Flickers of Flame

by Madeline Freeman

  “The Blades first, I think,” he said finally. “If you brought them, that is. Did you leave them out in the car?” He tsked. “Risky to do in this neighborhood.”

  “No,” Nate murmured weakly.

  I fought not to look at him. Rage simmered in the pit of my stomach, waiting for the slightest provocation to boil over. Derek and his people hadn’t just held Nate captive, they’d beaten him. From the blood stains on his clothes, I assumed they’d tested out their new relics by using Nate as a pin cushion. With my eyes forward, I could focus on the plan. Turning to look at Nate had the potential to set me over the edge.

  Raising my right hand, I grasped the grip of my Blade and plunged it into the floor before me. The tip sank in several inches, and I sneered at Derek. “We didn’t leave them anywhere.”

  Bridger removed his own Blade, holding it with the tip hovering a few inches above the ground. “You know you’re putting a target on your back, right? A bigger one than there already is? Kidnapping a Keeper is one thing, but stealing the Blades is another. It’s not too late to make the right choice. You don’t have to be the bad guy.”

  Derek chuckled, the sound raising goosebumps on my skin. “You would think I’m the bad guy, wouldn’t you? What else could I be, right? I’m a demon, so of course I’m bad. And if demons are the villains, that means that angels must be the heroes.” He raised both his hands, stretching his arms toward the corners of the room. “Take this restaurant, for instance. About six years ago, this place—and a dozen or so businesses around here—started bouncing back after the Dark Decade. My dad—along with the other owners—started turning this city around. Started doing so well that a group of rich angel investors came sniffing around.”

  A shiver coursed down my spine. In all the time I’d known Derek, he’d never shared this part of his history. I knew his mother died of Languo when he was five, but he never spoke about his father. I didn’t even know he was from Old Greatdale. When Marco found him—rail thin and one mark away from being sent to societal rehab—he’d been living on the streets in Summerhill.

  “They talked a good game. Promised my dad and the other owners everything. Money for expansion, opportunities to open more branded stores in other cities. So they sold to them—cheap because this is Old Greatdale, and the realtors insisted the property wasn’t worth much.”

  Derek pressed his palms into the edge of the bar and leaned forward, his face hard. “For the first few months, things were good. Until the angels from Bloomington and Newdell and Rose Hollow started showing up and complaining about the demon staffers. One by one, they were all fired and replaced with angels who wouldn’t offend the delicate sensitivities of the trendy rich who deigned to visit here. And then they started charging the owners outrageous fees for running their own businesses. Eventually, they bought them out entirely.”

  Derek’s arms dropped to his sides, and he sighed. “But all good things end, right? A couple years after they first came sniffing around, sales took a hit. The neighborhoods started falling apart. People who’d had good jobs at this restaurant and other places like it were unemployed, and vandalism and crime were on the rise. And those rich people decided it was too dangerous for them to visit the trendy restaurants and shoppes, and they stopped coming. So the businesses all closed up. But when the properties went back on the market, the prices were ten, twenty times higher than they were before. No one had the means to buy them. And the city died. Not long after, my dad ended up in societal rehab. When he got out, he wasn’t the same person. And one night he left the house and never came back again. But, yeah. Tell me how I’m the villain.”

  No one spoke. There was nothing to say. No words of apology would make up for what had happened here. Besides, the Keepers weren’t responsible for the city’s downfall. No matter how tragic, it wasn’t their fault.

  “You’re right,” Bridger said at length. “None of that makes you the bad guy. What you’re doing now? That’s what’s doing it.” He stabbed the tip of his sword into the concrete.

  Derek glared, but said nothing.

  Thor pulled his Blade from his back next and sunk it into the floor at his feet.

  Derek’s gaze swiveled to Clio, but her hands remained firmly at her sides. “You want my Blade? Give us Nate.”

