Path of the Heretic (The Beholder Book 2)

by Ivan Amberlake

  “What happened to the evil in him?”

  “It left, but he had to pay the price. Have you ever wondered why he wears such a high collar, even when it’s hot?”

  Jason nodded.

  “It’s to hide a scar. He has a really bad gash on the left side of his neck. But that’s not all. If only it was just his neck.” Emily sighed, sounding sad. “His back and part of his chest are covered in scars. When evil left his body, it left indelible marks on Tyler’s skin. No Energy can heal them.”

  Jason was impressed. “Was he as young as you were?”

  “Yeah, he was fourteen. He didn’t remember where he had gotten the scorched trace on his body, or how he had become Sighted. I showed him some of my knowledge, and after a while his real talent developed. Now our world is his home.”

  “Did he ever remember what happened?”

  Emily shook her head. “Not yet, but once I prophesied that he would. The down side to that is it may allow evil back inside his soul. He is still expecting it to show, but up to now nothing has happened.”

  She worked her Energy to lull Jason to sleep. There he was, closing his eyes, falling into the sweetest oblivion.

  From where she was sitting, he looked so perfect. The soft, smooth lines of his face, relaxed in sleep, brought a smile to her face, and she let herself stare. Meeting Jason and finding the Beholder in him had been the greatest event in her life. Now her only fear was that she would lose him. That he would never understand why she did what she was about to do.

  She got up noiselessly and took a light blanket from the back of her chair. She needed to leave, didn’t want to be so near him, in the same room, while she had these thoughts.

  “Sweet dreams, Jason,” she whispered, then kissed him on the forehead. She laid the blanket over him then headed for the room where William, Matthew, and Debbie were sleeping.

  The transformation of the Beholder was about to take place. She sensed it approaching and knew it would happen soon. It should have been such an incredible event, a moment in time they could all celebrate. But Pariah had given them only twenty-four hours. He had set his evil mind on searching for the remaining Pillars protecting the Beholder.

  She would take William, Matt, and Debbie away from Jason, she decided. That was the only way to guarantee their safety when the transformation happened. If it got out of control with them nearby, it might kill them all. But she’d have to hurry. The game had already begun, and she would have to comply with the rules.

  If she wanted revenge, she would have to be cruel.

  Her expression was hard when she saw it in the full-length mirror, her mouth tight with purpose. “It’s too late for revenge,” she whispered. “I’m already dead.”

  She turned away from the mirror and proceeded to the next room. William, Matt, and Debbie were fast asleep. Before Tyler managed to get here, she had to take them from the estate and hide.

  As her Energy sprouts wrapped around Jason’s friends, Emily waved for them to get up and follow to the exit. Slowly all of them stirred and rose, undisturbed by Emily’s manipulations.

  “Where are you going?” a grim voice came from behind, startling Emily.

  She swiveled on her heel and saw Damien Bale.

  “It’s none of your business,” she said in a confident voice.

  “Yes, it is. Even though you don’t want to take them to Pariah, you’ll have to.” He bored into her with his lackluster eyes. “That was the deal.”

  “I don’t care about the deal,” she croaked, barely able to speak.

  Damien rushed towards her and gripped her neck with his fist. Emily stiffened but didn’t protest against Bale’s harsh treatment.

  “He’ll kill my daughter and wife, and you know it!”

  This time Emily clutched Damien’s wrist with her fingers and released herself from his grip.

  “There’s nothing I can do to help you. They’re doomed.”

  Damien kept boring holes in Emily with his eyes, although they had a shade of pleading and despair in them. After a few moments he collapsed to his knees and grasped her hand. “Emily, don’t do this to me. If I don’t take Walker’s friends to Pariah, he’ll kill Laura and Jess.”

  Two streaks ran down Damien’s face, and then his expression changed, his lips a grim line as his eyes sparkled with fury.

  “You’ve changed, you know?” he said. “After he captured you in the underground, there’s more Darkness in you than ever before.”

  “That’s not true,” she snapped. “I’m not taking them to Pariah. I’m taking them to the underground, and I don’t have much time. The transformation is about to begin.”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Damien spat.

