Light exploded behind my eyes. Power surged through me, foreign and strange. My body felt wrong.

But instinct drove my muscles, my mind. I moved my arms, realizing only then that I no longer had arms.

I had wings. Brilliant red wings, tipped with yellow feathers.

I was a phoenix.

Lightness and joy tore through me. I flapped my new wings, clumsy at first, in the middle of this bright white light, then stronger. Fiercer.

I shot from the light, following my instinct toward the sky.

Was this real?

Did I care?

Not even a little. I pushed my new body, flying toward the darkness above. Flying was amazing. I felt so strong, so free. The roar of dragons echoed from above. Calling to me. I followed their cry, shooting up from the pit and into the mountain cavern.

The dragons no longer slept. The ledges were empty. My heart soared as I flew for the top of the mountain. I shot out into the sky. Drakon’s barrier was broken—no doubt by the dragons.

The aurora borealis shone bright in the sky—purple, green, yellow. It highlighted the two dragons who swooped through the night, diving for the demons below. It was impossible not to notice them—they were terrifying and beautiful. Power incarnate, lunging toward the demons below and blasting them with their brilliant red flame. There were only two dragons, though. Where was the third?

I didn’t know how long I’d been—dead?—but the battle raged in the valley and on the mountainside. I swept up into the air, taking in my surroundings. The mountainside teemed with my allies, racing down through the snow to collide with the enemy in the valley below. The demons roared and ran for them, brandishing weapons and throwing bursts of flame and magic.

I sought my deirfiúr, but their blue magic cage was gone. It had happened when the dragons had destroyed the barrier, most likely.

Cass and Del were gone as well. Demons crowded in their place, as if they’d raced for the captives when the cage had been destroyed. Fear chilled me. I dived low, flying over the place where their cage had been. Demons trampled the ground, but I saw no sign of them.

I shoved aside the fear. They couldn’t be dead. I would feel that.

Drakon was nowhere to be seen, but perhaps he was in the other valley. As I flew that direction, hoping to find him, I inspected the battle below.

From the mountain to the west, the shifters pounded down into the valley. Bears, tigers, wolves, and dogs. All variety of predators raced toward the demons. The clash was fierce, with the biggest animals going straight for the demons’ throats. An orange house cat rode on the back of a bear, straight for a demon the size of a football player. A house cat?

Even as a phoenix, I realized that this was seriously weird. The battle animals were usually large predators, like the lions. As the bear neared the demon, he turned right, headed for another enemy. The cat leapt off the bear’s back, fangs glinting in the light of the aurora. It landed on the demon’s chest, sinking its fangs into the neck. Blood sprayed. The demon roared. The cat chomped again.

I could hear it.

My senses were incredible. I had to be two hundred yards away, but I could hear that specific fight because I focused on it.

No longer worried for the cat—that cat could handle himself—I swooped low over the battle. The mercenaries from the Order of the Magica were on the eastern slope, launching coordinated attacks against the demons in the valley below. They lobbed massive balls of fire and sonic booms, bowling over the enemy. They used their positioning to their advantage, hiding behind conjured barricades. I didn’t see Claire with her colleagues.

Please be with Cass and Del.

Her loyalty was to us first, so odds were good that she was with them and not already downed.

Movement through the crowd of demons in the valley caught my eye. A large vehicle drove through the crowd, plowing the demons aside.

Ana and Bree!

Ana drove the modified buggy. It had larger tires—for the snow?—and a cage around the cockpit. Bree hung off the platform in the back, wielding a sword like a madwoman. She was wild, slicing at the demons with more enthusiasm than skill. But it worked. Blood flew as she cut them down. Ana shrieked every time she hit a demon, a bloodcurdling war cry.

Why didn’t they use their magic?

Did they even have it anymore?

I couldn’t wonder, not when I had to find my deirfiúr. And it wasn’t like it mattered—I couldn’t stop them. They threw themselves into the fray anyway, going to the most dangerous spots—right in the middle of the demons.

I flew toward the other valley, the one right on the other side of the mountain. Before I crested the mountain, I caught sight of a giant creature rampaging through the demons.

Emile and Prince Louie. The Animus Mage rode his giant two-headed dog. I hadn’t seen the beast in months, but it was plowing through demons like they were kibble. The canine monster was twenty feet tall, and each head was different. One was that of a golden retriever, the other that of a white poodle. The poodle’s eyes were cloudy, and its breath was green gas, a deadly poison that I’d once gotten a horrible whiff of.

