Betrayal (The Divine, Book Two)

by Forbes, M. R.

  “Kill you?” he asked. “Kid, it’s taken quite a bit of luck just to keep you alive. Some of my servants have been, shall we say, a little over-enthusiastic. No, no, no, I never wanted to kill you, at least not yet. Did you think it was a stroke of good fortune, or the Hand of God that made us wait for you to arrive? Do you think an angel needed steps to get down from that platform?” He waved his hand up at the place where we had arrived. “It’s taken quite a bit of work to get you here, especially with how stubborn you’ve been about the whole thing. It would have been so much simpler if you had just gone in the goddamn Box.”

  So, we were part of this somehow. “Why? Why do you need us? You have Sarah, she can set you free. Why go through so much to bring us here?”

  He walked over, standing just outside the falling light, pacing back and forth as he spoke.

  “Balance,” he said. “You see, it has taken thousands of years for my power to leak into Purgatory. Thousands of years for me to gather enough to create this form and begin to manipulate the world. Even after I break free of God’s stranglehold it will take time before I can fully realize my goals. By making sure neither army was too powerful, I’ve given myself the time I need.”

  I felt my heart racing. My body refused to follow my commands without Ross’ consent. Was that why trying to focus here caused so much pain? It was too many revelations, too soon.

  “Our power,” I said. “It didn’t come from Purgatory. It came from you.”

  He clapped his hands again. “Yes! I convinced Dante we needed soldiers of our own, to maintain the balance and keep humankind from becoming manburger helper. The best part about that one is that it’s not even a lie; the future of your species in this realm does depend on keeping Heaven and Hell on equal footing. I never cared about that. What I did care about is that they wound up too equal and confused to stop me. Dante agreed to my advice, and I started trying to imbue my power into the freshly dead, into the ones I thought would be the most agreeable slaves.” He laughed and shook his head.

  “It didn’t work,” he said. “My power would go in, they would scream, and they would vanish. Poof! Like they never existed at all.” He shrugged. “The trick was that you had to be a diuscrucis to be able to absorb it, and you had to be in perfect balance to be able to use it. Trial and error, you know. Anyway, what I gave up was only ever meant to be a loan.” His face turned dark, and his eyes flashed with a coldness I never wanted to experience ever again. “I want my power back.”

  He grinned from ear to ear, reached out and took Rebecca’s hand, pulling her away from the three of us. “You’re a good kid,” he said. “Too good, actually. If you would have just gone with your honey in the first place, I would have let her keep you. I’m sure you would have enjoyed it.” He gave me a suggestive wink and slid over to Charis. “As for you, I knew you’d find me sooner or later, even if it was just to tag along after that one over there. You’re more of a goody-goody than he is, even if you like to think you aren’t. Working for a God you don’t believe in? If that isn’t ironic, I don’t know what is.” He put his hand to her face, lifting it up so he could look her in the eyes. “I’ll tell you what, sweetheart. I’ll give you one chance to join the winning team.”

  I could see the fear in her eyes. I could almost see her shaking. Ross stood over her, waiting, but she didn’t respond.

  “No?” he asked. He let go of her face and backed away. “Don’t say I didn’t offer. You can’t fight a god, Landon. Be honored that for a time you held even a drip of the power of one. Sarah, it’s showtime.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  She looked over at him and smiled. “Don’t keep me waiting too long,” she said.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t,” he replied.

  She reached out and took hold of Malize’s sword, pulling it from the scabbard on Charis’ back and looking it over. “I was going to use a regular knife, but this will add to the irony,” she said. The blade lit up in the white heavenly light.

  “Sarah,” I said. “Sarah, please. Don’t do this.”

  She looked at me. “Do not be afraid, brother. This is my destiny, my fate, my purpose. I was born to free the Beast. After all, it was the Beast who convinced Gervais to rape his own sister. Why do think he did it?”

  “Sarah, no,” Josette’s voice fell into my mind, frantic.

