New chapter! This year has been good for me. Loads of free time. Enjoy!
A war meeting was held in the Senate House the next evening. The smell of smoke still hung over the city even though all the fires had been put out, mixing its acrid scent with the sickly sweet smell of air fresheners that the Romans had opened in the Senate House in a half-hearted attempt to give the great hall a better atmosphere. Centurions and Camp Half-Blood's senior counsellors limped in and sat on the front rows of circular benches, many with bandages and casts showing. Senators from the city and Lares filled the rear rows. Too many seats were empty, each one a silent reminder of the price they'd paid.
Nobody bothered with togas. The senators had spent the day clearing the city of debris and came in wearing heavy boots and overalls. Most of the centurions and Greek counsellors had overslept long afternoon naps and arrived in a mixture of casual clothes. Percy Jackson walked in sopping wet with bronze greaves and a hilarious case of bed hair, making a wet squelch as he sat down on the bench. Some of the centurions were wearing sleek SPQR tracksuits that had been designed by the University of New Rome. Every legionnaire had been given a set in an attempt to improve the Legion's rigid dress code, but in this case it made the perfect grab-and-go attire for anyone who'd just gotten out of bed.
Nico di Angelo was the last to enter, his usual all-black jacket and jeans conspicuous in the brightly-lit marble of the Senate House. He took a seat between Annabeth Chase and Jordan van Staal, who was fiddling with the pommel of his sword.
"I hate meetings," Jordan grumbled.
"We need to plan our next move," Nico flinched as he stretched out his legs. "Unless you want to storm Othrys by yourself."
"I would too," Jordan growled, then fell silent as Frank Zhang walked in and sat in his Praetor's chair.
"If everyone's here?" Frank cast his gaze around the benches and nodded. "Then let's begin. Our objective today is to plan our next move."
"Attack!" one Lare shouted.
Jordan fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"Attack what?" Frank asked patiently.
"Othrys, of course!" A second Lare piped up. "Storm the fortress and raze it to the ground!"
"We already tried that," Centurion Palmer of the First Cohort replied, standing. "You can see where it got us."
A murmur of agreement went through the benches of centurions.
For the first time, Nico realised just how low the Romans' morale had plummeted. They had suffered more than just a rout at Othrys. They had been trapped and slaughtered like cattle, incapable of any resistance. Their defeat had been so total and overwhelming that no one believed they could go back there and win. Alaric had dealt them a psychological blow that had completely destroyed their confidence.
"Hades," he muttered. "It's worse than I thought."
"Romans," Jordan scoffed. "All their nice houses and bathtubs have made them soft."
"Don't you have a nice house with a bathtub?" Nico asked.
"Mine doesn't have a big purple force field," Jordan countered. "And my bathtub isn't Roman."
"So what if it isn't Roman?" Nico wondered if his friend had suffered a concussion from the battle. "All bathtubs are the same."
Jordan grunted. "I thought the Romans had special bathtubs that were world-famous."
"You've got to be kidding me," Nico did a facepalm. "Those are Roman baths. They're not bathtubs."
"What's the difference?" Jordan asked, baffled.
"I'll take you there later," Nico told him. "You'll see."
They turned their attention back to the meeting just as Katie Gardner, the head counsellor for Demeter, stood to speak.
"What are you going to do, then, if you won't attack Othrys?"
Frank shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "We'll rest and regroup. The city is trashed. Half our legionnaires are injured. We need to regain our strength."
"Not to mention Reyna's still in the infirmary," another centurion added.
"Are you kidding me?" Clarisse La Rue leaped to her feet. "The enemy army is destroyed. Koios is gone. Othrys is vulnerable. We can't just sit here. We have to strike before they can regroup."
"How?" The Centurion argued back. "The Legion-"
"Gather everyone we have. We have the artillery to breach Othrys's walls." Make a breach and charge in." Clarisse pounded her fist into her palm.
"Easy for you to say," a senator retorted. "You weren't at Othrys. Our legionnaires are not fodder to be thrown at the enemy's walls and gates. You should consider the danger to our people instead of blindly charging into battle, daughter of Ares."
"You're afraid of a few bruises?" Clarisse spat at him. "You've spent too much time living in your nice little city. Maybe if you lived in the real world you'd have some balls!"
"Maybe if you actually used your brain, you'd be effective in combat instead of stumbling around, swinging that spear like a blind bull!" The senator snapped.
"I'll show you combat, you retired softie!" Clarisse climbed onto her bench, looking like she was about to surge up the tiers of seats toward the senator. The other counsellors pulled her back down, whispering furiously.
