by Nashoda Rose
“To find and kill Zurina.”
I stood staring at the tree, the same one she’d fallen out of so many years ago. Where we’d shared our first kiss. She’d been so innocent and sassy, with a smile lighting up her eyes like the brightest stars.
I’d never bothered to look at the stars until I’d escaped Jasmine. It had been the first thing I’d done—looked up at the moonlit sky and searched for Delara’s eyes before I Traced to the Realm.
Maitagarri. Don’t leave me.
I pressed my palms to the trunk then fell forward, forehead resting against the rough surface.
Every breath I take is easier with you. Every heartbeat. Every part of me is yours.
The bark dug into my fingernails as I held on to what I had let go of. Her. The woman I’d given everything to and then taken everything from.
Over a century ago, I’d stood in this exact spot with her and known she was the reason for my existence.
I shoved away from the tree.
My Ink had been soothed by Max, but soon it would rise again, and this time I didn’t have the pills to numb its rage.
But if anything happened to Delara, my Ink could have me. And then there’d be nothing left of me. Only rage and death.
Zurina had done this. A Healer, and a woman I’d trusted. She’d sat on the Deaconry with me for centuries. She’d known me as a child, had been my mother’s friend.
Why would she lie to me? Why would she destroy the woman I loved?
It was like ice picks chipping away at my insides. Drilling. Stabbing. Hitting every nerve. What the hell did Zurina gain from helping Tarek?
Did it matter anymore?
I’d find her, and when I did the red-haired bitch was dead.
I Traced to every place in England and numerous Taldes, but there was still no sign of Zurina. She knew I’d hunt her. She knew I’d eventually find her. Maybe she wanted me to? Where the fuck would she go? Somewhere poetic. Meaningful to me. Somewhere I’d been with her before.
With my mother. Fuck. A place she knew I’d hated as a child—Zugarramurdi and the cave to the Stream of Hell. The water from the stream drained our abilities and made us vulnerable.
It was also where humans could become Scars, but it was risky, as the human had to drown and then return as a Scar. Balen’s maite Danni had made the change two years ago, and survived.
The moment I Traced into the cave, I knew Zurina was here. Her scent attached itself to the stale, moist air, and her breath echoed in the emptiness. I also sensed others, maybe five men, but they were deeper in the cave. Rogue Scars.
Zurina had learned a lot from my mother. But I’d always thought how unusual it was that Zurina was so kindhearted while my mother had been a cold-hearted bitch. Now I knew that Zurina had been a bitch all along.
The only sounds were the crunch of my boots on the loose soil, the stream flowing through the cave, and Zurina’s breathing. I stopped, seeing her sitting on the edge of the small pool of water.
“She used to bring you here all the time. Do you remember, Waleron?” Of course I fuckin’ did. “At night when no one was around.” Her fingers swept through the surface of the water. “She’d put you in here and watch you struggle to stay afloat.” Zurina shook her head, sighing. “You cried, sinking under the surface, only to emerge choking and coughing. If you cried too much, she’d dunk you under. It didn’t take long for you to learn, even being so young, that if you didn’t scream, she wouldn’t push you under.” Zurina closed her eyes and her voice grew colder. “I watched, knowing the water made you weak. Like it does all Scars. I never helped you. Never tried to convince her that what she was doing was wrong.”
She cupped a handful of water then let it spill slowly through her fingers. “Our weakness, and yet so powerful. That’s why she did it. She said, if you were forced to stay in the water and grow weak, eventually you’d become immune to it. That it would make you more powerful than any other Scar, because the Stream of Hell wouldn’t affect you. That’s all she ever wanted for her son.”
“And it failed.”
She shrugged. “True, but then many spells are discovered through trial and error.”
“I was two years old.” I’d been afraid of water for years. Had nightmares. The torture had been all for nothing.
I walked farther into the cave, closer to Zurina, who looked completely at ease sitting on the side of the pool, her feet beneath the surface. That didn’t make sense, as it would be draining her abilities.
