I left Lexi’s side and tucked a fallen strand of hair behind Mily’s ear. “Hi,” I said dumbly. How could I tell her that we had lost the triplets?
Fenn’s icy cold hand touched my shoulder. “Are you okay, Mily?” he asked, his voice straining to sound normal. She could see right through him.
“Where are the triplets?”
He looked away. And in that one moment, the innocence of our childhood that we had left behind, the last remaining bits of our simple happiness, was forever taken.
Mily’s sobs were enough to rip my heart out. Everything seemed to speed up and slow down at the same time. I couldn’t keep up. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe.
The next thing I felt was Lexi’s hands on my shoulders as my dulled reality slowly came back to life. She was shaking me, hard. “GET UP!” she shouted, her voice finally penetrating through the wall of pain. All at once, my senses kicked into gear. A flash of Zordon’s face crossed through my mind. He was here.
“Fenn!” I shouted. He was already on his feet, moving Mily out of harm’s way…if that were even possible. Zane and Adam came to either side of me, weapons in their hands. Lexi helped Fenn by weaving a portal they both disappeared into.
“Game plan?” Zane asked.
“We need to immobilize him to give us enough time to get away. We aren’t prepared for this.” It sickened me to say it, but it was the truth.
A slight smile appeared across Zane’s lips. “My pleasure.”
I felt him before I saw him. And then he was there, standing directly across the street from us. A row of five Warlocks were on his right, their imps jumping to and fro next to them, licking their wicked little lips. Five Necromancers stood on his left, each with two freshly risen corpses at their command.
I pulled the daggers from around my waist, dropping into a fighting stance. Bring it, I thought to myself, thinking of the triplets and all the other countless lives stolen by the hand of this cruel man.
Zordon’s hood was down, but his smile was obvious and gleaming in my direction. He had planned this all along. It was a trap.
I sensed his magic a moment before he threw it at us and jumped sideways, shoving Zane and Adam out of harm’s way. Zane caught my fall. He rolled me over and jumped up, shouting, “Nebulum!” A dark fog wove up and around the three of us, blinding Zordon.
“Attack!” Zordon yelled, his voice a guttural roar. Through the fog, I saw the cords of his neck straining with force. Footsteps sounded around us as his men rushed in our direction.
“We have to move,” Zane yelled.
My mind was a mess of thoughts, all bent from the desperate need for revenge and the dire need to survive. The line blurred between which was more important.
“Come on!” Zane shouted. He grabbed the back of my armor, hauling me up. I scrambled to my feet, running for cover towards the nearest house. If we could make it, we could port and possibly have enough time to cover our port trail.
Evil laughter filled the air as spells thrown from the Warlocks struck the house we ran towards. It happened too fast for any of us to counter. Too fast for my Foresight to register.
A second later, we flew backwards just as the house exploded in front of us. I slammed into the ground and rolled, grass filling my mouth. My head pounded from the impact. I blinked a few times, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
Lexi appeared alone in the front yard, walking away from us, straight for Zordon.
“Lex!” I shouted, jumping to my feet. I stumbled as I ran to her. I wrapped my hand around my amulet, pulling on it to heal me, and grabbed her arm. She yanked it free.
“Fenn took Mily back to the rift. He’ll be back any second.” She paused, seeming to struggle with her next words. “I have my father to deal with.”
Vengeance spilled from her tone. The fierceness in her eyes and in her stride was unlike any I had ever seen in her before. But this could be our only chance at escaping. We needed the Priests’ elixir before we could do anything else. She disappeared out of the fog.
Fenn came through Lexi’s portal and immediately found Adam. “Go back to your father. Tell him we are in need of assistance. Bring Astral.” Adam nodded and disappeared.
Fenn dusted off his hands. “She’s safe in the cave,” he told me, looking straight ahead.
Zane’s fog was dying down. It was time to do this. Zane followed behind Lexi, then Fenn and me. We were a united force, ready to fight back.
When the fog cleared, Zordon was standing there, his obsidian scales reflecting the smoke that billowed around him from the destruction of his army. Murder raged in his eyes.
He sent out his Warlocks first, pinning his eyes on me. The five Warlocks smiled with pleasure as they stepped off the curb and headed in our direction.
Lexi was the first to strike. Her glowing hand rose in a sparkling arc and then slammed into the ground, sending a wave of blinding light in their direction.
As soon as the light hit them, their imps disappeared in flames. The Warlocks dropped to their knees, clawing at their bleeding eyes.
We didn’t hesitate. Lexi grabbed one by the neck and twisted, letting the Warlock’s body fall with a satisfying thud. She moved forward while the three of us easily took out the rest of the Warlocks with our daggers.
The Necromancers had already been sent forward when we dropped the last body.
“I am here, Little Flame,” Astral said in my mind. I sensed him behind me and relaxed a little knowing that help was here. “Kaede is stringing together men as we speak. He sent someone for Mily.”
The Necromancers unleashed their pets. Ten lifeless bodies stalked towards us. Lexi tried for another fist to the ground but was stopped by one of the Necromancers who had been watching her.
