Dark Awakened (The Devil's Assistant Book 2)

by HD Smith

  “Please don’t be angry with me, mistress. I only wish to please you,” he said, clasping his hands in a nervous gesture.

  I took a step closer—annoyed that he was so fragile. “Why are you loyal to the Fall Queen?”

  He couldn’t have known her—she’d been dead for thousands of years.

  “I belong to you, Mistress,” he said.

  “You’re a pagan, and the Fall Queen has been gone for a very long time.”

  “I have been waiting—”

  “The Fall Queen has been gone for over ten thousand years. You have been waiting for only five hundred. How do you belong to someone that you have never met and who no longer exists?”

  He squinted his eyes as if confused, and if I was reading his internal emotions right, doubting his sanity. Did he not know why he was here?

  “I’m real,” I said, trying to calm him. It worked almost instantly. “But I don’t understand why you have waited for so long.”

  “Have I made you angry, mistress?”

  “Please stop calling me mistress.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  “No, call me Claire.”

  He stared at me, a deep line forming between his brows.

  “That’s my name now and I wish for you to use it.”

  He sighed but gave me a smile. This reassured him, but I could tell he was not pleased at how informal the greeting was. I didn’t like how well I could read him. Our connection was so personal it concerned me. How would he react when I needed to leave?

  “As you wish, Mis—Claire.” He bowed his head again.

  “How did you get here?”

  “I was told to come here and wait for you. To give myself to you. To serve you.”

  “Who told you to do that?”

  “I have no memory of my journey or of the months prior to my arrival. I only know my purpose for being here.”

  “But you’re a powerful pagan. Why would you wait here for so long?”

  “You are here now,” he said, as if that explained everything.

  I could tell there was no way to convince him that his mission was foolish, especially now that I was here, so I tried a different tack to get information about my new shadow. “What did you do before coming to this realm?”

  “I’m the son of the Winter Queen. I had no other purpose.”

  I suddenly found it hard to breathe. He quickly cleared the distance between us as I fell to my knees. I’m not sure if it was shock or a fear-induced panic attack, but I couldn’t pull in another breath.

  “Mistress—Claire, what is wrong?” He patted me on the back, which somehow knocked me out of my stupor.

  I sucked in a huge lungful of air. I might not have known everything about the realms—in fact I knew almost nothing—but I was one hundred percent sure Mab would never allow her son to serve another, which meant she had no idea he was here, and quite possibly thought he was dead.

  “Let me take you back to the hut,” he said, looking me over to confirm I was unhurt. In a panic he asked, “is this blood?” He held up my wrist for inspection.

  Oh, shit. I wrenched my arm away and looked at it. How long had I been unconscious? Cinnamon’s timer was already on the third line.

  “No, no, no,” I said, pulling away from him. “The Countess of East Hareington isn’t going to win this easy, not now that I’m here.” To Thanos I said, “I have to go.”

  The tension in his body grew as he trailed after me, but I didn’t want to be anywhere near him when Mab discovered where he’d been for five hundred years.

  “I must finish my quest,” I said, trying to walk faster. He stayed on my heels. “I must return to the coast. I’ve been here too long. I can’t stay.”

  His anxiety level was rising.

  “I’ll come back for you,” I said, but there was no truth in my voice.

  He grabbed me by the arm and spun me around. I held up my hand to push him away, but he twisted my wrist, pinning it behind me. Thanos wasn’t going to let me leave.

  His voice trembled as he said, “I will not hurt you, but I will not allow you to leave me here alone.”

  “I must complete my quest or I will die.”

  “I will go with you, then,” he said. “I will help you.”

  I couldn’t really blame him for wanting to stay with me. I didn’t know what spell Thanos was under, but it was strong. He was bound to me, and if I left him here and didn’t return, he’d be stuck here forever. Also, after more thought I was sure the only thing worse than running into Mab with Thanos was running into her without him.

  “Let go of me,” I commanded.

  Thanos released me, seeming ashamed of what he’d done. “I’m sorry Mis—Claire. I cannot lose you now. Not after waiting all this time.”

  “I understand. You will go with me,” I said. “We must leave now. I can’t wait any longer.”

  He nodded.

  We headed back to the coast. I drew a circle in the sand. Thanos stepped in beside me and I recited the spell, hoping the realm wouldn’t try to keep me here like before. The wind swirled and howled around us, this time picking us up without effort.

  I looked at my wrist again. I’d lost almost two days. Now my impossible task was looking more like a suicide mission, which was actually a step up. Go, me!

  Chapter 19

  The wind dropped us on a small, lifeless beach, an island located in what I assumed was the center of the Silver Sea. The fourth realm had looked charred when I first saw it as Callum carried me to the shore, as if it had been burned. This place where we were now looked overgrown and unmaintained—dead and decaying, like the gardens at Cinnamon’s estate, but not destroyed as the realm had been.

  As my feet touched the sand a faint pulse of energy travelled from me into the surrounding foliage. A wave of light pushed out in all directions. The mountain at the center of the island came alive. Everything started blooming. The dead plants turned over and surrendered to the ground. New growth pushed through the tilled soil, within seconds producing lush green vegetation. The transformation was incredible.

