Beloved Rebel: A Dark Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance (The Accursed Saga Book 2)

by Eva Brandt

  “It’s not as bad as it sounds. I got a little overwhelmed by the mental barrage of everyone’s thoughts after you and I first spoke, but mostly, I had it under control.”

  Mathias snorted but said nothing else. I mentally thanked him for the unexpected display of tact, although I still intended to ask him more about this later. In the meantime, the exchange did make one thing clear. We could not go around in circles for much longer. The time we’d bought with the trial and the soul transfer was limited. I was indeed unwell and as long as that was the case, we couldn’t handle the bigger problems, the curse on my soulmates, finding the Garniers, and tracking down my mysterious father.

  “How would marrying you help me stay anchored?”

  “It’s a magical marriage, Lucienne,” Mathias explained. “Such rituals hold power and bridge gaps that exist between people. Right now, you and I don’t have the best history. I can still try to lend you a hand, but I’m honestly not sure it’ll be enough. We’re standing on the edge of a precipice and if we don’t do something drastic, we might fall any moment now.”

  That made sense and it finally sealed my decision and my fate. “All right,” I said. “I’ll do it. People get married all the time for less important reasons. As long as it helps us in the long run, it should be fine.”

  “Always so practical.” Mathias smiled fondly. “Don’t worry. I won’t take advantage of this privilege.”

  Now was really not the best time to discuss the implications of marriage. Malachai and Bjorn were vibrating with anger, and I suspected that if Malachai tried to attack Mathias again, Bjorn would not stop them. It was time to change the subject. “Anyway, sit your ass back down. We’ll have to find an excuse for why you’re suddenly all right and deal with Healer Vaughn. I don’t know why no one has come to check up on us yet, but our luck won’t hold.”

  I half-expected them to protest or continue arguing, but having an actual task helped, like it always did. Malachai lifted the thrall from Healer Vaughn, and Mathias made sure she didn’t remember having seen Bjorn use his magic on Darius. Once that was done, he obediently returned to the bed and I sat by his side like the dutiful fiancée I supposedly was.

  Bjorn rushed off to alert the other healers, and before long, the room was inundated with Alarians, all of whom were trying to figure out how it had been possible for the prince to awaken. Miraculously, the queen showed up too and I kept a close eye on her throughout her brief visit. I doubted she’d be able to do anything now since Darius was no longer a helpless child and Mathias seemed to have kept Darius’s abilities despite having switched bodies. Still, I didn’t trust her and we didn’t know if the healers would notice the side-effects of the transfer or not.

  They didn’t. Whatever magic Mathias had cast to go through with the soul transfer seemed undetectable. The healers could do nothing but give Darius a clean bill of health. They did insist that the prince needed to remain in the healing wing for observation, but Mathias refused. “I think I’ve been here long enough. I have a duty to The Pure Kingdom of Alaria and to my soulmate.”

  Even knowing that it was Mathias saying those words, not Darius, I had trouble telling the difference. Mathias acted exactly like Darius, which made me wonder why he hadn’t tried it at all when he’d first recovered. No one would ever be able to tell what had happened. If they did notice anything off, they’d chalk it up to Darius suddenly gaining the ability to feel.

  Two hours after the trial where I had pleaded for Darius’s life, Mathias and I entered Darius’s quarters in the royal wing. Bjorn and Malachai had long ago been forced to leave, so Mathias and I were alone. It was awkward, more so because I’d never actually been here and it felt odd to visit for the first time while Darius was not present.

  Mathias had no such issues. He moved around the room with practiced ease and obviously knew where everything was. It intrigued me and I couldn’t help but ask him about it. “How are you so familiar with Darius’s room?”

  “That’s a difficult question,” he replied, plopping down on a comfortable settee and gesturing for me to join him. “I’ll tell you, but first, come sit with me.”

  I did, forcing myself to embrace his presence rather than dwell on things I’d already decided to set aside. “Well?”

