A Dark Inheritance

by Todd Herzman

  Chapter 67

  Ruben

  Ruben’s eyes went from his mother to his grandfather and back. He had more words to say, more questions to ask, but his mouth had gone dry. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking—he still craved blood, Renial hadn’t given him a chance to feed. The second they’d seen Marius in the city, Renial had taken over his people—his thralls—and watched.

  Ruben looked to his grandfather, the words he’d said sinking in, then eyed his mother. ‘You left us? You chose to leave us?’

  She looked at him then, and he caught the glint of her green eyes. She wasn’t an illusion—it was her. It was his mother. She wasn’t dead. She was alive and standing right in front of him. A thunder of emotions struck Ruben, kicking up a storm in his heart. Love and rage mixed within him.

  His mother’s mouth opened and closed. She swallowed, then spoke, ‘I did it to protect you.’

  Ruben clenched his fists. ‘Protect me?’ He stepped closer. ‘After you left, Father died. I had to take over—I had to look after Ella and Marius by myself.’ He shook his head. ‘I didn’t know what I was doing. How could I raise them when I was just a child myself?’

  His mother looked at the ground, shame in her eyes. ‘I was wrong. I thought I could protect you—all of you—by leaving, so he’—she pointed at Renial—‘would never find you. But I was wrong.’ She stared at her father then. ‘You found them anyway, didn’t you? Brought them to your island against their will.’

  ‘I was looking for you, Larial.’ Renial reached for her shoulder.

  Jesriel slapped his hand away. ‘That is not my name any longer. I left for a reason. Can’t you understand that? Not everything in this world belongs to you, Father.’ She walked to Marius, putting her arms around his shoulders from behind, then looked at Ruben. ‘I’m sorry I left you. I’m sorry any of this happened. I—I never meant for any of it.’ She glanced at the God King before returning her gaze to Ruben. ‘We came here to rescue you. To take you home.’

  Ruben blinked. ‘Home? You mean the one you left?’

  ‘I was wrong to leave. I thought I was doing the right thing—I thought I was doing what was best for my children. But—’

  Ruben raised his fist. ‘You weren’t. And saying sorry doesn’t magically fix everything.’ His mother hugged Marius tighter, as if Ruben would ever hurt him. ‘Are you afraid I’ll hurt him, Mother? You’re the one who hurt him. Do you know how he cried when you died? Do you know how many nights he crawled into my bed and wept in my arms? And again, when Father died? Where were you?’

  Fire blossomed from Ruben’s clenched fist, sending a wave of heat. Marius widened his eyes at him. Jesriel put up a hand defensively.

  ‘Ruben, please. Calm down. Please, let me take you home. We’ll be a family again, I promise.’

  Ruben relaxed his hand and let the fire disappear. ‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m already home, Mother.’ He put his hand out to his brother. ‘Marius, I know it’s hard for you to understand, but Renial—our grandfather—he’s our family. He just wants to protect us. He wants to keep us—’

  ‘Don’t.’ Marius moved forward, out of his mother’s arms. ‘Don’t tell me it’s hard for me to understand. Why? Because I’m just a child? I know what Mother did. I’m angry at her too. But him’—he pointed at the God King—‘he is evil. He killed my friend.’

  Renial hadn’t said a word as they spoke. He’d retreated a few steps away to watch the reunion unfold.

  Ruben crossed his arms. ‘I’m sure he had his reasons, little brother.’

  Marius looked him up and down. ‘He’s changed you. He’s in your head. I’m not the one who doesn’t understand what’s going on.’

  ‘Marius is right, Ruben. You don’t know what my father is like. He has… an influence on people, even when he hasn’t bloodlocked them. He’s made you feed already, hasn’t he?’ She looked at Renial. ‘You’re trying to turn him into you, but I’m not going to let it happen—just like I didn’t let you change me.’

