The question was whether Hareem could keep the creature inside himself if Jud’enealh shot him. Those bolts had the unfortunate effect of countering his powers, which could be counterproductive for his plan.
The best way to approach this was by using his powers against himself. Ice dragons were vulnerable to fire, yes, but they were also resilient to cold. This gave Hareem the idea he needed. He might have doubted it, but he felt the Ancient Horror’s apprehension when the creature became aware of what Hareem had in mind.
Clinging to the hope that this would work, Hareem burst out of the building through the large temple windows. Outside, Rose Noire bloomed beautifully, shining like a jewel in the sun. For some reason, the sight of it reminded Hareem of Taryn’s eyes. But now was hardly the time for romantic musings. It was time to prove his worth, not as an emperor, but as a mate, a father, and a man.
As he flew higher and higher, the Ancient Horror’s anger increased within him. He could barely see now, his vision clouded by darkness, but he held on, knowing this was his chance to save his son and mate. Never again would the Ancient Horror plague them. Never again would it get the chance to touch Galyn and steal his young life. Hareem might have fucked up countless times since meeting and mating Taryn, but today, he wouldn’t fail him.
His wings ached as the Ancient Horror protested his plan, but Hareem’s determination didn’t fade. As he ascended, the temperature became increasingly colder. Hareem’s resilience to chill helped, as did his draechen nature that was adapted to flight at high altitudes. But as he kept climbing, he grew dizzier and dizzier, the pain in his body no longer caused by just the presence of the Ancient Horror within him. Nevertheless, he didn’t allow it to dissuade him. He kept a tight leash on the creature, using his mental bond with Taryn to support his own fading strength.
It worked perfectly, far better than Hareem himself had expected. As his body started to shut down, he still managed to focus his remaining magic on keeping the Ancient Horror trapped. Not to mention that here, there wasn’t anyone else whom the monster could take over.
“If you die now, it will be for nothing,” the Ancient Horror said in his mind. “You can’t stop me.”
The words might have scared Hareem, but his instincts told him this was the path he needed to take. Hareem actually managed to smile once. “I already have,” he replied. Focusing on his bond with Taryn, he sent out, “I love you, sweeting. Don’t ever forget that. And tell Galyn that I love him, too.”
“Hareem,” Taryn whispered in his mind, “please… Don’t leave me. I love—”
Taryn’s words faded from Hareem’s mind before Hareem could hear the full phrase. Finally, his body surrendered the battle, his wings unable to carry him anymore. As he started to fall from the sky, Hareem knew that, for the first time since he had met Taryn, he’d finally made the right choice.
Chapter Fourteen
Rachen hated airplanes. Mostly, he understood their utility, and he had to admit that it was far easier and faster to reach certain destinations by using them. However, a side effect of his being trapped for two hundred years within his brother was that at times, he felt almost claustrophobic.
Of course, he never showed it, but he’d been in a foul mood ever since they’d left Greece. He didn’t really know why. Alwyn had recovered since his strange episode in the crypt. He no longer looked so sickly and pale. However, there was something bothering Rachen, like a niggling fly buzzing around his mind. Exactly what had Alwyn done to bring back Talbot’s ghost? He’d never heard of sprites having powers of necromancy, or anything that in any way resembled it. So what other secrets was Alwyn keeping from him?
Shaking himself, Rachen stole a look out the window of the plane. They were approaching Rose Noire now, and soon, Rachen would get to see his brothers again. He didn’t look forward to notifying them that the only way to stop the Ancient Horror was to sacrifice someone. Because, no matter what Talbot had done, Rachen believed him. He believed that truly, that was the only solution.
That conversation would likely not go over well. However, it could hardly be more awkward than the current situation. Rachen turned toward Sage and Camden, who were seated on the other side of the plane. Sage had an arm wrapped around his naga mate and was occasionally glaring at Talbot, or maybe at Rachen and Alwyn. The three of them were close together, so Rachen couldn’t really tell.
“Well, this is fun,” Talbot muttered at one point. “One would think that they were the ghosts, and I was the one who’d killed them.”
“Technically speaking, you did kill a lot of draechen,” Rachen pointed out, “and Sage wasn’t the one to end your life.”
