The Heirs of Elysium

Chapter 11 - Underbelly

Elissa's PoV

All day, I have been plagued by an unsettled feeling that Hades is lurking in the shadows. He is not able to get into my mind, but this close to the longest night, he is at his most powerful. Zane did not question my insistence on pushing on through the night to get back home. A home where we found Ethon and the boys missing.

Beneath us, The Swan is dark, its inhabitants sleeping. Mind you, at this late hour, I would certainly rather be abed. Alas, my baby boy and his friends are out there somewhere and I have this horrible suspicion that they are in trouble.

Tendrils of my power fan out toward the city. However, no magical ability is required to detect the ugly plume of thick smoke that is blotting out the stars. I cannot allow a fire to spread in the city unchecked. It would cause utter devastation and threaten countless lives.

Roth makes a beeline for the source of the smoke. We circle, a large stone building, its windows glowing brightly and acrid smoke billowing out from a gaping doorway. But the hemmed in dwellings and narrow alleyways do not afford any opportunities for a dragon to land.

Aren squeezes my hand. "I will check it out."

Arms outstretched, he stands and jumps off the dragon's back. His body shrinks, feathers replacing cloth as he morphs into a golden eagle and swoops down to the cobbled street below.

A man in a grey uniform tumbles out into the alley, coughing and carrying a semi-conscious young woman in a red dress. A pit forms in my stomach. He is one of the elite Animage guards. A gift from Leo, their sole role is to protect my children. They shadow their movements in the form of pigeons, rarely breaking form when they are on duty.

Plummeting down to the ground, I use the power of air to cushion my landing and rush over to Aren, who is talking to the guard. His eyes, normally as blue as a summer's day, are a stormy grey.

"The boys are still in there." His voice is grave.

The pit in my stomach becomes a sinkhole. Ethon is impervious to fire, but Raphael and Merlin are certainly not. Whatever would I say to Tabbi if anything happened to her sweet boy? And Raphael? No, I cannot even think upon it.

Before I can take action, a black bovine beast thunders out of the doorway with a girl on its back, her knuckles white from clinging onto its thick fur. People leap out of the way as it skids to a halt, almost careening into the building opposite. The girl slips off and the animal shrinks, transforming into Merlin.

"Please hurry!" he implores, the threat of tears glistening in his eyes. "It is an inferno inside."

Heart pounding, I move so fast that my form is as amorphous as the noxious black smoke. The corridor opens out into a ballroom-sized space and a scene of utter desolation.

In the very centre is a massive heap of burning material. Around the edges of the room, grey-clad guards are frantically trying to put out smaller blazes and smashing through the panelled walls with makeshift clubs. Broken furniture and the wreckage of their efforts are strewn across the floor.

I let out a deep sigh of relief at the sight of Ethon and Raphael. They do not notice me. Instead, they form a strange tableau; figures with arms outstretched, stood either side of the bonfire.

The way the flames curl inwards, not reaching the ceiling, makes me think the boys must be controlling the fire and stopping it from raging out of control. Beads of sweat drip from their soot-smudged brows and their legs look moments from giving way. I am not sure how much longer they can last.

Thankfully, the river is literally at our doorstep and answers my call in the form of a giant serpent. With a gaping maw, it engulfs the flames. Jets of dirty water spray out and the hiss of steam is almost deafening.