Releasing Chaos

by Lexi Ander

  As if reading my thoughts, she said, "Perhaps Gregori could take a look at—"

  I shook my head. Gregori carried enough guilt about the incident. He didn't need me to add more worry about the side effect of eating his flame. He'd warned me he couldn't control the fire when I insisted on his help. The burden was mine to carry.

  Brian changed to human and retrieved his clothes. He carried the Green Bastard, taking the sheath from Ushna as if he didn't trust we wouldn't be attacked again.

  "He's not wrong to wear the weapon. There are Servants loose in Sanctuary yet to be rounded up by the warriors." Corey fell into my arms. I tightened my embrace when he trembled hard. "I'm counting on you living as long as I do so I don't have to be alone."

  "Never. I'll be around long after you become sick of me," I vowed, my heart squeezing at the sound of Corey's cut-off sob.

  Ushna curled his long, serpentine body around Corey and me, giving us badly needed distance and privacy from others who wanted my attention. Corey smelled of copper-tinted blood, sweat, and grime. I breathed him in, reassuring myself he wasn't hurt. I, too, needed comfort. He was an integral part of my family, one of the people I trusted implicitly. I couldn't imagine the devastation if I lost him, too.

  "I need to look for my children." My gaze wandered to the tall ziggurat. Darkness was quickly falling, and I had only a rough idea how many hours had passed since being notified of Daniel's kidnaping of Justus and Little Brian.

  Corey cleared his throat. "Yes."

  Stepping back, he rubbed his eyes, wiping away the tear tracks. "I'll gather a search party and put the captains in charge."

  Ushna uncoiled, letting Corey out. Returning to human, Ushna hurried to his clothes and dressed. Neesie and Lonnie gathered close once more, reloading their firearms. Gregori hovered on the periphery and I beckoned to him.

  "Your Highness?"

  I made a noise of disgust and drew him roughly into my embrace. "Don't you dare call me that."

  "I almost killed you." Gregori's hoarse voice rumbled quietly in my ear, as if he was afraid the others would hear.

  "You did not. We'll talk more of this later. I need your help once again. We are going to search for Justus and Brian. Will you come?"

  "You don't have to ask."

  Yes, I did. Juan's wary glance said he'd say no if he believed I would put Gregori in danger. I hadn't decided how I'd handle this fiercely protective side of Juan, but his behavior wasn't my biggest worry at the moment. Ereshkigal had attached a rust-red metal collar around Inanna's neck and was leading the disgruntled Goddess to me.

  "King Tristan," Ereshkigal greeted, her smile eerily bright. "I wished to say good-bye before leaving for my lands. I thank you for this generous gift. I will return when Mithra makes his next declaration for you."

  I mumbled my thanks and held still as she pressed cool lips to each of my cheeks. She was one person I wasn't sorry to see leave. Not that I didn't like her, per se, but she freaked me out a little bit. I had a feeling she would be someone I'd eventually become accustomed to.

  Corey and Bixx hurried to my side, followed by several Ophidians bristling with all manner of weapons. "All three of you will have personal guards who go with you everywhere." When Corey noticed my stare, he gave a small smirk as if he knew I'd argue the point later, then his expression turned deadly serious.

  Corey reported while he donned enough weapons for five men. "I appointed Ophidians to watch the door Daniel and the Vikrum used to gain entrance into the King's Tomb. They've said none but Inanna has left by that passage."

  My blood ran cold. Inanna had been in the same building as my pups. Brian and Ushna pressed into me, both making small noises of distress even as they attempted to soothe me. I wrapped my arms around them. Bixx and Corey had insisted I trust the Ophidian assassin and Stan to protect the boys, but how could they if they had crossed paths with the Goddess Inanna?

  I led the way to the King's Tomb at a trot, hurrying yet not enough to deplete my already low energy stores. I expected the worst, with Daniel lying in wait, ready to spring a trap. I needed what I had in reserve to eliminate him once and for all. He wouldn't escape this time.

  The falling night dragged lengthy shadows across the green as the ziggurat loomed overhead, the angles of the tiered pyramid accentuated by the rising moon, making them look like knife edges. The stone guardians at the main doors moved, the way barely open as I slipped inside. A whispered word lit the sconces and oil lamps on the walls in the antechamber, the black stone obelisk of the first laws a harsh feature in the middle of the room. The archway beyond opened into the main ground floor chamber, the line of lit torches easy to see in the gloom.

