Zero Rising: Soldier of Light Chronicles Book 3

by Ireland Gill

  * * * * *

  Despite the morning’s events, I didn’t want to cancel on our visitor. I didn’t want to disappoint my brother at all. And I felt that maybe having the distraction, having the ability to make someone else happy, would help me bide myself some time in order to clear my head a bit.

  Rose was a sweet girl. Every bit as sweet as my brother had said she was. She’d come to the door with each hand carrying a homemade pie. Apple, as promised, and blueberry. I was inclined to try both since I’d been a sucker for pies to begin with.

  It wasn’t hard to get over the whole car wash incident after meeting her properly. Maybe it was easier to forgive her since I’d had something new to occupy my mind. Or maybe I’d finally been learning not to sweat the small stuff. It was a car. The taillight was getting fixed, and Luka was bringing it back that night. I’d actually let him have those keys for the first time and he’d been on cloud nine because of it. I was learning to let go a little on who I let drive the damn thing anymore.

  We’d all gathered in the kitchen, the five of us – Hayden, Rose, Jaxon, Indigo, and myself. We’d seated ourselves among the breakfast table and the barstools at the kitchen island.

  “Evika, your home is beautiful.” Rose was genuine. “And you all live here?”

  I looked at my brother and smiled. “One big, happy family, we are,” I answered.

  Jaxon shoved an oversized piece of blueberry pie in his mouth before it could fall from his fork. His cheeks puffed out as he smiled and gave a thumbs-up. He finally swallowed and said, “I’m especially happy after these wicked-good pies.”

  Rose giggled and poked Jaxon in the shoulder. “Glad you like them. I hit the store right after I..”, she paused, “well...right after I hit your car yesterday,” we all laughed in unison, “and I wanted to get started on them right away after Jaxon said it was cool to meet up today.” She smiled bashfully.

  “I’m glad you did, Rose. This is a much better introduction,” I said, offering her a smile. “Your pies are killer.”

  “From what I heard about your initial meet cute with Jaxon,” Hayden started, “I’d say you two were meant to find each other.”

  Rose, Jaxon and Indigo all three looked at each other and belted out laughing.

  Rose caught her breath and tied her hair back into a high pony-tail. “Do you know I still can’t get that damn slushy red out of that material?” She giggled again. “Not that I really care. Good memories should never be washed away. We need to keep reminders for ourselves once in a while.”

  I looked over at Rose inquisitively, trying to catch if she’d been looking directly at me when she said those specific words, as if they were meant for me. But she’d been staring coyly at my brother, raising her hand to lightly pinch his cheek. But who was I kidding? She didn’t even know me.

  “I’m a sucker for memorabilia,” she said.

  “You sound like me,” Indigo said as he walked his plate to the sink and started washing it. “I like keeping reminders myself as well.” He looked over at me and winked. I grinned at him.

  We’d hung out in the kitchen around those pies for quite a while, talking about favorite places to eat, favorite movies, favorite music, best concerts we’d been to. We’d gone around the room so each of us could speak. Like a game. I was truly happy that my brother invited Rose over so we could start off on a better foot than the first time.

  “You know,” Jaxon started, “you and Evika have something in common.”

  “Do we?” Rose raised a brow and smiled, looking over at me. I was pretty sure I knew what my brother was referring to.

  Jaxon bobbed his head. “Song lyrics.”

  “That’s right,” I said. “Jax told me you write lyrics as a side gig?”

  Rose’s face blushed to match the color of red on her sweater. “It’s just for my cousin.” She made a shewing wave with her hand. “No big deal, really. He is creating his own self-published album. Paying me a little for the words. He writes the music for them, though.”

  “That’s pretty cool,” I said. “My lyrics just stay in a journal. At least you’re doing something with them.”

  Rose’s cheeks flushed before picking up the last piece of her apple pie with her fork. “That’s where most of mine stayed before Ryan asked me to help out. Otherwise, mine would stay in books too, you know?”

