Queen of Darkness WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 3]

47

At the same time Amneris jumped onto the ship, Hathor found herself standing face-to-face with Dex. He didn't look surprised to see her. if anything, he seemed disappointed. Whether that was over her saving Troy or her coming back, she couldn't be sure. Dex took a step toward her. Hathor held her knife in his direction. He stopped, hands raised. 

"You can stay there while we chat," she said.

"Of course." He lowered his hands. "Where's the trust?"

"Gone the second you hurt Troy."

Dex made what could have been a wounded noise. "And here I was thinking we were such good friends."

"Friends don't try to kill other friends. Or blow up buildings filled with innocent people."

He shrugged. "Not my idea but I certainly approved."

Hathor lowered the knife slightly. "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh, wait. Is this the part where we pretend I'm the bad guy and give you the whole villain monologue?" Dex tipped his head back and laughed. "Get a life, Hathy. Wait, you lost yours years ago."

She cried out, slashing at him with her knife. He vanished behind her.

"What happened again?" Dex continued. "Oh, right. Shortly after meeting your mother, you were bound and thrown off a cliff. After your wings were broken, of course. Isn't that why you're afraid of heights?" 

"Shut up!" 

Hathor ran forward again. She made to attack. Dex caught her arm, twisting it behind her. She dropped the knife. Before she could consider reaching for it, it had been kicked down a hole in the floor. Dex's grip tightened on her. Hathor struggled against him.

"You know," he said, "for the daughter of the feared Queen Amneris, you really are pathetic. It's no wonder she let you get taken away as a child. Although, personally, I would have drowned you in the river."

"She didn't let me be taken!" 

Hathor's power flared with those words, but still Dex held her firm. 

She couldn't escape him. He was too strong. 

Out of no where, a silver wolf pounced. Its jaws clamped down onto Dex's side. He attempted to shake it off. Dex a scarlet knife into Hathor's stomach and threw her across the room moments before he managed to free himself from the wolf's grip. The silver wolf would not let up. It attacked again, slashing at his face with its claws. Dex cried out, stumbling back and grasping one of his eyes. When he lowered his hand, Hathor couldn't help but stare. Three clawed scars covered the side of his face, one of them going straight over where his eye had been. 

Dex's attention was entirely on the wolf. All his rage was directed toward it. He didn't see the figure approaching from behind . . .

* * * * * * * * 

Minutes earlier, Jay had come across the Vivus Dorm. Well, what remained of it. He took in the sight around him and growled. These invaders, whoever they were, were going to pay for this. First thing's first, he told himself. Make sure there are still survivors here. 

"You won't find any," a voice said. 

A small group of students emerged from from one of the buildings. Jay recognised the two at the front. Maddie and Isaiah, part of the group Hathor hung out with. But they hadn't been the ones that spoke. It was the pale white-haired blue-eyed boy with the tear streaked face between them. Of course. A Dreama would know if there were any survivors. They could hear everyone's thoughts at such a young age. Jay didn't dare ask what he'd heard. Now was not the time for that. 

Maddie must have realised what Jay was thinking. "There was this one guy, I think he was in charge, who ordered the wounded to be shot."

At that, Jay visibly flinched. "Shit."

"Some of them didn't want to do it," the Dreama boy said, voice shaking. "But they did anyway because they are afraid of their leader."

Gods, Jay thought. It was amazing the kid could say anything. 

"Sir," Isaiah asked, "do you know why these people are here?"

Jay shook his head. "'fraid not." He managed a smile. "But we don't have to worry. Queenie - Amneris is here now and going after the big boss. Hopefully this won't last much longer."

Maddie titled her head. "That would be her running on top of that ship, wouldn't it?"

Jay spun around to see a figure - no doubt it was Amneris - who was indeed running on top of the ship. "Yep," he said with an exasperated sigh. "That would be her." His attention returned to the group. "Any others around here?" he asked. "Queenie sent me after Hath."

"She and Imogene went back in there when the shooting started," Isaiah said, pointing at what remained of the Vivus Dorm building. "Troy was with them but he looked in pretty bad shape."

Right then. "Go find Sky. He's rounding up everyone possible and is on the way to the cove. He could probably use more help by now."

"What are you gonna do?" Maddie asked. 

"Play rescue," Jay said. And hope I don't get beheaded later. "Now, go."

* * * * * * * * 

It wasn't hard to find Troy and Imogene. They were just behind the door. Imogene seemed surprised to see him, though most of her attention was on the boy she was looking after. He looked horrible. Jay frowned. He didn't have that much of a healing ability on people other than himself but . . . 

A snap of his fingers had Troy bolting upright with a loud yell of "Fuck that bastard! Where is he? I'll kill him myself!"

"You just had to wake him up," Imogene sighed. 

"What bastard?" Jay asked, ignoring her. 

"Dex," Troy growled. "Whacked me over the head with something hard. I think Hath said it was a pipe before I passed out again . . ." He trailed off, looking around frantically. "Where is she?"

"Take a guess," Imogene said. "She went after him. Looked pretty pissed."

"And you didn't try to stop her!"

"Hey, she asked me to look after you!"

"Enough!" Jay knelt down. "Which way did she go?" Imogene pointed up. "Right. You two go after your friends. They're headed for the cove. Find anyone you can along the way and take them with you. I'm going after Hath."

"Hell no!" Troy jumped to his feet. "I'm going after her."

"No, you're going to the cove where it will be more safe."

The Wolf Shifter stood straight, almost reaching Jay's height. "Then try and stop me."

Teenagers, Jay thought before remembering there wasn't that much of an age gap between himself and the two before him. "Fine. You can come. But no daring rescues."

"No promises." He shifted and ran off in the direction Imogene had indicated.

Jay rubbed the back of his head with a sigh. "Can you get to the cove on your own?"

The Firebringer girl nodded. "I'll make sure others get there, too." With those words, she dashed out of the crumbling building.

With some effort, Jay made his way to the third floor of the building. By now, Troy was locked in a fight with Dex. Hathor was sprawled off to the side. She looked injured. Get the bad guy, then help her, Jay told himself. He spun his attention back to Dex as he roared in pain, clutching his face. 

Seeing Dex's attention locked onto Troy and whatever that attack had been, Jay snuck up behind him. A single hit from behind was all it took for Dex to go down. 

Jay made a break for Hathor. Something grabbed his leg, causing him to fall to the ground. Dex looked up at him, his remaining eye burning with a fire of such intensity Jay had never seen before. 

The boy hissed, "You're going to have to try harder than that to defeat me."