It was perfectly true, although Talbot didn’t look like he appreciated the reminder. He kept glancing Camden’s way, obviously still wishing he could have been the one to hold the young naga prince. Unfortunately, that had never been possible, and now even less so.
Rachen wondered what the exact limits of Talbot’s form were. Could he have a mate? Would he manage to live like this, in this non-existence? He’d never gotten the chance to ask, and he couldn’t exactly do so now. He might be blunt, but he wasn’t that tactless. They guy was dead, for fuck’s sake.
In the end, though, Rachen knew that, through all these questions, he was merely trying to distract himself from the real problem. What did he mean to Alwyn? What did Alwyn mean to him? This was something he’d been fighting with for months now, and he still hadn’t reached a satisfactory conclusion.
He glanced at Alwyn’s beautiful face, and his heart did a little flip when Alwyn looked back at him and smiled slightly. It was a shy, almost tired smile, but nevertheless there, and obviously meant just for Rachen. In that moment, Rachen could almost forget that he’d never actually touched Alwyn beyond a handful of kisses. He felt as if they truly had a connection, one that went beyond what shifters could usually build.
He was tempted to reach out to Alwyn on the spot. Perhaps he’d have done so, in spite of being in the presence of so many other people, but Talbot released a gasp. “What in Varuna’s name is that?”
Rachen followed Talbot’s gaze and looked out the window once more. He didn’t have to focus too hard to notice what had drawn the naga’s attention. A blue dragon was plummeting out of the sky at an alarming speed. Even from the distance, it seemed obvious that the strange draechen was seriously injured.
Something stirred inside Rachen as he watched the other shifter’s fall. And then, the dragon shifted into his human form. Overlords. That was Hareem. “Oh, no,” Rachen gasped out.
“Oh, Jenarra,” Alwyn whispered. “We have to help him.”
Rachen clenched his hands into fists. “Fuck. Can’t this plane fly any faster?” Cursing, he called out to the pilot, “Land!”
He’d already lost sight of Hareem’s falling form. They were still a good distance away from the area where Hareem had been, but at this altitude, Rachen couldn’t hope to discover anything.
Fortunately, the pilot complied with his request, but it was still too slow for Rachen. He wanted to just open the plane doors and fly out, but if he did that, he risked jeopardizing the lives of the rest of the passengers.
It seemed to take forever, but finally, the jet landed on a nearby field. It was quite fortunate that they even managed to find an appropriate spot, but Rachen didn’t feel like congratulating anyone for that achievement. He rushed out of his seat and, as soon as the doors opened, jumped outside. Immediately, he scanned the area for signs of his brother. It wasn’t hard at all to find his target.
Up ahead, a patch of trees had received the brunt of the draechen’s fall. Rachen couldn’t see his brother among the splintered wood, but that wasn’t exactly surprising given that Hareem was in human form now. He ran toward the trees, praying that he wouldn’t be too late.
Behind him, Alwyn and their other companions followed. It was very fortunate that Alwyn had joined him, because the moment Rachen caught sight of his fallen brother, he couldn’t think a
nymore. There was blood everywhere, the tree branches having pierced Hareem’s body in several places. Normally, draechen were impervious to injuries like that, but Hareem had clearly fallen from a nearly obscenely high altitude. Just flying up to that point, beyond what humans called “the death zone,” could have easily killed even the strongest of shifters, even if one didn’t take into account Hareem’s plummet. Hoping that the emperor might have survived was a foolish dream.
And yet, in spite of that knowledge, Rachen found that he could still hear the very slight sound of a heartbeat. “He’s still alive.”
He intended to rush forward and help his brother, but then, Talbot appeared in front of him. “Don’t,” he said. “You have to let him go.”
Rachen snarled at the naga. “Get the fuck out of my way, or I’ll get rid of you, and this time I’ll make sure it’s permanent.”
Talbot didn’t back down. “You don’t understand. Do you know why he’s even still breathing? It’s the Ancient Horror. It’s inside him and keeping his heart pumping while waiting for a new host. And guess what? You’re the perfect target.”
