by Jaymin Eve
“Why the freak is Que suddenly so mesmerizing?” I heard Fury ask.
Comprehension clicked with me; Brace was a fraction faster.
“It’s the original power inside you. It’s drawn to the stolen power within Que,” he said.
The power Que had gathered from the universe, the free power of the originals, it recognized the power in us, and it was calling us. Drawing the seven half-Walkers toward him. And the connection worked both ways. I could see the confusion lacing Que’s blue eyes and furrowed brow. The faltering steps as he fought against the urge to cross the last hundred yards to reach our side.
Could we use this to our advantage? I thought the words, but Brace and the half-Walkers all picked up on them.
Only one way to find out, Delane answered, and with axes drawn she moved. She was done with waiting; it was time to fight.
The rest of us fell in with her, weapons drawn, power zapping between us.
Winds started to blow up around Delane. Her short hair whirled and the wings which almost double-spanned her body were fully erect and towering above her head. Lina strode beside her, wings also aloft as the unicorn used the currents to drift above the ground. The pair liked to combine this sort of glide and walk. It was a much faster way to travel than for those of us stuck on two feet.
I felt the pull of power as the storm brewed around the Angelica. Then her winds were soon joined by water torrents from Talina, fires from Fury, and the shadow of Sapha. Ria waved her hand, and from within the ground thick roots responded, springing up around Que. Our powers were joined now in a beautiful kaleidoscope of energy and elements.
Any weaknesses? I asked Eva.
I wasn’t expecting any. Que did not tolerate weaknesses in himself or others, but if there was one there, Eva would find it.
I felt her focus, a wash of her spirit energy fluttering into the air. Her breathing increased, before stuttering in and out for many moments.
He wears so many ghosts of the dead. Walker and others. He carries their souls upon himself.
Her tone was eighty percent horrified and twenty fascinated. I was all horrified. Ghosts of the dead.
I remembered when Que had killed those Walkers at that battle long ago, the one where Brace was possessed by the first Seventine. Walkers everywhere had freaked out because it was supposed to be impossible to fully kill a Walker. Upon the death of their body their essence would be released to regenerate, their energy reused for another Walker life.
But Que had somehow done the impossible. He would touch a Walker and then they would cease to exist, their energy completely wiped from the great cycle.
Brace growled. That’s what he was doing. Not killing them, but sucking the energy into himself. Holding their essence captive.
His tone held disgust and guilt. He blamed himself for not standing up to his father over the years. I wished he wouldn’t worry about that now. For all he knew, had he made a stand, Que would have absorbed Brace and he’d have been trapped. Never able to find me. No melding bond.
I don’t understand, I said slowly. How were the souls not freed when he was blasted into a zillion little cells?
They must be tied to his energy, so until he actually frees them, they can never seek rebirth. At least until Que’s energy is sent for rebirth.
Ugh! An eternity stuck on that assface. We had to do something about that.
Eva was still examining him. He wears weakness over his heart. He has much sorrow and pain within him, and if we can free those souls around him, then he will be easy to detain.
So the souls are giving him power? I clarified.
Yes, she said, their energy fuels his energy and gives him several layers of protection. There’s only one other being I’ve sensed this much energy within, and that’s you, Abby.
She must have been able to see into my ‘filing cabinet’. I was packing a punch in there.
The Seventine have sent Que forward first. They’ll be hoping he can use his touch of death to thin our ranks, Ria said. She tightened the vines which were further surrounding the large Walker.
Don’t let him touch you! I said without preamble. We must divest him of the souls which give him power.
“Bracelional!” Que still didn’t move, but he did bellow loud enough for us to hear. “I don’t want to fight you, son. My allegiance is with the Seventine, but there’s still time for you to join me. Together we will rule the new world.”
He was still under the misconception that the gods were going to allow a new world. No time to clue him in now, and I hoped he wouldn’t learn the hard way, because it would be too late for all of us then.
We were edging closer to the stoic male covered in vines. The storm still brewed around us, but I wasn’t sure what we could do to actually remove the souls. The elemental powers were good for kicking ass, not freeing souls. There had to be something, though – maybe this was in Eva’s wheelhouse of tricks. I whirled toward the others.
“Que has stolen original energy. We need that back so we may have a chance to lock away the Seventine. But first thing …” I turned to Eva. “Do you think that there’s a way for you to free the souls?”
Her cheeks drooped and brows furrowed as she blinked at the ground. I wasn’t sure what she was doing when suddenly her head popped back up.
“I don’t think I can.” Her sorrow increased. “I’ve tried to communicate and release trapped souls. The ones who were stuck on Earth without anyone to help them … I never could do anything to save them.”
“That was on Earth,” I reminded her. “Your powers are so much more here. It’s time to try again.”
“I’ll need to get close to him,” she said as she straightened her shoulders. “To touch the essence lingering around Que.”
“As long as you don’t have to touch his hands then we should be able to manage that.” Brace had energy resting in his palms now.
I could feel the heat and power he was releasing. He was pissed off, and the majority of that anger was directed at his father.
