“Shut up!” Maya screamed for the fortieth time, or she tried to. But Morgana cut off her voice again. And Sergey wasn’t easing up on his death grip either. The way his breath came fast and hard, she was pretty sure her struggling was turning him on.
She forced herself to get control. When Morgana saw this, her lips curled in the corner and she pointed at Maya’s throat, returning her voice. She breathed deeply a few times. When she spoke again her tone was measured and even.
“I don’t believe you.”
The problem was, she realized now that she’d calmed down, she did believe it. Corey went after one of the Elementals as a child. Why couldn’t it have been Aedan? Heck, it would have been easier to reach Tucson from San Diego for a fifteen-year-old kid than to get all the way to Russia or New Zealand. That left earth – but the odds weren’t in Maya’s favor.
Morgana motioned and Sergey released his grip. Maya sank back down on the chaise.
Aedan had already killed, hadn’t he? He hadn’t meant to. She knew that from watching him at the cemetery. But that hadn’t stopped it from happening at least three times. At least three, because he could have done it long ago before he had a chance to remember.
Morgana just watched her, as though she could see it all unraveling inside her head. The fact that Aedan was adopted. That he somehow was torn from his parents at a young age. That the Scimitar lost track of him somehow.
Suddenly she was very glad she was sitting down.
“It wasn’t premeditated of course. He could hardly be held accountable by anyone’s standards,” Morgana said, setting a hand on Maya’s knee. “Even if he’d been older and done it purposely, it would have been considered self-defense.”
“If you’re trying to hurt me, you’ve done it,” Maya said. “In every way. So now that you’ve succeeded, why don’t you put us both out of our misery and kill me already? Because I’m never joining you.”
Morgana threw her head back and laughed. “You have a purpose here, my dear, either way. You see, Aedan is still… uncommitted, and it is imperative that he chooses a side. And soon.”
“He’s chosen a side, you’re just bitter because it isn’t yours.”
The humor was gone, and Morgana’s eyes grew even darker than the sky behind her. Blue light twined through her hair. “Too bad for the Circle, it isn’t Aedan that makes the choice. It’s the magic inside of him that binds him. And it’s already leaning toward its creator. That would be me. It is no more than a formality really.”
Somewhere to the side, Kari shifted a bit in the shadows. The reminder of her presence fueled Maya’s temper.
“He’s stopped it. He is stronger. If it were only a formality, you wouldn’t be so worried. You know what I think? I think he’s stronger than you expected.”
Morgana motioned, and Sergey’s unyielding hands grasped Maya’s arms again, pulling her to her feet, and forcing forward until she was no more than a breath away from Morgana. She raised her head, determined not to show fear.
Morgana stroked the wild hair from her face. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that emotion claims him. Rage will set his power free and bind him to the Darkness. And I have all I need to make that happen right here. You will die today, Maya. But know that you will be responsible for the prophecy finally coming to fruition.”
Maya felt like she’d been cut open, her insides exposed and vulnerable. And the worst of it was that everything she’d ever worked for, she had thrown away because of her own feelings. And now everything was spiraling out of control.
And Toby! What about him? Was he going to die in that filthy motel room with Copernicus as his only company? She’d tried everything she knew, but somewhere deep down she understood it wasn’t enough.
“My dear, you’re crying.” Morgana wiped at Maya’s face. “I will make the pain go away. Just not quite yet.”
Pain. The pain of losing Corey. The pain of losing her parents. The pain of knowing Aedan had a hand in it, even unwillingly. The pain of knowing she was going to have a hand in Aedan embracing his dark purpose.
It seemed she was made of pain.
“It won’t work.” But even as the words left her, she felt the despair that only comes with defeat. It wasn’t something she felt often, but she knew it. And Morgana saw it too because her smile grew even wider. “I won’t cooperate.” It was all she had left.
“It would have been more pleasant if you had joined us and convinced Aedan to do so as well. But I don’t need you to. All I need is for him to witness something horrible happening to you. You are clearly a well-trained Operative, good at masking pain, but we are good at inflicting it. There is, after all, only so much the body and mind can take.”
