Kingdom of War (Kingdom Journals Book 4)

by Tricia Copeland

  Broadening my shoulders, I lifted my chin in the direction of Thanatos’s voice. “I can’t allow you or Sonia to pass back to Earth.”

  Transparent forms resembling Sonia and Thanatos floated out of the dark being. “Then you will have to kill us,” they said in unison.

  Thanatos charged me, and I drew my sword, slashing through his glowing body. Laughter echoed through my mind.

  “You’ll have to do better than that.” Sonia hovered over me.

  Focus, I reminded myself. The point was to break Theron’s hold on Michael’s coven, push him out of his leadership position. But how did I do that? His mark and connection to Sonia and Thanatos provided the link he needed. If I somehow broke the trio’s bond, would that be enough?

  A cold blast hit me and sent me flying backwards.

  Do not get lost in Sheol, Anastasia’s words trailed through my mind.

  I focused on my mark and the tether it provided, and my body collided back towards Theron. Again, I hit an invisible wall, and my body went limp. I fell to the hard surface near the ledge. Theron’s dark brewing form loomed over me, and an abyss of black waited below.

  Even though my sword had no effect before, I gripped it with both hands, holding it out as if a barrier between me and the evil being above. Glancing to the edge, I spun to the wall and jumped up. Back pressed to the cold stone behind me, I searched my brain for the key to severing Theron’s tie with the coven. Maybe if I lured Sonia and Theron out again, I could break their bond with Theron.

  I studied my weapon again. It hadn’t been a conscious thought. It just appeared. That must mean it must serve some purpose.

  “So, Lucifer promised to make you a dark angel? Do you really think he will follow through? He told me he wanted you nowhere near his realm. He feared how powerful you were. Maybe he tricked you into forming one being, knowing you’d never be free of it.”

  The being glowed orange, and Sonia’s and my father’s faces appeared. I needed off the ledge, so I squatted and jumped, flipping in the air and landing on a stone surface. My feet slid with the impact. I dropped and rolled, jumping up to face the dark being pursuing me. Sonia and Thanatos projected out of the being, and I noted blue tendrils connecting their forms to Theron.

  Focusing on Theron, I held my sword up. Perhaps if I bested him, Sonia would be rattled, and I would gain an advantage.

  “That sword is useless, boy.” Thanatos laughed. “You’re not a fighter.”

  “You’re wrong. I’m strong enough to stand against you now.” I took a few steps back.

  “Really?” Taking the bait, he floated towards me.

  Blue tendrils trailed between him and the dark form. In a swift motion, I lunged at the blue strands, pulling them to me with my magic. They pulsed, and I swirled the sword in the air. As I did, the tendrils floated around it. Thanatos charged. I ducked, and an icy blast swept over me. Using my power, I yanked the tendrils to me.

  Thanatos’s form writhed with the strain. Flames shot up behind me, and I projected a barrier wall. Running at my father, I snagged one of the blue tendrils with my sword. Rotating the sword, I swirled the blue cord around the blade. Gripping it with two hands, I yanked the sword up, breaking the tendril connecting Thanatos to the dark being. The blue strand darkened to black and disintegrated into dust.

  A shrill shriek sounded behind me, and I jerked towards the sound. The next instant, it transformed to a cackle. The dark being mutated to Sonia’s image and grew, looming two heads high over me. Thanatos stood, hands to hips, a smile spreading across his face. “And now you have two of us to fight. By the time we’re through with you, you’ll be begging to join us. It’s the only way you’re going to survive this. I killed you once. I’ll do it again.”

  Faint light shimmered off an object in his hand, and I realized he held a dagger just like the one he’d slit my throat with. It’s not real, I told myself. He’s in your head.

  “Am I?” Thanatos strode to me.

  I bounced on my feet, wondering if he’d transformed into a physical being. Two more steps and I’d charge him.

  Planting my feet, I lifted my chin. “I’m the rightful leader of our line.”

  “He’s broadened this from the coven to our entire line. Did you hear that, Sonia?” Thanatos paced.

  I swiveled my body so they were on the same side of me, wondering when the plateau ended. My eyes adjusted to the dark, and I could make out differences in the black shades. For as far as I could see, a slate gray extended before and behind me.

