by Carol Oates
“The Council protects us all,” Zeal began benignly now. “Only those who break our laws are punished.”
My fingers trembled to reach for my sword, and I had to lock my knees in position to keep from falling into a defensive crouch. There was nothing I could do to prevent a growl rumbling up my throat when I spotted dozens of men pouring in through the doors. The grinding of an old locking mechanism clicked into place. The men positioned themselves in a row across the entire width of the room. They were dressed in black robes and wide peaked hats similar to the guard who escorted John to the gallery. Their masks had fat beaks curving over their chins, and they carried thin canes.
They resembled the plague doctors of the seventeenth century though the mask was traditionally white instead of red. It seemed appropriate Zeal should dress his guards in this manner, when he thought of the people before him as nothing more than a disease that required eradication.
“There is no Council,” Samuel answered him from behind us.
Zeal barked a laugh. “Of course you’d say that—you who would offer the life of your own son for the life of this half-breed.”
“So you admit you tried to kill our queen,” Eila added coolly.
“I admit to enforcing our laws,” Zeal agreed. It occurred to me the gallery had another purpose, keeping him far away from Eila and her gifts. He didn’t want us to force the truth from him.
“Who’s laws?”
“The Council’s laws, of course.”
“Ah,” Caleb joined in. “Laws created by our ancestors before they slaughtered their own to steal power. Laws used to rule with fear and lies about the true destiny of our people. Your Council laws are not our laws.”
Zeal laughed. “You forget your father and your brother’s mate once stood by my side. Do you accuse them too? Are they also guilty of this imagined corruption you speak of?”
Caleb didn’t answer. Zeal was correct in this instance. Samuel and Eila once enforced the Council’s laws too.
“There was a reason Dagda was overthrown. His bloodline was sullied. If we fall under the rule of his descendants, it will lead to our destruction.”
“What a pile of old shit,” Lewis boomed angrily. “Less than a year ago you were butchering humans for knowing your kind exist, and now you stand there pretending you speak for us.”
Carmel attempted to hush him, but he’d have none of it.
“No,” he said. “Only a fool would follow this madness.”
I wasn’t sure if Lewis realized he’d just called an entire room of people who wanted to kill us fools.
“You must believe us,” Triona spoke to the crowd. “This man means you only harm.”
Fear smoldered beneath the atmosphere of the room like molten rock. They didn’t know what to believe, but that was what Zeal wanted. He had brought them here to a fancy gilt slaughterhouse. Zeal didn’t plan to allow them to leave one way or another. If they attacked, we would be forced to retaliate—if they didn’t, the guards would kill them anyway and blame us. Once Zeal’s version of events spread, no Guardian would ever believe us. It’d be the massacre of our ancestors all over again. Our bloodline would be hunted until the end of time. If we lasted that long.
“Tell us what to do,” one of the dressed up sheep cried amid whoops of encouragement.
They were turning into a mob, any minute now I expected torches and pitchforks. My limbs stiffened, ready to defend, while my mind prepared to throw Merlin’s training into action if needed.
“We must form a new Council,” Zeal answered, flapping his hand out to the front to hush the building din. “A better Council, under a stronger leadership. We must control the human population—of course our new friends will be taken care of,” he tacked on graciously to include the humans below him.
Here it comes. He raced toward his big finish, the inevitable grand performance where he received the blessing of the crowd to kill the innocent man standing in the middle of the floor.
“I have the means to protect you,” Zeal said casually, and my stomach twisted in knots.
Triona moved out from our group, removing Caleb’s hand from her arm when he tried to pull her back. She turned her head, their eyes met, and although neither said a word, the tension in Caleb’s mouth was unmistakable. Archú circled her protectively.
“I will give you one final warning, Zeal.” Triona raised her chin to address him, each syllable dripped poison. “Allow everyone here to leave in peace, and I will show you mercy. Test me further, and you will die.”