The Roman senators stood as well, shouting abuse from across the room.
"We came here to fight, not sweep streets!" Jake Mason of Hephaestus shouted back.
"I thought Romans were soldiers!" Lou Ellen, head counsellor of Hecate added.
"Quiet!" Frank roared, silencing the growing commotion before it could get out of hand. The senators sat back down as his voice rolled around the well-crafted acoustics of the Senate Hall, their ears ringing.
"That's enough." Frank pointed at Clarisse. "Sit down." He said sternly.
Clarisse glared at him, but obeyed.
"If we don't attack now it'll be doubly hard in future." Annabeth spoke into the brief silence that followed.
Centurion Hazel stood.
"I agree that we should strike while the iron is hot. But if we go in the same way we did last time we'll get the same result. We barely survived against Alaric. We need a better plan."
"What plan is there to make?" A senator argued. "No amount of troops or weapons will matter against someone that can bend time to the speed of a snail!"
Annabeth shifted on the bench. Nico shared a glance with her and knew she, too was thinking about Jane, the daughter of Saturn that had broken Alaric's spell in the courtyard, enabling them to retreat before she herself had been captured by Alaric.
Nico leaned towards Jordan. "How's the shoulder?" He asked.
"Few more days." Jordan had not moved the joint once throughout the entire meeting. "Why?"
"You wanted to storm Othrys by yourself?" Nico replied. "I think you might have to."
"I told you so," Jordan snorted. "Romans and their discussions. They should fight more and talk less. Why are the citizens in this meeting? They don't know how to fight."
"Representation," Nico answered. "That's how today's governments work. They gather everyone and discuss until they agree on a plan."
"This system is stupid." Jordan replied. "How can so many people agree on anything?"
Annabeth leaned toward Nico. "This meeting is getting nowhere."
"That makes two of us," Nico muttered.
"Make that ten," Percy, seated behind them, leaned forward. "All of the head counsellors are in favour of storming the fortress."
"There are more than ten counsellors," Jordan corrected him. "Not including us."
"That's not the point," Nico groaned inwardly at his friend's lack of social graces. "But since we're all agreed on attacking, what are we going to do?"
"We'll discuss that with Frank once the Romans are gone," Annabeth told him.
They turned their attention back to the meeting just as Hazel stood again.
"Everyone agrees that we're in no shape to strike back. I propose we focus the next few days on rebuilding. At the end of the week we can hold another meeting to assess our strength and plan our next move."
The senators and centurions nodded and muttered assent, looking satisfied.
"All in favour?" Frank called.
Every Roman raised their hand. After a moments' pause, the Greeks followed suit.
"Then that's it for today," Frank stood, clapping his hands together. "Meeting adjourned."
Jordan gaped incredulously at the announcement. "Why did we come all the way here for? He could have decided that himself in two minutes!"
"Romans," Nico said dryly.
The last of the senators walked out the door, leaving only the Greeks, Centurion Hazel and Praetor Frank. Frank sighed tiredly as he crossed to the open door and shut it.
"I know," Hazel held up a hand as she turned to face them. "We don't like it either."
"This is Roman might?" Jordan said scathingly.
Nico elbowed Jordan in his injured ribs, drawing a grunt from him. "Shut up."
Frank frowned at the son of Athena, as if weighing whether or not to take offence. "Who are you again?"
"Jordan van Staal. Athena's Sword."
"That's…a unique title," Frank said, unsure of how to respond.
Jordan drew the sword from his side. "It's not a title. I literally have the sword."
"Yes, it is." Nico muttered. "You just like saying it."
Jordan looked absolutely livid, but Annabeth broke in before he could start another battle. "Jane would give us a fighting chance, if she were here."
"But she's captured," Percy filled in. "A prisoner of Othrys."
"We aren't in a position to storm the fortress," Frank admitted. "As much as I hate to say it."
"How do we know Alaric hasn't killed her already?" Frank asked.
"Nope," Nico said, popping the p. "I'd know if she was dead. She's still alive."
"Then we need to rescue her." Hazel said. "The sooner the better. Pluto knows what Alaric is doing to her in there. The poor girl's only been in camp less than two weeks and now she's been taken prisoner."
"It has to be one hundred percent stealth." Frank added. "If Alaric discovers the rescuers they're as good as dead."
"How do you sneak into Mount Othrys completely undetected?" Nico pretended to think. "I wonder if anyone has ever done it before."
