Mireya nodded, shakily.
A Striper started to approach and suddenly fell to the ground. Jae was pretty sure, dead.
Mireya gasped.
Colby warned them to hurry.
Mireya stared down her brother. This was all happening so fast. She had so much she wanted to say to her brother. “Why can’t you come too?”
“You know why. I’m not going to dumb it down. You’re smarter than that. I did a stupid thing and now I have to pay for that. Tell mom and dad… tell them I love them, and how sorry I am. But I’m going to make it right, if I can.”
“I don’t want to leave you here.”
“And I don’t want to stay. Now, go. Before it’s too late. And do exactly what I said.”
She leaned in and hugged him one last time.
“I love you,” Jae told her. “Just remember that.”
Mireya opened her mouth to speak, and poof, she was gone. Flitted away to safety.
Jae took a moment to gather himself. If Colby had actually done what he said, his family and all the Svoda were safe and with the banished. Not safe, but not here. No longer prisoners. And hopefully they’d listen and move the camp.
It gave them time.
Something they didn’t have much of. Jae climbed to his feet and wasn’t surprised to see everyone staring at Colby, who almost appeared as though he was in some kind of trance.
What he was really doing was fighting, hard, to remain in control of his magic.
It was threatening to overpower him and take on a mind of its own.
He saw only one solution to this problem.
Only one way out of this mess.
He needed to get rid of this power. He didn’t want it. Didn’t ask for it.
And it was trying to consume him.
He reached into a pocket and removed something.
Jae approached him, wondering what was happening and if there was some way he could help. Colby didn’t look so good. He stopped when Colby dropped something. A dagger, and he was pretty sure what this dagger did. Jae crouched down and picked it up, looking upward at Colby. All he saw in that gaze was, please take it out of me.
“Please do as he asks,” pleaded Elisha. “He hurts. Too much, he hurts.”
All Jae remembered, was that the dagger stole Projector’s powers. But he didn’t want to kill Colby in the process. Although, he was immortal so he guessed it didn’t matter.
Jae got to his feet and gripped the dagger, ready to do it.
“What are you doing?” shouted Katana.
Jae motioned for her to stay put. He eyed Colby.
“Are you ready?”
“Do it. I can’t contain this much longer. It wants out.” And if he let it out there was no telling what would happen other than he’d have no control, and it would be catastrophic.
Jae sucked in and upon exhaling, plunged the dagger into Colby’s shoulder, where he hoped it would do the least amount of physical damage. He had to let go within a second. Colby fell to his knees as the dark unnatural power not born to him, was sucked back into the dagger. Jae fell to his knees right in front of him, hoping to be of some help. But how the heck did you help in this situation?
And when was it done?
How long did it take?
Jae smelled mothballs. Oh no… his head lifted up to see Tanzea Chase staring him down. Her face, nothing but fury. In another blink, she was gone. They were running out of time.
Colby reached up and with a hefty pull, yanked the dagger out of himself. He let it fall to the ground and staggered to his feet.
Katana approached.
But he motioned for everyone to stay back.
His breathing was labored. He looked spent. Like the act had cost him something great.
And it had. But removing that power had given him his choice back.
And he’d just gone against his father’s wishes.
He was going to be livid.
And there was Colin’s old book lying on the ground. The Magicante. Jae picked it up, unsure what to do with it. He went to ask Colby, whose gaze was glued to the dagger. He picked it up and came so close to breaking it. He wanted it destroyed. So it could not be used on anyone else, or him, again. Something kept him from doing so, and instead, he slid it back into his cloak pocket.
“Colby, Tanzea was just here. We’re going to have company soon. You need to get out of here.”
“So do you.”
“I can’t. Juliska will find me and call me back.”
Katana shuffled forward. “Could she still do such a thing if you were no longer in this world?”
They both gaped at her.
“Katana, what are you doing?” Ardon strode over. The plan was over. Plan B. Plan C. Plan whatever. They were screwed now, she was certain of it. They needed to wait for KarNavan to return and hope his deal was made, and worth it.
Katana spun to her aunt. “I can’t follow my father. You know this. It’s why I helped you when you thought my father was leading us down the wrong direction. I’m not like him. Not really.”
“If you leave, he’ll never take you back.”
“Come with me,” Katana pleaded with her.
“No. I’m a Striper. I may have lost faith in our leader, but I will not abandon our way of life.”
“There’s nothing else to be said then.”
What Colby wanted, was to go to his sister. He needed to. And yet, she’d want him to join the war against his father. He could not do that. Giving up his powers and his place by his father’s side, was one thing. But joining the other side, that was too much.
And Jae was screwed, times ten, if he stayed.
Katana was right. They needed to leave this world and go to another.
“Let’s go.” He took off with Jae and Katana right behind him. No one tried to stop him. But the Stripers were looking a little lost, and a bit like they wanted to flee themselves.
If they were very lucky, they’d get off the island in time before Fazendiin arrived. And he wouldn’t hunt them all down for failing at this job.
