Endure

by M. R. Merrick

  “But you’ve been doing so good.”

  “I know, I just wasn’t thinking.”

  “Was it me?” she asked. “Was it what we just…”

  I stared up at Rayna knowing she was exactly the reason, but I wouldn’t tell her that. Telling her that meant I’d have to tell her…no, I couldn’t. Right now wasn’t the time to be talking about how I felt about her. Or was it? Was this the perfect time?

  “Of course not,” I said, forcing a laugh as if the idea was ridiculous. “I just let my shields down. It wasn’t you. But last night was incredible.”

  Rayna lowered her head and turned away, her cheeks becoming flushed.

  “Hey,” I whispered, guiding her chin back to me. I forced her to look into my eyes and it reaffirmed everything I felt. “Don’t do that.” We stared at one another for a long moment, and her cheeks got brighter with each passing second. “Good to know I can still make you blush. I guess I’m not wearing a shirt…or pants. Maybe I should’ve expected this.”

  Rayna’s eyes narrowed and she punched me in the arm. I jerked to move away and pain singed across my chest.

  Rayna laughed. “That’s karma for being an ass.” With the blanket wrapped around her, she grabbed her clothes and headed for the door. She stopped just before it and glanced back at me over her bare shoulder. The pain in my chest disappeared and with it, so did my breath. She smiled and turned away, poking her head outside the door and looking down the hall before rushing out of the room.

  I stared at the empty doorway and lost track of time. I tried to remember what I’d experienced in the dream, but it was foggy. The harder I tried to reach for it, the more distant it became, but Riley’s words about Rayna came back to me in a faint whisper. She will cooperate and live, or she will cooperate and die. Whether that death is at my hands or her own has yet to be seen.

  I jumped to my feet and pulled on my clothes, moving for the bathroom. The scent of something familiar wafted past me. Quiet filled the warehouse and based on the lack of light coming through the few windows, it was early morning.

  Outside the bathroom door I heard Rayna’s talking in a whisper. Her words were fast and quick and I couldn’t catch what she was saying or who she spoke to. The tone of her voice didn’t sound right, but the door muffled any chance I had at placing it. My fingers tapped against the wood and then there was silence.

  “Rayna?” I asked, but she didn’t respond. My nerves clenched and my heart began to race. I gripped the brass knob and tried to turn it, but it only rattled against the doorjamb—locked.

  “Just a second,” Rayna said in a cheerful voice.

  “Is everything okay?”

  There was no answer. I waited outside the door, staring at the paneled wood until it creaked open. The hinges squeaked and Rayna stepped into the hall. Her hair was brushed and smooth and she had a smile on her face. She looked fine and although I couldn’t place what it was, something felt off.

  “Couldn’t wait to see me again?” She smirked, walking back toward the bedroom.

  “What just happened?”

  Rayna arched a brow. “If you have to ask, maybe you weren’t really ready.” She feigned a look of concern and laughed.

  “You were talking to someone.”

  Rayna turned away, swishing her hair from one side to the other. “You’re acting weird. Is it the dream?”

  “No, I’m…” I let my voice trail off. Was it all in my head? When I sat in silence for a moment, the voices inside began to whisper, but I couldn’t make out their words. A sharp pain dragged across my mind and I cringed, shaking it away. “I just thought…I don’t know what I thought.”

  Rayna placed her hand on my chest ever so gently, sliding it up and around my neck. The tension in my shoulders slowly dissolved. She kissed my cheek and looked me in the eye. “Those voices, Drake, and Riley are all messing with you. We’re close. You can’t let it get to you now.”

  “You don’t get it. Riley said some things. Maybe he is just messing with me, but I’ve got to consider the idea that he isn’t. There’s something I need to tell you.”

  After explaining what I could from the dream, Rayna didn’t seem concerned at all. When Marcus awoke, I tried appealing to his overanalytical side, but even as he considered it, Rayna squashed any doubt he had. She was certain this was Riley’s attempt to get under my skin by planting the idea that the person closest to me was in danger. Arian had called me on it the night I killed him. All they have to do is kidnap or threaten one of my friends and I was there with blinders on. Was that what was happening? Was Riley using my own loyalty to break me? Maybe Rayna was right, but something in my gut told me otherwise.

