Chapter 249

• As Lilith and I stood off against each other, one flaming with red lightning and one flaming with white lightning, Ethan and Ryker hesitantly moved away from me. The tension in the air was thick and vibrating with power, a crackling force pressing down on everyone present. The ground beneath us seemed to hum with the conflicting energies we both carried, and the distant roars of battle echoed like a soundtrack to the standoff that had been destined from the moment I received Kaiden’s power.
• I couldn't allow myself to worry about them when I had her to deal with. Our warriors needed them both. I needed to trust that Ryker and Ethan could handle the fight in front of them and focus solely on Lilith. We weren't outnumbered, not technically, but even Lilith's soldiers were incredibly powerful. They were more than just fighters. They were magically enhanced, altered by whatever infernal energies Lilith had tapped into over the years. Each one was like fighting a nightmare given form.
• Lilith looked at me with pure rage surging through her entire body. Her eyes burned, almost glowing with fury. Her brother had betrayed her, and not only that, he had given all of his power to me. That betrayal, that transfer of strength, was the only way I knew I would ever stand a chance at defeating her. Without that sacrifice, I would be dead before the fight even began.