by Boone Brux
“Jade.” Luc called over the din of the beating rain. “I have something I need to tell you.”
“More lies?” Rell snarled. “Don’t listen to him. He wouldn’t speak the truth if they were his dying words.”
He took a step forward. “Your mother is alive.”
Jade stopped rubbing and stared at him. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. Rain dripped into her eyes, but she made no move to wipe it away. “What?”
“Your mother lives.” He pinned Rell with a stare, as if daring her to try and stop him. “After you left, I told Rhys and Ravyn about the night your parents were killed.”
“The night you betrayed us, don’t you mean?” Rell spat.
He ignored her taunt. “They recognized your parents’ names. Said they know Willa. She took care of Ravyn after Icarus attacked her.”
“He lies.” Rell spun and stepped in front of Jade, blocking as much of Luc from her view as she could without crossing the boundaries. “He’s just trying to lure you away from me.”
Jade looked at Rell, not really seeing her. Was this some kind of cruel trick he was playing? She pushed past her sister and off holy ground. “You lie. I would have known.” She pointed to Rell. “We would have known.”
“I speak the truth.” He pushed wet strands of hair off his face. “I swear it.”
Lightning cracked above them, briefly illuminating the sky and his unwavering stare. She took another step toward him. Could this possibly be true? Her breath caught in her throat. It was almost too much to hope for, too big of a heartbreak if Luc were lying. Despite the animosity between them, she couldn’t believe Luc would be so ruthless in his manipulations.
“Jade.” Rell’s voice took on a high-pitched coo. “He lies.”
“But…” She turned. “What if it’s true? What if our mother lives?”
Hope like she’d not felt in years filled her. The vision of a normal life crystallized, suddenly not as distant and a fraction easier to believe in.
“That’s ridiculous.” Sharp talons curved around Jade’s upper arms. Rell’s expression hardened. “Don’t listen to him. He’s trying to lure you away from me.”
The black points dug into Jade’s skin. She winced and pulled her arms out of her sister’s grip. “Still…” She lifted her chin and faced Luc. “I want to hear what he has to say.”
White streaks raced across the sky, the thunder mimicking Rell’s expression.
“She lives a day’s ride from Alba.” He glided toward them and away from the edge of the deep shadows.
The wind whipped a chunk of wet hair across Jade’s face. She swiped at the strands, never taking her gaze off Luc. “Why didn’t she look for us?”
“She thought you were dead, just like you thought she had been killed.” He hesitated. “The ship leaves tomorrow to go get her.”
“Jade.” Rell stepped in front of her, again blocking Luc from view. “Don’t believe him. He’s trying to split us up.”
“But if mother is alive…”
“We don’t need her.” Rell took Jade’s face in her hands, capturing her gaze. “We’ve never needed her.”
Jade’s racing thoughts stilled at Rell’s words. The howling wind seemed to cry out in disbelief. She focused on her sister’s face, seeing her clearly for the first time. The cunning expression glinted in the golden reptilian eyes. Her placating yet dominant stance blocked Jade’s advance toward Luc. With every action, Rell controlled.
Jade tilted her head back, dragging her face out of Rell’s none-too-gentle grasp. “What do you mean we’ve never needed her?”
Her sister’s smile slipped and she lowered her hands. “Haven’t I always taken care of you?”
“Did you know?” Tears burned at the back of Jade’s eyes.
Rell straightened, her yellow eyes widening like a cornered animal. “I was the one who protected you. Not Mother.” She pointed a curved talon at her chest. “I provided for you, not her.”
“Did you know…?” The words choked her. “That Mother was alive?”
The demon’s desperation melted to self-righteousness. “Do you actually believe she would have embraced a demon daughter?” Rell backed away, putting distance between them. “Do you see how easily she replaced Father?”
For years, Jade had tried to keep her sister from slipping into the demon world, hoping to save what little bit of family she had left, but it had all been a lie. Rell had always known their mother was alive.
“What do you mean, ‘replaced father’?” When Rell didn’t answer, Jade looked to Luc. “What does she mean?”
