“Well, isn’t this cozy.” Ajax tore his gaze from Emma to see another Immortal female walk forward from the dark hallway.
“Helene.” Celestina walked to her, and the two Seers leaned close, nearly cheek to cheek, but both females were careful not to touch. They were also as different as night and day. Celestina was petite and fair, with the palest gold hair and blue eyes. Helene towered over her, her height more in line with Immortal females he’d known on Itara, and her hair was black as midnight, her eyes a soft dark brown, her skin the color of melted caramels.
“Always.” Helene looked around the gathering with obvious curiosity, her gaze lingering on each of the Darkwalker males as she recited their names. It was the first time he’d heard them. The newly reclaimed Darkwalkers spoke through their leader, who she addressed last. “Nicodemus.”
He rose from his place near Emma and bowed to the Seer “Helene.”
Celestina looked at Helene, who nodded, before walking to Emma. Helene followed.
“Emma, I’d like you to meet Helene. She is a Seer on our ship, the one responsible for selecting all of the Timewalkers for their missions, and for monitoring any changes to the past. She protects the sacred present.”
Ajax watched Emma squirm for a second, unsure what to do. But then, in true Emma style, she surprised the hell out of everyone and pulled the Seer into a quick hug. Even more surprising, the Seer hugged her back.
Emma babbled. “Oh my, God. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Helene smiled like a schoolgirl. “I promised you that you would.”
“I know, smart ass, but you see the past, not the future.” Emma squeezed her friend again then let go and stepped back. She looked ridiculously happy.
Had Emma just addressed one of the most sacred females of his race as a smart ass?
For once, even Celestina looked confused. “You know each other?”
Emma’s grin was contagious. “We were running from a couple hungry reptiles in the Jurassic age and she got scratched. I had to drop her in her room and dash because I was bleeding, too. Then, when I went back to get her again a couple days later, she wasn’t there. The anchor point was gone.”
Helene looked at Celestina, held her gaze. “We often went on adventures to the far distant past. That trip was two months ago.”
“Oh.” Celestina nodded, and wouldn’t look any of the males in the eye. She did look at Emma as she apologized for some unknown transgression. “I’m sorry about that. We tried, but we couldn’t save your anchor point.”
“Is that why I can’t get back home?”
Celestine shook her head. “No. That’s because I moved your family as soon as I realized you were here.”
“You did what?” Bran yelled, but everyone ignored him and a smile of joy burst over Emma’s face.
“Oh, thank God! I thought they were gone.”
“Nope. They’re in Seattle with your uncles.”
“You brought all of them? My brothers, too? And baby Bridgette?” Emma raised her hand to the base of her throat and held it there, rubbing the skin he’d tasted less than an hour ago.
“Yes.”
Ajax looked around. Everyone in the room but those three females were lost, confused, dazed. He couldn’t take it.
“Emma, explain what the hell is going on here. Now.”
Emma jumped at the roaring volume of his voice, but it seemed to knock everyone out of their stupors, all eyes refocused on the trio of females.
Emma lifted her gaze to him and the tears, the raw joy he say in her eyes nearly brought him to his knees. Whoever was in Seattle, she loved them, utterly and completely. With her whole soul.
“I can’t. Celestina?”
The Seer turned and walked to the table where she sat in the chair at one end, looking like a Queen addressing an assembly. She opened her mouth to begin, but then frowned at Helene and kicked out the chair beside her. “Sit down, Helene. You’re in even worse shape than I am.”
“Hardly, I don’t have a…”
“Don’t.” Celestina interrupted her friend, who sat, but didn’t finish her sentence.
“Sorry. Forgot.”
“It’s all right.”
“Enough!” Ajax was going to string them up by their hair if they didn’t start making sense. He looked to Bran, who shook his head, but didn’t look nearly as surprised as he should have. He knew something… Ajax returned his focus to the Seers. “One at a time. Stay on topic. And tell us all what the hell is going on here.”
