“Is there any way we can leave the outlier locals a way to communicate with us?” I asked Shadow. “On the slim chance there is trouble?”

Shadow’s expression was grim. “I wouldn’t worry about it. The battle with Dannie will be over fast. If we lose, they all lose, and if we win… we will remove the royals from here and back to the mainland before there’s chance of an uprising.”

Right. That was true and depressing, but at least I didn’t have to stress about a hostile takeover while we were busy fighting the goddess hellbent on destroying it all.

“We must go now,” Shadow said, gently bumping me toward the portal.

I nodded, taking one last look at the island, which was now a few thousand inhabitants larger. It felt cozy, somehow, and I didn’t really want to leave, wishing I could stay and help the locals, who were already taking care of the mentally and physically fragile royals.

“Dannie has a lot to answer for,” I said shortly. “Do you think your royal compound was the only one she did that to?”

Shadow didn’t answer until we stepped through the portal, which vanished as soon as we were back inside the castle. “I think she probably has this entire world locked down in one way or another,” he said, creating some clothing so that we could change back and get dressed. “Until the next part of her plan comes to fruition.”

“Yeah, I agree,” I said, pulling on my pants and boots. “Knowing Dannie as I do. I mean, her next part was clearly to create a Nexus that she controlled, but what after that? What was she going to do with them all when she finally achieved her peak status as goddess supreme?”

Shadow let out a low breath. “Impossible to know, but one thing is clear: This realm would definitely not be as it was.”

We were dressed now, so he pulled me into his side, leading us back through the creepy, booby-trapped castle and into the main grounds. When our pack came into sight, the fact that they were all on their feet circling what was clearly Dannie’s prison had Shadow and me picking up speed.

She’s starting the process of breaking through, Midnight said in my head, since we were close enough to communicate now.

“The prison is cracking,” Shadow said at the same time, clearly having spoken to his mist as well. We started to sprint, knowing we had to be by their side when Dannie burst free.

Midnight met us halfway, scooping us up and all but catapulting us across the smooth grounds so we landed in the circle of warriors.

“Just in time,” Lucien said, flashing fang as he waited, unnaturally still. He was a predator, a master vampire, and I was curious to see him in action. All of them. The greatest and strongest of their worlds. And every one of them I was honored to stand with and call “friend.”

The gold cage started to vibrate, heat rising from it until we were all sweltering, stuck between the lava chasm and Dannie. None of us moved a muscle, except to internally prepare ourselves. I allowed my power to fill me, turning into a winged, flaming wolf-bird, once again destroying clothing. At this point, I should just remain naked between shifts.

“The moment she bursts free,” Len murmured, his silver cloak billowing out from his motionless form, “use your powers to lock her in place, and I will call the stone to me. It’s bonded to my family and has been for many more years than Dannie’s held it. I should still have the greater tie to it.”

I loved having a plan. It gave us a focus, and thanks to the many, many times Shadow had held me against the wall, locking down my arms and legs, I had a decent idea of what to do to hold Dannie in a similar manner.

It wouldn’t be as much fun for her, though.

She was about to understand that the biggest mistake she’d made in the last few months was not swallowing the stone. Or stealing our memories. Or betraying everyone who had ever loved her.

Nope.

Her biggest mistake was not killing us all when she had the chance, because it was her day of reckoning, and we were the ones delivering it.

The light grew brighter around her, the heat as well, and I was so fucking jumpy that I almost pissed myself when Angel moved a millimeter beside me, her wings brushing mine. My tiny shriek and stumble forward broke some of the tension as multiple amused smiles crossed faces.

“You can take the woman out of Earth, but—” Lucien was cut off when an explosion of energy knocked us all back from the fortress.

My wings extended, stopping me before I skidded into the lava chasm, and then two flaps later, I was back in the circle, surrounding an extremely pissed-off-looking Dannie.

Dannie, who had changed again.

Whatever humanoid parts of her that had been there before were gone.

She was a full phoenix, standing as tall as me.

Her beak opened, and a loud screech emerged, which eventually turned into words. “You made a grave mistake,” she bellowed, flames shooting off her as the ground trembled. “It will all fall now, and when I rebuild, it will be a better world and future.”

None of the others seemed that concerned, moving in closer, their energy humming in the air as they prepared to attack. I did the same, but no lie, my gut was twisted in knots at what was happening. What the fuck were we going to do if she was still too strong for us?

Before anyone even got a chance to find out, Dannie did the opposite of what I’d expected and angled her wings to drop between us. It took me a beat to understand why she’d done that, and it was only when her clawed foot tapped against the land and the rumble increased that I figured it out. She was doing exactly what her son had attempted not that long ago.

Destroying the Shadow Realm.

Before any of us even had a chance to attempt to lock her down with our power, the chasm exploded, spitting out flames that would tear through almost everyone here. With those flames came a truly terrifying sight, clawing their way up from the lava below.

“She’s resurrecting the dead,” Alistair said, his hands clenched tightly in front of him. “All of those lost to the lava mists.”

“Fuck.”

That one word was from Shadow, and I knew that meant this was bad. No, not bad. Cata-fucking-strophic.

“How many beings have died in the chasms?” I asked, my wings the only thing keeping me standing as the ground tremors worsened. “Outside of all the creatures.”

“I believe it was a regular punishment here,” Angel said, having to lift herself off the ground now.