by Quinn Loftis
They seemed to be focused on her alone. That was a good thing, as she and the other fae were the most equipped to handle them.
“Adira, you’re with us, too,” shouted Peri. Truth be told, she hadn’t given much thought to how she’d take down the giant beasts. She’d had too many other things on her mind to plan that far ahead. Now, she knew how foolish that had been.
“There!” She pointed to a high hill opposite the one on which Volcan was standing. She, Elle, Adira, and Adam flashed to the top. The shadow of the dragons were above her, and she threw up another shield, again blocking two blasts of flames from the beasts. From the top of the hill, she could see the battle more clearly. Peri wasn’t encouraged by what she saw. Some of the wolves—probably Nick, Gustavo, Ciro, and Kale, she couldn’t tell with any certainty—had managed to take down a couple of witches. The others—most likely those who’d survived the In-Between—were being beaten back. She couldn’t make out the warlocks amongst the chaos, but she knew they’d probably be close to Evanora.
“Adira, see if you can draw the dragons in close. But be careful. They’re faster than they look.”
“You got it, boss,” said the pixie before she leaped into the sky.
“Elle and Adam, time to bust out your best trapeze moves. I’ll toss you up. See if you can land on the backs of their necks. Adam, take the first one. Elle, the second.”
They both nodded. “Easy, peasy,” said Adam.
Peri watched as the pixie zoomed in front of the first draheim. Adira drew a small sword and charged right toward the beast. It opened its huge jaws, and Peri thought for a moment Adira would simply be swallowed whole. But at the last possible second, the pixie swerved upward and drove her sword directly in between the draheim’s eyes, which probably felt like nothing more than a thorn to the monster. Still, the pixie had done her job. The draheim roared at Adira as she released the sword and sped away. The dragon gave chase, and Adira led it right back to where Peri and the others were standing. The second dragon followed his partner’s lead.
“Here we go,” said Peri.
Adira zoomed past. A second later, Peri threw out her hand and issued forth a great blast of wind. Adam and Elle jumped. The gale caught them up, and they directed their bodies toward the oncoming beasts. Adam somersaulted and landed on the back of the thing’s neck. With an oomph, he hit with his legs splayed on either side of the monster’s neck. The fae grimaced in pain but held on.
Elle wasn’t quite so lucky. She hit the side of the second dragon’s back and almost bounced off. She was just able to get a fingertip grip on one of the scales, hanging on for dear life as the creature slipped and spun through the air. The fae reached to her waist and drew her fae blade, recently returned to her from Jewel’s lifeless body. Elle shook away the thought as she plunged it into the side of the draheim’s body. She used it as a handgrip and hoisted herself onto the beast’s back. The monster roared in agony as she yanked the blade free and began scrambling up toward the draheim’s neck. She could see Adam up ahead of her. He’d managed to stab his own mount a couple of times, but the thing was now flying inverted, hoping to shake Adam off. Now Adam had to use both hands to hang upside down and keep from falling. Apparently, her own dragon thought this was a good technique because it, too, flipped over and tried to shake Elle free.
Peri watched from the ground as her two friends vaulted into the air and landed on the dragons. She didn’t know how successful they’d be at taking down the beasts, but at least they’d keep the draheim from attacking the wolves. Now, it was time for Peri to do what she came to do—kill Volcan. She was just about to flash to the other hill where Volcan stood when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A small shape was moving away from where the healers stood. She recognized Ciesel. “Adira,” she yelled and pointed to Ciesel’s retreating form. “Catch that pixie.”
“On it,” came the reply.
Again, Peri was about to flash when something else caught her attention. It was the bright red tunic of Evanora. She was fighting tooth and nail with Sly and Z. They were trying not to hurt her. She had no such reservations. “Dammit,” cursed Peri. She ran to where they fought. With a few muttered words, Peri held up her hands and shot a couple of shimmering lengths of rope from each of them, quickly binding the new witch. The woman cursed and thrashed, but the magical bonds held. “Get her somewhere safe,” Peri commanded, then growled in frustration. She needed to get to where the healers stood with Volcan, but she didn’t want to leave the rest of the wolves to fight the witches alone.
