by Meg Anne
Gillian shrugged helplessly, conscious not to repeat her slip as she added, “The drug has him in its hold, Mistress. There’s nothing I can give him to counteract it while he is unconscious.”
“You had better hope, girl, that he wakes. My patience with you is waning. I gave you until the turn of the moon, and you have failed to meet your deadline. Does your brother’s life mean so little to you?”
Gillian’s heart constricted in her chest. No, not Micha. Not after everything she had already gone through to protect him. “Please, Mistress. Give me another day. I will—”
“You have one hour, or I will crate you up and send you off to the Vessel myself. Let her have her way with you for all the grief you have caused her. I am sure she has many plans for what she would like to do to you, Daughter, if given the chance. It matters not to me. I will still have my prisoner, even if you are too incompetent to follow the simplest of requests.” Each word landed like a blow. The fact that this was the first time that Rowena had called her daughter since appearing to her in the mirror cut her more deeply than the rest.
Gillian’s back stiffened. She lifted her chin and met her mother’s emotionless gaze, feigning a confidence she did not feel. Despite the words “she wouldn’t” which repeated in her mind, her mother certainly would cart her up and ship her out. She would just enact her own punishment first. Rowena was not one to give someone else the pleasure of hurting someone for her. She was sadistic in that regard and needed to see the effects her brand of brutality could cause. That meant that despite her threat, before she made a gift of Gillian for Helena, Rowena would make certain that Gillian suffered, likely by slaughtering Micha.
Before she could respond there was a sound like crackling leaves that had her twirling to stare at the bed. Von’s gray eyes shone unseeing up at the canopy above his bed before blinking rapidly. She was too stunned to move. Only moments before he had been catatonic, the same state he had been in since his arrival in Vyruul. Von turned his head, his eyes landing on her and narrowing. In that moment she was not sure who she was more afraid of, her mother or the madman whose eyes glowed with the promise of a slow and painful death.
She had thought, given how long he had been under, that he would be more disoriented when he awoke. It was clear, however, that Von was keenly aware of his situation, if perhaps not all of the details. Gillian was frozen in place, so startled by the unanticipated change of events that she could not react. This was her greatest fear come to life, save Micha being slain at the hands of their mother. At least he was safely away for the moment. That she even had the ability to feel relief at that realization only underscored how unmoored she had become by Von’s very conscious presence.
“You,” he growled, his voice no less terrifying despite its harsh rasp. Gray eyes swiftly became a molten, shining gold. With a powerful tug that should have been impossible given the amount of time he’d been incapacitated, Von pulled at the bindings holding him to the bed. The entire bed lurched with the movement. Gillian distantly noted the blood that dripped down his wrists, the force of the impact against his restraints having caused his skin to split. Suddenly, everything went black and she felt herself falling.
Chapter Ten
Helena was sitting with the other women listening to them share stories about their various conquests. She couldn’t help but appreciate the idle chatter after the morning’s grueling workout. She allowed her gaze to wander over each of the women, lingering momentarily on Serena’s face. The blonde was staring off in the direction of the men. Helena let her eyes follow Serena’s path, expecting to find Ronan, and only mildly startled to find Nial instead.
The two of them had been dancing around each other for weeks now. They were overly polite and courteous, both often studying the other before quickly looking away to try and avoid being caught doing so. Helena’s eyebrow rose, when are those two going to admit that they are interested in each other?
Her next thought followed in quick succession. Poor Ronan. She could not imagine her proud friend taking the news graciously. His warrior instincts would demand retribution, or at the very least, the right to fight for his woman. He wouldn’t simply allow her to waltz off with a new lover. His pride would never recover from the insult, not to mention his heart. There was little doubt that he loved her with every part of himself; to lose her would be a devastating blow.
Helena sighed. She was borrowing trouble worrying about something that may never come to pass and she already had more than enough to focus on without adding to the list preemptively. Helena allowed her aqua eyes to fall back onto her friend’s face. Serena was frowning now, clearly trying to puzzle something out. As if feeling Helena’s eyes on her, Serena’s gaze met hers and she turned a bright pink. Blushing was becoming a habit for her where Nial was concerned. She squirreled that thought away for now, determined to tease her friend about it properly another time.
The women had grown silent around her, and it was obvious someone had asked her a question she had missed. Helena blinked, clearing her mind of the errant thoughts in order to focus properly on the conversation. Miranda was regarding her curiously, one of her sculpted eyebrows lifted as if waiting for a response. Effie was smiling brightly, sitting on a log beside her Gran with her legs tucked up beneath her simple red dress.
“Apologies, Keeper, my mind seems to have wandered. What were you saying?”
Miranda’s smile was warm as she repeated her question, “No need to apologize, Kiri. I was just wondering if you had any luck with your training. I know that you’ve been working with the fierce one.” Her head gestured toward Ronan who had his arms crossed and was glowering at Timmins, “But what of your powers? Are you still struggling to control them?”
Helena tried not to scowl. She had finally made progress after weeks of effort with Ronan, and instead of being able to enjoy the accomplishment for a few hours, she had to answer for the fact that her magic was more like a prepubescent teenager than a prophesied ruler.
