Shade flicked his wrist toward the ropes and they went up in flames. The man fell to the ground with a thud. I rushed over and caught his head before it smacked against the ground. “How can I help him?” My heart ached.
“By setting him free. He is not of this world anymore…”
My hands trembled as I reached for my dagger. Flashing back to my history class at Sanctum, the teacher’s voice whispered in my head. There is only one way to kill a wolf.
I took a deep breath and said a silent prayer before plunging the dagger into the side of the man’s head. I closed my eyes as the blade crunched through bone and flesh. The man went limp, his breath fading into nothing. His chest was still.
Shade took the blade from my shaking hands, wiping the blood off on his pants. “You showed him mercy, Arya. Don’t let his death haunt you.”
My teeth chattered as I hovered over the lifeless man. His last moments were cruel and excruciating. I knew I had done him a favor, but I would never get the image of him out of my head. I would never forget the way my dagger felt in my hands as I drove it into his brain.
My anger grew as I pushed myself off the ground, unable to take my eyes off the contorted body at my feet. “I’m going to kill her for making me do this.”
Shade let out a deep sigh. “I know you want to, but you can’t. The gods alone will decide her fate.”
“We’ll see about that,” I snapped.
Every cell in my body was screaming as I stormed past the altar toward the back of the room. There was another door with light seeping out from under it. I grabbed the knob and yanked it open, almost tearing it off its hinges. Shade sprinted to keep up with me.
We rounded another corner and Shade barreled into me as I froze. Dark magic permeated the air around us while the gravedigger planted herself in front of us, blocking our path. Echo’s laughter bubbled up, echoing through the hall, but she kept her distance, prancing behind the safety of her gravedigger.
“You are a monster,” I spat. I wanted to crush every bone in her body.
Echo stayed behind her gravedigger. “We are all monsters, my dear niece. At least, we are down here. Don’t fool yourself into believing there is no darkness in you. It is in all of us. I know you feel it too.”
I wanted to rip out her tongue. She was wrong. But even if it were true, I would never act on it. I would have self-control. Discipline. Empathy. “You have tortured people, turned humans into slaves, and killed for no reason. I’m nothing like you.”
Her eyebrows seemed to reach all the way to the back of her head as she feigned surprise. “You are my blood, Arya. Gaia was my sister. I mourn her loss every day. Why must you fight who you are? This is where you belong. Join me and we can rule this world together.”
I spat at her feet. “You are responsible for what has happened to our ancestors. The other coven leaders know the truth now. Spare me your fake sympathy for my mother. You couldn’t stand the fact that she found love. You’ve always been jealous of her, haven’t you? So you ratted her out, but what you didn’t realize is that we would all be punished for her supposed sin.”
The whites in her eyes were bloodshot, crazed, like a drunken sailor. “Jealous of Gaia? I loved my sister. But I knew the second she became pregnant with you that everything would change. The daughter of the creator of Elemental magic would become an Aether and take all the magic for herself. I couldn’t let that happen. They should all belong to me. I am a demigod, unlike the rest of them. The torch should have been passed to me, not some silly half-mortal love child.”
“So, it is Arya that you are jealous of?” Shade interjected. “I should have known. You mistakenly thought that the Keeper could find a loophole and make you the Aether. That’s why you took him. Well, I hate to break it to you, but it’s too late. Arya is the Aether. She has accepted her rightful place as leader of the Elemental covens. There is nothing you can do to stop it.”
Her eyes darkened. “That’s where you’re wrong.” She flicked her wrist and the gravedigger came charging toward me.
Twenty-Five
I sidestepped out of the way as the gravedigger barreled toward me, her mouth twisted in horror. She lunged at me again just as Shade clamped down on her wrists, flinging her backward. She let out a bloodcurdling scream as he flung her around, smacking her head against the wall. Placing his hands on her temples, he began to chant under his breath.