  My frustration grew, but Rayna reminded me there wasn’t time for it. We were leaving for Drakar at sundown and we had to prepare. I hated that she was right. My impatience was trying to overrule me. I wanted to figure out what Riley meant and resolve it now, but we had other things to deal with first. Arming ourselves with weapons wouldn’t be enough. Drakar was a beautiful dimension, but after my last few trips to the Underworld, I’d learned to take Tiki’s warnings seriously. We needed to mentally prepare for what we were doing. The last thing I wanted was to end up in a goblin-infested village.

  Chapter 18

  The Jeep idled at the side of the road and Stonewall’s southern forest stood to our right. Marcus sat in the driver’s seat giving his usual pep talk about being careful. I was lost in my thoughts, wondering what Riley could possibly want Rayna for. Her blood had unlocked the doorway to the Underworlds and that opened Riley to accept Ithreal’s blessing in the beginning, but what else was there?

  “…Drakar, and then you come back,” Marcus said.

  “Wait, what?” I shook my head. “Once we’re done in Drakar we have to go to Silas. We have to check on Grayson—he should’ve been back by now.”

  “Grayson left of his own will, Chase. We have to respect that. He might not even be coming back, and maybe it’s for the best.”

  “It’s not. I saw what his people did to him. We all saw it.”

  “He’s hardly a warrior, Mr. Williams. He has no business in this fight. Him not being here will more than likely keep him alive.”

  I wanted to be angry by what Vincent said, but I had said the same thing about Willy. Vincent was right; Grayson wasn’t a warrior.

  “Maybe not, but he’s my responsibility. I won’t force Grayson to be a part of this, but shouldn’t we make sure he’s okay?”

  Vincent sighed dramatically. “Yes, of course. You must be everyone’s hero, how could I forget? It exhausts me just being a part of this…group. How you survive your own mind is beyond me.”

  “You didn’t seem concerned about that either of the times you came begging for my help.”

  Vincent rolled his eyes. “Please, I do not beg. I simply extended an invitation of assistance.” Vincent shifted in his seat. “Can we just move this along? I have other things to tend to besides your valiant escapades. The Underworld thinks I’ve been dethroned and I would like to show them otherwise.”

  “Your ranking among the Underworld means nothing to me. Your problems are exactly that now—yours. Now we’re dealing with the rest of the worlds’ issues.” I pushed opened the door and jumped out from the Jeep. The smell of cedar and pine graced the cold air and I zipped up my sweater.

  “Be safe,” Marcus called out.

  I waved at him as he drove away. If it were only a matter of being careful we’d be back in no time. Sadly, that was rarely the case.

  “Chase Williams, my stomach feels strange inside.” Tiki pulled back a branch and ducked underneath it.

  “Did you not hear me tell everyone to use the bathroom before we left?”

  Tiki shook his head. “It’s not that type of feeling. I’m not sure I understand it. The magic inside me is flaring up…but I have not tried to call upon our portal. I have not felt this in some time. It is quite unsettling.”

  We struggled through the final wall
of underbrush and stepped into the center of the forest. The blue light that lingered on the air seemed brighter than ever before. It made the sky appear stark and distant, casting an eerie spotlight over the tree in the center.

  Winter was about to befall us and the tree in the center still stood tall, decorated with multicolor flowers and lush, green leaves.

  “Chase?” Tiki asked, but I didn’t reply. This part of the trek through the forest made the hike worthwhile.

  A gust of powerful wind tore into the opening and pink, blue, and yellow petals rained down from the tree. Rai soared down from the sky and clung to my shoulder. Her feathers were ruffled and her claws dug into me. My shoulders tensed and a breath caught in my throat, a strange pressure closing in around my body.

  “Tiki? Is that you?” I asked. I felt like a portal was swallowing me whole and I hadn’t prepared for the trip. The wind tore through the clearing, carrying with it nature’s roar.

  “No!” he yelled, a hand protecting his eyes from the rage of pinecones and twigs that had been thrown into the mix.

