by Wade, Cara
The figure was dark—not really a body, but a shadow, a void with vague definition. Nessa could feel its attention on her and Charlie. She gripped his hand in hers. This figure was old, almost ancient. It was strong, too. It reached out as it neared them. Nessa looked beside her at Charlie, whose face was frozen. The figure’s hand reached out toward him, its hand sliding through Charlie’s skin easily. Nessa screamed as Charlie’s eyes slid upwards in their sockets. She looked toward the Necromancer, who was watching them. She waved her hand over the Death’s Head mask. The Death’s Head mask began to fade, but just before it revealed who the Necromancer was, Nessa felt herself being pulled out of the vision.
She opened her eyes to chaos. Ra was yelling, and Charlie was writhing in convulsions. His eyes were open, showing only the whites, and he was foaming at the mouth. His mouth was open, as if he were screaming silently.
“What happened?” Nessa yelled.
“What did he take?” Ra yelled back in panic.
“Some potion,” Nessa replied in confusion. “He said it would help to focus the vision.”
“You went too far in!” Ra was shouting. “It just amplified his powers.” He began an incantation, his eyes turning golden, his irises changing into reptilian slits. He leaned in, whispering the end of the spell in his brother’s ear. Slowly, Charlie’s body began to relax, the convulsions slowing, his mouth going slack. His eyes closed. He did not wake up. Nessa knelt beside Charlie, unsure of what to do. She felt helpless.
“Your Majesty?” A man yelled from the door by the stairs.
“Get the royal healer,” Ra yelled, his eyes never leaving his brother’s face. “Come on, Charlie, wake up.” Charlie’s eyes opened. He seemed confused, unsure of where he was. Nessa ran to him, grabbing his hand. She could feel the electricity, but fought it off.
“Charlie,” she said. “Did you see her face?”
“We’re in trouble,” he mumbled in slurred syllables, right before he lost consciousness again.
“What did you see?” Ra asked her. His eyes were wide.
“She already had the Death’s Head mask when she killed your father and took my parents,” she explained. “She had already joined with the same demon from the 1880’s. He’s back. He is incarnating as a shadow. I can’t tell what he is. I am guessing that the Necromancer has an incarnation on this plane as well as the other. She also… she had a sword. It was flaming. That’s how she killed your father.” Ra frowned.
“The Phoenix Blade. It’s the only sword that can kill a dragon,” he said. “Only a human can wield it.”
“I think Charlie saw more,” Nessa said. “The demon reached inside of him. I was pushed out when the seizures started.” Ra nodded, his forehead creased in concern.
“The healer can take care of him. You and I need to figure out how to get to her.”
“What about Charlie?” Nessa asked. “Can we do this without him?”
“To go in again might kill him, Nessa,” Ra said. “The visions have just been getting stronger. He’s losing his control on them. Taking that potion was suicidal, and he knew it.” He paused, then looked her in the eyes. “I can’t lose my brother, Nessa.” Nessa nodded.
“What can we do?” she asked. Ra sighed.
“The Death’s Head signifies that the demon Belial has come to Earth again,” he said. “The first time that he was stopped, Arcturus Spot was able to trap him somewhere in the spirit plane. The Necromancer has clearly freed him. If they have gotten a hold of the Phoenix Blade, then my powers as a dragon shifter are no match for him or the Necromancer.”
“So, it’s up to me,” Nessa said, her heart pounding. “Necromancer against Necromancer.” Ra nodded. “Who is going to stand against the demon, though?” Ra shook his head.
“I don’t know. We should start with you. You’re the one piece of the puzzle that we do hold. We need to make you a weapon that will go against the Phoenix Blade,” he said. They both looked down at Charlie, whose breathing was beginning to ease into the calm, soft breaths of someone who was sleeping soundly and comfortably.
“Of the two of us,” Ra said. “He’s the good one.”
“Yeah,” Nessa said, looking at him sassily. “I know.” Ra laughed.
“I mean it,” he said.
“So did I.”
