A thrum of power ran through Scarlet as Riordan ripped open a portal to the World. Battlecries rang out from the Vanguard and Ravens as the inner circle began to collapse in on the god.

“Hold!” someone cried out. Scarlet thought it sounded like Ange, but she couldn’t see what was going on from the outer ranks.

“I need to get closer,” she told Dante. “You’re staying back, right?”

“Yes. I’ll stay as safe as I can. Come back when you need a refill.”

Scarlet nodded. “Give me all you can, for now.”

Dante gave her a final burst of energy. Scarlet took his hand and squeezed it, her eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments before she pushed forward through the loosely packed formation.

Her mind and body still fought to stay connected to one another, but she felt more alive than she could remember being, every nerve in her body ready to fire, her mind set on a singular focus: Riordan.

He was here. He had strangled the magic out of his own kingdom. He had tried to kill her. He had bullied Death, broke her down until he could capture her. He had taken her mother.

It’s time. I’m going to end him.

She would do her job, her duty to Death, but it would never be for her patron god that she did this task. It would be for herself.

Scarlet squeezed through the more tightly packed ranks toward the center of the formation, and broke through to where she could see Ange, face to face with Riordan in the open middle of the circle. Ange stood in a wide, defensive stance, her magus sword drawn, her hand held out in a signal for the rebellion to hold their attack.

Scarlet hadn’t seen Riordan properly before. He’d used magic to deflect her gaze back in the forest. His hair was brown, hanging down to his chin which was square and clean-shaven. She saw a flash of his eyes, light brown and as piercing as Death’s, as he looked around to take in the combined Vanguard and Raven forces surrounding him.

Scarlet could feel his aura pressing in around her. He’s so much stronger than before, now that he’s drained all of Death’s power.

Though some feet away, Scarlet could also see the sweat dripping from Ange’s forehead. She wished she had one of the magus weapons in her own hand. No matter how powerful her magic was, Ange told everyone that a magus weapon had to be the final blow against Riordan—it had to be a solid strike, too; the crystal needed a few moments of contact with his blood to entrap his soul.

She wondered what Dante had been talking about—something about her having a sword? As much as she wanted one, Ange wouldn’t let her have one while she was in her hindered condition. She would have to settle for being the one who put Riordan in a position to be struck down instead of doing it herself. If she could create an opening for one of the magus wielders, that would be success enough.

Of course, that would also mean that I need the go-ahead to attack, which Ange isn’t giving us. What is she waiting for?

The Vanguardians around her were shifting around, muttering to one another. The tension was palpable. She circled closer to Ange and Riordan, trying to listen in.

“Let them go,” Ange was saying. Scarlet realized as she approached that two men behind Ange were holding a third, unconscious man. Jarrett, who Ange had used as bait. He seemed so familiar to her, her clouded mind fighting to recognize him, but perhaps it was simply her exhaustion playing tricks on her. He hadn’t appeared to know her at all. For now, all she knew was that Riordan wanted him. Tendrils of Riordan’s magic tied the two men carrying Jarrett completely still, though they were trying to strain against the bonds.

“I have no reason to let them go, dear Angelise.” The insidious smile plastered on Riordan’s face made Scarlet’s hate for him flare—literally, as sparks escaped from her fingertips. “Jarrett is the key to the lock I’ve been trying to break. Really, I must thank you for bringing him to my attention. I thought he must have been long gone, but no, Kiera played one last trick on me, didn’t she?”

Hearing her mother’s name broke her last efforts at restraint. Fire rose within Scarlet, and she knew it was about to burst from her, whether she wanted it to or not. She hurled it at Riordan with all her might and rage. Without looking, Riordan raised a hand. The flames dissipated as he absorbed the energy into his palm.

The god turned to her, and Scarlet suddenly felt small. Diminutive. The immensity of his energy dwarfed her. “Ah. The daughter, too. How could I forget her.”

“Scarlet,” Ange said, a reprimand and an exclamation of concern rolled into one.

Riordan stepped toward Scarlet. Now that he was closer, she spotted a faint scar along the side of his neck. She wondered if that was the wound that Calder alluded to, the one that her mother had given to him. “The only thing better than one key,” Riordan said, “is two. I have Death now, and no more reasons to leave you to wander free.”

Scarlet’s blood boiled. “So, fight me.”

Panic flashed across Ange’s face as she signalled for the Vanguard to attack. This probably wasn’t how Ange’s plan was supposed to go, and Scarlet didn’t care. All observations not directly related to Riordan dropped away. Flames blazed easily in her hands.

Riordan took another step closer. Scarlet could both see and sense the magic swirling in a vortex around him, growing stronger with each passing second. A god approached her; she should be afraid, but she wasn’t. Ange might have forged the swords for this battle, but Death had forged Scarlet into a weapon for this very purpose.

If I’m going to die, I’m bringing Riordan with me.

