits of despair,” I shouted, lacing the command with every ounce of my will.

Slowly, they went — powerless to disobey. And though they fought against every inch, I dragged them all into that final arch until every last monster disappeared into the dark abyss.

Every

last

one.

A soft feminine moan broke the silence that followed, and my eyes snagged on a twitching form.

“Nyssa,” I whimpered, rushing to her.

I reefed her out of Evadne’s arms, heedless of her feelings on the matter.

“Nightshade, look at me.”

Her eyelids fluttered, giving me a glimpse of eyes rolled back in her head. But ultimately, they stayed closed as she fought and lost the battle against unconsciousness.

“Perhaps it’s better this way,” an unfamiliar voice murmured.