  I thought about some of the lyrics I’d written. Most, if not all, were songs I’d written for my mother or about her. The one I’d actually put into a song with the piano – one that was created after my mother was killed and intended for her funeral – was a song I’d never played for anyone. I never ended up playing it the day of her burial. But Hayden knew all about it. He’d been there.

  “I’ll get all these, guys,” Hayden said. “You all head to the other room and hang out.”

  I looked over at Hayden while he started gathering our dishes to take to the sink. Jaxon and Rose thanked him and went into the living room.

  I recalled the day I found out he’d known about it, that song I’d written. It was the first day we’d met outside of a dream. Hayden was ticking off things on his fingers to show proof that he was, in fact, my Guardian, and he’d known everything about me. Everything. It was his admission to knowing about that song to my mother that gave me the proof. He’d been there with me my whole life. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly. And there was a lot of ugly.

  “Hey, Ev?” Jaxon popped his head around the corner. I turned. “Rose and I were thinking of catching a movie tonight. Would you guys like to come?”

  I smiled at my brother. “Thanks, Jax. But I think I’m gonna stay in tonight after the crazy afternoon. I’m a little exhausted.” I knew he’d known what I meant.

  “Yeah,” his shoulders dropped. “I get that. That’s why I thought it would be good for you to get out for a bit. If you change your mind, just let me before we leave.”

  “Thanks, brother.”

  “Oh,” he added, “and we might head into one of those shops to pick out some paint for my room, too! Needs a little color in there. A type of green, maybe?” He winked at me, making me laugh.

  “How about you, Hayden? Wanna catch a flick?”

  Hayden turned around from the sink and smiled at Jaxon, then gave a quick glance over at me before answering. I was hoping he’d say he’d go. It would be the perfect opportunity for me to execute the plans I’d already made for my night.

  “Thanks, Jaxon, but I’ll stay home tonight. You should use the opportunity to have some alone time with Rose.” He nudged him.

  My brother blushed. “’Kay. Well, same thing goes for you, too. If you change your mind, let me know before we leave.” And then he left the room.

  Hayden and I were alone in the kitchen, not saying a word. I felt his eyes on me while I cleaned up the counter. Once we’d cleaned everything up, he gently grabbed for my hand to lead me outside to the back porch. I, of course, followed, grateful that he’d shoved all indifferences aside to sit with me on the porch that night. We just sat, and he held me like he’d meant it – for the first time in weeks.

  With his ability to calm me, I was able to think more clearly in order to conjure up the precision of every move I would need to make in order to carry out my plan later that night. I knew there was something horrid taking over me because I would have normally felt guilty right off the bat in regards to my defiance against Hayden. But my hatred and anger had gotten the best of me. Who could blame me? The end justified the means - that’s how I saw it - and I didn't care what it took to get what I wanted. I had pulled off the best acting job of my life just to show Hayden I was okay.

  He'd decided we’d call Elliott first thing in the morning to examine the castor, and that we'd also take a break for a few days from saving. I didn't need anything muddying up my mind anyway. Clearly, I lacked any type of compassion for anyone after seeing Anton.

  “Are you sure you are okay?” Hayden asked me solemnly, tucking me into bed as if I were a child agai
n. His nurturing side had returned, and I was grateful.

  “I'm fine,” I faked a smile. “I just need to breathe and think about this for a while.”

  “Evika.” He sighed and looked into my eyes, studying me for a moment. “I know there is still something wrong and you're doing a terrible job not letting it on. There will be a solution to this. I promise you. Just give me time to figure this out.” He kissed my forehead and fluffed the pillow on the bed, gesturing me to lie down. He sat next to me on the edge of the bed. In hindsight, I should have taken that opportunity to mend things between us. Maybe hash things out.

  “I feel like there is something wrong about this, too,” he admitted. “That castor was not in good condition, and I am going to find out why it became that way. Something obviously isn't right.”

  I rolled to my side, away from him. “I'll find out,” I said blithely.

