by Jaymin Eve
With effort I pulled my eyes from my mate as a new doorway opened. Unless this was an uninvited guest, the Abernaths were on their way. Brace tensed beside me, and he wasn’t the only one; the field fell silent as we waited.
“And so it begins.” I heard the words from a group of Walkers near us.
It was more ominous than I expected. Almost as if they’d said, ‘the beginning of the end’. I linked my right hand with Brace’s and the left with Lucy’s. I had to physically restrain myself from tracing away with my loved ones right now. Talina was close by as well, sitting alone, pulling out long strands of grass.
“They’re being overly dramatic because this is the first time Walkers have had to face their own mortality.” Brace kissed my cheek. I sensed his need to calm my racing heart. “Since those two dead Walkers were discovered, the clans have been a little crazy, but no one is going to die today.”
“I’m with you, Abbs. I’ve got a bad feeling about all this.” Lucy’s words had my heart racing again.
The hard facial planes and jet-black hair that Que sported was the first thing I noticed as they stepped through the doorway. He was followed by an army of Walkers. While we had maybe fifty between our two clans, he looked to have equalled that.
“I still don’t understand. If this is a battle with rules, why bring such a force of Walkers?”
Brace laughed without any humor. “Sometimes Walkers decide that they don’t like a decision. Sometimes they decide they know better. On those occasions it helps to have a little clout behind you as backup.”
“I’m guessing you say that from experience,” I replied.
“Yes. Que has on more than one occasion won these battles by simply showing up with the biggest army. It starts as an intimidation tactic, and ends as a cheat-to-win tactic. Que is the only Princep who keeps very close ties with all of his clan. Therefore, he always has them under his control and ready for battle. The rest of the clans are ... free. No one really controls them, and it’s a rare occasion that we gather in large groups.”
Great. This was going to end in disaster.
“Bracelional, I need you to join the member of your clan.”
Que and his crew were about fifty yards from the rest of us. They stood in strict formation. There was no relaxing of their robot expressions, or, as Lucy would put it, removal of the sticks up their butts.
“I am with the members of my clan, Que,” Brace said, not moving an inch.
His father smiled. “We will see, son.”
And on that ominous note, it began.
Josian stepped away from Lallielle. “Let’s not waste any time. I’m ready to call my team for battle.”
It was in that moment I sensed a feeling of satisfaction. I shook my head. I was pretty sure that wasn’t my emotion. But the feeling persisted. I ran my eyes over the crowd of Walkers and noticed that Que had a smug, self-satisfied expression. I focused on him for a moment, studying his features.
A flash of light slammed my eyes closed. I clutched at my head as I tried to figure out what had just happened. Despite my scrunched-up eyes, the flashes continued. It took me a few moments to realize they weren’t just light but flickers of thoughts and images crossing my mind. Again, not my own.
“Are you okay, Red?”
I opened my eyes to Brace’s concerned features. I managed to smile enough to semi-reassure him. With one last look, he turned back to watch the proceedings.
Que had just waved a hand for Josian to get on with it. Suddenly I knew. I knew what my mind had been trying to tell me. I dashed for Josian.
“Stay with Lucy,” I yelled to Brace as I ran.
He ignored me, of course, but I noticed he gave me a few seconds’ headstart.
“I call Grantham of –”
I grabbed Josian’s arm, interrupting his speech. “Dad.”
He paused.
“Baby girl? This isn’t the best timing.” His eyes were bright, golden in the sunlight.
I leaned in closer to him. “You can’t call Brace. He has to leave; he has to get away from here.”
Josian’s features fell for the first time into lines of confusion.
“We need Brace, Aribella. I know you’re worried, but I promise I won’t let anything happen to him.”
“I’m sorry. Are we interrupting your family time with this little inconsequential battle?” Que’s tone was mocking, and I wanted so badly to punch him.
Ignoring this for now, I kept my pleading face locked on my father’s.
Josian held up one hand to Que to indicate we needed another minute.
“Dad, listen to me. This is not about keeping Brace safe; it’s about keeping everyone safe. You tell me he’s the most powerful Walker and Que wants him on your team. I think I just picked up his thoughts – well, kind of his feelings – and he wants you to choose Brace more than anything.”
This was the moment, the bad feeling I’d had since the announcement of this battle. Josian examined me for a few silent moments. I held my breath, hoping he would believe me. Brace finally reached our side.
Josian took that moment to face Que. “And I call Tolialth, my second-in-command.”
I sighed in relief.
“Do you accept that which has been challenged of us? To protect and claim the half-Walkers Aribella of Doreen and Talina of Abernath?”
Brace controlled his features, although I could feel his confusion. I needed to get him away before Que called him to battle.
Leave, Brace. Now. Open a doorway, and get far enough away that Que can’t call you, I ordered him with my mind.
He looked at me once, and then without any hesitancy opened a doorway and was gone. A shocked silence filled the green space. I was surprised that he hadn’t argued. I guess it was good to know that under all of his over-protective crap there was an honest trust in me. I just hoped it was justified today. Grantham stepped forward to stand with Josian. His generally jovial expression was serious.
