Ceceta ran back into the room. She spotted Rhen and rushed forward, jumping into his arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you so much. You’re amazing.”
“So, you’re happy?” Rhen asked, feeling relieved, as Ceceta kissed him repeatedly.
Ceceta laughed. “Yes! I’m ecstatic! Oh, and my parents were thrilled to learn that they still had their home. I told them you had bought it and kept it in good condition.”
“That’s great. Are they going there now?”
“No. They’re going to stay here for the night to celebrate. They’ll return home tomorrow.” She squealed and squeezed him again. “This is so exciting. Are you coming?” She turned and raced towards the door to go on the tour of the Wood Elf castle that Charlie had arranged for her family.
“No,” Rhen called out. “I’ll wait for you here.” Ceceta blew him a kiss then disappeared.
Layla flew back into Rhen’s body as he returned to his seat. Smiling at Aaron, Rhen said, “I think she likes–”
A black whip lashed out from above, wrapping itself around Rhen’s wrist and jerking him out of his chair. Rhen flew across the table like a rag doll into a rocky outcropping near the brook. Before anyone could react, someone screamed, “You think you can use your powers and just fade away.” Aaron watched in horror as Therol turned visible. He was floating in the air by the other Genisters. It appeared he’d been watching Rhen this whole time.
Therol swung Rhen backwards into the wall by the bathrooms. Thellis and the others threw powerballs at Therol, but he dodged them. “You can’t keep doing that. It’s not right. You’re breaking the rules.” Therol swung Rhen back over the Thestrans’ heads into a tree on the opposite side of the table.
The tigers leapt into the air to try to grab Therol, but he flew higher to escape. Their efforts paid off, though, because they distracted Therol long enough for Rhen to free himself from the whip. “What are you talking about? What do you want?” Rhen asked, while clenching and unclenching his right hand to get the feeling to return to his fingers. His eyes scanned the room. The last time he’d met Therol, Thaster hadn’t been far behind.
“What do I want? What do I want!?” Therol yelled. “Don’t tell me this is going to keep running the same course. You must have broken the rules just now. You can’t keep hiding.” The tigers were getting desperate. It looked like Therol was about to tell Rhen the truth. “I’m so damned tired of this!” Therol flew at Rhen in a rage. Just as he was about to hit Rhen in the stomach, Thaster’s red ghostly image appeared next to Rhen. “Stop!” he bellowed.
Instantly, Therol changed form, becoming ethereal. Instead of striking Rhen, he flew through him instead. He ended up knocking Layla out of Rhen’s body. She hit the ground, gasping for air. Therol’s focus changed immediately. As Thaster rose higher to escape the tigers, Therol flew around Layla in his ethereal form. “If it isn’t Themrock’s beautiful wife,” he mocked. Layla scrambled back and forth, trying to avoid him, her body leaving a ghostly residue of glowing white mist behind her. She was clearly still stunned. Rhen didn’t know what to do. He had no argument with Therol that he knew of, and it was the Genisters’ duty to protect Themrock’s wife, not his.
“I’ve been wondering where you were all these years,” Therol said. “Can’t get enough of this guy, huh?” He nodded his head towards Rhen. “So, how are you gorgeous?” Layla dodged Therol’s hand as he reached for her. “Still playing hard to get?” Layla snarled, making Therol laugh. “I don’t understand what you see in him. What has Themrock given you? Nothing. Years of loneliness and neglect. Is that how a husband should behave? You can’t still prefer him to me, can you?”
Bosternd grunted. So that was it. Therol’s fight with Themrock was over Layla. By the Gods, he couldn’t believe it. It was no wonder the Genisters hadn’t told him. They were probably embarrassed that two of their own were battling over a mere mortal woman. And for centuries!
“Do you?” Therol asked again, his voice sounding hopeful. It suddenly occurred to everyone watching that if Layla accepted Therol, his fight with Themrock would be over. They held their breath, hoping she’d choose him, but instead Layla stuck her tongue out at Therol then zipped back into Rhen’s body.
Therol shook with rage. He turned on Rhen, prepared to fight, but he’d been so distracted by Layla that he hadn’t noticed Noctav sneaking up on him. Before he could move, Noctav lunged.