Maya clamped her mouth shut. She wouldn’t say another word. She wouldn’t waste the energy. She would take the pain and swallow it. She would do whatever she could for as long as she could to prevent this from happening.
“Kari, go retrieve Aedan,” Morgana said. “Bring him here in say – five minutes, and be ready. You’re going to have quite a fire to put out.”
Chapter Fifty
Aedan
“He isn’t waking up,” Aedan said. His insides were twisting again, half empty and half filled with lava. Toby looked awfully pale lying there on the bed, and every time he tried to rouse him, the stupid cat hissed and swiped at him. “Would you stop already? I’m not the bad guy!” he yelled. It probably didn’t help that his hands lit with fire momentarily. Either way, Copernicus leaped off the bed and scurried behind Sam’s ankles.
“Move aside, Aedan,” Sam said, brushing past him toward the bed. “I know a few things about first aid. You start thinking about what your abilities can do. That’s what saved me.”
Right. Aedan should have been thinking clearer. He couldn’t get over his father. He’d taken the whole thing in like it was the most normal thing in the world. He’d rubbed his hands together, blown out a big breath, and then said, “Let’s do this then.”
He never knew Sam could be so good under pressure. He should have, he supposed. It was just that he’d never been in a situation half as crazy as this. It did feel good not to be solely responsible for the plan either. But he felt uneasy about letting Sam come back along if that’s what it came to. In fact, he was determined to prevent that, even if he had to put his foot down.
But how could he help Toby? His injuries weren’t related to fire. If anything they came from dark magic. Magic he didn’t possess.
Copernicus appeared at his feet, staring up at him without a hiss. Aedan looked around to make sure Sam was occupied, and Toby was still unconscious. Then he leaned down and whispered, “I killed Maya’s brother. I can’t let Toby die too. I can’t.”
Copernicus let out a sad sounding meow and rubbed against Aedan’s ankle before trotting back over to the bed. Aedan twisted the ring around his finger, thinking hard. Could he use the ring somehow? It clearly had some kind of magic. It belonged to the good guys at least and had helped him resist Morgana.
Anything was worth a try.
He approached Sam, clutching the ring against his chest over Serena’s bloody handprint, tinged with traces from all four Elementals.
“How is he?” Aedan asked.
“Not so good I’m afraid. His pulse is low. It didn’t help that he was trying to work.” Sam lifted the beat-up laptop that had fallen half-open off the bed. “He seems to be comfortable though. Any ideas?”
Aedan hesitated. But one look in Sam’s weathered, but determined face, and he caved.
“Do you want to try something insane?” he whispered finally, holding up the ring.
Sam stroked his gray-stubbled chin. Then he looked back at Toby, and lifted up the cat, stroking him. “I don’t think we have any other options. We can’t let these people – anyone – try to control you.”
Aedan nodded, letting out a deep breath.
“Aedan. Son, it will be okay. We’ll take whatever comes together. You’re my son, Aedan. You’re m
y priority, world be damned.” Sam’s calloused hand found his arm, and Aedan drew in strength. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he trusted Sam.
“Thanks, Dad.” It still felt funny, but it also felt right. Sam beamed at him as he pressed the ring to Toby’s chest.
Please work. Heal him. It had to for Maya. She couldn’t lose another brother.
Aedan felt stupid. There was no reason to suspect this would do anything at all. His stomach turned, and flames lapped at his insides. He drew strength from Sam’s firm gaze, gripped Toby’s cold hand, and kicked aside some of the leftover materials from their apartment that were scattered at the foot of the bed. Toby had really gone through something dragging out that laptop.
The heat signature in Toby’s body was barely an ember, and Aedan let his fear fuel his determination as he refocused his concentration.