They made it to the base of Juliska’s fortress and needed to find the Book of Doorways. It was their one chance of escape. They were greeted by claws, teeth, and deadly wings. Hollee had healed, was awake, and pissed off.
Jae wasn’t able to fight her. Now that he was back in Juliska’s control, she’d made it so he could not fight against his own kind, not in Scratcher form, anyway. Colby and he fought her back, with spell after spell, instead, working their way inside. They ordered Katana to find the book. She’d never seen it, only heard about it. And was told by her father Juliska kept it in her own private room. That did not help her much.
She made it to the room she believed was the Queens and hopped right in. And deflated almost instantly. This was not the right room, or if it was, there were no personal possessions here. She left that room and tried the next one. Footsteps came up behind her.
“Get rid of the crazy one?” she asked as Colby and Jae reached her.
“Knocked her out, it won’t last long.” Jae motioned for them to follow. He knew where the book was kept. He raced into the room and went right to the glass case it was stored in, and punched in the glass.
Colby reached in and grabbed the book.
“Where to? And how the hell do we find an open door?”
Almost instantly, an out of nowhere, white door slid downward, hitting the ground with a flood of fog-like wisps that shot outward. The door opened and a man stepped out.
“I heard a call for assistance.” Jae recognized the man as the same B.O.D. guard that had come when they got stuck in limbo after leaving Eidolon’s Valley.
“We need a doorway to anywhere that’s fast to get to.”
“Ah, well, you’re in luck. This fortress was built around such a doorway. One that is always open, and leads to many worlds.”
Jae realized right where they needed to go. It was in the lowest part of the fortress. They tore off back down the st
airs.
“You’re welcome,” the young man hollered after them, to the pretend thank you, he’d not heard. “Always in a hurry, these people.” He went back inside his white door and it flew upward and dissolved into nothing.
The threesome made it to the cellar with Elisha at their heels. Jae led them to the archway. This is where the Svoda had first left the Isle, all those years ago now. He was too young to remember but he’d heard the stories. And this doorway had been used for others traveling as well. This door could lead to many places. Any, would do.
All at once, the three of them shuddered. As if some great power had shimmered into existence, close by. They were out of time. Fazendiin, probably Juliska, and KarNavan, had come to the island.
“It doesn’t matter where we end up.” Colby went to go through.
Katana grabbed his hand and Jae’s. “We go together.”
They agreed and jumped through just as a shape landed a few feet away.
Jurekai Fazendiin stared at the empty archway, keeping the furious stream of anger threatening to pour out of him, inside. Trying to find his son would get him stuck in a maze.
Tanzea had arrived at his estate, and he’d been in the middle of finalizing his agreement with KarNavan. Which he’d needed Juliska’s unwilling help for. He’d made Tanzea wait for him, though she’d said it was urgent.
He left in a flash, returning to where it had all gone down on the lower part of the island. To where Ardon was speaking with KarNavan.
What bad timing. There was a bit of that going around and it was beginning to annoy him. And now, his son had gone and let all the people go.
He’d needed that magic. But no matter, his plan could be adjusted. He could still move forward with his agreement with KarNavan. The rest would get back on track soon because he’d find every single last person on this planet with an ounce of magic still inside them. And he’d take it. All.
And then he’d return magic, as planned, and harvest that as well.
But his son. Colby, the one he’d handpicked, and raised.
He shouldn’t have been so blind to the boy’s growth into a man. Hormones did strange things to boys becoming men. It had been a few ages since he’d felt them, himself.
He’d told his son to flex his muscle, and remind everyone who was in charge.
And he did.
And although not in the manner he’d wanted or expected, there was something satisfying about it. His son was learning the ways of the world. A necessary lesson. And he’d come back, stronger, wiser. And ready. Once he’d had his fill of a world in which he was not in charge. Or not as powerful as he had been. Power, and missing that power, always brought them back.
Juliska was lumbering off to the side, looking a little out of sorts.
She hadn’t expected to lose her immortality today. He needed her vulnerable, to rebuild her. He wasn’t giving up yet. He’d even thought of telling her the truth and attempting to have her bring Colin into the fold. Instead, he’d told Juliska she’d get her immortality back, soon.
And if she wanted to be with her son, she’d have to stick around. If she wanted to live, forever, with him, she’d have to stick around. This was a potentially providential situation.
And the other reality, Tanzea had failed at her first attempt to hunt down Colin. Some new force to reckon with had shown up and saved the day.
Hollee approached her Queen.
“Take me to my fortress,” Juliska ordered evenly. She caught Fazendiin’s dark gaze as she went by him. You promised me revenge, hers claimed. He was impressed she was still fighting the truth.
KarNavan was arguing with Ardon.
“You let her go. You let my daughter go with them.”
“It wasn’t like I could stop her.”
“Enough,” ordered Fazendiin. “You’ll get your daughter back when I get my son back, and when Juliska gets her pet back. Do you still wish to enter into this agreement?” His eyes blazed into KarNavan’s, seeking out the truth.
“That depends, can you still win this war?”
