Lincoln reaches into his tunic for his baculum. “Damn. This is dark magic.”
I’ve heard of dark magic, everyone has. It’s what thrax parents use to scare their kids into behaving. Go to sleep right now or the dark magicians will get you. And sure, there were evil thrax casters, but they were all hunted down hundreds of years ago. Striga has tight controls over all that stuff now. Don’t they?
“There must be another explanation.”
“There isn’t.” Lincoln’s voice comes out low and deadly. “Take Maxon and run.”
Adrenaline instantly pumps through my body. Fast as a heartbeat, I bolt across the stage, scoop Maxon into my arms, and sprint down the center aisle toward the exit doors. I sense more than see Hildy running behind me. On reflex, my tail winds with Maxon’s, holding him tight to my chest as I race with every ounce of energy in my body. Before I know it, Maxon and I are halfway down the aisle.
That’s when the ceiling implodes.
With an ear-shattering boom, the roof above our heads collapses into thousands of tiny yellow stones. They pour water-like from above, surrounding everyone’s feet to ankle-depth within seconds. The enchanted stones melt, turning into gooey amber. I try to keep running, but my feet get stuck in the muck. In my mind, I call out to my igni.
Help me, little ones. Help your Maxon, too.
Instantly, thousands of igni appear about Maxon and me, swirling in a vortex that cuts through the stone around our feet. My muscles burn with the effort, but thanks to the igni’s help, I finally break through the gooey rock that holds me back. Clasping Maxon tightly in my arms, I take a few steps closer to freedom.
Meanwhile, the rest of the cathedral collapses into total chaos. Everywhere, people are screaming, weeping, and trying to escape. Maxon’s head is pressed deep into my shoulder. He clutches at my Scala robes, sobbing two words over and over. “Mommy, no.” Each syllable tears at my heart.
More amber pours from the ceiling. The magic is growing in power.
Maxon, Hildy and I struggle on until we reach the end of the aisle.
We have to make it. I won’t give up.
At last, I can set my palm against the exit doors. My heart leaps into my throat.
We’re going to do it. We’ll actually escape. My thoughts start to wander toward Lincoln and the others, but I refocus my mind on Maxon’s escape. Once my baby’s safe, I can worry about everything else.
An avalanche of gemstones tumbles from the ceiling, quickly forming a box that surrounds Maxon, Hildy and me. Once the shape is fully in place, the stones re-solidify into amber, creating a makeshift prison around us. Thousands more igni come to my aid, winding into what looks like a giant drill. Working in concert, my igni attempt to grind into the wall of our prison. They don’t make a dent.
Behind me, Hildy starts casting rapid-fire style. Purple puffs of smoke and mist slam into the same yellow surface where my igni drill away. Nothing helps.
I command my igni to bite into the prison at a faster pace. They follow my orders, their drill shape turning so quickly, it’s nothing but a cone-shaped blur. No matter how fast they move, my igni can’t even scratch the prison walls.
“Keep going, my little ones. Please!”
But my command is useless. My igni’s tiny silver bodies start disappearing the moment they touch the wall. Soon, they’re all gone and I’m knee-deep in gooey stone. Through the translucent walls of our prison, I see Xavier in full archangel mode, his body glowing with white light as he hacks against the amber walls with his baculum sword. The rest of the cathedral is nothing but a blur. I can only make out Lincoln standing beside my father, hammering at the surface with his own angelfire weapon.
My heart sinks. Even Dad and Lincoln can’t make a dent.
Turning around, I slam my right fist into the amber wall that separates me from the exit. My blow bounces harmlessly off the smooth yellow surface.
Damn, damn, damn. There must be some trick to this magical prison. I just need to think.
That’s when I hear it. A low chuckle, and it’s coming from right behind me.
Fresh adrenaline charges through my bloodstream. I’d know that voice anywhere.
Bit by bit, I turn around to face the noise’s source. On the opposite wall of my amber prison, the goopy floor oozes up to into a familiar but stomach-churning shape. Before me stands a humanoid demon seven feet tall with gangly limbs and a long face that holds a blade-like nose and unfeeling eyes. He’s missing an arm and stands at an angle to favor his hip, both signs of injuries from his last battle with my father.
My voice comes out as a whisper. “Armageddon.”
The gemstone version of the King of Hell waves in my direction. “Miss me?” He turns to Dad, who’s hacking away at the other side of the wall. “I know he did.”
“How did you leave Hell? I locked you away with my igni.”
“I haven’t left. Not technically, anyway. This is a magical body double. Like it?”