  “Mostly it’s because memories are imprinted in the physical brain. The magic I used prevents most of the... leakage, but we’ll undoubtedly borrow some things from one another.”

  My breath caught at his admission. The possibility hadn’t occurred to me, but in hindsight, that had been really stupid. “That sounds dangerous.”

  “Of course it’s dangerous.” Mathias chuckled darkly. “I wouldn’t have risked it for anyone else. Very few people would be able to handle being in my brain, and I’m confident that Darius is one of them.”

  “Why is that? You didn’t seem to respect him that much when you were fighting.”

  “Things have changed.” Mathias’s voice softened. He reached for my hand and tentatively covered it with his own. “Lucienne, where do you think the soul resides?”

  The soul? Were we going to have a philosophical debate again? No, this wasn’t about philosophy. Mathias wasn’t the type of person to ask questions if they didn’t have a meaning that surpassed the abstract. “Most people would say that it’s in the heart, but actually... It would be in the brain, right?”

  “For the most part, yes, that’s true,” Mathias answered, “if you identify the soul as the memories that make up an individual. But that’s also a limiting perspective and ignores the true magic and power of the spirit. The soul exists beyond the simple limits of one’s body. That is why it is possible for people to reincarnate.”

  I looked down at our entwined fingers, trying to figure out the purpose of this conversation. “Why are you telling me this? What does that have to do with you and Darius?”

  “Darius and I have met before. I know his soul. I remember it and, on some level, he remembers me as well. That’s why you shouldn’t worry about us. He’s strong, one of the strongest men I know. He can carry the burden I placed on his shoulders.”

  Reincarnation. He was talking about reincarnation.

  That actually explained so much. His recent behavior hadn’t fit with my previous image of him and with everything he’d done before. His argument about his wife had made sense, but at the same time, it had seemed a little strange that he would resort to us for assistance in such an important matter.

  If Mathias and Darius had known one another before Darius had been... himself, that changed things. It also made me question a lot of the things I’d thought I’d known and understood. “Who? Who was Darius to you?”

  Mathias hesitated. For a few seconds, it looked like he wouldn’t reply. I gave him a little time to gather his thoughts and my patience paid off when he explained, “He was many things. My rival, my friend, my lover. My son’s father. My wife’s husband.”

  Wife’s husband? What?

  Mathias must have noticed my shock and confusion, because he elaborated, “Polygamy and polyandry aren’t a new thing. In ancient times, there were actually plenty of ethnic groups who built family units surrounding a woman and multiple men.”

  “Ancient times?” I repeated, finally finding my voice. “Just how old are you?”

  “Older than I would like,” Mathias answered with a bitter smile. “But anyway, that doesn’t matter right now. That life, those people... They’re only dust and bones.”

  A memory of the beach in his psyche flashed through my mind. “Dust and bones you still hold close to your heart.”

  This time, Mathias didn’t reply, but his grim expression told me everything I needed to know. I let out a sigh of frustration. “If that’s the case, why not tell Darius about this outright? Why play this game?”

  “Because, Lucienne, the memories you carry within your soul aren’t always compatible with each individual body you inhabit. And despite the fact that I trust him, I know that he is still struggling under
the weight of having found his ability to feel. If I were to say such a thing to him now, it would not end well.”

  I remembered the conversation I’d had with Darius in his mindscape and realized Mathias was probably right. At the same time, though, I hated keeping such important information from Darius. “I thought you don’t like secrets,” I told Mathias, “and yet you don’t seem to have a problem keeping them now.”

  A shadow flashed over Mathias’s face. “You’d be surprised. Listen, Lucienne. He needs to remember in his own time and I think he will. But until then, we have other things to worry about. Believe me when I say that this is only the beginning. Your father is the key to all this. We need to find him and your twice-blessed friends. As important as our past lives might be, we need to focus on making sure our current ones don’t end. I’m going to need your help for this to work.”