  Hayden shot me a look. I could feel it without even seeing him. “We will find out. This is not something you would do alone, Evika. Tandem, remember? You will not be taking on some mystery like Nancy Drew, especially after this guy.” He rose from the bed and walked over to the other side of the mattress to look straight into my eyes. “Promise me.”

  “Promise what?” I asked in monotone.

  His eyes narrowed and bore into mine. “You know exactly what I mean, Evika. Don't play dumb.”

  I looked at him, wondering if I could do it...if I could promise him aloud, blatantly lying to him, my love, my angel. I realized, with my current mood, it was a lot easier than I thought it could ever be.

  “I promise,” I lied. I guess it was easier for me to lie because it would be too dangerous not to. Who knows what Hayden would do; call in a squad of other guardians to stand at every door like sentries? Not let me leave the premises?

  He looked at me incredulously, then decided it was enough for him to leave me to rest. His cell chimed, and he looked down.

  “Luka came back with your car.” He gestured to his phone. “All fixed now.” He shoved his hands in his front pockets, still studying me. I hadn’t said anything else. “I'll be down the hall. I'll need to speak with Luka to see if any of the other Guardians have an idea about the castor being mangled. You stay put and get some sleep. We’ll figure this out.” He grazed my arm softly with his fingers as I stared blankly out the window. Sure, I'd stay put....for now.

  Oh, the power I felt in that moment, it was intoxicating and I didn't mind letting it take me over. I felt the darkness inside me, the hatred I had buried for so long just beneath the surface. It had always been there. I had no sympathy for this heartless piece of shit, and I was sure to find a way, even if it ruined me, to make him pay for the horrible things he'd done. He’d killed my mother.

  I was a landmine of feelings filled with pockets of rage. And there was nowhere safe left to tread. A plan was brewing in my head - how to capture him, how to get past Hayden with the window of time I would allot myself before he found out. No matter what, I would avenge my mother.

  Chapter Fifteen The Great Fray

  It was dark by the time I woke up. I knew my body well enough that I would wake up after a few hours. It was about a quarter till midnight. I felt Hayden's arm rested around my waist and it almost made me want to stay in bed for just a little longer. But only 'almost.' It was the first time he’d stayed in the bed with me since our fight. Part of me wondered why it was so easy for him to do so – lie there without having resolved the issue between us yet. But it was easy to figure that out – he didn’t trust me to be alone. He didn’t trust anything I’d said to him a few hours ago, and I didn’t blame him.

  Once I'd recapped my thoughts, I was ready to begin carrying out my plan. I quietly slid out of Hayden's hold, hoping to God that he hadn't made Luka stay awake somewhere in the house for extra protection. I crept to the floor to look under the bed for the duffel bag in which Hayden kept all of the castors. And to my surprise, it was hiding under the bed on the opposite side, guarded by none other than my dog, Beau.

  Beau was usually in Luka’s room most nights. That was a given. But it was clear that this was a set up for tonight. My dog was lying with one eye open to protect that bag of castors. I crouched down next to him, and his head popped up in alertness.

  “Hey, Beau-Beau,” I whispered. “You gonna let me grab that bag?”

  A low growl came from his throat, and my brow furrowed at him.

  I raised my hand to his face to gently scratch his mane, but his head twitched to the side and away from me as he growled a little louder this time. My warning.

  I shushed him to quiet him down. “You’ve got to be kidding me right now.”

  I was at the mercy of my own back-from-the-dead dog. The one thing keeping me from the bag under that bed that held the contents of a murderous soul I wanted to get my hands on.

  I tried reaching around him very slowly, but he hoisted his front end up straight and lowered his head, his eyes looking straight into mine. That low growl warned me again.

  “Goddammit,” I said almost inaudibly. “I know they put you up to this, Beau.”

  I slouched, realizing my dog wasn’t going to budge, then sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him. “You have no idea why you’re even guarding it, but if you did, I bet you’d change your mind.”