While we had all focused on the corpses, he aimed his toxic green magic straight for her. She crippled over, her light sputtering in and out.
Mage magic didn’t work on Necromancers. Apparently neither did Celestial. I leapt into the air, knowing physical combat would be our only chance. Astral chanted behind us, the light from his eyes fixated on the Necromancer holding Lexi down. The moment she was let up, I swooped over and covered him in fire before kicking him towards the rest of the Necromancers.
Two jumped back in time, but the other two caught his flailing body, and the contagious fire covered them. Fenn signaled me as he and Zane ran for the three burning Necromancers. I commanded the fire to stop right as their daggers plunged into the hearts of the offenders.
Lexi set straight out for Zordon, leaving Astral and the rest to deal with the Necros. I had to get to him before she did. With regret, I left Zane, Fenn, and Astral fighting the remaining two Necromancers, and followed after Lexi down the street.
Zordon stalked towards the two of us, his wings flexing with power. Large claws on the end of each wing tip protruded, their sharp points threatening to spill blood. His black eyes stared me down. “Are you children ready to play now?”
“Who said anything about playing, Father,” Lexi quipped. She crouched into a feral position, ready to pounce. I moved forward and stood next to her. She wasn’t going to do this alone.
He cocked his head to the side, his eyes moving between the two of us. “You have your mother’s spunk,” he said mockingly. His eyes flashed over to mine. “And you are getting on my last nerve.”
Zane appeared in front of us. “Pulsecto!” he shouted, sending his red energy towards his father. Keeping his eyes on me, Zordon’s hand lazily lifted, deflecting the spell. The energy fizzled out with a pop.
He turned to Zane, resentment contorting his dragon-like features. “Such a weak spell. Is that all you have, Son?”
Zane smirked and then knelt to the earth, placing his palm flat against the asphalt. He was tapping into the earth element. “Tremora,” he chanted, le
tting his energy flow deep into the earth.
Fenn appeared next and dropped too, hatred in his eyes as he chanted alongside his brother. Together, their energy shook the ground beneath us. Zordon looked amused.
Lexi and I dropped down as well, giving every bit of power we had to the earth. Finally, the earth began to listen. The tremor that started beneath us cracked right before us and raced towards Zordon.
He jumped into the air, barely missing the hole that gave way beneath him, preventing him from landing. “Do not fool yourselves into thinking that you actually have a chance against me,” he barked, crooked laughter on the edge of his voice. He looked like a black plume of smoke as he weaved from side to side.
“Come down and fight like a man,” Fenn shouted. The pain and rage in his voice made me turn my head. This was his first encounter with Zordon—his father.
Zordon’s tongue clicked against his teeth. “Such a brave young man, fighting for the woman he loves.” He flew over top of us. I spun around just as he landed directly in front of me. “Boo!” he said in my face.
I dropped to all fours and swung my leg out, swiping his feet out from under him, a move I was quickly growing fond of. He barely caught himself in time to prevent a fall. Anger flashed across his face.
“Pulsecto!” I shouted, using the unexpected moment to my advantage. The spell hit him in the chest. It didn’t electrify him, but it shocked him just enough to give me time to shoot flames at him. I opened my mouth and let them fly.
Astral sent out a wave of his own magic, covering us in a protective barrier. “The Necros are dead. You must go.”
I locked eyes with Zordon, covered in my flames. Flames that didn’t harm him. Murder was in his eyes. We had only seconds behind Astral’s magic.
I opened a portal back to the Orient Lyceum. “Jump!” I yelled at everyone. For a moment, Lexi looked hesitant, but then she jumped, and then Zane. Fenn took my hand. I turned back to Astral.
“Go!” he shouted, turning back for Zordon. Fenn yanked me through before I could do anything.
On the other side, Kaede was right in front of us out in front of the Lyceum. “Adam said you needed help! My men are ready.” I peered around him to see an army of soldiers at attention. “What were you doing in the other realm anyway?” He looked angry. I was in no mood to explain myself.
Soothe came up behind him with portal spray. I knocked it out of his hand. “Astral’s on the other side!” I shouted, turning back to re-open the portal.
Soothe picked up the spray and stepped in front of me. “And he will return,” he said, moving me out of the way. He took his time spraying the air, swaying back and forth as if he was dancing. He shot me a smirk.
He must have known this was going to happen. He was a Seer who saw my fate. He had to have known. That didn’t sit well with me. “Did you know?”
He whipped his head around.
I grabbed him by the robe, pulling him closer. “Because I swear to The Fates, if you knew and didn’t say anything, didn’t help prevent the triplets—” I broke off, unable to say the words out loud.
I could have choked on every emotion pent up inside of me. Every regret, every memory, every moment they would never have…it could have swallowed me whole had it not been for the desire to take Zordon for everything he had.
To inflict upon him the animosity inside my soul.
Soothe’s eyes flared in anger. “I would never,” he said, his voice so low I could barely make out his words. “Not everything is told to me. Not everything can be prevented. Life doesn’t work that way. The sooner you accept that, the better.” He stared at me for a moment longer, and then walked away.
Astral appeared a second later. I scanned over him, making sure he was okay. I didn’t see any damage. Good, then I could leave without having to worry about him.