Aedan’s hands began to glow with the fire inside, though he kept instructing it not to hurt Toby. He pressed his eyes shut. If he set the guy on fire he didn’t want to see it. Still, it did feel different than usual. Almost like some external force was guiding the power inside of him, bending it to its own will.
That didn’t comfort him the slightest bit.
“Breathe,” he chanted as the power flowed through him. Surely Sam would do something if it all went wrong. And there he was thinking Sam should solve his problems for him.
“Just breathe, goddamnit!” he screamed, forcing the power through the ring.
Toby sat bolt upright in the bed with a gasp. Aedan’s eyes snapped open, and he stumbled backward, hands open and out. The ring fell to the floor, and Aedan watched in horror as it disintegrated into dust.
Aedan shook himself. The important thing was that Toby was alive. He was, right? He swallowed back his fear and grasped Toby by the shoulders.
“Toby?” The guy pulled a hand back through his tumble of auburn hair and scratched at his day old beard. He seemed to be having trouble focusing on Aedan. “Oh God, what have I done?” Aedan moaned.
Sam’s hand found his shoulder again, but Aedan just shook Toby. He seemed to be talking to himself now, murmuring under his breath. Finally, his eyes settled on Aedan as he reached toward the nightstand for his glasses.
“Aedan,” he said like he was seeing a long-lost friend.
“You’re okay?” Aedan asked.
Toby grinned, which was more than a little unnerving because it felt… funny. “I guess we haven’t officially been introduced. I’m Toby.” Aedan’s shoulders slid downward with relief a moment too soon. “And Merlin.”
“What?” Aedan asked. “What do you mean you’re Merlin? How?”
But he already knew. If Morgana could come back, so could he. And Aedan had done it himself, well, with traces of all the Elemental’s blood. Shit. He’d risen the most powerful wizard in the world from the dead and erased Maya’s brother?
The carpet at Aedan’s feet burst into flame. Copernicus shot out of the way as Aedan stamped it out.
“It’s okay, Aedan. You did the right thing. The only thing you could to save me and I thank you for it.”
“But… but what about Toby?”
“I told you, I’m still Toby. We’re sharing the body. We merged if you will. So fuckin’ cool. Sorry, sir,” Toby added, nodding over Aedan’s shoulder at Sam.
“So you… he isn’t dead? And Toby, are you okay with this? I mean I didn’t know what else to do and-”
“It’s okay, Aedan,” he said. “Merlin’s explained everything. He was with you the whole time. With me for years, but I didn’t have the power to wake him. It’s quite remarkable really. His intellect is so incredibly vast. It’s like having instant access to the library of the Noble Ones in my own head. I mean the Merlin. His essence is in me. That’s quite an honor.” Toby laughed, and his eyes sparkled with possibility.
Aedan shook his head. It was just too weird. Then Toby pulled the covers off, stood up, and stretched. He appeared completely healed.
“How did that work? I mean you’re okay now?” Aedan asked, handing him some fresh clothes.
“I’ve never felt better.” Toby paused a moment, glancing sideways as though listening to something only he could hear, and laughed. “Apparently Merlin approves. He never had a very good body from a physical standpoint.” Toby shed the hospital gown and flexed the muscles on his lean body, testing his bicep like he’d never seen it before. “Amazing.”
“Uh huh.” Aedan glanced back at Sam who shrugged. “Um, Maya’s in serious trouble.”
“Which is why we must be going. Tell me though, Aedan, do we have any more of my supplies from the apartment?”
Aedan considered. “Maya took the bag with her. I think it must have either been lost or confiscated. Sorry.”
“That’s all right. We’ll just have to improvise. Not so hard now that I have some real magic rolling around.” Toby flexed his fingers, and they sparked.
Aedan jumped a little in surprise. “You… you have fire too?”
In answer, Toby blew a little, and Aedan nearly flew off his feet from the gust.
“Wind too?” he asked, voice high. What the hell had he done?
“All the elements, but none as strong as each individual Elemental. Morgana had this power too. But by separating it into four different souls, she allowed each one to grow ten times in strength. My fire is potent, but I could never do what you could. Still, you have no control at all over water. Or earth.”