No. No way. Anger flared, scorching a path through my body and nausea rose up. I swallowed hard to keep it down. This couldn’t be happening again. How could she even suggest it after what he did to Caleb? He wasn’t going to change because she gave him another chance. He’d always be a danger to us.
Zeal pressed his hand to his chest in mock anguish. “You wound me.”
“I’ll do more,” I mumbled. “What the hell are you doing?” I whispered into Triona’s ear, louder than I meant to.
She ignored me and continued. “These are my people. If even one of them is hurt in an attack on us, you will pay dearly.”
“An attack?” he asked. “Who mentioned an attack? Surely you wish to come to an equitable understanding?”
Amanda’s fingers pinched the fabric of my jacket. We knew there’d be no peaceful resolution. The color tone of the room had begun to shift as the sky outside the windows paled. Streaks of amber and pink would appear over the horizon before long. John didn’t look so good. Perspiration darkened the hair around his temple and over the back of his neck. His skin had taken on a waxy texture, and his chest expanded with steady but labored breaths. I noted the tendons at the side of his neck straining. He appeared to be struggling with holding his composure in contrast to his earlier demeanor. His body sensed the spring equinox wasn’t far away.
“What do you want from us that you haven’t already taken by force?” Triona demanded.
“I want your obedience.”
“Do not interfere, mountain.” Merlin’s voice came through the air, quieter than it seemed possible. What did he know that I didn’t?
“Surely you mean loyalty?” Triona’s lips hinted at a smile.
Zeal didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. I chanced a peek at the others over my shoulder. The masks made it hard to assess their emotions. Arthur had removed his, but a blank stare concealed his reactions to our situation.
It had to hurt seeing Guinevere up there beside Zeal. The betrayal had to sting like a son of a bitch. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel in his place. After all that time apart, and how long Guinevere waited for a reunion with him, walking away seemed a bizarre choice. Unthinkable actually. It didn’t make sense at all.
“Please friends, join me at sunrise when we welcome a new era.”
“No!” Emma exclaimed over the cheering voices. “You can’t just stand there while he murders an innocent man.” I had to presume she meant the baying horde since there was no way I planned to stand by as John died by exsanguination. My breathing had sped up, and adrenaline tightened my muscles. My nails extended to sharp talons. I couldn’t prevent it. Instinct had kicked in hard.
John’s mask dropped to the floor and his fingers curled up into his palms. He grimaced, his face contorted up and turned crimson as he struggled out of his jacket and ripped open his soaked shirt. Buttons flew everywhere.
“It’s happening,” Merlin murmured.
“What’s happening?” Triona pleaded with wide eyes. Her body leaned as though about to rush to him, but John’s hand shot up, stopping her in her tracks.
“I got this,” he ground out and bared his teeth. His head fell back and a grizzly cry escaped his throat. Muscles corded under the flesh of his exposed torso.
“Kill him. Kill them all,” a muffled voice uttered. I could have sworn it came from one of the guards sporting a plague mask in the back. The suggestion was repeated and repeated again until the crowd were chanting. Yet
none of them had the guts to approach. Not a single person moved on John. They were all bluster.
“The traitors will be tried and punished,” Zeal spat. “Seize them and the abomination!”
“Stay together,” Joshua said low, guessing something was about to happen.
The guards inched forward in unison. With the fixed expressions of their gruesome masks, they appeared like a row of automatons devoid of life or emotion. It seemed as though a black wave rose up at the rear of the room, sweeping over the crowd and forcing them into action. These humans and Guardians weren’t trained fighters. They were average people living day to day lives with their families. They probably had normal jobs, homes, and kids.
As the first of the guards broke through, three surrounded John. One stood at each side and one behind, who lashed out with his cane. The thin piece of wood whooshed and hit John across the back of his knees. It was a mistake. The moment the two grabbed his arms, John’s arms bent unnaturally and locked onto theirs. John’s entire body tilted back, his head smashing into the head of the guard behind him. The masked man dropped to the ground as John somersaulted backward feet over head, taking the other two with him. He whipped them against the ground as though they were nothing more than rag dolls.