Noctav grabbed Therol’s ghostly body up into his mouth. He couldn’t kill Therol in this state, but he could detain him while his men got Rhen to safety.
“Wait,” Rhen said, struggling against the tigers, who were pushing him towards the door. “What are you doing? I have to stay. I have to protect everyone. Stop!” Rhen’s protests halted abruptly when a blue helmet appeared on his head. It was the same helmet Thestrst had put on Rhen and the Black Angel when their ankle bracelet had been sounding off. Rhen struggled to take the helmet off while the tigers circled him, keeping him safe.
Charlie entered the room behind them. “Looks like I might have missed some stuff.”
Thaster flew over towards Noctav, his red powers swirling in the air. “You can release Therol. I won’t let him kill Rhen.” Noctav gave Thaster an incredulous look. Thaster shrugged. He understood the tiger’s hesitancy. Glancing at Therol, he said, “You can’t hurt Rhen. I need him.”
Therol struggled in Noctav’s grasp, hoping to break free. Glaring up at Thaster, he hissed, “I can and I will. He broke the rules. He used Themrock’s memories and powers to bring back Ceceta’s family.”
Thaster shook his ghostly red head. “He didn’t break the rules. He… bent them a little, just like you did when you created Loreth to go after him. The Code Book still stands.”
“The book’s a farce. It needs to be burned.”
“It holds true and you will follow it,” Thaster barked, his red powers flaring around him.
“I don’t believe in it anymore,” Therol snapped.
Thaster wanted to strike Therol, but if he did, he might hurt Noctav and he needed Noctav to protect Rhen. “It doesn’t matter if you believe it. You read it and you signed it. Just like the rest of us. It’s law.”
Charlie was stunned. Thaster was fighting for them? What had happened to the man who enjoyed torturing innocent creatures?
Therol growled and fought against Noctav. “I never should have signed that book.”
“You never should have attacked Themrock,” Thamber yelled. “How could you turn against one of us over a stupid mortal?” Therol laughed and Thamber’s temper flared. She used her golden powers to form knives, which she threw at Therol.
“Look out!” Thaster warned Noctav.
Noctav dodged Thamber’s knives just in time, but he lost his grip on Therol.
As soon as Therol broke free, he flew up into the air and launched a purple powerball at Rhen. The energy blast was absorbed by the tigers surrounding him.
“Enough,” Thaster barked using his powers to amplify his voice. The mortals winced. “Therol, you can’t kill Rhen. I won’t let you. Not until I find out how he had children.”
Therol snorted. “I can’t believe it. You actually love your wife, don’t you.”
Thaster didn’t need to reply. It was obvious. When Therol threw another powerball towards Rhen, Thaster’s red form began to expand, his powers swelling around him. “You need to leave,” he told Therol, as he pulled more and more power from Hell. It hurt, but he was determined to protect Themrock.
“No,” Therol snapped.
Thaster thrust his powers forward. They descended on Therol like an angry roiling wave. Instantly, Therol disappeared.
“Where did he go?” Bosternd asked.
“Universe 11,” Thamber said.
They heard Thaster sigh with relief. He’d returned his powers to Hell as soon as Therol had left. Noctav took a step towards him and Thaster raised his hand. “I’m going. I won’t hurt Rhen.” A moment later, he disappeared through a vortex of
swirling red lights.
“Holy Gods,” Thellis said. “That was unusual.” Charlie laughed in agreement. Who would have thought that Thaster would be on their side?
Rhen was still struggling to remove the helmet on his head. Noctav growled at Thestrst, “You can take it off him now.”
Thestrst’s orange powers reached out and pulled the helmet from Rhen. As soon as it came off, Rhen dropped to the floor. “I put him to sleep and erased this part of his memory. I think it’s for the best,” Thestrst told the tigers as they glared at him. Noctav’s tail swished. Clearly, he disagreed.
When Charlie and Bosternd picked up Rhen to put him in one of the bedrooms, they saw Ceceta watching from the doorway. Her face looked drained. “I guess he shouldn’t have brought my parents back.”
Charlie was about to tell her it was fine, but Noctav answered. “Perhaps, but his actions showed us that Themrock is going to let Rhen use his full powers before he restores his memory.”
“I just hope that Rhen doesn’t notice it when his powers glow blue,” she said.