The frontline of the Vanguard rushed at Riordan, but with a shockwave blast, he pushed them stumbling backwards. Scarlet braced herself against the energy and kept her footing. A deep breath, then she sent a series of fireballs careening toward her enemy.

Riordan quickened his tempo, dodging out of the way of most of the fire and absorbing the rest into his energy vortex as he dashed at her. Scarlet stood her ground. He was almost upon her now, twenty feet—Scarlet summoned a disk of fire, held high as a shield—fifteen feet, ten—

Before Riordan overran her, someone interceded. Scarlet saw the blue glint of a magus weapon as the young man leapt upon Riordan, bowling him over. Both god and man hit the ground hard. It seemed impossible that anyone had the strength to knock Riordan over like that, especially through his aura of amassed power.

Riordan threw the man away from him with another shockwave. Scarlet realized as he skidded across the ground that it was Barek, his body shimmering with magic. Right, Jayden was empowering him, that’s why he wielded one of the magus swords and was able to even get close to Riordan without his energy vortex throwing him back.

The other Vanguardians had no such luck. Riordan rose and was surrounded by troops once more, but as soon as they got near him, he easily flicked them away with no more thought than swatting flies.

He locked back onto Scarlet, raised his hand and sent glimmering tendrils of his vortex at her. She failed to jump back in time, the tendrils latched onto her ankles. She gave them a zap of energy and shook them off. She and Riordan began to circle one another, each carefully watching for the next attack.

The mages from the Vanguard and the Ravens began shooting volleys of energy bolts, but Riordan’s aura served as a barrier against these attacks. Scarlet worried that each bit of magic that entered his vortex would make him more powerful.

Still, attacking him with magic was all she could do to distract him, to create that needed opening for a strike from a magus sword. Plus, her anger fed her power, and it would not be denied.

She hurled her fire disk, aiming for his neck. A sweep of his arm deflected it, sending it into the crowd of Vanguardians instead. There was a yelp of distress, but Scarlet couldn’t worry about it. She summoned another disk, hurled it, then another, each larger and hotter than the last. Sweat poured freely down her face.

Riordan began to boomerang her disks back at her, instead of into the Vanguardians. She danced through the returning barrage of fire, flames singeing her feet when she wasn’t fast enough. It was worth it, though—Leon and Korene charged in together from the wings, each heaving their magus sword at Riordan.

They were surrounded by bubbles of energy. The Ravens must have a protection mage who had fortified them. They had a chance of getting close to Riordan, unlike the rest of the Vanguardians who continued to be swatted backward.

Riordan’s attention was on Scarlet, but not enough that he didn’t notice the approach. The next two flame disks Riordan deflected were sent hurtling at the two Vanguardians. Korene was struck across the shoulder and dropped to the ground. Leon ducked in time, but Riordan sent out an energy dart that struck him directly in the face. He collapsed just a few steps ahead of Korene.

Scarlet’s energy flagged. She should have so much more in her, still—but she was fading fast. She glanced behind her, hoping to spot Dante. Instead, Ange was right behind her.

Ange glared as Scarlet, shoving past her into the inner circle. “You’re spent. Get out of my way.”

Scarlet growled and slipped into the ranks of the Vanguardians—now only there to serve as a blockade to limit Riordan’s mobility, as it was clear they could do no damage. Ange must have called off the mages, as they had stopped firing on Riordan. They were no threat to him, and only fed him more power.

Scarlet felt waves of heat rolling off of herself. Her energy was leaking, she couldn’t control it. Vanguardians jumped out of her way as she searched for Dante.

It was Riordan’s fault that all of this had happened. The scar on her back ached, like it knew she was near the one who had bestowed it upon her. Riordan had more or less killed her with that wound. He’d taken her mother, shortly after. It was his fault that she was an emissary, that she was trapped, separated, stuck—he would pay. She would make him pay.

But first—“Dante.” He was kneeling just outside of the circle of Vanguardians, healing Barek. Jayden overlooked them, arms crossed.

Dante spotted Scarlet and rushed to her. “I’m here. Are you okay?”

Scarlet didn’t know how to answer that, so she didn’t. She was calmer now, less heat flowed off of her. Dante took her hand, and poured more of his energy into her. She quickly felt more solid, more real again. “Dante,” she said again. “You’re using too much energy, if you’re healing people, and giving me—”

“I know my limits.”

A twinge of worry streaked through her regardless. “It’s dangerous to push them.”

“Jayden and Barek might be able to do some damage. They’re a good duo. I have to give them a fighting chance.”

Scarlet glanced at Barek’s magus weapon, lying on the ground next to him. “Where’s that Raven girl? The one they gave the sword to?”

“Fae? She’s there.” Dante nodded his head over to a girl standing near Jayden and Barek. “She’s a protection mage. She’s going to shield Barek before he goes back in.”

Fae didn’t look much of a physical combatant. If the Ravens were going to give the sword to a mage, Scarlet wished she had it instead. Ange had originally meant for her to. She thought of Ange, fighting Riordan in the inner circle, trying to land a hit, just one, with the blade that would end this all.