Echo’s eyes widened. “No.” She charged toward them, her hands outstretched. A gust of wind shot out from her fingertips. I slid in between them before it could land and caught the air in my hands, pushing it back on her. She stumbled backward but regained her footing, her nostrils flared.
I planted my feet and held my hands up, thrusting out my own gust of wind. “You aren’t going to win this battle. Surrender, or I will have to kill you.”
She cackled and raised her arms over head. “I have existed for thousands of years. You will not be the one to stop me.” She unleashed a spinning cyclone. It hovered between us before diving toward me with deadly force.
I exhaled slowly and parted my lips. I drew in a sharp breath as the wind storm hit me, sucking it into my body. I blew out a puff of smoke. Echo’s eyes widened, her head shaking. I cracked my knuckles and pressed my palms together. A warm heat began to radiate between my fingers.
Echo’s mouth dropped open. She glanced over at her gravedigger just in time to see Shade subduing her permanently, her limp body slumping to the floor. “Wait. Just wait…how do you want this to go, Arya?”
The flames tickled my flesh as they grew stronger. I pulled my hands apart and began to shape a perfectly round fire ball, tossing it back and forth like a toy.
“Arya, don’t do it,” Shade yelled.
I wanted to see her suffer. To bring her to her knees and hear her beg for her life the way that Rougarou must have begged for his. “I can’t let her live.” I raised my hands, the fire ball growing into a blaze now as I pushed it in Echo’s direction.
She collapsed to her knees, her arms out in front of her. “Have you no mercy?” She cried out as the flames darted toward her.
Shade jumped in front of her at the last second, his palms out as he deflected the flames down. They dissipated into the floor.
I grunted and readied a new fire ball. “Shade, get out of my way.”
He shook his head. “No, I won’t let you do this. Not for her, but for you. She is right about the darkness. Once you go down its path, it takes hold of you. You may never see the light again.”
Keeping my eyes locked on her, I let Shade’s words sink in. I knew he was right. But I was just so angry. Every terrible thing that happened to me and my family was because of her. And I could end it right now. But that would make me no better.
I released a deep breath. “Fine. I won’t kill her. But one way or another I am turning her over to the gods. She has wreaked enough havoc on this realm. Echo, your reign of destruction is over.”
Her hands trembled as she fixated on the fire between my fingers. “Arya, we are gods. I have only behaved as one would. The humans were meant to serve us. Just as animals were meant to serve them. You are making a big mistake.” Her eyes filled with a wild madness.
My muscles ached. I was using every ounce of magic I had to hold her back. “That’s where you’re wrong. This war between witches and gods has nothing to do with them. You shouldn’t have harmed them or used them to create your dark army. But you are right about one thing… I am half-mortal and because of that, this realm is my home just as much as Elysium is. I will not allow you to destroy either with your lies and delusions.”
Shade whispered a prayer over the gravedigger’s body and placed her hands over her chest. “See you on the other side.” He strolled over to Echo and held out his hands. “Unless you want me to let Arya kill you, it’s time to go.”
She shook her head, her lips trembling. “No. I’m not ready. I won’t hurt the humans anymore. I promise. I’ll disappear. Just let me go.�
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I let out a deep sigh and lowered my hands. My magic retreated back. “You and I both know you won’t be able to help yourself. I can’t let you stay here.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks as Shade placed a hand on each side of her head. He whispered an ancient phrase over and over again. The same phrase I heard him use on Basil. Non magicae, nulla virtus, sine dolore.
As her magic recoiled, she was powerless. Her head hung down in defeat. Shade clasped her wrists and tied them with muslin cloth. Her eyes filled with rage. “You will regret this one day.”
I snickered; a dark spark of magic simmered below the surface. “I’m sure I will. I should have just killed you.”
As we made our way down to the basement where the portal to Purgatory was, I couldn’t deny there was a small part of me that felt sorry for Echo. The desperation and ache in her voice while she pleaded for her freedom was almost heartbreaking. But then I remembered the image of the Rougarou man I had to kill, his face and limbs frozen in a permanent state of limbo between both of his natures. The memory of it sickened me, the stench of blood and rotting flesh made my stomach turn and took with it any sympathy I could ever have for her.
