This was my wedding day, and I had never felt more alone. My best friend hadn’t been here to help me get ready and gush over this dress. My husband hadn’t shoved cake in my face or held me close on the dance floor as we had our first dance as a married couple. My parents weren’t here to walk me down the aisle or cry over my ring. With everything going on, I hadn’t thought about what this day really meant for me until this moment. The realization that I would never have the traditional wedding that I had once dreamed of as a little girl had me choking back tears.
I miss you Mom and Dad. I miss you Dia.
Bennett came back a half hour later and said he had someone he wanted me to meet. We walked down a side street escorted by Grayson and several guides. A two-story stone building sat at the end of the street bearing a weathered wooden shop sign painted with a crossed sword and axe that said simply: Mark’s. Four guides preceded us into the dimly lit interior and fanned out around the shop, checking everything over. My flats scuffed over the stone floor as we made our way into what looked like a cosplayer’s wet dream. Suits of armor stood to attention on a balcony above the front desk, while the tables in the central part of the room were piled with sturdy leather vests, boots, and various other battle gear. Different types of weapons featured in the lighted alcoves lining each wall, and the smell of leather and gunpowder tickled my nose.
A dark-skinned giant of a man with a bald head stood in front of the desk watching silently as we approached. He wore a leather vest, which opened to reveal folds of scars marring his chest and traveling up to his left cheek to pull down the corner of his mouth as he smiled. He bowed and addressed Bennett and me in a raspy voice. “My Lord and Lady Kyrion. I am humbled to have you in my shop.”
“Lia, I would like you to meet our weapons-master, Mark Harris.” Bennett nodded to the man fondly. “Mark is Devon Harris’s brother. And he wanted to meet you.”
The guides and Grayson stayed discreetly in the background as Mark congratulated us and we chatted. To my surprise, I found myself liking the soft-spoken man far better than his gruff younger brother, Devon, who was Bennett’s Kafàli. Mark was one of the few people in this city who welcomed me without furtive glances or looks of mistrust.
There was also something about his shop that drew me. I wanted to wander around, but those damn traditions had to be observed. Mark presented us with another gift: a pair of daggers with blood-red handles inlaid with a black House of Chaos symbol. In my opinion, they were the best gift we had received, and I told Mark this. Apparently, that was a major insult to the other gift-givers based on the tightening of Bennett’s hand on mine and his attempt to explain my lack of knowledge of the customs. Mark laughed it off, and I liked him even more for that.
We said our goodbyes and walked back to Bennett’s house with our company of escorts. The whole way there I debated how to broach the subject that I needed to discuss. I never got the chance. Guide Athan was waiting for us looking graver than ever as soon as we entered the house. Bennett turned to me with a look of apology, but I nudged him forward. He was needed, and I wanted to get the hell out of this dress. Besides, it wasn’t like we could rush off to a deserted island honeymoon and play naked Twister in the sand for a few weeks. I still had to make it through the coronation.
My retinue surrounded me as I made my way to my room deep in thought. The answers I needed to find the twin Houses were out there, and I had a good idea on where to start. I wanted Bennett to come with me so that we could do this together, but would he?
“Penny for your thoughts, my lady,” Grayson said as he opened the door to my room.
“I’m not sure a penny would cover the cost on these thoughts, my friend.” I shook off the melancholy mood and gave him a smile. “It’s nothing, Grayson.”
“Kyrion Bennett asked me to train with you this afternoon, my lady.” Grayson gave me his boyish smile as he leaned forward so only I could hear him. “I have an idea that might take your mind off of such heavy thoughts. Let me know when you are ready.”
I gave him a nod and entered my room to find Lydia waiting for me. She helped me change out of the dress, and I gave her some new stipulations to our arrangement. She wasn’t to help me dress anymore except for formal wear, and I would be wearing jeans unless there was some event that necessitated a dress. Lydia tidied the room with jerky movements, clearly upset that I wasn’t following in the footsteps of Kyrion Calidora. I was just happy to have the bathroom to myself to change and did a little happy dance after I slipped back into my jeans.
I left Lydia to her work and joined Grayson in the hall. “Brace yourself, my lady,” he whispered shielding us from the guides standing on either side of my door as we linked arms. “We are going to teleport.”
“What about them?” I whispered back, nodding in the guides’ direction.
“You are now the official bond-mate to the Kyrion, my lady. Give them an order.”
This giving orders thing was something I would have to get used to. “Hey boys, we’re off to do some training. Uh, go do what you would normally do and don’t disturb us.”
“My lady, has the Kyrion—” one of the guides started to protest.
I clutched Grayson tighter and shouted, “Beam me up, Scotty!” Then we disappeared from the hallway.
16
Grayson and I landed in the meadow near the hot springs. Axol came bounding up to give us both a sniff. I scratched the dog behind the ears, and he gave my hand a lick, making me laugh. Grayson had been right: this was exactly what I needed. Click flew through the air and danced around my head. I gave him a quick pat too before he flew off. Axol barked as the gold pen zipped through the air way above his head. Click swooped down right in front of the dog’s nose, taunting him, and barely missed becoming dog kibble. I could warn him about all those sharp teeth, but I doubted it would do any good given Click’s stubborn streak.