***
Charlie was taken to the healer’s chambers. Nessa and Ra stood over the table in Charlie’s room, where he had left many books on spirit magic open and scattered about. Nessa read over the book that was closest to her. It was written in lines of symbols—triangles with different lines and configurations. She had seen this before—long ago, in a book that she had long believed that she wasn’t meant to have seen.
“Can we imbue something with power?” she asked Ra.
“No,” he said. “It will have to be an incantation. Words are the only thing that you will be able to bring across the planes.”
“What about the Phoenix Blade?” she asked. “It was made in this plane.”
“That’s for fighting Dragons,” he replied. “Magical weapons forged by master craftsmen using materials from other planes defy the laws which govern materials. We need something that fights Necromancers.”
“What about a blade imbued with spirit magic?” She asked, picking up a breadknife that sat on the table among the mass of books and papers. He looked at her with his princely disdain.
“Have you ever forged a sword, professor?”
“No,” she said. “But I could try.”
“We need something that will be definite,” he said sharply. “We can’t roll the dice here. Charlie almost died today looking into the past. That was merely an echo of what we will be going up against.” He was so certain. Nessa bit her lip as she thought. She looked at the books which were open.
“Did Charlie tell you about any of this?” She asked.
“No,” Ra replied. “He often waits until he’s solved it to tell anyone anything.” Nessa let out a sigh. This was going to take a while.
“We should figure out what he was putting together,” she said, picking up a book. It was a spell book of spirit magic incantations. “This page is on binding spells.”
“We can’t just bind her,” Ra said. “We have to destroy her… and the demon. Complete obliteration this time. We have to succeed where Arcturus Spot failed.”
“Well, we’ll need to bind the demon in order to attack it,” Nessa reasoned. “He’ll be near impossible to attack on his home plane. A demon is not solid. That one, whatever it is, appears to be nothing more than a shadow.” Ra said nothing, just nodded.
“If it’s the one from 1887, then the incantation used then did not work,” he said. Nessa leaned against the wooden table.
“What binding spell did Arcturus Spot use then?”
“He was no adept at spirit magic,” he replied. “All he used was a simple binding spell. All the demon did was wait. Then this Necromancer went to that plane and harnessed his powers, freeing him. She is attacking us from that plane. If she has any more time, she will bring him back to this plane.” Nessa squinted.
“How were you alerted of this?”
“Charlie’s visions,” Ra said softly. His eyes were on the book in front of him, but they were unfocused. “He’s been seeing the demon’s plans for years now. Lately, they’ve been more insistent, more detailed. We think that the demon is sharing these things directly with Charlie because he wants to use Charlie’s powers.”
“Oh,” Nessa gasped.
“He’s been seeing himself taken over.” Ra looked up at her. “That’s what we’re most afraid of. Charlie’s powers in the wrong hands would be catastrophic.”
“How strong is Charlie?” she asked.
“He could destroy worlds if he chose,” Ra said. “If he wanted, he could take my crown as easily as he could fork a bite of pie.” He looked away. “He doesn’t want it, though. The power. He’s too good. That’s what worries me the most. That the demon could drain all of hi
s goodness. That the visions could send him into a seizure that he can’t come back from. I couldn’t stand my brother being taken. I don’t know if I could live through that.” Ra looked terrified. He was letting her behind his normally confident and suave façade. Nessa nodded.
“Don’t worry,” she said, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder. “We’ll save Charlie.” Ra nodded, half-smiling at her. He placed his hand on top of hers. They looked at each other for a moment. They both turned away. Now was not the time. Not when Charlie lay incapacitated in the infirmary. They got to work, fashioning an incantation that would first bind the demon and the Necromancer. They then began work on an incantation that would destroy them. They worked in the ancient language that was used to shape the mountains, the seas, and the first dragons. Nessa could feel the power in the words that they linked together like tiny golden chains. The night passed, the darkness outside of the large windows fading into a blue-gray as the birds began to waken.