“Guess you aren’t taking him up on that generous offer to rule the world?” I said, snorting out my laughter.
Que never had a clue who his son was if he thought Brace would be swayed by something like that.
Brace’s laughter was dark and deep. “Que is a dead man. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
The words and tone sent shivers down my spine, and not in the normal mesmerizing way Brace tempted me. Nope, this was pure fear. How did the Walker induce fear like that? He was the last being I’d ever be afraid of, but still my body reacted involuntarily to the predator he was. I hoped he’d teach me that level of badassery one day, because it would be a skill I’d love.
“You don’t get to say ‘no’ to me, son.” Que was almost lost in the greenery now. Just a large vinery statue was visible, but his damn voice continued to make it through.
We were almost upon him, and while I could feel the Seventine out there, I could not see them.
Ria cried out, her hands rising to thread through the long mahogany hair at her temples. “He’s poison. He’s killing them.” Her cries continued for a moment; she slumped forward and Delane caught her.
At first I had no idea what she was talking about. Then, as her tawny-brown skin faded to something very pale, I could sense trickles of a metal element and – sulfur, maybe – seeping through our bond. The Artwon queen screamed long and loud, and the ground around us exploded in a veritable plethora of plant life.
“You think you can kill Mother Nature? You will suffer for this.” Her words echoed in a monotonous flow.
I shifted out of the way, and had to jump to the side when large ropy threads of roots started to shoot up from under my feet.
My head swiveled back up to Que, and it was now obvious what had happened. The vines were dead. The ones holding Que had shriveled away and within seconds were no more than blackened stems beneath his feet. The rot continued to bleed out from the spot where Que’s feet were planted, as
if the Walker himself – as Ria had said – was poison. Ria’s plants tried to close the space again, but they couldn’t even get close before they withered and died.
A sob escaped from the beautiful Regali half. She was fighting, but Que was stronger. Her sorrow was enough to crush us. It flooded along the bond and entangled itself within our souls. I knew she fought not only for the plants here today, but for her beloved forest of Artwon, which was also dying. Slowly and surely, the plants were losing against the Seventine and Que, and it was painting black tar across her psyche.
“Okay, let’s give Ria a boost,” I said. “Add some of our other powers to show Que that he’s not in control here.”
The sacred animals took off in a single line, leaving our sides to spread around the perimeter of where Que stood. We’d practiced this move and I knew it was our best chance. The well inside me was full, our energy was at maximum capacity, so we would give it everything we had.
Ria was still visibly distraught, but she managed to rein in her flow of energy, before sending her element to intermingle with all the others.
The colors exploded, until we had a shimmery mass, tinted with threads of gold. The golden tones were from my conduit abilities, and I ferreted more of my power into it, increasing our combined elemental mass to almost epic levels of strength.
Of course, at that moment, the Seventine decided to screw with us some more and they released their hold on their minions. Trees, zombies and the large scaled fire-lizards sprang to life. Noise echoed around us again; they were trying to distract our attack on Que.
“You focus on Que. We’ll keep the rest off you,” Brace said, giving me a quick kiss.
Josian and Samuel saluted me and took off. Quarn paused long enough to give me a wink before joining the others. They all jumped straight into the fray, engaging the enemies around us. I returned my attention to Que, who stood so arrogantly. The slightest smile twisted his hard features.
Go!
I spoke to the sacred animals, and they did not hesitate. Power burst free from within them, each of the animals an extension of their half-Walker female. But also with their own special kick. Fury’s kitty was scary as heck when he was in his prehistoric panther size, plus Crete was a little badass. He didn’t hold back like the rest of them. Flames tinting his fur, he crouched low, and with a pounce landed directly behind Que.
The Walker spun but was way too slow. The panther’s weight knocked him to the ground, and the flames burst to life. The scent of burning flesh was not a pleasant aroma. It’s not a smell I’d ever get used to, but it’s always unmistakable.
Que was burning.
I heard his bellow, and a ricocheting of his energy knocked Crete and two or three of the guides back.
“Oh hell no!” Fury was running. She was getting her baby kitten and no one was stopping her.
The rest of us followed.
I urged my legs to pump harder so I could catch the white-haired, red-skinned angel of death who was flying across the blackened planes.
Que had pulled himself to his feet. He was a little unsteady and I could see holes in his black leather where the blue fire had melted through to his skin.
Walker healing would fix him up, but it would take much longer to heal an injury inflicted by our power. He was going to suffer for a while still.
You know I very much like this evil streak in you, Red. You really shouldn’t distract me. I might get bitten and turn into a zombie.
I snorted.
Brace and Lucy loved to make fun of me for my minor freak-out when I’d been bitten by a zombie. I think I had a legit reaction to what could have been a tragic situation.
Laughter trailed after me as I finally caught up to Fury, the other half-Walkers around me.
I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder and shook my head at the pile of destroyed Seventine creeps that my father, brother, guardian and mate had amassed. They were cutting through them without pause, and none stood for longer than a few moments. Samuel was the least skilled, but more than held his own. I knew he’d spent many years training with Brace and Josian, so he was still pretty awesome with a blade and bow.
