by Janelle Peel
A gale picked up, flinging her closer to Kai.
Time slowed.
One six-foot wing clipped Lucian’s wrist. His ebony skin sizzled on impact. Dropping Kai, he stumbled back and clenched the appendage to his chest. “YOU!”
Bex abandoned her course with a devastated whimper as Kai plummeted to the ground.
Kane’s heels dug into my side. “Grab him, Nat!”
Frantically, I reached for the Earth. The asphalt exploded in a shower of rock as a wave of soil caught his body and flung us through the barrier.
Uncoordinated, Bex lunged through the sphere and crashed headfirst into a retaining wall.
Skye appeared at her side. Hesitantly, he touched her chest. “She lives.”
Lucian beat on the silvery dome. The bubble sparked violently in retaliation. Lifting his blackened lips, he showcased the points of his razor-sharp teeth with a sadistic smile. “You can’t hide in there forever! Very soon my Son, you will join my side.”
As he faded into the darkness, I heaved a sigh of relief.
We’d bought a reprieve, but for how long?
Panicked, I barely noticed the multitude of stairs leading to the Archives.
Fluttering her hands over Bex’s still body, Daisy screamed, “Cooper! I need you! She isn’t healing herself!”
The soles of his shitkickers beat against the stone floor in agitation. Running one large hand through the sandy strands of his hair, his hazel eyes darkened. “I’ve got nothing to spare. It’s all I can do to hold the barrier! Someone get Mila!”
Who was Mila?
A high pitch voice answered, “Coming!” Sliding around the corner, her navy robe swirled with the motion. Reading the situation, her hands lit in a bright glow. “Step back!”
Kai growled a warning from Bex’s side. Blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth before splattering onto the laminated table in wet splats. At least she’d changed back, and fully clothed, too.
Mel tensed. “Get away from my Niece, Kai. She needs a healer.”
Skye tugged on Kai’s wrist. “Let them work.”
Grudgingly, Kai moved back a few paces. The ring around his iris pulsed in a ruby hue. “She’d better live.”
Mila paled.
Asena’s rumble rolled through our mind’s, ‘ENOUGH!’
Bobbing her blond ponytail, Mila touched her palm to Bex’s forehead. Closing her brown eyes, she sucked in a breath. “Her skull is fractured. I need silence to repair the damage.”
My heart wrenched painfully inside my chest. “Wait.” Moving to the other side of the table, I took Mila’s hand. Gold and silver spun around our knuckles in a glorious mix of magic.
Mila’s mouth opened and closed in shock for a moment. Shaking herself, she brought our fingers to Bex’s cheek. Heat poured through our skin and instantly began repairing the damaged bits of bone.
Pulling more power from my well, my lids slid closed. I hadn’t expected the destruction to be so intense.
Minutes ticked by before the warmth cut off. Mila had been wrong. Bex had also broken her neck. The break severed her spinal cord and prevented her own innate healing.
Exhausted, Mila slid to the floor. “It’s done.”
Mel
Leaning against the wall of the large underground chamber, he marveled at the vast amount of knowledge. Stacks littered the space farther than he could see. Row upon row, each shelf was packed to the brim. Torches glowed in random intervals along the stone walls.
Throwing the occasional glare in Kai’s direction, he waited for Nat to fill them in.
Fidgeting with the transparent tips of Asena’s black ears, she settled her gaze on Daisy with a sigh. “How long until your sphere fails?”
Crossing her arms, Daisy shook her head. “Maybe a day or two. Cooper and I have been alternating the drain between our other Mages, but it’s taxing. As it is, we’ve had to pull back the borders considerably. We just don’t have enough magic to sustain it.”
Nat skipped her attention over the entire group. “We have two choices. One, do the Elemental ritual here and go home. Two, wait until we get back to our Clutch.”
Cooper tucked Daisy against his side. “I don’t think waiting is wise. What if we’re attacked on the way out? Our calculations could be wrong. The barrier might fall before we’re ready to go. If what Kai says is true, we’ll need every fighter to get to SoCal.”
