A Battle of Souls

by Bella Forrest

  Our parents and friends stayed with us, too, as well as Derek and Sofia. Aida had a good hold on Calliope for the time being, and Ben and Rose were more than capable of managing The Shade in Derek and Sofia’s absence, even with the island extension works still in progress.

  We gave ourselves some time to get our affairs in order, to bury our dead, and to assist Neha, Nevis, Hundurr, and Zane in establishing peace terms and alliances. As expected, the daemons didn’t immediately jump on board. Velnias, the pacifists, our dragons, and GASP troops had to put their feet over the fire, almost literally, to get the entire kingdom to understand and accept that change was coming.

  It was going to take a while, but it was worth it. With Shaytan dead and the Council virtually obliterated, Zane had little trouble gaining control over the daemon kingdom. About five days after we destroyed Azure Heights, all the daemon cities had conceded and accepted Zane’s rule, albeit begrudgingly.

  Zane established his leadership and enlisted the pacifists on his Council, with Velnias as his right hand. Mose and his brother both had survived and had also made it into the daemon government system in high positions. Firm elders were needed to guide the daemons, particularly the younglings. All the Iman, Manticore, Adlet, and Dhaxanian prisoners were released and returned to their people. The pit wolves were freed and reunited with the Adlets—Hundurr made sure to help them all regain their natural forms.

  The daemons were put on a “detox” program. Some didn’t fare very well and required imprisonment. Those who flat-out rejected Zane and tried to organize a rebellion were promptly arrested. Those most culpable in their support of Shaytan and his murderous policies were not given a second chance—they were deeply and irreparably addicted to souls. There was no way out for them.

  Some of Zane’s brothers repented and bowed before him. Shaytan’s harem was disbanded; all his wives were given their own homes wherever they wanted. Some moved to other cities altogether. The only one who stayed in the palace was his mother. She’d earned her seat next to her son’s throne, after all.

  I didn’t go with Zane. We didn’t even get to talk about our relationship, and for good reason. Fixing his kingdom was a matter of the utmost urgency, and I had a ton of GASP issues to deal with by the river, including a solid debriefing and assisting the locals and our witches in rebuilding Azure Heights. My strength helped speed certain things up.

  The mountain was cleansed by the dragon fires. We repopulated its flora and fauna, then proceeded to rebuild each level of the city. Azure Heights was designated as the new capital of the Iman state. The allies engaged in lengthy talks over territory distribution and the sharing of certain resources. Trade routes were established, and there was a consensus for a comprehensive Nerakian legislation to which all species would adhere—this had to do with the basics, like murder, theft, corruption, and so on.

  As expected, the territory splits were pretty straightforward. The Dhaxanians stuck to the northern parts of the continent, where the temperatures were below zero. The Manticores preferred the hot and dry areas, as well as the marshes. The Adlets stuck to the hills and densely forested areas, while the Imen were perfectly happy with plains and southern mountain chains, as well as shoreline territories.

  The daemons kept to the underground cities, with hunting areas carefully outlined in specific locations, including the Valley of Screams. No one was allowed to hunt or feed off the Imen. That was punishable by death, with no exception. It worked as a deterrent.

  Jax and his wards gathered all the Imen and performed the mass cleansing he’d talked about. They were all cleared of previous mind-bending, their memories fully restored. Demios was brought back from the ocean-shore village where Arrah had kept him safe. Once he remembered everything that had happened, he knew what he had to do—he applied to become a part of the newly formed Iman government and put forward his candidacy for mayor of Azure Heights. He was going to compete against Wyrran, but they were both willing to support one another, no matter who won. Demios didn’t have too much time to suffer over Arrah’s death. The Imen kept him constantly busy, helping him get involved in crucial legislative and territorial conversations.

  Most of the Exiled Maras who had fled were eventually captured. The rebels were kept separate, while Caspian, Sienna, Peyton, and Cadmus helped identify those who could be repatriated to White City. The others faced prison for a minimum of five hundred years for what they had done.

