Tower of Light (Under The Cowl Book #2)

CHAPTER 15

     Cast out of Jessica's memory of the past, a wave quick to flip cars and decimate neighboring homes throws Bekka across the air.

She hit the blacktop hard. She skid and broke-up the ground with no sign of stopping. The world crashing down around her, Bekka picked herself up and quickly found her footing amidst the chaos. She dug in her heels to combat the power of the Phantom Ring. The ground piled high behind her with the aid of her lantern ring and its giant yellow wall forged to stand tall against her back.

Suburbia to wasteland, there is nothing left but ruin and debris smoke. Bekka watched the bright color of her lantern ring fade, used up and in need of recharging.

Bekka had not seen destruction of this magnitude since Highfather's war with the Lantern Corps.

She took flight and headed back towards the center of it all, where nothing but smoke and a crater the size of the entire neighborhood remain.

Proof of the Phantom Ring's power displayed for her to see, Bekka was at a loss. Not sure what to think, how to feel, or where to start.

Where is she? She then searched for Jessica. Not under the ash or scattered debris. She couldn't have gone very far. The blast was powerful enough to send her flying too, but not enough to kill her.

Lifted off the ground and pushed aside, Bekka found Baz in the corner of her eye. He somehow saved himself from what should have killed him.

"The old gods seem to smile upon you." she said.

He met Bekka's gaze with relief, she could tell that he must have feared the worst seconds before Jessica sought to strike her down. "Given the chance to see you well, yes, the gods do seem to favor me."

"Where are they?"

"Booster Gold and Miss Marvel, gone. Gold shielded me in some kind of egg before the blast."

"What happened before the blast, when I got this back." she showed Baz the yellow lantern ring.

"That is what happened. You reached in and grabbed Jessica by the forehead which triggered a massive explosion." 

"So time moved differently out here than it did in her mind."

"You saw her fear?"

"I saw more than that."

Bekka joined Baz on solid ground.

"What did you see? And do not leave out a single detail."

"The second the lantern ring raced toward your finger Miss Marvel took off too. She headed straight for the both of you."

"Jessica Cruz possesses the Phantom Ring."

Baz's eyes widen with disbelief. "How?"

"Did you know her ring was disguised?"

Baz shook his head. "I did not."

"You shared a power battery with her for almost two years, how could you not know."

"I... Guy, he must have known, he was always training her in secret. He rarely wanted me to join. I know a few days ago she went to go see a Maltusian woman, Lianna. She must have known."

"How do you know this?"

"I overhead Booster Gold and Miss Marvel talking about it."

"Where is this Lianna now?"