  ‘Oh, please,’ Renial said. ‘You are my daughter—you had a taste for it. It is only natural, my dear. Nothing to be ashamed of. But you repressed it. That’s why you had to run off and hide from the little family you had created. You couldn’t handle the urges anymore, could you? So you went into the mountains with those damn monks. Did they tell you they could cure you?’ He laughed. A deep sound that vibrated in Ruben’s bones. ‘You cannot cure it, Daughter. There was never anything wrong with you—nothing but the fact that you couldn’t accept your place in the world.’

  The God King walked forward, looking at each of them in turn. ‘We are a family of wolves, my children.’ He waved a dismissive hand at the wall. ‘Those people—they’re just sheep. Why should we not take their power? We deserve it. It is in our blood.’ He smiled, as if he’d made a joke.

  Ruben stared at his grandfather. Why was he talking like that? Those weren’t the words that would convince his brother to stay. ‘He’s trying to save the world, Marius.’

  Marius’s brow furrowed. ‘Save the world?’

  ‘Is that what you told him?’ Jesriel asked. ‘That you’re doing this to save the world?’

  Renial’s face turned serious. ‘You know I am, Larial.’

  ‘This meteorite of yours, the reckoning, the rock from the sky—when is it going to come?’

  Renial closed his eyes and gripped the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger. For a moment, he looked like any other parent trying to explain something to their argumentative child. ‘You know the vision didn’t show me when, that’s why I must always be prepared—that’s why I must amass as much power as possible, so I am able to protect the world.’

  ‘How long have you been saying that? Eighty years?’ Jesriel looked at the sky, raised her arms high. ‘I don’t see this giant rock of yours.’

  ‘The seekers have the same prophecy. The stars fall every year, you have seen them. Have you not noticed the ones that hit the ground have become larger? The time nears, dear daughter. Where do you want to be when it happens, hiding away from the world? Or saving it?’

  Marius still looked between them with a confused expression. Ruben wanted to take him aside, hug him—but he was afraid he’d be pushed away. Why did they all have to fight? Everyone seemed to fight him these days—Taya, Ella, Marius, even his mother. She shouldn’t be fighting him, she should be on her knees begging to be back in his life, on his terms, not hers.

  ‘Enough.’ Jesriel stepped up to her father. ‘I had to listen to your lies and justifications every day growing up. I don’t have to listen to them anymore. I am taking my children away from this place, and you are not going to stop me. Where are you hiding my daughter?’

  ‘She escaped,’ Ruben said.

  ‘Escaped?’ Jesriel asked.

  ‘No one can hide from me on my own island.’ The God King smirked at Ruben. ‘You know that. I will find her—I will keep this family together.’

  ‘They’re not your family.’ Jesriel closed her eyes, let out a breath, and disappeared.

  A split second later, she materialised behind her father and shot out her hand to grip his head. The God King tipped his head to the side, casually moving out of her way. He spun on one foot and smiled at her.

  ‘Trying to put me to sleep? That only works once.’

  Ruben watched from the side, unsure of what to do—still angry at his mother, but worried she would get herself hurt by defying Renial.

  Marius thrust his hands out at the God King. Whatever he’d tried hit the same barrier Ruben’s flames had hit the first day he’d met Renial back in the throne room. Renial frowned, turning to his youngest grandson.

  Jesriel, seizing on Renial’s distraction, disappeared again—then reappeared behind him. And beside him, and in front of him—illusions, like those Alyssa might make. She was in four places at once, trying to reach for her father. He moved so fast, dodged each strike as if he knew they were coming. R
uben was so transfixed watching the spectacle he gasped when a hand touched his shoulder.

  One moment he was in the garden, the next, the forest outside the castle. The hand disappeared from his back—his mother, had she teleported him here? Another second passed and his brother appeared in front of him, Jesriel gripping his shoulders and breathing hard.

  ‘We don’t have much time.’ Jesriel turned on Ruben. ‘Do you know where your sister is? I can’t sense her in the city.’

  Ruben gaped at her, the rage boiling inside of him a fire threatening to come out. ‘What in the world did you do?’ He spun around, eyes darting from tree to tree, trying to see if they were close to the castle. ‘Why did you take me away from there?’

