Quick as lighting, Hades flicks her wrist, and a huge forklike thing appears in her hand, crackling with energy.
I move to run, but too late, I realize that Hades is going to skewer me like I’m a…thing you skewer. I don’t have time to move or think, just stare at her stupidly as the weapon comes toward me.
And is knocked out of the way with a loud clang.
My heart jolts. Between me and Hades stands Tolliver, grave shovel in hand, dark strands of hair falling to his shoulders. Hades brings her weapon directly down on him. He blocks with his shovel and pushes her away.
“Run,” he says.
So I run.
Before you judge me, I am absolutely not leaving him to fight Hades on his own, but I’ve got nothing to fight with, and there are more shovels back by the others.
I get a handful of strides, before Rook is somehow standing in front of me. I didn’t even see him move.
“I don’t want to fight you, Elle,” he says.
I crack my knuckles. “Oh, but I really want to fight you.”
I burst forward, aiming a kick to his knee. He dances out of the way. My following jab lands but barely, my knuckles grazing his cheek. I try an uppercut to his stomach, but he grabs my fist before it can make contact, and I’m spun around faster than I can process what’s happened.
His arms come around me, my back to his chest.
“You’re going to get hurt,” he hisses in my ear.
My arms are pinned to my sides, his darkened claws clasped in front of me.
“Like you care,” I snap.
“Despite Hades’s rash reaction, you’re still valuable to us.”
I scowl. “You can get someone else to raise your undead army.”
“If you keep fighting me, this won’t end well for you.” His voice is breathy, strained.
“That’s fine. As long as I take you down with me.”
I drop my weight to free my elbows. Then strike back at his groin. It takes a few tries, but as soon as I make contact, he doubles over, and I bring my head back into his nose.
It hurts like a bitch, but his arms loosen, and I scramble forward, scooping up some grave dirt and flinging it into his eyes.
He recoils, and I pounce with a series of blows, only a couple making contact. Damn, he’s fast.
I hear movement behind me and turn to find CJ helping Ezra up. Finally. Tolliver must have turned off CJ’s Juliet supply before he attacked, and then CJ summoned Ezra.
The look back costs me, though. Rook plows into me, knocking me to the ground.
“Are you kidding me?” Ezra yells, just before I hear the sound of retching.
“CJ!” Tolliver yells, and relief floods through me that he’s still alive to yell.
I know, I know, I need to focus on my own fight. But I’m not stupid, even though falling for Rook’s con may make it seem so. I can’t win against Rook. He’s faster, stronger, and probably didn’t learn his fighting skills from a series of TikToks. But even as his weight pins me to the ground, I know we’ve already won.
I have one free hand, and I use it to reach into Rook’s pocket tograb the emergency mask Tolliver makes us keep on us at all times. My fingers first land on paper, but then I find it. The paper comes with it, so I shove it in my pocket.
CJ yells, “Mask up!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see them launch a flask into the air.