“Your mother is remarried.”
Tears rolled down Jade’s face to blend with the pelting rain. “You’ve watched her all these years and never told me.”
Rell stopped and held out her arms. “She doesn’t want us, Jade. She has a new life. New children.”
“That doesn’t mean she forgot us!” She pointed at her sister. “You had no right.”
Rell’s eyes widened a second before she launched toward Jade and grabbed her wrist. Too late Jade remembered the tattoos.
“What is this?” Rell’s grip tightened. She threaded her talons through Jade’s fingers and opened her fist. “A Bringer? I guess I’m not the only one keeping secrets.”
“She didn’t know.” Luc inched forward. “Release her, Esmeralda.”
“I think not.” She yanked Jade to her. “Perhaps now I’ll get the answers I seek.” Her gaze flashed to Luc. “While you get what you deserve. Icarus!”
Jade gasped against the fire racing through her body. From behind Rell, the demon emerged. Unchanged by the years, Icarus was still as frightening as she remembered. She tugged against her sister’s grasp.
“Why?” was the only word she could form.
“Because he must pay for his betrayal and Icarus needs a full-blood to secure the throne.” She dragged Jade toward Icarus. “The pact serves us both.”
“No.” Jade fought against her sister’s hold and twisted free. Now at full power, her strength had increased. “I won’t let you do this.”
Icarus crouched, his gaze cutting to Luc as if he were preparing to attack. Heat swept through Jade, followed by a savage hunger to protect and save. A wave of white light rushed from her feet through her body and to her hands, cooling the fire set ablaze by the demons. The world faded and her vision tunneled to the demon that held her. All traces of sisterly bond were replaced by the indomitable need to react. Luc’s cry faded in the background much like somebody calling from the other side of a thick, oak door. Her vision shifted and the forest changed from a grove of dark shadows to a glistening realm.
Life pulsed in green streams from the trees. Each raindrop shimmered like hovering diamonds. Tendrils of white-blue light wound their way from her feet across the ground and linked with the surrounding plants, filling her with power.
Shouts and screeches of the battle between Luc and Icarus eddied around Jade but did not sway her focus from Rell. Without thought, Jade called the life essence to her and ordered the gleaming light into her sister’s body. Ancient words poured from her lips, the rhythmic cadence blending with the buffeting gale. The brilliant spindles pushed into the demon, wrapping around her arms like glowing vines.
The darkness of Rell’s aura traveled to meet the light’s invasion. Heavy and suffocating, the dense black began extinguishing each thread before they burrowed beyond the demon’s elbows. Rell’s knees buckled, taking them both to the ground.
The healing chant pushed from Jade and she bellowed it to the sky, asking for all living things to offer up their healing light. The life essence flared, fueling Jade’s efforts. The small vines formed into two thick ropes of light and inched their way up Rell’s arms, powering through the dense blackness that surrounded the brilliant white orb at the center of the demon’s chest. Rell shuddered and cried out.
Jade released all her barriers, needing to heal the demon, wanting nothing more than to drive her healing light in
to the pulsing globe in Rell’s chest. Nothing else mattered but to burn away the darkness.
Without warning, Icarus’s taloned hands wrapped around Rell’s arms and yanked her free from Jade’s grasp.
Jade tumbled backward, sliding through the wet mass of leaves and grass. The glimmering forest darkened to shadows once again, taking with it the euphoric feeling of power. Her head spun and she lifted her face from the wet grass, realizing she lay back on holy ground. A puff of warm air battered her head. Craning her neck, she looked up, expecting to see Icarus—and froze.
Her eyes locked onto the snout of a giant, golden dragon.
Another jet of hot air from the beast’s nostrils buffeted her loose hair. She blinked, unable to do more than stare. The creature gave her cheek a rough bump with its nose and darted its forked tongue out to lick her cheek.
Besides the nudge, Jade didn’t move, judging it best not to recoil from the creature’s examination. From her angle, she had a close view of the pearly white fangs curving from the dragon’s mouth. Twice as big as a Bane talon, the teeth looked made for ripping flesh.
