I caught a glimpse of Hansa and Anjani on horseback, leading a charge against one of the incubi's flanks. Different species had joined the fight, including Lamias and creatures I'd never seen before, strangely beautiful but vicious. Dearghs had made it as well, ignited and casting massive fireballs that swallowed the Destroyers whole.
My heart leapt as I saw the power in a handful of our allies decimating Azazel's armies. Destroyers fell, one by one. There was hope.
It all came to a halt as a bright pink flash burst at the top of the citadel, splitting the top in half and spreading outward like a nuclear bomb, obliterating everything in its path. It swallowed everything with a horrifying, spine-chilling bang. Fire and brimstone rained from above.
Smoke, ash, and rubble poured over the land.
The fighting stopped.
They all looked up, as the entire citadel was engulfed in the same pink light. The ground shook beneath, and the structure crumbled as it caved in. It was all coming down, falling over the dry land, rumbling like summertime thunder.
I heard Anjani scream Jovi's name, and I saw her kick her horse to a gallop toward the source of the explosion. She was swiftly pulled off the stallion by her sister, who dragged her away from the unfolding disaster.
Anjani kept kicking and screaming Jovi's name, her voice cutting through the sky.
The realization crashed into me, tearing me apart. Jovi had been up there.
The potential future of Jovi dying from a Destroyer's spear had been changed. It now seemed like Jovi would die in a massive explosion. We'd managed to change something in the outcome of things.
But there would be war, and the result would be the same. It would all splinter. Jovi would still die.
I opened my eyes, feeling myself wrapped in warmth. I looked around and realized I was in a familiar space. One of the rooms in the mansion. The same large windows through which moonlight poured. Bijarki's body naked next to mine.
I couldn't move, but my heart froze. I'd seen this before in a dream. It all unraveled like a carefully crafted nightmare, except that it felt more real than the previous time I'd seen it. I heard Bijarki's voice whispering sweet words in my ear. His fingers moved lazily up and down my skin. His lips caressed my neck. I would've melted. But I knew what was coming next.
Without any delay, the windows crashed. Destroyers flooded the room, hissing and cackling, dragging me away from Bijarki. I screamed, but I couldn't hear myself anymore, as if the movie had gone silent. I tried to fight them off, my hands shooting out flames. But I was knocked out.
///
That outcome had not changed. They would come.
Jovi
We rode back to the mansion, joined by Tamara and Eva, each carried gracefully by a gorgeous white steed with gold plated reins. They certainly knew how to style up their royalty. I had to give them credit.
The sun was up as we took one of the side roads around the Sarang Marketplace. Our crossbows were loaded and ready to shoot. Anjani and I exchanged glances. She was trying not to smile but couldn't help it each time our eyes met.
I had a hard time containing my grin, constantly replaying the memory of her melting in my arms the previous night. The sound she made when I kissed her echoed in my head, stirring me to the point where I had to shift in my saddle, prompting my horse to neigh with irritation. I'd been doing that a lot, it seemed.
We heard movement through the trees around us as we went deeper into the woods. I looked around, my eyes scanning the shadows and spotting silhouettes running along, keeping up with our horses.
"We're not alone," I said, my fingers clutching the crossbow.
"Of course, we aren't," Tamara replied. "My guards are here, keeping their distance, protecting us from any hostility. These woods are filled with danger."
"That wasn't the deal," Anjani retorted.
"There's nothing wrong with protection, is there?" Tamara's smile seemed forced, her voice pure ice.
"That. Wasn't. The. Deal." My succubus didn't let go, boldly pronouncing each word. "We agreed to bring you and your daughter to the mansion and no one else. We're protected there, unseen by anyone. We are trusting you and you alone with that location. They have to stay back. Nobody else can know where the Druid and the Oracles are. I'm sure you understand the imperative here."
I wanted to jump off my horse, take Anjani into my arms, and smother her with kisses. Her authoritarian demeanor sparked a fire inside me. Who would have known I'd be so turned on by a succubus with that much spunk?
A moment passed in awkward silence, as I willed myself back to a cooler state. I took deep breaths while smothering a smirk of satisfaction at the sight of Tamara's irritated expression.