by Kyra Dune
This foolishness boded well for Shirelyn. The weaker the twins were come the Cataclysm, the easier they would be to kill. And they must be killed this time, no doubt of it. It would be them or her, no space in-between.
She did regret the destruction which would be caused by the Cataclysm, but it was a necessary evil. All the walls between the realms had to come crashing down if she was to rule over them. How she looked forward to the day when she would be queen once more, as she was over her own land before her traitorous brothers attempted to steal what was not rightfully theirs.
Once the twins were dead and all the realms unified under her watch, she could rebuild the world into a new realm of peace and security. And she would protect this world as she had been unable to protect those realms her brothers had destroyed in their rampant greed. It was a pity many, many lives would be lost in the creating of this new world, but true peace could never be achieved without the spilling of blood.
Shirelyn took a steadying breath and pushed herself to her feet. Now was not the time for thinking and worrying, but for rest. She was confident those few who might have been able to prevent the Cataclysm had been put well out of the way. She and Mishkael had worked in tandem on this, though not out of any sense of familial loyalty, but only because they both sought the Cataclysm. Both wanted freedom. Both wanted to rule. Both wanted the other dead.
Her room was located in a cavern filled with bits and piece she had gathered from the ruined realm above during the early days of her imprisonment. Everything she now owned was but a remnant of a world her brothers had destroyed.
For a long time, her magic held these possessions intact when they long ago should have faded away and perished. But since she’d begun reaching out beyond this realm she’d been forced to draw the magic back into herself. Thus many of her precious treasures had become somewhat less than they once were. More than one had deteriorated to a point where she no longer knew what they once were. Here or there, piles of dust lay scattered across the cavern floor. The entire room smelled of rot and decay, but she simply could not bring herself to clear it out.
Shirelyn lowered herself to a pile of rotted rags which were once silken sheets. She lay on her side smiling at her dearest and only friend, who sat on a plump cushion beside the bed. “Hello, Shush. Did you miss me while I was away?”
Shush stared silently back at her with one blue eye. The other eye was lost to the rubble above and though Shirelyn had strove to find the missing half of the porcelain doll’s face, it had been to no avail. But Shush was still lovely, even with her dress scorched and her blonde hair matted.
“I know,” Shirelyn said. “I promised you we would be whole. And we shall. Soon. Once I am queen, you will have only the finest of dresses to wear and servants to fix your hair. It will be lovely. But for now you must have patience, my pet. I need to rest and prepare myself for what’s to come.”
Shirelyn closed her eyes. “Wake me when the sun comes up.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Even after all that had happened, Anastasia could hardly believe this was all real. The existence of higher powers flew in the face of all she was raised to believe. Everything about the faith of the God Above was a lie. Mishkael, she had to remind herself this was his true name. To set all she had known aside and face this new truth was not easy. It was like a dream, or a nightmare.
“Ana?” Simon touched her arm, causing her to jump. “I said your name three times and you haven’t heard me. Are you all right?”
“Yes.” She breathed a laugh. “My mind was wandering is all. What did you want?”
“To ask if you need a break.”
“Again?” Selene asked. “At this rate we’ll never reach Oracle.”
Simon frowned. “Ana is not accustomed to all this walking. If she needs to rest, we rest.”
Anastasia blushed slightly, though she knew already she was by far the weakest member of the group. “It’s all right. Really. I’m not tired.” This was not entirely true, but whatever fatigue she was feeling paled in comparison to her desire to reach Oracle as quickly as possible. Even if the outcome would be as she feared rather than as Simon hoped.
“Are you certain?” Simon asked. “We have time.”
“I don’t want to stop.” She laid her hand over his. “I just want this to be over. Then I’ll have all time I need to rest and to... well, to readjust my view on so many things.”
He nodded. “I understand the feeling. As I understand how it must be for you, finding out the truth about the God Above. I had faith in him too. I had no idea what he truly was until Fate told me.”
“None of us did,” Selene said. “Until all this, I thought of the Cataclysm as nothing but a story.”
“You weren’t alive when Oracle made her prophecy?” Anastasia asked.
Selene shook her head. “It happened long before I was born. I knew the tale of the imprisoned gods as well, but I didn’t believe in that either. My own parents were there, they were part of it, and I had no idea. I thought those stories were handed down to them by their own elders. Now I know better.” She glanced at Reaper. “You were there too, weren’t you? You say you aligned yourself with Shirelyn, so you must have been.”
“I was there,” Reaper said. “And I assure you whatever you have heard cannot compare to what I saw. It was no story.”
“Oh, but it is a story,” Brandon said. “The grandest and most important story of them all. And we’re part of it.” He clasped his hands together and giggled. “Isn’t it thrilling?”
“I’m not sure thrilling is the word I’d use,” Selene said. “Considering we could all die before it’s over.”
Brandon shrugged. “In the end, we all die. It’s not death which matters, but the life you lived. Better to die on a great adventure than in a rocking chair.”
“That is arrogant youth talking,” Selene snapped. “What do you understand of life and death?”
“Quite a bit, actually. You know, on account of being an assassin.”
