Clash of Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Amazon Book 3) Read online

  “Why is he here?” I asked.

  “Sent by the Order,” Jude said. “This is serious. If the Stryx keep this up for much longer, all the rocks that they’re blowing out of the earth are going to crush a nearby village.”

  My stomach plunged.

  “Oh, fates,” Bree murmured. “Human or supernatural?”

  “Both.”

  She frowned. “So we can’t even tell them the truth. We have to protect them without revealing there’s magic.”

  “And that’s a hell of a lot harder,” Jude said.

  I stared at the explosions below, horror and fear rising within me like a thick black tar. “You don’t know what they are after?”

  “Not a clue,” Jude said. “We only know it’s the Stryx because you say so.”

  I turned to her. “Do you believe me?”

  “I believe that you believe it.” She shrugged. “And I trust you. So yes, right now, we’ll assume it is the Stryx. But what they’re doing, I have no idea.”

  I turned back to the explosions, trying to see through the thick black smoke that surrounded the Stryx’s operation. The longer I looked at it, the more powerful it felt. The magic within the crater grew, calling to me.

  I stepped backward, shaking my head and sucking in a breath.

  That was weird.

  I tried to look away, to find my sisters or Maximus. But I couldn’t. My gaze was glued on the smoky crater. The magic within rose up toward me, twisting around my body and seeping inside my skin.

  Come.

  The voice echoed in my ears, impossible to ignore.

  Come to us.

  I shook my head, resisting. But the magic within the crater called. Worse, it pulled. As if the tendrils of dark magic had twisted around my muscles and bones, it had a grip on me. It tugged me forward.

  Part of me wanted to go. Wanted to figure out what was happening down there.

  Most of me knew it was a death wish.

  The magic didn’t care what I wanted. It tugged me forward, forcing my limbs to move. Panic flared in my chest. I struggled against the magic’s hold, trying to pull myself back and fight the grip of the dark power.

  Come to us.

  Against my will, I walked forward, my muscles forced into action. I tried to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. My body was a prisoner to the magic, and I was stumbling down the hill toward the smoke below.

  “No!” I tried to scream, but the words were just a whisper.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of three tiny figures.

  The Menacing Menagerie. Drawn here by my distress, no doubt. The three little creatures clung to my legs, trying to hold me back. They weren’t strong enough, though, and I stumbled forward like a zombie.

  Did my sisters not see me? Jude or Maximus?

  I was walking to my death, forced by this dark magic, and they hadn’t noticed.

  My heart thundered in my ears, nearly deafening.

  “Rowan!” Maximus’s shout echoed with fear. “Stop!”

  But I couldn’t. Finally, he’d seen me, but I was so far down.

  “Rowan!” my sisters screamed in unison, but their voices echoed in the distance. They were too far.

  I was too far.

  Then I was enveloped in the darkness entirely. Their voices were gone. My breath was gone. My will was gone. I kept walking, straight through the thick black fog and toward the explosions that made every bone in my body shake.

  Without a doubt, I knew the truth.

  I would die here.

  Chapter Four

  The Stryx’s evil magic pulled me deep into the darkness. All around, the explosions shook the air. Shook the ground. Only magic kept me upright, but I fought it anyway, trying to escape the grip of the Stryx. They were calling me to them, and if they got ahold of me, I was dead.

  The Menacing Menagerie were gone, no doubt forced away by this evil power.

  What kind of magic could do this?

  When a golden light blared through the darkness, it was like a breath of air to a drowning person. Something grabbed me—a hand, tight around my arm. It yanked me backward, strong and sure.

  I stumbled, breaking away from the pull of the Stryx. The hand that had grabbed me belonged to someone with great power. Golden magic, strong and bright. The figure pulled me from the black smoke.

  Once the magic had loosened its grip on me, I coughed and spun. I stood within a golden circle, a clearing in the middle of the smoke.

  In front of me, Hermes stood. The messenger god wore his winged sandals and a golden helmet. His skin and white tunic were stained with the smoke around us, and his brow was creased with worry.