  “Yeah, right,” Derek chuckled. “But, as a show of good faith…” He nodded at the giant, who pulled a wicked-looking knife from a sheath on his hip and swiftly cut the bindings at Nate’s hands and feet. Even though Nate made no move to come nearer to us, the giant grabbed the back of his shirt again, holding the knife at his side in his free hand. The blade glowed with an ominous purple light and my stomach twisted. That wasn’t just any knife—it was a relic from the stronghold.

  Derek cleared his throat. “Your turn.”

  Her jaw clenched, Clio complied. She pulled her Blade off her back and stabbed it into the concrete. “Happy now?”

  Derek’s eyes lit up with desire before narrowing. “There’s only four.”

  Beside me, Clio shifted her weight, but she said nothing.

  On the drive here, a plan had begun bubbling in my mind, but there hadn’t been enough substance to discuss it. But now, faced with Derek and the dozen or more demons in the restaurant, giving over all of our weapons seemed more than unwise—it seemed dangerous.

  “We couldn’t get Nate’s Blade,” I said, keeping my voice even. “Did you know that when a Keeper is being held against his will, his Blade disappears until he’s released?” I lifted a shoulder as if I found the precaution ridiculous. “Eternal realm thaumaturgy, am I right?”

  Derek narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying?”

  I scrunched my nose. “I thought I was being clear. Nate’s Blade won’t be available until he’s free. Once you let him go, it’ll return to its stand. We’ve still got your phone. Call us tonight and we’ll make arrangements to get it to you.”

  “This wasn’t the deal,” Derek growled. “This is not what I agreed to.”

  “But this is what you’re getting,” I snapped. “Now let us go. Unless all that stuff you were saying about not being the bad guy was just for show.”

  He held my gaze for a long moment, but I didn’t blink. Although the man standing before me bore a strong resemblance to the guy I’d shared a home with for the last two years, he was a total stranger. Derek had always been willing to take chances and bend the rules, but something inside him had changed, turning him into a person I didn’t know at all.

  Without looking away, he said, “Let him go, Wolf.”

  In a flash, Clio streaked to Nate’s side. I turned, eager to get out of this place and never look back, but Derek’s low voice made its way to my ears.

  “This isn’t over.”

  I spun and glared. “We’ll see.”

  Before he could breathe any more threats, I hurried to Nate, who was already surrounded by the other Keepers. Bridger and Clio supported him on either side as they helped him limp toward the door we’d entered through. Thor took up the lead, glaring at each demon we passed as if daring them to stop us. I followed behind, elation filling my chest with an indescribable lightness. We were going to get out of here. Nate was safe.

  Although Clio and Bridger hustled Nate along as quickly as they could, their speed wasn’t impressive. Just as I was wondering if it wouldn’t be easier for Thor to just pick Nate up, footsteps behind me made the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Although I refused to look over my shoulder, I was sure Derek was moving in on the Blades. We needed to hurry before he discovered our deception.

  Thor was barely a yard from the door when Derek’s strangled shout of frustration tore through the room. “How is this possible? Where did it… What have you done?”

  I spun to see Derek gaping at the empty space where the Aether Blade had been. His hand still hung in midair, his fingers curled where they had briefly gripped the hilt.

  He lifted his head, leveling a wild-eyed stare in my direction. “It’s a
trick!” Raising his arm, he pointed at us. “Get them!”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Derek’s command still rang through the air when his minions sprang into action. The frizzy-haired woman by the door ran at Thor, a feral scream tearing itself from her throat. She pulled a sword from a scabbard at her waist, and Thor used her momentary distraction to his advantage. Bending forward, he rammed into her stomach with his shoulder. She flew backward, the gleaming blade slipping from her fingers. Thor lunged for it, but before I could see if he grabbed it, I caught movement in my periphery and spun to see Wolf speeding toward me.

  The room filled with a cool purple glow as the dozen demons I’d spied earlier each unsheathed their weapons—relics stolen from the stronghold. The Keepers might have years of experience in multiple combat styles, but without weapons they would be no match for the unskilled combatants rushing toward them.

  “Get your Blades,” I called over my shoulder, reaching back with my left hand to grab the Aura Blade from its hidden position as Wolf raised his cruel knife over his head like he meant to stab through my skull. His blacked out eyes widened with surprise when my Blade met his and the resounding shock vibrated up his arms.

