I listened in rapt horror, once again drawing a blank about how I was supposed to carry out my duty and obligations to the world.
“Zeus is protecting a corridor along the eastern seaboard encompassing Maryland, DC, NOVA and the rest of the metro area,” Theodocia continued. “But the city itself is barely staying on this side of chaos.”
Would there be anyone left to challenge the gods by the time this attack on humanity was over? Was I already too late to protect those I could? Familiar, deep-seated fury kept my mind focused on what was happening.
“We’re about thirty minutes from landing. DC airspace has been declared a dead zone. The military commander I spoke to gave us permission to fly to your palace and the SISA commander charged with internal security in DC flat out refused. But, technically, he has no say, since the military is monitoring the airspace around DC,” Theodocia added with a sigh. “I’m afraid if we fly in, someone will shoot us down, because the two entities aren’t on the same page. I don’t know what to do, Phoibe.”
What does Artemis advise? I asked.
“She’s not responding at the moment. Her last words were to go to DC, and she’d protect you. Her silence leads me to believe we might be on our own.”
How can she offer to protect us when her brothers and sisters are destroying everything? I asked in frustration.
“This isn’t a question we have time to try to answer,” Theodocia responded. “Our biggest concern is how we’re going to get you to safety. Do we attempt crossing into DC airspace and hope the military and SISA are talking, or do we land outside the protected area and pray we aren’t burned alive by lightning and fire?”
We go as far as we can in the helicopter, I replied. This makes the most sense to me.
“Me, too. It’s also potentially the most dangerous course of action.” She picked up the phone connecting the cabin to the pilots. “Take us straight in as originally planned. Do what you can to avoid detection,” she said to the pilot.
She hung up and leaned down to grab the bag she’d brought with her and set it beside me.
“In case things get messy, you can’t run in that,” she said and lifted her eyebrows towards my dress. “Come here, Tommy. Let the queen change clothes in privacy.”
Both of them turned away, and I stood. Three servants had helped me into the extravagant ceremonial garb. I wriggled, maneuvered, tugged and ended up accidentally ripping the silk bodice and at least one layer of skirts. When I was free, I breathed deeply for the first time in several hours and then changed into the more practical clothing Theodocia had brought with her. I pulled on the slacks and long-sleeved sweater before sliding my feet into shoes. I didn’t want to think about what might happen if we had to make a run for it.
I carefully removed my crown and wrapped it in the layers of my dress and then tucked it into the bag, next to the scepter.
Finished. I said.
“The fire’s stopped,” Theodocia said in a hushed tone.
I leaned forward to see out the window. The lights of DC were brilliant in the clear skies ahead of us. Behind us, fire and lightning continued to rain down upon the rest of the country. The helicopter began to descend until it was skimming the tops of the tallest trees of the forests of northern Maryland.
The phone linking the cockpit and the cabin rang. Theodocia grabbed it and listened for a few seconds.
“Seatbelts,” she said. “Pilot says it might get a little rough.” She hung up and quickly strapped in Tommy then herself.
I tugged on my seatbelt, too. Heart hammering, I then stared out the window, watching DC grow closer and closer and praying we made it to the palace in safety.
The pilot began to alter our course and elevation with speed that made my stomach turn. Tommy laughed at the jolts and sudden turns while Theodocia and I exchanged looks of worry.
Just as we reached the northern most part of the city, the helicopter ascended suddenly and fast enough for the air to feel like it was starting to crush me before we stabilized. Theodocia gripped her seatbelt, and I was braced against the cabin door.
Flashes of fire appeared again. This time, they weren’t falling from the sky but originating from the ground into the air and heading straight for us.
The helicopter pitched to the right, careening until my window faced directly down at the ground and I was kept from face planting against the door by my seatbelt.
Theodocia! I said, alarmed. This isn’t working!
“Damn SISA!” She stretched for the phone to the cockpit. “We’re going back to - ”
Before she could finish or order the pilot out of DC airspace, an explosion ripped through the tail end of the helicopter. Fire licked the outside of my window, and the scent of jet fuel filled the cabin. The window beside Theodocia cracked and then shattered, spraying us with glass that cut our exposed skin.
The helicopter started to free fall into a downward spiral and plummeted towards the city below. The sickening sensation of tumbling out of the sky was made worse by my inability to tell which direction I faced or how close we were to smashing into the ground. Pain radiated through me as the seatbelt snapped me back against the seat. I couldn’t move, and the scenery outside the cabin became a dizzying blur of night-city-night-city, over and over.