“Great. You’re powerful. Now help me rescue Maya. I don’t need any more history lessons right now. Okay?”
“This should be fun!” Toby rubbed his hands together.
Well, Aedan wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing, but at least Toby was alive, and in good enough condition to help. And as selfish as it was, it was a huge relief not to be the one with all the power for once.
Chapter Fifty-One
Maya
Not screaming was the hardest thing Maya had ever done. Hands made of water held her down in the pool, forcing her head all the way back to avoid drowning. Lucky for her, Sergey hadn’t gotten very far down the torture road before Kari came running back out.
“He’s gone!”
“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Morgana demanded.
“He burned right through the wall. He’s gone.” Kari strode right down the edge of the pool, and past Maya without a second thought.
With a cry of frustration, Sergey shoved Maya’s face under. But it didn’t last long. Morgana didn’t want her dead. Yet.
“Bring her up here.”
The water tossed her onto the deck, and she landed hard on her hands and knees. Then Sergey was restraining her again, fingers digging hard into the skin of her arms. Probably pissed about the left hook she’d landed before he’d tossed her in the pool. Maya grinned.
“Where is he?” Morgana asked.
“No clue,” Maya said. Though she suspected Sam had something to do with his disappearance. Good. Maybe Edy would get her husband back. Her head snapped back against Sergey’s chest from Morgana’s slap. “Don’t blame me. Your pet’s the one who lost him.” She jerked her head toward Kari, who backed away a little, eyes wide and round.
“I didn’t! I brought him back to the room just like you said.”
“Perhaps this one isn’t as important to him as I’d thought,” Morgana said, squeezing Maya’s cheeks in her hand, then tossing her head aside in disgust. “But the way he saved her. The look on his face. No. He’ll be back. He will come to us and we’ll be ready.”
“Then I hope you’re ready now because I’m right here.”
Maya’s heart skipped a beat. “They want you to lose-” Sergey’s hand clamped down on her mouth cutting her off.
Big mistake. He was strong. He was an Elemental. But no one could keep Maya still with one hand.
Like lightning, her elbow found his ribcage, and jabbed under and up, connecting with bone. She’d broken, or at least cracked a rib. Without giving him time to react, she gra
bbed the arm now loose against her mouth, and pivoted, throwing him over her shoulder and into Morgana. Both flew into the water with a great splash.
Aedan was there before she righted herself, stroking her face. The heat from his hands felt so good against her bruised face, but she fought to push that aside. She had to tell him while she had the chance.
“You can’t lose it, Aedan. No matter what. If you give into your rage, you’ll turn dark. That’s what they wanted to do. It’s why they’re trying-”
Again she was cut off as a massive hand of water reached out from the pool, dwarfing them with shadow in the meager light of breaking dawn. Maya shoved with all her might, sending Aedan reeling backward as the hand flattened her to the pavement, crushing against her with a thousand pounds of pressure.
But the squashing sensation lasted only a moment, then dissipated along with the water. Maya raised her dizzy head on time to see Aedan, feet planted like he was ready to spring, hands outstretched before him, a look of utter concentration on his face. He’d never looked so hot.
This wasn’t the time for that kind of thinking. She scrambled to her feet and readied for action only to be stopped in her tracks.
“Toby? Toby! Oh, thank God. We can do this! We can take them.”
Toby stood a few feet behind Aedan looking better than she ever remembered seeing him. It was probably because of the circumstances, but still. He was here, he was whole, and he was healed. He was even in his favorite plaid shirt.
Except it was tucked in, and buttoned closed.
An odd thought in the midst of Armageddon sure, but it struck Maya as so wrong, she was floored. And suddenly his eyes didn’t look right either. Or maybe it was the way he was holding himself.
“Watch out!” Toby cried, and Maya dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way as a massive gust of wind tore a barrel cactus from a planter in the corner and hurled it toward her.
Flame and Fury Page 20