Axol hunched down preparing to pounce on Click who had stopped to draw in the snow. “Axol, no!” I shouted but the dog ignored me, intent on his prey. I quickly ran over and grabbed the dog’s collar and grunted out, “Looks like I’m going to have to figure how this command stuff works for both people and dogs. No, Axol, Click is not a doggie treat.”
Grayson said something in Greek, and Axol obediently sat. Damn it, I was also going to have to learn to speak the language. Grayson turned toward me with a look of complete faith. “You will be co-ruler here, my lady. You are Chosen. It is you who will shape our world into what we are to become.”
Who was I to shape a whole world? The broken pavement of my lonely highway flashed through my mind. The pavement was cracked and crumbling, but it wasn’t completely destroyed yet. Forgiving myself for not being able to save my parents had been the first step. The screams of my mother and the sound of the raging water that had taken them from me had faded. But there were nightmares still buried there that haunted me. Memories from that year I had run away to live on the streets. All of the things that had happened during the Games that there hadn’t really been time to deal with. They all lurked there in the cavernous space beneath the highway, waiting to ambush me. I doubted I would ever truly be free of my nightmares, but I was going to find answers that might help alleviate them.
The young servant girl with the blue-tinted hair now appeared in the meadow and bowed in my direction. “Come,” Grayson said, “she will watch Axol and Click.”
I made a neutral humming sound, watching the girl toss a stick for Axol. There was something about her that seemed different than the other people I had met here. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Grayson nudged me toward the path, and we walked toward the hot springs in silence.
“There are some volcanic vents beyond the ridge.” Grayson pointed to the rocky peak up the mountain from where we stood. “We may be close enough for you to use that energy to help in controlling your powers.”
“Are you saying we should train now? Cuz I thought I was going to get to relax in this hot spring.”
“You will be Kyrion here soon.” Grayson watched me closely. “The people here will come to rely on you to help them settle grievances and to allay their fears that our enemies will never breach the city walls. Can you be sure that you will not be a threat to them if your powers are not controlled?”
“Shit, no rest for the weary, I guess.”
Grayson nodded, his bright hazel eyes full of understanding: Adulting sucks.
“Fine. Let’s train.”
Grayson took up position about forty yards further up the side of the mountain next to a small group of pine trees well out of the line of fire. “Concentrate, my lady. Let the power flow up from your center and into your hand,” he advised.
It was a struggle to focus with the tempting warmth that radiated from the hot spring right in front of me. All I really wanted to do was to sink into the warm water and let it wash away my burdens.
Fine, work first, then relaxation. Here goes.
I closed my eyes and sought out my powers. The bright ball of light at my center welcomed me like a long-lost friend. Slowly, I coaxed out a bit of the power, pulling it through my body until my hand tingled. I opened my eyes to find a flame no more than an inch high, flickering weakly on my upturned palm. I pulled on more power, feeding it to the flame.
“That’s it, my lady. Keep the power flowing steadily.” Grayson’s boyish grin was back and as infectious as ever. My lips curled up in a proud smile. I was controlling it all on my own. Bennett’s harsh training method really had worked.
“When you are ready, release the flame at that rock over there.” Grayson pointed to a large rock about ten yards away and demonstrated the motion he wanted me to perform. He pulled his hand back toward his chest, palm facing the rock, and then pushed his palm out quickly in front of him. Messy black curls flopped onto his forehead at the quick movement. “Now you try, my lady.”
I followed his directions exactly, but when it came time to launch my fire at the target it snuffed out. I tried again but got the same results. Over and over again, the same thing happened. I ground my teeth in frustration with each failure. Some great Chosen one I was turning out to be. Hours later the most I had accomplished was to make the flame fall off my palm into the hot springs. Anger built in my chest and the flow of power pushed into the flame with such force that a ball of fire completely engulfed my hand. Grayson yelled something, but I was too focused on trying to keep on top of this bucking bronco as my powers came pouring out of me.
Before I could direct the ball of flame toward a target, it launched from my palm. The fireball took a crazy swooping path through the air. Grayson dropped to the ground, barely avoiding getting hit. The fireball smacked into a boulder near the top of the ridge, and it seemed as if half the mountain exploded. A landslide of dirt and rocks tumbled down. Trees were toppled. Dust clouds filled the sky. Water shot into the air as rocks hit the stream. Grayson jumped to his feet and ran toward me shouting. His voice was drowned out by the angry rumbling of rock and debris as it barreled toward us. I jumped along the rocks as fast as I could, hoping to reach Grayson in time. What I would do when I got to him, I had no clue, but this was my fault. No way was he getting hurt because of me.
One minute, I was leaping to another rock. The next, a strong arm wrapped around my waist to spin me around and crush me against a hard chest. Bennett’s smoky toasted almond scent filled my nose, and I dropped the fist that had been aimed at his head. I twisted in his arms trying to see what was happening. “We have to help Grayson!”
