Hook: Exiles of the Realm

by Adrienne Bell

  James’ voice blended in with the others.

  A wave of magic and then a scream.

  A single scream?

  Well, if shouting didn’t make the voices stop then maybe she could force them out. Mercy lifted her hands and tried clawing at the side of her head, but James wrangled both her wrists in one hand before her nails broke skin.

  Mercy let out a frustrated cry as the pounding in her head increased.

  And you’re certain it came from Earth?

  Yes, your majesty. Someone there has found a powerful relic.

  “Who, Mercy?”

  Like she had a clue. All she knew was they were male, strong, and loud as hell.

  “Two men,” she managed to squeak out.

  “That’s good,” James said, resting his chin on the top of her head. He pulled her in tighter to his embrace, wrapping his arms fully around her. “What else?”

  Who do you suspect?

  Who else? Hook.

  “They know you,” she muttered against the solid wall of his chest.

  James cursed. “Anything else?”

  The pounding in her head verged on overwhelming. Mercy’s eyes, her jaw, her whole body clenched as she tried to hold on for just another second.

  I request your permission to investigate this breech personally.

  Of course.

  Mercy sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. Her eyes popped open as she turned to look at him.

  “I think they’re coming here.”

  James rolled his gaze to the ceiling. He whispered another curse. That wasn’t exactly the reassuring reaction that she had hoped for.

  His grip on her eased just long enough for him to lace his fingers with hers. “Come on,” he said. “I need to get you out of here.”

  “Why?” Mercy asked, shaking her head. The pressure against her skull started to ease. “Who were those people?”

  “Not sure,” he said, pulling her toward the door. “But if they’re coming for me then they’re not friends.”

  “But who are they? And why can I hear them?”

  James didn’t look back at her. “I already told you.”

  “So, magic people from fairy land are living in my head now?”

  “Not living,” he said. “But don’t worry. I know someone who can help you shut them out.”

  “Who?”

  “His name is Geoffrey Merlin.”

  “Merlin?” Mercy dug in her heels. “You just expect me to believe that you know the Merlin?”

  James yanked on her hand and she flew forward into his arms like a rag doll. “I don’t care what you believe,” he said. “Right now, the only thing I care about is getting you out of here before—”

  A loud pop sounded, like a giant champagne cork flying out of a bottle. Mercy started hard. James cursed again. She tightened her grip on his arm as a twisting wind whipped around the center of the room, growing larger with every rotation. The gusts tossed her hair wildly around her face. For a second, she feared one of his windows had shattered, but they held strong.

  “Too late,” James said cryptically.

  “What’s happening?” she shouted above the din of the wind.

  “Another thing you’re going to find hard to believe.”

  She lifted a shaky finger, and pointed to a quickly growing dark blue sphere pushing out of the whirlwind. “I-Is that…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence. It was too ridiculous. Too far beyond the scope of reality.

  “A portal?” James apparently had no problems saying the word. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “Why? How?” The questions tumbled from her lips.

  “I’ll explain later,” he said, turning around so she was behind him as he faced the portal. “Right now, stay behind me and don’t say a word.”

  “But—”

  “Not a single word,” he shouted again. And, damn, if he didn’t sound like he meant it.

  Mercy’s mouth opened, but this time nothing came out. Not because she took James’ warning to heart, but because a leather-covered leg emerged from the swirling portal. All the air left Mercy’s lungs as a man stepped down onto the hardwood floors. He was about James’ size, dressed in an old-fashioned military costume, and he didn’t look happy.

  More importantly, he wasn’t alone. Two more men stepped out behind him. They were exceptionally tall, easily towering over everyone in the room by at least a head. Their bodies were different too—overly slender and graceful. Mercy had a hard time looking away from the severe beauty of their faces. She couldn’t quite shake the feeling that there was something not right about them.

  Something besides the fact that they’d appeared out of a magic gateway.

  She couldn’t really be buying that, could she?

  She closed her eyes tight and gave her head a shake. But when she opened them again, the men were still there. So was the portal.

  This was really happening.

  Her fingers curled tighter into the fabric of James’ shirt.

  Stay behind him. Don’t say a word.

  Suddenly, that sounded like great advice.

  The man who came out of the portal first took his time scanning the room. Going by his expression, he wasn’t all that impressed with what he saw. His top lip curled, then arched higher when his gaze came to rest on James.

  “Hook,” he said.

  Mercy recognized the voice from her head instantly.

  “Flint.” James’ voice was calm, but Mercy could feel the tension humming through every muscle in his body. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “So rude,” the man named Flint replied. “And here I thought you’d be happy to see a familiar face after all this time.”

  “You thought wrong.”

  “So it seems,” Flint said. He glanced straight past James’ shoulder to shoot Mercy a lecherous smile. “I’ve interrupted your evening’s entertainment.”

  “She’s a friend,” James said. “Nothing more.”

  “Really?” Flint asked, cocking his head to the side. “Now that is hard to believe. I’ve never known you to be nothing more than a friend to any woman…especially one so fine.”

  The way Flint said that last word made Mercy’s stomach churn. Hot bile rose in her throat but she quickly swallowed. James must have heard the menace too, because he pushed his arm back, nudging her even farther behind him.