  “What happened?” I shouted over the sound of explosions. “Where are we?”

  “A protective circle.” Hermes coughed, using his tunic to cover his mouth so he could breathe. “The Stryx dragged you in. They want you.”

  I shivered, eyeing the darkness that surrounded us. “Why?”

  “They need you. For what, I do not know. But you must not go to them. Your goal must be to defeat them.”

  “I wasn’t trying to go to them. Something dragged me toward them. They’ve never been able to do that before.”

  “They are powerful. More powerful than you have seen.” Strain creased his brow. “Even now, it is difficult for me to keep you safe from them.”

  “Why did you save me?”

  “Queens Hippolyta and Penthesilea demanded that I do so. I owe them a favor.”

  “Who the hell are they?” The smoke was starting to make it hard to breathe.

  “The Amazons, the greatest warriors in Greek history.”

  My jaw nearly dropped. “They’re real?”

  He gave me a look that suggested I was an idiot.

  He wasn’t totally off the mark, actually. If Hermes, the messenger god, existed, of course the Amazons existed.

  “Why do they care about me?” I asked.

  “They wish to see you. And not only that—you need to see them. Your magic is not settling well within you—it is fractured. If you are lucky, this journey will help you fix that.” His gaze turned dark. “But it must be soon, before it is too late. Before the magic devours you. Your magic, your soul.”

  I swallowed hard. “Devours me?”

  “The fate of a DragonGod is not an easy one, and the Greek gods have gifted you with such great power that you must work hard to control it. You don’t have much time left. Perhaps a week?”

  I swallowed hard. Less time than I’d thought. “Where do I find the Amazons?” I wracked my mind for any memory of the great warrior women. “Don’t they live on an island somewhere?”

  “That is fiction. They once lived along the shore of the Black Sea. In the modern day, they have adapted. You will find them in Istanbul. Search for the symbol of the warrior woman, and you will find them.” He reached for my hand and pressed something into it. A stone. “That transport charm will take you to them.”

  “What do I do once I find them?”

  “Whatever they tell you to. If you’re lucky, you’ll learn to control your magic. You might also learn how to stop the Stryx. They’re connected to you, Rowan. You must get control of your magic to have any hope of defeating them.”

  “So I might figure out what they are up to?”

  “Yes, if you survive.”

  A pulse of power from the darkness nearly bowled me over. Even Hermes stumbled.

  His face paled. “I must go. It is becoming too dangerous.”

  Before I could speak, he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the smoky air. For the briefest moment, it threatened to suck me back in and drag me toward the Stryx. But Hermes kept his grip firm.

  When we stumbled out onto the mountainside, the orange light of the nearly setting sun blinded me. Hermes disappeared immediately, and I spun in a circle, searching for my friends.

  Explosions still sounded from within the crater, and dark debris flew into the sky. About twenty feet down the slope
into the crater, my friends looked as if they were banging on an invisible wall, trying to push their way through. Maximus, Bree, and Ana fought like mad, punching and kicking the wall. Jude looked like she was trying to funnel glowing orange magic into the barrier, perhaps to break it or drain it of its power.

  They’re trying to save me.

  “Guys!” I shouted as I stumbled down the hill. “Stop!” When the tug of the Stryx pulled at me once more, I halted, gasping. Everyone turned to look at me. “Come on!”

  Relief flashed on their faces. I didn’t spare a second more. I just turned and ran, scrambling up the hillside. I had to get far, far away. The Stryx still had a hold on me, and I couldn’t let them suck me back in. No way I could count on Hermes to save me twice.

  I reached the top and began to slide down the hill on the other side, heading toward a low-lying bank of mist.

  “Rowan! What’s wrong?” Bree shouted from behind.

  “Just need some”—I gasped, sprinting forward—“distance!”

  I kept running, finally stumbling to a halt about halfway down. The sound of explosions was fainter here, and if my friends saw me start to zombie-walk back toward the Stryx, they’d stop me.

