Shattered by Kevin Hearne

Author:Kevin Hearne [Hearne, Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 978-0-345-54849-8
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2014-06-16T16:00:00+00:00

Perhaps deities spend more time talking things over in whatever realm they reside. I have noticed, though, that once they are on earth, they have a very specific to-do list and waste no time getting to it. It’s disorienting to go from passive observation to full battle in the space of a few seconds, with no time to discuss objectives or strategy or tactics. I have to scramble to take up a position on the left side, and Laksha brings up a very tardy flank on the right. When Durga and her lion meet the vanguard of the rakshasas, I understand the true meaning of Shakti, a divine weapon. The demons are bowled over as the lion keeps plowing through them and Durga lays about her with her weapons, tossing some of the demons into the air and crushing others, cutting and spearing and painting the air and ground with blood and viscera.

For a second I feel entirely superfluous; Durga can surely take care of everything by herself. But the rakshasas keep pouring out of the house as fast as she slays them. A growing roar from behind me earns a glance, and I see that another army is advancing from the city. The raksoyuj has called all the rakshasas back to defend him, giving the city a respite from ruin while giving us a significant problem.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Laksha spread her hands in front of her and fall forward into the dirt, lifeless. She wasn’t hit by anything, so I presume she’s left the woman’s body and intends to do battle in the ether, working her way through the rakshasas until she gets to my father. I hope the woman has the good sense to stay down and play dead, or she won’t have long to enjoy the sole possession of her faculties.

Before Laksha can fight the raksoyuj in the ether, though, I have to get him to leave my father’s body.

We are going inside the house, Orlaith. On my heels.

<On them.>

The rakshasas are collapsing in toward Durga, not even realizing I’m on the field. I don’t know if they can pierce my invisibility the way the devi can, but I doubt it occurs to them to look for me. I swing around farther left to avoid them, hoping to sneak into the house and do my duty with Fuilteach before the raksoyuj realizes there’s a threat other than Durga.

I’m still a hundred yards away from the house when the nature of the battle changes. A different sort of demon starts to pour forth from the door and take shape in the yard—blue-skinned, many-armed, glowing with power. I stop to reassess and realize that they look like the form Loki took that time he tried to mess with Atticus in the Polish onion field outside Jas?o. My guess is that they are probably not rakshasas but more-powerful demons called asuras. They carry themselves differently: They move like masters-at-arms, while the rakshasas have all the martial skills of a coked-up peasant armed with a spoon.

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