Synchronicity (Scintillate Series Book 3)

by Karen Tjebben

  Gabriella found bridles and saddles in an empty stall. She grabbed a few and called Michael over. He picked up a few also. She noticed feed supplies on the other side of the room. Piles of hay were stacked along the wall and feed bins were lined up neatly in front of the piles. She walked to the feed bin and lifted the flap. Gratitude washed over her when she saw the bright red apples that filled the bin. She grabbed a few and stepped towards the stalls.

  A shuffling sound made Gabriella turn. Bearing down on her was the elongated face of a Nephilim wielding a pitchfork. The metal tines thrust close to her eyes, but she ducked and yelled out an alarm, unsure how many more were hiding in the room with them. She saw a shovel in the corner and willed it into her hand. The wooden handle smacked against her palm just in time for her to use the handle to block another blow from the Nephilim’s pitchfork.

  How did they get those suits? the Nephilim thought. Where is everyone? He felt the reverberations in his hands as her shovel blocked his blow. He needed to cut his way past her so he could summon the others for help.

  The hay was slick underfoot as he lunged to jab again with his pitchfork, this time aiming for her center mass. Good luck ducking that one, baby. A massive headache gripped him. It felt as if his head were in a vice. His grip on the pitchfork loosened.

  Gabriella smacked him over the head again with the shovel. His eyes fluttered, and he felt the cold stone floor crash against his cheeks. Blood streamed from a gash in his forehead. Gabriella pulled the dagger from her belt and jabbed it into his back. The poison in the metal would keep him under control. “Thanks for the help,” she said to Li, grateful that he’d got in the first hit as the Nephilim’s pitchfork came treacherously close to her.

  Li watched the Nephilim as he moaned on the floor. “Are you going to finish him off?” Li asked Gabriella.

  If she didn’t, Michael knew he would. He recognized this one. Michael had suffered at his hands. Looking at the monster now flooded Michael with memories that he’d spend the rest of his life trying to bury. He tasted blood as he recalled the thrashings this Nephilim inflicted upon him. Under the rags he wore, Michael hid the scars that not only were etched into his skin but had seeped into his brain.

  “Yes,” she said. “But I thought I’d see if anyone has any questions for him first.” She looked around.

  Nick looked at the Nephilim sniveling before him. Questions raced through his mind, but he knew better than to trust anything he learned from a Nephilim. “Who are you?” Nick stared into those empty black eyes and watched as the monster’s red pupils tried to focus on him. Nick knew how to break him if he wouldn’t talk.

  “His name is Elias,” Michael said. Michael couldn’t take his eyes off of him. The blood seeping from Elias’s wound only intensified the rage that filled Michael. He wanted more blood spilt.

  Elias’s head felt as if Poseidon had jabbed tridents through his skull. It pulsed and pounded, creating the worst headache he’d ever imagined. The dagger in his back was even more troubling. He felt his powers evaporating from his body. It was a subtle feeling. If he hadn’t known about the effects of the fire powder poisoned weapons, he wouldn’t have recognized the sensation of his powers lessening. It was like the constant drip that looks insignificant, but left unchecked, becomes a flood. He hissed and growled. They weren’t getting any answers from him.

  Michael knelt next to him. “You feel it, don’t you? Your power slipping away. You’re at our mercy.” Michael did not feel merciful. There would be no escape for Elias.

  Fear filled the Nephilim. How many times had he beat the Asteri prisoner? Too many times to be shown mercy.

  “Let me begin.” Nick knelt beside the Nephilim, placing his hand on the handle of the dagger sticking out of Elias’s back. “I’m Nick. I’m an Avenger.” Nick’s words had a calm and deadly edge to them. “We can do this with or without pain. It makes no difference to me,” he stated.

  A chill washed over Elias at Nick’s words. He didn’t like the look in the Avenger’s eyes. When he looked at Michael, he saw rage. He could handle that. He understood rage. But when he looked at Nick, all he saw was death.

  “Why does Daevas need this many unicorns?” Michael asked.

  Elias gave a crooked smile and barked a harsh laugh. “Daevas doesn’t need the unicorns. He’s just a supplier.”

  “For who?” Nick asked.

