The Council

by BooksGoSocial Fantasy

  I don’t wait for their response as I turn away from them, desperate to keep them from seeing the tears that have finally made their way free. I run to the door, desperate to escape from them and the weight of the pessimism that’s slowly crushing my will to live.

  When I dash out into the fading evening light, Regina reaches the door. “Wait, Lilith! You don’t understand!”

  No, no I don’t, I think, sobbing as I hurry across the parched dirt in my sorry attempt to get as far away from Howard and Regina as the borders of Ignis will allow.

  Tears stream down my face and my mind is a haze of confusion. The only thing I’m sure of in the moment is that I don’t want Crowe and Tarj to see me like this. Without conscious thought, my feet lead me to Clio’s house. My leg aches again as I stand on his doorstep, more strained by escaping my “parents.”

  I hope against odds that he’ll still be as happy to see me as he had the last time I was here.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The Battle of Ignis

  WHEN CLIO ANSWERS, his eyes light up, and I’m instantly relieved.

  “Lilith!” He pulls me into his arms. “I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear as he strokes my hair.

  “I missed you too,” I say, letting myself melt into the gesture.

  After a minute, he pulls away and lets me step into his house before he pulls the door closed. “What brings you back to Ignis?” he asks as he sits on the sofa.

  “We’re searching for Elementals,” I reply, sitting beside him. “Crowe and I have had to travel to all the Covens this past week searching for clues. Let’s just say things don’t look too good in the Land of Five right now.”

  “I heard there was an execution today,” he states grimly.

  I nod briefly with flashes of Chastity’s burning corpse, and the eerie grin she had worn a moment before, in my mind.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it. I couldn’t get away from training today,” he says.

  I hardly hear him, my eyes unfocused as I think of Chastity’s menacing words back in Mentis. After the confrontation with Regina and Howard, I had almost forgotten my other problems.

  “Are you okay?” he asks, catching the look in my eyes.

  “The girl they executed—Chastity—she…she was killed because of me…because she tried to abduct me in Mentis. That’s what got her arrested anyway. She said the Elementals won’t stop trying to get me.”

  “She didn’t hurt you, did she?” he asks in concern, placing his hand on mine.

  I shake my head. “Not physically no, but emotionally, I think I’m a different person for the experience.”

  Clio raises a questioning eyebrow but waits for me to continue.

  “My time in Mentis changed me because well…I-I think I’m from there.”

  “What?” he demands in a choked whisper that leads me to believe he meant for his words to be much louder. His grip on my hand tightens, causing my knuckles to crunch together uncomfortably.

  “The Sage wants to take me on as her successor,” I admit, pulling my hand free from his gently.

  “That’s a huge honor.”

  I bob my head, not feeling as impressed with the title as he seems.

  “You’re an important witch, Lilith.” He smiles.

  “You are too. Tarj told me you’ve been doing an excellent job of whipping our class into shape—Hell of a lot better than any of the other Covens apparently.”

  He nods. “I have,” he says before the smile on his face drops. “After all, we don’t know who we can trust anymore.”

  He seems to be the only one who understands how I feel. I stare at him for a moment feeling as if our hearts are one. I glance down at my leg and remember the truth my parents told me…that they aren’t my parents—that they hurt me.

  “That’s the truth,” I whisper in a failed attempt to keep any emotion from my voice.

  “Hey,” he murmurs, setting his fingers under my chin. “What is it?”

  “My parents did this to me,” I admit, gesturing to my leg.

  Clio is silent so I repeat myself.

  “That’s what I thought you said. They burned you? What the hell for?” he demands, drawing his eyebrows together in a menacing scowl.

  “They aren’t my real parents, and I don’t know,” I reply, avoiding his gaze as a tear runs down my cheek. “What I found out was enough without all the details.”

  The expression on his face softens as he realizes how hurt I really am. He reaches out to gather me in his arms and rocks me back and forth gently before he says, “I’m always here for you, sweetheart.”

  “I know,” I reply, relaxing just a bit.