  I met his determined silver eyes and saw the real person behind the body he inhabited. This was all so strange and I only had Mathias’s word that Darius and Declan were safe. Even so, I believed in him. “I’m ready. What do you need me to do?”

  I would embrace this new plan, but if by any chance, I was wrong, and Mathias decided to betray us, he would be the first to pay the price.

  Twelve

  Togetherness

  Darius

  Despite the fact that I’d spent the better part of my life fighting scavengers, it was strikingly easy to get accustomed to living among them. Once I read through Mathias’s files, I got a good feel of how they were all like and had no trouble managing them. It helped that there was a clear distance between Mathias and his underlings, a barrier that had not allowed them to get to know him that well. Declan was the sole exception and Declan supported me in everything I needed and wanted.

  This came in handy especially when I had to face the results of Mathias’s more questionable decisions. Mathias might want to help us. He might have even been honest when he’d claimed he cared about me. He certainly did not care about the humans his plagues kidnapped and killed.

  This left me with quite a problem on my hands, and I found myself regretting my inability to contact Mathias. Our connection had broken when we’d switched bodies and I couldn’t exactly call the Palasion. All communication lines were carefully watched, and even if Bjorn had some influence in The Pure Inquisition, it was much too dangerous to attempt to speak with him. That meant Declan and I had to handle Mathias’s affairs on our own. It wasn’t ideal, but I made do.

  The day after my arrival at Mathias’s base, I walked into his dungeons with Declan by my side. The scent of blood and excrement hit my nose first, but its source was far more heartbreaking.

  The cells were filled with humans of all ages and they had clearly received very little in terms of commodities. Despite the low temperature on this level of our base, none of the captives had been provided with blankets. Some of them had even been deprived of their clothing. One child was wearing a jacket borrowed from an adult and seemed otherwise nude.

  It turned my stomach to see innocents living in such conditions, although many of them would most likely not have to endure the treatment for much longer. Like every other living being, plagues needed food on a regular basis and they always preferred to feed on the life force of humans. Even those who lacked Mathias’s ability to life steal needed death as a source of nourishment. The deaths of plants and animals never satisfied them.

  As I walked past the cells, the people inside did their best to shy away from the bars. For the most part, they were all silent, but even so, their guards found something to take offense at. “Be respectful, you filthy little cretins,” a female plague named Helena Grant snarled at them. “Face His Lordship when he does you the honor to bless you with his presence.”

  The humans complied, some better than others. Most of the children couldn’t lift their eyes to actually look at me. A couple of adults shielded them behind their bodies, obviously terrified, but trying to hide it.

  “They don’t need to face me,” I said slowly. “They only exist to serve a specific purpose and we all know what that purpose is, don’t we, Helena?”

  Helena’s lips twisted into a wicked smirk. “Yes, Your Lordship.”

  “Excellent. Then make sure they receive some food and blankets. We don’t want them to die just yet. It would be a waste of life force.”

  Helena did not seem to find this request odd or out of character. By the time Declan and I left the cell block, she had already sent off another plague to notify the supply stations and bring in what I had requested.

  The whole episode was still mentally exhausting and I retired to my office, with Declan in tow. “What do you want to do now?” Declan asked me as soon as we were in private. “Freeing them isn’t an option. You realize that, right?”

  I nodded. “Yes, of course. We need the plagues if we want to find the Garniers and Lucienne’s father. Besides, if we free these people, the plagues would just attack other humans and it will be even tougher for me to do damage control.”

  There would probably be another incident like the one with the fifty-two casualties Vance Newton had mentioned. The scavenger might have been terrified of Declan and me, but he was competent in his own way, and his report had been accurate. If I wasn’t careful, the number of dead humans would only increase.

  “We’ll prioritize and intensify our search. If we give the plagues another target, they won’t need to focus on the captives.”

