Page 74 of Blood of Olympus

“The worse news is that that is likely their mother,” Caelus answered, his tone grim.

That one is mine, Velira snarled through my mind.

Ours, I corrected, a savage grin twisting my lips upward.

Make haste then, godling. We have work to do.

I sheathed Nightbreaker into place along my spine and launched back into the saddle with the aid of my shadows, buckling my thighs in tightly.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Nightshade,” Caelus lamented. “No foolish bravery.”

I shot him a wink. “No promises.”

“Nyssa!” he roared, palm raised, and sent a small but sharp zap of electricity into my right thigh.

Ouch! I jolted, glaring down at him.

We need you. I need you.

His face was a perfect portrait of grief and intensity, imploring me to relent.

I sighed, sensing the extreme anxiety coursing through him, distracting him enough to suffer bites from errant serpents that ordinarily would have been no match for him.

I promise.

Vel vaulted into the sky, pounding her long, leathery wings in thunderous bursts, like the rapturous beat of a war drum. Every thump matched the rhythm of my heartbeat; every snap heightened my resolve.

With a jarring shriek stemming from the base of her long neck, her head snapped around and those vicious golden eyes locked onto our prey.

The serpent failed to notice her, and by the time it had registered the larger airborne threat, one of its heads was engulfed in a stream of violet flame. The other loosed an earsplitting shriek so cacophonous I had to slap both hands over my ears to dull the sound.

My pain was echoed by those on the ground; my warriors crying out even as the mass of baby serpents thrashed with renewed vigour.

Something needs to be done about those creatures, I worried.

They’re being handled, Vel replied. See for yourself.

An image of the city-turned-battlefield below us flashed into my mind, with all the benefits of a dragon’s vision. While the soulless serpents were still a writhing mass of black scales, Velira’s sight defined them. Jade-coloured warriors pushed in from the north and south, whittling their numbers down one at a time as magenta flames barraged from the east and western flanks — Aros and Evie had discovered a weakness, exploiting it to great effect, driving them together from all sides.

And at the heart of them all: my storm-wielder and his wolf.

Caelus sat upon Lykos’ back, both hands raised in the air as if he could call the skies down to meet him. And when thunder cracked in the distance, when lightning streaked the sky beside us, I thought that perhaps he could.

Mercilessly, he incinerated beast after beast, meticulously sparing the remnants of our army, until naught were left to assail them.

The earth shuddered its relief as the blood of monsters quenched its undying thirst. Though, I knew it wouldn’t be long before it would thirst again; before Kronos would slake it. He would not suffer defeat for long. It was only a matter of time — weeks, days, or perhaps even hours — before the Titan lord struck again.

One adversary still remained between us and today’s victory, however.

The amphisbaena’s hide glinted mutedly in the stormlight as it threaded itself further into the ruined spire. Its scorched end dangled lifelessly out of one jagged window — a hollow, blackened skull and charred fangs were all that remained of it. Where the other lurked was difficult to say.

Vel made a swooping pass, circling the tower with a thunderous screech that did nothing to dislodge the enormous beast. She circled again, releasing a violet stream of fire at the beast’s exposed belly.

A shrill hiss sounded from somewhere within the tower as part of the creature’s body burned.

On our third loop, from the uppermost level of windows, sprang the remaining ebony head of the amphisbaena. It launched with such ferocity that neither Vel nor I could have anticipated the attack, and latched onto her hind leg with a sickening snick.

Long, thick fangs pierced the gaps between her scales right down to the bone, exposing a weakness I hadn't even known existed.