  “Is this what happened before?” I asked, assuming Thanos had experienced firsthand the fourth realm’s transformation upon my arrival.

  “Yes,” he said. “That’s how I knew you’d returned.”

  It was eerie how much he looked like Mace. Now that I knew who he was, it was even more peculiar. Could his father have been the quads’ uncle?

  “My appearance does not please you,” he said, looking down.

  “No, it’s not that,” I said. “You remind me of another.”

  “This other pagan,” he said, his voice low, menacing, “has he hurt you?”

  “It’s complicated, but yes, he has hurt me.”

  “I will kill him,” Thanos said without hesitation. “Tell me where he is and I will finish him.”

  “It isn’t that simple. He’s like you, a child of the big three.”

  “You are like the three. He cannot be allowed to live.”

  “He is a child of the Devil and the Devil may not let you kill him.” I paused. “I’m not sure how it’s possible, but you and he look alike. You look like his twin.”

  Thanos grimaced, offended. “Who is his mother?”

  “She was a pagan, but I don’t know her name. Did your father have a sister?”

  “No,” he said, as a swell of sadness erupted within him, “but he was chimera.”

  “What’s a chimera?”

  “It’s what they call a pagan whose twin is trapped within. The chimera twin cannot emerge until the first is dead.” His voice rose slightly at the end.

  “Oh, I see,” I said, realizing that for the quads’ mother to be his father’s chimera twin, his father would have to be dead. “The likeness could be a trick,” I added quickly.

  Thanos looked up, eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

  “Mab could have made it so Mace looked like you. She favors him above the others.”

  He brighten
ed. “Do you think my father is alive?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, not wanting to state the obvious conclusion.

  Because of our bond I knew he believed me, but I also knew he was sadder than he wanted me to realize. I really didn’t think things could get any worse, but I guess I was wrong. Either Mab made Mace a dead ringer for her missing son, or The Boss had hooked up with the chimera twin of Mab’s dead husband—or whatever she titled Thanos’s father.

  I shook my head; this wasn’t important right now. I needed to get back to solving the real problem. I’d have to figure out who slept with who later. “I promise we will find out what happened after I finish my quest, okay?”

  “Yes, and then I will kill this Mace—the one who has hurt you.”

  I didn’t argue with him about the negatives of killing Mace. I wasn’t going to order him to do it, but I also wasn’t going to get in his way if he wanted to try.

  “You must change your clothes,” he announced, looking me up and down. “You can’t go in dressed as you are.”

  I looked down at my t-shirt and jeans. They were filthy, as if I’d been rolling around in the dirt. “What do you suggest?” I asked.

  Thanos snapped his fingers and like Cinderella with the fairy godmother, my clothes were magically transformed into a little black dress with killer high heels—so not my style.

  “This isn’t really me,” I said. Although jeans and t-shirt didn’t seem appropriate attire—I should wear something more regal. I considered what Mab might wear to visit the Great Museum. I imagined her in a dress that was so airy it practically floated on the wind as she walked. Keeping that image locked in my mind, I snapped my fingers. I hadn’t actually expected it to work, but I was now wearing a soft, flowing gown with several sheer layers. The lilac material lay close to my skin, accentuating my lean five-foot-eight frame.

  I would rather have been in my own clothes, but I was playing a part.

  Thanos bowed his head in acknowledgement of my choice. He snapped his fingers again, changing his own tattered clothes into a black suit with a shirt that matched my dress. He’d left off the tie, which suited him.

  I put my hand on his arm. “Thanos,” I said softly, “you may not stop me from completing my task, but if I do not survive my task, you are free to go. You will no longer be in service to the Fall Queen.” He opened his mouth to speak, but I stopped him. “That includes going out of your way to kill anyone who has hurt me.”

  He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “I have to go into the museum,” I explained. “If I don’t make it out with the blood of your cousins, I will not survive. I will die. I do not wish for you to wait for me to return again. You will be free of this bond.”

  I could sense the turmoil rising within him. He didn’t like this idea. He wasn’t apparently ready to give me up—even if I were dead.

  Taking my hand, he placed it over his heart, covering it with his own. He placed his other hand over my heart. Energy at my core surged when I clasped his hand to remove it from me. As I did he looked up at the sky and began chanting in Ancient.

  The words were like a love poem and property claim rolled into one. I tensed as the energy binding us grew stronger. It was more than our connection through the realm. He was connecting us, body and soul.

  “Stop,” I yelled, as the energy coiled around us, then through us. It was almost painful as it wove us together. I struggled to breathe, my vision blurry. “Stop,” I whispered, but it fell on deaf ears.

  We both collapsed to the ground when he finished.

  I took a minute to focus my eyes. Thanos jumped to his feet, holding out a hand to help me up.

  I knocked it away. “Whatever you did, undo it!” I pushed myself to my feet, refusing to let him help me.

  “I can’t,” he said, staying close to me. “We’re mated. I’m yours forever.”

  “What! Mated? What does that mean?” I yelled, pushing at his chest.