  “You aren’t some puppet on a string,” I said. “It doesn’t matter what anybody says you were born to do. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

  “But I do want to,” she replied. “Everything I’ve felt for so long, everything that’s happened to me. It has all led me here, to this moment. I’m so sad, and so tired, and so angry. I’ve seen it all happen, I know how it ends.”

  “Those are possible futures,” I said. “None of them have to be.”

  “I’m sorry brother,” she replied. “I have seen no other path. No other way to find relief.” She took the blade, and stabbed Charis in a flare of white light. She gasped in shock and pain, looking down to watch the blood spill from her. The Grail floated over, placed under the wound where it collected her blood. The scene was too familiar. After Sarah had enough, she removed the sword. The wound closed over, but Charis looked pale and sick. Her eyes closed, and she passed out.

  “Landon, you have to do something, please,” Josette cried, desperate.

  “I can’t move,” I said.

  “No, you can’t,” Sarah replied. She turned towards me and readied her thrust, the blood on the sword burned off by the light.

  “Landon,” Josette shouted in my mind. “Don’t let her do this.”

  I tried to focus again, but the pain was unbearable. The more I pushed, the worse it got. “There’s nothing I can do,” I said in a whisper, choking on blood as the blade pierced my flesh. It was hot and cold at the same time, and I felt the blood passing out of me, watched it pour into the cup. Again.

  She pulled the blade out. “There’s nothing you can do,” she agreed.

  “Sarah, please,” I said, my body weak, my eyes fighting to stay open. “What about your mother? She would never have wanted you to do this.”

  “My mother? My mother is dead because of you, her soul trapped with yours. Better for her to be one with the universe, than to be enslaved.”

  She took the sword and turned over her wrist. It was awkward with such a long blade, but she managed to make the vertical cut that would bleed her out. The blood poured from the wound, down into the Grail.

  “No,” Josette said, her frantic panic turning to resolute strength. I felt her power overwhelm me, her energy taking hold of my body. She couldn’t be controlled by the Beast. Her power came from somewhere else.

  She pushed me forward, reaching out and grabbing the sword, pulling it from Sarah’s hands and throwing it away. She tackled the girl, throwing us both out of the fountain and onto the floor, moving my hand so that it locked around the wound, putting pressure on it and stemming the flow of blood. The geometry broken, the Grail fell to the ground with a soft clang, and the collected blood began to spill out into the pool.

  “No!” I heard Ross cry. “It has to be all of it.”

  I heard the boots on the floor, Rebecca coming for us. Sarah wriggled beneath me, trying to get free.

  “Sarah, listen to me,” Josette said. Her voice was coming out of my mouth. I don’t know how she was doing it, but she couldn’t have picked a better time. “Listen to me.”

  I was laying on top of her. Tears were streaming from her face, and I could feel the warmth of her blood below my hand. She stopped struggling.

  “Landon didn’t kill me,” Josette said. “I gave myself to him. I saved his life, so that he could protect you. I sacrificed myself so that you would be able to live a normal life, a mortal life. It doesn’t matter why your father did what he did. To me you were a gift. You have always been my gift.”

  Rebecca was nearly on top of us. My body moved like lightning as Josette grabbed the dagger at my side
and flung it into the demon. It planted itself right between her eyes, and she fell backwards. It wouldn’t keep her down, but it bought us more time.

  “Sarah, I love you,” Josette said. My own face was getting wet, my body responding to her emotions. “I’ve always loved you. I’ve tried so hard to protect you. I know it hasn’t been easy for you. I know you’ve suffered, and I’m sorry. I’ve given all that I could. I’ve done all that I could. Please, it isn’t too late.”

  The tears continued to fall, and she began to whimper. “Mother,” she cried. “Mother, I’m scared. It hurts so much. It all hurts so much.”

  “Help us,” Josette said. “Help Landon. Stop the Beast, or your hurt will never end. He knows nothing of love, or sacrifice. He knows only destruction. Please.”