“We’ve got this,” came Lucian’s reply through their bond. Apparently, he’d picked up on her thought. “Go!”
She went, flashing to the top of the hill. Just as she appeared, she heard Volcan scream. “Now!” As one, the healers attacked.
Heather fought the urge to go to Kale. She could feel his every thought through the bond as he fought the witches at the bottom of the hill. She almost gasped every time he took a hit. But she knew she had to remain quiet or Volcan would know that he no longer controlled her. Peri had told them to wait until she appeared to strike. The timing had to be perfect. Heather would stand close to Stella and try to lend her strength, but they had all agreed she wouldn’t try any aggressive magic. In Peri’s words, “the last thing we need is Hellen Keller tossing fireballs around the battlefield at anything she hears or smells.”
Volcan was giving a running commentary on how the battle was progressing. He seemed to be quite pleased. Much as Peri had instructed, he’d told them to hold their positions until Peri appeared. Then, they were to each attack her with all their might. Volcan hadn’t given any specific instructions to Heather. Apparently, he trusted her sense of direction, or he simply didn’t care what she hit.
“Get ready,” he said. “Peri will be here any second.” Heather tensed. She wasn’t sure she could do this. But she had to. She had to do it for her sisters. She had to do it for her new mate.
He was right. A few seconds later, Peri appeared.
“Now,” Volcan yelled. Anna, Stella, and Kara raised their hands and sent out three bolts of pure energy. Heather lent her strength to Stella, and her sister’s bolt of power was so strong that she could feel it roll over her.
The magic never made it to Peri, however. Volcan’s eyes widened as all three bolts struck him in the back. He fell forward and landed on his hands and knees. Peri, too, extended a hand and shot a bolt of light at the evil fae. Quickly Volcan raised a hand and blocked Peri’s attack, which bounced away harmlessly. Then, Volcan did something none of them expected, especially Peri. He began to chuckle. Peri watched as he rose to his feet.
“Again,” said Stella. And the healers shot another bolt of power at the dark fae.
He didn’t even try to block them this time. The bolts struck him and rebounded into the dirt. Volcan laughed louder. “Ah, yes,” he said. “The surprising but inevitable betrayal. Pathetic, Peri, even for you.”
Peri shot another shining orb of power at the fae, but again, Volcan batted it away harmlessly.
“You’ve always thought much too highly of yourself, Perizada. Do you think I didn’t see this coming?”
Peri didn’t respond. She just clenched her fists.
“I take it the bad guy isn’t writhing on the ground in agony now,” Peri heard Heather whisper to Stella.
“Far from it. He looks stronger than ever.”
“How are you doing this?” asked Anna.
“How? Easy enough, my little plaything. I created you all. The creator controls the creation. You girls don’t do anything without Daddy knowing it. I know you cast your little spell that turned you good, and I know all about your sacrifices. It doesn’t matter. I can undo that damage. And I will always be stronger than you. Have you forgotten I have the blood of the original witch-healer flowing through my veins? Jewel’s blood flows within me. You can never match her strength.”
“Jewel’s dead,” said Kara.
Volcan cocked his head. “That is a mystery even I don’t understand.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Peri.
“The healer is not dead. I’m not sure what she has done, but her power still courses within me.”
“That can’t be,” said Peri. “I watched her die.”
“Still,” said Volcan, “she must still be alive. Or I wouldn’t be able to do this.” He waved a hand, and all four of the healers fell to their knees. They gasped and squealed, trying to get up, but none of them could move. Volcan kept them pinned to the ground as easily as if they were newborn puppies.
“Let them up,” said Peri. She took a step forward. Volcan extended a hand, and Peri bounced backward as if she’d hit an invisible brick wall.
“Or what, Perizada? What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to kill you,” she ground out.
“You’re going to kneel, just like they are,” said Volcan.