Selene scoffed. “Being a killer for hire gives you no special knowledge. Clearly you have never had anyone you love violently ripped away from you or else you wouldn’t speak so flippantly of death.”
Though a smile was still on his lips, Brandon’s eyes had taken on a wintery chill. “I might be better versed in that than you think. You don’t know me. I could have all sorts of tragedy hidden under my hat.” He touched the top of his head. “If I were wearing a hat, that is.”
A much too familiar skittering sound filled the air around them. “Oh no.” Anastasia’s hand tightened over Simon’s. “Please tell me that isn’t what I think it is.”
“If only I could.” He stared into the forest.
“Well,” Selene looked to Reaper, “looks as though you’re not as imposing a figure as you imagine you are.”
“It appears these creatures lack healthy respect for a higher power,” he replied. “Shall we remedy that?”
A bow appeared in Selene’s hands from out of thin air. “Let’s hope we can.”
Brandon giggled. “It’s about time we had some excitement.” He drew a pair of twin daggers from his waistband. “I was getting bored.”
A creature with brown and yellow striped fur dropped from an overhanging tree into the path behind them. It was about two feet tall with glowing eyes and bared fangs. It growled at them. And somehow Anastasia was certain this was the same creature who had before defied Reaper by staying behind after his fellows had fled.
Five seconds later this was the furthest thing from her mind as the world seemed to explode with leaping, hissing, growling beasts. Anastasia screamed as one such creature landed on her shoulder to shriek in her ear. She threw her hands up to protect her face. Simon grabbed the beast, cursing as its fangs sank into his hand, and snapped its neck.
Selene backed away from the thick of the fighting, shooting silver arrows into the throng with unerring aim. Brandon and Nephima, on the other hand, were more at home in the midst
of the chaos. They twisted and turned in perfect synchronicity, as if they had fought side by side their entire lives. His daggers moved in a blur almost too swift for the eye to see and she dealt deadly blows with her katana so smoothly the weapon seemed an extension of her arm.
Lorn was not faring so well. He’d managed to get himself separated from the others and though he was fighting fiercely, already he was running red with blood from bites and scratches. He’d been trained to fight men, not beasts, and hadn’t fought anything since becoming Anastasia’s bodyguard when she was a child.
Anastasia grasped Simon’s arm. “You must help Lorn.”
“No,” he said. “I can’t leave you here defenseless.”
“I’ll look after her,” Reaper said. He’d been so silent Anastasia hadn’t even realized he was standing behind them.
Simon looked as if he didn’t like the idea any better than she did, but she could not stand by and watch Lorn fall when a word from her might save him. “Go. Please.”
After giving her a tight nod, Simon waded through the furry bodies toward Lorn.
Reaper put his arms around Anastasia from behind. She gasped, stiffening. “What are you doing?”
“Creating a shield.” As he spoke, the air surrounding them took on a faint shimmer. “Though a rather weak one, I admit. I’ve rarely had cause to use it.”
Anastasia did her best to pretend she was not distinctly uncomfortable with having him touch her. “It will protect us from the creatures?”
“It should,” Reaper said. “Provided we aren’t attacked en masse. But I believe the beasts are too busy dying to do so. You have skilled friends.”
“I don’t know as I’d call them my friends.” She hoped the battle would end soon so she might get away from the feel of his warm breath against her neck. “Simon is, of course, and Lorn also, in a different sort of way. But the other three I only just met.”
“And yet they’ve join you on this perilous journey to save your life. Curious.”
One of the furry creatures leapt at them and Anastasia shrank back closer to Reaper. But the shield did its work, bouncing the creature back. It shrieked angrily and ran off into the woods.
Blood was flying along the path and Anastasia had to look away. She knew killing the creatures was something they had no choice over, but the sight still turned her stomach and made her think of her own possible impending death. She squeezed her eyes shut, but could not close her ears to the sounds.
“I know why Selene came.” Anastasia was hardly aware of what she was saying, speaking simply to hear something besides the snarls and squeals. “She means to kill me if the Cataclysm can be stopped no other way. And I’m glad for it. I do not want my life at the cost of the world.”
“Brave words,” Reaper whispered in her ear. “But I wonder will you feel the same when all hope is gone.”
Anastasia’s eyes snapped open. She twisted her head, trying to look back at him. “What do you mean? Do you know there’s no hope?”
Reaper’s dark gaze was impossible to read. “I believe the danger has passed.” The shield around them faded as he stepped away.
“Wait.” She caught hold of his sleeve. “Tell me. Do you know what’s going to happen when we reach the temple? Do you know what Oracle will tell us?”
“You should see after your guardsman.”
Anastasia, realizing she was going to get nothing further from him, turned to look for Lorn. Small, furry, bloody bodies littered the path. If any of the creatures yet lived, they must have escaped into the forest.
On the far side of the path, Lorn was sitting on the ground with his back to a tree. Simon knelt beside him while Selene stood nearby. What the hem of Anastasia’s dress dragged through as she carefully made her way over to them was something she did not want to even consider.
She took in Lorn’s blood spattered chainmail as she crouched beside him and felt a hitch in her chest. “Lorn,” she laid her hand on his shoulder, “are you badly hurt?”
