Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

our friends. It had been perfectly orchestrated – so many of them were in the arena and the explosions went off right beneath them. We would have been there too if I hadn’t taken off.
    We barged through, Lincoln pulling out our daggers and thrusting mine into my hand. We made for the stairs, leaping down the flights in full jumps to the floor below, where the main explosion had erupted. When we reached the lower floor, my stomach knotted and a cry fell from my lips. More than fifteen guards lay motionless in a pool of blood. They looked like broken toy soldiers. So surreal.
    Oh, God, no! Please, no!
    I heard movement coming towards us from the cells and I grabbed Lincoln’s arm. He stopped.
    Phoenix strolled down the corridor, apparently not in the least surprised to see us waiting.
    ‘Finally,’ he said, drawing out the word, ignoring me and giving Lincoln a smug look.
    That was all it took. Lincoln and Phoenix went for each other hard and fast, fists and legs flying as they went up against one another for the first time. But they were so evenly matched that for every punch Lincoln delivered, Phoenix retaliated. What Lincoln lacked in speed he made up for in strength and vice versa.
    I used their distraction to look over the Grigori on the ground, checking to see if any of them were still alive in case I could heal them, stopping only when I heard footsteps behind me. I spun in my crouched position in time to see Griffin explode into the room, take one look at the scene in front of him and settle on Lincoln and Phoenix.
    He pulled out his dagger and moved in to help Lincoln, leaving me to check the last of the guards.
    ‘No!’ Lincoln yelled, stopping Griffin in his tracks.
    I stood up, sickened and terrified – none of the guards needed healing. They were gone. I joined Griffin, eager to step into the fight myself.
    How could Phoenix have done this? I need to find my parents!
    Lincoln had already held Griffin back, demonstrating his unwillingness to finish Phoenix – and we all knew it was because of me. But Phoenix would never let Lincoln capture him alive. I tightened my grip on my dagger, but before I made my move, it struck me that Phoenix wasn’t fighting with his usual zest, he was just going through the motions.
    ‘He’s stalling!’ I yelled.
    Phoenix’seyes cut to me for just a second and he grinned.
    Another smaller explosion sounded from the end of the corridor – where the holding cell was. A few seconds later, a figure emerged from the smoke.
    Lincoln and Phoenix pulled back at the same time. They were both badly beaten, but no real harm had been done.
    I watched as everything I’d feared played out in front of me. A woman, undoubtedly Lilith, walked towards us, two exiles following behind, Evelyn held between them.
    Both Evelyn and the exiles were in bad shape. At least she hadn’t made it easy for them.
    Phoenix looked at Lilith. ‘Where are the others?’ he asked calmly.
    Lilith hissed, her golden hair burning vividly through the smoke, her power coming off her in waves.
    I found myself smiling.
    Evelyn kicked their asses! That’s where they are.
    Evelyn looked satisfied, too.
    Lilith turned her gaze to us, settling upon me.
    ‘Oh, how I have looked forward to this moment.’ She cast a scrutinising glance over me then raised her precisely shaped eyebrows at Phoenix. ‘I can’t say I’m impressed, son.’
    I started to build my power. We’d see how impressed she was when I froze her and rammed my dagger through her chest.
    Lilith sighed. ‘We’ll be off now –schedule to maintain. Violet, your father is still alive. Consider it a gift – you will merely have to kill the exile I left to guard him and allow us to pass without any … childish behaviour.’
    Instantly, I dropped the power I’d been on the verge of releasing. I couldn’t risk it.
    ‘Rest assured,’ she continued, unleashing a smile with her Christmas-red lips. She was dazzling and her beauty hit me like a lightning bolt, literally taking my breath away. I heard Griffin inhale beside me. ‘We will see each other shortly.’
    I reined myself in – and also my power, which was pushing at me, wanting to be used. But I wasn’t about to jeopardise Dad’s life.
    ‘Phoenix will find you in two days and give you an opportunity to … retrieve your mother.’ She laughed, the sound carrying like music through the room. ‘Or, at least, die trying.’
    Lilith motioned to the exiles with her, before walking