  “You don’t know a damn thing about me,” James said.

  “Oh come now, old friend,” Flint said with a chuckle. “After everything that’s happened, we both know that’s not true.”

  “You’re a fool, Flint.” James laughed.

  Flint’s smile grew darker. “I’d mind your tongue if I were you. After Oberon tossed you into the pit, I was made the Master of the Gate, a position that comes with responsibility over all current exiles.”

  “Your mother must be proud.”

  “You may be banished, Hook, but I haven’t forgotten what you’re capable of. I’ve had the court magicians keep their eyes on you.”

  James seemed far from cowed. “Should I be flattered?”

  “Penitent is more like it.” Flint turned and casually moved around the room, looking over the shattered shelves as he went. “I know what you’ve been up to.”

  “I very much doubt that.”

  “I knew you’d never accept your fate,” Flint said, stopping to pick up a shiny piece of metal that had fallen over. It must have been important, because James tensed as Flint turned the object over before slipping it into his pocket. “And I was right. Not even a full year in purgatory, and you’re back to your old tricks, hunting down relics, creating another magic arsenal. But why?”

  “I thought you had all the answers, Master of the Gate,” James said.

  “Because you think you can break the curse and come home,” Flint said, his gaze snapping to James’. The overly tall men drew straighter at his words. “That’s why you’ve brought all the other exiles together, isn’t it?”

  J
ames tilted his head to the side. “You know the terms of the curse are impossible to break.”

  “Yes, I know that,” Flint said, stepping toward them. His gaze narrowed. “But I’m not sure that you do.”

  “Is that why you’re here? To see if I’m sufficiently broken?” James asked, adjusting his stance to fully guard her. “Short answer—I’m not. I like it here. The living is a hell of a lot easier than back home. Look around, Flint. I stole my way into a glass-lined sky palace and a new woman every night without even breaking a sweat. I’m a step away from being a damn king. Why would I want to go home?”

  Mercy tightened her grip to the back of James’ shirt. The voices might have quieted in her head, and her skull no longer felt like it was going to explode, but her brain was still pounding. She struggled to take in every word they were saying. Wrestled with the meaning. The implications. The truth.

  Dear God, it was almost too much to take in.

  “Because you’ve always wanted what you can’t have, Hook,” Flint said. “And right now, that’s a way back to the Realm.”

  James laughed. “You really don’t know a damn thing about me, Flint.”

  “No?” Flint stopped right in front of them. “I know you’re a cocky bastard. Cocky enough to believe you could use truly powerful magic on your own without detection.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” James said.

  “The magicians heard a scream coming from Earth,” Flint said. “There’s only one magic powerful and volatile enough to let stray thoughts slip through the void. Wyvern scales. Where are they?”

  “No idea.”

  “No use lying, Hook,” he said. “We’re going to kill you either way. Hand over the relic, and I’ll let you kiss the girl one last time before I order the fae to tear out your beating heart.”

  “Tempting offer,” James said. “But I’m going to pass.”

  Flint’s smile grew. His hands effortlessly curled into fists at his side.

  “Then we’ll just have to search the place after we’re done with you,” Flint said, raising a single finger to motion to the two men behind him. The tall creatures closed in.

  Mercy’s blood ran cold. Whatever these creatures were, they were obviously familiar with violence. Very familiar.

  “What I don’t understand is how you got the damned things to work,” Flint continued. “Wyvern scales only grant their powers to those on the moral high ground, and we both know that doesn’t apply to you. Or any one of the exiles for that matter. There isn’t a soul among you that had a chance of…”

  Mercy felt the bottom drop out of her stomach as Flint’s words trailed off. His gaze snapped to hers. Icy eyes filled with sudden understanding bored into her.

  Oh God.

  “You,” he said.

  “No,” James said, his voice rising for the first time.

  Flint ignored him. “The magic is in you.”

  Panic welled up fast and hard in Mercy’s chest. Her head screamed for her to run, but her feet were frozen in place. She could barely shake her head.

  “Oh, this should be fun,” Flint said. “I’ve always wanted to kill a true mortal. Tell me, Hook. Do they die differently? Do they fight harder knowing that death is coming, or do they give in to their ultimate fate?”

  “You’ll never touch her,” James said, his voice more raw than Mercy had ever heard. His legs locked. His muscles tensed. He was readying to fight.

  Fight for her. Fight for both of their lives. She felt power coiling in his long, sculpted muscles. Mercy had no doubt he could hold his own in a fair fight.

  But three on one? With two of them not quite human? She didn’t like his chances.

  Or hers for that matter.

  Tear out your beating heart.

  Mercy swallowed hard. That was one hell of a visual.

  At least it wasn’t in her head for long. A second later, the two tall creatures sprung forward, moving faster than Mercy could track. But not too fast for James apparently. Before she could scream, he flung her backwards, hard enough for her back to bounce off his front door.

  “Run,” he shouted as she scrambled back up to her feet.

  She yanked hard on the handle, threw the door wide, and…hesitated.