What the fuck was she up to? “Why did you do it?” I wanted to know before I fuckin’ killed her.
It was the first time she’d looked at me and I was unaffected by the anguish I saw in the depths of her eyes. I tasted her remorse sifting through the air. It was too late for that.
“I made an oath to your mother. A blood oath. I was to protect you. Make certain you kept your oath to the Goddess, and to her.” Zurina met my eyes. “You broke that. Delara became your oath above all else.”
“I never broke my oath to anyone,” I ground out.
“Yes, you live for the Scars. You sacrifice yourself for them. But if it came to a decision—Xamien or Delara—whom would you pick, Waleron? Who lives and who dies? The Taldeburu or the Tracker?”
“There is no ultimatum.”
“True.” She shrugged. “Not now, but I warned you twenty years ago that you weren’t thinking clearly, when she lay dying, and again in the Realm.” Her voice raised an octave. “I told you to let her die. I warned you to let her go. You should’ve listened to me.”
My blood ran cold and I froze. Delara had been dying in a ditch. Zurina had repeatedly refused to help her, claiming Delara was too wounded to heal. That it would be too painful. That she couldn’t do it by herself and was too weak.
Fuckin’ lies.
“Yes. She was a threat to your oath.” Zurina sighed. “Waleron, you were never meant to love. You were born to be a Taldeburu, to lead us. Loving her tainted that.”
“Twenty years, you waited. Why the hell didn’t you just kill her yourself, damn it? Why!” I smashed my fists into the cave wall and rocks crumbled to the dirt floor. “Tell me!”
“I’m a Healer. My oath is to heal. I could not break my oath and assist you with keeping yours.” She tilted her head to the side and looked at me curiously. “When did you stop taking the pills, Waleron?”
“What?”
“The diazepam isn’t in your bloodstream. I’d be able to smell it if it were. You really shouldn’t have done that. It will be much more painful for you when she’s gone.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Dread sank into my bones.
Zurina laughed. “Oh, Waleron. Why do you think I gave them to you? I thought they would be enough to make you forget her, but they weren’t, were they? But now… now you will finally be free of her.”
“Goddamn it, I never asked to be free of her! I love her. I’d sacrifice everything for her.”
“And that is the problem. That is why we are here right now.”
“I never asked to be a fuckin’ Taldeburu.”
She sighed. “Your mother always hated swearing.”
“Yeah, well you and my mother can go fuck yourselves.” I sent a blast of energy at her. She raised a shield around her body and my blast reflected off it. Fuck, it was her shields that had protected Tarek.
“Don’t waste your energy trying to kill me,” Zurina said. “I’ve saved you the trouble. The rocks on my ankles will hold me under.” She pushed off the side and slipped into the water, her fingers holding the edge. “I know what I’ve done may seem wrong, and you may not understand why, but know that I love you like my own child. I did it to protect you from yourself. And I’m doing this for our oath to the Goddess.” She nodded to the left, and several men appeared from the darkness of the cave. “They will keep you contained for a few days until Tarek is done with her.”
I raised my hands and blasted energy toward the darkness of the cave, but it was
too late. A spray of water hit me, then five men dove out of the shadows at the same time Zurina disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
My body slammed into the ground and more water was poured over me. I threw two of the men off and blasted energy into them. They both crashed into the cave wall, but it wasn’t hard enough to kill them and my body weakened as I tried to fight the remaining three off.
Heavy. So fuckin’ heavy, like my limbs weighed a thousand pounds. My Ink slithered over my skin, but it too grew weak, slowing until it lay quiet on my shoulder.
I collapsed, hearing the clank of chains and then my arms and legs were secured. Not that I could fuckin’ move anyway.
Chains wrapped around my entire body and a wet towel was placed over my head. “Danni. The cave. Zurina… is… dead.” I didn’t know if my telepathy was strong enough to reach her.
“Zurina said to secure him here for a few days,” a man said.
