Was Niko warning me about Lantos’ fate because he thought I’d tell Lantos? Was it a warning for me to behave?
Or … did Niko give me false information because he suspected what Leandra was – the head of a spy network created by the priests who knew my fate? Leandra was my connection to Theodocia, the leader of the insurgency. If Niko or Cleon ever found that out, I’d be on the wall where Cecelia was now, and Leandra would probably be dead.
The beautiful blonde girl my age was nibbling on the afternoon snacks she had placed on the table near the bay window in my room. If anyone would know what Niko was up to, it was Leandra, who was trained in human intelligence.
My eyes went from her to the tall, wide wall opposite the door. Despair unfurled within me, along with a sense of being completely overwhelmed. On the wall, I’d handwritten the names of everyone I murdered the night Cleon ordered me to destroy a five block radius in DC. The area was completely filled with writing, and I’d started adding the names to the adjacent wall as well.
It was a reminder of what I could be, of my power, of those who suffered the moment I stopped trying to fight the fate Cleon wanted for me. The names were the first things I saw in the morning and the last before I fell asleep. They watched me slumber each night, and I imagined the spirits of those I’d killed hovering around me.
I had nightmares every night, and it was rare when I didn’t fall asleep crying.
My power had so much potential to do good – and evil. The memorial had become my motivation to resist Cleon’s directives and subdue the depths of my magic, so I never unleashed the flood that could finish off what the gods started when the Holy Wars began five years ago.
Dropping my gaze to the floor, I swallowed hard and refocused on what I needed to talk to my only remaining friend about. “Hey, Leandra. Something weird …”
Dizziness washed over me. My feet grew hot, and the air around me sizzled with the scents of charred metal and burning flesh. The brilliant white daylight pouring into my room melted away, replaced by the dark night sky. I was somewhere else completely. The ground beneath my feet was stone and resembled the area atop the walls I’d seen once before.
Heat rolled over me and stung the inside of my nose. I covered my nose and mouth and blinked ash out of my eyelashes, unable to understand what was happening. Turning to face the source of heat and light, I shielded my eyes and stepped forward.
DC was on fire. Every last bit of it burned, and gaping holes punctuated the cityscape where there was no fire. The walls on which I stood were black, with much of them crumbled. I took in the destruction, awed by its scope, and began searching the ribbons for signs of life.
There were none. The fire gave off three ribbons and everything else two, as if the entirety of the population had been destroyed, along with the buildings.
This can’t be real. I turned away, towards the darkness stretching outside the walls of DC as far as I could see. Smoke gagged me, and I moved towards the outer edge of the wall. My attention followed the twisting smoke towards the sky.
No moon.
No stars.
The skies were filled with nothingness I’d seen once before in my life, in a vision of my past.
“What’s happening?” I asked aloud, praying someone would answer.
No one was left alive to respond. I turned all the way around again, and then I froze when I saw someone else before me.
Adonis. His form was ghostly, faint and varying shades of black, white and gray. He stood a meter from me, not moving, watching with sadness in his gaze.
Brilliant light spread across the distant horizon, bright enough to draw my gaze. Orange flames arced into the sky from the earth and began to spread, devouring everything in their paths as they raced towards the city. Behind it, nothingness swallowed the ashes, chasing the flames and consuming everything.
“Mismatch!” I cried, facing him again.
His ghostly form was gone. I was completely alone.
DC burned behind me, and ahead of me, the rest of the world was exploding into fire.
“Theta” is available from wherever you purchase ebooks!
Also by Lizzy
History Interrupted – time travel romance
West
East
North (2016)
South (2017)
Omega Beginnings Series
Alessandra
Mismatch
Phoibe
Lantos
Niko
Cleon
Herakles
Omega Series
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)
Theta Beginnings Miniseries (novelettes)
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
People’s Champion
Non-Series – 2014 & 2015
Black Moon Draw
Highlander Enchanted
The Door
Water Spell (TBD)
Dragon Tear (TBD)
Lost Vegas Novellas – young adult post apocalyptic
Aveline
Tiana
Arthur
Black Wolf
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
Starwalkers Serials (with Julia Crane) – new adult science fiction serial
Severed
Trapped
Exiled
Escaped
Ascended
Starwalkers – complete set
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
Unmade (TBD)
Omega
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)
Anshan Saga – new adult science fiction romance
Kiera’s Moon
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)