All eyes turned to Percy Jackson.
"As if you didn't know that already." Percy rolled his eyes. "But I'm not the only one who's accomplished that feat, am I."
After a long, slightly confused pause, everybody's gaze swung to Nico.
"And how many people will it take to accomplish this rescue?" Nico asked.
"Can't you just shadow-travel into her cell?" Percy asked.
Nico shook his head. "If it were a mortal jail, yes. Othrys is too heavily enchanted. I might be able to shadow-travel inside, but I have no idea where she's being kept. I'll need to search for her the old-fashioned way."
"Can you shadow-travel her out?" Frank asked.
"Once I find her, yes." Nico nodded.
"So Nico sneaks in, finds Jane and shadow-travels out." Percy said. "What's my role again?"
"Cause a distraction?" Nico suggested.
"Earthquake." Jordan snapped his fingers. "That will collapse the walls."
"And also alert the defenders." Annabeth shook her head. "We have to keep a low profile. This is not the time to bring the walls down."
"Are you saying I'm going in alone?" Nico demanded.
Everybody took a sudden interest in their marble benches. "Well, you are the only one who can get in and out at a moment's notice." Malcolm pointed out.
Annabeth raised her hand. "Invisibility hat. I'm coming too."
Percy opened his mouth to protest. Annabeth shut it before he could start. The two had a silent argument, which Annabeth appeared to win.
"Fine," Nico grumbled. "But we better have a backup escape plan in case something goes wrong."
"Something always goes wrong." Hazel said.
Jordan raised his hand. "Airlift."
"I'm coming with you." Percy said to Jordan before anyone could object.
"There is space for you onboard." Jordan nodded.
"Perfect." Frank looked much more pleased with the outcome of this discussion. "Meeting adjourned."
Jordan and Nico walked out of the Senate House together, heading toward Jordan's aircraft parked just outside the Pomerian Line. Nico had opted to bunk in on Jordan's couch rather than take a room in the city and wanted a nap after the exasperating senate meeting. Jordan, as ever, was heading back to work on his ship. Neither said a word as they boarded the platform and were lifted up into the ship. Jordan walked into the cockpit and sat in his chair, spun it around to face Nico.
"All right," he rubbed his hands gleefully. "What's the real plan?"
The dracanaes' snake tails made slithering, sandpaper noises on the corridor's stone. The demigod sagging in their arms was unconscious, ragged dark hair falling to cover her face, her head lolling against her chest. Her iron-shod boots dragged on the floor behind her, adding an ear-wincing scrape to the snake tails' rhythmic slithering.
Demigods shuddered in their cells as the sound reached their ears, backing away from the bars until their backs hit the opposite walls. They glanced wide-eyed and fearful at each other, then their eyes widened further as the unarmed dracanae came into sight with their prisoner.
"Fresh meat." One dracana grinned at the frightened demigods. They shrank away from her pointed fangs and slit eyes.
The dracanae dragged the new prisoner into the centre of the cell and dumped her onto the floor. The legionnaire's knees hit the stone floor with a wincing thump, then the rest of her body fell forward onto the cobbles with a crash of armour.
The dracanae exited the cell, kicking the gate closed as they left. The gate slammed into position with a metallic crash that echoed down the long corridor, making the demigods jump.
Jane started awake at the loud sound, gasped, then moaned as ten different kinds of pain hit her all at once. Her head felt like a cyclops was using it as an anvil. Her left shoulder was dislocated. Her knees and ribs were sending shooting pains up and down her legs and across her chest.
She remained that way for what seemed like eternity, lost in an unjust universe of agony. Finally the pain dulled enough for her thoughts to come into focus. She swallowed hoarsely.
First step: Get off the floor.
She tried to roll onto her back and immediately regretted it. Pain exploded all over her body. A moan escaped her lips and she blacked out.
She drifted in and out of consciousness, her thoughts suspended in a fog of pain. Dimly, she wondered how long she'd been lying there. She had lost all sense of time. It could have been one day or a year.
The next time she came to, she found herself strapped to a chair, her hands bound behind her back. Her eyes fluttered open. There was a large shape filling most of her view. She blinked a few times, her vision slowly swam into focus and then she jumped.
Alaric loomed before her, the Sword of Kronos at his side.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
When Jane didn't respond, he stepped forward and punched her in the face. Jane's head snapped back from the force of the blow, then lolled to one side before sagging forward. She could barely think through the pain, let alone speak.
"Answer me, Roman."