Chaos took one look at me as I stepped into the room and rushed to my side, throwing his arms around me. His heart raced against my chest. “Arya, are you all right?”
I nodded, letting my body collapse into his. Feeling the weight of his arms around me brought everything to the surface. I whimpered softly into his neck. “I—I killed someone. An innocent. I had to. She was torturing him… I couldn’t save him. I’m sorry.”
Chaos caressed the back of my head. “It’s okay, love. Everything is going to be okay.” He leaned back to look at me, his eyes brimming with tears. “You are so brave, my love. You did what you had to do. No one will judge you for that.”
I sniffled and wiped my face with the back of my hand. “I can’t stop thinking about it. What if there was something else I could have done?”
Shade watched me with intent, his gaze lingering over my wings. “There wasn’t. You did him a favor. The memory will fade in time. I promise you that.”
I nodded, a little unnerved by the way he stared at me, but I wasn’t convinced this memory would ever go away. “What did you say to Echo back there? When you were numbing her magic?”
He lifted his chin, avoiding eye contact with everyone. “No magic, no power, no pain.”
Chaos arched an eyebrow at him, skeptical. “Well, thank you for helping us.”
Shade flashed him a smirk. “Of course. It was my pleasure.” He couldn’t hide the sarcasm in his voice. We didn’t exactly give him a choice.
Sapphire picked up on it. “Don’t think that this makes you a good person now. The Crescent witches will not forget who you really are.”
He stared at her distantly, as if he was remembering who he was again through her eyes. He spun on his heel and pulled a bound Echo out of the shadows, shoving her toward them. “This is who I really am. But this time, my gift has proven useful. If that isn’t irony, I don’t know what is.” He clenched his jaw as he glared at Sapphire. She looked away, uncomfortable.
Chaos grabbed Echo by the arm. “It’s time to go home.”
We gathered around the portal and stared down into its abyss. The ancestors would be waiting and the gods would be watching to see what we do next. I took a deep breath as we all joined hands and jumped in.
Seven’s towering figure was a comforting sight, even with Diego and Lorenzo still glaring daggers at each other behind him. I breathed a sigh of relief to see the coven leaders still bound at their side—Fox, Luna, Basil, and now Echo. What surprised me the most about this whole bunch was Shade—the only coven leader who practiced dark magic was the only one who didn’t have a gravedigger under his control. He was rough around the edges, but I was starting to see a different side to him. There was some light left in him, but he buried it away for some reason.
Seven smiled as we approached. “I’m happy to say the Keeper is safe and resting. His wounds were deep, but they will heal in time.” He threw Echo a disdainful look.
My heart skipped. “Thank Apollo. And thank you for getting him out of there.”
“He is an old friend and too important to lose.” Sweat and dirt stained Seven’s brow, seeping into the crinkled lines of his forehead.
Chaos slapped him on the back. “Are you ready to see your wife again?” He gave him a wink.
“You have no idea,” Seven replied.
Wife? Not that he wasn’t handsome and charming, but I never pictured Seven having a wife to go home to. He loved adventure. I could see it in his eyes. I never imagined him being tied down to any one person.
I cleared my throat. “Um, you’re married? Where has she been this whole time?”
“In Elysium. That’s where we live. It’s a long story. A story for another time. I know you must be heartbroken to find I am not available.” He flashed me a teasing grin.
Chaos let out a snort, half choking on his own saliva. “Please. Arya would never fall for a brute like you.”
“Okay, very funny. I was just surprised that’s all.”
They broke into laughter while Shade huffed, folding his arms tight to his chest. “I hate to break up this happy reunion, but we need to finish what we came here for.”
Chaos narrowed his eyes at him, his smile gone. “Oh? So you think you’re in charge, now?