Zeal’s attention flashed to the side. He nodded to Guinevere, one sharp and fast dip of his head.
“Don’t,” Arthur pleaded, the word only barely audible as Guinevere returned Zeal’s gesture.
It was obvious Zeal had charged her with retrieving John before anyone else got to him.
“Don’t.” This time he said it louder and more pained than before.
John doubled over and fell to his knees. His knuckles crashed to the ground, and the floor shook as cracks rushed out through the wood from the contact. Sweat had made the fabric of his shirt almost transparent, revealing the complete triple spiral mark bubbling out from his skin. Steam rose from his back as though something seared his flesh.
Not surprisingly, Triona and Emma’s first reaction was to rush to him. Caleb’s hand circled Triona’s wrist and yanked her back against his chest. He panted with the exertion of trying to hold on to her although she didn’t appear to fight.
“It’s not safe.” Eila held Emma back with little effort and passed her to Lewis.
“Whatever happens, this is my choice,” Amanda reminded me.
I wanted to argue but bit my tongue instead, ignoring the abrupt stab of fear. I adjusted my stance and my grip on Lasair. “We move forward together.”
The others beside me also made themselves ready for action as Guinevere placed one hand on the rail. She hesitated there for an instant, and I didn’t understand what she was waiting for at first.
“Now, Emrys!” she called out as she vaulted over the railing.
Ignoring my instruction, Merlin rushed out with Guinevere still in midair and John crumpling to the ground. The black ink gave the impression his tattoo was alive, like coiling snakes on his skin. John’s muscles spasmed violently, and I wondered if Merlin had warned him during their conversations to expect this pain.
The old wizard zipped out at impossible speed. The cone hat toppled from his head and landed with a clatter. Archú barked but remained with the group. Vibrant colors streaked out behind Merlin from his swishing cloak. It fanned outward, covering John’s prone body entirely before both Merlin and John disappeared in a cloud of gray smoke.
She’d never joined Zeal. With the wide-eyed, dumbstruck expression on Zeal’s face, it seemed he’d just figured that out too. “No!” he roared as Guinevere dropped into the empty floor space.
She pushed her mask to the top of her head and looked back up at Zeal. Her lips slowly spread into a wide grin.
“Destroy them all!” Zeal’s face pinched, contorting to something ugly, something that matched his insides.
Chapter 37
My Worst Nightmare
THE HORDE RUSHED FORWARD as Zeal vanished from sight, not doubt chasing Merlin and John. They had to have gone to Knowth. John needed to be there at sunrise. The warmth against my back suggested the hidden sun was already leeching the cool air of night. Sunrise was getting closer. We had to follow, but how. None of us had the ability to move a group this large so far.
A split-second later, about two thirds of the guards also disappeared.
Guinevere calmly waited until the nearest person, a Guardian male wearing a glittering jade green mask, was inches away from her and unsheathed Excalibur. The blade glowed bright white and dazzling. The man fell backward, slamming into several people behind him. All advances ceased as cries of horror and pain rippled through the room when the guards pressed on, cutting people down in their wake. The humans crushed in the fray were paying a high price for their presence.
None of us wasted any time—we knew what we had to do. We stepped up behind Guinevere, swords drawn.
Amanda pulled a metal contraption from her quiver, and without a word she extended and snapped it out to the length of a full bow. Her deft movements made it seem she’d been handling weapons all her life. She readied an arrow to fly before her heart began to scramble, and her eyebrows drew down. The tip of the arrow moved left to right. “I’m going to hit one of them. They’re too close to the guards.”
Emma appeared by her side, a similar bow in her hands and an arrow aimed. “I won’t,” she said steadily and loosed the arrow with a ping. It soared over the crowd and struck home, right where the guard’s heart would be. He collapsed, clutching at the aluminum spike sticking from his chest and slithered down the wall. Meanwhile, Emma drew a second arrow and let loose. It sliced through the air and pierced his hand, pinning it to his chest. The guard went still. He was dead. She’d destroyed his heart.