“I accept this challenge.”
One of the reds also stepped toward my father.
“I accept this challenge.” He echoed Grantham’s words.
And if he was surprised by his sudden inclusion in this battle, he hid it well.
I noticed Que’s expression, and for the first time he looked unsure, as if he didn’t understand what had just happened. Of course that lasted all of two seconds; I doubt anyone else even noticed. He glared in my direction and, if looks could kill, I’d be in trouble. Fury poured off him.
“I call my second and third lieutenants, Marcus and Lional.”
Two large Walkers stepped forward. They looked like twins to me, with their long hair, dark and pulled back in low ponytails.
In unison they spoke the words of acceptance. I wasn’t sure that anything happened after that, but I could feel something in the air, a sense of ... officialdom.
“Let us begin.” Que waved his hands, and the rest of his men stepped back to form a semi-circle enclosing the back part of the field.
A doorway opened again, and Brace stepped back through. I ran to his side, allowing him to gather me up.
“You better explain to me what just happened, Red.”
His words were muffled in my shoulder as he hugged me close.
Que wanted Josian to pick you. It was part of his strategy. I just knew you couldn’t be involved; it was going to end badly.
I really hoped I was right, and that I hadn’t just sentenced my father to battle without his most powerful weapon.
Don’t let Que get in your head, Abby. He’ll twist your perception of everything. Don’t let him have any control there. If it happens again, block it out. Don’t encourage him.
I couldn’t tell if he was angry with me or not. Either way, our bed had been made, and now we needed to see what resulted from this battle.
Chapter 15
The six Walkers were motionless in the center of the field. Everyone had filed back to form a circle with a diameter of at least a mile. I t
hreaded my hands through each other over and over, but my habit was doing nothing to stem my nerves. Brace reached over to separate them and kept hold of my left.
For some reason no one spoke. I don’t know what the signal was but the fighting started without any visible warning. I swallowed my gasp, though a small whimper escaped. I was probably squeezing the life out of Brace’s hand in my panic.
Josian will be fine, baby; he’s strong and has good men at his back.
Despite everything, my heart still fluttered when he called me baby; he didn’t do it much and I really liked it, which surprised me. I had never pictured myself falling for the cutesy name.
The fighting started to move rapidly. Walkers zipped around the field, testing each other. Josian and Que came together and again they went hand-to-hand combat-style. The other four kept each other occupied. I watched as Grantham crouched close to the ground, placing his palm flat on the green grass, and wondered what he was doing.
“Is he having a rest already?” I finally broke the silence.
“His affinity is for natural elements. Minerals, dirt, rock, and stone, all of those found in the base of planets,” Brace answered me.
And then I could see it for myself. A huge crevice was spreading through the area, surrounding the second and third of the Abernaths. I knew it wasn’t much more than a distraction, but it was still impressive.
I turned back to watch my father and Que. I’d had just enough training to see that Que was in a class of his own as a fighter. It was apparent where Brace got his ninja smoothness. The man flowed from one movement to the next without pause. I was relieved to see that Josian was holding his own, but he couldn’t keep it up against that unwavering onslaught for long.
“Josian knows Que’s weaknesses. We’ve practiced for this,” Brace reassured me, probably hoping I’d stop chewing my nails to the bone.
Lallielle stepped up next to me. I hadn’t seen her much lately, and I wondered how she was handling the stress. Using my free hand, I gripped hers tightly. She smiled but didn’t take her eyes from Josian.
“He’s just so good,” I said, caught up by Que’s amazing fight.
“He’d want to be; his sole focus in the last few thousand years has been becoming the supreme commander of this star system.”
I’d thought my life sucked growing up. I’d bet having a father like that made mine look like the ideal childhood.
“Your father will be fine, darling. He’s not without skills of his own.” Lallielle ran a comforting hand over my curls.
“I hate this. I never imagined that upon finding my parents I’d be thrust into a universal battle. And that I’d be the reason for all this fighting –”
I let my whining drift off as I caught sight of Talina standing alone. Damn, I needed to be grateful for the gifts in my life. Talina had just lost everything.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I’m actually happier than I’ve ever been. I just feel guilty.”
“It’s not your fault that you were born, and that’s all it comes down to. The circumstances of being a half-Walker have dictated this heartache in your life,” Lallielle said, her voice breaking a little at the end.
She sniffled once, but I couldn’t see any tears. I let her tuck me under one arm. Brace had to release my hand so I could hug into her properly. She smelled of lilac and cinnamon, scents that had always been familiar to me, and before now I hadn’t known why. Pulling back from her warmth, I forced myself to focus on the fight. For all the buildup and anticipation it seemed to be progressing rather slowly. It looked like there was more verbal and mental sparring than physical.
“They seem afraid to actually touch each other.” Lucy piped up.
She had a point. The three on each team were staying close to their own side. Besides Grantham lobbing rock torpedoes randomly around.
