I’d thought Callon was maybe thirty, tops? How the hell did that math work when Issy looked older than him? I couldn’t ask. Even I knew the timing wasn’t right to quiz him.
He pushed off the wall, pent-up energy spilling off him. “Can you stay with her for a few?”
“Yeah, sure.” He had to go for a run. That I knew it was a little disturbing.
He moved toward the door.
I went to Issy’s bedside, watching her breathing pause and then start up again, as if she was at the end of her fight. How had I not seen this? Could still not see it? With Callon and his men, it was one thing. They were barely human. But her?
She struggled with a breath, her eyes fluttering open with the effort.
Did I scream for help? Call Callon back? Was this the last moment?
Her eyes opened and focused on me. She lifted her hand, and I took it.
“I’m here with you,” I said, going on instinct and what I would’ve done for Maura.
“Take care of him.”
Take care of him? Me? I was a mess. I couldn’t take care of myself. The only person I’d tried to take care of was Tuesday, and I’d been dragging her through a swamp of shit. No one was safe around me. I was on the verge of getting Callon’s men killed, and maybe him.
“Promise.” She squeezed my hand, her grip weak and her fingers bony.
What if she really was dying? Then this would be a deathbed promise. I didn’t like breaking normal promises. What the fuck would I do then?
I laid my other hand on top of hers, sandwiching her frail one between mine. Meeting her gaze straight on, I went with the only thing I could think of. Stall a promise I was doomed to fail at.
“You aren’t going to die. Do you hear me? You. Are. Not. Going. To. Die.”
“Teddy, it’s my time. I’m okay with that.” Her smile was feeble at best and a bit mocking.
I got it. She was barely able to take a breath and I was insisting she’d carry on. I would’ve looked at me the same way. But I was desperate and not giving up easily. There would be no deathbed vows.
I moved even closer, my hip grazing hers as I held on.
“You will not die on him, so rest and get better.”
Her hand, so cold in mine, grew clammy.
Her lids fluttered again. “Promise me you’ll watch out for him?”
“No. You aren’t dying. I told you that.” Holy shit, was I a horrible person? I was breaking out into a sweat, all so that I didn’t have to taint my already dingy soul a little darker. What was worse? A broken promise or refusing to let her die in peace? My moral compass was so broken that I couldn’t tell which way pointed to hell anymore.
Her eyes closed again. Crisis averted—for a couple of minutes, anyway.
Damn, it was getting hot in here.
The door creaked open and Carla walked in. “I saw Callon leave. Thought maybe Issy would need someone.”
It was clear Carla wanted to be there, definitely more than me. I stood, willingly giving up my spot.
“Teddy.” Callon was standing by the bed.
I sat up, stretching. I’d been hiding in this room all afternoon, not wanting to stumble across any more deaths by accident. Tuesday had been hiding out with me until she switched rooms to hide out with Koz instead.
“How’s Issy?” I asked. It was better than coming out and asking if she was dead yet. Was that why he was here? To tell me she was?
He stared down at me with a guarded expression I couldn’t pin down. His eyes were narrowed but he wasn’t mad.
“She’s sleeping.”
I shoved some hair out of my face. I remembered watching Maura at the end. The longer she’d slept, the more I’d waited and hoped. Every day she hung on, I’d thought maybe she’d pull out of it. It was almost harder.
“Was there something else?”
“The Magician’s men have been spotted. Zink went to send word that we want to strike a deal and hand you over.”
I sat up fully. And so it began.
He let out a long sigh and dragged a hand through his hair. “I can’t think of a better option.”
“How long do we have?”
“Him and his group aren’t far now. Probably until morning.”
By tomorrow, my world might be completely changed. I’d be free—or the alternative that would be worse than anything I’d experienced yet. I’d been through some serious crap, but it could always get worse.
“Callon, if things go bad, I need you to do whatever it takes to—”
“I’m not killing you.”
I thought back to what I’d heard at the eat and sleep. It had become a thorn in my memory, always jabbing unexpectedly. “I don’t want to live like that. If he gets me, promise—”
“I. Won’t. Let. Him.”
“You promised me you wouldn’t let me end up like that.”
“I won’t.” He stared at me as if he’d do whatever he had to. But what if that wasn’t enough?
I reached over to where I’d made a list of the people who were most in danger of dying and handed it to him.
He opened it and looked down. He took a lot longer looking over that list than it should’ve taken to read. The overwhelming death toll that might be coming was getting to him.
I shoved my hands in my pockets. “I couldn’t remember the one guy’s name, so I described him.”
He nodded. “I know who it is. I’ll let them know before tomorrow.” He tucked the list away. “Time to get ready.”
34
Everyone was preparing, whether it was boarding up windows or moving supplies to the basement. Every person who wasn’t able to fight would go there as soon as the Magician approached the final stretch. The entrance was rigged with explosives so they could close it off if things went bad and then make their way to the other side of the mountain.
I was carrying a box of supplies down when Zink walked into the main hall, his jaw set, shoulders tense. Everyone that had been coming and going froze. Then more people filtered into the hall, as if sensing the impending doom.