"She's in too much pain." Alabaster stepped forward and tapped her on the forehead. "Heal."
Instantly the pain vanished. Her broken bones moved back into place with a series of sickening pops.
"Ahhhh." Jane straightened, gasping.
"I can just as easily break you all over again," Alaric threatened. "So tell me: who are you?"
"W-what do you mean?" Jane's head was still spinning from the residual effect of the pain.
"Who is your immortal parent?" Alaric asked. "How did you break my spell?"
"I'm…..not telling you anything." Jane managed to get out.
Alaric's face hardened. "Wrong answer."
He grabbed Jane by the back of her ponytail and socked her in the eye. Jane's vision exploded into streaks of lightning and shuddering stars. Pain exploded in her mouth as Alaric second punch dislodged her front teeth, then a third and fourth blow struck her cheekbone, breaking it. Alaric released his grip on her and took a step back, then launched a spinning back kick that hit her stomach so hard her chair flew backwards and slammed into the far wall. She would have cracked her skull on the stone if her ponytail had not cushioned the blow.
Alabaster dragged the chair back to the front of the cell.
"I can do this all day," Alaric threatened.
Jane gave him a glance with her one good eye and remained silent.
Alaric drew his sword in a single sweeping motion, levelling the blade at her.
"Alabaster's magic can't grow you new body parts," he warned.
Jane swallowed but still didn't respond.
"Right then." Alaric raised his sword. Jane closed her eye, shaking in anticipation.
The Sword of Kronos flashed once. Jane gave a bloody scream as her left ear fell from her head. Blood splashed out, forming a dark stain on the stone floor. Alaric punched her in the eye again, then brought the pommel down on her clenched fist repeatedly, hammering at it until it was swollen and purple. Jane's screams echoed down the corridor, making the other legionnaires shudder in fear.
"Answer me!" Alaric roared. He stepped backwards, breathing heavily with anger.
He stormed out into the corridor, opened another cell and dragged the terrified legionnaire out and into Jane's cell. He put the sword to the legionnaire's throat.
"Answer me or he dies." He shouted. "All of them die." He brought his boot down on Jane's broken hand, making her cry out.
"Stop," she sobbed. Tears ran down her face. "Please, just stop."
Alaric threw the legionnaire to the ground in a crash of armour.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Jane," she spoke in a whisper.
"Who is your parent?"
"Saturn." The word escaped her lips, barely audible.
Alaric and Alabaster's eyes widened.
"Impossible." Alaric declared. "You lie."
"Her aura is similar to yours," Alabaster muttered. "It makes sense."
"Why do you work for the Romans?" Alaric demanded.
Jane stared uncomprehendingly at him. "I'm Roman."
Alaric's confusion turned to disgust.
"Anyone who serves the Olympians is my enemy." Jane saw stars as he struck her across the face. "You're a disgrace to our father's name." He raised his sword.
Alabaster came between them. "The demigods will come for her. Let's leave her here as bait."
Alaric's jaw flexed as he considered this. He nodded slowly. "That will work."
He turned and grabbed the legionnaire off the floor. "The others, however…"
Jane's eyes widened in horror as Alaric brought the sword to the legionnaire's throat.
"No!" she slurred through broken teeth. "No!"
"Are useless." Alaric growled, drawing the sword back in a hard stroke.
Jane cried out in horror and squeezed her eyes shut. Warm liquid splashed out, drenching her from head to toe. A new wave of sobs wracked her body as she sagged helplessly in her chair.
The legionnaire's armoured body fell to the ground with a crash, then there was a thump as a smaller object landed next to her foot. More screams rang through the dungeon as Alaric went down the row of cells, bloodied sword in hand. One by one the captured legionnaires' cries were abruptly cut off until the dungeon was silent once more. A sickly metallic smell filled the cell block, mixed with the pungent odour of emptied bladders. Jane threw up onto the floor, vomit mixed with blood and broken teeth splattering onto her greaves. She heaved, retched and sobbed for the next thirty minutes, the sounds echoing forlornly down the now empty cell block.
Alabaster watched her from the shadows, lingering long after Alaric had left. A shadow crossed his face as he stared at the Roman corpses strewn across the floor.
"I hear you're sneaking into Othrys." Reyna said.
"It's good to see you, too." Nico regarded her with his usual impassive gaze as he sat down in the chair beside her bed. "How's the leg?"
"Good as new." Reyna sat up in bed, pushing the covers back. She swung her legs over the side and pushed them into her boots, bending down to pull the laces tight. "Great timing. I'm just about to check myself out."