Prince Louie was having the time of his life as he chomped on demons, though Emile looked more serious as he directed the dog through the enemy. Ralph and Rufus, the two little rats, rode on his shoulder, their whiskers twitching in the wind.

I couldn’t get over my new senses. To see rat whiskers from this distance … It was incredible.

As I neared the other valley, I finally caught sight of one of my friends. Roarke. He stood with Alison and Jennn, the two portal mages. Magic shimmered in the air as they worked, their hands outstretched and light glowing brightly. But demons were charging toward them. Roarke didn’t stop what he was doing to defend, so I dove, tilting my wings to clip a row of demons.

I was pretty sure I was big enough to do damage—it was hard to say, really—but it seemed to work. The demons flew backward, as if shocked by the feel of my feathers. Did I deliver electricity?

“Thanks!” The voice was feminine. Jennn or Alison, I wasn’t sure.

I swooped and dove, buying them time to finish their portal. If Roarke was there, they had to be creating a portal to the Underworld. To drive the demons back to hell?

So smart.

We could kill every single one of them, and they’d wake up in hell anyway. But if we built a portal and herded them in….

So much faster and less dangerous.

I grinned—or at least, I thought I did since it was hard to tell with a beak—and snuck a peek. Through the portal, I saw a flaming red hellscape.

Yep, genius.

“We’re done!” Roarke waved, his face confused as he studied me. Then delight spread across his features.

Did he know me?

I screeched in greeting, then wheeled off and flew over the mountain. The second valley looked much like the first, and I was grateful for the number of warriors who had volunteered.

My family and the people of Elesius rode horses along the edges of the valley, striking at the demons within. My mother and father rode side by side, slicing their swords with precision. It was a bloodbath near them. An outrider protected my parents from any demons who threw long-range spells, blocking the magic so the fighters could cut down the enemy. In fact, there were many magic blockers amongst my mother’s people. They worked as a team—blockers and fighters. Was this how so many had survived the last battle?

It was genius.

Near them, the vampires fought under the light of the aurora. Thank fates we had that and not the sun. Doyen and Magisteria led the charge, racing through the demons and obliterating them with their shadow swords. They swung with such strength that heads flew into the air, bouncing off of other fighters. It was gruesome, but the vampires seemed to love it. The League of FireSouls fought alongside them, fierce in their burnished red armor.

I ignored them all, searching the sky for Drakon or my friends.

First, I saw the third dragon. The white one swooped over the demons, barbecuing them like he was preparing for a picnic. Beyond the white dragon, a shadowy form glinted in the light of the aurora. They were far off, hundreds of yards away on the other side of the valley, but it was Drakon and my friends.

I screeched and flew toward them, racing through the sky as the wind tore at my feathers. Drakon was chasing Cass and Del. He couldn’t return them to their cage, so it had to be vengeance. Cass was in her griffon form, bigger and stronger than I’d ever seen her. Del, in her phantom form, rode on her back. As Cass raced away from Drakon, Del leaned back and fired massive icicles at him.

Drakon was fast, ducking away from the projectiles. But every now and again she hit him. Aidan, as a massive golden griffon, swooped around Drakon, going for the eyes. He slowed the bastard, but Drakon was still fast. And mostly impervious to the blows of my friends.

On the mountainside nearest us, Connor and Claire stood. Claire fired massive fireballs. Like Del, she only occasionally hit Drakon. While Drakon might roar and falter, he kept going. Connor shot potion bombs using some strange contraption I’d never seen before. They sailed hundreds of yards through the air, slamming into Drakon.

The Pūķi dived around as well—each carrying a rider? Mordaca and Aerdeca directed the red dragons to fly in front of Drakon, getting between him and my deirfiúr. They positioned themselves in front of him but to the sides. Wind tore at their hair as they each sliced their palms, then held out their hands. A massive bolt of lightning formed between them, an electric wall that Drakon plowed into.

He crashed through the barrier, then flailed and roared, finally righting himself and charging on.

I suddenly realized—Cass and Del weren’t running from him. They were leading him toward dangers. They hoped that with all their strength combined, they could beat Drakon.

But where were Ares and Jeff?

I searched as I flew for Drakon, finally catching sight of Jeff near my parents. A massive demon—a giant, actually—was charging toward them. The creature was thirty feet tall, with spikes all down its back and a massive spiked club in his hand. He swung it high, clearly aiming for my parents, the leaders of that faction.