  Elias didn’t want to be weak. If he was miraculously rescued, he didn’t want to feel the shame of betraying his people. He wanted to be praised for being a hero. “Your kind is finished,” Elias growled.

  Nick twisted the dagger in the Nephilim’s back. Searing pain raced along Elias’s veins, spreading the pain through every inch of his body.

  “For who?” Nick asked as a new wave of iridescent blood seeped from Elias’s wound.

  The Nephilim screamed. Tears filled his eyes. He twisted his arm awkwardly in an attempt to pull the dagger from his back. “It hurts. Please, please take it out,” he pleaded. He’d heard that the Asteri were inherently weak. Forgiveness and love were ingrained in their DNA. Perhaps they’d show him mercy if he were pitiful enough. That was his only chance.

  “Not until I know who all of this is for,” Nick said calmly. “Then I will remove the knife.”

  Michael’s pulse raced. Would Nick really free Elias? He wouldn’t stand for that. He’d kill Elias himself if he needed to. Perhaps then he could quiet the cacophony clanking in his head.

  “Promise?” Elias squeaked, a flicker of hope teasing him into submission. Perhaps he would be shown mercy.

  Gabriella recognized the hope that ignited in Elias’s eyes. If empty dead eyes could look pitiful and evoke sympathy, the expression on this monster’s face was it.

  Nick nodded, his eyes cold and hard as he stared down at Elias. “You have my word. That knife will reside in your back no more.”

  “It’s for Kahan,” Elias sputtered between ragged breaths.

  “Axilian’s friend?” Nick asked, his hand on the dagger’s handle. Now the fuzzy picture came into focus. This all came back to Charleston during the Civil War. That’s why Michael was taken captive. He was the reason Hayden and Nick had been in Charleston. Axilian had been powerful, and Hayden had killed him while she went to assist Michael with his transition. Kahan wanted Axilian’s killer to be punished. Hayden had to be at Kahan’s. Nick just didn’t know if Kahan wanted Hayden to suffer, or did he kill her just to be rid of her?

  “They are friends no more,” Elias panted. “Some hag killed Axilian. Kahan seeks revenge.”

  “Don’t we all,” Nick said, his eyes darting to Michael’s. He knew that if he didn’t kill Elias, that Michael would. The dagger squelched as Nick pulled it from Elias’s back. Elias winced and groaned as blood oozed from his wound.

  “Where does Kahan live?” Michael asked.

  “Farther north,” Elias panted. The relief of having the dagger removed was immense. The throbbing pain lessened to a tiresome ache.

  “That’s a bit expansive. Narrow it down for us,” Nick said. He turned the bloody blade slowly in his hand. A thin line of blood trickled over Nick’s thumb as he gripped the blade’s handle. Elias eyed the blade as it slowly rotated near his face.

  Elias’s claws scratched against the stone floor as he struggled to sit. Nick put a hand on Elias’s shoulder and held him down.

  “He lives near Lake Ostia,” Elias groaned.

  “Lake Ostia,” Nick repeated with a snort. He was familiar with it. To say the lake was massive would be an understatement. With its tributaries that cut through the land, it spanned the equivalent area of several states. “That’s better, but we’re gonna need more than that.”

  “I heard talk of waterfalls. Something about Hade’s Bucket or Hade’s Hell,” Elias stuttered.

  “Hade’s Well?” Justin asked. He’d heard of it. Hade’s Well was a land of unique beauty, and it was rumored to have mystical powers.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Elias nodded. “Hade’s
Well.”

  “I know of the area,” Nick said, nodding his head in appreciation. “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.”

  Elias gave a nervous smile, his lips twitching with unease. He wasn’t sure what they’d do with him.

  Then, without hesitation, Nick gripped Elias’s chin and shoved the dagger into his tender temple.

  Li flinched as the hilt rammed against Elias’s skull. “You said you wouldn’t kill him,” Li exclaimed, his mouth open in shock.

  “I never said that,” Nick replied. “I said the dagger would no longer reside in his back.” Nick motioned to Elias’s lifeless body. It’s not in his back. It’s in his temple.” Nick pulled the blade free and wiped it clean. “Lying’s not my thing,” he said, eyeing Li.