  Without thought, I transformed into my Lupe to prepare for the fight ahead. I'd brought no weapons, but my claws would do just fine to tear Daniel limb from limb. With silent signals, Bixx and Corey split the number of Ophidians. Once through the double doors, Corey took his men right while Bixx's group went left. That left the middle for me. Brian and Ushna took up positions on either side of me, leaving Neesie, Lonnie, Gregori, Juan, and Ace at our backs. Before I stepped through the doors, Neesie and Lonnie slipped ahead, their stances reminiscent of police sweeping an area. I allowed them to take point, ready to push them aside at the mere hint of danger.

  Quietly creeping, toward the line of torches, the soft crying of a child urged us to move faster. Stepping into the aisle, the form on the floor to the right drew my attention. Everyone fanned out expertly, ready for danger. On the ground, next to a body surrounded by a dark red pool of blood sat Justus sobbing into his hand. Little Brian leaned against him, giving soft little whines. The relief they were unharmed warred with the despair at the sight of Stan's inert form.

  I pushed a wave of alpha comfort to the pups. Justus's head snapped in my direction. Instead of being afraid of my twisted Lupe form, he cried out in joy. "Uncle Tristan! You came! I knew you would!"

  Brian and Ushna brushed past me, Ushna snatched up Little Brian, and Brian kneeling at Stan's head, his fingers searching Stan's throat. Justus lifted a large ball of white material he'd been holding in his lap, carefully placing it on the floor before he ran to me. I caught him up, letting out a low, soothing rumble as he babbled on about being brave and how Little Brian's snake had kept nasty Daniel from touching them. "I did what Uncle Nathan said and took Little Brian to a hiding place. Stan kept the mean Goddess from eating us, but she hurt him real bad, and Daddy came and started crying."

  "Justus!" Randy's frantic voice rose above the rising clamoring.

  Gregori knelt, running his hands over Stan's body quickly. There was so much blood staining his chest, clothes, and the ground.

  "I told you to stay behind," came Bixx's exasperated reprimand.

  "Bullshit! I need to know if Justus is all right."

  Justus wriggled from my grasp and headed in the direction of Randy's thready voice. The next exclamation from Randy told me Justus found him.

  I changed back to human, running what I'd caught of Justus's babbling over in my head. Nathan? I'd suspected he might be here, but what had he been doing? Dread curled in my gut as I took Little Brian from Ushna and rubbed my scent on him while he cooed and pulled my hair. He smelled like sweat and dirty, stinky diaper, but unharmed. Brian lifted the pup from my arms, clutching him tightly enough that Little Brian squirmed and gave a small squeal. Ushna breathed deeply, hands on his hips, staring at the ground as if he struggled to keep his composure. I squeezed his nape, letting him know I was here and our child was hale. He nodded as if he'd heard the words I didn't say.

  Stooping, Ushna picked up the large egg swaddled in the white material. Now that I was closer and the worry over the pups had been allayed, I could take in the details I hadn't first noticed. Theo had conducted a deep healing, and my gaze immediately went to Stan's body. I crouched opposite of Gregori, the toes of my boots disturbing the tacky pool of blood Stan lay in. Two bloody swords sat close by, and I wondered if they were the wea
pons that had wounded Stan. To my relief, his chest rose and fell steadily. He had good color to his skin.

  "From what I can tell from the new tissue growth, his wounds were grievous, but he was healed in time. He'll need a great deal of rest before he's a hundred percent." Gregori wiped at the tears trembling on the edges of his eye lashes.

  "Justus, no!" Randy's frantic call had me surging to my feet, barely in time to catch him as he attempted to run past me.

  "Whoa there. Where are you going in a hurry?"

  He turned wide scared eyes to me. "We have to check on Uncle Nathan. Little Brian's snake accidentally bit him when he stopped Daniel from coming after us." He pulled on my arm, urging me to come with him.

  Randy, with Bixx holding him up, pushed his way through the Ophidians. He was in no shape to be traipsing around the tomb. "Stay here." I took the egg from Ushna and shoved it into Bixx's hands. Brian handed Little Brian over to Bixx as well. "You two watch over Stan and Theo. We'll send Justus back to you once we locate Nathan. Then I need you to take them all back to the ranch."

