At any rate, with the end of days possibly around the corner, our core group has decided to enjoy each other’s company as much as possible. Rainey put a halt on the finishing touches of the One Bean renovation, and Myles asked for an extended leave of absence from his job. Sadly, his boss wasn’t inclined to grant it since he’d just got back from his honeymoon but, happily, Myles had no qualms with quitting. His boss didn’t know it, but Myles knew that very soon the world could be a very dark place to live in and he intended to spend these potential last days with the people he loved, not coding software.
“It’s your turn, Myles,” Rainey says as she points at him with her wineglass in hand. She’s on her third glass, and some liquid comes dangerously close to sloshing out.
“Okay,” Myles says, who is actually sharing a couch with Rainey. They’re on opposite ends facing each other, legs entwined. He takes a long pull off his beer. After swallowing, he says, “I won’t miss unclogging toilets.”
I wrinkle my nose as I lift my glass in acknowledgment. “I agree.”
Rainey and Maddox give their affirmations.
And thus is the game we’ve been playing for the last half hour. We named it—What We Wouldn’t Miss About Our World If Kymaris Wins And Life As We Know It Is Over.
Our answers keep getting more stupid by the moment.
But the game has evolved as all eyes now turn to Zora where she informs us, “Toilets never clogged in the Underworld—magic, I guess—but we did have to use shared restrooms.”
The new, evolved game became known as, Was It Worse In The Underworld?
It was pretty fun, actually, because we got to learn more about where Zora came from. I’ve already learned so much by virtue of the time we’ve been spending together. For example, I already knew that each block of houses used a shared restroom and bath facility that was in the center of the block and out the back door of each house.
But to Myles and Rainey—and even Maddox, who has only been to the Underworld once to help us rescue Zora—many of these answers from her were super fascinating.
“Maddox’s turn,” Rainey says, nodding across the coffee table at the chair he was slouched down in.
“I got a good one,” he exclaims, tapping his finger on his beer bottle that he had resting on his thigh. “What was that freaky British kid’s show with those fat little colorful alien things with TV screens in their stomachs?”
My mind is blank, but Carrick’s rich and rumbling voice sounds from behind me. “Teletubbies?”
I crane over my shoulder to look at him in surprise. He winks at me even as he rubs at the back of his neck. He’s had a long workday.
“That’s it,” Maddox says with a grin. “Those little bastards are creepy as shit. I hope the demons eat them all up.”
We all laugh and then look to Zora. She shrugs, having no clue what Teletubbies are.
Carrick comes up behind my chair, puts his hands to my shoulders, and leans over to kiss the top of my head. “Zaid and Boral back yet?”
“Nope,” I reply and then add for good measure. “And no indication they’ve been arrested making their black-market arms deal.”
“That’s good.” Carrick chuckles, and then frowns as the ring tone comes through on his phone from the lobby concierge desk.
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and answers, “Byrne.”
Tipping my head back, I look at Carrick, while, in the background, I hear Zora asking details about Teletubbies. Carrick’s eyebrows rise briefly before a grim expression hardens his face.
“Send him up,” he clips out before disconnecting the call.
“Who’s here?” I ask, pushing out of my chair to face him.
“Amell,” he replies, and I’m not prepared for the rage that flows through me. While I know he did much for Zora’s well-being and safety while she lived in the Underworld, he’s also the one who took her to the palace each month to shackle her up and let magic be pumped into her against her will even when she was a child. It was sadistic and injurious to my sister as the magic was forced into her, and a million times more painful as the fae priests twisted it dark.
Amell was responsible for all of that, and I’d never forgive him.
My gaze shoots over to Zora, who slowly rises from the chair. “He’s here?”
“On his way up,” Carrick replies.
Zora frowns. I can tell she’s as surprised by this as I am, but her expression isn’t bearing the rage I can feel upon my face.
I quickly glance at Maddox, but he appears impassive as he rises from his seat. I’m not sure how much he knows of Zora’s relationship with Amell. I’m guessing probably not much other than what he could glean when we brought her out from the Underworld. It was apparent then that Amell clearly watched over her and cared for her. I seriously doubt he’s a subject of their conversations, though, and I can’t imagine Zora told him they’d been intimate.
In fact, I’m quite sure they don’t really even have conversations when they’re in her bedroom.
Just orgasms.
The elevator emits a slight whirring whisper as it reaches the penthouse and the door swishes open.
Rainey and Myles straighten on the couch, moving to sitting positions. While I’d told them in general terms that Amell watched over Zora, I didn’t give them the deep details. That was for Zora to share if she wished.
I note Amell’s wings are not visible as he steps out of the elevator, but I’m not surprised. Here in the Earth realm, he’d use a glamour to hide them from humans. He’s dressed in jeans and a lightweight sweater, an attempt to blend into the human population, but his superior beauty over all mortal men most likely makes him stick out like a sore thumb.
His eyes sweep the vicinity and land on the one thing he really came for.
Zora.
He takes a step in our group’s general direction, but Carrick moves into his path, effectively stopping him. He nods his head politely to the Dark Fae. “Amell… what are you doing here?”