Emma wasted no time in releasing more arrows but the guards had seen their fallen comrade and moved out of their path.
“Keep them busy,” Triona whispered across to Amanda.
Amanda nodded and inched the tip of her arrow higher before she released it with a whoosh of breath. It sailed through the air and struck the wall. But not before it forced one of the guards to jump out of the way. She smiled and reached for another arrow.
Guinevere moved Excalibur in a wide circle, illuminating the room with a ribbon of light. “Oh, come now,” she addressed the people immediately before her, “you didn’t think it would be that easy.”
Arthur took his place beside her, relief apparent in his bright eyes. Whatever she and Merlin had cooked up, Arthur knew nothing about it.
The man with the green mask whipped away the metal covering. “Help us,” he begged, terror evident on his handsome face.
Triona didn’t answer straight away, and I glanced sideways at her in surprise, wondering if maybe her mind was already someplace else. She pulled in a deep breath through slack lips.
“You should remember this,” she warned loudly. “Remember the day you stood together and lived. Remember the only thing that can destroy us is our own fear.” She flicked her head to the side. “Eila, Joshua, get as many out of here as you can.”
The order was followed by smashing glass and splintering wood. I glanced back in time to see Joshua launch a table through a second arched window. Glass tinkled onto the ground outside. The fresh scent of grass and flowers filled the air.
The people didn’t need a second invitation. They swarmed around us to get to the opening, the humans not caring we were on the second floor. To them, the risk must have seemed a better option than certain death. Some began to pour through the broken windows to escape. Emma and Amanda remained on either side with their bows, ready to release an arrow at any guard who got too near. Guardians jumped with humans in their arms at Eila and Joshua’s instruction as we pushed headlong into the sea of people.
Most of the guards weren’t giving up and perhaps that’s why Zeal chose this particular band of men. They were the emotionless automatons they appeared to be. A few edged away out of the main path of destruction. One struck out at a screaming human wom
an. Her body arched away from him, and her face took on shocked disbelief. Four angry red slashes crept outward over the white satin of her dress before she collapsed to the floor.
When he came at me next, I swiped out with my blade. He vanished in mist and reappeared an instant later unharmed. The movement reminded me of Arthur’s instructions to use all my advantages. When I lunged again, he blocked the blow with his long stick and swirled around, his cloak lifting like great wings. The stick snapped in two, but he’d avoided the blade again. However, he couldn’t get close. Just as Arthur said, Lasair prevented him from getting close enough to use his talons. Around me, blades flashed silver and reflected the light given off by the overhead lights and Excalibur’s radiance.
I reached out to my opponent with ribbons of thought as he crouched and swiped with his claws out. His mask muffled vicious growls. I hoped he would be susceptible to my influence. Nothing happened. He didn’t back off in the slightest—if anything his attack grew fiercer. I backed up, letting him come closer. I wanted him to believe he stood a chance at getting to me. Triona crossed my line of vision behind my opponent. The mask of the man she was fighting hung off his face and was stained with scarlet.
Lewis and Carmel fought one guard in unison. An angry gash on Lewis’s stomach left droplets of blood on the floor as he moved, and he appeared to be favoring his left side. They needed help, and everyone else was busy. Their guy was playing with them.
Adrenaline coursed a rampant path through my body, and my heart battered the inside of my ribcage. All I could do was still my mind to remain calm. I waited until my opponent had me backed up to the wall and there was nowhere to go. His entire body appeared to relax as though sensing my defeat. I raised Lasair higher, knowing it left my torso wide open to attack. Just as I expected, he drew back his arm.
I called up everything Merlin had told me. For the briefest moment, time seemed to slow and then pause. The guard’s hand had come toward me and froze a hair’s distance from my chest. His razor-like nails angled to rip my heart out. I thought about where I wanted to be, and the room blurred before my eyes. My limbs pulled outward. My insides stretched like elastic bands. It didn’t hurt as much as it had in the beginning, but it wasn’t comfortable. Everything darkened as though the colors of the world washed out.