Battle With Fire by K.F. Breene

Nineteen

Penny puteverything she had into the magic she’d shoplifted from the elves, sweeping it over them as Emery shot spells. Cahal’s crimson-coated sword flashed, slicing into one elf after another, hacking them down. He jerked but then stepped forward, fighting their magic, it seemed.

That was when Penny felt it: a hot stab of agony ripping through her middle. Oh yeah, those dirty slug monkeys were coming at them now. If they’d just chill for a second, they’d figure out her group were actually here to help them. A fat lot of good it was doing at the moment.

Penny pushed through the pain as Reagan worked at her spell.

“Almost…” Reagan said, the words almost drowned out by the shouting and hissing around them. And then she took a step back and her face closed down in concentration. “That bastard is quick,” she said through her teeth, staggering into Darius beside her. She cried out and reached down for her thigh.

Dawning understanding prickled Penny and then fear welled up. She let go of her magic, of the spells, and turned toward her friend. Reagan never admitted she was in pain. She never gave in to it, not without throwing out some horrible violence to compensate for it.

Darius couldn’t help right her, too busy making mincemeat of an elf in front of them. Penny grabbed her upper arm to hold her steady and ducked around, slipping between her and one of the vampires to do it. She sucked in a breath.

Blood was seeping out of a nearly foot-long gash, gushing down her leg and pooling on the ground. She healed fast, but the wound was deep—with the exercise she was doing, she’d bleed too much before her body could close it up.

“I don’t know how to heal,” Penny said, looking around frantically. “You have to stop fighting, Reagan. Hover into the air. Hover out of here and get on Archion. Lucifer will let you. If you don’t, you’ll bleed out.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said in a gruff tone, back on her feet, her hands moving through the air, one shining a deep crimson from where she’d grabbed her thigh. Her spine curved, her energy clearly drained.

“How bad?” Darius said, and though the words were jumbled through his big teeth, Penny understood him perfectly.

“Very. If she doesn’t get help, she’ll die,” she said, desperation and terror clawing at her. “She will die!”

“I won’t—”

Penny doused her in a nulling spell. The currents of Lucifer’s magic hit Reagan like a punch in the face, snapping her head back. Clearly her father was taking a second out of his busy schedule to play a little game of chicken, one that would cost valuable lives on all sides. That dangling ball sac obviously didn’t give a horse’s dong about anyone but his fun.

Demons rushed around them, going straight for the elves. They didn’t bother their crew, though, so right now Penny didn’t care.

Using a spell to carry her words, she yelled to Lucifer, “She’s hurt badly. If you are going to take her, take her now.”

“No!” Reagan shoved Penny off, unraveling her spell. She’d gotten really quick at it, unfortunately. “I am not leaving. We’ll finish this.”

“You tried. You failed,” Penny told her. “It was always a long shot.”

“No.” Reagan sent her magic at Lucifer. Three of the downed demons that had been flying with him rose into the sky. Dragons swooped down around them, lighting the world on fire. Demons rushed in, joining the fray. From the direction they were coming, they weren’t going through the shifters, mages, and fae to get here—they were going around. At least that would spare some people. It wouldn’t spare the elves, though. That battle was clearly lost, and maybe the world with it. Penny wondered what that would mean for the Brink. Reagan had had the right idea—there needed to be balance, and Lucifer controlling two worlds probably wasn’t it.

Not like they could do anything about it, though. Someone stronger would have to take up the fight.

“You’re hurt, and if you don’t get help, you’ll die. Is that what you want?” Penny asked with tears in her eyes, nulling Reagan again. The demons shoved by them, apparently not realizing the heir was in the mix. Hate filled the magic in the air.

“Hurry,” she yelled at Lucifer as Reagan threw off her arm again. “Stop fighting me, Reagan.”

“I can’t go,” Reagan said. “I doubt he’ll spare enough dragons to save very many people. I can probably take a couple of you, but what about the others? What about Roger and Callie and Dizzy? I will not leave this battlefield while they are still on it. I will not leave them to die without doing everything I can to save them.”

Penny’s heart broke. She knew the truth of those words. But damn it, Reagan had already risked so much to help them. The shifters, mages, and fae had a chance—they had powers and abilities of their own and might still walk away. Maybe Penny and Emery and the others, too, if the demons let them fight their way out. But if Reagan didn’t go now, she wouldn’t have a chance at all. Penny was no nurse, but that much was obvious. If Reagan didn’t get help, she would very soon be beyond it.

Lucifer appeared above them, looking down. He reached a hand out, and Penny ripped her spell away so he could grab Reagan. He might have to wrestle her magically, but it seemed he was adept at that. He was more experienced. He’d get her out of there.

He’d save her.

“Go,” Penny said, looking at her friend for what was maybe the last time. This time, though, Penny wouldn’t have anything to regret. She wouldn’t be the one looking back as she escaped. This time, she was the motherfucking savior.