  Caspian was going to be with Harper, and we all welcomed him as a part of GASP. Tobiah insisted he go with Sienna—they would’ve been allowed to stay on Neraka, given his daemon heritage, but he wanted a fresh start. White City sounded like a good place to do just that, as long as Sienna was with him. Their bond was strong, and I couldn’t help but admire their dedication to making that relationship work.

  I knew I needed to talk to Zane about us, but I didn’t even know how to bring it up. It took hours to travel from Neraka to Calliope, and the Daughters didn’t have the juice to create portals here like they’d done between Calliope and The Shade. The distance wasn’t an issue, per se. But Zane and I were barely getting to know each other. Yes, we were deeply in love, but we both needed to commit and talk about how we would make this work.

  As I stood in the special guests’ area at his coronation ceremony, just outside the royal palace in Infernis, I knew it was only a matter of time before we sat down and discussed things. It was just hard to find the right moment.

  It was eerie to be back in Infernis, surrounded by thousands of daemons, along with our friends and allies. Nobody wanted to eat our souls or kill us this time. The palace itself had been restored to its former glory, with gold leaf and precious gemstones encrusted in intricate details across the walls. Fires burned in massive, ceremonial pits. Flower garlands dressed the front columns from top to bottom.

  “It’s obnoxiously hot down here,” Derek grumbled, loosening his shirt collar.

  None of our Shadians or Eritopians seemed comfortable, except for those of us who had spent days down here already. I actually enjoyed the heat. My vampire nature kept me cold, but all the lava lakes bubbling nearby did a good job of making me feel a bit more human. It was the one thing I’d missed since I’d been turned, along with the inability to stuff my face with a decent burger without retching. I couldn’t fix the latter, but Infernis was definitely helping with the former.

  “It’s actually grown on me,” I replied with a giggle.

  “It makes sense. You’ve only been a vampire for what, twenty years?” Derek asked, and I nodded. “You’re still in touch with your human side. I’ve long since gotten accustomed to my cold nature. I doubt I would ever readjust to these temperatures comfortably.”

  “Oh, shush.” Sofia chuckled. “I’m willing to bet we’ll all miss this once we go back to The Shade. This place feels like a spa, complete with a lava sauna!”

  “Mm-hm, does wonders for my complexion,” Hazel chimed in, making us giggle.

  I stayed with my crew throughout the ceremony. Velnias and the pacifists organized the entire thing. The majority of the attendees were pleased to see Zane ascend to the throne. Some were quite miserable, judging by the sour looks on their faces, but they had no choice. Change was coming, and they couldn’t stop it.

  Zane’s mother, Derya, stood by his side, clad in a gold dress. Her long hair was braided with a million tiny diamonds, and her red eyes twinkled with pride as she watched her son bow before Velnias, so the former High Warden could put the crown on his head.

  The crowd erupted in cheers as Zane straightened his back and took center stage, looking at his people. His gaze traveled across the square, finding me among my family members and friends. He gave me a brief, soft smile, then took a deep breath and spoke up, his firm voice thundering across the square.

  “I solemnly swear to uphold our new constitution, to pursue peace and righteousness, to protect my people, and to help my kingdom thrive. We are all equals here, and we abide by the rules. We’ve g
iven in to our weaknesses for far too long, brothers and sisters. It’s time for a change, because our nation needs saving,” he said. “Our kingdom needs to grow and step away from the vileness. We are not superior. We are no better than the blades of grass above the ground. No better than the rivers flowing through the Valley of Screams. We live, we die, we breathe, and we dream, just like our brothers among the Imen, the Dhaxanians, the Adlets, and the Manticores. We will not thrive until we learn to respect and cherish life. All life!”

  The crowd murmured. A round of applause rumbled through the square.

  Not everyone was on board. Not fully. Zane smiled. I could tell from the look on his face that he was well aware of that. But they all just needed time and a firm hand. He had both, plus a brilliant mind.