“Come on,” Ra said. He had dark circles pressed up underneath his eyes. He still looked every bit as attractive as he usually did. He grabbed Nessa’s hand, pulling her out onto the stone balcony of Charlie’s tower. The sun was rising, gold against the blue of the horizon. Nessa felt the warmth of its rays on her face. Ra placed his hand on her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“Is Charlie going to be okay?” she asked. Her body ached from exhaustion. She felt as though she desperately needed a shower and some sleep. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She had a pen stuck in her hair. Her eyes felt dry, and she covered them with her hands.
“For a little while,” Ra replied. “I think that the strength of his power is going to consume him.”
“He told me about a girl, who touched his hands—”
“He had a crush on her. It was cute,” Ra said, rubbing the back of his head in a manner that was entirely reminiscent of his brother. “She talked him into touching hands with her. She was an unmitigated flirt. But she wasn’t a mage. She had no gift whatsoever. When she touched his hands, it was more than she could bear. He’s too strong. Charlie never forgave himself.”
“That’s sad,” Nessa said. Ra nodded.
“He’s learned control, but he’s like a conduit,” Ra said. “If it flares up…” He trailed off and shrugged. “But it’s been good for him, having you here. You’re strong enough of a mage to handle his touch.” Nessa nodded grimly.
“You know, when this is over, you could stay,” Ra said, looking at her. Nessa smiled.
“What for? I have my post at the university,” she said. He placed his fingers under her chin.
“You are so much more than that,” Ra said, looking at her deeply. She shook her head. He leaned in, his lips brushing hers. Her heart was pounding, and her mind rushing in confusion. She pulled away, and he frowned. Obviously, crown princes always got what they wanted.
“Ra,” she said. “I like you. But I think that my heart is with Charlie.”
“Like?” He asked, deflated. “I thought…I felt…” He exhaled. He tilted his head to the side, frowning. “I thought it was me. Are you not attracted to me? At all?” He reached out, placing his hand on her cheek. Her heart was beating wildly. She wanted him to kiss her again, but she couldn’t help but think of Charlie.
“I am,” she said. She frowned. “It’s…I’m confused.” He looked away, then he looked back at her. He took her hand, pressing it in his own. His eyes raised to meet hers.
“If you want both of us,” he said, “you can have both.” Nessa frowned.
“That’s not love,” she said.
“What is?” He asked.
“It’s between two people,” she replied slowly. He shook his head.
“Your definition is skewed, darling,” he replied. “All of our lives, Charlie and I have been a unit. A package deal, if you will.” He stepped closer to her. “Both of us,” he whispered gently, then walked back inside. Nessa sat down on the stone bench that was on the balcony. She watched as the sun rose over the land, lighting up the buildings of the city that spread out before the castle. She began to cry. She felt childish for doing so, but she was so overwhelmed.
A shadow passed over her. She looked up to find Charlie standing before her. He sat down next to her, removing his gloves. He reached up with a bare hand, wiping away the tear that streamed down her face. As his finger touched her skin, she was taken into a vision with an electrifying jolt.
On a bed with red silk sheets, Nessa lay, naked, entwined with both Ra and Charlie. As Nessa kissed Ra, deeply, passionately, Charlie ran kisses down the nape of her neck.
They all tumbled together on top of the silk sheets, the room a soft red glow. As Charlie held her, nuzzling her neck, Ra entered her, his eyes changing from their deep blue to a brilliant gold, his irises black reptilian slits. Charlie’s hands slid over her breasts, his fingers toying with her nipples. His fingers were hot and dry, and the electricity of his power lanced through her, causing her to cry out. Meanwhile, Ra filled her, rocking back and forth over her. She rocked her hips upward in response.
Nessa moaned, the delicious feeling of endorphins and the heat of desire surging through her. She could feel Charlie behind her, his arms wrapped around her, his hands moving over her skin, and Ra within her and over her. She looked into Ra’s eyes as her hand reached back for Charlie at the same time.
The scene faded as Nessa felt herself return to the balcony of the tower. She was staring into Charlie’s deep blue eyes. They still sat on the bench, so close, their noses were almost touching. He took his hands away, smiled at her, and pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear. He leaned in to her, his lips close to her ear. She was still absolutely buzzing with desire. She licked her lips.