  Taking the sword in my left hand, I held out my right arm, exposing my wrist. The brand glowed gold. It meant little to me, I still had to take leadership from Theron, but I figured it might throw them off.

  “I have the mark. I am the chosen one.”

  Thanatos charged me, and his dagger landed in my forearm. Pain shot through my body, and I took a deep breath.

  Aim for the heart, Grady’s words echoed through my brain.

  Gripping my sword, I thrust it up into Thanatos’s chest. His eyes held my gaze for a second and then froze.

  I’d killed my father. My father was dead. A horrific roar brought me out of my stupor. Pulling the sword from his chest, I jumped back. Thanatos’s body slumped to the ground. It shriveled to a black shell, his skin cracking to reveal gray matter underneath. The tissue dried to dust and fell to the ground, leaving nothing but a pile of ash.

  Hunter! Alena screamed.

  Hunter, your wound. Camille’s voice sounded in my head.

  Focusing on my arm, I realized blood poured from the gash. Sliding the dagger from my flesh, I tore the end of my shirt and wrapped it around the cut. Red liquid saturated the fabric within seconds. I needed help. If I tried to heal myself, I’d deplete my energy. I hadn’t wanted to call her there but saw no other way.

  Camille.

  She appeared before me. Her eyes darted left, right, and landed on me. As she placed her hand on the wound, the skin under her touch warmed. Removing the makeshift tourniquet, she revealed pink healing skin.

  “Thank you.” I stretched my arm, testing its strength.

  “What is this place?” She squinted into the darkness.

  “It doesn’t matter. You have to go.”

  Glancing behind her, I saw Sonia rise from the ground. I grabbed Camille and pulled her behind me.

  She drew her sword from her back. “I’m staying.”

  “Don’t fight me on this. Things are going well. Go. I may need you later.”

  “Fine, but hurry. We only have five hours till the plane lands.”

  “What? It’s only been like five minutes.”

  “No. It’s been five hours.”

  “Okay, well, thanks for that tidbit.” I glanced at Sonia, and her eyes glowed red. “Go.”

  Camille disappeared, and I refocused on Sonia and Theron’s diminished yet thriving form.

  “You know he’s not gone, right?” Sonia stepped over the pile of ash that had been my father. “His spirit lives on.”

  I held my dagger out in front of me. “I pray he finds peace then.”

  “Peace?” Her mouth formed a snarl. “His son killed him. He will never know peace.”

  Realizing I had to focus on the task in front of me, I shut out images of my father’s dead body. There had been no choice. It was him or me.

  Sonia’s body grew, and I watched as she rose above me. I noted the blue tendrils connecting her to Theron and his shrunken being. Her skin formed red whelps and scales replaced burnt flesh. Claws replaced fingers, and her face transfigured into a beak. The hair on her head hardened into spines, and the folds of her dress formed a long, slithering tail. Red eyes greeted me, and I jumped back as fire spewed from her nostrils.

  Theron’s being, a cloud of gray churning smoke, lagged behind Sonia’s dragon form, tethered by the thick blue root of a tendril.

  “Theron, she’s consuming you. If she grows much more, you’ll be sucked into her being.”

  A face materiali
zed in the amorphous form with eyes I would never forget, and his thin lips poised in a half-smile. “Or, she’ll kill you.”

  “Give up control of the coven, and this will all be over.” I side-stepped around the dragon to Theron. “There’s still hope for you.”

  “What, and come back to Earth to be your lowly brother? I don’t think so. Lucifer has promised me so much more.”

  “Why do you need the coven then?”

  Theron chuckled. “I can’t wait to see you crying over Alena’s dead body.”

  Thrusting all my energy into a forward motion, I lunged at the blue tendril, sword raised ready to sever it. The glowing strand hooked around catching my shins. I landed with my chest to the ice-cold stone. Spinning to face my enemies, I jumped to my feet.

  I needed a new strategy. I’d drawn Sonia out, away from Theron, but I had a twelve-foot dragon to deal with. I wondered where the edge lay. If I could get Sonia over the side, I’d have a chance to cut the link between them as she fell, or Theron would careen over with her. Would I kill my brother too?