The dragon swung its head toward Rell and gave a deep growl. The demon staggered to her feet, obviously as shocked as Jade was to see a full-grown dragon. The creature’s massive body followed its head, trampling anything in its path. Jade flattened her body against the ground, narrowly avoiding the golden spiked tail that swept overhead and missed her by inches.
She searched the area for Luc and Icarus but saw nothing.
The beast tromped toward Rell. With a powerful leap, she launched herself into the sky and out of the reach of the dragon’s jaws. Large fans extended from the dragon’s body, but didn’t have enough room to fully extend. The beast roared, seemingly frustrated with its inability to take to the air.
Bellows reverberated against the trees, causing Jade’s ears to ache. She slapped her hands against her head, trying to quell the vibrations rippling through her head.
From out of the darkness, Icarus attacked. With talons extended, the demon swooped close to the dragon, digging his claws into its thick hide. The creature roared again and swung its spiked tail upward in an effort to knock Icarus out of the sky. It missed and crashed into a gnarled tree. Chunks exploded and Jade ducked. Splinters pelted her like flying needles.
The only safe place seemed to be inside the chapel, but even that would prove deadly if the dragon’s tail struck the already crumbling structure. On her hands and knees, she crawled through the doorway and cowered, peeking around the edge of the opening. From that point she witnessed a light show like she’d never seen.
Jets of fire blasted past the treetops and into the dark sky. Thank the Sainted Ones for the rain, or the forest would be ablaze yet again. Fiery threads burned like glowing lacework across the leaves, but never caught fully on fire. Thousands of glowing embers floated to land on the dragon’s back and outstretched wings. The sparks hissed, their red core fizzling to black and returning the sky to night.
The low thumping of air against wings echoed in the dark. Jade knew that sound from the times Rell had hunted her. She squinted, barely making out the large form of the dragon. With only her hearing as a guide, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Flapping and the whistle of rushing wind sounded above her. Like two thick-hided animals colliding, the hollow clash thundered from where the dragon had last stood.
Her eyes sprang open at the beast’s anguished roar. Again the night sky erupted in flames. The dark form of Rell soared above the canopy and disappeared. Next, Icarus attacked, raking his talons across the dragon’s wings.
Jade cried out, the need to do something to help the creature nearly crippling her. She crawled out the door to the boundaries of the chapel. Staying low to avoid the spiked tail, she scanned the sky, looking for the demons. On sanctified ground she was safe from Rell and Icarus. The dragon hadn’t hurt her. In fact, she was certain it had checked to ensure she was uninjured.
She’d never seen a real dragon, and after the initial shock wore off, it didn’t appear to want to hurt anything but the Bane. Leaves above her sizzled with orange light, giving a low glow to the area. The dragon beat the earth with its tail, causing the ground beneath Jade to pulse and adding to the cacophony of the storm.
Icarus dove from out of the blackness and swooped just out of reach of the dragon. The beast reared onto its hind legs and snapped the air with its powerful jaws. While focused on Icarus, Rell swept below the dragon’s mouth and raked her talons across the scaly throat.
Blood seeped from the wounds and ran in watery red rivulets down its neck. An ear-splitting cry pierced the night and shook the trees. The creature spun, searching for its attackers. Jade scrambled backward and pressed her body against the chapel, again avoiding the spiked tail. The dragon stumbled but righted itself. Huge golden fans extended, bracing on either side of the creature like a support. Maybe from the confined space, or perhaps the beast was weakening from the wounds the demons had inflicted, but it didn’t appear to have control of its body.
Now steadied between the giant wings, the dragon scanned the sky. How could something so big fight against two demons that blended with the night and attacked with such ferocity and agility?
Jade pushed her dripping hair out of her eyes and watched the dragon through the fading glow. Its head wove from side to side as if following something from above. Jade crouched, sending up a prayer that the dragon would vanquish Icarus.
