In my chest, my magic faltered again. Queasiness made sweat break out on my skin. My grip on the water was fading. Before, I’d been able to feel the water in my chest—a deep knowing. Now, I felt only a trickle.
Sweating, I focused, putting all my attention toward keeping the wall of water high and strong. Beside me, Ana repelled the woman’s attacks, keeping her blows from hitting me.
We’d always made a good team.
But my gift faltered again, the wall of water dropping by several feet as my control weakened.
We’d only make a good team if I could do my part.
“Come on, Bree,” Ana muttered.
I struggled, giving it my all, but the wall of water continued to drop. No, no, no.
The fight was still raging in the street, but there were several demon mobsters trying to break through my water wall to get to the shop owners. Or hell, maybe they were just trying to escape Cade’s deadly wrath.
Whatever the case, I was all that stood between them and escape.
And my chest was starting to feel empty, my stomach acidic. The wall of water continued to drop. Panic beat frantic wings inside my mind.
“Bree!” Ana said. “Get it together. They’re going to escape. We need to send them back to hell.”
“I know.” I gasped, mind buzzing.
This was so bad.
Cade glanced up at me, concern creasing his brow.
Finally, the water crashed to the ground, my magic tapped out. I collapsed, barely catching myself with my hands.
Shit, shit, shit.
I shook my head, panting, and looked up. Ana still had her shield raised, but the demon woman had stopped attacking. She was running for the shops, instead.
“We’ve got to fight,” I said. It was my job to stay up here and use my water magic, but it wasn’t working. And I couldn’t just wait and watch.
That was the worst. I had to do something.
My magic was kaput, but I wasn’t helpless. I ignored the sick emptiness that seethed in my belly and leapt off the roof, using the windowsills to scramble down the brick front.
Ana followed.
I hit the ground and drew my sword from the ether. The demon woman charged toward me. Her gaze darted from the shop front to me.
I clenched my teeth against the emptiness that filled my chest, and raised my blade.
“Get out of my way,” the demon woman snarled. She raised her hands. Yellow magic sparked around them.
“Not a chance in hell. Which is exactly where I’m sending you.” I drew my metal shield from the ether and held it up just as she hurled her magic.
It slammed into my shield, throwing me back against the brick wall. Pain flared the wall crumbled behind me.
I growled and pushed myself off the wall, lunging toward her. Just as she started to hurl another blast of magic, I swiped out with my blade, severing her head from her neck. Blood spurted, splashing my leather jacket.
Gross.
I ignored it and turned, spotting a huge demon with black horns and pale ivory skin. He threw himself against the wooden door of the potion shop, trying to break it down with his shoulder.
“Don’t even try it!” I shouted, then ran for him.
Ana sprinted to my side, a dagger clutched in her hand. She hurled it at the demon and nailed him in his bare shoulder. He roared and turned to us, eyes blazing red.
“Hit him again,” I said.
She threw her second dagger. It hit him in the chest, right where his heart should be.
But he stayed standing, then charged, his face twisted in a grimace of rage.
“Of course his heart is somewhere else,” Ana muttered.
“You never can tell with demons.” I leapt up as the demon neared, throwing myself toward him.
He reached out, his long claws slicing across my chest. Pain flared, but I ignored it, swiping with my sword.
It sliced across his neck. Blood sprayed, hitting me in the face. I gagged, dropping back onto the ground, then plunged my blade into his gut.
He roared, which was really more of a garbled noise now that I’d destroyed his throat, and tumbled onto his back.
I yanked my sword from his gut as he began to disappear back to the Underworld and turned to Ana.
She wiped blood off her face. “You really need to avoid the arteries.”
I pointed to her face. “You missed some.”
She scowled and pointed at me. “Ha! As if you should talk.”
I grinned, though it felt hollow, and turned to survey the scene as my chest ached, the gash seeping blood.
Almost simultaneously, Cade tore the head off a skinny demon with spindly limbs and fangs as long as my hand, while Jude split another one in two. Ali and Haris leapt out of the collapsing bodies of the last two demons.
The street ran red with blood and water, but all of my friends looked okay. Some sported cuts and others limped, but everyone was standing.
Not bad.
Except for the fact that my magic had gone totally kaput.
My shoulders sagged. With heavy feet, I approached my colleagues, who gathered in the street. All around, shopkeepers poked their heads out of doors and windows, surveying the terrain.
Cade came to join me, concern still creasing the brow of his handsome face. I tried to smile, but failed. He stood next to me, tension crackling the air between us. Unusually weak, I leaned against him, absorbing some of his strength.
I might have healing powers now, but it was doing no good in the face of my faltering magic. It was worse than ever.
“Good job, everyone,” Cade said. “You did well today.”
“I’ll take care of the cars,” Ammons said. He pointed to Ali and Haris. “You two can help.”
The Djinn nodded and joined him.
Jude looked at me. Nerves fluttered in my stomach. Cade might have been in control of the fight operations, but Jude was acting as the trainer today. That meant she was in charge of me, Ana, and the other two trainees.
As far as I could tell, everyone else had done their part.
Only I had failed.
Because I was the DragonGod.
Fancy name for someone who couldn’t control their massive freaking magic.
“Well done, you lot.” Jude’s gaze traveled to me. “But Bree—you were supposed to stay on the roof.”
“I wanted to help.”
“She did do a good job,” Caro said.
Jude sighed. “I know. But with power as strong as yours, you need to be careful. Our roles have reasons, and I know that inaction kills you, but it’s for the best when we stick to our assignments. One day, you’ll act too quickly and regret it. You wouldn’t have gotten that wound if you’d waited.”
I didn’t mind the wound, but I nodded, knowing she was right. The Protectorate was all about planning and roles—mitigating damage through control. And they had a point.
“We’ll meet in my office when we return, Bree,” Jude said. “You too, Ana. We have some things to talk about regarding the Rebel Gods.”
I nodded. Good.
As much as I hated to face the music, I wanted answers. It’d been three days since I’d learned I was a DragonGod and that a group called the Rebel Gods was after me. I’d been trying to get a meeting with Jude or Hedy to learn more, but apparently all I’d had to do was blow my part of a big operation.