Elle’s smile was triumphant as she held out her hand, widening further as Rose accepted it without hesitation.
“There now,” she looked to Nate with obvious satisfaction, “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Nate jerked forward, reaching out to pull her out of Elle’s grip, but he was stopped short as the last remaining minion – the man who had stayed silent and waiting until now – grabbed him by the arms and yanked him back.
“Let me go Zeph.” Nate’s voice was strained as he struggled against the man’s superior strength and Rose wondered why he didn’t use his Repulsion, until Elle answered the question for her.
“Your tricks won’t work against Baalzephon,” she grinned, “No more than it would work against me.” Her gaze washed over Rose, who read it for the warning it was, before Elle’s sharp green eyes focussed back on Nate, watching as he continued to wrestle with the arms that contained him.
“You didn’t actually think I’d let you fight for her, did you?” she asked.
Knowing that it was now or never, Rose stepped forward, “He doesn’t have to.”
Letting her instincts guide her, she expanded her awareness until it hit the edge of the bubble they were trapped in, feeling it brush against her consciousness, like a swath of silk. She closed her eyes, gathering all the Energy she could inside her, before releasing it in a burst against the membrane.
Stars shattered across her vision, and for a moment, she thought it would give, feeling it flicker and wobble – but it snapped taut like a sail in the wind, springing back to hold its ground.
Panting from the effort, Rose re-directed the flow of Energy, pointing is squarely at Elle, praying that it might distract her enough to sever whatever influence she had over the Shroud.
Elle staggered back, hands rising in defence as Rose continued to attack, pushing every drop of Energy into her assault, knowing that she couldn’t sustain it, that it wouldn’t replenish in time. She pushed on anyway, casting out a net, wider and wider, in her search for power.
The bubble trembled and shrank as she sucked hard from its strength, drawing in and in, closer and closer, as Elle took another step back.
Rose could see her fear, her doubt, as she pushed on, reaching out with her mind for the man who held Nate – latching on to the oily essence of him, drawing his strength.
Ell’s knees buckled as Nate broke free of his captor, and Rose followed her down, her own legs giving out, sweat running down her skin as Energy continued to pour out of her – seeking its target with ruthless precision.
Her vision was staining red, her world narrowing to the flow of life rushing through her, and she knew she was only moments away from passing out, from losing her grip on the final thread of her existence. But still she held on, pulling greedily on the life force around her, drawing it into her being and letting it rush deliciously through her soul, leaving stars shimmering in her veins as it passed.
She hadn’t known, hadn’t realised, how good it would feel to finally wield the power that had been growing inside of her. Hadn’t understood the gift she’d been given. She did now, even as her senses guttered, leaving her momentarily blind, deaf, numb.
That single flicker of consciousness was all it took to drop her hold, and Rose hit the ground, the bubble springing back with an audible snap.
Nate reached for her, but Zeph was quicker, his arms cinching tightly around him, hauling him back.
Rose, shaking hard, exhaustion echoing in every bone, staggered to her feet already searching – but Elle was no longer there. She spun, dizzily searching, the trickle of Energy slowly pooling in her core doing little to stop the pounding in her head. She swayed, fighting the pull of her fatigue, knowing she had to resist if she was going to stay alive.
“That,” seethed a voice from behind her, “was rude.”
Nate struggles increased as an arm snaked across Rose’s shoulders, and Elle pulled her back, her body flush against her. She was trembling – as much as Rose and more – but the arm that held her was surprisingly strong as it turned her away from Nate’s desperate gaze.
Rose, having nothing in her to fight, sagged against her captor.
“It’s okay, Nate,” She whispered, even as her eyes locked on what Elle had clearly intended her to see, turning her just so.
Christian stared, his eyes unseeing, from across the circle.
A sob of pain escaped her lips as she jerked towards him, but the arm across her shoulders tightened cruelly against her.
“You see, Nathaniel?” Elle’s words skittered over her cheek as she spoke, causing Rose to flinch even as her eyes remained locked on Christian.
“You see what all this pain, this confusion, this love,” she sneered the word, “Has got you?”
Rose drowned her out, intent as she was on reaching the man who was so close, and yet so far away.
She focused hard on the shape of him, the feel of his soul, forcing her shattered mind to concentrate, to send him the message she constructed in her mind.
There were no words big enough, powerful enough, to convey what she needed, so she built up layers of memory. His smile, the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart, weaving them together as best she could, knowing that it would have to do, would have to be enough – because she would never get another chance.
Rose had known as soon as Elle had captured her in shaking arms, that there would be no heroic rescue, no rushing in at the last minute to save the day. She was going to die, and knowing this brought a level of peace she used to focus and channel her thoughts, pushing them hard towards the man she loved – determined to reach him before her time was up.
Tears slipped down her face as Christian’s eyes focusing for a split second, as if he could see her, could see the tangle of images and senses she’d thrown his way.
She breathed his name, barely a sigh on her lips – and a jolt of pain spiked through her, echoing in her head before giving way to nothingness, her soul rushing towards its oncoming oblivion.
***
Nate stared hard at Rose, seeing nothing but her as Elle continued to taunt him.
