Harley Merlin 8: Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos

by Forrest, Bella

  Harley

  My eyes jolted open, and a choked gasp escaped my throat.

  Davin stood over me. His hands gripped my shoulders, shaking me so hard my teeth were chattering. I almost reached out to touch his face, to make sure he wasn’t melting, but I managed to resist. He looked fine. No dripping skin, no screeching ghouls, just a worried expression.

  “Harley? Harley, can you hear me?” he asked.

  I nodded, totally disoriented. “Yes… You can… stop shaking me now.”

  He took his hands away sharply. “My apologies, but necessity called for a stroke of brute force. Your Telekinesis was causing havoc, as you can see.”

  I glanced past his broad shoulders to see that the iron fence had been mangled, half of it sticking up like a futuristic piece of modern art. A few of the instrument-wielding cherubs had lost heads, wings, and limbs, while the remainder of the windows had been completely shattered. The ceremonial bowls had all been tossed against the walls, leaving little piles of herbal debris in their wake, and the caskets had been thrown halfway across the church.

  I became aware of something hard and smooth in my clenched fist. I unfurled my fingers to reveal a matte-black lens in the shape of a semicircle, with a flat edge down one side.

  I have the key!

  “Did you manage to acquire what was needed?” Davin looked down at the strange object.

  I grinned. “Yeah, I think I did.” I turned to my mom and dad, who were sitting to either side of me with their eyes closed, no longer holding my hands. I didn’t know when we’d let go, but it didn’t seem to have had any effect on the spell. Tears were falling down both their cheeks, their eyeballs flickering under their eyelids, like they were in REM sleep. I wanted to shake them awake, the way Davin had done to me, but I guessed they needed more time. I wasn’t going to interrupt them while they were in the middle of Euphoria.

  “How’s Alton?” I looked toward the altar. He was rocking back and forth. By the looks of it, he could barely keep his eyes open, and black veins were spreading across his skin again. That wasn’t a good sign.

  “Very green about the gills. It will not be long until he Purges,” Davin replied. “He’s resisting as best he can, but none of us can restrain a Purge for very long. Although, with your power, I’m certain you already know that. I can last a little longer than most, but that’s always been my forte.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve never done it.”

  “You continue to surprise me, Ms. Merlin.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I was sure you would have created a veritable army of snapping little monsters by now.”

  “Nope, not even one.”

  “I have read of a magical such as yourself,” he said. “A powerful woman of epic proportions—as good as she was mighty. She Purged only once in her lifetime, though she had enough strength and performed enough remarkable spells to have Purged a thousand times. Nobody knew how she managed it. But when she finally did Purge, she created something wondrous. I believe the beast still lives, taking care of the Bestiary.”

  My eyes widened. “You mean Tobe?”

  “Ah yes, that was the name. It had quite slipped my mind. The magical went by the name of Selma.”

  I nodded. “I’ve heard of her.”

  “You remind me very much of her, though I didn’t know her personally. I am a voracious reader, amongst other things. Nevertheless, she always held a special place in my heart. Strong women often do.” He smiled, his hand still on my shoulder. I shuffled out of his grasp, feeling slightly uncomfortable at his attention.

  Fortunately, at that moment, my mom woke up, blinking slowly as she came out of her Euphoria. My dad was still deep in his trance, his eyelids flickering. Focusing on my mom, I saw that she had something gripped in her right hand, and I could see the hint of black peeking through her fingers. Relief washed over me. She’d done it. And now, we just needed the third piece to the key that would open up the secrets of the Grimoire.

  “Is it done?” Alton wheezed, his head lolling.

  My mom turned to him. “It’s done.” Why does she sound so sad?

  I found out, a second later. With a gut-wrenching scream, Alton arched back in a way that didn’t look natural, his spine almost cracking in two. The black veins engulfed him, spiderwebbing out across every available expanse of flesh. His mouth opened in a howling “O” as darkness poured out of him. Purple sparks crackled all around him. His arms shot out, and he crashed into the stone where he lay, thrashing and spasming as the Purge took hold.