Nat nodded. “Lucian knows Kai is alive. He’ll be relentless now.”
Punctuating her words, the floor shook violently.
“Shh,” Nat whispered. Almost instantly, the ground settled.
Her mastery of Earth was a sight to behold. Mel didn’t quite understand it, but he didn’t need too. She had Kane for that.
As if he’d heard his thoughts, Kane’s emerald gaze moved to his. Flashing a cheeky wink, he grinned.
Cocky fucker. Chuckling internally, he got back to the topic at hand. “What does Lucian need Kai for?”
The half Demon himself spoke up from his sentry at Bex’s side. “To Rule. At first, he wanted me to lead his hordes. Now, it’s anyone’s guess.”
Alec cleared his throat. “I think he needs you to invade Heaven. The Goddess said Lila was coming home. The War will begin soon. What else could he possibly need you for?
Silence reigned at his words.
Rowe stepped forward. “It’s a worst-case scenario, but I believe we should go with it.”
It did make sense. If the War was to be fought here, who better to invade Heaven unnoticed? Further, he didn’t know where Kai’s loyalties lie. The ritual would only make him stronger. Add in the unknown Air Fae, and Mel wasn’t sure what decision to make.
Kai growled, “I want no part of his War or his legions.”
Inhaling deeply, he and his Wolf filtered through the scents. Snorting softly, his twin rumbled, Truth.
Lillin rounded the corner of one stack. “Or he could invade Heaven while you ruled here.”
Nostrils flaring in irritation, Kai bit out, “Never.”
Lifting a brow, she tipped her chin at Bex. “Then you’d better make sure he doesn’t get his hands on her. I can see your desire just as well as he can. I love Bex like a sister, but she will be your undoing if you continue on this course.”
Rising from his chair, a red crown of flame lit above his ginger hair. “She is mine!”
Fisting his hands, Mel struggled to contain the possessive instincts of his Wolf. He needn’t have bothered.
Bex sat up and slapped him across the face.
Kai stumbled back with a hurt expression as his strange halo winked out.
Sliding from the table, she glowered in his direction. “Fuck you, Kai!”
Her boots made audible smacks as she strode to the door. Flinging it open, she slammed it behind her.
Laughter boomed in her wake.
Hell had nothing on a woman scorned.
Undeterred, Kai rushed after her.
Wiping her cheeks, Daisy sobered. “All right. I vote to do the ritual. We only have 25 Mages left. It will be difficult enough to move us all without help. All in favor?”
Silently, every hand lifted. They had no other alternative.
Chapter 8
Bex
“Bex, wait!”
Grinding my teeth, I stopped. Having only heard the tail end of the conversation, a part of me was curious to know where he’d been.
As he caught up, I resumed my course. “We’re not doing this here.”
If memory served, my last accommodations were three floors up. Keeping my eyes glued to the floor, I refused to look at him.
Thankfully, the tiny quarters were empty. Gesturing for him to come in, I closed the door.
This close, I could smell him. The sour tang of a recently fired gun and cloves. My heart beat faster as my body recalled the memory of being pressed against him. Shaking my head to clear it, I moved to the small bathroom.
Flipping the faucets, I splashed handfuls of cold water on
to my face.
He’d come back.
Grabbing a rough towel, I dried my cheeks. The reflection above the sink showcased a blood tinted dribble along my chin. Heaving a sigh, I moved to the one person cot and left him to stand.
Of its own accord, my gaze snagged on the thick muscles along his chest. Straining at the seams, the white tee fit him like a glove. His tan Docker’s highlighted the narrow v of his hips. Squeezing my lids closed against the ache inside my heart, I growled, “Where?”
The bed creaked as he settled beside me. “I found Air.”
My lids snapped open. “How?”
Dimples shone on either side of his full lips as he grinned. “I’m told it was once the highest populated portion of the world.”
Taking in the flawless perfection of his sculpted jaw, my mouth watered. Shoving the traitorous emotion aside, I frowned. “Explain.”
Leaning back against the wall, he perused the lacework of scars along my arms. Hesitantly, he lifted his hand.