“Screw her. She’s dead, and we can’t find that bitch Jasmine. My loyalty is to the highest bidder and right now that’s Tarek. I’ll Trace him to the island. No one leaves until I get back.”
That voice. It was familiar. Yet, I hadn’t heard it in centuries. But the man could Trace? With me? Only one Scar was able to Trace with anyone he wanted. But he was fuckin’ dead.
Pain exploded as something slammed into my head.
Delara.
I WOKE TO THE GOLD rope around my neck and my arms above my head, wrists in manacles and chained to the ceiling. But worse was the disgusting wet rag shoved in my mouth that tasted like fish and had grit on it like sand.
What the hell? Where was I?
I tried to spit the rag out of my mouth, but ended up gagging.
I’d die if I vomited. I wiggled my hands to try and slide them through the manacles, but they were too tight.
Shit. I inhaled a few deep breaths and calmed my mind. My vision was blurry and it took a few minutes before my eyes adjusted to the dim room.
Dark. Damp and musty. No windows. There was the distinct smell of salt in the air. I glanced around, and that’s when I saw Tarek on the far right.
A loud crack sounded and my heart stopped.
The most disturbing sound wrenched from my throat. It came out muffled and choked, barely audible through the gag as the horror latched on to me.
No. Waleron. Oh God, Waleron.
He hung from a hook in the ceiling, arms stretched above his head, wrists manacled. His feet were unable to touch the floor, so his body swayed back and forth.
Welts crisscrossed his naked back, his skin ripped and torn, blood interwoven with flesh dangling from the wounds.
Tarek stood behind him, a leather strap with metal studs in his hand.
He raised his arm.
I struggled violently against the manacles, and warm blood dripped down my arms.
Snap!
The strap cracked as it hit flesh and the chains rattled as Waleron’s body jerked.
My screams were smothered by the gag, but I yelled anyway, over and over again.
Whoosh. Snap!
Crack.
Over and over again.
Fighting against the rope choker, I crashed against the cement wall then attempted the hopeless call to my dead Ink. An Ink Tarek had killed. Mutilated.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, useless tears that had no meaning to the man who held us prisoner.
Tarek brought the studded leather down on Waleron’s back again. “Scream, goddamn it!” He turned Waleron’s body around to face him and it was ravaged with pain, but cold as ice. “Why won’t you fuckin’ scream?” Tarek shouted with crazed rage.
Waleron stared straight ahead, past him, refusing to acknowledge him.
I sobbed into the gag, twisting and turning as I screamed at Tarek.
Tarek turned, a slow smile lighting his face. “At last you’re awake.”
He stalked across the room toward me, the leather strap dragging behind him, leaving a trail of Waleron’s blood.
I knew what Tarek was capable of. Had lived with it. Once I’d learned to follow his rules, it was rare he’d raised a hand to me. But Waleron’s note had set him off. It was as if something had snapped in him, and his cruelty knew no bounds.
And now it was worse. The gleam in his almond-colored eyes scintillated a joviality that mixed with madness. His eyes were open too wide and his grin was too broad. His facial muscles twitched.
The sweet iron smell of blood permeated the air, as did the sweat both men exuded, one from excruciating pain, the other from his crazed state of mind, filled with what was obvious pleasure.
Tarek stopped in front of me then grabbed the back of my head and yanked it to the side. Waleron’s chains rattled as he fought against them. I bit down hard on the gag to avoid wincing and giving Tarek the satisfaction of seeing the pain he’d caused.
“You see what arrived today, love. Waleron, all wrapped up in chains. Had to pay a pretty penny for him. A Taldeburu at my disposal, and the woman who loves him.” He yanked the gag from my mouth and tossed it to the ground. I coughed and drool slipped from the corner of my mouth.
I glared at Tarek, but remained quiet. I had to think how the hell I was going to get us out of there. I was too weak from the aftereffects of the drugs and Waleron was severely wounded.
“He destroyed us. Him,” Tarek yelled. “And he will finally pay for it.”
I lowered my gaze. “Waleron, I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. I’ll get you out of here.” A sharp pain tore through me the moment I used my telepathy.