  “How long are you staying?” he asks, pulling back to look at me.

  “Hopefully the night, but most likely right after dinner if I know Crowe.”

  “That’s too bad,” he says, his breath fanning over my lips before he kisses me.

  The contact jolts me, scrambling the thoughts in my mind. My worry tries to convince me to pull away, to find Crowe and serve my duty to Ignis, but it’s a weak urge, easily overpowered by the rest of my desires. After everything I’ve gone through, I deserve this—this fleeting moment of happiness. I kiss him back, running my fingers through his hair. With the Elementals hunting me, my life is literally in danger. For all I know, this could be the last time I see him. Judging by the way he holds me to him, he must have the same thought.

  When we finally pull away, I lift my fingers to my lips feeling the slight bruise from the impact of the kiss. Clio stares at me, his eyes searching deep into mine. What he’s looking for, I don’t have a clue. I pull away a bit, suddenly regaining myself as I remember the situation at hand.

  My parents, The Council, the war.

  “How’s Helena?”

  Clio crinkles his forehead in obvious disappointment. “S-she’s different. It seems like she’s a different person since you left.”

  I frown. “I miss her. I need to visit her before I go.”

  “I’m sure it would mean a lot to her.”

  “Will you come with me?” I wonder.

  “Of course. Honestly, it’s been a while since I’ve talked to her either. It might do her some good for us both to visit—sort of like old times.”

  I smile, letting all the cares slip away from me if only for a minute.

  Then a scream pierces through the night.

  My eyes stretch open in shock, and before I know it, both of us are standing to our feet.

  “Someone’s in trouble!” Clio says, rushing to throw open his door. I’m a moment behind him as we hurry out into the fading sunlight, desperate to understand the situation at hand.

  “Where did the scream come from?” I ask, turning in a full circle. “Clio?”

  I realize he’s gone as another screech rings through the night. Instantly, I think of Tarj and Crowe...where are they, and are they in trouble? Or are they the cause? I run as fast as I can in the direction they had disappeared earlier, desperate to find some clue as to what I should do.

  “Lilith! Over here!” I hear a hushed whisper float from behind a nearby boulder.

  Tarj is crouched there, and his panicked eyes focus on me.

  I rush over to him, falling to my hands and knees in my hurried movement. “What’s going on?” I ask desperately as I kneel beside him.

  “It’s the Elementals—they poisoned Ignis’ water supply before setting fire to the hospital.”

  “How can they do this? Innocent witches are going to get hurt!”

  Tarj stares at me through knowing eyes as The Sage’s words cross my mind. We’re their enemy, as far as they’re concerned, and they’ve made it clear violence is the route they’re going to establish their goals.

  “Where’s Crowe?” I demand.

  “He went to find their leader, to try to stop this.”

  “Alone? Which way did he go?”

  Tarj points, and I don’t hesitate climbing to my feet. When I begin to jog away, I
hear him call, “Wait!” It’s not enough to get me to stay put. I don’t stop, don’t even look back I rush through the fading sunlight of evening. More screams fill the air along with loud blasts of energy as more and more witches find their way into the fight.

  Finding Clio or Crowe is the goal in my mind. With the Elementals involved, this means war—not a typical skirmish over Coven boundaries. A battle on my home Coven’s land could prove to be disastrous to many of my UnEquipped loved ones if they happen to be caught in the crossfire. The sooner we can end the battle, the better.

  I only hope Crowe doesn’t fail in his mission before I’m able to find him.

  So many screams fill the air around me, so many of them familiar that I feel as if I’m drowning in the very agony of Ignis. Then I see them—Regina and Howard—tucked into the nook of a nearby clump of rocks. Regina’s on her knees, clutching Howard tight to her chest as tears stream down her face. Even from here, it’s obvious something’s wrong.

  I let go of my resentment and run to them, taking in the scene. Only then do I see my father’s shirt is soaked in blood from a deep laceration stretched across his body. My eyes dart to Regina. She’s covered in blood as well but as far as I can tell none of its hers.