“I saw that inside of you,” he whispered. “You asked me if I could read your thoughts. Not your thoughts. But I can read your deepest desire.” He pulled away and smiled at her, his eyes shifting gold with want and lust. He stood and walked back inside. Nessa was stunned. She had just witnessed another show of Charlie’s power. It was as though he could see inside of her, holding up a mirror so that she could see her deepest, darkest inner wants, her hungers.
She did want that, she realized. But at the same time, she was livid. How dare he look inside of her like that? That was clearly an abuse of his power. When he looked at her, what else had he seen? She stood up and followed him inside of the tower.
She stormed in to find them both sitting inside in the arm chairs, clearly waiting for her. They were silent, watching and waiting to see what she would do. She placed a hand on her hip. Anything to maintain her posturing. It was unnerving to be faced by what was, essentially, two of the same person.
“Have you done this before?” She asked heatedly.
“No,” Charlie replied.
“So, what am I?” She asked.
“Our lover,” Ra said huskily. “Our princess.”
“I don’t want to be a princess,” Nessa snapped, folding her arms over her chest.
“Is that all?” Ra asked lazily.
“Yes.”
Ra stood, taking Nessa in his arms. He kissed her on the lips, slowly, passionately. He was skilled, well-practiced at this. Nessa pulled away, looking at Charlie, who was still sitting in his chair. His gloves were on again. He smiled at her, his eyes beginning to glow yellow, his irises changing to black, reptilian slits.
Ra began to trail kisses along her neck, starting with the tender skin beneath her ear. Nessa moaned, leaning into it. Ra tugged the straps of her tank top down over her arms, baring her lacy bra. Nessa kept her eyes on Charlie, who watched with interest. Ra’s hands slid down over her ribcage, pulling her tank top down to her waist. Ra began to trail kisses down her back along her spine. His lips felt hot against her skin. Nessa closed her eyes as he went. He knelt down behind her, pulling her tank down over her hips. He then pulled her leggings down, tugging them off of her leg
s.
Nessa opened her eyes, looking at Charlie. His eyes still glowed yellow. She smiled at him seductively, moving her hands to her breasts. He bit his lip. She could tell that he wanted to touch her, but was frightened to. So, she touched herself for him, grabbing her breasts, then running a hand between her legs. Ra ran his hands over her skin. He felt preternaturally warm. She looked at him, and found his eyes were glowing yellow, too, the irises black slits. She reached forward, pulling Ra’s face to hers. He kissed her, hungrily.
They began to move toward the bed that was off to the side. It almost seemed to be an afterthought. The focus of Charlie’s life was the books on their shelves, all of it taking up most of the room. The bed was a four-poster dark oak frame with plush white comforters and a luxurious pile of pillows.
“Come on, Charlie,” Ra said, pulling his shirt off over his head. “Voyeurism is only fun for you.” Charlie said nothing. Nessa walked over to him, clad in only her lacy black underwear. Charlie looked at her with heat, desire. She leaned forward, kissing him. She whispered in his ear.
“Do you want me?” She asked.
“Yes,” he said, nervously. She reached behind her, unsnapping her bra. He watched as it slid off, his eyes traveling over her skin. She pulled off her panties. They were black lace. She smiled at Charlie as she dropped them to the floor. She walked over to Ra, who was sitting on the bed, already naked. His penis was erect, ready. She poked his chest playfully with her finger. His eyes widened in surprise.
“No teasing your brother,” she said. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “That’s my job.” She looked at him and he nodded. She walked back over to Charlie, getting into his lap. He looked a tad nervous. She took both of his hands, removing first one glove, and then the other.
“I want you to touch me,” she said. He looked at her, nervously licking his lips. He raised his hands, cupping her breasts. She could feel the electricity coming from his hands. She exhaled. She could feel his visions, seeping into her pores. Flowers, opening lushly as they bloomed. A fire, burning and licking at the night sky as it roared. Slow, seductive images. He began to run the flats of his palms over her body. Nessa bit her lip as images of firecrackers danced in her mind. If he kept going at this pace, she was going to come just by being touched.