Zink was usually a steady eight on the “geared up and ready to fight” scale. Only recently had I seen him dip down to a six. Right now, he was at a full ten. His hands were fisted and he could’ve been gripping my stomach for how I felt.
My plan was set in motion and about to play out. It was strange to have been fighting for this, all the while never really wanting it to come to pass. If I dug deep, which I didn’t really like to do, I knew this was our best shot.
Callon stepped forward. “Well?”
Zink unlocked his jaw. “He’ll be here within the hour.”
Zink didn’t have to say he preferred to have attacked already. The blood in his eyes made it obvious he would’ve rather ripped the Magician’s people apart than speaking to them, trying to lure them closer.
I understood. If I was a beast, I might want to attack like that too. Difference was I knew what defeat was like, the shitty taste it left, and I’d do whatever I needed to stack the odds on our side.
I turned, feeling more urgent now than ever to get things ready.
“Get everyone in position. Anyone not fighting needs to go to the basement now,” Callon said.
I watched as people headed toward the basement, and I didn’t see the people from my list heading that way.
Tuesday rushed me from the side, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Don’t do anything crazy.”
“I’ll try not to. That’s the best I can offer.” Tuesday would be heading below, and I was grateful. I wanted at least one of us to be able to hang on to a rainbow or two.
“Can you still see my death?” she asked, looking for reassurance that we’d both make it out of this.
I nodded, afraid to tell her my theory was probably wrong after my big screw-up with Issy.
Koz stepped forward, took Tuesday’s hand, and walked her the rest of the way. I left them, going to the window that had a partial view in between the boards.
All the way in the distance, I could see the Magician’s group working their way up. There were at least a hundred of them. They might’ve agreed to a trade, but they were ready for a fight, and they didn’t look like they were planning on losing.
Callon stood behind me and took in the same view. “You don’t have to go out there.”
If only.
“Yes, I do. It’s the best shot of getting him close enough.”
Callon might not realize the threat he looked like, but I did. The Magician wasn’t going to willingly get anywhere near him.
“If I give you the signal, you run for the house.”
I wrapped my arms around myself. “How many men can the average beast take on?”
He stepped close enough that I could feel his heat. “It depends on the man and the beast. If we can kill the Magician, a lot of them will scatter.”
The Magician’s men climbed the mountain, getting closer and closer, rifles slung over their shoulders and pistols at their hips. “What about the guns?”
“We’ve got gunmen in place. We’re ready.”
I didn’t think it was possible to be ready for this.
We watched in silence as they continued toward the house. Then they stopped, too far away for the gunmen to get them, at least with the guns we had. We needed to get the Magician a lot closer, but he probably knew that.
“It’s time,” Callon said.
We stepped outside alone. Every other able body had circled into the woods or were in position around the outside of the house, ready to flank the magician’s group. The others were positioned in the house with whatever guns we had. All guns were aimed for the Magician but with orders to not take a shot unless they were completely sure they could take him out. If they missed, they’d bring on the wrath of the horde that still had a head directing them.
Callon stood beside me, gripping my bicep, giving the Magician the impression that I wasn’t a willing participant.
We walked about thirty feet outside the house and stopped. The Magician stood another two hundred yards or so away. He had people flanking him on either side, holding metal umbrellas to shade him. They were offering protection from bullets more than the sun.
I hadn’t known what the Magician would look like, but it wasn’t the man standing there. He looked—unassuming? Not overly tall or broad. His hair was a salt-and-pepper mixture with a part to the side. Plain was the only word I could think of.
“Send her forward,” the Magician said.
This was it. Do or die. I felt Callon’s thumb graze me, trying to offer the only support he could.
“Can you help me?” I asked, laying the lure on as thick as I could. Everything I had, I piled into those words, hoping it would be enough.
It wasn’t. He didn’t budge. But he did smile.
It wasn’t going to work. I wasn’t going to be able to get the Magician in range, not for the unreliable guns we had, or for Callon to take him out.
Callon moved his hand off me when I’d expected him to pull me back. I was waiting for the signal, but it didn’t come.
I turned to look at him, knowing something was off. He was staring at me but his face was frozen, his lips parted, as if he’d stalled out right before he had a chance to tell me to run. Red was burning so bright in his eyes that I couldn’t believe he hadn’t changed into the beast.
“Teddy, I do wish you’d pay attention to me,” the Magician called from across the field.
I whipped around to face him.
I stepped closer to the Magician, my legs moving without my say-so.
I’d thought I would be stronger. I’d lure him to me. I’d be in control.
I was a child at this. I had the magic, I knew it in my gut, but I’d been playing checkers against his chess, and now I was his puppet.
I heard chaos erupt around me as I was being marched forward. Our people charged out of the surrounding woods, some in beast form. Guns firing, bullets flying past me from both directions. Screams exploded, blood sprayed, and I couldn’t do a thing about it.
Step after step, my legs moved without my permission. I couldn’t even turn around to see if Callon had freed himself.
