Chapter Seventeen

XXXXII.

El had been drifting in and out of consciousness since the rangers had found her, as the serpent's venom continued to run its course through her body.

Upon her eyes being uncovered, she was skeptical of the sea of faces that greeted her.

She wondered if this was really a hallucination, or a dream.

Frogman was still giving his speech, but she could barely make sense of it.

"Infiltrated...devil living among us...face punishment!"

Suddenly, the feeling of a sharp, cold blade of a knife pressed against her neck brought her to a startling sense of clarity.

Typhon got off Bridgette's back, not content to simply stand by and watch. 

He pushed his way through the crowd, approaching the balcony, until Rangers swooped in and halted his advance.

"El didn't start that fire!" He protested. "You don't even have any proof!"

Suddenly, Jed stepped forth into view on the balcony.