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“Are you sure?” I asked.
A stream of hellfire hit me in the face, then another stream followed.
My geek friends cried and shrank back. They shouldn’t worry. My shield had them all covered, and Bea had thrown up her mage shield in front of me, which was unnecessary, though appreciated.
The hellfire, warm and naughty, sank through my golden curls. I closed an eye, swimming in the dark red fire.
“It’s a bit weak, demons,” I called out. “Don’t hold back. Do better.”
The demons snarled, their hellfire now engulfing me, sparks dancing on my curls and arms.
Are we getting a sauna? Sy asked. It’s a bit ticklish, though.
Pucker’s here, I told her. We can have him suck away the ticklish part of the energy. We should’ve known that demon energy isn’t all friendly, like its owners.
No, thanks, Pucker said, floating between the demons to study them closely, as if to check if they had pimples. There hadn’t been demons in Shades Academy for centuries. When you can take a sip from a goddess or Hades’s dragon grandson, why would you want to drink from much lesser beings such as demons?
You’re so snobbish. You promised to be a better man, I said in disapproval.
I’m picky, he countered.
“Can you give me more fire, demons?” I asked, struggling to keep my other eye open. “I’m getting a bit sleepy here.”
“What the fuck are you?” Amon demanded.
Seize this chance to build an army, your army, while all see what you can do, Barbie! Pucker shouted in my ear. Rally the oppressed around you. A thousand ants can take down an adult elephant.
I blinked. Are you serious?
How did Superman fall? Pucker asked.
How? I asked.
He smiled. He fought alone.
Fascinating. Sy leaned forward in the backseat. Maybe we should listen to your familiar.
Numbers win! It’s all a numbers game, Pucker explained, puffing his chest out in self-importance. In human history, powerful kingdoms fell all the time. When the weak banded together, they brought down the strongest. In this realm, the strong have the birthright to prey on the weak. But you can have the weak. Rally them and they’ll be your army. They’ll walk over hot coals for you, as no one has spoken up for them before. Be their leader, so they won’t cower again. Shake things up. You aren’t passing through here. It’s your home now. A power shift in Mist of Cinder is long overdue!
Let’s turn the sheep into monster sheep that aren’t afraid to bite! Sy howled. We got this.
I bit my lip. They were probably right. I had to go profound now. Mist of Cinder was the last patch of pure magical land. Darkness and corruption roamed in the human world now. I wondered if it was because Ruin was closer than ever.
Even as the hellfire warmed me, I trembled at the sudden flash of memories of my father feeding on me, worse than being eaten alive by a pride of lions.
I expelled the dark memory and swallowed, surveying the hall of prey and predators.
I’d always told myself that I was no one’s hero and that I couldn’t even save myself. I carried the shame and terror of my birth and past, hoarding my darkest secret.
Pucker was right about shaking things up.
With the demons from the sixth house joining Medea and her army, they would be unstoppable. If they won this fight, they’d pick on anyone they wanted. They’d hurt my friends to get to me.
So let’s make a fucking stand.
I wouldn’t just rally the weak from my house. I’d gather every sheep from every house, and I’d be the baddest shepherd dog that fended off lions and wolves.
The demon Amon had opened the floor for me by asking, “What the fuck are you?”