  “We will see better days, soon enough,” he added. “We do not need to crush those we could instead help thrive along with us. Neraka is our home. The Imen, the Adlets, the Dhaxanians, and the Manticores… They are our people, too. There’s a whole universe out there, waiting for us to discover it. The time of petty feuds and frivolous deeds is over. The era of progress and greatness is upon us. I will show you a better way. And I am honored to call you my people. I am proud to represent you and to lead you into the next stage of our existence. I am humbled to wear this crown and establish peace throughout the kingdom. The future is ours, brothers and sisters. Let’s make something of it.”

  The crowd reacted differently this time—better, in fact. Applause thundered in copious rounds. Cheers whistled across the square. Arms were raised, and words of encouragement made it to his ears. Zane couldn’t help but smile as he bowed gently before his people.

  Shaytan’s sons were now free to live as they wished, and so were their mothers. That alone had been incentive enough for them to stand by Zane. The pacifists had done a good job of swaying the public opinion in his favor. The dragons had been equally persuasive with those who weren’t willing to cooperate. In the end, most of them did. Most of them accepted their new king.

  I knew, deep in my heart, that I loved him now more than ever. However, I didn’t know if he still wanted me in his life. Or if this would work. I should’ve gone up to him that day, but I lacked the courage. I watched him go inside the palace with his new Council, his mother, and his extended family, as his subjects continued to cheer him on.

  Maybe a good night’s sleep would help me see things more clearly in the morning. Whatever happened next, I knew I had to mean it, to truly want it. And it had to be mutual. In a way, the ball was now in Zane’s court. He had the kingdom and the throne. All he had to do was ask me. I probably would’ve said yes.

  Harper

  A week had passed since we’d brought Neraka’s ordeal to an end. It seemed like yesterday, though. Azure Heights had been rebuilt—this time it was even more beautiful and was filled with open-air public spaces. There was no social segregation of any kind, either. This was a city of Imen that welcomed everyone, from all walks of life.

  The Valley of Screams was reassigned to the Imen. Only ten gorges were given to the daemons for hunting. Lumi made sure to set up alarm spells to notify the Imen if anyone broke the territorial rules. After she healed herself and replenished her soul through a comprehensive ritual, she gifted the Imen with swamp witch charms to use in the future—to improve their crops, to preserve their food supplies, to grow their trees, to heal their wounds, and to protect them from any kind of attack. It was her gift to them, the little she could do after thousands of years spent in utter misery.

  Caspian made a full recovery. We spent a lot of time together—in one of the bedrooms in the newly rebuilt Palisade, which was now a luxury hotel, or with the others, helping the Imen open new stores and businesses on different city levels.

  We spent our evenings walking the streets and talking about what had been, and about what would come to pass. Lumi had given us both something extraordinary. First, she’d removed Caspian’s blood oath. He could speak freely again, and he had so many stories to tell.

  Second, she subjected me to a ritual to replenish my soul. I felt whole again. I could smile again. I could breathe and relish every second, once more. The difference that a complete soul makes.

  Of course, she did the same with all the Imen and everyone else who had had their souls nibbled on by the Exiled Maras and the daemons. Nevis was all proud and smirking again, thrilled to have regained his full powers. The Dhaxanian prince’s unbreakable frost had returned, and the first thing he did with it was, of course, troll the hell out of Heron. It took Avril a while to explain to both Lucas and Marion that this was just the usual mischief between the Mara and the Dhaxanian.

  “I will return to White City and bow before Jax,” Caspian muttered as we settled on the edge of an artesian fountain on the fifth level, overlooking the fields, our camp, and the Valley of Screams. Even the air felt different. Better. “He’s the Lord of Maras on Calliope, after all. It will be an honor to serve him,” he added.

  “And you’ll be a part of GASP, too,” I replied, smiling.