With each rotation of the cabin, my head was flung from side to side, and I smashed it into the window at least twice before I started to lose consciousness. The bag containing my crown and scepter smashed into me on one round, into Tommy on another, then into the walls, windows and floor.
Tommy was sobbing, Theodocia shouting, and the city below quickly growing closer. Someone – was it me? – was screaming.
My body went limp of its own accord as I struggled to remain awake and aware. Our crash was inevitable, and it wasn’t possible for any of us to survive impact. I fought the darkness fighting to pull me under, despair and fury filling me.
In that moment, the meaning of Thanatos’ appearance in my life struck me with more force than my head smacking into the window again. The God of Death had the ability to kill without mercy – or to stop death from occurring at all. Perhaps the Oracle hadn’t requested his guardianship in order to help me fight an enemy, but to prevent me from dying this night. She sent Lantos to warn me of the impending attack by the gods. I was saved, so I could in turn, save my world from the gods.
She wasn’t going to risk letting me die here. Was this the grim future she had foreseen? The reason she chose him?
Thanatos! I screamed mentally. Do not let us die!
I tried to wait for his answer, but the dark edges of my mind began to close in on my thoughts. Pain radiated through me from too many places for me to count. My surroundings became fuzzy then blurry. In a brief flash of clarity, I saw the double yellow lines of a highway, close enough for me to touch, half a second before my world went completely black.
Theta Beginnings Miniseries
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
Also by Lizzy
History Interrupted – time travel romance
West
East
North (2016)
South (2017)
Omega Beginnings Series
Alessandra
Mismatch
Phoibe
Lantos
Theodocia
Niko
Cleon
Herakles
Omega Series
Omega
Theta (2016)
Alpha (2017)
Theta Beginnings Miniseries (novelettes)
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
People’s Champion (2016)
Non-Series – 2014 & 2015
Black Moon Draw (about a reader sucked into her book)
Highlander Enchanted (2015)
The Door
Water Spell (2016)
Dragon Tear (TBD)
Lost Ve
gas Novellas – young adult post apocalyptic
Aveline (2016)
Tiana (2016)
Arthur (2016)
Black Wolf (2016)
Sons of War – contemporary military romance
Semper Mine
Soldier Mine
SEAL Mine (2017)
Super Villainess
It’s Not Easy Being Evil
It’s Not Easy Being Good (2016)
Starwalkers Serials (with Julia Crane) – new adult science fiction serial
Severed
Trapped
Exiled
Revealed
Escaped
Heart of Fire – sexy dragon shifter
Charred Heart
Charred Tears
Charred Hope
Incubatti – Buffy meets 50 Shades
Zoey Rogue
Zoey Avenger
Rhyn Trilogy – new adult paranormal with demons
Katie’s Hellion
Katie’s Hope
Rhyn’s Redemption
Rhyn Eternal – Death finds love
Gabriel’s Hope
Deidre’s Death
Darkyn’s Mate
The Underworld
Twisted Fate
Twisted Karma (2016)
War of Gods – paranormal with gods, guardians and exceptional humans
Damian’s Oracle
Damian’s Assassin
Damian’s Immortal
The Grey God
Damian Eternal
Xander’s Chance
The Black God
Hidden Evil – paranormal with angels and four horsemen
Hear No
See No (TBD)
Speak No (TBD)
Unnamed Series
Unnatural (TBD)
Unmade (TBD)
Omega
Omega
Theta (2016)
Alpha (2017)
Anshan Saga – new adult science fiction romance
Kiera’s Moon
Kiera’s Home (novelette)
Kiera’s Sun
Santa’s Ninja Elves (short stories)
Natasha & Hunter
Non-series titles – 2011 - 2013
Star Kissed
A Demon’s Desire
The Warlord’s Secret
Maddy’s Oasis
Rebel Heart
Witchlings – young adult paranormal
Dark Summer
Autumn Storm
Winter Fire
Spring Rain
Broken Beauty Novellas – new adult dramatic fiction
Broken Beauty
Broken World
Voodoo Nights - young adult paranormal
Cursed
Chosen (TBD)
As SE Reign, erotica writer
101 Nights Box Set (Serials 1-7)