“Stay still,” Bennett ordered. The protest died on my tongue as a wave of his power surged out toward the landslide. The grumbling sound tapered off almost immediately. The landslide was frozen like a giant dark wall threatening to crush us. Bennett painstakingly re-directed the dirt, rocks, and debris to the other side of the ridge where it wouldn’t cause any damage. His body was a tense immovable force surrounding me until the last of the landslide was cleared away. Axol’s barking broke the tense silence. The dog eagerly nudged against Bennett’s leg seeking attention. The servant who had been watching them was nowhere in sight. Click took a page from the dog’s book and started nudging me too. But I ignored him as my eyes anxiously scanned the destroyed mountainside for Grayson.
A choked cough sounded from a dusty pile lying a few yards away. I pushed out of Bennett’s arms and went over to kneel next to Grayson. Dirt and bits of pine needles slid to the ground as I helped him to his feet. Grayson bent at the waist, as a coughing fit hit. I went a little light-headed in sheer relief and sank down to sit on the rocks.
“M-my lady, are you ok?” Grayson kneeled beside me, his dirt-streaked face lined with worry.
“I should be asking you that. God, I’m so sorry.” I grabbed him in a bone-cracking hug. My face was mashed tight against his shoulder, tears leaving tracks along his black T-shirt. “I almost killed us both, Grayson. I can’t do this. I can’t be this thing—this … Chosen.”
“Lia,” Bennett said as he stroked my back. “We have lived with the knowledge of our powers since we were young. We have had many years of training. You have only just awakened your powers and started to learn them. Give yourself time.”
I pulled away from Grayson and turned to look at Bennett. “There is no time. Don’t you feel it?” My fist clenched against my stomach where fear and guilt were once again threatening to force my powers to pour out of me. That incessant nagging in the back of my mind sounded like the odd chiming of the Moirai: thump-thump, thump-thump, whir, tickety-tock. “The Chosen, the prophecy, my quest, the Games. It’s all tied together somehow. And time is running out for all of us.”
“What are you saying, Lia?” Bennett asked cautiously.
“I’m saying that I need to start looking for answers, and I know where we need to go.”
“And where would that be?” he said with a resigned sigh as if he already knew.
“The House of Light,” I stated as I squared my shoulders ready for a fight. “I want you to take me to meet my father’s people.”
17
A stucco wall badly in need of patching appeared only inches from my nose as we materialized in Sicily. I stumbled forward and barely managed to save my face from smashing into the wall. Bennett’s firm grip settled on my waist, steadying me as I adjusted to my cells being rearranged from teleporting back into a me-shape. It had taken less convincing than I had expected to get Bennett to agree to this trip, and I didn’t know if I should be concerned about that or not. I looked around. Lights over metal garage doors spaced tightly under a row of small balconies lined a narrow alley. The windows above us were dark, and the sound of the ocean waves filled the early morning air. Overhead, the sky still twinkled with a thousand stars.
“Where are we?” I whispered, patting my hip holster to make sure Click was still there. I had instructed him to play the part of a regular ink pen unless I gave him a signal.
“Mazara del Vallo. A town in the province of Trapani in southwestern Sicily.” Bennett cocked his head as if listening for something, then pointed to our left. Grayson took off in that direction as several guides spread out around us. Bennett nudged me in front of him, and we followed Grayson. “This town is well known for its fishing,” Bennett said. “It is likely why your father went into shipbuilding. He would have been very comfortable on the water having grown up here.”
“How did you know where to find my father’s family?”
“Jaxon is brilliant at many things.” Bennett pulled me to a stop when we came to an intersection. A few moments of silence passed before he nudged me to the left, and we moved on. “He would deny that, of course. My stepbrother credits me with far too much and himself with far too little. The truth is, without Jaxon we would never have accomplished all that we have since I took over as ruler. He is more than our lawyer and my ally amongst the other Kyrion. He has shored up all of our finances and diversified our holdings, ensuring that we have our hands in every industry in the human world. He has single
-handedly found more Potentials for the Games than ever before. All by embracing technology, which our Houses have fought against for so long. Without him, we would never have been able to find another contestant at such short notice to take your place.”
I cringed away from any thoughts of the Games and the fact that it was Dia who was taking my place. Dia and I had both made our decisions. There was no going back. My only hope was that she would be safe, and that we would be able to fix this rift between us.
We were silent after that, stealthily weaving our way through alley after alley in what seemed like an endless maze.
Finally, we arrived in a piazza. Antique lanterns cast their light across the square reflecting off a golden sun symbol at the center. We stayed near the side of the buildings, making our way to the tall church at the other end of the square fronted by large palm trees, towers spearing into the sky at each corner. The second-story parapet was lined with statues of angels and demons in battle. On the third floor, a large relief sculpture showed a cross being lifted between two angels toward a golden sun symbol.
“These guys aren’t subtle at all,” I said, motioning toward the artwork.
Paldimori Gods Rising Box Set Page 59