Celestina rested her hands on top of the table and took a deep breath. “Helene and I are here because we need you all to know what’s at stake this time.”
“What do you mean, this time?” Teagh and Bran stood shoulder to shoulder, and Katherine took the seat in front of her Marked Mate.
“This meeting, this conversation, has happened before. After the meeting, I would send my vision into the future to foresee the outcome of tomorrow’s battle at the Gate. The first time we would have been annihilated. Every single one of you dead. Earth dead. The Itaran warships arrived and wiped out everything. The Queen will not allow that large of a threat to her rule. It was horrible. So, I went to Helene.”
“And we changed things.” Helene tilted her head to the side, as if what they were discussing wasn’t of monumental importance, but idle chatter at a little girl’s tea party.
“But we can’t do it again.” Celestina’s hands were shaking and Ajax watched her as she noticed the fluttering movement and discreetly move them into her lap. “Whatever happens this time is it.”
“Why?” Katherine leaned forward. “Why would this time be any different?”
Helene turned to face her. “Because neither Celestina nor I can split our souls again. Every time we had to make a change, we had to send a message back to ourselves in a soul stone. We can’t do it again and survive.”
Bran’s curses were filled with anger, but not surprise. Ajax met his friend’s gaze. Bran already knew.
“How many times have you done it?” Emma’s whispered question was like a thunderclap in the overcrowded room.
“This is the sixth time.”
“By the gods. How?” Raiden’s horror translated to everyone in the room. They all knew his story. He’d carried a piece of the Queen’s remnant when he’d been sent to Earth to track down Timewalkers for the Itarans. Among them, only he truly understood what the females had done, the strength and purpose each Remnant they’d sent back in time would carry.
Celestina stood. “How is irrelevant. What matters is that we can’t do it again. We’ve been sent critical information from the future and we need to act on it. We can’t reset. We can’t change things. The goddess will create an anchor point in time when she opens the Gate on Itara. There will be no way to travel through it in either direction. Not for anyone.”
Emma gasped. “You can’t be serious?”
“As a heart attack.” Helene tapped her hands on the table, nerves finally showing. “Celestina saw it yesterday. So, I went searching through the past to see if I could find the moment that decision was made.”
“And?” Emma asked.
Helene looked Emma straight in the eye. “The goddess made her decision when you and Ajax were on your kitchen floor and you burned through him with her gift to you, with the White Fire. That’s when she chose to lock the door on us.”
“Why?”
“Because you can win, so she’s going to force you to fight.”
“I can’t burn up thousands of Triscani.”
“No. You can’t. But that isn’t who she’s after.” Celestina’s soft words made chills ride up and down Ajax’s spine. “The goddess has eternity to reclaim the Triscani on Earth, she can let them out whenever she chooses, save those that can be saved. Tomorrow night, the Gate will open here, but there won’t be thousands, only a few hundred Hunters and the others, a few dozen, the children and the few males that haven’t lost their souls, the few that Elijah still controls.
Those few are the reason Nicodemus returned to the Triscani kingdom earlier and spoke to Elijah. He asked Elijah to help save them.”
All eyes turned to Nicodemus for an instant. The male had returned to his feet and taken a few steps back from Emma. Thank the gods, because Ajax still wanted to hurt him as Nicodemus confirmed the Seer’s words. “Yes, I did visit my brother and tell him of the goddess’s plans. He retains his honor, as do a few of the others, and the children. They can be saved.”
“Yes, they can.” Celestina was rocking back and forth in her seat, apparently unable to contain her nerves, or in pain. Ajax couldn’t determine which.
“Helene and I have been working on this outcome for decades. This is the beginning of the real fight, the battle with the Itarans for control of Earth. Everyone here will have to choose a side. Everyone.”
Ajax’s gaze flew to Emma and he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Emma’s choice would be easy, she would fight for the humans, no matter what. But as he looked around the room at the Immortals, those not Marked by a human Timewalker would be wild cards. He was a wild card. How could he commit to a war with the very people he planned to rule?