Jerking back, I shook my head. “No.”
A wounded look flashed across his face for a moment before his mask replaced it. Roughly, he cleared his throat. “My search led me to the northern tip of Canada. A blizzard rolled in. It was so cold my wings froze. The last thing I remember was hitting the densely packed snow. Then, a delicious heat. Hell is spreading and the ice caps are melting. Skye, the Air Elemental, found me. He knew what I was and tossed me into his hearth. As I came to, he revealed how much time I’d missed.”
My mind struggled to process the information. Quietly, I whispered, “How long?”
His reply was equally hushed. “Since before the Sundering. I didn’t intend to be gone for so long, Bex. After I left, I realized you and Nat had no choice in the onyx stone’s breaking. You didn’t intend to kill my family and only meant to save your own. If you’d known the repercussions, I’m sure you’d have found another way. In my anger, my Fire lashed out and hurt you. I knew I couldn’t come back empty handed. Finding Air and keeping you safe were the only things that mattered.”
I didn’t know what to say. He’d been gone for so long.
“There’s more.”
Mutely, I bobbed my head.
“Skye and I were attacked on our way to SoCal. One of the lessers recognized me. I assume he reported back to Lucian. It all happened so fast,” he paused. Rounding his shoulders, his tone lowered in defeat. “My magic took on a life of its own. I incinerated a ten mile radius of Demons. If Skye hadn’t stopped me, I would have kept going.”
Confused, I grunted. “Huh. That’s good, Kai. You’ve nothing to be ashamed of.”
Rising from the bed, he took two steps to the door. Gripping the handle, he croaked, “I looked like my Father. The worst part is… I liked it, Bex.”
Softly, the latch clicked behind him.
Unable to take the spinning of my own thoughts, I made my way to the Archives.
So what if he’d liked it. Killing Demons was a good thing, right? They had to go one way or another. What was I missing?
Replaying his words, I froze.
He was afraid he’d turn into Lucian.
My mind instantly recoiled. He couldn’t. Nope.
But…
I liked it…
If he’d kept going, would he have torched the world? Did he have that much power? My own magic responded instinctually. Sure, I had slip ups every now and then, but it’d never taken on a life of its own.
Slamming into me, Nat interrupted my internal musing.
“Hey! We’re almost ready to do the ritual.” Gripping my shoulders, her brow furrowed. “What’s wrong? Is it Kai? I’ve been itching to kick his ass. Just say the word.”
Chuckling at her enthusiasm, I shook my head. “No. It’s just a lot to process.” Tapping my temple, I changed the subject. “I appreciate the save, by the way.”
Cheeks heating, she pulled me into a walk. “It was nothing. Mila helped, too.”
Wrinkling my nose, I asked, “Daisy’s apprentice?”
“The one and the same. She’s turned out to be quite a good little healer. Nice job with the wings, too. I’m so proud of you!”
For the first time I understood her fascination with flight. I might have been scared shitless at the time, but it was also super cool. How had I done it? Add in the ability to keep my clothes and the strange wind… Was that Skye?
Tightening her grip, she continued, “Now, back to the ritual. Are you ready?”
Was I? Would this help Kai? If his power had already slipped its leash, what could it do if he held all four Elements? Heaving a sigh, I tugged her to a stop. “No. We aren’t doing it.”
Confused, she gave me the stank eye. “What? Why not?”
Unwilling to air all of Kai’s dirty laundry, I decided on a half truth. “Kai’s magic is acting weird. I don’t think it’s wise to mess with it right now. Actually, I’d feel more comfortable if we waited until we got home.”
Asena’s answer flitted through my brain. ‘The pup is correct. I also have issues with this decision. We have little knowledge of Skye, and Kai seems to be withholding something.’
Latching on to her response, I added, “We should stick to our original plan and commandeer another vessel.”
Her expression flipped from disappointment to resignation. “Are you sure?”
I hated myself for not telling her everything, but she already didn’t like Kai. This would put her over the top. Fortunately, I’d learned long ago to shield my thoughts from Asena’s reach.
Nodding, I answered, “Yes, I am.”