Nico glanced at the half-filled discharge form on her bedside table. "It says here you need your commanding officer's signature to be discharged."
"I am the commanding officer." Reyna scrawled her signature on the dotted line and tossed it into the middle of the bed. She grabbed her dagger from under her pillow and strapped it to her waist. "Let's go."
Jordan was waiting for them outside the infirmary.
"Jordan van Staal, son of Athena," Nico introduced him to Reyna as they started down the Via Principalis. "He's here to blow a hole in Othrys's wall."
"Yes I am," Jordan agreed, slightly annoyed that he hadn't been able to introduce himself. "But I need one thing."
"What's that?" Reyna asked.
"Your dagger." Jordan answered.
Reyna gave him a glance. "Seriously? One dagger?"
"This guy never jokes." Nico told her.
Reyna unclipped her knife and held it out, but when Nico reached for it she snatched her hand away.
"What?" Nico asked.
"Not so easy. I want to know what you're planning."
"You already know." Nico countered.
Reyna rolled her eyes. "Like you actually told everyone in Camp Jupiter your actual intention."
"I sneak in to rescue Jane," Nico began.
"I make a breach in Othrys's wall," Jordan continued.
"And the Twelfth Legion comes charging in to kill everybody inside." Nico finished.
"I'm not convinced." Reyna said.
"Our friend Alabaster is being held in Othrys." Nico explained. "He's a son of Hecate. Once we free him he should be able to disable the fortress's magic defenses."
"Also, we'll find Alaric and kill him somewhere inbetween." Jordan added.
"But we need you to galvanise the Legion." Nico told her. "They've spent the whole week doing nothing but rebuild. They won't march on Othrys. They're too afraid of Alaric."
"I'll knock some sense into them." She promised.
"Can we have the dagger now?" Nico asked.
They had arrived at the Principia. Reyna handed the dagger over.
"This dagger will be Othrys's doom." Jordan told her seriously.
"You're so dramatic." Nico said dryly.
"You're one to talk." Jordan replied.
"When do you intend to make the rescue?" Reyna interrupted before they could get into another argument.
"Tomorrow." Nico replied.
Reyna nodded, satisfied. "Is there a Senate meeting this afternoon?"
"No," Nico snorted in derision at the mention of the Senate. "The next meeting is tomorrow."
"That meeting has been moved forward." Reyna strode into the Principia, cloak billowing behind her. "I'll see you there at one o'clock."
"That's in half an hour," Nico groaned. "There goes my afternoon nap."
"And my lunch." Jordan grumbled.
The cell door swung open with a grating screech. Jane had fallen unconscious in her chair, head dropped against her chest. She jerked up as Alabaster stepped into the cell, then her shoulders sagged with relief as she saw that Alaric was not with him.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Alabaster told her. He tapped her on the forehead. "Heal."
Jane moaned in relief, then turned to spit a coagulated mix of blood and saliva out of her mouth. Alabaster cut the ropes binding her to the chair.
"Why do you serve Olympus?" He asked seriously.
"Because I don't want to be killed by your psychotic friend." Jane said incredulously.
"He's your half-brother." Alabaster said.
Jane stared at him. "He cut my ear off and broke my teeth."
Alabaster swallowed and turned away, finally looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, well, you can tell him that when he realises you helped me escape." Jane stood up, her eyes glowing molten gold. "Freeze."
Alabaster's eyes widened. He tried to back away, but found that he couldn't.
Jane stood and stretched, hurriedly trying to work circulation back into her limbs. She darted around him, looking for his sword, but all he carried was a dagger. She took it from his belt.
"What kind of soldier doesn't carry a sword?" She wondered out loud.
"I'm not a soldier." Alabaster straightened, staring straight at her. "I'm a magician."
Jane's eyes widened. She raised the dagger and brought it down, aiming for his face. Alabaster grabbed her forearm, stopping her cold.
"You're not the only one who can make people geriatric. Stulti carcer."
Jane tried to twist away, but couldn't. Her body felt like it was made of stone.
Alabaster pulled the dagger out of her hand and returned it to his belt. He stepped away, then snapped his fingers. Jane returned back to motion and stumbled into the chair, almost falling over. She backed to the corner of the cell, suddenly fearful.
"Do you think the Olympians would let you live if they realised who you really were?" he asked. "You're not any safer with them than with Alaric."
"They didn't torture me in a cell." Jane retorted.
"No," Alabaster agreed. "They prefer lightning bolts. Instant death."