“It’s already won. The events here today are inconsequential. It almost makes my job, easier.”
KarNavan hardened himself. He was pissed that his daughter had gone gallivanting off, but she’d come back when she was ready to be his daughter again. Damn teenagers.
He lifted his hand. “Let’s make a deal.”
Rather than shake on it, though, he waited as Tanzea approached with a pointed knife and jabbed it into his palm. He flinched only slightly, letting his blood drip into a glass. She proceeded to do the same to Fazendiin’s hand. Only she took a lot more blood from him. She turned and walked over to a table that appeared out of nowhere. Stocked with vials and potions. She added a drop each of their blood to a mixture, which shot off a plume of steam, and gave her Master a vile grin.
The Grosvenor closed his eyes, and heard the gasps as the thing he’d requested, suddenly arrived. The Immortality Stone. He opened his eyes and let KarNavan address the Stripers.
“Today is the day we no longer worry about being on the losing side.” He eyed Ardon. His silent stare, I know you’ve been questioning. But no longer. “Today, we are offered a one-time opportunity. And as your leader in a world that has been uncertain, and often unkind, this is a chance for us to make our mark in this world. To join forces, from this day forth, with Jurekai Fazendiin.” He turned it over to him.
“What I’m offering you is immortality.” Nothing like getting right to the good stuff. It’s what they all really want anyway. To live forever. Who cares about the consequences.
KarNavan eyed Ardon, who got it now. This is why he’d been so sure, when she was not. He was securing a deal where they became the Grosvenor’s personal army. A few were already lining up and asking what they had to do. And Ardon had to admit, it looked nice, on paper. But really, they were just securing themselves as slaves to this man’s whims.
What was the alternative though? Be on the losing side? Because the other side was not winning. And Striper’s never sided with the underdog. Fazendiin was the highest bidder. It was a long job, though. But it sparked a fire inside her, just like the others.
KarNavan sidled up to her.
“Are you with me?”
She stepped into the line already forming. “I serve my people. And if this is how we live, and survive in the world to come, then count me in. Forever.”
Fazendiin watched as they hurried to give away their freedom. Each giving a drop of blood that would be mixed with his own. Each warrior, tied to him. Fighting only for him. The Stone had enough power to do this. They’d been collecting magic, slowly, over the years. The Svoda had never guessed. Wondered why their power had begun to lessen, but never questioned as they’d been careful when collecting. But it added up. And much more these last weeks. All of it transferred into the Stone. As well as what Juliska had returned.
Fazendiin was glad of that move. It had knocked her down a peg, if nothing else. And she needed to remember she was not the one in charge. But he’d have to give her something, soon, to make her happy, or he would lose her. And she was valuable to him.
He let out satisfied simper that was already moving onto the next project.
Immortal army? Check!
Once the process was complete, the Stone would be secured again in his estate. He would then work on returning magic, as planned, with the unwilling assistance of his daughter, so he could harvest that power and create his new Stone.
And then, his army would win him this war.
And he would at last, create the world in which he wanted to live.
And his son, to reign.
CHAPTER 15
This wasn’t going well. Meghan was not surprised. It was a hell of a thing to be told your future, and find out it was downright bleak. But all for a purpose that was getting clearer, the longer the conversation went on.
Dealing with Fazendiin and the Grosvenor was going to take time. If they wanted it done right,
and forever. Meghan ended up sharing all she’d found out, including what Colby had shared with her right before she’d gone on this journey back in time.
When it was all finally laid out for them to see, Jasper was the first one to speak.
“I can’t do it.” And by it, he meant, living in relative freedom while the woman he loved was held prisoner. And it was killing Meghan that he didn’t know he died before he got to see her again. She was asking these people to sacrifice their lives, to create a prophecy so that in her time, they could finally win this war.
“We can’t stop the Immortality Stone from being created,” Aloyna argued, although weakly. “It sounds like this prophecy is our only option. She was sent back here for a reason. In her future, I create this prophecy, which is something I would never do now. It makes sense this is what she came for.”
“Then find a new way to do it,” Jasper spit out.
“Take it easy, friend,” Robert ordered calmly. Jasper blew him off.
“You’re asking me to let you become a prisoner of your son’s. In a brutal way I can’t allow.”
“If that’s what it takes, then I am willing.”
“And what do I do?” Jasper asked.
“You and I, and others, will prepare.” Robert explained. “Thanks to Meghan and Sebastien, we know what to prepare for. And when it needs to be ready. Yes, it is a sacrifice. It’s not so different than what we’re doing now.”
“For some, maybe, much more so for others.” Jasper plunked down.
“Um, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go lie down for a minute.” Meghan was feeling a little lightheaded. Sebastien followed her, sensing the others needed a little time to sort through it all. Once behind the doors, Meghan sank onto the bed. He joined her.
“I can’t believe it was me all along. I am the reason I’m alive. Try to wrap your brain around that without having a meltdown.”
Sacrifice (The Wayward King, The Projector's Mother, and A Prophecy Reborn) (A Fated Fantasy Quest Adventure Book 9) Page 13