  “Mom, NO!” I cried out, crawling across the ground to reach her. Alton couldn’t hold her anymore. I threw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her and gripping her as tight as I could, in the hopes that it might somehow keep her spirit in this body. Her spirit was phasing in and out like crazy, mixing my mom’s face with that of the young woman whose body she’d possessed.

  “I’ll always be here,” she murmured. “My love for you will always keep me close.”

  Her arms dropped to her sides, limp and lifeless, and I knew she was gone. No amount of begging could keep her here. I tried to keep hold of her, but her skin had gone cold and the strong scent of embalming fluid and disinfectant drifted away from the corpse that had been my mom, if only for a short while.

  Heartbroken, I lay her down on the ground as carefully as I could. Only, she wasn’t my mom anymore. I’d never see her again, not until the day I died. Will they let me go where you’ve gone, Mom? I hoped so, with all my heart.

  I was about to reach for her hand, her stiff fingers closed over the shard of black glass she’d brought back, when Davin’s voice distracted me.

  “We have something of an issue here,” he said, his tone anxious.

  “Don’t you dare let my dad go,” I shot back. “Not yet. He’s not finished.”

  “I will do what I can, Ms. Merlin, but that isn’t the problem. Very soon, we will have a Purge beast to contend with, and if I’m to hold your father here a while longer, I won’t be able to help you.”

  I stared at Alton as more black smoke poured out of him, his mouth and eyes filled with it, until I could hardly see Alton beneath it all. The realm of the dead might not have collided with the land of the living, but that didn’t mean there weren’t going to be consequences for what Alton and Davin had done. They’d pushed the boundaries of Necromancy, and that came with a price. A terrible one, by the looks of it.

  “A Mason jar. Do you have one?” I looked back at Davin.

  “In my box of wonders,” he replied.

  Jumping up, I sprinted for the chest and snatched out a jar, tucking it under my arm as I walked toward the gathering mass of black smoke that had enveloped Alton entirely. This was giving me major Erebus flashbacks, and I would’ve given anything to have Santana here to help me.

  I waited for the black smoke to take shape, but instead, the cloud swirled upward from Alton’s body, the black veins and purple sparks dissipating. I can’t let this thing escape. Two red lights shone through the darkness, like eyes, watching me. Holding my ground, I thought about unleashing my Darkness so that I could control this thing with my reverse Empathy. But, since it didn’t actually have a physical form, I wasn’t sure how successful I’d be.

  The creature flew toward me, tendrils of black smoke slithering out like fingertips. Lifting my palms, I sent out a wave of Air, hoping it would push the thing back. My gust breezed straight through, hitting the back wall. I sent out a blast of Fire, but the same thing happened.

  Crap, crap, crap… This thing was like nothing I’d ever faced before. I’d rather have battled Naima again than fight something I didn’t understand.

  I sent out a blockade of Telekinesis, the edges of my lasso spiraling around the creature, trying to find a foothold. With every second that passed, and every failed attempt, the creature swept closer, its eyes glowing brighter.

  The church door exploded open and someone darted inside, sprinting full-pelt down the main aisle. They scattered a handf
ul of entrapment stones on the ground underneath the terrifying smoke beast. The stones glowed green, and ropes shot out, the smoke solidifying, like dry ice in reverse, as they ensnared the beast, dragging it to the floor.

  “Finch?” I gasped, as the figure threw back his hood.

  “I know I’m a stunner, but are you going to keep gawking, or are you going to help me trap this beastie?” He flashed a grin.

  I couldn’t move, my whole body shaking. I was already on the edge of exhaustion after that whole debacle with mini-me and the melting faces, the fight with Naima, and pretty much everything else that had happened in the last few days. This was just another shock to the system that I couldn’t quite take right now.

  Finch grabbed the jar from under my arm. Racing toward the trapped beast, he unscrewed the lid of the jar and set it in front of the smoky creature. The tendrils of its weird body snaked through the gaps in the green ropes, pouring into the charmed jar until there was nothing left. Only then did Finch pounce on it, screwing the lid back on as tight as possible.