Kai was not pleased with my decision. In fact, he did everything he could to avoid being alone with me.
While I could forgive his unintentional abandonment, I drew the line at disrespect.
As the others were busy looking over different ships at the dock, I pulled him aside. “Stop ignoring me, damnit!”
Stoically, he crossed his thickly corded arms.
Fisting my hands, I whispered yelled, “I didn’t fucking tell anyone, okay? I just said that your magic was acting weird. Think about it, Kai. If it already has a mind of its own, what would the addition of more power do to it?”
Pursing his lips, he rumbled, “Fine.”
I glared. “Fine? Really? That’s it?”
Looking around, he leaned closer. “What do you want me to say, Bex? That I’m sorry? I fucking am.” Heaving a heavy sigh, he ran a hand through the ginger tips of his hair. “You’ll never know how much so.”
My irritation fled. Taking his fingers, I met his gaze. “I am, too.”
Tightening his grip, he inspected my skin. “What happened while I was gone, Bex?”
Snorting, I scoffed, “The world went to Hell.”
He chuckled. “No, I mean this. What are we?”
His vulnerable expression and the heat of his touch left me breathless. I’d missed him so much. Lost and lonely, it felt like I’d been pushing people away instead of letting them in. I was sick of being miserable.
Brushing my thumb along his knuckle, my stomach dipped. “We’re figuring things out.”
A tentative smile lit his face. “Okay.”
Rowe
Overhearing their conversation from the deck of an abandoned boat, my mind rolled.
Kai was having trouble with his magic? Was that the deal with his strange flaming crown? Had he turned more Demon than Fae?
Pushing away the endless questions, I moved below deck to check the hull. Unfortunately, my attempt at a distraction wasn’t to be had. Warped on one side, the honey colored wood shone with black mold.
Searching through the cupboards for any supplies, her words replayed on an unending loop.
If it already has a mind of its own, what would the addition of more power do to it?
I was happy for her, but also confused. Should we be welcoming him with open arms?
Baring her sharp teeth, my Fox growled at the situation.
It seemed we were on the same page.
We couldn’t afford to have any secrets within our group…
Back in the Archives beside Daisy, I shoved the golden feather she’d found into my bag. Brow furrowing, I whispered, “I need to talk to you.”
Grabbing a stack of thick tomes, she tipped her head to the side with a queer expression. “Now? The barrier could fall at any moment. We should have left already.”
Peering into her green eyes, I begged her to understand. This was important.
Her load hit the table with a thump. “Okay, out with it.”
Fidgeting with the backpacks zipper, I lowered my voice, “I overheard Bex and Kai talking. She said something… disturbing.”
Her upturned nose wrinkled. “And?”
“She said she hadn’t told anyone that his magic was taking on a life of its own.” Instantly, I regretted my words. Swallowing past the sharp spear of betrayal burning the back of my throat, I rushed, “She’s happy. It’s nothing, right? I mean, it happens sometimes? With magic?”
Pursing her lips, she whispered, “No, Rowe. It doesn’t happen. Sometimes it can react instinctively, like if you needed protection, but weren’t fast enough to wield it. Otherwise, no. Have you told anyone else?”
I shook my head.
“Well, keep it that way. I’ll need some time to talk to Cooper and think on it.”
Feeling like the worst friend ever, I nodded.
Alec
Standing on the bow of their original ship, he kept one eye on the barrier and the other on Rowe.
She seemed upset. Every time he tried to speak to her, she made an excuse and walked away.
Deciding to try once more before the others arrived, he placed himself in her path. “Talk to me, Rowe.”
Biting her lower lip, her brow creased. “I can’t, Alec. You wouldn’t understand.”
Mildly offended, he snagged her wrist. “Try me.”
Shaking off his hand, her Fox peered through their shared orbs. “No.”
Inari flicked his red ears in interest, Beautiful.
Alec had to agree. The grease marking the line of her small chin only made her look more attractive instead of less. She tried to look like a badass, but he could see through her façade. As the jade glow dimmed, he sucked in a sharp breath. She was afraid.