  His aura suddenly changed from emerald to dark red, and he sent a wave of his Energy right into Emily’s heart.

  Emily blocked his attack, but Damien cut the distance between them and struck her in the temple. Her vision dimmed, and though she desperately tried to cling to consciousness, darkness wrapped her in its embrace.

  Jason snapped back to reality. His hand was still pressed against the mark, the warmth coming off of it gone. He lowered his hand, overwhelmed with shock. He couldn’t utter a sound, so amazing was it to see Emily’s memories of him. Some were fond memories; some made him nervous, while others terrified him.

  It was the first time he’d seen his own light through Emily’s eyes, and it wasn’t anything like he saw it. In her eyes it was so much more intense, dazzling, captivating.

  Some of these memories he’d shared with her. Some belonged only to her, and she’d left them for him to know what she was like in reality. What amazed him the most were her thoughts that he had somehow been able to read, the way her skin tingled at his closeness, the way she gasped for breath when he touched her couldn’t lie.

  All those months he’d thought Emily had betrayed him. Now it felt the other way around: he betrayed her by doubting her intentions. Jason could make up lots of excuses to justify himself, but he didn’t. He just wanted Emily to return, so that he would tell her how sorry he was.

  Chapter 27

  Someone shook her by the shoulders, but not in a gentle way. Fingers thrust deep into her flesh. Catherine tried to force her eyes open, but her eyelids were too heavy. Scrambling out of the dark, she realized her arm and spine tingled so hard it hurt to move.

  “Come on. Get up.” Pariah sounded displeased. She felt so stupid stepping on that twig and giving them all away.

  “What was that?” a disgruntled Sean Cryer asked. “Where are they gone?”

  “Someone let them into a Fraud Image,” Pariah said, his feet shuffling through the grass.

  Catherine propped herself up on an elbow. “You mean they got away?” Her thoughts were fuzzy, and only now she seemed to grasp the meaning of Cryer’s words. She didn’t get them. She failed.

  “Yes, and someone helped them,” Pariah said.

  “I bet it’s Bale,” Catherine hissed.

  “What?” Cryer asked.

  “We’ll take care of it later. Now we need to get inside the Image.” Pariah scrutinized the trees around. He raised his hand, his fingers crooked into claws.

  Catherine pushed herself up and entered the Sight. Pariah’s aura licked her with its venomous tongues, filling her chest with new Energy. Her aura clung to everything around, making the blades of grass wither, the leaves on the trees curl and blacken.

  “There must be a tree that serves as an entrance,” Pariah said.

  Catherine raised a suspicious brow at him. “How do you know so much about the estate?”

  “I’ve been there once. A long time ago.”

  Catherine narrowed her eyes, overwhelmed with jealousy. “You never told me about it.”

  The Dark One waved her off. “Why would I? Now, find the entrance.”

  Fuming, Catherine mustered all of her hatred and sent a wave of raging Energy around her. The grass and trees caught fire as if drenched in gasoline, crackling and blacken
ing. All trees except one. It stood untouched and whole, even though some of its leaves started smoking.

  “Good idea, Cathy.” Pariah gave her a lopsided grin.

  Catherine’s heart fluttered with excitement. She had found it.

  “We’ll have to force it to let us in.” Pariah came over to the tree and put his hand on the bark. “Come on.”

  Catherine, Tyler, and Sean joined him.

  “Conjure as much Energie Morte as you can,” Pariah commanded.

  As soon as the four of them joined their forces, the tree burst into flames. Catherine yelled in pain as the tree’s Energy poured from behind the bark and seared her flesh. She let go of it and soon noticed the change in the scenery. Behind the tree, there appeared a small passage with lush grass and trees unharmed by the fire.

  “There it is!” she exclaimed.

  “Let’s go!” Pariah ordered.

  Catherine ventured a look at the one she loved and worshiped, and it pleased her to see him maniacally happy, a scowl twisting his features. The four of them slunk cautiously past the tree and into the forest that hid Emily’s estate.

  They found the clearing quite easily, following Jason Walker’s and Violet Jones’ traces.