  God damn it. What was she doing? She couldn’t run. She couldn’t escape and leave someone else to die. Not a friend. Not a stranger. Not even whatever the hell James Hook was.

  She’d never be able to live with herself.

  Mercy spun around as the two tall men descended on James. For a moment, their limbs were little more than blurs to her eyes, but she didn’t need to focus on the details. James wasn’t winning. The creatures flanked him, brutalizing him with blow after blow.

  James fell to his knees.

  “No.” The word slipped from her in a breathy rush.

  Mercy’s heart clenched deep in her chest. She had no idea how to categorize her feelings for James Hook. They were all twisted up and tangled inside her. He was obviously more than he seemed. More than just a thief and opportunist. More than some charming criminal whose smile and kisses practically set her on fire.

  All she knew for certain was that he didn’t deserve to be beaten to death. No one did.

  Anger rushed as air filled her lungs. This time she didn’t fight the feeling. She let the electric rush flow through her whole body. Let the power spin deep in her belly and spill out into her extremities. The tips of her fingers and toes burned, as the inferno inside raged.

  This time when she opened her mouth her words crackled with a fiery energy.

  “Get away from him.”

  Another wave burst from her chest, strong enough to push back every creature in the room. Mercy’s knees wobbled at the exertion, but she managed to keep her footing. The black fog pushed at the edge of her vision. She hunched over as she struggled to catch her breath. Beads of cold sweat chilled her brow. She’d spent every last drop of her strength. There was nothing left in the tank for her to even try to escape now.

  Fortunately, she didn’t need to. Mercy lifted her head as the sickening sound of a fist connecting with flesh echoed off the walls. But this time it wasn’t James on the receiving end of the punch. He had taken advantage of the moment of shock to turn the tables on his attackers.

  He clocked one across the jaw, and then, without hesitation, turned and thrust his foot into the middle of the second man’s stomach. The man shuffled backward, one step, then another—straight into the heart of the spinning vortex. The tall creature disappeared in a blink.

  James didn’t stop. He snapped up a chair, and swung it by the legs, slamming it against the second man’s back and sending him into the portal after his friend. He let the chair dangle from his hand before finally dropping it. Only then did he turn to face Flint. The murderous look in James’ eyes was cold enough to catch Mercy’s breath.

  Flint must have seen the danger too. His expression changed from smug to wary.

  “That was a mistake,” Flint said, inching back a step. “You have no idea the punishment that Oberon will hand down when he hears about this.”

  Mercy managed a small laugh. “You mean worse than ripping out our beating hearts?”

  Flint shot her a glare. “Much worse. You can’t begin to fathom the storm you’ve unleashed. In the end, you’ll be pleading for the quick death I offered you today.”

  “That’s enough.” James’ voice echoed off the walls. “You have two choices, Flint. Leave here on your own, or I’ll throw you back home, piece by piece.”

  Flint turned his attention to James. His lip curled. “Not even you are brazen enough to harm one of the king’s top men.”

  “Aren’t I?” James said, his voice dripping with menace. “What do I have left to lose, Flint? You’ve taken everything from me. And if I have to spend my last days rotting away in purgatory then I can’t imagine anything that would give me more comfort than the memory of your dying screams.”

  Mercy had never seen this
side of James before. There was nothing charming about the man in front of her. No, this man was ruthless. Dangerous. Deadly.

  “This isn’t over,” Flint said, careful to keep his distance as he slunk toward the opening of the portal. “You’ll regret this, Hook.”

  “The only thing I regret is ever calling you my friend,” James said.

  Flint glared at her one last time before hopping into the vortex. The moment he vanished, the whirlwind began to die down. The portal shrunk, growing smaller and smaller, until it disappeared completely.

  Only then did Mercy sigh in relief. Flint and his henchmen had vanished to God knew where.

  But that didn’t mean she was out of trouble. Turned out, fear and tension had been the only things holding her up. Now that the threat of mortal danger was gone, the darkness swept in. Her knees gave out, and she crashed down to the floor.

  James was at her side before she could even try to get up. He slid his arms under her legs and around her back, lifting her up off the hardwood.

  “It’s okay, Mercy,” he whispered against her ear, as he carried her.

  He placed her down on something soft—the couch it took her a moment to realize.

  Mercy tried to tell him not to lie to her. That she knew better. Nothing was ever going to be okay again. But her tongue refused to cooperate.

  She caught one last glimpse of his face. His sparkling blue eyes twinkled with a brightness that would stick in her imagination long after her vision was gone. Those eyes weren’t natural.

  And neither was James.

  Then the shadows swallowed everything.

  Somehow his voice penetrated the thick fog filling her skull.

  “I’ve got you.”

  His tender touch comforted her, his fingers combing through her hair. It was the last thing she felt before unconsciousness claimed her.

  Chapter Nine

  How the hell did she get her hands on the wyvern scales?

  It was an accident.

  You should have never brought her here. What were you thinking?

  I can tell you exactly what he was thinking.

  The voices were back.

  Mercy heard them before she opened her eyes. Before she even realized that she was awake. But there was a softness to them this time. They didn’t bash against the walls of her skull, battling for attention. They sounded crystal clear. Just like regular voices.