  Waving my sword in the air, I backed away from Sonia’s advances. With Theron’s waning magic, the time had come. I aimed my outstretched palm at Theron’s form and began to draw his magic to me. The gray mass darkened and writhed, fighting against my pull. As I sucked at his magic, a circle coalesced at the edge of Theron’s being. Sonia raised her head and drew in a breath. Realizing what she was about to do, I whirled around and ran.

  The back half of my body exploded in pain as the flames hit me.

  Hunter! Alena’s and Camille’s voices sounded in my head.

  Sending healing energy to my damaged skin, I pivoted to face Theron and Sonia again. I held my hand out, attempting to extract Theron’s magic again. An image of Theron’s face appeared in his being.

  “You’re too weak, brother. The battle is lost. You knew it’d end like this. You’ve never been able to best me.”

  Sonia and Theron advanced, and I crept back, using all my strength to suck Theron’s power from him. A dark-blue orb inched away from Theron, and he sucked it back as my concentration switched to my throbbing back. I needed to find Theron’s weakness. My thoughts popped to Alena and how she insisted we’d always be stronger as a unit. Could I risk bringing them here? What if I lost one of them? I’d never forgive myself. What if something happened to me and they couldn’t get back? But even with Sonia in her dragon form, we’d have a numbers advantage.

  Alena. Camille. I played my what-would-Alena-do card.

  Alena appeared in a black-hooded suit. A smile spread across her face. She spun and lifted her bow, launching an arrow at the dragon and landing it in an eye. The beast shrieked.

  Camille materialized beside me. She lay her hands on my shoulders, sending healing energy into my skin. Then drawing her sword, she charged Sonia. With Sonia distracted, I focused on Theron again. I imagined siphoning his power. Blue tendrils swirled within the cloudy mass and formed a sphere.

  Hunter. Alena’s voice sounded in my head. Motion behind me caught my eye, and I jumped just in time to avoid Sonia’s spiked tail.

  We’ve got ten feet till the edge, she warned.

  Lure them there, I instructed.

  What? Camille shouted.

  Alena launched an arrow at the dragon’s swirling tail. He’s right.

  Like a lion stalking prey, Sonia advanced on us.

  Backing from her advance to the ledge, I focused on siphoning Theron’s magic. When we get to the edge, charge between them. You watch Sonia while I sever their connection.

  A foot from the edge, I signaled to go. Racing to the blue-growing tendril, I sliced through it. The dragon shrieked and raised its tail, bringing it down with a thundering blow. I squatted to keep my balance as the rock under my feet shifted. Looking up, I saw Alena jump to the beast’s back. She raised her knife and plunged it into the animal. Fire shot out of its nostrils, and I grabbed Camille and shot into the air just before the flames reached us.

  “Now, I will see you cry.” Theron appeared in his human form.

  Raising his hand, he sent Sonia and Alena careening over the ledge. Air catching in my lungs, I jumped towards their retreating forms, my mind searching for a way to rescue Alena. Jutting out my arm, I shot tendrils of white light at the falling beast. All I could see were the glowing bands of light, and I held my breath, waiting for them to snap tight as Alena grabbed hold.

  “Alena!” Camille yelled.

  “Alena!” I called out as I sped down the fissure after Alena.

  “Looks like she’s lost in the abyss. No matter. I’ve got an eternity to search for her.” Theron’s words echoed through the dark canyon. “As for you—”

  Camille squealed. Sending more strands of magic rope down into the dark hole, I shot back up to the ledge. Theron held Camille by the neck.

  “She can be dead in a second,” Theron called to me as I landed before them. “Alena’s gone. The coven will be at your door soon. If they find your bodies, they’ll kill you, and you’ll be stuck here forever. You’ve lost everything. If you take me back now, I may let you and your blond friend live.”

  Anger boiled in my chest. Theron did not get to threaten or make demands.

  Alena. I reached out to her with my mind. Silence filled the seconds. My mind raced with the implications and searched for an out. The only option was to give it my all.

  The ground under me shook, and I glanced around, realizing the whole space shuddered.