  I considered waiting him out. I even considered trying to trick him, but he was too smart for that. Yes, smart. He was smarter. It seemed as though Beau had acquired more understanding in communication with humans since he’d been brought back to life. He even seemed more ept in human emotions. And that was exactly what I was banking on when I’d stood to go creep down the hall to the closet to get my old book bag. I’d already cleaned it out to hold the tools I’d needed for that night. All except for one thing; a picture of my mother.

  I walked back into the bedroom to find my dog still sitting majestically next to that bed, rear end and tail touching the duffel bag on which I needed to get my hands.

  I held out the photo of my mother, making sure it caught the beam of moonlight from the window. “You remember her, boy?” I whispered.

  A faint whine escaped his throat as he cocked his head and recognized her face. In that instant, watching my dog’s recognition of her, I felt the tears well up faster than I could react to get them to stop.

  I slowly crouched down next to my dog, still holding up the photo. “Th—There is a bad guy in that bag, Beau,” I choked out quietly. “The bad guy that took her from us.” My eyes stung. “He killed her.” I raised my hand to cover my mouth in fear of becoming too loud once I started sobbing.

  Beau’s eyes softened, and his head cocked again. He then stood on all fours, approaching me with his wet tongue to clear the tears from my face. I’m not sure why I’d even expected him to understand what I told him about the contents of the bag, but I know for a fact he understood when I was sad. And hurting.

  I tousled the hair on my dog’s head and sighed in frustration, yet still grateful for his being so loyal to Hayden and Luka, assuming they’d both put him up as the guard of the castor bag under the bed. It was the perfect security, really. Nonetheless, it was still frustrating.

  I couldn’t sleep anymore, and I needed time to think of a new plan to get my hands on that banged up castor before morning. Before Elliott showed up to take it and fix it - whatever he was going to do with it – I would need to execute my plan.

  Obviously, I needed to clear my head, step away while I was still lucky enough not to have awakened Hayden after all of the communication I’d done with my dog. Hmm. Communication with the dog; it all seemed futile. Pointless. I stood and made my way to the hallway, giving Beau one more glance before leaving, but not before leaving that photo of my mother on the floor in front of him. He sat rigid on those hind legs, looking down at the picture, then back at me, still blocking my view of the part of the bag that snuck out from under the bed.

  I shook my head at him. Traitor, I thought. I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud
, despite having used that term on him before. Not because I feared being too loud and waking up Hayden. It was because, deep down, I knew my dog would understand what I meant by that word, and the thought of offending him with that blow didn’t seem right. I knew he understood more than he should as a dog.

  I made my way to the living room and exasperatedly threw my body on to the couch, my legs hanging over the armrest. I felt the remote jabbing me in the lower back and moved it, placing it on the floor. I didn’t even want to bother putting the television on, not even for background noise.

  The house was so quiet, a peaceful quiet. The only sound I heard came from the open windows from the back of the house, the light breeze that blew through the trees in time with each of my controlled breaths. It was calming.

  I closed my eyes, racking my brain for a way to execute my plan, to get my hands on that castor. I’d imagined how much simpler it would have been for me, had the dog not been there. But then I was flooded with guilt for even thinking that way. How could I? I loved my dog. I would just have to work around this hurdle somehow.

  “Think, Evika,” I whispered to myself, pinching the bridge of my nose, eyes still shut tightly. I only had a few hours to devise a plan with actionable steps that would allow me to get my hands on that castor in which a murderer inhabited. A murderer who had no clue what was about to happen to him. A human being who met his demise way too soon due to his own hand.

  I felt cheated out of things when I found out Anton had killed himself. That bastard hanged himself in his prison cell after getting caught trying to cross the border. His many murders and crimes had caught up with him. I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do after learning that information. It was Elka who’d brought me the article from the paper, being the first to advise me of the suicide of my mother’s murderer. Knowing of his history of murders, I knew I’d never get the chance to avenge my mother in any way, because he’d be in the Dark Realm for a very long time. Much longer than my lifetime as a Soldier of Light. But irony was upon us, with a swift little game.