Ares and Jeff raced toward the beast, colliding with him right before he brought the club down on my mother. Ares leapt off Jeff, landing on the giant’s shoulder. He swiped out with his shadow sword as Jeff flew into the air, catching sight of me.

My dragon shrieked with joy, racing toward me. My heart swelled as the green and red blur streaked for me, but I screeched back at him, demanding he return to Ares. As if he understood, Jeff turned and swooped back toward the vampire.

I left them, nearly to Drakon now. I’d been flying blind, my eyes too riveted to Ares, and I was nearly upon them all. The scene was much the same, with my friends attacking and Drakon rebuffing. He was nearly to Cass and Del.

I pushed myself faster, racing toward him, colliding with his side.

He roared as an electric shock tore through him, and he tumbled end over end. There was a sizzling black hole where my beak had pierced.

Only the beak of the phoenix can defeat Drakon.

That’s what Athena had said.

And that’s how I would defeat him. Not with my sword, but with my new form. Life would defeat the beast who sought to be death.

Drakon righted himself. His black gaze met mine, rage burning in the depths of his eyes. He hissed, angry and … scared?

Then he turned and fled, a coward.

To live and fight another day?

No way.

I shrieked and flew after him, but he was fast. Too fast. I might be strong, but a shadow dragon beat a phoenix any day. At least for speed.

As if they’d heard my call, my friends rallied. The white dragon popped its head up, catching my gaze. Then it hurtled toward Drakon, hovering to the east, blocking his way. From the west, the three fates appeared. Laima, Dekla, and Karta, each riding a winged horse, formed a barrier with their magic. It glowed bright, a swirling mix of their gold, silver, and opal.

As if he knew he couldn’t pass them, Drakon raced for the south, away from me.

But Connor and Claire were waiting, along with Cass and Del, who’d landed on the mountain ridge next to them. Cass was in her human form again. She yelled at Claire, something about a barrier. They raised their hands, fire blasting from their palms, and formed a fiery wall in the sky. Connor hurled a potion bomb at the flame. It exploded, green and bright, providing fuel that made the fire rise hundreds of feet high.

Roarke hovered above, along with Aerdeca and Mordaca, who formed another electric barrier. Jeff and Ares joined them, completing the cage.

Drakon could only go down. Or come for me.

He roared his rage, then whirled on the air, racing for me. He hurtled toward me like a freight train, steam billowing from his nostrils. Rage gleamed in his eyes and vibrated along his body.

The briefest frisson of fear streaked through me. He might not want to fight me, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t win.

I shrieked my battle cry and flew for him. I ducked my head right before we collided, going for his chest. We slammed together, spinning in midair. The force was an explosion. Pain surged through me, but not nearly as bad as when I’d been human. Drakon thrashed with the electric shock of my blow. We both zapped each other, but my magic was stronger now.

My beak had plowed into his chest, leaving a gaping wound, but I hadn’t hit his heart.

Drakon roared and tore away, flying upward. I chased, eyeing his chest and the beating black heart within. He neared the barrier above, Ares, Aidan, Aerdeca, and Mordaca all waiting for him, then turned around and dove for me.

I pushed myself faster. There would be no failure.

As he neared, I dodged, my beak going unerringly for his heart. It beckoned me, so easy to see. His claws tore into my wing, but my beak found its mark. I struck fast and hard, plucking the black organ from his chest.

Electricity surged through me, shaking my bones and making pain dance in front of my eyes. I chomped down on his heart.

It exploded into dust.

Then Drakon exploded into dust.

Victory surged through me. I spat out the dust and shot high into the sky, spinning on the air. All around, I saw my friends. Without them, I wouldn’t have succeeded. We wouldn’t have succeeded. They had tired him out, then trapped him so I could finish the job. Our troops and the dragons had kept the demons from launching an air attack at us.

Together, we’d done it.

I caught their gazes briefly—joy and fear. Afraid I wouldn’t turn back to human?

I couldn’t think of that now. Instead, I plowed back down to the fray. My friends joined. Most of the demons were dead, their earthly bodies nothing but crisped flesh from the dragons or riddled with wounds from our warriors. Their souls would be back in hell by now.

At the edge of the valley, I caught sight of Roarke, Jennn, and Alison. They’d just finished creating a second portal in this valley.

Perfect.

I swooped low, starting at the opposite side of the valley, and herded the demons to the portal. My friends joined me, Jeff flying along joyfully and shooting flame at their butts. Ares, on Jeff’s back, couldn’t stop looking at me, awe on his face.