“Not so badly, my Lady,” he said. “You are well?”
“Yes, of course. Thanks to Reaper.” She glanced over at the higher power, who was standing away from the rest of them, gazing up at the starless sky.
“My failure shames me.” Lorn looked to the ground. “As your guardian, it is my duty to protect you and I could not do so in the face of those... creatures.”
“You failed nothing. Look at me.” She put command into her tone, assuring he would lift his head to avoid disobeying her. “You have done nothing worthy of shame. I am fine and you fought well against what you have never before faced. I find no fault in your actions this day.”
He nodded. “As you say, my Lady.” Though it was clear he continued to believe otherwise.
Anastasia bit back a sigh. “Simon, what of you?” He too was splattered with blood, but she could not tell whether or not any was his own. “Are you hurt?”
“Only my hand.” He showed her the marks where the creature he’d saved her from had sank its teeth into the skin around his thumb. “It’s no longer bleeding. Doesn’t even hurt, really. Lorn is the one whose wounds need binding.”
“What will we bind them with?” Anastasia asked.
A wrapping of white gauze appeared in Selene’s hand. “Use this.” She handed it to Simon, who set about unrolling it.
Anastasia moved back to be out of the way. Having no knowledge of treating wounds, she could hardly have helped. Instead, she turned to Selene in an effort to strike up a conversation. “It is a most impressive power you have, to conjure things out of the air. Can all higher powers do so?”
“It’s not conjuring.” Selene spoke the word as if it left a nasty taste in her mouth. “I’m no Magus. I can simply draw what I need to me from wherever is the nearest source. Even if it be in another realm.”
“So you’re a thief,” Brandon said.
Selene scowled. “I am no thief.”
“You take things from people without their permission and never return it,” he said. “Sounds like the definition of a thief to me. Not that I have anything against thieves, of course. You need something, you take it. Makes sense to me.”
Selene’s expression was growing so dark Anastasia thought she should get in-between the two of them, if only verbally. “Brandon, are you injured?”
He looked down at the blood which was all over everybody except Selene, Anastasia, and Reaper. “Not in the least. I feel great. Nothing like a good battle to get the adrenalin pumping. Though I have to say, I usually do my work without getting all bloody. It’s a refreshing change of pace.”
Though Selene made a face, she said nothing of whatever was on her mind. “If Lorn can walk, we best keep moving before those things come back with reinforcements. Surely we’re near the end of the woods.”
“We should take a couple of these things with us,” Brandon said. “Fresh meat would be nice.”
Anastasia clamped a hand to her mouth. “You can’t be serious.”
“Actually, I’m often serious,” Brandon said. “People just don’t seem to realize it. I can’t imagine why.”
“I hate to say this,” and by Simon’s expression he hated it quite a bit, “but Brandon makes a point. Once we’re free of the woods it would be nice to have a little fire and something warm to eat.”
“Can these things be eaten?” Selene grimaced as she prodded one of the furry bodies with the toe of her boot. “We don’t even know what they are.”
Nephima advanced on one of the fallen creatures and, with a quick slice of her katana, removed its head. She then crouched down to have a look inside. “Looks like any animal to me.” She glanced up at Simon. “Should I make it portable?”
Simon nodded. “But do it out of eyesight, please. And don’t look so put out, Selene. Lorn needs a rest.”
Lorn surely would have protested this, but he had fallen asleep. Or perhaps lost consciousness, though Anastasia didn’t like to think on what that might mean. “Yes, a little rest and h
e’ll be fine.”
“I suppose we could all use a moment’s rest,” Selene said begrudgingly.
“Not me,” Brandon said. “I’m fresh as a daisy.”
“So help Nephima then and spare the rest of us your chirping,” Selene said.
Never had Anastasia seen a smile which looked less pleasant than the one Brandon was giving Selene. Nephima laid her hand on Brandon’s arm. “Carry the creature for me?”
“Sure,” he said, turning away from Selene. “Never let it be said I would shy away from some heavy lifting.”
Anastasia sat down beside Lorn. Though she did her best not to look at the carnage, she couldn’t escape the smell. It crawled down the back of her throat and set her stomach to rolling. She doubted she would have to worry about whether or not one of these beasts would make an appetizing meal, as eating was the last thing she felt like doing anytime in the near future.
“Here, have some water.” Simon handed her a canteen. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m all right.” She managed to take a few swallows of the water before her stomach started to protest. “I’ll be glad when we’re free of this place.”
“So will we all,” Selene said, her tone certainly sharper than was warranted.
Simon shook his head. “Must you be so antagonistic to everyone? We’re supposed to be in this together and all you do is try to pick fights.”
“And all you can do is be everyone’s champion,” Selene said. “I don’t need you to tell me how to act. In case you’ve forgotten, I recently watched my father die right before my eyes. I know you didn’t think much of him, but I did. So excuse me if I’m not a shiny ray of sunshine like that grinning buffoon.”
“I’m sorry,” Simon said, reaching out as if to embrace her, “I know what you’re going through is--”
“I don’t want your sympathy.” Selene stepped back from him. “I think I’ll scout ahead along the path and see if I can find out how much farther the woods go.”