“Zordon planned the attack on their foster mother as a trap to confront Aurora. He—” Astral started in, but I cut him off before he could continue.
“We need to get to the Amethyst Temple, my Liege. They have an elixir I need.”
Kaede looked taken aback. His eyes flicked between Astral and me. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Astral’s fiery gaze seared against my face.
“Astral?” he questioned, waiting for his approval.
This irked me. “It’s not up to Astral,” I stated firmly, pulling Kaede’s eyes back to mine. “This is something I must do.” I turned this time, ensuring that Astral would understand. “With or without consent.”
His eyes narrowed, glowing ferociously. “Aurora—”
“She’s right, Astral. You are going to have to trust us. We know what we are doing,” Fenn added, uniting beside me.
“Just like you knew you would be able to save Mily on your own?” Astral shouted, nostrils flaring.
“It doesn’t matter!” I yelled with my eyes clenched shut, fists balled at my sides.
I couldn’t see straight; couldn’t think straight. All the pain and loss had finally exploded, and it exploded on him.
“This is my life,” I said, jabbing my finger against my chest, “my path to walk. You knew it the day you signed on to be my mentor. As much as you have tried to avoid it, life has caught up to me. I can’t run from it anymore. If you want me to have a chance, you’re going to have to trust me.” I turned away, refusing to wait for his approval.
Kaede looked caught in the middle. “Look,” he said cautiously, “why don’t we all take a moment to collect ourselves? If you are going, you should at least clean up first and check in on Mily. She is being cared for inside the Lyceum.”
I walked around him, storming away from everyone and their probing stares. Fenn caught my hand and stepped in time with me, equally upset.
“That was too close for comfort. He’s going to pay for what he did,” he said, his voice sounding like a mixture of everything that I felt. At least I wasn’t in this alone. At least I had someone who understood.
I looked over at him. Pain marred the beautiful lines of his face. He didn’t have to say their names for me to understand. The triplets would be avenged if it was the last thing we did.
“He will not win this,” I declared, feeling the blood boil inside of me.
Chapter 18
Priesthood is Not Sainthood
WE STAYED BY MILY’S SIDE until a knock told us it was time to go. Astral had avoided us. I didn’t blame him. I had basically thrown all of the years of comfort and trust between us away. I no longer considered his advice to be the answer.
It was time I started trusting myself.
“Will you be back soon?” Mily asked after her sobs subsided. Her face was as raw and puffy as my own. A few times Fenn had to step out of the room. I think he was trying to be the strong one for Mily. He didn’t want her to see his pain.
My heart slowly hardened.
“As soon as we can.” Fenn consoled her, rubbing the top of her hand. She didn’t know who had attacked her home or why; she only knew that the kids were asleep in their room one minute and half the house was missing the next.
I had to explain that it was a blow from a Cyclops. That sent her into another fit of tears.
“You will be safest here,” I assured her, offering a tissue.
She blew her nose into it. “I’m not worried about my safety. I never was,” she conceded, more pain filling her voice.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead, moving her raven colored hair away from her face. “Aloha au ia ‘oe,” I said in her native tongue.
She smiled, patting the back of my head. “I love you too, Anela.”
Masami came into the room and promised that she would stay with Mily and tend to her until we returned. I couldn’t think of anyone better.
We didn’
t make it ten feet from her room before bumping into Astral, though I doubted it was accidental. He had plenty to say, starting with our attempt to go on a quest without telling him. Every detail he had picked from my mind. I was too tired to fight about it.
His voice went from yelling to short sentences to small noises I could no longer comprehend. This went on for at least ten minutes as we stood in the snow, our gazes drifting for a comfortable place to land. Finally, with one last grunt, he quieted and took a much-needed deep breath.
His glowing blue eyes dimmed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling and exhaling with forced effort. He had gone back and forth with his words, one minute scolding me, the next minute praising me. I understood how he felt.
I blinked away the snow that landed on my eyelashes.
“What I’m trying to say is,” he said quietly, his calm voice restored, “that fate has a funny way of testing us, I suppose. When everything happens all at once, that is when your true character will emerge.” He finally looked at me, his eyes brightening. “You can conquer this.”
When his arms opened, I ran into them, hugging him as tightly as I could. No matter how much he wanted to protect me, he had to accept the fact that it was time to let me go.
“I have to stop him, Astral,” I said against his stomach. “This is what I must do to set things right again. This is my destiny.” He rubbed the back of my hair.
“I know that now. As hard as it is to let you go, I know that for every small moment we have shared, there was always a bigger purpose waiting for you. You are the Progeny.”
I stepped out of his arms and back to Fenn’s side. He put his arm around my waist.
“Look at you both,” Astral continued, smiling down at us. Ever since the arrival of his fellow Ancients, he had stayed in his true, larger form.
I heard faint crunching steps in the snow before I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around and found lavender eyes wet with tears. “Dad,” I gushed as I pulled him into my arms. He felt smaller. He was so weak and lost without my mother. My heart felt like it was ripped open once again.
From the Embers (The Born in Flames Trilogy) Page 21