Emptiness filled her chest. She’d spent most of her life doing anything to keep Rell fighting for her humanity, but now that was lost. Together with Icarus, there would be no way to keep her sister from fully embracing the Bane.
A jettison of fire shot into the sky. Rell spun, barely missing the flames. The creature inhaled and rounded its cheeks.
Jade braced herself, expecting another trail of fire. Instead, the dragon huffed. A spinning ball of light and flames, much like the energy Ravyn fought with, hurtled after Rell and struck her in the back.
Suspended in air, the demon convulsed. Tiny golden veins of lightning coursed around her. Jade ran to the boundaries and stopped short of being clubbed by the thumping tail. Her sister’s eyes grew wide, her mouth open but not speaking. It was a horrific sight, but one Jade couldn’t look away from.
With a sudden burst, Rell exploded into a million glittering bits.
“No!” Jade stumbled forward but stopped when the dragon’s huge head swung toward her and bared its fangs. “Rell!”
What had happened? Was her sister dead? Tears spilled down her face and she sank to her knees. Shame washed through her. She’d wanted the dragon to vanquish Icarus, not Rell.
From above, Icarus dove. With talons bared, he latched onto the golden neck, tearing at the glistening scales. The creature cried out, thrashing in an attempt to dislodge the demon, but Icarus didn’t give up so easily.
Unable to reach behind itself, the dragon was helpless against the demon shredding its thick hide. Bile churned and rose in Jade’s stomach.
“No.” The decree was barely more than a whisper. “No,” she said louder.
She struggled to her feet and staggered toward the deadly fight. Pure adrenaline drove her forward. Icarus had caused too much pain. No more. She began to run. With a leap onto the dragon’s tail, she pushed off and stepped onto the animal’s haunch, and then propelled herself upward.
She collided with Icarus and coiled her arms around his neck. Wings battered her legs as she attempted to wrap them around his waist, but the force of her attack sent the two of them tumbling over the side of the dragon.
The breath rushed from Jade as the demon landed on top of her. Surprise flittered across his face a second before he trapped her shoulders against the ground. Her reaction was instantaneous. She latched onto his wrist and opened the gates of healing white light. The same instinct she had felt with Rell raced through her. She needed to heal. Their gazes locked while the chant commanded the power of healing into the demon.
Icarus convulsed with each tendril that burrowed into the blackness of his soul, but this time, the light moved much more slowly. The forest shifted to the glowing realm and once again all living things offered up their healing. A low keening turned into a growl.
At first, Jade thought the noise might be coming from her, but realized it was the demon. Icarus’s eyes swirled from yellow to bright silver, the color similar to the white light emanating from her. His body shuddered. Again he growled, but this time the guttural sound formed into incomprehensible words. Jade’s control over the healing light slipped.
The glittering world shifted back to the black tempest. Dense darkness pushed against her power, sending black threads into Jade’s hands. Loneliness, sadness, and bottomless despair sucked at her light, extinguishing its pure essence. The creeping evil drank in her strength and goodness, leaving nothing but emptiness behind. Like drowning in hopelessness, she tried to claw her way to the surface, but only sank deeper.
All was lost.
Icarus catapulted backward, nearly yanking her arms from their sockets. Jade gasped, vaguely aware of the battle ensuing a few yards away. She had no strength to live, let alone stand and fight. Tears streamed down the sides of her face and glittering diamonds shifted back to black rain, sprinkling her face.
How evil must a creature be to survive in such a state of destitution?
She closed her eyes, not caring if she died. Death would be better than the endless misery she couldn’t find the strength to fight.
Of their own accord, her eyes opened. Traitorous willpower. The last fringe of glowing embers framing the leaves above her winked out, losing their fight against the constant rain.
How long she lay there staring up at the night sky she didn’t know, but slowly the silence drew her awareness. The fighting had stopped. Only the pounding rain against the leaves next to her head made any sound.
With more strength than she thought she possessed, Jade rolled over and pushed off the ground. Her gaze scanned the clearing. The dragon was gone. Several yards away lay a man.