“Yeah, that’s why Walker battles happen rarely. We’re too powerful. Many of them end before they even begin.” Brace was our expert, and I hoped this fight also turned into a non-event.
Que and Josian separated from their groups again, stepping forward to meet in the middle. They were arguing, but I was too far away to make out any of it. Josian’s head spun once in our direction, and the fury on his features made every hair on my body stand on end. I’d never seen him this angry, even when he’d destroyed stalker-Walker on the beach.
He struck out at Que, and not with fists, but with power. Energy blasted throughout the arena and everyone in the vicinity hit the ground hard. And we stayed down. I wasn’t hurt, but I couldn’t pull myself up from the floor. Brace had stayed standing, but he was the only one I could see from my semi-facedown position.
What’s happening? I screamed at him, hoping something would get through all this energy surrounding us.
I felt as if I could see the streams in the air; it was heavy and strong and I was starting to feel very claustrophobic.
Well, Josian just dissolved Que’s second and third lieutenants, and right now is directing an energy stream. We’re just getting the residual side effects.
I thought Josian said he wouldn’t do that again.
This is different to what he did on the beach. That was absorbing energy; this is simply blasting them apart, right down to the cells.
Brace reached down a hand and pulled me up, and the moment he touched me I could move through the pressure.
If you’re stronger you can overwhelm them with energy and they can’t hold onto their cellular shape any longer.
Then what happens? There seemed to be a lot of variances to this immortal thing.
They’ll eventually be reformed back at our point of origin. But it takes a long time and is immensely painful.
It was something to keep in mind should I find myself blown to pieces, though I did have the disturbing sensation that my half-nature would prevent me from reforming. The energy surrounding us didn’t appear to be abating. The air was still thick and cloying, making it difficult to breathe through. But I noticed Josian and Que were both standing.
“Josian’s been holding out on me,” I heard Brace say, with just a touch of admiration.
But before I could question him the fight re-drew our attention.
Grantham and the red Walker – what did Josian call him? Right, Toliath – were crawling through the energy to close in on Que. Now that the other two Abernaths were gone, Josian’s men could surround the true threat in the battle. As the visible energy eased, the air cleared and finally I could breathe again.
I watched closely as Que moved around the other three, faster than I had ever seen. Before anyone could react he was at Toliath’s side and, reaching out, he touched him. Josian’s second-in-command wavered for a moment. The look on his face spoke of complete astonishment, and then he collapsed. I held my breath waiting for him to jump back up, but he lay motionless.
“Brace, what happened?” I clutched his arm, my panic increasing.
“I’ve never seen him use it before. He brags about his touch of death, but I thought it was just a scare tactic.” Brace’s confidence may have wavered slightly, and all I could think about was Josian.
He could not get touched by Que.
Que hadn’t stopped moving. He dashed across the field toward Grantham. I gasped in worry for the jovial man. Luckily, the Relli Walker had had enough time to see what had happened to the other red, and managed to avoid Que’s first touch. Then, using his abilities, Grantham erected a massive wall of rocks between them; they rose from the ground to provide a temporary barrier. Que punched through them, but Grantham was already gone, and was now standing side-by-side with Josian.
“You should have let me fight, Abby. This needs to end today, and I don’t think anyone can take him out.” Brace looked agitated.
I glared. “You just said you don’t know how to counteract that touch-of-death thing. I probably saved your life.”
I was angry and scared, and feeling immensely guilty that a Walker may have lost his life because of my weird premoniti
on. On top of that I could lose Josian today, and I had no idea how to save him. Well, I had one idea, but no one was going to let me hand myself over. I needed to remember that I had to save the world from the Seventine, according to the missing member of our group, Francesca. And considering her recent unreliability, I wondered if we should even trust her anymore.
“Something is wrong here.” I don’t think Brace realized he’d said that out loud.
I grabbed his arm. “What, Brace. What’s happening?”
“He’s playing with them. He never does that in battle.” His eyes were glued to the remaining members.
The three circled each other, Josian and Grantham staying side-by-side, never allowing Que to get the drop on them.
“It’s as if he’s ... ” Brace said slowly, his head spinning around to observe the rest of the field. “Distraction.” He bit out before I could demand again. “He’s distracting them, drawing the fight out. But to what end?”
“Your father’s aware of this. He wants me to check if Brace has any idea what Que’s plan is,” Lallielle said from beside me.
She was staying in touch with her mate.
“I don’t know. I have no idea what might be coming that would be more powerful than Josian and Grantham together. Que believes he’s his own greatest weapon.”
“It has to be about you, Brace.” I managed to keep my voice a decibel level under a shriek. “He wanted you in the battle, and he wanted you on Josian’s side. There must be a reason for that.”
Brace’s eyes narrowed as he stared across the field toward his father. “I would never have defected to his team; surely he wouldn’t think a sense of loyalty would turn me at the end. He knows you’re my mate, and I’ll always be by your side.”
I felt it then. Something big was coming, something devastating that was going to rock my world to its core. Again, these emotions appeared to be coming from Que.