  She flailed beneath us, her body writhing in an invisible agony. A piercing scream escaped from her then, a sound that reverberated from the walls and rocked the entire enclosure. Even Ross trembled at the noise. Then she stopped struggling, and I could feel the change.

  “Landon,” she said. “Help me.”

  I still couldn’t move, the Beast wouldn’t allow it. Josette could. She tore my shirt and quickly wrapped it tight around Sarah’s wrist, staunching the flow of blood. We looked up. Ross had moved over to the fountain. He grabbed Charis’ unconscious form and flung her like a sack of potatoes. She landed motionless on the floor.

  “He’s regaining his power,” Sarah said. “I’m sorry. It was enough to set him free. It is too late.”

  “No, it is not too late,” the newcomer said, appearing right in front of us. It was Dante. “You have freed some of his power, but it is not complete. Not while you live,” he said to Sarah. He looked at me. “I am sorry, signore. I should have seen this sooner, but the leak was so small. I only found it because his power is being pulled through so strongly. He fooled me.”

  “He fooled all of us,” Josette said for me.

  Ross leaned down and dipped his hand in the pool of light. An inky blackness washed off and began spreading through it. At the same time, I could feel his energy growing. He looked up at us, his face menacing, his eyes crackling with dark power.

  “Dante,” he said. “My friend. Stay a while.” He reached out, and Dante’s body contorted into a sitting position. “We have a lot to talk about. A lot to plan. You can definitely be useful. In fact, I could never have gotten this far without you.”

  The poet groaned in pain, the stress evident on his face. He settled back and relaxed, easing himself straight, overcoming whatever Ross was doing to him. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, signore,” he said.

  Josette got me up and reached out, pulling Sarah to her feet. The motion drew Ross’ attention.

  “You! I trusted you!” he shouted. “How could you?” His voice boomed throughout the entire structure, shaking the walls. The blackness was still spreading slowly through the rivers of light. He held out his hand and creased his brow in concentration, but nothing happened.

  “He can’t affect you,” Dante said to Sarah. “Not without his full power. We need to get out of here, now. Landon, get closer to Charis and I will try without touching.” He didn’t sound too confident, but he did sound determined.

  “Josette, we have to get Charis,” I said.

  She launched us forward towards her. Her eyes had opened, and they burned with a fierce red intensity. As we approached, she held up her hand.

  “I am in control,” Vilya said. “Do not touch me.”

  “Dante,” I cried,”We’re ready.”

  He nodded and took Sarah’s hand. He had just closed his eyes when the sword point blossomed through his stomach.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” Rebecca said, pulling the blade out and shoving him to the side with her foot. “Not until the Beast is free.”

  I glanced back to Ross. He removed his hand from the pool and started walking towards us. “Thank you, my pet,” he said. “Now, we have some uninvited guests who are gumming up the works. I think it’s time to remove them.”

  He held up his hand, and I felt Josette twist inside of me, her cry of pain exploding in my soul. My body was instantly frozen again, and I could feel her being ripped away. I focused, desperate to hold onto her, doing my best to ignore the searing agony.

  Rebecca held the sword point up to Sarah. “If you won’t kill yourself, I’ll do it,” she said, reaching out and taking her by the hair. She pulled her towards Ross, ignoring her screams and struggles.

  My eyes were the only thing I could move. I swung them desperately from left to right, in search of anything that I could use, doing my best to stay conscious over the double whammy of Josette’s extraction and my efforts to use the Beast’s power. Was he feeling the same pain? My eyes finally found it, Malize’s sword, resting on the ground only a few feet from Sarah.

  “Sarah,” I cried, forcing my lips to move, forcing air through my lungs. I could only pray that she would know what to do.

  The sword teetered, then launched from the ground towards her. She stopped her struggling, reaching out and catching the hilt, swinging it wildly over her head at Rebecca. The demon let go of her and ducked away, coming to her feet and deflecting the first of Sarah’s strikes.

