Part 17 (1/2)

Nia closed her eyes and corralled the power she'd harnessed. Picturing an ocean wave, she unleashed the influence and pushed the crowd away. As she forced the energy outward, Aerie, Corie, and Clio laid their hands on Nia's body, funneling additional power into her reserves. Callie slapped her hand on one shoulder blade, while Ken held the other. Zeus gripped Nia's neck, the sting of his superior power tweaking Nia's force.

”Make them slumber, daughter.” A malaise Nia couldn't identify undercut Zeus's commanding voice.

But she followed the direction.

”Time to sleep,” she commanded the mob. The echoing guttural pitch of her tone surprised her.

Imagining sweet Morpheus riding the wave she pushed over the crush of people surrounding them, she thrust the picture from the center of her chest, bowing back with the effort. Half the crowd dropped in their tracks as the wave breached them. The remaining group continued to advance.

Zeus punched additional power through his grip on her neck, and searing flame roared down her arms. Sparks detonated from her fingertips as she lifted her hands. Curling one hand into a fist, Zeus manifested a glowing kernel of light. The glare intensified, growing to softball size.

With a mighty heave, Zeus hurled the energy ball to the hilltop. When the force caught him square in the chest, Pierus's expensive suit burst into flames. Mayhem swatted the flames with her wings. The stench of burned feathers overpowered the bite of ozone left in the wake of the energy force Zeus had thrown.

Before Nia could raise her hands, Thomas barged in front of her. Recognition and trust filled his gaze. ”What can I do?”

”You need to move, Thomas.”

”Let me help.”

”I don't see how.” She tore her gaze from his to find the remaining mob almost on them.

Ken pulled him to the side, but Thomas fought to remain next to Nia. When she lifted her arm, sparks glowed under her skin as her power built. She aimed toward one side of the observation deck, and sucked in a deep breath, trying to center the force growing in her.

Thomas laid his hand on her arm, the blistering heat of his palm overriding the energy within her. She gasped as the voltage in her chest narrowed and focused. Some force within Thomas was actually aiding her quest. Beneath all the energy flowing through her, love swelled for the man helping her.

Laying her free hand over his, a bright blue glow flourished. He was mortal and this joint effort could permanently harm him. Or kill him. Summoning whatever strength he willingly shared, she cautiously siphoned off only what she dared. From the points of contact with Zeus, her sisters, and Ken, she channeled all the burn they offered to her.

Friction sc.r.a.ped along her nerves. Sweeping her arm from right to left, she projected slumber onto the entire crowd. One by one, they dropped in their tracks, succ.u.mbing to the power she harnessed from the sun, from the immortals, and from Thomas. The last one collapsed within two feet of her position.

On the hill, Pierus crashed to his knees, tearing the burned fabric from his body. His moans were audible in Nia's head, and she slammed the virtual door on the noise, refusing to be moved by the maniac's pain. He deserved it for trying to drive a mob to kill an innocent for the sake of the challenge. She spared a glance over her shoulder. Thank the G.o.ddess, Hailey was safe.

”She's safe, Thomas.” Nia squeezed his hand and looked into his eyes, projected a thought filled with love.

His sandy hair stood on end, but the energy drain didn't appear to have affected him greatly. He stood tall and strong next to her, tossing a glance toward Gaia and Hailey, before turning back to her. He cupped her cheek, then threaded his fingers through her hair, a moment of peace after the storm they'd weathered together.

Zeus lifted his hand from Nia's neck and collapsed to one knee behind her. As her sisters jerked their hands away from her, a tearing sensation ripped at her soul. Ken and Thomas kept their hands on her as the Muses rushed to aid their father.

Nia dropped her head forward and remained standing only by the force of her will. Gentle healing pulsed into her through Ken's hand, restoring some of her energy. Callie stepped in front of her and jostled Thomas to the side. He didn't release her grip as Callie cupped Nia's cheeks. Warmth and subtle power thrummed from the tips of Callie's fingers, threading through Nia's brain, repairing the psychic damage.

And still, Thomas did not remove his hand from her arm. In fact, he slid it down and laced his fingers through hers, the heat in his palm bleeding into hers. When Nia gently pushed Callie's hands away, she nudged a silent thank you into her sister. A smile tugged the woman's lips up, and Callie nodded curtly before stepping away.

