by Joy Spraycar
Shwoop. The blade sank clear to the hilt between the tiger’s eyes. It staggered forward two steps.
Zalphia held her breath. Surely it wouldn’t attack again? She glanced around for another weapon but found nothing.
“Damn.” Her attention flitted back to the tiger.
The big cat collapsed in a heap.
Relief flooded over her. But only for a moment. This wouldn’t be the end.
Her gaze shifted to Vitus. A satisfied smirk covered his face. He wanted her dead.
And now she was trapped, stuck to the ground by unyielding metal. Pain and betrayal boiled inside, bubbling toward the surface.
The joy on Vitus’s face added fuel to the fire. No saving this son. Depraved. Cruel. Heartless. He deserved to be wiped from existence.
This is my son? Our eldest son?
Prudence demanded she give him one last chance.
“Vitus, stop this madness,” she yelled. “Or I will be forced to destroy you.”
“The only one dying today will be you, No Mercy Zalph. Good-bye.” Vitus laughed and rose from his throne.
So be it. You’ve brought this upon yourself.
Anger erupted, shaking Zalphia’s entire body. She glared at him.
He smirked and turned away.
Not so fast.
Zalphia closed her eyes and let the hatred take over. Years of Glad training added to the boiling emotions, and the trembling grew and radiated into the ground. Fury became waves of sand, rippling out from the woman held fast against its gritty surface. The silt grew like the ocean during a hurricane. Shifting. Growling. Pounding the walls of the arena with such force the stones crumbled beneath their punishment.
The entire arena rolled and pitched. A sinking ship in the storm of Zalphia’s indignation. Clubbers screamed and poured from their seats, but they were thrown to and fro like foam topping the waves then lost in the rolling sand.
Panic ruled. People clawed and crawled over one another, pushing toward the exits. But the waves crashed, and the crumbling stones slid away beneath the seething bodies.
Zalphia remained standing tall, watching as her wrath wreaked havoc around her.
Guards pulled at Vitus.
Zalphia narrowed her eyes. All her concentration centered on the walls holding the floor beneath the Emperor. The stones crumpled, opening a hole beneath the panicked men. They sank into the abyss.
Zalphia shook her head. Not good enough. Vitus must not live through this.
The surrounding walls folded inward and filled the crater. More stones tumbled from above, spilling onto the arena floor.
Zalphia’s attention now turned to the rolling sand.
Guards and Armors had scattered. Some may have made it out, but most still moved and groaned, injured but not dead. The guard who had yelled still stood, unmoving. The destruction around him hadn’t pulled his attention away from her.
Everyone Zalphia cared about had left. Karaticus. His family. Max. And of course, Mantus. But no one here deserved her compassion. No. It was time to end this once and for all. Zalphia raised her hands and combined with her unborn child.
The intensified pitching threw those who remained standing to the ground. Shade cloth broke free, and the heavy wooden masts fell, crushing those unlucky enough to be below. Now the entire arena rolled and tilted. Giant portions of the wall tumbled onto the billowing sand, bringing Clubbers, rocks, and debris, burying the guards and armors below. Screams reverberated through the air.
Zalphia waved her hand in circles, and the winds picked up the dust, blinding those still trying to escape. Zalphia pictured complete devastation, not only of this arena, but every arena she had fought in. And she had fought in them all at least once. There would be nothing left. No Glads. No Clubbers. And certainly, no Arena Officials. This act would successfully put an end to the tortured existence of all those forced to fight.
A smile slowly curved Zalphia’s lips. After today, this world would start over. She would see to it that no Selestial being ever held power here again. She would give birth to this child. And when Mantus returned, she would destroy him.
Her mind turned back to the devastation, and she lowered her hands. The stones making up the arena lay at least six-feet deep around her. Not a single soul moved or cried out. Silence settled over her like morning sun on a summer day.
Evil had been vanquished. And a new era would begin.
Zalphia looked at the devastation. All she had to do was picture it, and it had happened. So easily done. She had not believed Max those first days. Had it always been that way? She pictured every fight she had ever fought, and realized every one had played out exactly as she had seen it in her mind. All this time all she would have had to do was decide an outcome, and it would come to pass.
She pictured the spike returning to its original position.
Why was she still surprised when it obeyed?
She collapsed onto the ground. Blood pooled beneath her. The mind of her child reached out, and Zalphia could already feel the wound healing.
Her child, the healer. It would heal not only the wounds of its mother, but the wounds of many worlds.
Zalphia’s injuries had taken their toll. Her leg throbbed, her shoulder burned, and the slashes across her face and chest stung. But peace like she had never known flowed through her.