Peri snorted. In the blink of an eye, Volcan grabbed the closest healer, Kara, and yanked her to her feet. He snatched a dagger from his belt and held the tip to Kara’s throat. “Kneel, Peri, or watch this girl bleed.”
Peri exhaled. “I’m going to kill you,” she said again. But she knelt.
***
Dalton’s hands shook as he took Jewel’s still face in them. His lips trembled as he leaned down and pressed them to her still-warm mouth. He felt the sob well up in him as he pressed himself closer. As he sat in Peri’s home with his dead mate in his arms, he didn’t care if the whole world burned down around him. All he cared about was that his Jewel, his Little Dove, was gone. Her body was an empty shell that used to hold the woman who had captivated him, heart and soul.
“Please open your eyes,” he whispered, his forehead touching hers. His wolf was whining, needing to be close to her, unable to accept that she was really gone. “Please, my love, please don’t leave me.”
She didn’t move. Her chest didn’t rise and fall. Her lips didn’t turn up in the shy smile he’d grown to adore. Her hand didn’t reach for him and her body didn’t curl into his as he wrapped her closer to him.
His shoulders rocked as he wept. With every tear that fell he felt a piece of himself dying. As he sat there on the floor holding her, feeling the heat seep away from her, he felt himself slipping further from the world of reality. He wanted no part of this life without his Jewel.
He shook harder, and when his wolf could no longer be contained, Dalton threw back his head and howled. The mournful sound would no doubt be heard even beyond the walls of the house and for miles and miles as he poured every ounce of grief into the sound.
As the sound died down, he looked back at his mate. “It wasn’t supposed to end like this, Jewel,” he told her. “We were supposed to have decades and decades and longer together. I was supposed to drive you crazy with my constant brooding, and you were supposed to bring light and playfulness to my dim existence. We were supposed to be a team up until the very end. This isn’t right. This isn’t how true mates end up. We are together, always. I’m not supposed to be left here without you.” Dalton thought back to life before Jewel, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to that existence. He wouldn’t be able to live without her.
“Dalton, Beta of the Colorado pack and beloved wolf.” The voice was joined with a warm light filling the high fae’s living room.
Dalton looked up and saw the Great Luna standing a few feet away. She had tears running down her cheeks as she stared down at Jewel’s lifeless body. “You both have sacrificed much,” the goddess said. Her voice was full of understanding, as if the same pain Dalton felt was hers as well.
“Why?” he asked. “Why did it have to end this way?”
“Jewel has been faithful. Even though the darkness that has been living inside of her has been fighting for dominion, she has fought back. She knew it would take a great sacrifice to stand against great evil, but even now, it is not enough. Jewel, even with the goodness that lived in her, cannot be the final sacrifice for all. She cannot cover the taint of all those with Volcan’s evil in them.”
“So, they will fail?” Dalton asked. “She died for nothing?”
The Great Luna shook her head slowly, and her eyes met his. “There is one who is pure. There is one who has no evil because evil cannot live inside of holiness. I can be the sacrifice that will cover it all. The shedding of my blood will wipe out the blackness that has begun to take hold in the healers and those Volcan has turned.”
Dalton’s mouth dropped open. “You? But, you’re … you’re the Great Luna.”
“I created you, Dalton. I created my wolves and my healers, and I will never forsake you. For such a time has come that my creations sacrifices are not enough. I will stand in the place of the healers, in place of Jewel.”
Then she knelt down beside Jewel and placed a hand on her forehead. “Jewel Stone, my precious one, rise up. Your sacrifice has been rewarded. Rise, child of mine, and join your mate. Stand beside him as we face evil and defeat it.”
Dalton stared at Jewel, waiting. He wasn’t even breathing, afraid that if he made any movement, he’d somehow screw up what the goddess was doing. Several heartbeats later, Jewel’s eyes blinked open.
She gasped in a breath of air as she looked from him to the Great Luna.
“Jewel,” Dalton rasped as he tenderly held her.