  Justin wasn’t quite sure about that. Sure, Nick was an Asteri of integrity and honor, and he’d trust Nick with his life, but when it came to playing a role or spying, Nick could deceive like a devil. As Justin had watched Nick with Kate, he’d had a hard time knowing if Nick was acting or if he’d truly fallen for her. Nick was hard to read, but he wasn’t surprised when Nick killed Elias. The surprise would be if Elias had lived.

  Gabriella reached to take her dagger from Nick. He placed the handle in her palm. “Well, where to now?” Gabriella asked. She was glad Elias was dead. They were at war with the Nephilim. Killing Elias, or any other Nephilim, saved lives. The lives of the weak and powerless.

  “We’ll help you get back to your place,” Nick said. “Then Justin and I will head north.”

  “You can’t take the weapons. What about us?” Li said. He knew what the Nephilim were capable of, and he didn’t want to be at their mercy. “We need them in case we are attacked. By helping you, we’ve made ourselves vulnerable. As far as they’re concerned, we’ve aligned ourselves with you in this war you’ve declared. You can’t leave us defenseless.”

  Nick raked his eyes over Li. He knew Li wasn’t an Avenger, but he hadn’t expected Li to be such a coward. “First, I didn’t declare a war. I’m a soldier fighting in a war created by Nephilim and their allies. Second, you may keep some,” Nick said. “But where we are going, we will need the majority of them.”

  “Of course,” Gabriella replied. “But you make it sound as if we are not going with you. Li can decide for himself, but I will be a part of this battle.”

  Li didn’t like the sound of that. Gabriella didn’t belong in this fight. He’d worked too hard to protect her, and she was throwing their security away. “I go where she goes,” Li said. He’d lived his life at her service. He coveted the times when he could followed her without her notice as she spent her time among the humans shopping or doing life’s mundane rituals. That time was precious. When she thought she was alone, she let her guard down. It was his chance to peek into her soul.

  “Thank you,” Nick said. “Your help is greatly appreciated.”

  “Then let’s get these unicorns out of here and load up,” Justin said. He grabbed some apples from the food bin and went to the nearest stall. “Did you have any preferences for the unicorns?”

  Gabriella walked towards a large, white unicorn. “I noticed this one right away. Look how strong he is. This one will travel well.” She held out an apple. “Let’s put the ones we’re using in the empty stall closest to the feed bins.” She led the unicorn to the empty stall.

  Everyone found a strong unicorn as they continued to free the animals. The magnificent beasts they’d chosen enjoyed the apples and hay as they waited in the stalls while the five Asteri went back to the armory.

  “We’ll take back as much as we can carry,” Nick said. “Load up your bags with a variety of weapons and be sure to grab plenty of protective gear. We’ll need some for our friends and any other ally we can gather.” He stuffed extra pants, gloves, shirts, and masks into his bag, and then he filled other bags with weapons. The grenades would be invaluable. In a surprise attack, they would take out a large group, so everyone grabbed grenades.

  Gabriella balanced the weight of the bags by carrying one on each shoulder. She adjusted the straps so they didn’t cut into her flesh. She wore a backpack and then carried two smaller bags in her hands. “These will slow us some,” she said. “But they may change the course of the battle.”

  “Agreed,” Justin added. “And with the element of surprise, we have stolen the advantage from them.”

  “Don’t consider a battle won until your foe is dead,” Nick warned. “Many a battle has been lost because of underestimating the opponent.”

  “Certainly,” Justin agreed. “But I’ll take every advantage I can get.” Justin unsheathed his sword and took a step closer, his sword glistening in the light. “You will find me well prepared.”

  7. Cabin

  Kate collapsed on her bed in exhaustion. She looked at the mural and chuckled at the irony of the angel protecting the girls in the picture. Angels were ever-present in her life, but now she fell into the angel/protector category also. It was her job to protect.

  She’d spent the night packing her clothes and personal belongings into boxes and suitcases. She was thankful for her mother’s help, but that made the night very emotional. They cried and packed and then cried some more. Kate did her best to seem excited. She talked about all the wonderful things she and Zoe would see throughout Europe as Mr. Bishop traveled with work. Kate did her best not to mention Alex. She didn’t want her mom to think she was leaving home to go off with her new boyfriend. Kate had known she would eventually need to leave her family. She just didn’t realize that day would come so quickly.