“You see what all this pain, this love,” she sneered the word, “Has got you?”
Nate saw. He saw the way in which Rose focused on the Guardian, working so hard to break the barrier, unaware that the girl he tried so desperately to protect was about to be taken from him. He saw the way her eyes fixed on him in a way she’d never looked at Nate – and now never would.
“Nothing,” Elle summed up his thoughts succinctly, watching every shadow of pain as it crossed his face. “She could never love you,” she continued, uncaring, “Why would she? You’re pathetic,” she spat. “Made weak by such a measly human emotion.” Her eyes darkened and he would have read the warning signs there had he thought to look, “Let me help you with that.”
Nate jolted forward, a sudden burst of fearful adrenalin allowing him to break the larger man’s grip – but he was too late, Elle twisted Rose’s head sharply to the right, smiling in satisfaction at the crack that resounded across the oddly echoing tent.
Nate fell to his knees, his legs giving out beneath him, as Elle smoothed Rose’s hair back from her face. Her eyes were bright and focused as she shot him a cursory glance of triumph, before hefting Rose’s slight weight in her arms and dumping her to the floor in a rustle of purple fabric.
“Here,” she crowed victoriously, “You can have her.”
Nate scrambled forward, pulling the lifeless body onto his lap. He took a moment to stare down at her face, his brain rejecting all that he saw in front of him, even as his shaking hand reached down to close those unseeing eyes. A tear slid from beneath her lashes as they came to rest against her cheek.
The pain engulfed him, taking his breath away, and he raised his head to meet the gaze of the woman who watched, scorn in her eyes.
“There now,” Elle reached forward and patted him on the head in condescension, “You’ll get over it.”
Na
te, his eyes back on the pale skin of the girl in his arms, barely heard as Elle sighed, “I had hoped she’d put up more of a fight.” She nodded at Zeph, who hadn’t moved from his position behind Nate, “Tell our friend the job is done.” Zeph stepped away, and Elle returned her focus to Nate.
“I do hope that when you’re done with… this,” She indicated the limp figure in his arms, “You’ll be back to your old self again.”
Nate missed the flicker of doubt in her eyes, too numb to notice.
“In any case, I’ll see you soon.” She stepped over the ends of Rose’s dress as Zeph returned, his hand held out expectantly. “Enjoy the party,” She took a moment to flash him a pitying smile, before the pair vanished from view.
***
Christian felt the latest wave of Rose’s fear and grit his teeth in frustration. Never before had he felt so weak – so powerless – desperation crawling over his skin like a fog. The Powers were taking too long.
His heart pounded in his chest, reminding him that he needed to breathe, and he sucked in a lungful of air, the fresh infusion of oxygen making him dizzy. He looked across the circle, seeing the unfamiliar faces that concentrated on breaking the barrier, and wondered how it had come to this. How he – the Guardian of the Archon – was reduced to waiting as others did his work for him, as the one thing he held dear in the world was potentially fighting her last battle.
A breeze ruffled the tented walls, lights flickered, and Christian could have sworn that the scent of her came with it, dancing on the tide like a feather, sweet and warm and powerful – so powerful, as if the energy within had risen up to create it.
“Roc,” His plea was barely a whisper, but the older man caught his gaze – nodding once before standing slightly squarer – his face going pale, stern, as he put all his focus in his task.
Jamaerah trembled at his side, and Christian was pushing strength into the man, forcing him upright, when he was hit by a jolt of recognition – a consciousness that was as familiar to him as his own.
It was impossible. Inconceivable, but somehow, Rose had reached out to him across the planes. He stared blindly ahead, desperate to see her, to reach her, focusing on the gentle caress of her mind with all his might.
It was love. All encompassing, awe inspiring love, and he smiled, drifting on the tide of her memories, letting it smooth the edges of his fear. But then the goodbye came, a current of underlying anguish propelling it into the deepest corners of his heart, and he knew.
He dropped to his knees as he felt her pain – a short, sharp shock, a splintering burst – before the link abruptly severed.
Christian’s world closed in around him, the blood in his ears the only sound as his heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
She was gone.
25
Nate didn’t look up as colour exploded all around him. Didn’t struggle as two pairs of hands dragged him away from Rose, having nothing left in him to fight.
The Guardian, bruises darkening on his skin, picked up the lifeless body of his Ward with trembling hands. He held her to his chest, smoothing back her hair, her dress, before looking across to Nate, his eyes dull with pain.
Nate stared back at the man who he’d despised but hours ago, grief washing through him at the hurt he saw reflected in his eyes. He dropped his gaze – fighting with every thud of his heart not to break down and cry in front of the Guardian, who stood so proud, so tall, in the face of his loss.
When he finally mustered the courage to look up, the Guardian was gone – taking Rose with him. Nate slipped to the floor at the realisation that he would never again see the girl whom he’d wronged so badly. The rough grip of the men who held him stopped his descent, hauling him upright. Nate let them, sagged against them. He knew they wouldn’t spare him for his involvement in the Archon’s death. And he was glad.