The place with the droopy tree and babbling brook sprang to mind. If only she could share this with Max.
I feel it, my love.
“Max?” Zalphia glanced around frantically. It couldn’t be. He was supposed to be gone. Gone with Karaticus.
I told you I would never leave you alone. I will never abandon you.
The guard who had screamed out. That was Max! Zalphia turned toward the rubble where he had stood.
“No! Max!”
Zalphia dragged her useless leg to the pile where he had stood. “No. No. No!”
Stones flew from beneath her hands. She stood to pry the heavier boulders from the heap.
Gone was the throbbing of her leg. Gone was the burning in her shoulder. Gone were the stinging and the peace. She had all but destroyed the one person who had taught her about love. The one person she couldn’t live without. Max! Her husband. Her love.
What had she done? She should have known he wouldn’t go. She should have known the only person to care about her when the spike shot through her leg would be Max.
How did she not know? How could she have buried him?
But she had. For a second, she suspected, but her killer instinct had swallowed up the idea he had remained behind. Now what would it cost her?
Would he die?
No. He couldn’t. She couldn’t lose him. Together they had created the miracle now growing within her.
Fear and guilt lent strength and speed to her hands. Stone after stone flew from the pile. Not sure exactly where he was, Zalphia reached out with her mind.
Max, keep talking. Let me sense where you are.
I love you. I always will.
For a brief moment, she felt his mind. Then it slipped away.
“Noooo!”
With tears streaming down her face, Zalphia clawed through the rubble until she found an arm. A dark-skinned coal-black arm.
“Max, oh, Max.”
More stones flew from the pile until he was totally exposed. The blue of his eyes remained hidden behind closed lids. Zalphia sat beside him and rested his head in her lap.
“Max.” She gently stroked his face.
He didn’t respond.
Zalphia laid a hand on his chest and felt the faint thumping of his heart. She remembered the time she had leaned against him and felt her heart keep time. Now, hers raced while his slowed.
“Don’t leave me. You promised you would never leave me.” Her voice caught in her throat. “Damn you, Max. You promised.”
Her breath came in shuddering sobs. “You promised,” she squeaked.
The dent below her bellybutton throbbed.
Zalphia gazed at it. Max had healed her. All those years ago, Max had used his mind to heal her.
She could do this. She could destroy an entire arena. She could save the one person who meant everything to her. All she had to do was decide and it would be so. How many times had Max told her that?
She raked her teeth over her bottom lip. Was it true? Could she be a healer? Or was she just good at killing?
Just decide, and it will happen.
Her shoulders shook, and she fought to gain control of her stampeding thoughts. A tiny kick just below her ribs let her know she would have help.
Swallowing hard, Zalphia felt the slowing beat beneath her fingertips. She closed her eyes.
Hang on, Max. I can do this.
Tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t picture him alive. His mangled body was all she could see. Eyes open, blood and devastation. Eyes closed, the same beaten body.
“Please, don’t die. I can’t do this without you.”
She ran her fingers along his lips, his jaw, and then pressed a kiss to his forehead.
The thumps beneath her fingers fluttered, paused, and then fluttered again.
Zalphia closed her eyes, placed her hand flat against his chest, and pictured that organ pulsing in her palm.
She knew how that felt. How many times had she held a pulsing heart in her hands until it quit beating?
He took one shuddering breath. The heart stopped.
“NO!”
One more, slow beat rocked the heart and sent a shock zipping up Zalphia’s arm. Electricity pulsed inside, stopping time and causing the air to swirl around her.
“Max!” Zalphia opened her eyes.
The arena and Max’s broken body were gone.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joy Spraycar was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but raised in Utah. She has always been an avid reader, and began writing in the 7th grade. Her stories were published in the school newspapers in Jr. High and throughout high school. She continued writing, but then set it aside to work and raise her family.
Now that her children are grown, she’s thrown herself back into writing. She’s always enjoyed the darker side, such as ghosts, vampires and monsters, especially the werewolf lore, so paranormal romance was an easy fit.
She’s won multiple awards for her books, including top novelist, Golden Pen from the Heart of the West Romance Writer’s of America, and finalist for best first book in the Golden Quill. She has also received a bronze medal from the League of Utah Writers. She is an active member for the Utah chapter of Romance Writers of America.
Joy lives in Roy with her husband Steven. She has three children, Jony, Tanya, and Ty. And three wonderful grandchildren who keep her young. Alaina, Bentlee and Tytus.
Table of Contents
Copyright © 2013 JOY SPRAYCARAll Rights Reserved
DedicationTo Ty
Acknowledgements
CHAPTER 1A
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
cHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33