  Catherine was surprised to find the house crumbling and about to collapse. Without words they followed Pariah, who made confident strides towards the entrance. He maneuvered among the debris, lunging towards the room where the two Lightsighted were, eager to eliminate them.

  Pariah’s desire to shed the Lightsighted blood thrummed through Catherine, pushing her forward with renewed vigor.

  Chapter 28

  Jason turned around and froze. Pariah stood there, flanked by Tyler, Catherine, and a guy he’d seen once before. Their eyes screamed vengeance, hatred, repulsion. Damien Bale had warned they might eventually force their way in. There was no Bale among them though.

  As he shielded Violet with his body, Jason swallowed hard, wondering if the guy was still alive.

  “Both of you are here,” Catherine smirked. “Perfect. We’ve waited long enough for you to find the mark.”

  Tyler’s body wrapped in swirling smoke as he lunged forward and sent a punch at Jason’s jaw. Jason’s vision blackened as he tumbled to the floor.

  Another shadow slithered noiselessly towards them, about to pounce on Violet.

  “Finish her,” Pariah ordered, standing behind.

  “Not so fast,” Jason growled through gritted teeth.

  They’d caught him off guard, but Tyler’s blow to the head sobered him into a rage that spurred him to action. As he tasted the metallic tinge of blood in his mouth, his eyes gleamed wildly.

  Jason spun around, and just when Tyler was about to crush his skull with his foot, he grabbed it with his hand and crumbled it to pieces. Tyler tumbled to the floor, screaming in pain and turning to dust.

  Cold sweat beaded Jason’s forehead as he stared at the small pile of ash. Did I just kill him? Coughing, he got to his feet and leaned against the wall for support, then faced Violet briefly to make sure she was all right. She was pressed hard against the back wall where the marks glowed, her eyes full of dread.

  He stretched his hand and silvery light gushed in the shadows’ direction. The shadows stepped backwards grudgingly, cringing. Jason knew his light made them suffer.

  “It’s not going to save you, Walker,” Pariah said. “Let us meet the heretic and we’ll let you and your friend go unharmed.”

  “Yeah, right.” He let out a nervous laugh. “Like you ever let anyone go.”

  Pariah’s face lit with a wicked smile. The next moment Jason knew why. His eye caught a subtle movement in the murky corner of the room. He swiveled his head to see Tyler growing back from the pile of dust, enveloped again by whirling smoke. Something curved on his face, and if Jason ventured a guess, he’d say Tyler smiled.

  “What the hell?” He furrowed his forehead and punched him hard, this time without remorse or regret.

  Tyler crashed into the wall and turned to dust again.

  “Say hello to Emily, Chosen One,” Catherine spat. Both she and Sean Cryer attacked Jason simultaneously.

  Blinded by rage, Jason slowed down time around the shadows and, dodging their attacks, punched Catherine in the chest and kicked Cryer in the solar plexus, throwing them against the bookshelf, ancient encyclopedias dropping down onto their heads and bodies.

  “Cryer, finish him!” Pariah hollered.

  The guy snapped up to his feet and darted towards Jason with a growl. Jason pulled the photo out of his jeans pocket. Violet pressed herself against the corner, rooted to the spot, stupefied. He grabbed her hand and pulled towards the heretic’s mark. Emily said he needed to apply the photo and then he was going to see the heretic.

  His hand was shaking as he applied the picture to the mark. Light cocooned him, making the murky room vanish. He squeezed Violet’s hand, afraid to let it go. She responded with a firm grasp, but then she started yelling as someone pulled at her from the other side.

  Her face was panicked, eyes wide with fear.

  “Jason, hold me!” she screamed.

  Jason clutched her hand with renewed force, but it wasn’t enough. Bit by bit, her fingers started slipping from his.

  “No, Jason, no!” she yelled.

  “Come on!” Jason pleaded, holding onto the tips of her fingers.

  Someone wrenched at her, and there was no Violet anymore.

  “Violet!” he yelled. “Violet!”