  “And do you think you’ll be able to manage that in time?” Declan asked. “Mathias looked everywhere and there’s no sign of the Garniers.”

  He wasn’t wrong. If Mathias hadn’t found them, with all his skill and experience, what chance did I have on my own? I was in a body that didn’t belong to me, surrounded by a group of people who would happily kill me if they found out my true identity. I wasn’t completely sure I could control Mathias’s magic. It all seemed so hopeless.

  “I suppose you don’t know until you try.”

  The words sounded weak and pathetic even to my own ears, so I was not surprised when Declan called me out on it.

  “Trying might cost us a lot, Darius,” he warned me. “This was the purpose of the ritual that took place in that warehouse, you know. The one we stumbled onto because of the information from Kai.”

  Well, that was news to me. Remembering the horrifying massacre in the warehouse again, I wondered if I should be relieved that it had been for a purpose or disgusted that it had all taken place on Mathias’s command. Discarding the thought, I focused on the potential uses of this information. “So what went wrong?”

  “Nothing. It did work and Mathias got the information he wanted. That’s how he ended up tracking me and Lucienne down. He was never looking for her, not at first. He was looking for his enemy.”

  “So why hasn’t he continued to do it?”

  Declan shrugged. “The same method never works twice with Lucienne’s father. He’s a very talented magic user. We need alternatives.”

  That was more than a little obvious by now, but I didn’t have those alternatives. If I’d been in the Palasion, I might have been able to at least do some research, but here, I was out of luck. This was not my home.

  Even so, I couldn’t give up, not so easily. I had people who were relying on me to find a way out, to fix what had been broken. As strange as it might have seemed, Mathias had trusted me by giving me the reins of his organization. Lucienne had cared so much about my life that she’d come into Mathias’s mindscape to save me. Bjorn had abandoned his vow to not feed on emotions because of me. Yes, I had people who believed in me, people who were waiting for me.

  As that thought processed, a jolt of pain exploded through my skull and I reached for my forehead, trying to suppress the migraine. It didn’t work. Fragments of a life not my own flashed through my mind’s eye in a dizzying, incomprehensible kaleidoscope. Pain, joy, enthusiasm, grief, the image of a woman dressed in white, an axe buried in a tree, a child, an empty crib, a distan
t ocean, a castle burning. The screams of the dying. Rats scurrying through the streets of a dark city. A young man dying in my arms.

  “It’s going to be all right,” he whispered, his voice so clear and striking despite the fact that he could barely open his mouth to speak. “You’ll find the answer. I believe in you. I’ll be waiting.”

  I didn’t feel capable of finding a solution, but I didn’t get the chance to tell the young man that. He dissipated in my arms like smoke in the wind, and the scene around us shifted.

  A brief look around told me that I was in the club where I’d first met Lucienne, and this guess was confirmed when another figure manifested from thin air. To my surprise, it was Declan. He was in wolf form, convulsing as he struggled against the silver poisoning. When I reached for him, he stopped trembling and he cracked his eyes open. He could not speak, but I heard the message he wanted to convey, regardless. “I believe in you. I know you can do what I never could. You can protect her.”

  “I don’t know if I can,” I said. “I’ve failed so many times.”

  “You won’t, not this time.”

  The scene shifted once again, and this time, I saw Declan out cold, lying on the tarmac next to the wreck of his car. An unfamiliar man stood above his unconscious form.”You shouldn’t have come, Mathias,” the stranger said. “You should just let me deal with this. If you would only agree to follow my plan...”

  I laughed. “You took everything I had from me and kept me a captive in my own head for centuries. If I ever follow you into anything, it’ll be into death.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m really not surprised. You always were very stubborn. I—”

  I didn’t hear what the stranger had been planning to say. His words were cut off and I fell back from the vision, into reality. I found myself on the floor, with Declan hovering above me, visibly concerned. “Darius, are you all right?” he asked, cupping my cheek with almost overwhelming tenderness.