  "Corey, Neesie, come with me." My voice broke as I hurried after Justus.

  Brian and Ushna remained at my side. All else fell away when I stumbled on a scene I desperately tried to make heads or tails of. Daniel was dead. His severed head lay face down on the floor, a garrote wrapped around what was left of his neck, and his torso hacked into four pieces. The smell of offal was almost overpowering.

  Beyond him, Nathan lay curled up on the ground. Justus had said… but I was reluctant to believe Nathan was actually here. Frozen in place, I stared, uncomprehending. Around Nathan's shoulders was a blue cowl. I knew what the color meant, yet I kept denying what I was seeing. How could my brother be an assassin of the Ophidians? When? How long?

  Justus knelt at Nathan's head, petting his exposed cheek. "Uncle Tristan's here. He'll make you all better."

  Those words freed me from paralysis and I rushed to Nathan's side. I trembled as I was ambushed by so many emotions I wasn't sure which one to settle on. Nathan barely breathed, his pallor an unhealthy gray. His bitten hand was swollen and black. Naturally, I reached for the Earth, but her magic slid off the poison coursing through his veins, unable to touch the venom and cleanse Nathan.

  "Gregori! Neesie!" My ragged bellow echoed off the tomb's walls. I maneuvered him into my lap, cradling him in my arms.

  Nathan opened his big brown eyes and smiled crookedly, the corners of his mouth pinched with pain. "Tristan."

  "Shhh. Save your strength. We'll get you healed." Not sure what to do, I rocked him like I would one of my pups. "Gregori!" My voice broke. Nathan was slipping away. No. I wouldn't allow it. "Grego—"

  Gregori knelt across from me. "Damn, Nathan, how are you still alive?"

  Nathan gave a ragged cough-laugh. "Inanna cursed me to a slow death for killing Daniel."

  Neesie fell to her knees next to me, a choked sob escaping her as she took in everything about Nathan. She grasped his good hand between hers, crying harder when Nathan simply smiled at her.

  Suddenly, I regretted I hadn't chomped on Inanna instead of giving her over to Ereshkigal. If she ever ventured from Irkalla—she was as good as dead.

  "Why don't I feel your wolf, Nathan? I don't understand. Gregori, why isn't he healing?" I glanced at my best friend, jaw clenching at his resigned expression.

  "My magic isn't touching the poison. Legend says the bite of the guardian can't be healed. I'm so sorry, Tristan."

  No. "No. Theo—"

  "Is still recovering from healing Stan."

  "There has to be a—"

  "Tristan." I glanced at Nathan. His brown eyes were lined with silent agony but clear. "It's all right. I could use a break, you know? But I need you to listen to me."

  "No." How could he be okay with this, with dying? I'd believed he'd betrayed me and now… "No, you can't go yet. I need you with me."

  "You have Corey." At my startled expression, he smiled wanly. "I've always known who he was. Father had extensive records. Gustav Cornelius Ksathra is well known by those of us who kept the family history. He is the brother I could never be."

  "Stop that. Don't say shit like that, you fucking asshole. I forbid you to die." I knew the words were wrong. I should bite them off before they could pass the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't keep from saying them, from meaning them. My vision blurred. "I need you, too. What happened to your wolf?"

  His smile turned bittersweet. "A sacrifice made to keep you and the boys safe."

  His gray pallor worsened and his eyes fluttered closed. Neesie sobbed louder. A frightened, wounded noise escaped my lips and I tightened my hold on him, rocking him faster. Perhaps if I held tight enough he wouldn't slip away. I couldn't breathe through my nose, and my jaw ached.

  "I need you to listen to me," Nathan rasped. He reached for one of the covered portraits. Ushna and Brian hurried to pull out the one that he indicated. "That is what Inanna was searching for. It's very dangerous. Protect it so little Atar doesn't have to worry about facing the chaos monster until he's ready." He looked back into my eyes. "My last gift to you. You are a wonderful father. Dad would be just as proud as I am."

  "But—" The things he'd said the last time we'd spoken…

  "Daniel had spies among the warriors. They watched to see where my allegiance truly lay. I had to say and do things… I'm so sorry, little brother." Nathan's gaze trained on Neesie. "Please forgive me, Neesie. I would have been so proud to stand with you on your wedding day. Giving you away would have been one of my greatest joys. Everything I said to both of you, I never meant… none of it. Please believe me." Nathan gasped softly, as if he had trouble breathing. Neesie's expression was one of grief and resolve.