  His mother’s strong hands gripped him and spun him around. ‘You are my son. I took you from there to keep you safe.’

  Ruben shrugged off her hands and stepped back. ‘What right do you have to call me your son? You abandoned that right when you left us.’

  Jesriel’s arms fell to her side. ‘Do you really believe what he’s told you? Or do you just want to feed again?’ Ruben stumbled back at her words. She stepped forward, a grave look on her face. ‘I can see it in your eyes. And look at you, you’re shivering.’ She shook her head. ‘Your body’s calling out for blood, but that’s not what you need. I left this place so you wouldn’t have to grow up with this burden. I didn’t want you to become what I became… I didn’t want what happened to my brother to happen to you.’

  ‘Your brother? I have an uncle?’ Ruben shook his head. ‘You kept so much from us. Kept our heritage from us. Your name from us. Then you left us. Was every word you told us growing up a lie?’

  ‘I wanted to keep you safe. I thought the truth… I thought it was the truth that was dangerous, but I know now it was the lies. I promise you, I am not lying now. Renial is controlling you, Ruben. You can’t go back to him—you must fight it. You must fight the bloodlust. Your mind will clear in time, I promise you it will. I promise we’ll be a family, and I’ll never leave you again. I’ll never leave any of you again. Now, please, tell me where your sister is so we can save her.’

  ‘How can I believe a word of what comes from your mouth, Mother? You implanted memories in us of your death. I watched you die—we all watched you die. And for what?’ Ruben’s hands shook. He needed blood.

  You must fight the bloodlust. Your mind will clear in time.

  He could hear his own heartbeat. The thrum of his pulse in his neck. His skin prickled. His blood ran hot. He clenched his fists to stop their shaking. Flames sprung from them, licking up his arms.

  His grandfather’s words played in his mind, as if he were standing right beside him, whispering in his ear. She lied to you. Made you see what she wanted you to see—just as she lied to me. It is what she does. She lies. She abandons.

  Ruben couldn’t take any word from his mother as truth. He looked to his brother—was Marius even here? Or was that another of her illusions?

  He turned from her, turned from Marius, and ran through the trees. He didn’t know where the castle was, but he needed to get there. Your mind will clear in time. He’d tried to clear his mind—tried to see truth for lies, tried to do what was best. She lies. She abandons. But he didn’t know what that was anymore. Renial is controlling you… You must fight it. He didn’t know how to think without the blood.

  One more taste. Then I can make up my mind, just one more taste…

  He ran, and kept running, faster and faster through the trees until he finally spotted the tops of one of the castle’s towers. He sprinted to it.

  A woman—his mother—popped into existence in front of him. He tried to move, tried to dart out of the way, but there was no time. She thrust her hand out and touched his head—

  Darkness followed.

  Chapter 68

  Ella

  Ella gripped the top of the wall, unable to move. She’d almost finished making the tree grow when she’d sensed her brother and the God King coming. The feeling off the God King had almost overwhelmed her—she’d had to pulse the light to bring the tree up the last few feet, and she’d almost killed it in the process.

  But she’d made it to the top, quick as she’d ever climbed before.

  The God King had waltzed to the middle of the garden and just… sat there, waiting. He’d looked around, surprised to not see Ella. He’d tilted his head at the sight of his statue torn asunder, its head lying in the grass, but hadn’t focused on it long. Ruben had followed him asking questions, looking worried at finding his sister gone, but he’d calmed down too, standing idle behind Renial.

  Then two people had run through the wall.

  My mother is alive, was all she could think since she’d seen the illusions fall. My baby brother is here, and my mother is alive. She’d been stuck frozen, watching everything unfold—wanting to do something, say something, but being too afraid.

  Then Ella’s mother had disappeared, taking Ella’s brothers with her.