  He nodded slowly. “For a minute there, I felt a little lost. Lacking direction. I wanted to thank you and your parents for backing me up on this whole GASP thing. I wasn’t sure you’d feel the same way a few days later. You know how emotions can get the better of us, sometimes.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I said, watching his hand cover mine on the fountain’s edge. “Honestly, I will live anywhere, as long as you’re with me. Whether it’s The Shade, or Calliope, or, hell, even Neraka. Or any other place. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as we’re together. We’re bound, Caspian, in ways that no one can ever understand—except other sentries, of course.”

  “I like feeling you this way,” he breathed, unable to take his eyes off me. “I don’t think I’d ever be able to go back to my life, the way I was before I met you. You’re an indelible part of me, now.”

  “And you’re a part of me,” I replied. “Therefore, don’t ever think my feelings will change. Not even in a thousand years. Maybe it works differently with Maras, but sentries are different. Once our souls are bound, that’s it. Game over. I am yours and you are mine for life.”

  He exhaled sharply, then looked out into the distance and smiled. “I think my parents would’ve loved you.”

  “My parents already love you.” I giggled. “When Serena and Phoenix decided to stay on Calliope, it shocked Mom and Dad. It took them a while to adjust, even though they fully supported them. Plus there’s the portal between Calliope and The Shade. This time, it’s a little different. Maybe because they’ve already had two kids leave to be with their soulmates. It didn’t hit them so hard this time around.”

  I fumbled through my shirt pocket and took out the pendant that Serena had given me. This charmed little trinket had made my misery feel less rancid in the minutes after I’d defeated Shaytan. It had brought back one of my most beautiful memories, in full and vivid color. It had felt as though I’d been right there, with my entire family, around the dinner table.

  I wanted Caspian to experience the same—to lovingly remember those he’d loved and lost. So I put the medallion in the palm of his hand and smiled.

  “I want you to have this,” I said, my voice trembling.

  He looked at it for a while, unsure of what it was or what it did. “Thank you,” he murmured, then gave me a curious look. “There’s a story behind this, huh?”

  I chuckled softly and closed his fist around the medallion. “I want you to close your eyes and think about your family. Deep in your mind, hidden beneath years of abuse and suffering, are moments that made you smile… that made you happy. Think of those.”

  He did as I asked, closing his eyes. He sucked in a breath, his lips stretching into a smile.

  “This… This is incredible,” he said.

  “What do you see?” I asked, my heart swelling at the sight of him looking so happy.

  Tears started streaming down his cheeks. “My mom and dad. I’m so tiny. I’m
looking up at them. We’re on the rooftop, looking at the stars. My dad’s telling me about the moons and the legends behind them.”

  He gasped, then took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The love surging through me like liquid sunshine was all him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, his mouth crashing into mine as he kissed me with everything he had.

  I was overwhelmed. I teared up as well, relishing the taste of him, his emotions burning through me and bringing me even closer to him.

  “There isn’t much I can do to match this extraordinary gift you’ve just given me,” Caspian said, pulling himself back. He fumbled through his jacket pockets, frowning slightly. He was looking for something. “All I can give you, over and over, is my heart. And… well, this.”

  He held up a diamond ring, exquisitely crafted in silver. It was beautiful, yet simple.

  My heart stopped. I held my breath. My brain just stopped functioning, as I tried to figure out what was going on. Caspian was giving me a ring…

  He slipped it on my finger without taking his eyes off me.

  “Don’t think of it as a proposal,” he said. “I know we’re still at the beginning of this journey, and I wouldn’t want to pressure you in any way. I’m not a stickler for traditions, anyway, and, frankly, after my last experience with an oath,” he added, chuckling, “I’m not too nuts about making another one any time soon. But I want you to accept this as a token of how I feel about you.”

  “Caspian, I…” I croaked, unable to formulate a coherent thought.

  “It’s the only thing I’ve got left from my parents,” he muttered. “It was my mother’s. And I want you to wear it. Whenever you look at it, I want you to remember how much I love you. I’m alive today because of you, Harper. Not just because of what you did with Shaytan, but because of how you pulled me out of my personal darkness and set my soul on fire. I love you.”