  He spun around, brought through iridescent light away from the secret room. He landed on a wooden floor face down, the room before him taking shape bit by bit. It was an old library lined with rows of books, filled with dust and the musty smell of yellowing pages. Jason screwed up his eyes, not sure whether to believe his eyes or not. The library expanded and there seemed to be no end to it.

  “Hello?”

  He got up and paced past the rows as they stretched into the distance. As he passed by another row, he spotted movement. The outline of a man down the aisle. A book in his hands.

  “Hello?” he called.

  The man turned his head. Jason peered at him, taking cautious steps forward. No, it wasn’t a man. Jason would call him a … boy. Fourteen or fifteen, tops.

  “Finally,” the boy said, closing the book and shoving it in its place. “I thought it would take forever for you to find me. Thank God you made it.”

  This is crazy.

  “Aaron Sloane?”

  Chapter 29

  Damien returned to the Dark One’s estate and walked fast towards the training grounds. He cursed at himself for being so stupid. He’d realized his mistake too late. How could he let Pariah turn Tyler into a hideous monster? Now that Pariah had him, he had a way to find the entrance to the Ethans’ estate, and what was more horrible, to the underground.

  On the other hand, Emily had warned him that might happen. They both were too gullible and fell into this trap. Trusted Tyler with too many secrets.

  Hopefully, my Fraud Image will give Walker some time, and he’ll figure it out.

  Björn still lay, stirring, wincing and trying to pry his eyes open. Damien towered over him, giving Iwers a satisfied grin.

  “What the hell was that?” Björn half-snarled, rubbing the tender spot at the back of his skull. Damien had made sure it would hurt.

  “Lesson one: Never trust anyone, even those meant to teach you.” Damien offered him a helping hand.

  “You jerk,” Björn hissed, ignoring the hand. “How long was I out?”

  “Just a few seconds. Okay, let’s go to the training grounds,” Damien said, waving for Björn to follow him.

  As Björn dusted off, Damien kept talking.

  “Lesson two: Never turn your back on anyone, especially someone you don’t trust. They might strike any moment,” Damien said, turning and boring into the novice’s mind to find Iwers’ thoughts to be filled with swear words, anger, and thirst for revenge.

  “Can I trust anyon
e here?” the angered Swede asked.

  “Never. Especially those with the most Energy. For them you’re nothing but a means to get what they really want.”

  “And what do they want?”

  “More power. More Energy. Destruction, chaos. Predictable, huh?”

  A smug smile twitched Björn Iwers’ lips.

  A group of five emerged out of thin air within the estate grounds, not far from the entrance gate.

  Five. Not four. Fear ran cold fingers over Damien’s spine. They wouldn’t have taken Jason hostage. They’d kill him right there.

  “Who’s that girl?” Iwers asked, reminding Damien that he was still there.

  “It’s one of the Beholder’s defenders,” he replied.

  The girl let out wails of despair, trying to wriggle out of Pariah’s vise, but it was no use. The Dark One held her fast by the hair, pushing her forward, no remorse in his actions.

  Dried blood lines blemished Violet’s face, one corner of her lips bruised and swollen, a nasty gash on her left cheek, her clothes torn to rags.

  “Look who we’ve got here,” Pariah said.

  “Nice catch.” Damien forced himself to smile, then looked into Violet’s eyes. Scared like a rabbit surrounded by black kites. “What next?” he asked, his voice trembling, giving away his anxiety.

  “You kill her.” Pariah narrowed his eyes, then pushed Violet forwards and she tumbled to the ground with a groan, right at Damien’s feet.

  “Me? Why?” Damien took a step back, shaking his head. “I thought—”

  “I said kill her!” Pariah growled at the top of his lungs.

  Damien swallowed hard, still shaking his head.

  “I told you,” Catherine smirked. “And you never listened to me. He’s the Transcendent. He helped the Ethan bitch find the Beholder.”

  Pariah raised his chin, his jaws clenched together. “Tyler, now’s your turn,” he snapped.

  Damien knew he had to act fast. He rushed to save Violet, but he never expected Tyler’s destructive light to be aimed at him, not her. Tyler’s wave got him in the solar plexus, throwing him a few yards backwards and knocking the wind out of him.