“Well, that’s a glowing endorsement of humans,” Hunter’s brother said drily.
“You don’t get it.” For a second, I really thought she was going to stomp her foot. “Even though so many races on this planet have so much bad blood between them, when the shit hits the fan, we always come together. Always. Why? Because we know there are some moments when we have to fight together, and so we do. Then, when it’s all over, we go back to hating on each other. And everything is right in the world.”
Lotho’s form solidified as he stared at her.
“God!” Kat did stomp her foot then. “Why can’t you all act like humans just once?”
Silence, and then Lotho asked, “You’re wanting us to forget everything that they have done to us and continue to do?”
“No. I want you to remember,” she said. “I want you to remember everything that was done to you because these Luxen—the ones who just got here—they are the kind that totally screwed you over. Not Daemon. Not me. Not most of the Luxen who have been living here. The invaders are your enemies. I want you to remember that.”
His lip curled. “As if there is a difference between them.”
Kat shook her head in disbelief. “Things aren’t always black and white. And if you really think that going after the invading Luxen isn’t in your best interest, then . . . well, good luck with that.”
Lotho looked away, his gaze traveling over the mass of his minions. He was as still as the air around us for a moment. Tiny hairs along my arms rose, and then he shot forward, going straight for Kat.
I whirled around, shifting into my true form as Lotho grabbed hold of Kat. He slammed her into the nearby wall with his hand around her neck.
Red-hot rage exploded inside of me. The sound that rose from my throat was raw and animalistic. I shot forward, shouting out in fury as Hunter’s brother and another Arum clutched my arms. A heartbeat later, an additional Arum was at my back, pushing me down onto the slimy, cold floor. I didn’t need to look to know that Archer was also surrounded.
I struggled, drawing in the Source, but these three Arum were big guys—definitely not young—and they were strong, as if they’d recently fed on a few Luxen. Light pulsed and flared, snapping into the air. I lifted my head, seeing the world in white and red.
“What do you think is stopping me from ending your life right now?” Lotho snarled, inches from her face.
“Nothing,” she gasped out. “But what does . . . killing me solve?”
“It’ll amuse me.” Lotho leaned into her, like all up in her personal space. He tilted his head to the side, and even from where I was, I could see his gaze move down the length of her. “And I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy it.”
I lost my shit.
Pure energy rippled through me, expanding into a burst of light. The Arum at my back was flung like a beanbag. I rose, dragging Hunter’s brother and his sidekick along with me. Power rolled from me in a tumultuous wave as I slammed my arms inward, knocking the two Arum’s heads together.
Down they went.
I started forward, stopping long enough to drop-kick a rapidly shifting Arum into next week, and then another I caught under the chin, knocking him into the crowd of Arum.
“Let her go,” I said, shifting into my human form as the Source crackled and roared down my arm. My heart pounded as the floor under my feet began to shake. “Or I will bring this whole damn place down on all of us.”
Lotho glanced over his shoulder at me. “Look at you and your big, bad self. Rawr.”
“You haven’t see anything yet,” I growled. “I’m giving you five seconds to back the hell off her. One. Four. Fi—”
He dropped her and faced me fully. “I don’t think you know how to count.”
“And I don’t think you want to live.”
Lotho stared at me a moment and then threw his head back, letting out a loud laugh as Hunter’s brother picked himself up.
“Uh . . .” Hunter frowned, glancing at his brother as he staggered to the side. “Not expecting that.”
Neither was I, but I didn’t take my eyes off Lotho as I stalked forward, hitting his shoulder with mine when I reached Kat’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, swallowing hard as she watched Lotho. “He’s laughing . . . ?”
I started toward Lotho, my vision still tinted in whitish-red. I was going to put my hand through his chest, but Kat clutched my arm, forcing me to stop.
“I kind of like them,” Lotho said to Hunter, who appeared just as confused as the rest of us. “Which is great news for you, since I won’t kill you for bringing them here.”
Hunter scowled deeply as he folded his arms across his chest. “Good to know.”
“Back up off of the freak,” he ordered those surrounding Archer. He strode up the steps to the makeshift throne and then dropped down in an arrogant sprawl, thighs spread wide. “Okay, then. You want an army. I’ll give you an army.”
The mass of Arum around us shifted as some, but not nearly all, of the tension seeped out of my shoulders. I felt like I should say thank you, but those words wouldn’t even form on my tongue.
“I give you my word, but there is one condition,” he said, raising his chin.
“Of course,” I muttered.
Lotho eyed me like I was some kind of insect under a microscope. “It’s just one little thing that I demand.”
Archer nodded, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hunter’s shoulders square up as he squeezed his eyes shut. He muttered a curse under his breath.