  What are you doing here? I tried to say it out loud, but the words wouldn’t come. I was absolutely speechless.

  Finch turned to me, brandishing the jar. “Here he comes to save the day!”

  Thirty-Two

  Katherine

  I whistled the tune to “The Final Countdown” as I strolled through the hallways of the coven, taking my sweet, sweet time, and really hitting those drumbeats.

  There weren’t any people around to witness my little pre-victory, one-woman pep rally, which was probably a good thing. Seeing Imogene Whitehall air-drumming through the corridors would have set some tongues wagging, though that wouldn’t matter soon. I’d be shedding this skin before I knew it, and it was going to be the most glorious feeling in the world. I might have killed Imogene—the real one—but I couldn’t wait to kill this character, too.

  Good riddance, Whitehall!

  I was going to make a damn bonfire and burn every single shade of cream I could get my hands on. In my new world, there’d be nothing but color—the brighter, the better.

  With a satisfied smile, I took out my phone and re-read the most titillating text I’d ever set eyes on. I mean, most texts from Davin Doncaster were titillating, but this one… it topped them all: My darling Katie, I hope this message finds you in good spirits. If not, I’m certain that what I am about to say will cheer your delectable heart beyond measure. They’re reaching the end of the spell. It’s almost done. Did I not tell you that I would triumph in your name? I hope that I may look upon you soon, so that I may seek my reward. Yours Eternally, Davin.

  There was something so effortlessly charming about him, even in texts. But what did he mean about seeking his reward? It was his loyalty I wanted. But that was supposed to be his gift to me. I hadn’t offered anything beyond being at the side of Earth’s new ruler and getting his powers back once I saw fit to redistribute them.

  So, what else was he after? I had a few ideas, with it being Davin, and they only served to widen my smile as I headed for the infirmary. Everything was slotting nicely into place, just the way I liked.

  And now it was time to really get the proverbial gears in motion, so I’d be ready for the greatest performance of my life—the moment that all of this had been building toward.

  I eased off on the power ballads as I entered the infirmary, checking to make sure Krieger was otherwise engaged. Not that I was going to say anything he couldn’t hear. I wasn’t going to blow my cover now, at the eleventh hour. I just didn’t want to deal with the irritating small talk with the inhabitants of the SDC, and who could blame me? Their inane, relentless conversations about “ending me” made me want to pluck out my vocal cords and use them as shoelaces. Fortunately, Krieger was nowhere to be seen.

  With the infirmary to myself, I approached Levi first. His eyes were closed, and he was snoring softly. Aww, like a big, fat baby.

  I jabbed him in the arm with my forefinger, just to make sure he was asleep. He didn’t move. Good, stay down, doggy. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with Levi, and I definitely wasn’t in the mood to deal with Alakazam or whatever his name was. Djinn had a way of leaving a sour taste in my mouth, and I didn’t want anyone ruining my pre-show buzz. Although, he’d been useful, in his own way.

  Moving to the next bed over, I sat down in the chair beside little Jakey and took his hand, squeezing it. Anyone coming in would see wounded-heart Imogene tending to the poor soul who’d been clonked on the head by that mean old Katherine. I’m already here, bitches! I’d been wanting to scream that from the rooftops, but there was a time and a place for that, and I needed to make sure nothing was going to screw up my plans before I started celebrating. Not counting the chickens before they’d hatched, and so on. Right now, my chickens were incubating nicely.

  “How are you, Jacob?” I said, smirking. “I hope everything’s not too messed up in that skull of yours. You must be going out of your mind… literally.” I chuckled at my own joke. What could I say? I was hilarious. “Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been to visit you. I’ve been exceptionally busy, as I’m sure you can imagine. I’m very much looking forward to seeing you again. I really am. It’s going to be emotional. So, you just need to hang in there for a little while longer, while I take care of the final details. You have no idea how much grunt work it takes to get an operation like this off the ground, let alone getting everything into its last stages. I’m exhausted, to tell you the truth, but adrenaline is giving me a nice little kick.”