  Training and muscle memory took over as I swung my weapon again and again. A lanky demon with greasy shoulder-length hair approached on my right, and panic threatened to rise inside me. But just like in the reliquary when Nate’s Blade tipped off its stand, time seemed to slow, giving me the space to plan my attack.

  Wolf took a half step back to collect himself as his lanky companion made his move. I jumped out of the way of his uncoordinated swing, but a shout of pain behind me pulled my attention away from my attackers.

  Three demons surrounded Nate, who had fallen to the ground a few yards from where I stood. Clio, Thor, and Bridger scattered throughout the room, each engaged with at least two fighters. As the demons around Nate lifted their weapons, I sprinted forward.

  I’d spent countless hours training to fight with swords and staffs in the Blakethorne gym, but years before that, Marco had taught me how to hold my own in a street fight. I stomped on the back of the knee of the woman closest to me. As she dropped to the floor, I swung the Aura Blade at the middle guy’s abdomen. He hollered with rage as he stumbled backward. The third demon, a woman with long, white-blonde hair, was ready for me. She slashed with her sword, and I only just blocked the blow.

  A wicked smile spread across her face as she swiped out again and again. His style was unrefined, but she was persistent.

  Inch by inch, I beat her back, inserting myself between her and Nate. As much as I wanted to divert my attention to him and assess the extent of his injuries, I couldn’t give this girl an opening. He would be okay if she couldn’t get to him. I had to believe that.

  Clio’s shout echoed through the room, drawing my attention for a split second. The blonde took advantage of the momentary distraction and kicked the center of my chest, sending me careening to the floor. Stars popped in my vision as I hit the concrete, and I struggled to draw breath. The world around me seemed to slow as the blonde strode purposefully toward Nate, but I couldn’t force my breathless body to move in his direction. His eyes widened, and he scrabbled backward as she approached, but with no weapon to protect himself, it was only a matter of time before she struck a deadly blow.

  Focusing all my will power, I sucked in enough air to release a single shout: “Nate!”

  As his attention flicked to me, I slid the Aura Blade across the floor. It zipped past the blonde and he snatched it, raising it just in time to block the swing of her sword.

  But even with a weapon, the girl still had the upper hand over Nate. Even if he could stand, the time it would take him to clamber to his feet would give her an opportunity to strike.

  I forced myself to my hands and knees, fighting to draw in more air. But before I could lift myself up, wind whooshed through my hair as people rushed past me. Canaan and another demon joined the girl, taking turns swiping at Nate. The clashing of metal-on-metal filled my ears with its discordant melody.

  “Get away from him!” Clio’s shout seemed to fill the whole restaurant as she charged past me. Bridger and Thor were at her heels, and in a flash the three had engaged the demons attacking Nate.

  Relief flooded me and my chest finally loosened enough to allow regular breaths. Clio fought the blonde, while Thor took on Canaan and Bridger faced off against the third demon. Nate backed himself against the wall and struggled to get his feet under him. If someone got past the other Keepers, Nate would need someone to defend him. I reached for the corner of a nearby table to help pull myself to my feet.

  A sharp blow to my back sent me pitching forward. I clutched the edge of the table to keep from smashing face-first into the floor.

  “Stay there,” Derek growled icily. “There’s something I’ve got to take care of.”

  I reached out and tried to grab the back of his shirt, but Derek strode past me before I could make contact. He carried a sword, dragging its glowing purple tip along the floor as he walked.

  Straight toward Nate.

  Clio, Bridger, and Thor were too busy with the demons they were fighting to head Derek off. Nate pressed his back into the wall and used his own Blade to give him the leverage he needed to push himself into a standing position.

  Gritting my teeth against the pain shooting through my chest, I pulled myself to my feet. I stepped forward, but my leg buckled beneath me and I lunged for a tipped-over table to steady myself.

  “Stop,” I shouted. “Leave him alone!”

