Free Hardboiled: Not Your Average Detective Story (The Lillim Callina Chronicles Book 5) by J.A. Cipriano

one go.” He paused for a moment before adding, “savvy?”
    With that word I knew he was the one who had blown up the shambler. It was either that, or I was mixed up in some serious coincidences. I resisted the urge to say, “we meet at last.” Instead, I glared at him hard enough to make the air between us shimmer.
    “Glare all you like, it won’t help your friend,” he declared, holding his hands wide. “But there’s still time for you to save him.”
    The space between us blurred until it looked like I was watching a movie projected in the space between us. My heart skipped a beat as I watched the cyclops grab Connor by the throat and hoist him into the air like a ragdoll, suspending him over the edge of the huge tower that overlooked the football stadium. Then the creature looked right at me and made a ‘come at me’ gesture.
    “You son of a bitch!” I snarled as I darted past Lang and grabbed hold of the door knob, ripping it open with a surge of accidental magic that actually tore it free of the frame.
    “Oh and Lillim, try not to forget your swords this time,” Lang called behind me as the sound of hideous laughter followed me down the hallway.

Chapter 7
    It was cold as hell when I threw open the door and stepped out on the rain soaked balcony at the top of the tower. It was one of those old stone cathedrals that reminded me of something you’d expect to see housing a crazed, bell-tolling hunchback. The grey stone was all dark and soot-stained as though no one had been up here to clean in years. A safety fence of black wrought-iron jutted out from the edges, but it was only tall enough to reach to my shoulders. I glanced up, staring at the huge stone clock face that had been carved into the surface of the tower. Why they had gone for that instead of a real clock was beyond me, but then again, judging by how most of the deck was covered in bird poop, I wasn’t sure a real clock would still work.
    A blast of chilly air hit me in the face, making gooseflesh rise on my arms. I don’t know how, but in the space of time it took me to cross campus and get to the top of the tower, storm clouds had opened above me in full force, letting loose a deluge that left me drenched and shivering as lightning crackled through the sky above.
    As I took a few more steps out onto the balcony so I could circle around and find the cyclops, I held my hand out into the wind and called one last time for Shirajirashii, infusing my words with power.
    “Come!” I said, and the lightning overhead crackled. I had never called my weapons to me from such a distance, I don’t think anyone ever had, but I could feel them coming to me, feel them rushing to my aid. I just needed more time. But with the cyclops holding Connor hostage, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to wait for them. Besides, I could probably take a cyclops even without my swords.
    The cyclops turned the corner, spotting me. He narrowed his huge eye at me, and a shiver completely unrelated to the cold sprinted down my back. He was so much bigger than I remembered him, pretty much filling up the balcony with his bulk. Behind him, I could see Connor’s unconscious body lying against the stone, but thankfully, as far as I could tell, he was still breathing.
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing,” I screamed into the wind as my hair whipped around me.
    “What I was ordered to do,” the creature replied, lowering itself on its haunches like a cat about to pounce. I really hoped that didn’t happen and not for the obvious reason of I didn’t want to be crushed by a five-hundred pound cyclops.
    “Please don’t jump,” I said. “If you do, I’m pretty sure this balcony will give way and we’ll both fall to our deaths.”
    The cyclops tilted his head toward me, considering. Then, in one fluid motion, he grabbed Connor and flung him over the side. My heart smashed in my chest so hard I thought it would explode as I leapt over the guardrail without