Amell doesn’t even look at Carrick but rather past his shoulder to Zora. “I am here to make sure Zora is faring well.”
“She is,” Carrick replies, and his lack of any other information gives a chilly vibe to the scene. But to punctuate that him visiting Zora isn’t exactly welcomed, I step partially in front of my sister in a silent statement that I will protect her from him at all costs. He’ll never hurt her again.
Amell finally tears his gaze from Zora before bringing it back to Carrick. “I’ve also got information I’m going to share with you.”
That gets everyone’s attention and my anger at him gets pushed to the side by a surge of excitement. Is Amell going to come to our side? He’d be a powerful ally, of course, but could we really trust him?
How could we trust him after everything he did to Zora to help Kymaris destroy Earth?
That’s something I don’t have time to consider as he says, “Kymaris summoned me from the Underworld. I’m to stay here until the ritual is complete.”
“Are you one of the twelve?” I ask him, my tone glacially cold.
Amell studies me carefully, not missing the disdain in my voice for him. But he’s not stupid. I see the understanding within his eyes. He knows exactly why I hate him.
He shakes his head, a grave expression on his face. “My job is to perform the ritual.”
That surprises me, and certainly sounds like he won’t be joining our side. Which means I won’t have any compunction in killing him. I’d do it now if I thought I could get away with it, but it will probably have to wait until the ritual.
Amell looks once again to Zora, and I can tell by his expression that the information he is going to share with us—whatever it may be—is only for Zora’s benefit. Anything he offers us is going to be to keep Zora safe.
The Dark Fae doesn’t hide his feelings. Within his eyes, there’s happiness at seeing Zora and also sparks of desire. There’s sadness there, too, and I’m guessing he’s missing her.
Maybe enough to grab her and whisk her away. He could easily nab her hand and bend distance to somewhere unknown, which causes me to move a little closer to her.
Of course, it would be a risk to bend distance with her. I’ve been trying to teach Zora how to do it with her own magic, but she’s not been able to tap it. Humans can’t ordinarily survive bending distance, but I can because of my inner magic. I’m guessing Zora probably can, too, but I hope Amell isn’t thinking to test that theory here today.
“What do you have to share with us?” Carrick asks brusquely, a reminder that Amell wasn’t allowed in this condo for a reunion with Zora.
With a sigh, Amell’s eyes leave Zora and pin on Carrick. “The ritual has to start at the dawn of the new moon. One might think that means the actual morning dawn on October 8th but it’s more literal. As soon as the clock strikes midnight on October 7th, leaving that day behind and starting October 8th, you can be assured the ritual will start.”
My jaw tightens. I’m not impressed by this information as we had already planned to be ready to go as soon as the midnight bell tolled twelve times.
Amell looks around, realizing none of us find this information useful. “It will take place in a clearing between Lake Wenatchee and Fish Lake. I’ll give you the exact coordinates.”
That causes me to twitch a bit in surprise.
Because while we had that general information from Blain, and Maddox had scouted the area, we could never be quite sure the information was good. It could have been disinformation for all we knew.
But Amell confirms for us not only when the ritual will take place, but also exactly where.
Okay… now he’s starting to intrigue me.
“What can we expect from the ritual?” I demand.
Amell’s blue eyes slice to me, and whatever disdain was apparent in my expression before is now mirrored in his. He doesn’t like the way I’m standing before Zora and keeping them apart, and he clearly doesn’t like me demanding information.
And yet, he provides somewhat of an answer. “Kymaris will use the Blood Stone to channel power through our brethren, into a sacrifice, and finally back to her, where she’ll be able to rip open the veil.”
We already knew those general facts. We also knew Blain was the sacrifice—the one unlike the twelve Dark Fae who had been held hostage—and I wait to see if Amell says anything about the fact we stole him back.
He remains stubbornly mute on the issue.
“What happens when the veil opens?” I ask.
“You know what will happen,” he counters.
“Fae and demons will come pouring out, taking over Seattle first and then sweeping the world,” I sneer.
“Not just Seattle,” Amell replies, a flash of malice turning his pupils red. “Kymaris will have the power to rip veils everywhere. She’ll travel the world and let her demons out.”
A flash of demoralizing pain sweeps through me as my eyes move to Carrick. If she succeeds in her ritual, Earth is definitely lost.
“Why are you telling us this information?” This from Maddox, who had remained silent throughout. His tone is confrontational, making it clear that, like most of us in this room, he doesn’t trust the Dark Fae at all.
Amell looks to Maddox, and I wonder what he’d do if he found out Maddox has been intimate with Zora. I imagine the condo might get destroyed in the ensuing battle.
“I have no stake in the veil coming down,” Amell replies softly. “I don’t care if it does, and I don’t care if it doesn’t. I do what my queen asks me to do. But I want Zora to have a fighting chance. She’s been mine to protect since day one. If I had my way, I’d take her to the Underworld right now where she’d be safe.”
His words trail off, as does his gaze as it slides over to Zora. Amell softly adds, “But she wouldn’t want that.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” I answer for Zora, not able to help my unbearable need to protect her from this monster. I twist my neck slightly to see her. Her blue-green-gold eyes meet my identical ones, and she gives a slight shake of her head.