  Ella watched the God King pace up and down the path. His eyes were a startling red—bright enough for her to see from the top of the wall. She wanted to reach out with her senses and see if she could find her family, but she didn’t want to feel his overwhelming presence—didn’t want him to sense her. She still didn’t know how it all worked. Why could she sense him, when he couldn’t sense her?

  One day, she would understand her powers. Right now, she just wished to get off the island with her free will intact.

  She didn’t want to move while he was still there. What if he heard the scratch of her feet on the roof? Her heavy breathing as she ran? If only I could break his mind like I broke the blood lord’s, she thought. Except even feeling his power hurt—there was no telling what it would do to her to try and touch his mind. Aralia had told her to be wary of this power, until she better understood it.

  Would touching his mind kill me?

  The God King stopped pacing. He paused a moment, then turned his head sharply to the door. He strode toward it, his black cloak sweeping the ground behind him. Ella waited until the door shut. She counted to five, took a deep breath, and used her other senses. Renial’s presence walked through the halls. The two guards by the door followed behind him.

  Ella found the courage to move. She pushed off the side of the wall and stood on the castle roof. The wind caught her hair, whipping it in front of her eyes. The roof beyond was flat. She glanced up at the towers, reaching out with her senses.

  Three guards in each, draped in shadow. She thought she caught the glint of a pair of eyes in one but couldn’t tell. Running the castle roofs to get out of this place had seemed like a great idea until she’d gotten up here. Looking around, she couldn’t see any path to avoid the towers’ sightlines. She sighed and climbed back down the tree.

  She hung down from a branch, let go, and landed heavily on the garden floor. Right back where I started, she thought. Except, that wasn’t true. Not really. Now the God King thought she’d already escaped—besides, he was focused on finding the others.

  My mother is alive. The thought played in her mind again. She’d listened intently to every word they’d spoken in the garden. She left to protect us, Ella thought. She could understand Ruben’s anger, but how could he not find it in himself to forgive their mother, knowing her true reasons why? She’d been wrong to leave, but had she been wrong to try and protect them?

  Ella couldn’t stop to think on it. Couldn’t stop to worry about whether her family was safe—she needed to focus on her own escape.

  She gripped the crystal at her neck, the one Aralia had given her back on the island. It must be the reason the God King hadn’t felt her presence on the roof. She pushed out with her senses. The guards were still gone. She approached the door, ready to burn it down with her flames. Logic told her to try the handle first. It opened easily. Why would Renial lock it if she were no longer there?

  She kept her other senses sharp as she stepped th
rough the halls, managing to avoid wrong turns that would take her into someone’s presence. She was getting better at juggling her magical sight with her eyes open. She didn’t push too far, not wanting to come across the overwhelming presence of the God King—

  Her grandfather. She didn’t want to believe it. She’d been in denial ever since Ruben told her, but part of her—a deep, primal part—knew it might be true.

  Her mother was alive and had grown up in this place. Once this was all over, she hoped she’d be able to hear her mother’s story. She remembered asking about her grandparents once, only to be told—by Mother and Father—that she didn’t have any. How many other lies had they been fed growing up?

  Hope blossomed within her for a moment. She stopped dead in the hallway. Is Father alive too?

  It was a foolish thought, an idle hope. She quashed it and kept moving.

  She was about to turn a corner when she sensed someone in a room around it. She stopped, inspecting the presence. The presence emanated no power—not a blood mage. And it didn’t feel like a blood mage’s thrall. Ella examined it and felt no strings.

  Taya is in the castle, she thought.

  She pushed her senses farther out. If she was wrong, she would need to move fast. There was no one else nearby, not close enough to hear someone’s screams, at least. She drew a silent breath, called flames to her hand, then turned the corner. She trailed her other hand across the wall, trying to pinpoint which door the presence was behind. When she found it, she noticed the lock was on the outside.

  Fire in one hand, she unlatched the lock and flung the door open. The door swung in, slamming hard into a cabinet. The bang made a woman lying on the bed jump awake.

  The woman—skinny, pale and dark haired—sprung into a sitting position. Her eyes widened at Ella, focusing on the fire she held in her hand.