  Panting, I dropped to my knees, trying to catch my breath. In the distance, the mist cleared a bit. I squinted toward it. Were there buildings there?

  Yes, there were.

  A small village sat in the valley between two hills, ancient and stalwart through the ages.

  The village that will be destroyed by the Stryx if they keep going with this mad plan.

  An ache started up in my chest. The buildings were small, little white houses of the style that were so recognizably Greek. A street led into the village, passing between two houses. I caught sight of a boy, no older than six. He stared at me with big dark eyes, his right arm wrapped around a big goofy dog.

  The ache turned to a lightning bolt of fear.

  That little boy would die if the explosions went on much longer. At best, he’d evacuate and lose his home. Lose everything. Even now, rubble from the overflow was spilling down the hillside toward them. It would bury the village soon enough.

  My gaze went from the boy to the dog.

  Fates, I have to fix this.

  Panting, I stood and turned to watch Maximus, Bree, Ana, and Jude race down the mountain toward me, confusion and worry on their faces.

  “What the heck is going on?” Ana demanded.

  Maximus strode up to me and gripped my arms, concern on his handsome face. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  I nodded, reaching up to clasp his hand with my own. Warmth flowed through me at the touch, and I smiled. “I’m fine. For now. But I can’t get near those explosions. Not right now.”

  “Fates, you had me worried.” He pulled me to him in a tight hug, and I squeezed him back. Warmth, comfort, acceptance. His touch made all of those flow through me, and I drank them up.

  Finally, I pulled back and stepped away. Jude was nearly to us. I didn’t think my teacher and hopefully future boss knew about us, and I wasn’t sure what she would say. Not that her opinion would sway my feelings, but I didn’t need any extra complications right now. I turned from Maximus to decrease suspicion, and looked at my sisters.

  “What’s the deal?” Bree reached out and grabbed my arm, as if wanting to assure herself that I was safe and alive.

  “The Stryx dragged me to them.” I shuddered at the memory of the loss of control. “I don’t know how they managed it, but they’re strong.”

  “You’re the only one who could cross the barrier,” Jude said. “They protected their operations with a spell, and we can’t get any closer. How did you get out?”

  “Hermes, the Greek messenger god, saved me.” I told them about the Amazons sending him and wanting to meet me. How I might be able to fix my power there, and I might even be able to get answers about what the Stryx were doing.

  “Then you need to go,” Jude said. “Without question.”

  “Yes.” Bree’s gaze was intense. “Anything that will help you get your magic under control.”

  I nodded. “I’ll go.”

  “We’ll stay here and try to find a way to break past their barriers and stop whatever they are doing.” Jude’s face paled. “Though you should hurry, Rowan. I don’t know that we have anything in our arsenal that will work, and if they keep going, the village will be destroyed.”

  I had a horrible feeling that the village would be a relatively minor casualty of what the Stryx were planning. Something far worse would happen if they succeeded in their goals.

  “I’ll go with you,” Maximus said.

  My gaze flashed to him. “You will?”

  “Why?” Jude asked, a glint in her eye.

  Oh yeah, she was onto the fact that there was something between us. Hopefully I wouldn’t get a talking-to about professionalism, given that he was my trainer. I’d have a hard time sitting through that and not saying something I shouldn’t.

  “The Order needs answers as much as you do,” Maximus said. “And my colleagues can help you try to find a way to break through the Stryx’s barrier. That’s not my specialty. But I could help Rowan. And I want to.” He turned to me. “I don’t want you going alone into the unknown.”

  My eyes flared wide briefly. We’d shared a kiss and some serious sexual tension, but this was practically a proclamation that he cared for me.

  And he’d said it in front of other people.

  I nodded, trying to keep my face set in professional lines. “I could use some help, and since Bree and Ana will be busy here…” I trailed off, making it a question.

  Jude nodded. “They will be.”