  “This realm you created is collapsing. Your body is in peril. Michael’s coven is there. Take me back, and I will—”

  Camille flipped Theron over her back, grabbed her sword from the ground, and pointed the tip at his chest. “Do it, Hunter. Finish what we came to do.”

  I planted my feet and flung the rest of my energy at Theron. A gold-glowing cloud hovered over him. Blue tendrils rose from his chest and absorbed into the white light.

  Theron writhed as his shoulders heaved under the strain. “Don’t do it. Don’t take it from me. It’s all I have left.”

  One thin strand held tight to his skin. I closed my fingers, forming a fist, and slapped it on my chest. Theron screamed as the strand slid into the white sphere. The sphere hurled at me, slamming into my chest. It spread over my body and seeped into my skin. Power throbbed through me.

  “Watch him,” I told Camille and bolted to the edge and peered over, sending more white glowing ropes down the cavern.

  Alena! The rock shook harder, and dust fell from above.

  “Hunter, you have to tell the coven to stand down. They’re still acting on Theron’s orders.”

  Focusing on my mark, I called to the coven. I am Hunter Michaels, leader of your coven. I ask you to abandon your assault on me and my friends. We are not enemies.

  The tremors quieted and stopped. Camille grabbed Theron’s arm and dragged him to me. She locked her other hand in mine. “We have to find Alena.”

  I closed my eyes and searched for her, finding her lying at the bottom of the ravine. Sonia’s dragon form sprawled out beside her.

  Camille squeezed my hand. “I’ll go and bring her back.”

  “No, we’ll go together.”

  “What about Theron?”

  “Leave him. He is powerless. On three.”

  “Don’t leave me here. Lucifer will come for me,” Theron pleaded.

  Even with my hatred for him, our connection tugged at my conscious. “We’ll come back for you.”

  Nodding at Camille, I tightened my grip on her hand and jumped. We sailed down into the darkness, my mark lighting our way. I counted, ticking off seconds to distract myself from imagining the worst about Alena.

  She’s going to be okay. Camille’s words penetrated my thoughts.

  We sped faster down the fissure. Sixty, one-twenty, one-eighty, two-forty. How deep was the hole?

  There. Camille pointed.

  I made out the dragon, twisted chin down and belly up. Alena lay beside it. We landed with
a thud, and I kneeled beside Alena. Her chest rose and fell.

  “See, she’s alive. She’ll be okay.”

  We each took one of her hands, sending healing waves into her body. I called to her over and over in my mind. Alena, come back. You were right. We did it together. Now let’s go home.

  “She should be waking up.” Camille cradled Alena’s face.

  I ran my hands up and down her arms and legs, warming her cool skin. “She’s cold as ice.”

  “Get her off the ground.”

  Picking her up, I hugged her to me. Alena, we’re here. Everything’s going to be all right.

  Camille put her hands on each side of Alena’s head. “Maybe she has a concussion. Some broken bones? She could be bleeding internally.”

  “We’ve got to get out of here. Go back.” A wave of heat washed over me and sweat beaded on my temples. I shivered as a cold breeze wafted past. My leg muscles trembled. “I’m getting low on energy.”

  “I know. Me too.” Camille paced away from me.

  “Hey, Camille, it’s going to be okay. Together, we have enough power. Let’s go back now. I can use my connection to Michael’s coven.”

  “What if Alena’s not strong enough to withstand the transition?”

  “You guys really aren’t giving me enough credit.” Alena lifted her head from my arm.

  “Oh my God.” I squeezed her to me. “You’re okay.”

  “Except that you’re cutting off my circulation. Put me down.”

  Keeping my hand around her waist, I lowered her legs to the ground. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ve been better.” She leaned over, propping herself with hands on her thighs. “But also, you guys need to have more faith in your own capabilities. You’re one hell of a healing team.”

  “Could you hear us this whole time?” Camille rubbed Alena’s back.

  “Every word.” Alena stood and smiled. She reached out and wrapped her arms around each of us. “We did it. Sonia and Thanatos are gone.”

  I hugged Alena and then Camille. “Okay, we need to go home.”