Release (The Protector Book 3)

by M. R. Merrick

  “This,” Grayson said, pushing through the crowd and coming to Alaric, “is not worthy of your hands, Alaric.” He held something above his head, walking past the fallen guards and coming to stand in front of me.

  Alaric gasped and covered his mouth. “The gods curse you, Grayson. You dare corrupt the Claw of Virtue?”

  “He is the Protector. It is our duty as keepers to aid him in his journey, not confine him.”

  “You are not even a Warrior,” Alaric said the last as though it was an insult. “You are an embarrassment to the Dunopai’s way, and you will be punished.”

  “I’ve lived under your dictatorship for decades. I have been punished enough. I am not a Warrior, a Healer, or a Caller. I am simply a man who wants to live, and so I shall. Give the Protector his things, or you’ll suffer the wrath of Athaniel’s Claw.” Grayson pointed the Claw forward, and Alaric, along with the rest of the Dunopai crowd, dropped to their knees.

  “Now, now,” Alaric pleaded. “Do not be hasty.”

  I watched with interest as Grayson stepped forward. “Release his things.”

  Alaric did as he was told, setting both daggers on the ground in front of him. He unlatched the small rope from Rai’s legs and she fluttered off his shoulder, squawking angrily. The sound of nails on a chalkboard made me cringe and a flash of light exploded beneath her.

  Sparks flashed across the air and a small bolt of lightning struck Alaric’s face. He gasped and fell to the ground, a black streak marring his orange flesh.

  Grayson reached down slowly, picking the daggers up in his hand, and Alaric lunged forward, grasping for the Claw. Grayson’s face was alight with panic as Alaric’s hands gripped his wrists. They struggled against one another and the soul piece fell to the ground.

  Warriors from behind Alaric ran forward, but I reached down and grabbed the Claw. It was completely clear, as though made from glass. Two sharp talons curled at the top, and a smaller thumb-like one stuck out the side. Thin black lines stretched beneath the clear material like a skeleton, and the fingers began to move.

  The glass creaked and power pulsed into me from the soul piece. I jumped back and fought not to drop it as a faint white light vibrated around the inner black lines.

  Sounds of metal being pulled from their sheaths caught my attention, and the Warriors charged Grayson, their blades arched above their heads.

  I didn’t have time to think about my reaction. Normally, my gut would have told me to run forward and swing the blade I held, but I didn’t. I dropped the blade, closed my eyes and countered their actions in the only way I could think of.

  I pulled the Claw back behind me like a blade and let it cut forward through the air. Magic shuddered in my palm and a flash of red light ruptured the air in front of me. Alaric and Grayson, along with the Warriors and the rest of the crowd, flew back as a wave of power swept through them. Their bodies were crushed all at once and they hit the dirt with a solid thud.

  Alaric moaned, pushing himself up on his elbows. His skin was split and purple streams of blood ran down his face. The crowd cried out in pain from behind him. They all clamored to their hands and knees, and while chanting in a foreign tongue, they pressed their foreheads into the dirt.

  Grayson turned to me, his eyes wide and the same three claw marks dripping blood from beneath his eye. He looked down at the Claw, then up at me, and his body began to tremble. “Gods forgive me,” he said, dropping to his knees. His kissed the dirt, pressing his face against it and began to recite the same words.

  Vincent grabbed the Claw from my hand and the white light hovering inside it vanished. His demon faded instantly and his eyes investigated the soul piece. “Did I miss something?” he asked. “This little trinket couldn’t possibly have just done that.” He tapped the glass with his finger.

  “What are you doing?” I asked Grayson, ignoring Vincent’s remarks.

  “Praying for forgiveness,” he said, not lifting his face from the dirt. “Nobody is permitted to hold the powers of the gods, nobody but the Protector. Please forgive my lapse in judgment.” He gasped, not daring to look at me, but I could see the blue lines running down from his eyes.

  “It’s no big deal, really.”

  Tiki grasped my shoulder, turning me to face him. “Chase Williams, you are the Protector. You must grant them forgiveness.”