  “Then Maximus is definitely the perfect person,” I said. “We work well together.”

  He nodded.

  “Fine,” Jude said. “I like the idea of you having backup. And if today in class was any indication, you need to take every opportunity you can get to learn to harness your magic.”

  Her words triggered a memory of Hermes’s words. Before the magic devours you.

  I swallowed hard and nodded, determined to fix my magic—and stop the Stryx—before either of them had a chance to devour me.

  Jude looked at Bree and Ana. “Let’s get back to it.”

  I hugged my sisters hard, whispering, “Be careful.”

  “You too.” Bree squeezed my arms. “I know you can do this.”

  “No doubt in my mind,” added Ana.

  I smiled at them, blinking away the prick of tears and wondering why I was suddenly a bit weepy.

  They hurried up the hill, and I turned to Maximus, holding up the transportation charm. “Can we stop by the Protectorate to grab some potion bombs? Do you have a transport charm?”

  Maximus frowned. “You have your lightning and water magic now. And the death magic. Do you really need them?”

  I could hear what was unspoken. He thought the potion bombs were my crutch. And maybe they were.

  Still, I wanted them.

  I raised the special transportation charm Hermes had given me.

  “Wait a moment.” He strode toward me and gently gripped my arms. At his touch, I realized I hadn’t been alone with him in days. He gazed down at me, a crease of concern between his brows. His blue eyes were intense. Too intense to look away. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Really?”

  “If I’m not, I’ll be fine as soon as I figure out my magic.”

  A wry smile quirked up at the edge of his mouth. “You don’t let anything get you down, do you?”

  “I did once.” I’d been down the whole time I was held by the Rebel Gods. I didn’t want to end up like that again. “Keep on keepin’ on, right?”

  “It’s not the worst motto in the world.” He bent down and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

  I leaned into him, reveling in his touch. But it wasn’t enough.

  I tilted my head back and pressed my lips to his, stealing a
kiss. Not from him, since he gave it willingly. But from time, because it seemed we never had enough. His scent and taste wrapped around me, momentarily making me breathless.

  The sound of an explosion tore through the quiet, making my insides vibrate.

  I pulled back, slightly breathless. “We have more important things to be doing.”

  Maximus’s gaze was hot as it met mine. “The only thing more important than kissing you is the end of the world.”

  I hiked a thumb over my shoulder. “Isn’t that what this is?”

  He nodded, his expression dire. “Indeed.”

  I stepped back and raised the transport stone.

  “Do you know where we’re going?” he asked.

  “Istanbul. He said this would take me to the Amazons.” I hurled the stone to the ground.

  A glittery gold cloud burst forth. Not the usual silvery gray of a transport charm, so it must have been something special.

  The ether sucked me in and spun me through space, then spit me out in the middle of a heaving, bustling city. Maximus appeared next to me, an anchor in a surging storm of people. I grabbed his arm as hundreds rushed by, all dressed in business suits.

  Mid-morning rush?

  I glanced up at Maximus. “Let’s get out of here.”

  We pushed our way to the edge of the crowd, which was flowing down the sidewalk in one long stream of people. We tucked ourselves into a doorway nook that led into a shop, and I surveyed the crowd.

  Where the heck were we?

  A scan of the city street showed tall glass buildings piercing the blue sky, imposing sentinels of businesses that could be located anywhere in the world.

  I had expected the Amazons to be ancient warrior women, living in some remote place and wearing old-school armor. Not these Amazons, though.

  “I guess this is the closest big city to the shore of the Black Sea where they used to live.” Given that most of my knowledge of the Amazons came from comics and Hermes, I was going to really need to bone up. “But where the hell do they live now?”

  The place was huge, with millions of people, seemingly everywhere I looked.

  “Hermes didn’t give you directions?”

  “He just said to look for a symbol of a warrior woman.” My gaze snagged on a massively tall building. Right in the middle was a huge crest—a woman holding two swords crossed over her head. I pointed. “And that is pretty obvious.”