Nicodemus spoke into the silence and Emma stared up at him. He spoke to the room, but held her gaze. “We have no love for the Itarans, nor do we wish to return to their rule.”
Helene nodded. “Us as well. Sora’s line must not remain in power.”
Was he utterly alone in his uncertainty? He looked around the room and realized he was. The Seers sided with Humanity against the Queen’s line, of which he was a son. Aron leaned in to kiss his human Mate’s cheek and whisper something in her ear that made her smile. Teagh was Mated to a human. Only Bran was unclaimed and unknown. He had to know.
“Bran? What of you? The others are Marked Mates. You and I are not.”
Bran tensed, his face impassive. “I have not yet decided whether I return to Itara or remain here, but I will not abandon Earth until after this fight.”
“Nor I.” Ajax could promise that much at least. He could do much for Earth if he returned to Itara and claimed the throne. “As King on Itara, I could change many things.”
Chapter Thirteen
Celestina tore her gaze from Bran and cleared her throat. Emma tensed beside her and fidgeted, unable to sit still. The Seer actually looked nervous. “As I said, Helene and I have been preparing for decades. We’ve got billions of U.S. dollars in investments and accounts all over the world. We bought three large estates for the Darkwalkers, the largest just outside Miami, but we also bought property in Europe and and Asia. Those will serve as future bases of operation. We’ve got smaller homes scattered all over the world, bolt holes in deserted areas where the Darkwalkers can get away from people and recover if they need an escape.”
Celestina nodded at Helene who walked over to stand before Aron. “Take the information from my mind and share it with your people.”
“They aren’t my people.” Aron looked confused. The prince had been held and tortured by the Triscani for centuries. Emma understood his reluctance. The Triscani were definitely not on his good side.
“Yes, we are.” Nicodemus walked forward and held out his arm, bare skin to bare skin. “You are one of us. For centuries your strength inspired many to fight their own darkness. They whispered your name and called you ‘the Unbroken’. If you lead, they will follow.”
Aron looked down to where his Marked Mate, the human reporter and conspiracy blogger, Zoey, perched atop one of the breakfast bar’s stools. She looked at Nicodemus, then at her male. “We can organize on the dark web, coordinate hunts and track any Hunters that escape.”
Aron looked deeply into her eyes, and Emma squirmed, a bit uncomfortable at the deep connection she sensed between them. Jealousy was an ugly beast, and it had her firmly in its grip. Aron turned back to Nicodemus and took his arm. “I am honored.”
Then he turned to the waiting Helene and held out his hand. She placed her palm in his and the room went deathly quiet as power swelled around them. About a minute passed before Aron released her hand. “Thank you.”
Zoey spoke up. “Those boys are going to need someone to take care of them. And not a hulking warrior who smiles once a year, no offense, Nico.”
“None taken.”
“They’re going to need a mother.”
Helene nodded and turned to resume her seat as Katherine stepped forward. “I can help with that. The Timewalkers have families in hiding all over the world. If they all lived on the same property, the women will help take care of the little ones.”
“And the warriors would protect the Timewalkers with their lives.” Nico added.
Win-win. Emma felt like her brain was about to explode. So, the Darkwalkers had billions and lots of houses. There were Timewalkers in hiding all over Earth, and Katherine was their guardian? When the hell had that happened?
Maybe that would be great for the Darkwalkers, but what about the rest of them? Teagh and Katherine were set, she knew that. Mari was rich as well, but Raiden was also a forbidden son, so they’d be taken care of under the Darkwalker billionaire umbrella. She had money stashed everywhere, not billions, but enough. So, everyone was all set? Except for one little bitty problem. “What about the thousands of Triscani that can’t be saved? We’re still only a handful of people fighting an army of Immortals. A few boys aren’t going to help much.” She met Nicodemus’s gaze. “No offense.”
“Everyone seems to feel the need to protect my tender feelings. There is no need. I do not have them. And I would not want the young ones anywhere near the fight.”