Chapter 36
Delegate Te’s Office – Thestran Royal Palace
Loreth flew into Te’s study in the Thestran royal palace. “There you are,” Te said, rising to his feet. “We’ve got a problem. James has been leaving me messages, asking me about my connection to The Supreme. I don’t know why he would do that since I have no connection to The Supreme.”
Loreth glanced at the man sitting in casual clothes to the right of Te’s desk. The Supreme looked younger out of his robes. His eyes were closed as if he were sleeping, but Loreth could hear his heart racing. He peeked into The Supreme’s mind and saw that the man was barely holding himself back from killing Te. Loreth chuckled. He felt the same way. It was extremely difficult to spend any time in Te’s presence these days.
“Rhen has his powers back,” Loreth said.
The Supreme opened his eyes. Loreth had forced him to send his disciples into the cave in the Wood Elf forest to search for Rhen’s powers. He’d been convinced that while Themrock had hidden his powers from the Genisters, he had probably left them visible to mere mortals. Loreth had been wrong. He’d lost not only his disciples but his position as well.
“I don’t know who this Supreme is,” Te repeated.
Loreth stepped back from Te. The man was standing too close. “I understand, Te.” He wondered briefly if Te had ever been sane. He’d seemed it, when they’d first met. It didn’t matter now, however. He would use Te’s mental illness to his benefit. “I need you for a special mission that’s very important. Only you can do it.” He watched Te’s chest rise with pride. “I need you to take…” Loreth pointed at The Supreme.
“My son, Yfetb?” Te asked.
Loreth nodded. He wondered if Te had changed The Supreme into Yfetb in his mind because he missed his son or if he’d done it because Yfetb was something from his past. “Take Yfetb to the Wood Elf castle. Find out where they put Rhen. I understand he’s sleeping–”
Te interrupted. “Right now? He’s sleeping? But it’s just after lunch.”
“He’s lazy, Te,” Loreth said. “Nothing like you, a hardworking, important person.”
Te nodded vigorously. “I always thought the Surpen King was lazy.”
“Right.” Loreth waved for The Supreme to approach. “Take Yfetb to Rhen. Yfetb has a vital mission that he must perform. Do you understand?” Te nodded and turned to get his jacket. Loreth pulled The Supreme towards him and whispered, “Te is above suspicion. He will get you through the guards surrounding Rhen. Once you kill Rhen, Themrock will be able to return and he will bless you for coming to his aid.”
“As it should be,” The Supreme whispered.
Loreth patted the man on his shoulder. “We’re counting on you.”
“Shall we go, Yfetb?” Te asked walking up to them.
Loreth held out his hand. “Your mission is so important Te that it’d be wrong of me not to use my powers to send you to the castle.”
“Right,” Te said. He blinked and noticed he was now standing in one of the hallways inside the Wood Elf castle. Reaching out, he caught the sleeve of an elf who was just passing by. “Where is Rhen? It’s very important that I find him. I’ve been sent on a crucial mission.”
The elf had seen Te and the cloaked man beside him arrive in the hallway. He assumed Te was speaking the truth, since only the Genisters could move people that way. “He’s upstairs in the fifth bedroom past the zip-line room.
“Zip-line room?”
The elf nodded. “You can’t miss it. There are harnesses on racks outside it.”
Te snorted and marched off. He had places to be.
The Supreme followed Te up the stairs. He was careful to keep his hood lowered so no one would recognize him. Te marched past the Wood Elf soldiers at the entrance to the hall, then bluffed his way past two Genisters. He was stopped, though, at the entrance to Rhen’s room. As Te spoke with Rhen’s guard elves and a few Surpens, The Supreme backed quietly into Rhen’s room. He shut the door behind him and turned around. Rhen lay on a bed of ferns in the center of the room. His Neptian whore was sitting beside him reading a book. She lifted her head and frowned at the sight of him. “Who are you?”
The Supreme walked towards her. “I’ve been sent by Estan. He wants to be sure that you are comfortable.” When the woman opened her mouth to take a breath to respond, he slammed his hand under her chin. Her jaw snapped shut and she lost consciousness. Blood dripped down the sides of her mouth as she slumped backwards on her chair. She’d probably bitten off part of her tongue.