  The blue light remained still on the air, glowing around the massive tree that swayed in the wind. None of the bare trees that towered around us seemed to move—the wind left them untouched. Rayna and Vincent had crowded in on either side of me, but Tiki stepped forward, a curiousness painted on his face.

  “Uh-oh,” Tiki said. “This cannot be.”

  A swirl of blackness opened on the sky. It seemed impossibly dark, swallowing the blue light that surrounded it. As the portal swirled and expanded, the smell of sand and earth burst through. I pulled my silver daggers, gripping them in my palms. I had fire and water elements coasting down each arm, channeling into the blades and ready to fight.

  I’d expected Riley to fall from the portal with the Brothers right behind him. I expected black tendrils of power to sway on the air and his cold gaze to meet mine. I knew I wasn’t ready to face him, but it didn’t look like I would have a choice. All my mental preparation for Drakar dissipated and fear bubbled over inside me. Then, just as I prepared to face off with my father, the wind stopped. All the flowers, leaves, twigs, and pinecones froze in midair before falling to the ground. The eternally perfect grass that decorated the clearing was now covered in forestry, and the unnerving silence that clung to the air felt as tangible as the trees around us.

  The portal stopped growing and when the silence had become too much, a massive creature fell through. His body met the earth and leaves and twigs bounced in the air. Black hair hid his face, hanging down and brushing against the grass. Bones the diameter of my wrist jutted from his shoulders. Curved, jagged blades of bone circled his forearms like a knight’s bracer. His back was littered with tiny spikes that protruded from the skin like an armor plate, and a large blade hung in a sheath down his spine.

  The creature grunted and lifted his head. His eyes were orange with the exception of a triangular white pupil in the center. His tanned skin was covered in scars, and as he rose to his feet, he revealed a massive bare chest. Dirt stained the flat bones that grew out of his shins as though there hadn’t been enough skin to cover it. They were wide but chipped, weathered and built for close-range attacks. White cloth covered him from his waist to the middle of his thigh, and another two short swords hung in sheaths along his hips. He cracked the knuckles on his massive four-fingered hands, where smaller versions of the bones on his shins covered his hands entirely. This creature was a walking weapon and he reminded me of Tiki’s demon. Which made sense—they were family.

  “Brother?” Tiki asked hesitantly, stepping in front of us. The creature didn’t reply. He stared down from a massive height. “What is your business here?” Tiki asked. The cautiousness of his voice was gone and he sounded confident and firm.

  The creature stalked forward and loud thumps rumbled with each step. He stopped a few feet away, standing two feet taller than me with broad shoulders and arms the size of my leg. He was a beast of a demon and even his breathing sounded arcane and intimidating. All his teeth were fangs, the longest hanging from the top corners of his mouth. A thick golden ring had been pierced through the center of his nose and a long triangular pendant hung from a rope around his neck. Both his eyebrows were gone, replaced with uneven white scars.

  “Tikimicharnikato of the Suriattas clan,” he stated. His voice was gravelly, each word spoken with an acute articulation. After a long pause and no response, he grunted. “Your exile has been lifted in honor of your mother, the Queen. You are hereby summoned to the Lavinos dimension to partake in the Death Throne.”

  I’d seen Tiki’s demon and it looked similar to the creature before us, but even with the incredible size difference in his human form, they looked related. I studied Tiki’s face, waiting for a change in expression, but it never came. He appeared calm before his brother, his neck cranked back to look up at him.

  Tiki nodded and turned to us. “My deepest apologies, Chase Williams. This is Kithrafankati of the Suriattas clan. You may call him Kithra. He is the second youngest of my family and my elder brother. As per Suriattas law, I have been summoned to the Death Throne. I have no choice but to attend. I will be able to take you to Drakar, but unfortunately, I cannot join you on this part of your journey. I must return home to see my duties fulfilled.”

  “Forget it,” I said. “We’re—”

  “I understand your concern,” Tiki said. “I have made an oath to you that must be upheld. I do not break my oaths, Chase Williams. However, I am—”

  “We’re not leaving you.”