I flapped my wings, sending out a subtle breeze across everyone’s face. “I’m in charge…but he’s right. We aren’t done yet.” I had to remind myself that I wasn’t a giggling school girl anymore. We were standing in Purgatory, along with my entire ancestral line, and I had to act like the Aether now.
The wind blew through me as I moved toward the clearing where the ancestors waited. My flesh tingled as their power drew me in. They were not lost, just hidden away. They gathered, their figures willowing to almost nothing amongst the oak trees. My mother stood in the center, her face beaming with pride and love, mirroring the faces of the ancestors as they gazed at me. A rush of emotions flooded over me—love, relief, sadness, and hope. They stood quiet and still, facing me.
Gaia’s energy flickered toward me, filled with warmth and a touch of surprise. “You came back for us.”
A sob caught in my throat. “I told you I would. I made a promise.”
She held out her arms and I ran to them like a child, burying my head in her neck as the tears spilled out. She cradled my head against her. “My sweet girl. You’ve made me so proud.”
I sniffled, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “We are taking you back to Elysium. All of you.”
Her face fell. “Arya, no, that’s impossible. They won’t let us walk back in. You must destroy us first. Destroy this place. We must return back as particles and dust,” she whispered.
I shook my head. “Not until you are all through the portal. Casting you out of Elysium was wrong. The harpies understand that now. They will let us through. Chaos will speak to the gods on your behalf.”
She looked over at him. “Is this true? You think they will let us in?’
He marched over to us. “I didn’t believe at first. But now…your amazing daughter has convinced me it’s possible. We don’t have to destroy Purgatory with you still in it. The gods are forgiving and can be reasoned with.”
Gaia shook her head, wringing her hands. “They will punish you for this, Chaos. They might punish all of us. They do not tolerate disobedience.”
I pleaded with her. “They were also lied to and misled. Echo is destroying the mortal realm. She has been sacrificing humans. I can make sure that never happens again. The gods must know the truth.”
Gaia looked around at the ancestors standing behind her. Their heads nodded in unison. She sucked in a deep breath. “If you’re wrong, they could send us some place much worse. Are you willing to take that risk?”
My heart pounded in my chest. “I am.”
She paused, looking
back and forth between me and the ancestors. “Very well. We will follow you.”
Chaos and I exchanged a look of relief. He motioned toward the others. “When I open the portal, go through and wait for us at the Harpy Forest. We will walk through the gates together.”
The others shuffled around, their faces exhausted and fear stricken. Chaos crept over to a large oak tree and placed his hands against its trunk. I gasped as he closed his eyes and a golden light radiated out of every pore in his body. His wings unfolded and he shot up an extra two feet, his body naked and glistening..
The tree cracked open, shaking the ground. It pulled itself apart, creating an opening large enough for giants to pass through. Its branches creaked and moaned as the ground settled.
I threw my arms around my mother’s neck. “Go. Wait for me on the other side. I won’t be long.”
She cupped my face in her hands. “Be careful, Arya. You need to get through the portal before Purgatory collapses.”
Chaos cut in, “I promise, I will get her through.”
Her eyes lingered over the both of us before she turned and led the ancestors through the opening.
Sapphire bolted toward me, panic-stricken. “What about the Crescent witches? My mother? The missing coven leaders?”
Seven shot Chaos and me a loaded look, shaking his head. He placed a firm but gentle hand on her shoulder. “They aren’t here, Sapphire. I’m sorry.”
She shrugged him off with more force than he was prepared for as he stumbled back. “What do you mean they aren’t here? Where else would they be?” Before anyone could respond, she charged toward Echo, grabbing her by the throat. “What have you done with my mother?”
“I don’t know anything about that. I swear.” She clawed at Sapphire’s hands, gasping for air.
It took all my strength to pry Sapphire off of her. “Saph, we’ll find them, I promise. But right now, we have to go. We have to get out of here.”
Smoke and Ritual (Beautiful Dark Beasts Book 1) Page 22