  “We have to go,” I say desperately, causing Regina to jump.

  She stares up at me through teary eyes. “B-but…”

  “He’s gone,” I snap, probably harsher than I should have, but the sound of incoming footsteps has me on high alert. Time is short. My priority right now is getting us somewhere safe.

  Dragging a corpse with us will only slow down our progress.

  “We have to go,” I repeat, grabbing her hand. By the look on her face, I’m ninety-five percent sure she’s in shock which means I’ll have to put more effort into saving her life.

  With an ugly snort, she sniffles and finally slides out from under the weight of her husband’s body, much to my relief. With a sorrowful glance over her shoulder, she follows me away from the scene. As soon as we emerge from the nook in the rocks, an Elemental appears, blasting a wave of fire at us. I block it with ease. With a flick of my wrist, I easily send him flying. Regina and I take the opportunity to run, and we find another line of rocks not too far away to rest. Judging by the settled soil, the conflict hasn’t reached this far into Ignis yet.

  “This should be a safe place.” I take a quick survey of the land as I speak. “Draw a circle around you, and whatever you do, don’t leave it. It’ll keep you safe against the Elementals’ powers.”

  “I-I—”

  “Stay here until it’s over,” I insist, ready to dart into the heart of combat when Regina wraps her hand around my arm, holding me in place.

  “Don’t go!” she pleads, fear obvious on her face.

  “I have to—it’s my duty,” I reply, thinking of everyone that could be in the line of fire at this very moment. The longer I stay here, the more their clocks could be counting down. I want to sympathize with her, being an UnEquipped in the middle of a battle like this must be terrifying, but I can’t. I wish there’s a way I can make her understand that by staying here, our chances of survival are actually slimmer.

  I pull myself free and move to leave our newly-found shelter when her voice stops me.

  “Howard wasn’t UnEquipped in the beginning. H-he did what he had to do with his powers.”

  I freeze, not expecting her topic of choice considering what she’s just been through. The scene around me seems hazy at her words as if my head has been dunked under water, and I’m torn between listening to what she has to say and fulfilling my obligations to Ignis.

  “Your parents, your true parents, they were them—Elementals. You were born and raised in their lifestyle until they were killed. When we took you in, Howard hurt you…but you must believe me when I say we never wanted to do that. It was the only option we had to hide the truth of your origin because if The Council knew who you really were, they would have destroyed you.”

  I whisk on my heels and stare at her. It’s the best reaction I can muster. Here she is, pouring out the truth I had wanted to hear for so long in a moment when I want to do nothing more than to run away and never see her again.

  Irony at its finest.

  “If he has powers, why didn’t he fight?” I demand, clenching my hands into fists as the image of his corpse swims into my mind.

  “Someone knew what he did, and they stripped him of those powers.”

  “Who…who could do that?” I demand.

  Regina opens her mouth to speak when a horrid strangled sound makes its way up her throat. She lifts her hands to her neck in desperation and collapses to her knees, unable to draw in the breath she urgently needs.

  Panic grips my heart as I turn around, finding the assailant a few feet away.

  I send out the strongest surge of power I can manage, wobbling unsteadily as the attack drains a large portion of my magic, and the Elemental loses her balance, her head slamming against a nearby rock before landing on the ground a few feet away. Her blood gleams against the gray stone. She doesn’t get back up, and I hope she’s dead.

  With the threat neutralized, I rush back to Regina’s side.

  By now she’s collapsed into the dirt. I kneel beside her, the very same way she had knelt beside my dead father, and set my fingers to the side of her neck, but I don’t feel a pulse beneath the skin.

  She’s gone.

  I press my lips into a pencil-straight line as I stare into her open eyes and send out a silent prayer. To whom, I have no idea as I stand to my feet with a renewed sense of purpose. In the midst of the battle, I’m oddly numb to the tragedy I’ve just witnessed, and I can only hope I’ll stay that way as I rush through the shadows, once again desperate to find either Crowe or Clio to end this once and for all.