Ben and Ana looked up anxiously as Christian appeared at the door to the tent, Rose in his arms. They’d feared the worst when he’d dropped to his knees, only to hear the quiet glee of the Powers as the barrier finally broke, all eight of them disappearing in a flash, along with Christian and Roc.
Christian ploughed through the crowds, and Ben hastened to calm the disgruntled looks and questioning noises with a laugh he didn’t feel.
“Oh!” he exclaimed as brightly as he could manage, tugging a fearful Ana along with him, “Silly girl has had too much to drink. Best get her home!” He sagged in relief at the chuckles that filtered through the group as they dispersed, too intent on their own good time to give it much thought.
He almost didn’t want to follow, didn’t want to know, but forced his feet to move as Christian carried Rose over to the grass by the river – away from the party and all its curious eyes.
The trickle of fear increased as he registered that Christian wasn’t talking, looking drawn and tired as he gently laid her down on the grass. Ana tugged on his hand, startling him out of his daze and moving him forward.
He knew, as he kneeled beside her. Her quiet stillness and pale features said it all. So when Ana, having stepped around him, gasped and raised her hand to her mouth, he wasn’t surprised.
“Her aura,” Ana stammered, looking to Christian with confusion and fear, unaccepting of what she saw, “It’s… gone.”
Christian’s expression crumpled in pain before he regained control, contorting his features into the blank gaze that stared down at the girl he’d sworn to protect.
Ana turned her head into Bens shoulder, clinging to him as she began to cry. Ben wrapped an arm around her – a reflex he was too numb to register.
Christian leaned down to kiss Rose on the mouth, and Ben saw the tears that fell onto her cheek before he brushed them away.
“I don’t know how much time I have,” he was calm as he sat back on his heels, the gaze meeting Ben’s was empty. “You’ll need to get her out of here –” he faltered and Ben realised that he had no idea what to do, having never considered that they might actually lose.
“How can you be so calm?” Ben demanded, feeling his body shake. He struggled to breathe, trying to stand, but Ana held him firm, holding him against her as he glared at Christian, “She’s dead!”
He sank back to the floor as pain clenched his heart. Ana fell with him, her shaking hands reaching up to wipe away the tears he didn’t even know had started as they rained down his cheeks.
Christian looked back through the haze of his own, reflecting Ben’s pain in the wide depths of his eyes. “I’m so sorry,” Were the only words he spoke.
***
Christian closed his eyes at the onslaught of misery that threatened to submerge his soul, praying with every fibre of his being for the torment to end – for his body to be taken, and his mind to recede into the oblivion he so desperately sought. It would be his only reprieve from the anguish that rolled through him.
He had failed. The one being in the entire universe that was equipped – designed and created – for the task of protecting her, and he’d failed.
The sudden fear that maybe he wouldn’t Conclude, that maybe this was punishment for his failure, swept through him like a tsunami – wiping out every thought from his mind until he was drowning in grief.
To live an eternity without Rose, knowing, every day, what he’d lost, would be the worst kind of Hell.
A gasp from Ana pulled him to the surface of his consciousness, and he opened his eyes to find her holding Ben as he wept. Her eyes, bright with her own tears, stared over his shoulder to where Rose lay, her prone figure giving silent testament to his defeat.
He turned, almost unwillingly, to look, seeing nothing but the empty shell of his love – until a flicker of colour against her skin caught his attention.
Christian watched breathless, before he looked up at Ana – her gaze matching the shock that trembled through him; Purple flashed through Rose’s aura in short bursts, almost invisible against the tone of her dress.
They stood as the glow around Rose’s body grew stronge
r – Christian reaching out to steady a confused Ben who followed blindly.
They backed up as it began to spread, immersing her form in a violet haze that grew brighter and brighter, shielding their eyes as it shot out in resplendent waves, reflecting off the grass and nearby water, lighting darkness to day. It grew in height, rising quickly to its crescendo in a flash so intense it left spots in Christian vision, before receding into nothingness.
Rose stood in its place, proud and strong, her eyes aglow with the same vivid purple.
Christian stared, convinced it was a trick of the afterimage, that his grief had driven him mad, but the rush of consciousness that flooded his mind – achingly familiar and yet dauntingly alien – said otherwise.
As the glow in Rose’s eyes faded, so did her strength, and Christian lunged to catch her as she fell, cradling her in his arms even as his eyes raked over her in disbelief.
“Did we win?” she asked hazily, raising her hand to cup his face. Christian only sobbed in relief, lifting his eyes to the sky in a silent prayer of thanks, before pulling her to him and burying his head in her shoulder.
***
Rose watched with a vague sense of detachment as Ben’s disbelief was replaced by dumbfounded amazement. She didn’t know how she had got to the banks of the river, remembered nothing after the short burst of pain, but she could tell from the way that Christian held her tightly, as he sobbed in relief, that he’d thought he’d lost her.
Had she died?
Rose didn’t feel dead. She felt more alive than she ever had. So much stronger, aware and connected to the Earth in a way she could never have imagined, feeling its energy flow through her body like a current – a low buzz of electricity so much more powerful than the tiny spark she’d been conjuring before.
Revelation: Trinity Part 1 Page 33