The Magician never stopped smiling as he watched me walk toward him. He’d kill everyone to get me, and then he’d be immortal. He’d never die. He’d carry me around like a lump of flesh and I’d live day after day, remembering what happened here, unable to end my own life to stop the misery.
I was halfway to him. If he could control me this much without touching me, what would happen once he did?
The only other times I’d been able to pull life out of someone else had been when they were willing to offer it and the witch had been directing it, or when I’d been desperate.
This definitely fell into the desperate category, but the Magician was much stronger than me. He’d known what was coming. I had a pretty good idea of how this was going to go down if something didn’t happen soon, and I didn’t need a drunk wizard to tell me. The only way I, and those around me, might have a chance was if I changed up the plan, and soon.
I blinded myself to the chaos all around and struggled, fighting the pull forward as much as I could. I’d have one shot of taking him out. I had to do this. I’d done it before. It was in me somewhere.
And then it hit. If I stopped fighting, for just a second, I might have enough strength and freedom to do something he wasn’t expecting.
I couldn’t leave this to chance. My need had to be so great that it could war with the pull of the Magician. If it didn’t work, I had to make sure he couldn’t use me.
It was a risk, but the only chance left. I stopped fighting his pull and stepped forward of my own volition. Relinquishing that fight freed up enough movement that I was able to grab the knife tucked under my shirt.
His smile dropped as if he were confused. Then he rushed me, but it was too late. I’d shoved the knife upward into my chest.
I might’ve been killing myself for nothing. No, even then it wouldn’t be for nothing. It would save me from a fate I’d never be able to escape, and I’d be saving the world from contributing to this man’s domination.
He grabbed for the knife, yanking it out of my chest at the same time I latched on to him.
“Die,” I said, hoping my words would lend my magic power.
We fell to the ground together, him landing on top of me as I held on to his wrists, then his neck. We struggled, and I went for any exposed flesh I could find and keep a grip on.
“Did you really think you could match me? That you could steal my life? Mine?”
He smiled and then his face shifted, the skin darkening until it was black. His eyes no longer had any whites. He was a hairless creature without a hint of the human I’d seen.
I felt warmth building in my hands. I could feel the heat of his life draining into me, and then pulling back out. My blood pooled, and I realized this might not have worked.
His eyes flared. I kept my grip on him, in spite of the flash of burning and then freezing cold. Magic was ping-ponging between us as if it were a tug of war. I felt a surge of it pull back toward me and I latched on with all I had left. I thought of everyone here, all the lives that would end if he won, Tuesday, Koz—Callon. I even thought of Zink.
My hands grew warmer still, and his lip curled back as he growled with teeth of ebony. He pulled off me, and then he was speeding off so quickly he appeared to be a wisp of smoke disappearing into the trees.
I lay there on the field, my clothes soaked with blood, feeling like my life was pouring out of me.
“Teddy?” Callon’s hands were on me, running over my torso.
Air surged into my lungs and life pulsated in my heart, pushing into my limbs.
Callon knelt beside me, covered in blood and guts, looking like a true barbarian. “What the fuck was that stunt?”
“I had to get creative.” I put a hand to my chest, feeling the blood that soaked my shirt. I reached underneath it, but there was no ho
le.
Had I died? I thought I had. I’d gripped the Magician, and crazy magic like I’d never felt had poured out.
“So you thought stabbing yourself in the heart was the thing to do?”
All around us, there were bodies and blood-red snow. It was becoming a familiar scene.
“Did you see him take off?” I asked, looking toward the trees.
“Zink went after him, but I don’t think he’ll catch him. He was moving too fast.”
“What about his people?”
“Half of them took off.”
I looked around. I knew what happened to the other half. Callon and his people. I searched the ground, spotting at least one of ours that I’d known was going to die.
Koz and Hess, along with the other survivors, were going through the bodies.
“I can’t see them. Not yet.” I tried to get to my feet and wobbled.
Callon’s arm went around my waist and I leaned into him.
We were walking around the bodies, on our way to the house, when Issy walked out the front door.
Her eyes were bright and her skin was rosy.
She looked all around. “What the hell happened while I was sleeping?”
I watched from the window in the great room as Callon and Hess worked alongside other surviving warriors, digging the graves for the fallen. The sun setting behind them cast long shadows over the growing number of mounds of dirt. Bodies, wrapped in white, lay beside each of the holes that marked their final resting place. The corpse of our enemies had been dragged farther away and buried in a mass grave.
Zink made his way toward them, Koz beside him. They’d both tried to pick up the Magician’s trail but had come back empty-handed after nearly eight hours of tracking.
Issy fluttered into the room, as if not only did she feel better, she’d gotten a hit of crack when she woke up. Her resurrection from the almost dead had caused quite a stir. No one openly spoke of how suspicious her miraculous recovery was, but I was receiving more side-eyed glances and hushed conversations than ever. I had an idea of what happened, as I was sure a few others did. The life I’d taken had gone to good use, it seemed, tucked away until needed.
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