Focus on Que. Don’t underestimate him.
Brace’s gentle warning was enough to bring my scattered attention back to the scene before me.
Que was battling the animals – his clothes still smoking – as each one blasted out with power. They were close to him, but cleverly avoided the touch of his hands. Lina glided across and with a perfectly placed blast of wind and thrust of wings, she managed to not only knock him down but also sliced both of his arms. His robotic-looking arm was visible now through the burnt and tattered top, derived through power he’d stolen from the originals. Power I needed to divest him of.
The seven girls fell in with our animals. I slipped in next to Cerberus, and the giant hellhound towered over me, keeping my back safe.
“You cannot beat me. I can’t be killed and, I don’t care if my son loves you, I will not hesitate to end your existence, Aribella of Doreen.”
My father-in-law hated me. I would be completely devastated except he was an asshole who needed to die. Yeah, okay, the hatred was mutual.
I whipped out at him with power, drawing from all of the girls. I aimed for his heart. Eva had said that was a weakness.
Que’s hands crossed over his chest, blocking most of the stream of energy.
But not all of it.
He was knocked down, and I was surprised to see that he looked stunned. As if that blast had disorientated him.
We need to form a cage, and hold him so that Eva can try and free the spirits, I said through the bond.
We had done this once, and not very successfully. But there weren’t many other options. Cerberus must have sensed my intentions, because as Delane’s wind energy whipped up, my hellhound sent it out in a flash to connect us all. A circle of wind formed, like we had done in the white realm with fire.
Spread out. Surround him and stop him from escaping.
Our guides moved first. I followed in Cerberus’ shadow. Que tried to snarl, but it wasn’t quite successful. The right side of his cheek and lips had been burnt, and the skin wasn’t healed enough for the facial muscles to move.
He lunged for me, but the wind which buffeted between my body and the other seven girls knocked him back. I continued to pummel him with the air element, pushing down with the power between us. I looked around for Eva, hoping she was preparing to move toward him. My eyes flicked about, but I couldn’t see the Earth half.
I’m cloaking her, Sapha said.
Sure enough, as I focused, the ripples in the air gave me a brief idea where Eva was. She was creeping forward while Que remained distracted by the cyclone. Lugi, her lycan, was holding her place within the elemental circle.
“Cerberus, hold the wind for me,” I said.
Sure enough, as the hellhound rested both heads onto me, I could feel my place in the circle shift. The energy still swirled through me, but I wasn’t actively holding a mass of wind.
I stepped into the center, crossing over to stand before Que. If he was focused on me, he would never look for Eva. He expected me to be the one to attack; he knew I was powerful.
“You chose the wrong side,” I yelled over the wind, ignoring the tendrils of my hair which whipped around me. “And you have lost any chance you had with your son.”
The former Abernath princeps was a tough old asshat. He blasted out with enough energy to push back the wind, and then he was on his feet again. His power continued to battle against the elemental push from the girls.
“I love my son. Everything I have ever done was to make him stronger. To make him a leader. The male you know today is because of me.”
Not freaking likely.
“Brace is an amazing leader and Walker, not to mention a beautiful soul. But that isn’t because of you; it’s in spite of you. You gave him strength, but he’s the one who chose to do good with it.”
He sneere
d, “You think such simple thoughts. Good, evil, right, wrong. These are not real concepts. There’s just power. There’s just control. There’s a reason that some of us are above others. It’s our duty to keep control.”
He’d lost his freaking mind.
Eva was right behind him then. I couldn’t see much in her expression, but I sensed her fear as she reached for the Walker.
I stepped even closer. I was just beyond his arm’s length. But if he lunged for me, I would be in trouble.
“You’re going to die today,” I said. “Your essence will be reborn, and I hope in the next life the Walkers with your energy choose to do something better. You’re a waste.”
As I let him know exactly how I felt, Eva reached out and grasped onto his neck, right in the bare skin between his coat and hair line. Time stood still for a second.
Que seemed stunned as he blinked a few times, before letting out a harsh expletive. As he started to spin, trying to dislodge the female attached to him, I lurched forward and managed to punch him once in the mouth. My fist throbbed. Dude had a jaw just like his son. Hard as brick.
Que reached up and rubbed at the trickle of blood which marred his lower lip. “You’re going to pay for that, bitch.”
Bring it. I settled in, knowing I was about to get my ass kicked. I’d fought Brace before, and was no match for him at all. Que was just as good as his son. Of course, against Brace I hadn’t used my power.
Just as Que came in for the fight, Eva still attached to his back and trying to free the souls, Cerberus was in front of me. The hellhound whipped his hind legs around and booted Que right in the gut.
I can’t free them, Abby. I feel them, but there’s no way to sever the connection. It’s like a sticky glue holding them down. Eva sounded hysterical.
I knew she felt very connected to the ghosts she saw.
Don’t worry; we’ll figure it out. Now get away from him, Eva. Hurry.