She opened her mouth to respond when a voice answered for her. “Our Kiri has never been one to lord her talents in front of others. She hates showoffs,” Darrin’s quietly amused voice responded as he took a seat next to her.
Helena smirked at him, remembering all of the times growing up when she had told him she wouldn’t be his friend anymore if he always insisted on showing off. Mostly she had been annoyed he had been able to do so many more things that she had, and it was her way of trying to level the playing field. Not that it ever worked for very long.
Miranda’s midnight eyes were shrewd as she pointed out, “I never said anything about showing off, I was asking about control.”
“Some days are better than others,” Helena responded dryly, refusing to elaborate.
If Miranda was startled by the shortness of her tone, her face did not betray it.
Micha was the one to respond, which surprised everyone. He had barely spoken more than a handful of times since they had left the Holbrooke estate. Taking her words before they had left to heart, he had blended unobtrusively into the background and had chosen to remain silent and watchful during their trek.
“That is true for all of the Chosen, Kiri,” he mumbled, stepping closer to the group.
She smiled thankfully at him, appreciating the show of support.
Miranda harrumphed, annoyed that she had not gotten a straightforward answer, but seemed resolved to let it go. Helena couldn’t help but wonder why she was so concerned about it in the first place. It was really none of her business, was it? The thought troubled Helena. As if to underscore her unease at the line of questioning, there was a low buzzing just under the surface of her skin. She rubbed her arms without conscious thought.
“Are you all having a party without me?” Kragen asked in his booming voice.
Helena rolled her eyes, “I would hardly call a bunch of women sitting around in the dirt a party, but to each their own, Sword.”
There were murmurs of protest at her words, S
erena feigning wounded pride as she shouted, “Hey!”
“That simply means you aren’t doing it correctly, Kiri. I find that a group of women in the dirt can be quite an enjoyable time,” Kragen smirked.
“You would,” she retorted, trying to hide the smile his words had triggered.
“I second that,” Ronan laughed, wrapping his arm around Serena, who gave him a tight smile.
“And I,” Darrin chimed in.
“Because you would know,” Helena sniped sarcastically turning to Darrin. “Tell me, Shield, when was the last time you had a group of women playing with you in the dirt?”
Darrin turned pink but answered gamely, “I seem to remember a time, Hellion, when you –”
“And that’s enough of that story!” she said quickly, knowing exactly what he was about to share and wanting nothing to do with it. Helena frowned and began rubbing her arms in earnest, the harsh buzz beneath her skin growing painful.
“Cold, Kiri?” Nial asked softly from behind her. She tried not to flinch at his voice, but she had not heard his approach. Helena shook her head but did not respond.
Timmins and Joquil were the last to join the circle, joining in on the cacophony of happy and relaxed voices that surrounded her. She was smiling softly, enjoying the comradery, even as she shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Her behavior was starting to draw some concerned looks from the others, but no one mentioned it.
“The last time we sat around like this Timmins was telling us one of his stories,” Joquil reflected.
“When isn’t Timmins boring us with one of his stories?” Kragen asked and then quickly ducked as a rock came hurtling toward his head.
“Har har har, you jackass,” Timmins said dryly.
Helena laughed despite herself.
“I believe it’s Miranda’s turn to tell us a story,” Ronan called out loudly as he pulled Serena into his lap. Nial frowned before wiping his face of all expression.
“Oh yes!” clapped Effie, “Please Gran, you promised to tell the story of the first mate. It’s one of my favorites!”
“I thought it was the Talyrians?” Kragen asked Darrin in a carrying whisper.
Miranda looked around the group sprawled about the clearing. The stars were just starting to appear in the sky as the sun began its descent. “I suppose it is the time of day made for storytelling,” she said finally.
There was rustling as everyone settled in, making themselves comfortable. For her part, Helena was struggling to simply stay present with the people around her. Her skin felt as though she was being prickled with thousands of electrified needles. Fairly certain she was experiencing another side effect of the separation from Von, Helena didn’t want the others to realize what was happening. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, trying to use the pain as a distraction. It worked. She focused on it, grinding her teeth slowly back and forth to increase the pressure. The buzzing only receded slightly, but it was enough to allow her to hear Miranda’s lilting words.
“When the Mother first walked among the world she had created; she did so alone. As a being comprised of energy and intent, she was nothing like the two and four-legged, or even the finned creatures she had made. Thus, while she was surrounded by the beauty of her creation, she was never truly part of it. She spent many centuries with the beings she had molded from her power, infusing bits of herself into them so that they could continue to evolve as the years passed. This is how the Talyrians, Draconians, and even the Macabruls came into being.”
Kragen nudged Darrin, “I told you it was about the Talyrians!” His over-enthusiastic exclamation caused the rest of them to snicker.
