The Shadow Summoner | Book Three - PJO Universe

eighteen

TARQUIN

A third-degree burn was the least painful thing Aeiana carried from that tunnel.

She and Apollo staggered into the open, her back sizzling, her hands steaming, every muscle in her body feeling like it had been scored with razorblades.

Before Ariana spread the remaining forces of the emperors: hundreds of battle-ready warriors. In the distance, stretched across the bay, fifty yachts waited, primed to fire their doomsday artillery.

None of that hurt as much as knowing she had left Frank Zhang in the flames.

Caligula was gone.

She could feel it-like the earth heaved a sigh of relief as his consciousness disintegrated in a blast of superheated plasma. But, oh, the cost. Frank. Beautiful, awkward, lumbering, brave, strong, sweet, noble Frank.

Ariana would have sobbed, but her tear ducts were as dry as Mojave gulches.

The enemy forces looked as stunned as she was. Even the Germani were slack-jawed. It takes a lot to shock an imperial bodyguard.

Watching your bosses get blown up in a massive fiery belch from the side of a mountain- that will do it.

Behind Ariana, a barely human voice gurgled, "URGSSHHH."

Her and Apollo turned.

Ariana was too dead inside to feel fear or disgust. Of course Commodus was still alive. He crawled out of the smoke-filled cavern on his elbows, his armor half-melted, his skin coated with ash.

His once-beautiful face looked like a burnt loaf of tomato bread. Ariana hadn't hobbled him well enough. Somehow, Apollo has missed his ligaments.

None of the troops rushed to the emperor's aid. They remained frozen in disbelief. Perhaps they didn't recognize this wrecked creature as Commodus.

Perhaps they thought he was doing another one of his spectacles and they were waiting for the right moment to applaud.

Incredibly, Commodus struggled to his feet. He wobbled like a 1975 Elvis.

"SHIPS!" he croaked.

He slurred the word so badly, for a moment Ariana thought he'd yelled something else. She suppose his troops thought the same thing, since they did nothing.

"FIRE!" Commodus groaned, which again could have simply meant HEY, LOOK, I'M ON FIRE.

Ariana only understood his order a heartbeat later, when Gregorix yelled, "SIGNAL THE YACHTS!"

Ariana choked on her tongue.

Commodus gave her a ghastly smile. His eyes glittered with hatred. Ariana didn't know where her boyfriend found the strength, but he charged and tackled him.

They hit the asphalt, Apollo's legs straddling his chest, his hands wrapped around his throat as they had been thousands of years before, the first time he's killed him.

Commodus fought, but his fists were like paper. Apollo let loose a guttural roar-a song with only one note: pure rage, and only one volume: maximum.

Under the onslaught of sound, Commodus crumbled to ash.

Apollo's voice faltered. She stared at Apollo's empty palms. She stood and backed away, horrified.

The charred outline of the emperor's body remained on the asphalt.

The emperors' troops stared at Apollo in astonishment. Given another moment, they surely would have attacked, but their attention was diverted by a flare gun going off nearby.