The Supreme stepped forward, towards Rhen. He pulled a blue dagger out of his inner pocket. Loreth had told him it was Genister steel which meant Rhen couldn’t heal from it. He placed the dagger on the far side of Rhen’s throat. “For Themrock,” he whispered, before jerking his hand towards him. For some reason though, he couldn’t move his hand. He tried again and again to slice Rhen’s neck with the dagger, but his hand wouldn’t move. Gods, he thought, what’s happening?
“You didn’t really think that I believed it when you left, did you?”
The Supreme looked up and gasped as Thaster’s red form floated down beside Rhen’s bed. “Come on out, Therol. I know you’re there.”
“Therol?” The Supreme repeated.
Therol screamed and flew out of The Supreme’s pocket.
At once the door to the bedroom opened as the tigers rushed in. “How did you get in here?” Noctav growled. “We sealed this room.”
“When all of the Genisters in the Universe gather together, Themrock provides amnesty so that even Genisters, like me, can attend,” Thaster said. “Therol was kind enough to show me that part of the Code Book. You can’t seal us out of the Wood Elf castle, unless some of the other Genisters leave. The mortal was able to enter the room because he was carrying Therol.”
“Kill him!” Therol yelled at The Supreme.
The Supreme struggled to break free from whatever was holding him. “I can’t move my hand.”
Thaster grunted. “Of course not.” A thin tendril of Thaster’s red powers flowed out from his body towards The Supreme, piercing his stomach. The Supreme screamed as his body morphed into that of a hell slave. “This one’s mine,” Thaster told the tigers, before disappearing with his new slave.
“He saved Themrock?” Therol was incredulous. “How could he do that?” He glanced at the tigers, who were standing beneath him then disappeared as well.
“Heal Ceceta,” Bosternd yelled. Jack got to her first. He used his powers to heal her then woke her up. As Bosternd told her what had happened, the others surrounded Te. “I have an important task,” Te told them. “Yfetb needs to help Rhen.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Sarah asked.
“His mind is all over the place,” Thellis said. “I think he might be insane.”
“Do you know who I know?” Te said. “I’m friends with Themrock. He calls me to ask for advice.”
<
br /> “Take him away,” Noctav said.
Reed reached for Te’s arm. He’d notify the Neptian royal family to see if they had a hospital that might hold Te. The man shouldn’t be left alone. He was obviously a danger to himself and others. He’d have to be confined for the rest of his life.
***
Rhen woke up to find himself lying on a bed of ferns in one of the Wood Elves’ bedrooms. He was groggy and his body felt heavy. He heard a page turn and looked to his right. Ceceta was sitting beside him, reading a magazine. “Is that one of Crystam’s?” he asked with concern.
Ceceta lifted her head and smiled. “No.” She put the magazine down and leaned over onto the fern bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” He lifted his right arm, inviting her to join him. Ceceta crawled up onto the bed and snuggled in beside him. She kissed his neck and rubbed her hand on his chest. “What happened to me? The last thing I remember, we were greeting your family.”
“Mmm.” Ceceta lifted herself up on one elbow to kiss his nose. “Nothing happened to you. You were still tired from the champagne but didn’t realize it. When you brought my family back, it exhausted you so you decided to take a nap. You barely made it here before passing out.”
Rhen didn’t know why, but he didn’t believe her. Something about her story didn’t make sense. “No, Cece.” He sat up and swung his legs off the other side of the bed. “I don’t remember that. I think I would have remembered that.”
Ceceta felt a prickle of fear in her chest. Rhen had never doubted her in the past. Why was he questioning her now? She reached out to stroke his back, feeling his muscles tighten from her contact. “I don’t know why you don’t remember. Maybe because you were so exhausted?”
Rhen turned back to stare at her. Why was she lying to him? He was tempted to read her mind, but a voice inside his head told him to accept Ceceta’s story. He shook his head to clear it then stood up to put on his weapons belt. Ceceta chatted behind him about irrelevant issues, until he was ready to go. They stepped out of the room to find the guard elves, tigers and Genisters waiting for them. “Are you feeling better after your nap?” Thellis asked. Rhen frowned. Thellis’ tone made it sound like he was lying, too.
The Surpen King - Part 2 - Rise of the Elves Page 49