  I had taught her what I could of her mother’s skill with a blade. She had been a fast learner, but her lessons were nowhere near complete. She put up a good fight, the sword a strong extension of her arm, moving and flowing along with her as she put all of that practice to the test. Rebecca had a lot more experience, and it showed. She easily outmaneuvered Sarah, twisting and bringing her blade up and across, using it to rip the sword from Sarah’s hands and send it tumbling away.

  “Enough,” she said, hissing in frustration. She reached out to grab Sarah again. “Let’s get this done with.”

  “No,” Sarah said. Her voice was calm and composed; the scared young girl replaced by someone strong and confident. Rebecca froze, as though she had been turned to stone. “You will not harm me,” Sarah said. Rebecca lowered her sword.

  “What are you doing?” Ross asked. “Bring her here.”

  Rebecca’s arm started to rise again.

  “No,” Sarah repeated.

  “Rebecca, do it!” Ross cried.

  “No,” Sarah said a third time. Rebecca’s hands dropped as she heeded the Command. “Kill the Beast.”

  Her eyes widened, but she was powerless to resist. She turned on Ross, raising her sword and charging. Ross barely had a moment to react before the vampire was on him. The distraction set me free, and I pulled back on Josette and started running towards Dante at the same time. Charis followed my lead, and we all reached the stricken poet together.

  I leaned down over him. “Dante,” I said. His eyes fluttered and opened. “You’ve got to get us out of here.”

  I looked back at Ross and Rebecca. The Beast had flipped her over and pinned her to the ground. One hand was tight against her neck, the other was holding Malize’s blade. Her head flopped over, and I saw the pain and fear and sadness in her eyes.

  “Landon, help me,” she croaked, her voice half curse, half sob. “Help me, please. I love you.”

  Again, she wasn’t lying. My heart pounded as my pulse quickened even more. Dante had closed his eyes, and was murmuring and tracing runes in the air. One effort, one strong pull, and I could bring her to us. Except… she couldn’t make the trip. I winced when Ross brought the sword down into her heart, causing her body to arch up and a horrible moan to escape from her lips. As she took her last breath, he looked at me, and smiled - a smile I’d never forget.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, hoping beyond hope that she could hear me. For the second time, I felt my heart shatter.

  “See you around, kid,” Ross said. The air shimmered around us, and everything went black.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  The world faded back into view. We were grouped together in a field, surrounded by stalks of wheat. It was nighttime, and I could hear a cacophony of
crickets calling out in the darkness. Dante lay on the ground below me, coughing up blood and breathing erratically. His shirt was a sopping wet mess. Sarah and Charis kneeled on either side, their hands still on his shoulders.

  “Dante?”

  He opened his eyes. “Did we make it, signore?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Yes, thanks to you.”

  He tried to take a deep breath, and wound up coughing again. I leaned in and put my arm behind him, helping him to sit up.

  “I think you won’t be thanking me soon,” he said between coughs. “The Beast may not have his full power, but he has enough to start wreaking havoc on this world. He will not rest until he has finished what has been started.”

  I figured as much. “How long do we have?”

  “It will take him some time to collect the energy that has been released, and I have cut him off from Purgatory. A few weeks? A few years? Who can say? He cannot launch an assault on the other realms without his full strength. He cannot get his full strength while any of you live.”

  “So, we have some time to figure out how to destroy him?”

  Dante tried to laugh. It was a miserable failure. “You can’t destroy him, signore. He is destruction. No, we must find a way to entrap him once more. There is no other choice.”

  I wasn’t relishing the thought. “What are the odds that we survive this?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “What are the odds that you will want to?” he replied.

  The question gave me chills. I tried to shake it off. “Will you be okay?”

  “I will be fine. The wound will heal as soon as I return home. It takes more than a demonic edge to put down Dante Alighieri.”

  “Then you should head back,” I said. “I’ll be in touch soon.”

  “Yes. I will rest, but only just long enough. Time is not on our side, signore.”

  “Dante,” Charis said sharply, before the poet could disappear.

  “Yes, my dear,” he replied.

  A tear dropped from her eye, onto the old man’s shirt. “Thank you.”