Miranda’s midnight eyes glowed with warmth as she continued, “Eventually the first humans were made, and the Mother felt more drawn to these beings than any of the others. She was still too powerful and other for their simple minds to comprehend, but she studied them anyway. She was convinced they were the answer to her loneliness, if only she could find a way to bond with them. Despite infusing them with greater parts of her essence than ever before, it quickly became clear to her that the only way the humans would be capable of interacting with her would be for her to make herself more like them. These humans became the first Chosen. They were beings with raw and undiluted power, capable of magic we have not seen for millennia. Even still, the Mother’s power was too vast for them.”
Helena struggled to pay attention, but the buzzing returned in full force. Her ears were ringing and each word Miranda spoke sounded as if it was coming from far away. She bit down until the metallic taste of her blood was coating her tongue and tears were filling her eyes. In the distance, Starshine roared.
Miranda’s storytelling halted, and the others shifted nervously in their seats. Kragen and Ronan both stood, hands unsheathing their weapons. Starshine’s roar had been a call to battle: one they were answering. No one seemed to be looking at Helena, although in their own way, each person around her was seeking to protect her. If only they knew that their so-called enemy was not one they would actually be able to fight.
Helena’s eyes lost focus, so she squeezed them shut. Within her, there was a sharp snap and she felt the bond that ranged between her and Von, the one that had been nothing but an endless chasm of silence for so long, pull taut. There was another roar, but this one was solely in her mind and it was a voice she had secretly feared she’d never hear again. Von.
When her eyes snapped back open, they were not a shining blue but swirling iridescent mist. Her teeth were bared in a feral snarl, her nails growing and curling into deadly black claws. She heard shouting around her and let out a low warning growl. All of her attention was turned inwards. Where there had once been nothing, she could feel a growing rage.
“Von?” she asked frantically. There was no answer.
Helena tried not to panic. She didn’t want to know why she could only feel his emotions. All that mattered was making sure the bond did not go silent again. She honed in, flooding the tether between them full of her magic, pulling every last drop from the pool within her and sending it toward the howling wrath. If he was surrounded by enemies, she would make damn sure they could not hurt him again.
There was a loud crack of lightning, roaring thunder, and the sharp scent of burning wood. More screams called to her and she hissed. It was a final warning.
She felt as though she was using their bond like a rope, climbing and pulling herself toward him. Helena knew the moment she found him. There was a shiver of awareness that ran along her skin, although she was only passingly aware of her physical body. Helena was wholly focused on the thin barrier that was separating his mind from hers.
She sent her love for him to press against the barrier. It was a request for entry, the equivalent of a lover’s gentle caress. She would not force her way into his mind, to do so would be the worst sort of invasion. If he was still in there, she would give him a chance to grant his permission before breaking the barrier.
The barrier rippled in answer before fading completely. She was in. Helena had a sense of being surrounded by mist before a room came into sharp focus. She could still feel her actual body, crouched on the jungle floor, from a world away. At the same time, she could also feel restraints biting into her, no… Von’s wrists.
Their individual consciousness’ were blending, and she could feel his jumbled thoughts like a rush of water washing over her. There were no complete sentences, only assorted words and phrases: the voice, stay in the light, Helena…
Upon hearing her name, she called to him, “I’m here!”
There was a surge of confusion that was quickly replaced by fury. Von’s head turned. Helena was seeing through his eyes. Gillian was standing above them, her already milky skin deathly pale and her mossy green eyes showing white.
“You!” Helena shouted although it came out in Von’s harsh rasp. They pulled against the restraints, the entire bed jerking beneath them as the wood gave way under the force of their joint strength.
With a roar, they were free and lunging toward Gillian. Her green eyes went white with snaking black lines moving beneath the surface. That was when Helena became aware of the other woman in the room.
Rowena watched Von break free and acted swiftly. She sent her power into Gillian’s body. The girl was too senseless to move to defend herself. Rowena shuddered as she pulled the essence into herself, feeding off of the girl’s power and bolstering her own strength. Her lips curled in an almost sexual smile. The extra flood of power was always heady.
She threw out an arm as Von launched himself at Gillian and Gillian’s body lurched like a marionette before collapsing to the floor. She had not drawn enough to turn the girl into one of her Shadows. That would require a complete drain of power, and she still had plans for the girl before she could allow that to happen.
Von stopped short, now crouching on the bed. His hands fisted around the restraints at his ankles and pulled. The supple leather broke cleanly in two. He faced her, eyes a glowing molten gold.
Rowena smiled wickedly, “So glad you are back amongst the living, Mate. I was growing weary waiting for you to wake. Now the games can really begin.”
She lashed out quickly sending her twisted Spirit magic toward him. Von’s eyes narrowed and he snarled before speaking in a voice that had the smile fall from her face. “You do not know who you play with, woman, or you would not be so eager.” His low rasp had transformed into a melodious and richly layered voice that she had heard only once before.
Rowena’s bolt of magic bounced off Von with no more effect than a feather. His head had dropped down to assess the smooth skin of his chest before his lips curled with amusement and those molten eyes lifted to stare up at her through his lashes.
“My turn,” the voice-of-many purred as Fire erupted from Von’s hands.
With no choice but to retreat, Rowena snapped the purple stone from its resting place in her ring and vanished.