“Dammit, Lucy,” I hiss and break into a run, but I can’t push through the surging crowd.They’re too densely packed and clawing at each other to allow me to reach the angels.
Interitus is up first, her wings stretching as she lifts off the cloister roof.
That’s when the crowds break into hysterics.
She stops, hovering mid-air, and then sweeps her hands in downward motions.The earth rumbles.
“Oh fuck,” I bellow and pray that Octavia is ready.
The atmosphere crackles and then rips.More and more tears appear in the fabric.The ground trembles so violently several sections of the crowd topple, causing a crush.
Mortals and Societas members alike shriek in pain as bones break.
And then the wraiths appear.
Swarms of black sinuous creatures all arms and legs and vicious gaping maws pour through the tears.Fuck.Fuck.Fuck.I am never getting through these crowds.
Architecti takes flight in the direction of Lucy’s beam of light.Several Societas members in robes start ascending the cloister walls to get to the angels.They have the right idea.
I flash back to the night we broke into the Celestial Library.If I can’t go through, I’ll have to go over.
I rip a handful of threads from the cloister wall, wrap them around my body, bounce, pull them tight and fling myself up and over the building.I have to suppress a shriek as the wind ruffles my hair and makes my eyes water.
Two of the threads snap mid-air.That does earn a shriek as I plummet to the ground, landing awkwardly on my ankle.Blistering pain lances through my foot, but I don’t have time to stop.I hobble, wincing with each step towards Finis.
I tug threads from the walls of the Great Library and use them to ascend the external wall and step on to the roof.By the time I reach the top, I’m sweating and riddled with the cold tingle of panic.Both angels are atop the tower and Lucy has stopped blasting power into the sky.
I’m too far away to help.
I call on the campus, and once again it gives me a dozen threads of magic.They fly through the air from the parapet atop Finis Tower.
“Gods, I hope these hold,” I breathe as I wrap them around my waist and thighs and bunch them together in my fist.
“If the gods are listening…”
But the gods forgot us, I know better than to pray to them.As I crouch to launch, the ground rumbles.I glance down as several more Veil tears slice through campus and wraiths pour onto Finis’s grounds.I wobble, lose my footing, slip off the roof and soar through the air with only one hand gripping the ribbons.
“Fuuuuuuuuuuck,” I shriek as I smash into the side of the tower, my torso crunching against a turret.
I howl as my ribs crack and splinter and the magic slides through my fingers.
41
Lucy
“Well, isn’t this quite the predicament?”Interitus says.The pair of them circle me as if I’m prey.
All the while, I’m quietly bending campus magic between my fingers.I need them as close as I can get them.
“Ordinarily, I’d be overcome with joy at the prospect of two women fighting over me.Angels, no less,” I say.
Interitus sneers, but I can tell the old Thalia is in there when her eyes crinkle with laughter and then she lunges for me.
I dart out of the way as Architecti smashes into her sister.But Interitus is quick.One of her feathers releases from her wing and fires straight at me.I dive sideways, but it nicks my thigh.
I wail as I crash to the ground, warm liquid running down my leg.I roll over and push myself up, as the sisters throw blow after blow at each other.
Interitus breaks off and comes after me, and I throw a punch which collides with her jaw.Architecti’s wings slice through the air, knocking my legs out from under me as her moth zooms for Interitus’s head.