“There is nothing to be sorry for, baby.”
Tarek’s fingers curled into my hair painfully. “I wish I could see their faces when I send Waleron’s body back to them.” He laughed, the subtle lines around his dimples deepening. “Zurina wanted him to live, but he would’ve never stopped searching for you. Would he?”
No. Waleron would’ve searched for me until the day he died.
The rope cut into my throat as he forced my head back. I spit in his face and my saliva dripped down his cheek. He calmly wiped it away with the back of his hand, then slapped me so hard I hit the cement wall behind me. I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from crying out.
“And you? They will never find you. There are no Scars in Brazil, no one to contact. Zurina picked a perfect location. No way off the island, no escape.”
“They’ll find us, Delara.”
I still felt the effects of the tranquilizer, but I fought against the chains, my mind screaming with hatred. Tarek raised his arm and the studded leather strap whipped across my chest.
My back arched at the blistering pain and my body jerked, knees giving out. I swallowed my scream, refusing to give Tarek the satisfaction of seeing me cry out. I’d die before letting him win. He’d never win against me again.
Never control me. Never.
“Delara!” Waleron’s chains rattled as he fought against them, but his efforts were slow, his body ravaged, torn apart. “I can’t… damn it. The drugs, my Ink can’t….”
Tarek laughed, then sauntered over to Waleron. He raised the whip and it snapped in the air, then landed so hard that Waleron’s body swung back and forth on the chains.
Waleron went limp, his head hanging forward and his hands no longer curling around the chains. Oh God, he’d lost consciousness.
Tarek growled something incomprehensible, then waved his hand at a lever on the far wall and the chains loosened sending Waleron crashing to the floor.
“Don’t worry, he’s still breathing. I need him a while longer to make sure you behave yourself.” Tarek approached me then grabbed my chin. “Guess he will be making the ultimate sacrifice this time. Himself.” Tarek lowered his head and slammed his mouth down on mine, forcing my mouth open. The moment his tongue entered my mouth, I bit down as hard as I could.
He cried out and yanked back. “You bitch.”
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and I smiled.
I expected back
lash, but instead he walked over to Waleron, turned to look over his shoulder at me, and smirked.
Then he raised the leather strap. “Punishment, Delara.” The strap whipped around Waleron’s back and his body, but he didn’t move. Blood splattered across the floor and walls as Tarek lashed him several more times.
My sobs were lost to the sound of the snap of the whip.
When Tarek stopped, his voice was quiet and calm. “I have the strange feeling we’re going to get along just fine this time.” He raised his hand to another lever on the far wall and the rope around my neck loosened. The chains released.
My arms fell to my sides, pins and needles instantly erupting as blood rushed back into my limbs.
“I’ll be back soon.” Tarek whistled as he walked to the door and then left.
“Waleron,” I shouted as soon as the door slammed shut.
Too weak to walk, I crawled across the floor to him. “Waleron.” I reached him and carefully placed his head in my lap and stroked his face. “Waleron.” I lowered my head and lightly kissed his lips. “Waleron, please.”
He groaned, his arm rising off the floor an inch then falling limp again.
“Open your eyes. Look at me.” I grabbed his wrist and pulled at the manacle then tried using my telekinesis to unlock them. “Shit.” There was no way I could get them off him. His chest rose and fell but his breathing was shallow and raspy. “Breathe, Waleron. Open your eyes and look at me.”
He groaned again, and then his eyes flickered open. I held back the choked sob and squeezed his hand. I leaned forward and kissed him again.
“How… long… have we… been gone?”
“I don’t know. I can’t judge time with the drugs I was given.” He tried to sit up, but I pushed him back. “Don’t. Save your strength.”
“Baby. You get the… chance… get out of here. Understand?”
“No. Don’t ask that of me.” I’d never leave him with Tarek. “I can’t.”
“I’m not asking. You will get away from him any way you can.” His hand slid across the cold cement floor and touched my thigh and squeezed. “Promise me.”