Nia turned to face Thomas, slipping her other hand into his. Behind her, Hailey's crying wound down as Gaia crooned an ancient Grecian lullaby to the child.

”Do you remember?” Nia questioned, her voice whispery soft.

His face was somber. ”That you love me?”

”We can start there.”

”Was it true?” He released one hand and raised it to wrap gently around the nape of her neck. His fingers were cool against the residual burn from Zeus's energy.

Heart leaping into her throat, she nodded.

Rapid footsteps pounded on the pavement behind them. Hailey squirmed between them, lifting her arms to Thomas.

He picked her up and hugged her close. ”Munchkin, I thought I'd lost you.”

”But you didn't. Ms. Nia saved us. I told you she was magic.”

”She most certainly is.” Thomas held Nia's gaze, his crowded with grat.i.tude, love and wonderment. ”I do believe in magic.”

Air swirled in wild abandon, a sudden gust of wind blowing both hot and cold from the canyon behind them. For an instant, everything felt lighter, almost as if Earth's gravity had eased and even the heaviest of objects could float away. Weightlessness surrounded her, s.h.i.+fting the world, then snapping it into place again.

Into the right place.

Thomas's admission had just sealed her success in the challenge.

Nia sagged against him, grateful for the strong arms he wrapped around her. Not only did he believe, it appeared he possessed some magic himself. The power of love was the strongest, most magical force on the planet. He believed in her love for him. She could only hope his demonstration and a.s.sistance was proof of his love for her. For now, it was enough she no longer faced eternity as a magpie.

Wrapping her arms around the man she loved and the little girl who'd taken up residence in her heart, she held them close. Hailey tangled her fingers in Nia's hair, stroking soothing circles on her scalp. Nia turned her face on Thomas's chest, seeking Pierus. She sent him a nudge to get lost and take his hideous b.i.t.c.h of a daughter with him.

Laughter rumbled under Thomas's ribs. ”I heard that.”

”I'm glad.” Nia joined his chuckle.

Pierus looked like he wanted to resist her nudge, but she increased the magnitude of her prod. He grimaced under the pain of her jolt. Ominous, black mist gathered at his feet and climbed his legs. Beside him, Mayhem screamed, her voice reverting back to strictly a bird, not a hint of humanity left in it. By the time Pierus was completely consumed by the mist and had vanished from the mortal world, Mayhem had changed back to a simple magpie. She fluttered up to the branches of the nearest tree.

Mars jammed his hands together then flung them in the direction of the bird, encasing it in a gilded cage. He levitated the cage and dragged it above the sleeping mob until he held it secure in his grasp.

”Sorry to break you guys apart,” Ken spoke loudly as he joined them. ”But maybe some damage control might be in order. We've summoned Mnemosyne and she'll be here shortly. Not sure if anyone on the other side of that hill noticed, but just in case someone decided to use their smartphone, we should take care of it.”

Nia moved from the circle of Thomas's arms. She rubbed her knuckles over her chest, taking stock of her depleted energy stores. Not quite enough to achieve the kind of miracle they needed.

”Callie, Polly. A little help, please,” she called. When the women approached, she explained. ”I'm going to have a go at the sun to burn out a little memory on any cellphones in the area. I need some extra energy.”

Ken drew Thomas and Hailey to the side. Thomas kept his gaze trained on Nia's face, love giving his visage a glow that warmed her to her core. She sent him a smile and nod before turning to her task.

Flanking her on either side, her sisters lifted their hands to her shoulders. She centered their power in her chest and then balanced the charge building from her center. She directed a bolt of energy toward the sinking sun. In her mind's eye, she saw the jagged shard slam into the surface of the sun, then explode backward, climbing toward the atmosphere. Just enough to create an electro-magnetic surge that would empty phone memories of the last few minutes but not enough to do any other damage.

Her shoulders slumped as she completed the task. The air pressurized around her as the pulse reach the earth.

Lime-colored mist swelled to the left of her as Mnemosyne materialized. She clucked her tongue against her teeth and scolded, ”Another mess for me to clean up, I see.” She looked at Thomas. ”You again. I should have known. The power of love overcame the strength of my spell with you. Are all your memories intact?”

He nodded. ”I believe so. I'm also ready to make some new ones with Nia, so I'm going to ask you nicely not to take them away from me again.”

Nia's diminutive aunt emitted an infectious laugh. ”I'd promise, but this isn't up to me. Zeus will decide when you get back to Olympus.”