Once the demons caught sight of the portal and figured out what we were doing, they actually helped, racing for the exit. Though they probably didn’t want to go back to hell, it was pretty clear by now that we were going to win. So they might as well save themselves the misery of death here on Earth.

Once the final demon had been rushed into the portal, a cry of victory rose up, echoing through the mountains. The fighters in the other valley joined in. I flew high into the sky, peering over the mountaintops. That valley was safe too. All the demons dead or gone.

I swept the field with my keen gaze. Though there were wounded, there didn’t appear to be a lot of ours dead. Our plan had worked. The dragons had sent the demons into a tailspin, making it easier and safer for our fighters. I flew low over my own valley, searching out my friends.

They stood in the middle of the trampled snow. Blood splattered the white stuff, but the demon bodies were already disappearing.

I landed with a thud next to Cass and Del, still not used to this new form.

“Nix?” Tears poured down Cass’s face.

Del ran for me, throwing herself against my feathered chest. Her head reached to my neck. I realized with a shock that I was a lot smaller than I’d realized. Much smaller than Drakon had been.

Good thing I hadn’t known that at the time.

I wanted to hug my deirfiúr. My parents. Ares. All my friends.

Could I?

Not with wings, at least.

I envisioned my human form, praying that I could change back. I’d died.

Definitely.

So could I come back?

Magic thrummed through me, the familiar feeling of life rushing through my veins. The same magic that had made the grass grow in Elesius also ran through me. Silver light sparkled in the air around me, and I shrank.

I had arms!

“Nix!” Cass threw her arms around Del and me.

I hugged them back, tears pouring down my cheeks. I hadn’t died! And I wasn’t stuck as a phoenix. Better yet, I’d transformed back to human while still wearing my clothes.

Not that it hadn’t been ridiculously cool to be a phoenix, but I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life screeching at people and hoping they understood. Also, I liked having thumbs.

I pulled back from my deirfiúr, my gaze racing around to take everyone in. All of my friends were alive. Many sported injuries, were bleeding and limping, but everyone was standing.

“What happened?” Cass demanded.

“Seems pretty obvious,” Del said wryly. “Only one way you turn into a phoenix.”

Cass nodded, understanding glinting in her eyes. “We felt it, you know. A terrible pain. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was scared.”

“It didn’t last, though,” Del said. “Calm came over me. Then you appeared. As a freaking bird.”

“Phoenix,” I insisted. “Much cooler.”

Cass and Del laughed.

Ares slipped through the crowd toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me close. I leaned into him, absorbing his warmth and so glad to be with him.

“So Aethelred was right,” Ares murmured. “I did lose what I loved most. I felt it too, when you died. My world stopped.”

The aching pain in his voice made me hug him tight. “Did you feel when I came back?”

“I did.” He kissed the top of my head. “Then I saw you.”

“Cool, huh?” I pulled back to look at his face.

He just smiled and nodded, then kissed my forehead. There’d be time to talk later.

“Nix!” my mother’s voice called from behind.

I pulled away from Ares. She and my father galloped their horses toward us. My mother leapt off her stallion and raced toward me to drag me in for a big hug.

“You did it!” she cried against my hair.

“We all did it.” I looked at her. Tears streamed down her face. My father stood next to her. He reached out and gripped my shoulder. I smiled at him. “We all did it. Without Elesius, I wouldn’t have had the magic to give the dragons.”

“You did everything right,” my mother said. “I’m so proud.”

“We’re so proud,” my father said.

I grinned, but the sound of whooshing air distracted me. I looked up. My jaw dropped.

The three enormous dragons hovered overhead, blocking out the aurora. They gleamed in the firelight that Cass and Claire had set up around us, their scales shining.

Then they landed all around us, towering like houses. A shiver raced over me. Fear and awe combined. Cass and Del sidled closer to me until our shoulders touched.

The dragons leaned their large heads down until they were eye to eye with the three of us. Their eyes gleamed, green, blue, and purple. Steam wafted from their noses.

They could barbecue us in a second, but they wouldn’t. Still, I couldn’t help but think it. I’d have to be a moron not to think it.

The dragons touched their noses almost to ours. For one blissful moment, I thought that I understood them. That they said thank you.

“Thank you,” I echoed it back to them. We may have saved them, but they’d saved us in return.

The dragons snuffled warm air that billowed over our faces and smelled of fire, then took off into the night sky. They swept off through the aurora, their bodies gleaming in the light.

“Where are they going?” my mother asked.

“I have no idea.” But at least they weren’t in the mountain anymore. And they were safe.

Magic was safe.