  Crowding me, he said, “You and I will always be together. Our souls have touched. I will have you in my heart forever, and you, me.”

  I turned and walked away from him. I had so much going on, and now I was mated to Thanos. I could feel the sadness in his heart as I left him.

  “Stop it,” I said, continuing toward the museum. “You should not have done that. Your mother will not be pleased.”

  “You can call to me now,” he said, following after me, “even if you’re dead.”

  I stopped, but I didn’t turn around. “You don’t understand. Your mother will not let this go. She will kill me for this—if I’m lucky. That is, of course, if I can save myself from dying first.” I felt his warmth at my back. I turned to face him. I was angry and he could tell. He started to say something, but I cut him off. “Look, I have to get the blood. I don’t have time for this right now. We will deal with the bond later.”

  I left him standing there. I couldn’t let this tangled mess derail me. None of it would matter if I didn’t get the blood.

  “The curator will stop you from removing anything.”

  I didn’t have time for this. “Who?”

  “The man guarding the museum. He protects it from intruders and thieves. He will not let you take anything.”

  I was so close. The museum was right here. It wouldn’t matter if I found the blood—which was a long shot itself—but to not have a chance at succeeding? Had Cinnamon known I’d have to face the curator? I was beginning to think she sent me on this quest to die in three days no matter what. I looked at my wrist. The remaining red bar had shrunk. Was this quest all for nothing?

  “You’re sad,” Thanos said. “Please, let me help.”

  “I’ll die if I can’t return the blood. You don’t have royal blood—you can’t even enter the museum. How then can you help me complete an impossible task?”

  He tried to put his arms around me—I pushed him away. Part of me wanted him to hold me close, but my emotions were too raw; I was going to die in less than twenty-four hours. I wiped away the only tear I’d let fall. Crying certainly wasn’t going to help.

  “Claire,” Thanos said, softly. “You don’t need to remove the blood to return it.”

  I barked out a laugh. As if there is some archaic spell I don’t know that might return the blood. “What do you mean?”

  “Royal blood will return to its origin when spilled on sacred ground.”

  “Well, we’re at a museum, not a church.” Of course, I had no idea what would be sacred to the big three.

  “The Great Museum is the most sacred ground I know,” he said solemnly.

  My eyes widened. Relief mingled with hope. I had a chance again. I just needed to find the blood.

  I pulled Thanos in for a kiss, surprising him. I wasn’t sure if it was our bond or the fear this might be my last kiss, but I didn’t hold anything back. I let him in. He took full advantage, plundering my mouth as if I were the last woman on Earth, which could have been a result of him being trapped in a desolate wasteland for the last five hundred years—but I decided not to overthink it.

  I pulled away before he wanted me to, but I had to get moving. The museum was huge and I doubted I’d find a “you are here” map at the entrance. At least now I had a chance.

  Cinnamon had been very clear. She didn’t want me to give the boys their blood. She wanted to control it, possibly leaving them trapped in the castle forever. Well, the rules had changed and she’d just have to get over it. If her fear of them killing her was warranted, then I wouldn’t have anything to worry about because she’d be dead. If not, then she was worried for nothing. I hadn’t liked the idea of leaving them trapped while setting her free. I had no love for any of them, but she was trying to punish them for her own behavior.

  I took Thanos’s hand and led him toward the museum. The path ended at a set of steps rising to the museum’s entrance. The entire structure was underwhelming. It was little more than a stone slab in front of an arched doorway embedded into the side o
f a mountain. I guess I’d expected something named the Great Museum to be a bit more ostentatious. Releasing Thanos’s hand, I stopped before the stone. Without hesitation I put my right hand forward to touch the slab.

  “Stop,” Thanos barked, pulling me back.

  “What?” I glanced around. We were alone.

  “The Fall Queen is left-handed,” he exclaimed.

  I wasn’t sure it actually mattered which hand I used—or how Thanos would know that detail—but there was no reason to test that theory. Cautiously, I reached forward with my left hand. I could feel the stone vibrating the air under my palm. It stopped when my skin touched the cool surface.

  The stone drew a small amount of energy from my hand. A moment later the stone flashed a pulse toward the door. Beside me, Thanos breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed as the door started to open. I hadn’t realized some of my tension was really his until it went away.

  Thanos’s heart beat faster as I stepped through the door. I turned to face him. “It’s okay,” I said. I just wished I believed it.

  My words calmed him, and his rapid heartbeat slowed.

  “I’ll be back,” I said, as the door slid shut between us.

  Chapter 20

  A thin layer of dust covered everything, including the floor. A smooth stone to the right of the door emitted a slight vibration as my hand hovered above it. The way out.

  The walls of the hallway, and I assumed the rest of the museum, were made of cut Sandstone. It reminded me of a cross between a tomb cut from the mountain and what I imagined the inside of the perfect Egyptian pyramid would look like.

  I slipped outside my body to scan for any traps. The stone to the exit thrummed with power; a glowing green daisy pulsed in the center. I surveyed the corridor ahead, but saw no wards or other spells on any of the walls. Satisfied there was nothing immediately blocking my path, I headed to the room at the end of the hall.