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With the next boom of thunder, the sky opened up in sheets of cold rain. His companions strode around the corner with Rayne in the lead. Caelan dragged Jasper along so he could watch knives flying toward the soldiers, unerringly finding their marks again and again. Men went down, choking on blood and screaming as daggers protruded from their eyes. Drayce and Adrian cut through anyone Rayne couldn’t get to in the next second.
They hurried forward, past the barrier and the dead soldiers and into the main courtyard. Caelan looked over to see Rayne’s glasses covered with water, his eyes squinting against the blur and darkness.
“Eno, stay close to Rayne until we can get inside,” Caelan barked.
“Got it! Drayce, Adrian, cover the king!” Eno ordered.
Rain pummeled the ground, creating deep pools across the elegant paving stones. Trees swayed and branches creaked ominously as they were stretched too far. A chill spread through Caelan as wet clothes clung to his skin.
But he barely noticed as more soldiers began to pour out of the building directly in front of them. One of the soldiers guarding the road must have gotten off a warning before they could stop him.
Fuck. They had no cover, except for what he could create.
“Stop!” Caelan shouted and immediately moved in front of their group, wrapping them in a green shield. Bullets bounced off the barrier, but they couldn’t stay here. The longer they lingered, the more reinforcements would surround them.
With a smirk, he reached out to the Goddess of Fire.
I was starting to feel neglected, Caris murmured in a pout that reminded him too much of Nyx.
Forgive me, Goddess. I have a feeling everyone will get a turn today.
Even as he was speaking to her, a wave of flames burst into existence, crashing over the soldiers who’d entered the square. Men screamed in pain, their cries bouncing off the walls of the various government buildings, but they didn’t last long. Quickly, they were all silenced and the only sound was the near-constant rumble of thunder and the drum of the rain.
“Let’s go!” Drayce shouted.
“Wait!” Caelan countered. He removed the flames and reached into the storm. “Stay close,” he whispered while pouring his own anger and pain into the storm. With a clench of his fist, lightning bolt after lightning bolt slammed the ground and buildings. Trees exploded in sparks and after less than a minute, the city fell dark.
“Whoa. Power’s out,” Adrian murmured.
Caelan wanted to chuckle as he fought to pack away all his dark emotions and calm the worst of the storm. But there was no calming it. He could only let the storm wear itself out. At the very least, he wasn’t feeding it any longer. There were truly innocent people in Brightspire who didn’t deserve to be hurt.
“Hey, Cael,” Drayce started. “Toaster?”
“No toaster this time.”
“Please,” Drayce pleaded, grabbing his arm. “It’ll be so fun. Come on. Toaster.”
Caelan shook his head. He’d never be able to see another toaster and not grin. “No. You’ll take out the entire building, and we need it standing. Maybe later.”
Drayce bussed a kiss across his wet cheek. “I’m totally holding you to that.”
With the way cleared, Adrian and Drayce took the lead as they ran toward the front of the building. Eno kept one hand on Jasper while sticking close to Caelan, ready to strike. Their footsteps splashed through the growing puddles that were taking on a pinkish hue.
The open doorway led to a cavernous dark foyer that looked like it was covered in marble. Pounding footsteps echoed down the halls, growing closer as more soldiers moved to intercept them.
“What’s the fastest route to your office?” Caelan demanded.
“Elevator straight ahead to the fifth floor,” Jasper answered, pointing at the darkness in front of them with a shaking finger.
“Power’s out,” Adrian drawled. “Besides, who would want to jump into a death box? Soldiers would mow through us before the doors opened. Stairs?”
“Next to the elevators,” Jasper answered.
“Go!” Caelan barked.
They made a run through the darkness, the wet soles of their shoes slipping across the marble floor. Emergency lights flickered on around the building, casting the halls in a murky, dim yellow light that helped to create deep shadows and illuminate the exits.
But it also made them easier to spot. Gunshots rang out as they reached the stairs. Adrian ripped the door open, grabbed Feroz, and shoved him inside, following a step behind. Drayce started in next, but a cry of pain jumped from his throat as he was tossed against the wall. He clutched his shoulder, wincing. Even in the poor light, Caelan could see the bright red seeping through his fingers.