"I'm not a fool," Jane shook her head. "You're trying to turn me against Olympus."
"You're a fool if you think they're as good as those Romans make them out to be. I'm trying to make you see sense."
"Why should I believe anything you say?" Jane retorted. "You're the enemy."
"I healed you twice and cut you out of that chair." Alabaster pointed out. "If not for me you would be dead. I've suffered under the Olympians. They don't care about us. We're nothing more than pawns to them. I served Kronos because he promised recognition."
"But Kronos—Saturn is dead." Jane said.
"That may be true," Alabaster admitted. "But his cause still lives on. Alaric is his son. He has the power to destroy Olympus."
"You serve Alaric because he's the son of Kronos." An idea tickled at the base of Jane's skull.
"Yes."
"What about them?" Jane gestured to the Roman corpses strewn about the dungeon. "Aren't they demigods like you?"
"They served Olympus." Here Alabaster looked slightly uncertain.
"They were captured. They're not capable of further resistence. Their deaths were completely unnecessary." She gestured around at the empty cellblock. "It's not like you're running out of space."
"That was Alaric. Not me."
"So what about me?" Jane asked. "You want to use me as bait. What happens when I'm no longer useful to you? I'm the daughter of Saturn. I serve Olympus. Are you going to kill me, too?"
"No," Alabaster said. "But that's Alaric's decision, not mine."
"Then aren't you just another pawn of Alaric instead?" Jane argued. "Lightning bolts. Swords. What's the difference? Neither side is better than the other."
"You don't understand." Alabaster suddenly felt unsure. "Alaric has raised Othrys. He wields the Sword of Kronos. Once he defeats Olympus he will set up a new order, one that actually rewards loyalty instead of taking us for granted."
"He did this while he's master of Othrys." Jane gestured at the Roman corpses. "What do you think he'll do when he's taken over the whole world? He'll execute all the demigods, including your friends. Is that what you want?"
Alabaster fell silent at the mention of his friends. Jane sensed she'd struck a chord.
"What if I told you there was another way?"
Alabaster eyed her warily. "What do you mean?"
"You said your loyalty is to Saturn and Othrys."
Alabaster nodded. "It is. It always will be."
Jane took a deep breath. "Then serve me. I'm the daughter of Saturn. Help me defeat Alaric. I'll wield the sword of Kronos."
Alabaster gaped at her. "You're delusional. You're barely seventeen."
"How old was Luke Castellan when you started working for him?" Jane retorted. "For that matter, how old is Alaric?"
"You don't know what you're talking about." Alabaster shook his head. "Alaric is more powerful than you can imagine. He raised Othrys. He would have annihilated the Romans if not for…"
"If not for me." Jane stepped closer toward him. "I disrupted Alaric's time spell. Alaric didn't raise Othrys, you did. And if I hadn't hesitated just now, you would already be dead. So technically, you now owe your life to me."
The intensity in her gaze felt eerily similar to Kronos himself. Alabaster stared back, unwilling to back down. "You think you can defeat Alaric?"
"Your friends will come for him. Together we can beat him. You just need to let me out so I can disable his time spell."
Alabaster wavered. He gave a nervous laugh. "You have no idea how much Alaric has improved since then. Last time you caught him off guard. I've felt his power. It's—"
The temperature plummeted. A freezing aura filled the cell. Ice frosted over the floor, walls and bars. Alabaster's last breath turned to steam in midair.
"Feel mine." Jane glared at him, her eyes glowing molten gold.
Alabaster tried to take a breath, but couldn't. He tried to counter her time spell with his magic, but it was like trying to swim upwards with a house tied to his ankles. His vision blurred from the sheer amount of power radiating from Jane.
The freezing sensation lifted. Alabaster collapsed, gasping for breath. Ice crunched under his boots as he staggered to his feet.
"Think about it." Jane told him. "Come back when you've made your decision."
She brandished his knife. "In the meantime, this stays with me."
Alabaster blinked, touching his belt instinctively. He hadn't even seen her take it.
"No way." Alabaster told her.
Jane's eyes flashed gold. "You want to try taking it back?"
Alabaster knew it was a battle he couldn't win. "What do you think you're going to do with that?" He asked instead. "Cut the bars open?"
"Next time Alaric comes in here," Jane palmed the blade. "I'll bury this in his heart."
Everything kicks off in the next chapter. Think everyone-versus-Thanos style. If you made it to the end, please leave a review, it really encourages me.
Stay safe everyone!
Josh SB