  My throat burned as I bobbed my head, my sight turning white at the edges. Neesie squeezed my nape. I clutched Nathan to me not wanting to let him go, trying to think of something that would save him from this fate. Burying my face in his neck, I tried to stifle my tears and I whispered, "There was nothing to forgive. I just need you to stay. Please stay."

  "Tristan?" I looked up at the sound of Neesie's voice. When had she moved? She stood holding the hand of Adapa, the cranky old man who had teased me while I was in Stasis. Crafter of the scaled armor. Companion to Tiamat. The first human created by Enki. Where had Neesie found him?

  Neesie covered her mouth with her free hand, guilt darkening her expression. She'd disowned Nathan in a fit of anger, but, like me, never stopped loving him.

  "He's dying," I croaked. She made a ragged noise, but didn't agree with me as I expected.

  Sitting on her heels, she leaned in and whispered into Nathan's ear, "The things I said..."

  I glanced away to give them a moment, but my gaze was inevitably brought back to his haggard face.

  Nathan reached for Neesie. "Oh, baby sister, there is nothing to forgive. You hear me?"

  When I raised my gaze to Adapa, I was almost afraid of what his presence meant. My heart twisted with hope as he stared back at me with his beady unreadable eyes. "Well? What are you waiting for? The longer you dawdle here, the more likely he'll die." The little man turned on his heel, waddling away.

  "Help me," I begged as I attempted to rise while holding Nathan. Everyone within arm's reach grasped us, pulling us up.

  Once on my feet, I situated Nathan in my grip and hurried to follow Adapa, Neesie easily keeping pace with me. He'd gone a surprising distance on his short legs. We caught up to him at the edge of the green in front of the tomb. He took the path leading to the center of Sanctuary, where the three stone circles bordered the pool. With every step, my hope grew, but Nathan's breathing waned. I wanted to snap at Adapa, demand he go faster, but when he moved to the side and grasped Nathan's ankle, Nathan's breathing eased and his pallor lightened. I swallowed the sharp words, grateful for Adapa's help.

  When we reached the three circles, scaled humanlike arms reached out of the water. Tiamat. I almost sobbed with relief. How many times had she come
to my aid? Together, Neesie, Adapa, and I took the steps down into the pool.

  "Nathan," I whispered, and he opened his eyes.

  "I'm so tired, Tristan."

  How selfish was I for wanting to keep him with me even as I understood that he couldn't stay? I wanted to wail at the unfairness of it all. I still reeled from what he'd told me and had a feeling it would take days, perhaps weeks, to unravel the weave Nathan had created. Neesie cried and kissed Nathan's cheek, whispering words only Nathan heard.

  Tiamat's serene visage floated just below the surface, waiting for me to decide.

  "Tristan?"

  I glanced back at Nathan. I couldn't in good conscience ask anything more of him. He'd lost his wolf. Saved my pups. Made sure Daniel wouldn't threaten us anymore. Kept Inanna from finding the prison that housed the chaos monster. He'd done more than I probably knew. He deserved to find peace. With Tiamat, he would be safe and get the rest he more than deserved. Even knowing he would be in good hands, I choked on the words, "I love you."

  Tiamat took him from me. At the last moment, I swiped the blue cowl from his head, clutching the material to my chest as I hugged Neesie to me with the other arm. The water swallowed Nathan and he closed his eyes as he sank deeper, held in Tiamat's embrace. For some time after Tiamat and Adapa took my brother away, I stood there wondering what I could've done differently. If I'd listened, if I'd made Nathan talk to me, would I still feel as if I was the one who'd murdered my older brother?

  When Neesie shivered, I directed us out of the pool. Lonnie waited and I pushed her into his arms, telling him to take her home. On wooden legs, I crossed Sanctuary back to the King's Tomb, ordering Corey and the guards to wait outside. The shadows watched as I retraced my steps back to Daniel's corpse. I stared down at him, trying to find some pity in my soul for his sake. He'd been raised to hate my kind, but he'd had a choice, hadn't he? The society he lived in wasn't murderous, so why did he choose that path?