  I looked up at his closed eyes, wondering what he was thinking. He’d be raging, knowing I was right here but not being able to tell a soul. Delicious.

  “Now, I know you’d never say so, but you’ve got to admit I’ve played my game so very, very well, haven’t I? I deserve a trophy, or a medal, at the very least. A big, shiny one. Sure, there have been a couple of glitches and minor inconveniences, courtesy of Miss Prim, but I haven’t let it get to me. That’s very important, Jakey. You must never let anything stand in the way of what you want, even if Chaos itself is against you. Aren’t I a shining example of that? Despite everything you and your little band of merry men have thrown at me, I’ve still managed to pull through. And now, I can see that glorious finish line. Can’t you, Jakey? Can’t you taste it?”

  He didn’t say a word. The perfect audience to my favorite pastime—the soliloquy. Hamlet had nothing on me. I rattled out way more than seven before I’d even eaten breakfast. And you certainly wouldn’t have found me crying about someone killing my dad and usurping my throne. I’d always admired Claudius for having the guts to take what he wanted. Plus, I’d been the one doing the patricide, when that opportunity had arisen—been there, done that, got the bloodied T-shirt. Soliloquized thoroughly afterward. As for the usurping… well, if anyone even tried it, they’d find themselves getting obliterated before they’d even poured a damn thing in my ear. Nobody was stealing my throne, not when I’d yet to set my peachy backside down on it. But soon… so very soon.

  “Sorry, I got distracted there, didn’t I?” I grinned. “You see, what people don’t seem to realize is that I’m not the villain of this piece. They think I am, but I’m not. Don’t misunderstand, villains are always way more interesting than sappy protagonists, but I’m going to be the hero you’ve all been waiting for. I’m going to change everything for the better, and then you’ll all be down on your knees, thanking me for the efforts I’ve gone to.”

  I paused, letting the words come.

  “They’re right to fear me, of course. I am fearsome, as all good leaders should be. And this brain of mine—ooh, you’ve got no idea, Jakey. It’s exceptional, beyond anything your weak imagination could conjure. You’ll see—pretty soon, actually—and you’ll wonder how you never saw it coming. All of you will, especially the spawn of Merlin. She thinks she’s the brains of the outfit, but even she won’t expect what I’ve got in store. If you thought my being Imogene was good, you’re going to wet your pant
s when you find out what’s next. Isn’t that beautiful? A twist to end all twists. And, my sweet boy, it’s just around the corner.”

  Thirty-Three

  Harley

  I stared at Finch as he lifted the jar up to the moonlight, watching the smoky creature twist and turn inside.

  “Tap on the glass as much as you like, buddy, you aren’t getting out. Not even if you say please.” He chuckled, turning around to face me. The laughter died on his lips.

  “What are you doing here, Finch?”

  “Is that your way of saying, ‘Hey, Bro, thanks for saving me from the big smoke beast who wanted to eat me’?”

  “No, it’s my way of asking what you’re doing here. You’re not supposed to be here.” My voice trembled, partly from exhaustion, partly from the terror of seeing him in this place. I was glad he’d saved my ass from the Purge beast, but he was putting himself in too much danger, and he didn’t even know it.

  “When do I ever do what I’m told?”

  “Finch…”

  “Harley…” He held my gaze defiantly.

  “Please, you have to go.”

  He shook his head. “Nope, no way, José.” His mouth suddenly fell open, his eyes settling on my dad—our dad. Davin was still holding him in this world and didn’t seem to be showing any signs of strain. Alton, on the other hand… well, he was passed out on the floor, breathing slowly. Fortunately, Davin seemed to have the strength to contend with looking after Alton at the same time as keeping my dad fixed in the land of the living.

  That guy really is as powerful as Alton said he was. He was just taking all this boundary-pushing in stride, not even breaking a sweat, though maybe he was just good at covering it.

  “Is that…?” Finch trailed off in disbelief.

  “Yeah, it’s him,” I said, my voice softening.

  Just then, our dad’s eyes opened, a black sliver glinting in his right hand. He’d found the missing piece to complete the key. We did it!