  “Why? They don’t even believe I can stop Riley.”

  “They are the Dunopai, keepers of the balance between light and dark. If their ancestors, the Influencers, do not believe you are far enough along, and by keeping you here they are keeping the balance, they must abide by that. It is not for their lack of faith that they contain you here. It is their way as Underworlders.”

  “So after all this, I’m supposed to grant forgiveness?”

  “It is their way, Chase Williams. You cannot fault them for their chosen path in life. They pray to Athaniel now, for your forgiveness.”

  I looked over at the crowd, their faces still planted in the dirt. “You are…forgiven,” I said.

  Everyone lifted their faces from the dirt and stared up at me. “Bless Athaniel,” they whispered.

  Alaric stepped forward and bowed his head. “Forgive us, Protector. We serve the dimensions through our Influencers’ will, but you have awakened Athaniel’s Claw, and therefore, you must be on the correct path. We, and the Influencers, have underestimated you. Bless Athaniel, and the Protector, for their forgiveness.”

  I looked at Tiki, who smiled and nodded.

  “You’re welcome?” I said, failing to sound sincere.

  “Now,” Alaric said. “You must be off. You cannot stop all this by remaining in Silas.”

  Grayson stepped forward and handed me my daggers. “Here, you’ll need these.”

  “And you! Get back to your cell!” Alaric’s humbled gaze was overcome with anger.

  “Wait,” I said. “Without him, none of this would’ve happened just now.”

  “That is irrelevant. He has broken our laws and therefore will be punished.

  “Well, punishment will have to wait. The Protector demands a Dunopai guide.”

  If possible, I think Alaric’s eyes opened even wider. “We are in no position to deny you any longer, but let us gift you with a Healer. Surely you do not require the aid of a mere…failed Warrior.”

  I paused for a moment, watching the anger in Alaric’s eyes. “Do you expect any of your kind to be able to compete with the Protector?” I asked. “Do you fault this Warrior because he lost to me of all people?”

  Alaric’s forehead creased and plump blue lips pursed. “I suppose I cannot…”

  “Good, then he will assist me in my journey.”

  “As you wish.” Alaric lowered his head. “Grayson, take this.” Alaric handed him a small Dunopai blade. “Guide the Protector and do as he wishes. You are now under his command.”

  “Yes, Warden.” Grayson bowed

  “Come now,” Alaric said, clear eyelids blinking rapidly over his eyes. “There is no more time to waste.”

  Alaric ushered us along a well-beaten path and into a small clearing in the trees. A stone platform sat on the crest of a hill, with a line of stone arches. We all gathered in the center of the platform and Alaric moved from arch to arch, whispering words under his breath.

  “Ah, here we are!” he shouted with excitement, pointing to a moss covered stone that looked weathered compared to the others.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “This is, of course, your doorway home.” Alaric smiled. “Allow me to do the honors.” He stepped forward and bowed towards the door, gripping the bottom of a torch on each side of the arch. “Guided vessels, journeys deep, unlock the doorway to this keep.”

  A snap sounded like the branch of a large tree being torn from its trunk. The sound came again, louder this time, followed by another that echoed even louder than the last.

  “Forgive the disturbance,” Alaric said. “This doorway has not been used for many a lifeti
me, due to the barrier that has surrounded your world. Best we all take a step back…or two.”

  We did as he said and the cracking came again, loud like a gunshot going off. I cupped both ears and the sound continued until the ground quaked. The torches burst into flames and a mirrored surface rippled over the inside of the arch. A burst of cold air rushed through the mirror, forcing me to squint.

  “Come along now!” Alaric shouted over the wind.

  He nodded to me and I reached into the stone arch. The mirror was liquid, molding itself around my arm. Cold air rushed over my skin from the other side, and I pulled my hand back in surprise.

  “It is time, Protector.” Alaric stood beside me, massive gray eyes blinking up at me and his ponytail blowing behind him in the wind.