“You’re bullshitting me,” Rachen shot back. “If the vampires are to be believed, the Ancient Horror could easily leave my brother and survive without a host.”
“Normally, yes,” Talbot answered, “but Emperor Hareematek’s sacrifice weakened him. If he doesn’t find another host, the creature will perish. That’s why, if you get to close, he’ll take advantage and use you.”
“That may well be, but I can’t just stand by and watch Hareem die.” Rachen’s entire body went rigid just as he took in what Talbot was suggesting. “He’s my brother.”
“Not to mention our emperor,” Lieutenant Zager said from behind him. “There has to be a way to help him.”
Talbot seemed to muse over this. He glanced toward Hareem, going quiet. Rachen wondered what he was thinking. Finally, he got tired of waiting. There was no reason to believe that Talbot was even being honest. After all, he had been possessed by the Ancient Horror and killed a lot of draechen before his death.
He tried to push past Talbot, but Alwyn grabbed his arm. His dark eyes were wide and concerned. “Please,” he said, “be careful.”
He didn’t insist on Rachen not helping his brother, something for which Rachen felt grateful. However, the delay Alwyn provided surprisingly gave Talbot the time to decide.
The naga approached Hareem’s prone form and knelt next to him. Hareem’s body started to twitch, making Rachen wince. He took a step forward, but Alwyn’s hold on him tightened. “It’s all right,” he whispered. “He’s going to help your brother. Trust him.”
“I don’t,” Rachen answered, “but I trust you.”
In his heart, he knew that Alwyn wouldn’t push him into something that would hurt him. Indirectly, that covered his brother’s welfare. Still, it wasn’t easy for Rachen to watch Talbot kneel next to his brother without knowing what the naga would do.
His worry only increased when Talbot’s hands hovered over Hareem’s chest. For a few moments, nothing happened. “To tell you the truth,” Talbot said without looking at them, “I came here to earn your forgiveness and avenge my death. I finally have the chance to achieve that.”
“Talbot,” Camden asked, “what are you doing?”
The ghostly naga threw a gaze over his shoulder. “What I must,” he replied as he got up. “The Ancient Horror still has a connection with all of its hosts. That’s why Fallon Hanover remains in a coma even after all these months. In fact, if he tries hard enough and has an opening in the former host’s desires, the Ancient Horror can force his will on him or her. A side effect is that I myself can sense him, and I can draw him out.”
“But, as a spirit, you wouldn’t actually have a physical form,” Camden argued. “You can’t be his host.”
“No, I cannot,” Talbot answered. “However, the creature is weak now. I believe I can hold his energy within me long enough for Alwyn to do what he has to do.”
Alwyn released a gasp. “No. Don’t ask me to do that. I beg of you. I couldn’t possibly kill you.”
“Lord Cyraltin,” Talbot said softly, “I’m already dead. You know as well as I do that I couldn’t even hold onto this form forever. This is our best course of action. The alternative is to allow Emperor Hareematek to sacrifice himself, as he obviously intended to.”
“But is it really safe?” Rachen asked. “If the Ancient Horror is truly keeping him alive, removing the creature might kill him.”
“Send for a healer,” Sage advised. “Rose Noire isn’t far. It shouldn’t take them more than a few minutes to get here.”
A few minutes was already too much. Hareem was already on death’s door. If they waited much longer, they’d be signing his death warrant. Fortunately, the fae seemed to have been aware something was seriously wrong.
Even as Sage spoke, a group of aircrafts appeared in the distance, with a black dragon in the lead. Instantly, Rachen recognized him as Karein.
Karein reached their location in record time. He landed next to Rachen and shifted into his human form. “What’s going on here? Why are you just sitting around doing nothing?” His gaze fell on Talbot and he gaped. “What the fuck? I thought that naga was dead.”
“I am,” Talbot replied calmly. “I’ve merely come to lend my assistance in drawing the Ancient Horror from His Imperial Majesty. We needed a healer to tend to his injuries, though.”
“You can do that?” Karein frowned. “Well, then, go ahead. I brought fae with me that should be able to deal with Hareem’s wounds.”