“We will not lose this fight, or any future forbidden sons, as long as one individual doesn’t get in our way.” Celestina’s voice held absolute conviction, and it made Emma’s stomach clench.
“Who?” Emma was afraid she already knew the answer, and she didn’t like it one bit.
Helene reached over to grab Emma’s hand. “Tomorrow you need to be there, you need to burn Elijah’s boys with white fire. We can’t stop them all, but we don’t have to.”
“And the Archivers voted to fight as well. They will arrive, with the full ship contingent, tomorrow night.” Helene sounded confident and Emma envied her the feeling.
Celestina continued. “Most of the Hunters are more interested in escape than in fighting. The Darkwalkers will need to track them down.”
Nicodemus stepped forward. “It will be done.”
“But what about the thousands of Triscani still trapped on the other side?”A few hundred wasn’t a big enough dent for Emma not to be freaking out. There were thousands of them. “I can’t burn up thousands of Triscani. I know I can’t. It’ll kill me if I try.”
“You won’t have to, Emma. Don’t worry. When she’s ready, the goddess will come for you.”
Emma shuddered and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to rush to Ajax’s side and beg him to hold her. “I still can’t burn through thousands of Immortal Triscani. It’s impossible. She can come get me all she wants, but it won’t do her any good if that’s what she wants.”
“It’s not.” Helene squeezed her hand. “The main battle won’t happen anywhere on Earth. It’ll be in the Queen’s throne room, and you’ll have thousands of Immortals there with both Angel’s Fire and beautiful swords to chop off heads.”
“But what about Droghan and my head? You said…” Emma pleaded with Celestina, who nodded.
“Still true. Happens on Itara.”
“Droghan will be on Itara?” The black rage in Bran’s expression was mirrored in Teagh’s. “If he’s on Itara, he’s in league with the Queen.”
“Exactly.” Celestina confirmed.
Droghan’s name alone seemed to have pushed Ajax perilously close to a black rage. Emma turned to him, as did the others, as a swell of power filled the room and made it hard to get any air. Damn, that male was pissed.
“I’ll kill him.” The vow passed Ajax’s lips.
“Get in line.” One
of the Darkwalkers finally spoke, the first word Emma had heard from any of Nicodemus’s companions.
“So, when she’s ready, the goddess is going to just magically transport me to Itara? Why? If I’m not supposed to fry a thousand Triscani, what does she want from me?” Emma stared at Celestina so she wouldn’t stare at Ajax. She wanted to walk to him and soothe his brow, kiss away his rage. She wanted him to hold her and make her feel like everything was going to be all right.
Celestina took both Emma’s and Helene’s free hands in hers, the three females connected in a circle of support as the Seer uttered a truth that was like a blade shoved into Emma’s very soul.
“You have to kill the Queen.”
<><><>
Droghan walked the secret passages to the Queen’s private chambers in calm, measured steps. He would have preferred to open a portal, but the sterile quartz and crystalline walls hummed with infinite reflections of light and power, the precious gems and minerals naturally defused any energy that passed near or through them.
They were the Queen’s defense against her own people. No one could open a portal or use their power in these chambers. None but her daughters. The infernal Angel’s Fire that shot from the females’ palms like laser beams worked perfectly and disintegrated any who opposed her rule.
Which he never had, because he’d never been ready…
The reigning Queen, Nelina, was his cousin, after all. His mother, Queen Sora, had been the second individual to discover how diabolical her cousin’s eldest daughter could be. Droghan had been the first, and he’d fallen instantly in love.
They’d plotted Queen Sora’s downfall together, and when it was time to turn his own mother to ash, he hadn’t hesitated. The female was an evil bitch.
But soon after that things changed. Nelina began to break her promises to him, and he was forced to take drastic action. He created a new home for himself, and soon, the new Queen banished all the forbidden sons, sent them to him, one at a time, half-blood or full Immortal, it made no difference to her. They were all lost. All forsaken.
White Fire: Timewalker Chronicles, Book 5 Page 14