  I nodded and stepped forward, taking the plunge into the portal. The mirrored arch sucked me into a dark pit, but the ground was still solid beneath my feet.

  Tingling sensations flickered in my limbs, making me lose all feeling in them. Although I felt like my legs would give out at any moment, I kept walking forward.

  The tingling faded and soft chirps sounded. I could feel Rai’s claws gripping my shoulder, but it wasn’t her voice.

  The melody grew louder the further I walked, and after a dozen steps, a faint blue glow began to flicker around me. As it grew brighter, the blackness broke and a reflection of the clearing appeared in front of me.

  Colorful leaves sprouted from the enormous tree and each color became more vibrant as I neared. I stepped through the reflection again, and everything in the image shifted from left to right.

  The imagery was disoriented and the moment I felt grass beneath my feet, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  The stone arch now stood in the clearing, filled with the same mirror image as the other side. I could see Alaric through the mirror and he bowed to me. I nodded and replied with a wave.

  Every few moments, a new person stepped through, bewilderment and discomfort in their eyes. Grayson was the last one through, and before he could take in his new surroundings, he turned to face the arch.

  Placing one hand on either side of it, he lowered his head and spoke. “Journey traveled, vessels safe, close the doorway, and erase our place.”

  A loud snap broke in the air and the ground rumbled momentarily until the portal began to fade. The stone crumbled, falling into the rippling mirror. Stone by stone, it consumed itself until there was nothing left.

  Everyone stared at the empty space the arch had once occupied, and Grayson smiled. “A gift to my people from Athaniel. Before he left our world, he granted us safe passage to each of the dimensions. Those arches provide travel to any dimension without leaving a trace of who has journeyed there.”

  “I guess that saves you a hell of a lot of energy, huh, Tiki?”

  Tiki nodded and shrugged at the same time. “It does seem more effective.”

  “Can we leave now?” Vincent said. “I am famished, I’ve spent far too much time with all you people, and we don’t have much time.” He pointed to the sky, which had already begun to lighten.

  “As much as I’d love to see your face when the sun comes up,” I said, “you’re right. And we need to get the Claw back to Rayna. Hopefully she knows what to do with it.”

  Chapter 30

  We’d stashed the Jeep in the bushes off the road. When we made the near hour-long ride back to the warehouse, everyone was dying to rest. Before I even unbuckled my seatbelt, the group was halfway to the entrance, but I took my time getting out of the car.

  Rai cawed from above, taking in the crisp air and stretching her wings. She looked like an eagle soaring in the clouds. The chirping that came from her orange beak was in quiet harmony with the silence, and it brought a smile to my lips.

  The sun broke into the world with streaks of red, hues of pink, and swirls of orange. It was unnaturally warm for November, but the morning air had a bite of its own.

  Vincent and Veronica were already inside hiding from what would otherwise be their ashy fate. Everyone else had gone to rest, and I couldn’t help but revel in a moment alone.

  My elements had been tearing at one another from the inside, a silent battle I’d been keeping to myself. The only relief I had was when they were released, but that caused me pain. The power I’d desired for years thrived inside me—the power to stop Riley—and just as I got it under control, I could no longer use it.

  The stillness that came with the rise of the sun was harmonious, and it settled the edge of tension that had crept up my shoulders. I closed my eyes and let the air wash over my skin. It was refreshing and a much needed wake-up call.

  I was stuck in a world where to most, monsters were something that existed only in movies and nightmares, and yet here I was, fighting every day to stop them. Now, after eighteen years, a lost mother, and a father who was hell-bent on ruling everyone, I found myself surrounded by people, yet feeling alone. I was the Protector. I was the one who was supposed to stop all of this and keep all the dimensions safe, but I couldn’t even protect myself from the magic that was intended to help me. I was trying to be a leader and not allow myself to be ruled by emotion, but right now all I felt was fear.

  I had done as Athaniel told me; I’d gotten the Claw. My next step was to go to Vortan and retrieve Ithreal’s other soul piece. I didn’t know where in Vortan it was, but I had to trust Serephina would guide me. I knew what to do, so why did I feel so out of touch?