Rachen pulled Karein aside and quickly made a summary of what Talbot had told them. His twin blinked in shock, looked at Talbot, but didn’t say anything. Rachen knew exactly how Karein felt. If he wanted to be perfectly honest, he would have said that Talbot’s idea made sense. Out of all of them, Talbot seemed to know the most regarding the Ancient Horror’s true nature, so the best course of action would be to follow his suggestion. However, Rachen couldn’t find it in his heart to push for it, not when it would mean Talbot would die, and Alwyn would have to be the one to strike that final blow.
Perhaps that was the most unbearable thing, that Alwyn, sweet, gentle Alwyn, had to end a life. Even if Talbot wasn’t actually alive, he certainly seemed so. After a small moment of hesitation, Rachen opened his mouth and suggested, “Perhaps I could—”
“No,” Alwyn cut him off. “I’m the only one who can do this. It’s my power that is anchoring him. I have to do it.”
Rachen shut up. He suspected he’d already earned Alwyn’s anger and distaste, although he’d have willingly done that if he could have prevented Alwyn from suffering the guilt he’d undoubtedly have to endure.
“Are you sure, Talbot?” Camden asked softly, his voice trembling. “I—”
“Shush.” Talbot actually smiled. “I’m only a ghost now, and this is what I want. Just make sure you tell my parents about it and maybe apologize on my behalf that I didn’t come to say good-bye. I knew this form was temporary. I didn’t want to make them suffer more than they already have. Now, come on. Enough talk. Let’s get this show on the road, because I imagine the emperor doesn’t appreciate us talking this over so much.”
Alwyn nodded and took Rachen’s hand, squeezing it so hard it hurt. Distantly, Rachen thought that Alwyn was far stronger than he looked. A grip like that could have easily broken a human’s hand. Rachen, on the other hand, reveled in it. He provided what little comfort he could in that simple, platonic gesture.
Meanwhile, Camden walked to Talbot’s side and brushed a kiss over the other naga’s cheek. Rachen couldn’t tell if they actually touched—he had no idea if it was possible—but the gesture still held the same affection and regret. Even Sage seemed regretful of the way things had turned out, which was saying a lot, since Talbot had been his rival.
At last, Talbot pulled away and returned to Hareem’s side. His form hovered in front of Hareem, and he took a deep breath, as if bra
cing himself for something. Finally, Hareem’s body started to shake again. Karein released an angry sound, beckoning the fae he’d brought with him closer.
A shadow emerged out of Hareem, but before it could solidify into something specific, it seemed to enter Talbot. The naga’s image flickered, like a television show with a bad reception. “Go,” he choked out, staring at Alwyn. “Now.”
Alwyn’s hold on Rachen’s hand suddenly seemed to burn. It was strange, but since Rachen still had an affinity with fire, it didn’t really hurt. He held on and watched as Talbot’s figure shattered in a burst of bright light. A deafening screech sounded as Talbot disappeared, threatening to numb Rachen’s ear drums. In that moment, Rachen could almost see tendrils of fading darkness trying to reach out to them, but not succeeding to grab anyone.
Finally, the strange obscurity faded, and Alwyn slumped into Rachen’s arms. He clenched his fists in Rachen’s shirt, hot tears wetting the material as sobs wracked his body. Rachen held the weeping sprite close and waved the fae into action.
“Hurry,” he said. “The emperor needs urgent medical assistance.”
As the Ivenian healers rushed into action, Rachen met Karein’s eyes. Someone had sacrificed himself for them today. The fact that Talbot’s life had already been forfeit didn’t make that any less significant. But under the circumstances, they hadn’t really had other options.
Already, Hareem’s life signs seemed to be improving. The Ancient Horror was clearly gone. Rachen had felt it when the creature had made that awful sound. So why then did Rachen feel that this wasn’t over? Why did he fear that this wasn’t the last he’d seen of those dark tendrils?
* * * *
A few hours later
The room echoed with the sound of Galyn’s wails. Taryn rocked his son, trying to soothe him, kissing his tiny face to reassure himself he was still there. Galyn could tell something was wrong, however, and he simply wouldn’t stop crying.
Emperor's Consort [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 5] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 24