Page 146 of Blood of Olympus

But the city was more necropolis than metropolis.

Th-thump.

The skies darkened.

Th-thump.

The world quieted.

Th-thump.

My pulse raced. The souls glowed brighter as Velira let out a monstrous bellow — so loud and deep it rattled the windows in their frames, silencing all but the hissing tongues of flame which endeavoured to ravage all in its path.

Th-thump.

The crescendo of my furious heart laid the tempo for my vengeful spirit. Kronos would ravage no more cities. He would steal no more souls before Death rightfully claimed them — when it was truly their time. And he would waste no more time drawing breath in this realm or any other.

It was no longer enough to send him back to the icy pits of Tartarus.

I would destroy him. Body and soul.

“Save as many as you can!” I shouted to my waiting army. “Kill anything that tries to kill you — and if your pain stops and your world grows suddenly brighter, then give Thanatos my regards as he sends you on to the next place.”

A few murmured chuckles echoed through the wavering darkness.

“You heard our Queen,” Aros called. “Swords out! Shields up! Spears forward! Archers at the ready.”

Caelus and Athena echoed his commands down the line.

Trusting my warriors were in good hands, I mounted Vel in a single heartbeat, bounding up her foreleg and dropping into the intricately crafted harness Arch had made, the next. Once my thighs were secure in the added leather straps, she crouched. Her muscles tensed in preparation, and with another bellow — this time filled with the mighty brilliance of violet flames — leapt into the sky, pounded her leathery wings, and propelled us high above the burning city.

From our vantage point — and my borrowed dragon sight — we were able to ascertain that hordes of dark beasts ran rampant through the city, picking off mortals like eagles plucking fish from shallow water. They did not seem to follow any cohesive patterns, nor did they have any one leader. They were mindless beasts, hellbent on tearing their next target to pieces.

Velira narrowed in on a half-wolf-half-lizard creature eyeing a solitary form just off the centre of town — a very small lone figure. I looked around, noting warriors nearby, but each were locked into their own battles, none aware of what was about to happen.

Before I could so much as think her name, Velira tilted sharply down and to the left, diving in a neat arc toward the ground.

You forget that we are inextricably linked, she said, tasting my confusion.

Sometimes I do forget, yes.

And sometimes, I wish you had enough presence of mind to remember so that you can block me out.

I snorted.

Two-legs having sex is much less elegant than those with four, she sniffed.

And how, exactly, would you know? I grinned.

This is no time for questions, she snarled. This is a time for hunting.

Later, then.

She did not deign to answer, but instead flared her wings and lashed her head downwards, snapping her gleaming fangs around the beast’s neck. It died instantly — that tended to happen when heads were removed from bodies.

Before we could even celebrate saving the small Strathian boy from certain death, another Tartarian beast rounded the corner, eyeballing him.

“Ugh! They just keep coming!”