  Everyone I had in my life was inside those doors. All the people I cared about had been awaiting our return, and yet, I didn’t want to go in. Something inside me didn’t feel right, and I didn’t know if it was them, or me, but I didn’t feel like I belonged anymore.

  Willy had changed, becoming his own person with the werewolves and I hardly saw him these days. He had grown, and I felt like I had watched my little brother change from a boy into a man. And my jaw still hurt from his punch—proof that he wasn’t the weak, stuttering demon I’d first met.

  I couldn’t get the story of what Vincent had done to him out of my mind. It only further confirmed what I had started to believe: Willy deserved better than this. They all did. None of my friends should be here. I knew they would stand beside me, but I wanted more for them. They deserved more than an impending apocalypse and an undetermined fate. They deserved life.

  I learned more about Tiki every day, but even he seemed to be changing. Maybe it was the fact I was truly starting to get to know him.

  Vincent was the infestation I couldn’t get rid of, constantly lurking around corners and somehow finding his way back into my life every time I thought I was rid of him. And then there was Rayna.

  Her green eyes flashed inside my mind and my chest tightened. Heat flushed up from my soul and into my shoulders. Water followed and crashed over it, washing the burning surge away. My elements tangled with each other, twisting and turning in a choreographed dance of power. Warmth filled my body at the thought of her, and I realized she was the only connection I had left. Rayna was the one thing that grounded me and gave me a place that resembled a home. I didn’t know where we stood with each other, but she was the only person I was truly comfortable around.

  Rayna’s voice resonated through my ears and it pushed the negative emotions away. As much as I didn’t feel like smiling, the sound of her voice forced one over my lips, and I took in a deep breath of fresh air.

  “Chase…” Her voice came again and I realized I wasn’t imagining it. “Are you okay?” The vision of Rayna faded from my mind and I found her standing in front of me. I jumped back and my pulse leaped in my chest. “Whoa, relax!” she said, throwing her hands up and stepping back.

  “Sorry…” I said. “I didn’t see you.”

  “I’ve been shouting at you from the doorway for five minutes.”

  “I…I don’t know, I was in my own world, I guess.”

  Rayna watched me from beneath well-manicured brows. They arched perfectly over her bright eyes. She reached up and to
uched her hand to my forehead. “You’re warm, are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s been a long few days.”

  “At least this time it’s only been a few days here, too. I’m not sure I could survive a whole week with these people without you here to keep me sane.” Rayna smirked, her fingernails trailing down my cheek.

  The sensation sent chills down my neck and I shuddered. Her smirk turned into a smile and she reached up on her toes, her hand falling behind my neck and pulling me closer. Our lips locked, pressing firmly against one another and the sweet taste of her lip gloss slid across my tongue.

  Strange sensations vibrated over my lips and unfamiliar power rippled through Rayna. I could feel it as my tongue pushed against hers; it was something new. My lips started to burn and surges of energy sparked between us. I pulled away from the kiss, touching my mouth.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. You feel…different.”

  “I’m a different girl than when you left.”

  “Is that so?” I smirked.

  “It is.” Rayna nodded, biting her bottom lip. “I think I have what it takes to hide the soul piece now.”

  “Already? That’s great,” I said, and without a second thought I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against me.

  Rayna laughed and nodded. “Once Grams realized where my focus needed to be, things just sort of fell into place. My magic came alive in a new way. It was…incredible. I can’t wait to show you.”

  “You won’t have to wait long,” I said, pulling the Claw from my back pocket.

  “This is it?” Rayna didn’t sound impressed, turning the glass in her hand. “It doesn’t look like much.”

  I laughed. “It’s got some power to it, trust me.”

  “You used it?” Rayna’s brow furrowed.

  “I didn’t mean to, it just sort of happened. Why, is that bad?”

  “Well it can’t be good, not with the Dark Brothers around. We need to find Grams and hide this thing.”