She doesn’t want to go to the Underworld, and her message is received loud and clear by Amell.
He clears his throat, the slight flash of disappointment replaced by antipathy. “I’m not sure I’ve really told you anything you haven’t already figured out or couldn’t figure out on your own,” Amell says, his attention back on Carrick. I can see he feels more comfortable dealing with him. Considers him more his equal than me. “But there’s one other thing.”
“And what’s that?” Carrick asks in a bored tone. He doesn’t want Amell to think we’re grateful for anything.
“It’s going to be near impossible to kill Kymaris,” he says with a confident lift to his chin.
“The Blood Stone?” Carrick surmises.
Amell nods. “She’s harnessed it in such a way that she’s nearly as immortal as you are.”
“So we’re supposed to just walk away?” I ask.
I don’t get the courtesy of his regard as Amell keeps his eyes on Carrick. But he answers me in a roundabout way. “You are going to be better off focusing your efforts on trying to contain her or disrupting the ritual in another way.”
“And you’re not just suggesting that to save your queen?” Carrick inquires skeptically.
“My motives are my own,” Amell replies. “And I have something to help aid you in that quest should you choose to heed my advice.”
Carrick crosses his arms over his chest, not buying a word of what the Dark Fae is saying. “What’s that?”
Amell’s head swings Zora’s way. “I want time alone to talk to Zora, and I’ll give it to you.”
“No way,” I growl, now moving totally in front of my sister, who has been incredibly quiet this entire time. I have no clue what she’s feeling, but my rage is back in full force. I hiss, “You abused Zora her entire life. She’s not going anywhere near you.”
Amell jerks, not from the venom in my voice but from my words. “Abused her?”
“You’re not dense, Amell,” I snap in irritation. “Forcing magic into her, twisting it dark, shackling her with chains… you caused her so much pain. If I had my way, I’d kill you right here and right now.”
I hear a low growl, and I suspect it’s Maddox, who had to overhear what Amell did. I don’t take my eyes off Amell, though.
“Try your best, Savior,” Amell snarls at me, and the air in the room turns almost electric.
Carrick’s arms fall from his chest as he prepares to take Amell out for me. Maddox is postured the same way.
“I want to talk to him,” Zora murmurs from behind me, and my heart bottoms out in my stomach. Because in those words, I still hear a tenderness he doesn’t deserve.
But then again, many people fall for their abusers and their jailers. And as much as he hurt her, he provided her joy in return. I have to remember Zora is pulling on those feelings right now.
I turn to face my sister and lean in close, whispering so only she can hear. “He’s dangerous. He could kidnap you.”
“He won’t,” she replies in a soft voice. “And you’re going to have to trust me on that.”
I shoot a glance toward Carrick. He gives the barest hint of a nod that I should let her visit with Amell.
And because I trust Carrick more than anything in this world, I take a step back from my sister, even as my sensibilities hate that she’d be anywhere near that Dark Fae.
I watch silently as Zora leads him out onto the back patio. It’s chilly outside and I fight the urge to run for a coat for Zora, but I’m hoping the temperature will keep the conversation short.
The sliding door closes, and I also fight the urge to eavesdrop on them. I certainly have the power to do so, but I have the decency not to.
All of us in the living area are quiet as we watch Amell and Zora talk. I pace back and forth, Rainey and Myles sit quietly on the couch, Maddox watches with eyes like a hawk, and Carrick spreads his attention between them and me.
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Amell stands close to Zora, while she has her arms crossed over her chest, shoulders hunched because she’s cold. He’s doing all the talking, and she’s listening raptly.
The more he talks, the more she seems to come out of her shell. Her shoulders roll back, her spine straightens, and then her hands start moving animatedly as she seems to be arguing with him.
I take a step that way, but Carrick stops me in a low voice with just one word. “Don’t.”
I halt and continue watching.
The conversation doesn’t last more than five minutes. In the end, Zora seems defeated again and Amell actually looks mournful. He asks her one more question, and she shakes her head adamantly.
I can see him heave a sigh of frustration and regret.
And then, from thin air, he conjures a coil of rope. It’s light brown, braided, and probably several feet in length based on the size of the coil. He hands it over to Zora, who takes it, issuing two words I can read on her lips.
Thank you.
Amell then leans in, brushes his lips across her cheek, and disappears from the patio.
Zora doesn’t hesitate, turning for the sliding glass door and entering. She walks up to me, then hands over the rope. “This is a magical lariat that can dampen Kymaris’ powers if you can get it around her.”
Hesitantly, I take it to study, astonished Amell would hand over a weapon to be used against his queen. It can’t kill her, but if he’s telling the truth, it could weaken her enough to give us the advantage we need.
My gaze moves back to Zora, who looks shaken. I forget about the lariat, handing it to Carrick without a backward glance as I move to my sister. “Are you okay? Did Amell do something to upset you?”
Zora smiles. It’s forced and without an ounce of truth in it. She even attempts a joke. “You mean outside of showing up and trying to talk me into going back to the Underworld?”
“You never have to go back there,” I say adamantly.
The Rise of Fortune and Fury Page 25