  She couldn’t believe her mother had so easily fallen for their con. She wondered if Alex had manipulated her in some way, but she was afraid to ask him. When Evan explained about the learning abroad opportunities that his job transfer would provide, it was just too good an offer to pass up. Of course Kate’s father appeared thrilled and pushed the idea that Kate would see the world and learn about history and life through experience instead of in a classroom. Incredibly, her mom agreed.

  Kate took one more look at the mural, then closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. Too soon a knock on her door awakened her. “Come in,” she said, sitting up, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes.

  “Good morning, Katie Bug,” her father said, leaning against the doorjamb. “Alex is here. He’s ready to go.” John hadn’t realized how hard this would be. He knew Kate had to leave, yet he was overwhelmed by the sense of loss. When he looked at her, he no longer saw his innocent, little girl. He saw a strong woman who would know the true horrors of life. No one wants that for their child.

  Kate rubbed her eyes. “Oh man, I fell asleep. I haven’t even showered.” She stood and grabbed fresh clothes for the day.

  “Morning, Sunshine,” Alex said, peaking into her room. She looked like a hot mess in her tight yoga shorts and tank top. His heart beat faster at the sight of her. He hadn’t thought of anything except her all night. “Take your shower. I’ll start loading your stuff into the moving van.”

  “So this is really happening,” Reese said, standing in the hallway, his arms crossed over his chest. “Kate’s moving in with her boyfriend. How far along is she?” he sneered. “Does she even know which one of them is the father?”

  Alex took a calming breath and slowly let it out. There was a part of him that pitied Reese.

  “Shut it, Reese,” Kate yelled. She was mostly confident that she wouldn’t miss her brother, at least not very much.

  Mr. Archer turned to Reese, jabbing a finger in his direction and ranted, “Don’t be disrespectful because your sister has an opportunity that you don’t. Be happy for her. And when the rumors start flying at school, I expect you to stand up for her.” Mr. Archer knew the rumors were inevitable, and with Reese’s support, the rumors could be denied. He only wanted what was best for his family, and his heart broke at the loss of his daughter.

  Anger at his dad’s words pulsed through Reese. Did they seriously expect him to believe this ‘studying abr
oad’ story? He put his hands up defensively and said sarcastically, “Sorry. Glad to hear that Katie can see the world with her new friends. Hope she has fun.” Reese turned and stalked into his bedroom. He didn’t know what was up, but now he knew his dad was in on it. She had to be pregnant. Nothing else made sense.

  After showering and loading the moving van, it was time for Kate to say goodbye to her family. Reese looked around, searching for Zoe and Mr. Bishop. Shouldn’t Kate be leaving with them? As his father glared at him, he knew better than to ask the obvious.

  The final hugs and kisses were difficult for Kate, but she kept reminding herself that she was protecting them. When things died down a little, she would visit them again. She’d look forward to that.

  When the SUV door closed, she tried to build a wall around her heart, to keep herself from getting too upset, but her emotions tore down the wall, and she fought back the tears.

  Kate looked out the passenger window of the Alex’s SUV as he drove out of the neighborhood. This place had always been her home, and now she was homeless. From now on, she would always be on the move. “So we’re transients,” she said.

  “I like to think of myself as someone who’s never far from home.” Alex stole a quick glance at her. “We have a few places scattered around the world.”

  Kate chuckled, propping her elbow on the door and resting her head on her hand. “So you’re a wealthy lord who travels from one magnificent home to the next. That’s what you tell yourself?” She shot him a crooked smile.

  “You’ll find it’s a lot less depressing than considering yourself homeless. It’s all about perspective.” He knew this wouldn’t be easy for her. It never was, but everyone adjusted. At least her family was still alive. That didn’t always happen. Sometimes they were killed before the Asteri could protect them by leaving.

  “Hmm.” She stared at the passing trees as they made their way to the freeway. “I know I have to leave. That will keep them safe, but it’s still hard.” Her life had changed so drastically in such a short time. She’d stopped trying to predict her future. That was a fool’s errand.