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Erin nodded, her mind racing. “And they’re not just characters in a book, Blaine. They’re real, and they’re here. We need to be ready.”
As she spoke, a familiar warmth welled up within her, a spark of divine energy. The pull was undeniable. It was Dionysos, urging her to take the next step.
Drawing a deep breath, Erin closed her eyes and reached out with her senses, the pulse of her newfound powers humming in her veins. She called out to Dionysos, her voice echoing not in the physical space of the archive, but in the ethereal realm of the gods.
“Here goes nothing,” she muttered to herself, half expecting nothing to happen.
Blaine looked at her, eyes wide. “Erin, are you sure about this?” His voice was laced with concern, but beneath it, Erin could hear the undercurrent of excitement.
Erin gave him a tight smile. “No. But since when has that ever stopped us?”
Suddenly, the musty scent of old books mixed with a heady aroma, a combination of rich wine and fresh ivy. A gentle breeze seemed to rustle through the library, an impossible wind that tousled her hair and sent chills up her spine. The whispers of ancient voices echoed in her ears, as though the very air was humming with an unseen presence.
The room seemed to dim, the dusty bookshelves receding into the background. The archive’s dull and mundane reality was being replaced by something much more mystical and awe-inspiring. A vast, starlit expanse unfolded before her eyes, as though the library was an intersection between the mortal world and something infinitely more divine.
And then he was there. Standing amidst the celestial panorama, was Dionysos, the god of the vine, of ecstasy and madness. His presence was so real, so tangible, that Erin could have reached out and touched him. He was no longer an abstract entity, but a physical being standing before her. His eyes were as dark as the night sky and filled with ageless wisdom. His smile had an unnerving quality to it, as though he was privy to secrets Erin could only dream of.
“Dionysos,” Erin managed, her voice shaking slightly. She was now on a first-name basis with a god. That would take some getting used to.
His voice was deep, resonant, and strangely comforting. “Erin,” he acknowledged her. He glanced at the book in her hands, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “I see you’ve been reading up on your visitors. Good. Knowledge is your greatest weapon.”
Erin swallowed, her grip tightening around the book. “We need more than knowledge, Dionysos. We need to protect our city from the fae. They could destroy us.”
He nodded, his gaze thoughtful. “Yes, they could. But they won’t. Not if you can help it.”
Erin frowned, trying to decipher his cryptic words. “What do you mean?”
His grin widened, and a spark of mischief danced in his eyes. “Ah, now that would be telling, wouldn’t it? You’ll find out soon enough, Erin. For now, keep reading.”
And then, as suddenly as he appeared, Dionysos vanished. The celestial backdrop faded away, leaving Erin back in the archives, surrounded by the familiar smell of old books and silence.
Blaine was gaping at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Erin, what just happened? You were glowing.”
Her mind still buzzing from the divine encounter, Erin looked down at the book in her hands, then back at Blaine, a determined look in her eyes. “We have a lot of work to do, Blaine.”
Blaine nodded, visibly steeling himself. “Right. Back to the books, then?”
Erin chuckled, a spark of her old humor breaking through the gravity of their situation. “Back to the books, Blaine.”
As they dived back into their research, Erin couldn’t shake the feeling that Dionysos had left something unsaid. But whatever it was, she had a feeling she’d find out soon enough. For now, they had a city to protect, and an encroaching fae threat to understand.
CHAPTER57
NADIR
The wrathful prince’s aura flared brighter, the fiery corona casting long, dancing shadows across the walls of the burrow. Belial’s eyes narrowed, the flame within flickering ominously as he took a threatening step forward. The air crackled around them, charged with the raw power that the daemon prince was exuding. Nadir’s heart pounded, the rhythm echoing in her ears, but she stood her ground, her grip on Azimuth’s hand tightening.
“Belial, let’s discuss this,” Azimuth implored, his calm voice a stark contrast to the building tension in the room.
“There’s nothing to discuss. You’ve crossed the line,” Belial seethed, his gaze zeroed in on the defiant duo.
Suddenly, the burrow was filled with an explosion of force, knocking Nadir and Azimuth backward. Belial had unleashed a wave of power strong enough to send them crashing against the far wall. Pain bloomed across Nadir’s back, but she forced herself to her feet, pushing back against the pressure that was attempting to crush her.
Azimuth was back on his feet as well, his body shielding Nadir’s as he held out a hand toward Belial, a silent plea for mercy. The sight of his defiance seemed to fuel Belial’s rage, and the prince roared, another wave of power smashing into them.
Nadir gritted her teeth, feeling the power pushing against her like a storm, threatening to tear her apart. But she stood her ground, pulling at her own powers, the daemon essence within her responding with a fiery surge that pushed back against Belial’s onslaught.
She caught sight of Orias and Kobol, still bound and trembling, but watching them with a look of intense admiration. Nadir felt a spark of determination ignite within her. They would not be crushed by Belial’s wrath. They had faced greater dangers in the chasm, and they would face this together.