A flash of power surged, it had Riordan’s magical signature written all over it, and a few Vanguardians cried out as they were knocked back. Riordan was getting more aggressive, and the circle containing him was coming apart. She let go of Dante’s hand. “I need to get back in there.”

His face was plastered with a pained look. “Good luck.”

Scarlet glanced at Jayden, who was helping Barek up. “Send them in, when they’re ready.” She turned to go, and came face to face with Fae.

“Let me shield you,” the Raven said.

Scarlet stood stiff as Fae weaved magic around her. “Why aren’t you out there?”

“Patience.”

Scarlet huffed, let the other girl finish the shield, and marched back through the quickly dispersing circle. Ange and Riordan were having at it, a flurry of magic and Ange’s crystal blade almost impossible to follow. Scarlet re-entered the battlefield, searching for an opening.

She circled around to Riordan’s backside and summoned a flame whip into her hand. She lashed it out and managed to wrap the flames around Riordan’s ankle before he could sense the attack. He glanced back, sharply chopping his hand down as he broke the whip into pieces.

Ange took advantage of his brief distraction, charging at him full speed. Scarlet’s heart leapt to her throat as it looked like victory may be within reach—Ange’s sword arched toward Riordan’s neck. The moment before it made contact, a tremor of magic originated from Riordan, more forceful than any of his previous blasts of power.

In an instant, the sword shattered. It was as if the rest of the world was silent as the crackle of fracturing crystal filled the air, followed by the slowing of time as thousands of glittering shards fell to the ground. A deadly weapon, now rendered useless. Ange stumbled when her weapon didn’t make contact, and collapsed on top of its remnants.

“You’re done,” Riordan told her, his teeth glinting in the morning sun. “Two of your weapons left. Who’s next?”

Scarlet looked to the spot where Korene and Leon had fallen. They were gone, hopefully dragged away by other Vanguardians, but sure enough, two piles of shards laid there. Her stomach turned over. Their chances were running thin.

She saw Barek approach from Riordan’s back, shielded and closely followed by Jayden.

“Me.” All she had to do was hold his attention for long enough. “I’m next.”

Riordan turned to her. “Oh, I knew you would come back. You want to know where your mother is, after all.”

Barek charged in, faster than Scarlet could have imagined. Jayden’s enhancements had given him speed and strength. Riordan could sense him, though, and threw out a hand, his bolt of energy shattering Barek’s shield. He scowled, turned to face Barek, and with another precise movement sent a shot out that brought Barek to his knees. A third bolt knocked him prone.

“You’re all getting quite annoying.”

Scarlet circled back into Riordan’s sightline, hoping to catch his gaze. If Barek wasn’t dead already, he was at the god’s mercy. Instead of finishing him off, Riordan’s eyes locked onto Jayden. She was staring at Barek in shock.

“Stop!” Scarlet let the fire rise in her once more and surrounded herself and Riordan within a wall of flames, separating them from Jayden and the rest of the Vanguard. She was sure to leave Barek’s magus sword outside of the radius of flames. “You said you wanted me. So, come get me.”

“It’s difficult when your dear friends keep attacking me. But now, I suppose we have some privacy, don’t we?”

Flames crackled, the wall surrounding them unbearably hot.

“Where’s my mother?”

Riordan scoffed. “Like I’m just going to tell you? No. I’ll do you one better: I’ll take you to her.”

“Like I’m going to go with you.”

“You’re not going to have a choice. Either you, your father, or both of you are coming with me.”

“My father?”

“Ha! Oh, my girl, you’re more messed up than I thought.”

The truth knocked the wind from her lungs as she realized it. Jarrett was her father. A handful of years and the fact that she was barely attached to her body had obscured her recognition.

She couldn’t think of this now. With each passing moment, she grew weaker. The flames around them began to falter.

“Ah, perhaps only your father will be coming with me. I see now, Death was saving you, and now—well, now, she belongs to me, and you won’t be around for too long. It’s a shame, but I’m sure I’ll be able to get the information I need out of Kiera with just one of you.”

One final strike. That was all Scarlet had left. She channeled her rage, translating emotion into power, she drew the wall of flames up and inward into a focused blast of energy coming at Riordan from directly above his head. At the last second, she felt her power slipping from her grasp.

Her mind flashed back to her backfire during training, the first day Dante had been there. She tried to refocus, but her anger had gotten the better of her, and her blast erupted too far above, and too wide. She was caught on the edge of the explosion.

The shield Fae had crafted around her shattered. Fire scorched over her skin. Her own energy zapped her, wracking her with pain. She cried out and dropped to her knees. She spotted Fae coming in from the side, sword leveled at Riordan, but he had only been caught in the periphery of Scarlet’s attack, unharmed, and with a single blast, dispatched both Fae and the sword.

With the falling shards of the magus sword, Scarlet saw their chances of winning this battle fade.