  Derek didn’t slow his pace. As he neared Nate, he lifted his sword. Nate’s face twisted into a grimace as he raised his Blade to prepare for the inevitable blow.

  Derek stopped in front of Nate. “The time of the Blade Keepers is over. You just don’t know it yet.”

  I lurched forward as Derek brought down his sword. Nate’s Blade clashed against it, but he didn’t have the strength to push back when Derek pressed in close.

  As I took another halting step forward, Derek pulled one hand from his weapon’s grip and balled his fist. Nate attempted to block the blow, but Derek’s knuckles slammed against the Keeper’s stomach, causing him to pitch forward. In the next second, the Aura Blade skittered across the floor.

  Derek drew back his sword, and I knew what was about to happen. The tip of his blade aimed straight for Nate’s heart. My own heart thudded in my chest, each pulse bringing with it the feeling of something rising within me. If Derek wanted to save the people of Amberg, this wasn’t the way to do it. But killing Nate wasn’t about medicine or power—it was about punishing me. In his mind, I was an enemy, and Nate was the reason for it.

  I couldn’t let him do it. I couldn’t let Nate pay for my decisions. Not just because it wasn’t fair for him to carry that burden, but because I couldn’t allow anything happen to him. The thought of living in a world without Nate made my heart sick.

  My right palm tingled as I closed the distance to Derek. Seconds stretched out, and Derek’s movements appeared sluggish although I continued to move at a regular pace. I cupped my left hand on his shoulder just as his sword began slowly slicing toward Nate’s chest.

  When I spun him to face me, Derek’s gray eyes widened. Although now his sword pointed at me, no swell of panic surged inside me—only a calmness and certainty of what was to come.

  Warmth built in the center of my palm, along with a familiar echo of energy. When the Aether Blade’s hilt appeared in my hand, my fingers curled around it. But my stomach lurched as I thrust the weapon forward. The metal slid easily into Derek’s abdomen.

  As time caught up to its normal pace, the sounds of fighting faded from the room. Derek’s mouth dropped open and his eyes flooded with betrayal as he staggered backward before collapsing onto the ground. His outstretched fingers twitched toward the grip of the Aura Blade, but when he touched it, the sword flickered out of sight.

  “Retreat!” called a woman, but her voi
ce sounded far away.

  I dropped to my knees, my stomach heaving as dark blood began soaking Derek’s shirt. For two years, Derek lived in the bunker with Liza, Marco, and me. We ate at the same table. We endured Liza’s endless safety lectures and Marco’s terrible jokes. We were family.

  “What did I do?”

  Derek’s eyelids fluttered as a dark stain soaked his shirt. I wanted to stanch the bleeding, but I couldn’t make myself move.

  Nate slid to the floor and scooted to my side. “You saved me,” he whispered, fixing his endlessly deep eyes on mine. “You saved me.” He wrapped his arms around me, holding me firmly, but gently. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he buried his face against my neck.

  “Uh, guys?” Bridger’s voice was tight. “I hate to break up the moment, but we’ve got to get out of here.”

  Nate released me and allowed Thor to help him to his feet. Once I stowed the Aether Blade on my back, Bridger assisted me. Clio moved to Nate’s other side, and she, he, and Thor shuffled toward the front door.

  “I can make it on my own,” I said as Bridger looped his arm around my waist.

  “I believe you,” he insisted, not removing his support. “But it’s not far to the truck.”

  I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or grateful. There was every possibility I couldn’t make it on my own. Pain shot through my back with every halting step I took, and my leg ached. With the adrenaline from the battle ebbing, my injuries were making their displeasure known.

  I couldn’t think about the scene we were leaving behind us, and I didn’t want to predict what would happen once we made it back to Blakethorne. Our next step was getting back to the truck, and I focused my energy on that.

  The door we had entered through cracked open before we reached it. Clio slipped out from under Nate’s arm and drew her Blade. My heart stuttered in my chest. Although Liza had agreed to let me handle things, it was possible she decided to come as backup. With her contacts, it was possible she figured out Derek’s whereabouts herself. If she came charging in here, how could I possibly explain she wasn’t the enemy?