The goddess placed a hand over each of their hearts and said, “I am restoring the bond that was taken from you. This is my blessing to you for choosing to love one another despite the fact that the supernatural bond that joined you was gone. You are one. I have joined you and nothing can separate you.”
She stood and helped Dalton pull Jewel to her feet. Dalton watched in awe as the skin over Jewel’s heart knit back together leaving only a thin scar. Then her clothes were replaced by new ones.
Dalton turned to the goddess and fell to his knees. He bowed his head and held his hands up to her. “I can never thank you enough. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Jewel stood in awe of the Great Luna as she touched Dalton’s shoulder and closed her eyes. She didn’t know what the goddess was doing, but when Dalton stood, there was peace in his eyes that Jewel hadn’t ever seen.
“Time is of the essence,” the goddess said. “Take my hand. We will arrive in the draheim realm. Dalton, take your wolf form and carry Jewel on your back. I will deal with Volcan. You will be my witnesses. Darkness will not prevail.”
From the moment Jewel took the goddess’s hand, it was only a second later that they were in the draheim realm. Jewel’s eyes widened as she saw what was arrayed before her.
Women she didn’t recognize and a host of wolves lay strewn about the battlefield. Two draheim lay dead on their sides. Adam and Elle were close by, both struggling to get to their feet. Peri, Anna, Stella, and Heather knelt before Volcan. He held Kara from behind, a knife at the girl’s throat.
She felt a nudge on her hip and turned to find Dalton’s wolf staring at her. He rubbed up against her. “Climb on, Little Dove.”
“I love you,” she said in response, unable to hold it in any longer.
“I love you more.”
Jewel wiped a tear away as she climbed up onto his back. They bounded across the field and up the hill. She leaped off of Dalton’s back and screamed at Volcan. “Stop!” She wasn’t sure what to do next. Should she threaten him, beg him, bargain with him? She just knew she couldn’t let him kill her friends.
“Ah, look, my queen. I knew you weren’t dead.” Volcan indicated Peri kneeling before him. “This whelp of a fae could never take down my Jewel.” There was a ferocious growl and Dalton leaped at the fae, his fangs dripping and his eyes red with malice. Volcan merely extended a hand and Dalton fell to the ground, frozen, much as Peri had done in Jezebel’s shop weeks ago.
“Join me, Jewel,” said Volcan, indicating that she should come to his side.
“
Never,” she hissed.
“Come to me now, or I’ll cut this little healer’s throat out and feed the rest of her to Morfran.” He pushed the tip of the dagger a little way into Kara’s neck to prove his point. A trickle of blood began to run down onto her collarbone.
“Okay.” Jewel held up her hands. “Whatever you want. Just let my friends go.”
“No, Jewel! Don’t!” All of the healers began speaking at once.
“I must,” said Jewel. She took a step toward Volcan.
“Jewel, stop.” The voice was almost a whisper, but it froze Jewel in her tracks. It was Peri, speaking from where she knelt on the ground.
“I would advise you to keep your mouth shut, Perizada,” Volcan spat out at her.
“I would advise you to run as fast and as far as you possibly can,” the fae replied. “Go to the dark forest and hide. Seal yourself back in. Do that, and you will live a little longer. Otherwise, you’ll be dead in a few minutes.”
Volcan laughed, a high-pitched sound.
All of a sudden, there was a loud clap of thunder, and everyone’s heads turned. A woman appeared at the base of the hill.
“Told you,” said Peri softly.
The woman began walking slowly toward them. As she came closer, several of the watchers gasped. The Great Luna, no longer clad in a white gown but now wearing a plain, brown tunic, approached. Volcan’s eyes widened as the goddess headed straight for him, bearing no weapon or threatening stance.
Volcan lowered the dagger and faced the Great Luna. “My power has grown so great that even a goddess realizes she is no match for me!” Volcan’s voice boomed over the open field.
Everyone on the field froze as they realized there was a goddess in their midst and she was walking toward the enemy, but she looked completely human. All the glory she usually carried was gone. She appeared as any other woman, except for the compassion that filled her eyes, even as she gazed at Volcan.