  “Please, my friend, try to understand that my heritage is not what you are familiar with here. Should I survive and return, I will continue with you.”

  “Survive? No, you don’t understand, Tiki. I’m not trying to hold you to your oath. If you need to go home to deal with...whatever this is, then fine, but we’re coming with you.”

  “They are not welcome!” Kithra growled.

  I stepped past Tiki and stared up at Kithra, craning my neck to meet his gaze. “Welcome or not, Tiki’s my family. If he goes, so do we.”

  Kithra reached for a blade on his hip but Tiki’s hand was already there, keeping the blade sheathed. “Please, Kithra.”

  Kithra growled and his speed surprised me for a creature so large. Before I could move, he grabbed Tiki’s wrist, twisted it around his back and kicked him. Tiki somersaulted twice before landing with a dusty footprint perfectly shaped over his torso.

  Before I could react, Vincent grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. He moved between Kithra and me, a rumble vibrating behind his words. “I try to disagree with Mr. Williams whenever possible, especially when it comes to doing anything more than absolutely necessary.” Vincent glanced at Tiki, who was starting to crawl to his feet. “However—” When he turned back to face Kithra, he found a sharp blade against his throat.

  “Leave,” Kithra demanded.

  Vincent’s eyes dropped enough to glance at the blade, and when they looked back up, they’d gone completely black. “However, if you lay a hand upon that boy again, I’ll tear open your throat with my fangless mouth and lap up your blood like a serpent.”

  Kithra seemed unfazed. He pushed the blade harder and I heard Vincent’s skin split. Blood trickled onto the blade and Vincent closed his eyes. Black lines snaked across his skin as the transparent counterpart came through. His claws didn’t extend, but I felt a power fill the air. One I was all too familiar with.

  The two demons locked their gazes and Vincent’s power instantly shifted over Kithra. One minute, he was stone cold and ready to lop off Vincent’s head, the next his orange eyes were filled with darkness. The firm expression he wore softened and he sheathed his blade and stepped away. For every one of his steps, Vincent took two.

  “Vincent?” Tiki asked.

  Kithra dropped to his knees. His tanned skin turn a shade of purple and his body trembling.

  “It’s a horrible feeling, isn’t it?” Vincent’s voice had become deep and demoni
c. “You can see and feel everything I’m doing, yet you have no control. With just an ounce of pressure from my mind, you stop breathing.”

  Kithra reached for the blade on his back and pulled out a jagged sword. It wasn’t made of metal, but rather, some kind of reflective, glassy material. The blade looked fierce, and with an arm extended, he pulled the serrated weapon across his inner arm. Black blood oozed through the spiky bracer that grew out of his forearm, dripping to the earth.

  “Or I can make your mutilate your own filthy flesh.”

  “Vincent Taryk, please stop!” Tiki pleaded, pulling at Vincent’s arm.

  “You are a strange man, Tiki, but as you once stood for me, I shall now stand for you.” Vincent turned back to Kithra and leaned in close. His whispered something into his ear and Kithra made a gurgling response, his lips paling and all the color seeping from his face.

  The pair stared at one another for a long moment and then as if a conversation had come to an end, Vincent smiled. “Good boy.” And as quickly as it came, the power left.

  Kithra fell onto his hands, tearing out the grass beneath his massive fingers. He gasped, wheezing and choking on his own breath. The darkness had left his eyes and the color returned, looking starved and fearful.

  Tiki rushed to his side, trying to help his brother to his feet. Kithra growled and started to shove him away, but with a glance from Vincent, he hesitated. Instead, he pulled his arm away and climbed to his feet, stalking the ground away from us.

  “What did you say to him?” Rayna asked.

  “A debt owed, a debt paid.” Vincent’s eyes trailed from Tiki to Rayna, and a brief smirk occupied his features. “Apparently not all pure bloods are immune to the Taryk charm. Now let’s get this over with. I’m already dreading that ridiculous sunlight you all seem to enjoy so much.”

  When Kithra regained his bearings, he came back to us. With a strip of grass and leaves weaved together around his wound, he tried to appear calm and even, but you could see in his eyes he was wary.