  My ears are barraged with fresh sounds of distress as my stomach does a sickening flop. I know many of the cries are the anguished screams of witches in their final moments of life, just like my parents. For a horrified moment, I consider the possibility of Ignis being completely wiped out when a yelp sounds nearby, and my blood chills with recognition.

  Helena.

  I dash across the expanse of dirt—the fear inside me turning to fire that fuels me. I dash across the boundary of The Grove, into the thick foliage just beyond the border where Helena lies, her hands clutched to a deep gash on her thigh. Blood easily flows around her fingers to stain the grass beneath her.

  At the sight of her, my reason to find Crowe is abandoned, and the emotions that had been locked up tight at the death of my parents finds its way free.

  I can’t lose her too.

  “Helena!” I gasp, dropping to my knees beside her. I hardly believe The Council wouldn’t work on rounding up the UnEquipped with such a dangerous battle occurring.

  “Lilith!” she says, her eyes wide with panic as she reaches toward me.

  I rip Lazarus’ cloak free from my pocket and tie it around her leg in an attempt to slow the bleeding. She looks at me, focused on the blood on my cheeks and arm.

  “A-are you okay?” she asks.

  “It’s not mine,” I answer emotionlessly, thinking of the Elemental I had nearly brained. “We have to get you out of here.”

  She parts her lips, ready to ask the one simple question I anticipate—where can we go? I don’t know, but I have a feeling that anywhere is better for her than Ignis.

  I loop her arm over my shoulders and struggle to stand to my feet while holding her with the damage in her leg. Helena is almost completely dead weight. She pulls heavily on my bad side, and I use my powers to hold us both up though after my last attack my reserves are beginning to run empty. Progress is agonizingly slow as we stumble across the clearing, and I hope we make it far enough away before my powers run out completely.

  A sharp sting rings through the skin on my arm suddenly, and I glance down to see a thin line that quickly opens to a sagging wound. I glance up at a male on the other side of the clearing. He’s
the culprit—his energy blasts are as sharp as knives.

  I gasp as I feel another one breeze over my side, slicing the legging of my clothes to expose the skin underneath before another one slices a deep line along my ribs. The impact is enough to unbalance me, and I let go of Helena on accident as I struggle to keep myself from collapsing.

  The energy spikes might as well have been real throwing knives. I’m bleeding, in complete agony—as I imagine Helena to be as well—as I rush to frantically draw a circle in the dirt. If I can complete it, I won’t only be saving my life, but my childhood friend’s as well.

  Another piercing pain rips through my flesh, a little below the original gash on my ribs before I have the chance to complete my work. The pain is too much to bear. I blink, and when I open my eyes, I realize I’m lying on the ground. Clio hovers above me, his eyes shining in the darkness as he hovers just above me. I look past him just in time to see the surge of energy pierce through Helena’s body as if spikes are being forced through every inch of her skin. Blood spurts from the wounds. For a moment, she remains oddly still but as soon as the energy blasts find their exit, she collapses to the ground.

  “No!” I scream, fighting against Clio’s hold. “We have to help her! We have to help Helena!”

  “We can’t help her. We have to go, Li. You’re injured,” Clio whispers frantically and gathers the rest of me in his arms. In my mind, his words echo with those I had told Regina only moments before her death.

  He holds me against his chest and carries me deeper into the foliage away from the danger. I stare at Helena’s limp body over his shoulder. A flare from a nearby fire lights up the area enough for me to see the absence of life in her eyes. Sobbing hysterically, Clio finally collapses to his knees while continuing to hold me. I see the exhaustion on his face as he hugs me tighter. He pulls back to study the wound on my ribs before he takes a shuddering breath. I can see on his face that I’m in bad shape, but I don’t feel it.

  I simply don’t care.

  “I’m gonna get you help,” he promises and releases me to the cold ground.

  “D-don’t go. Please,” I plead, staring at him with fuzzy eyes. I can’t bear the thought of losing him too, so close to the deaths I had already witnessed.