Fate's Surrender (Eternal Sorrows Book 3)

by Sarra Cannon

  Up ahead, flames dancing on her fingertips, a woman stepped forward.

  Black hair. Pale skin. Parrish recognized her instantly, despite the distance between them.

  Lily.

  Parrish was glad to see her, because if Lily was there with them, it meant Zoe and David were still okay. She hadn’t gotten to them yet.

  Parrish raised her sword, eager for the chance to put an end to this, once and for all.

  Fate was pulling them forward, unrelenting, and all they could do was surrender to it now.

  Forty-Six

  The Boy

  The intensity of emotion was almost more than the boy could handle.

  He was so close to them now, the fear and hope his friends felt was almost a part of him. It echoed in his own heart, and he longed to be with them. Coming back to them was like coming home after a lifetime away.

  He had to get to them before it was too late.

  He couldn’t remember what would happen if one of the other guardians died, but he had a feeling it would mean the end of hope.

  I can’t let them die. We have to see this through.

  They needed to get to the island and put a stop to all of this.

  And they were so close now. Just a little farther, and they would be reunited. With their full powers restored, the Dark One would be unable to defeat them as long as she was still trapped beneath the earth.

  These basic rotters would become trivial. Almost nothing would be a threat anymore, short of facing the Dark One herself.

  Hold on tight, he said to Zoe.

  She gripped his arm tighter and nodded.

  He jumped off the edge of the building and caught a stream of air, moving it beneath them so that it lifted them both higher. To propel them faster, he also wove a stream of air behind them, using the same technique he’d used with the miniature tornado earlier.

  It was more effective than he’d expected, and they shot forward. Zoe clung to him, burying her head against his shoulder.

  He’d been heading in the direction of Central Park, hoping to avoid too many rotters on the rooftops, but now they’d switched directions and were on their way back toward Third Avenue.

  Maybe ten more blocks, and he should see them. Seven. Six.

  He pushed himself faster, gathering more air beneath them.

  The second he crossed over the trap, though, he understood just how stupid he’d been. He was a strategist, after all. He should have known he was being drawn toward something this whole time.

  He and Zoe both fell from the sky as the wind was sucked out from under him.

  He barely had time to summon a fresh stream of air to cushion their fall, but he managed it just at the last second.

  Startled, Zoe blinked and looked around at the empty rooftop where they’d fallen.

  “What happened?” she asked. “Where’s Parrish?”

  He shook his head, still trying to make sense of it in his mind.

  He touched her arm.

  Something pulled us down. A trap, I think. Be careful.

  Zoe’s eyes widened and she looked around, scrambling back against a wall near the door to the stairwell.

  David stood, surveying the area and trying to figure out what exactly had been triggered that could make him simply fall from the sky.

  “Do you see anything?” Zoe asked, and he shook his head.

  Not yet. But he could feel it.

  Some new energy drowned out the guardians. Something dangerous.

  Something close.

  To be careful, he conjured a sphere made of air, gradually enlarging it until it was big enough to cover him and Zoe from the front. It wasn’t quite as effective as a full shield, but it would keep them safe from a surprise attack.

  His ability to control and manipulate air the way he did was a bit unusual in his homeland. Technically, he was born with power from the ice elemental side, like Noah. But he’d always been able to manipulate air better than ice or water the way most of the iceborn did.

  In all of his years, he’d only known a handful of people in his world who’d had a similar type of power to his.

  When he wanted to, he could conjure a layer of ice on the outside of a sphere of air like the one he had now, but those types of shields were more difficult to see through, and he had a feeling he was going to need his eyes.

  “Do you hear that?” Zoe whispered.

  It was a high-pitched kind of sound. Something faint, at first, that would never have been noticed on a normal New York City day with cars passing on the streets below.

  But in the dead quiet of the afternoon, he heard it approaching like a hum.

  And then a roar.

  He realized too late that the sound was coming from inside the building.

  His shield of air had been designed to protect them against an attack from the front. When the group of zombies pushed against the door behind them, it flung both him and Zoe across the roof.

  Thinking fast, he was able to send a quick cushion of air toward Zoe so that she landed softly, but there was nothing he could do for himself. He grunted as the wind got knocked from his lungs and his head banged against the side of a metal pipe.

  Zoe scrambled toward him, grabbing his hand and attempting to pull him backward as five zombies stepped out of the building, their mouths snapping hungrily as some kind of green acid dripped from their teeth.

  “What’s wrong with them?” Zoe asked.

  A strange question, considering there was something very wrong with the entire world right now. But she was right that there was something particularly wrong with these.

  It was the first time he’d actually encountered zombies with special abilities, like Parrish and Crash had talked to him about. Super zombies, they called them. He’d been hoping they wouldn’t face any up here on the rooftops, but he was the one who’d been dumb enough to trigger the trap.

  The five super zombies in front of them now seemed to move as one, and David realized the high-pitched humming sound was actually coming from their throats.

  He gathered a ball of compressed air between his palms and hurled it forward, hitting the zombie in the middle with a direct blow. A hit that hard should have knocked it backward or blown a hole straight through its chest, but it barely fazed this one.

  The group continued to move forward, their red, glowing eyes locked on his face.

  He was going to have to try something new with these. If they moved as one, maybe he’d have to hit them all at the same time to do any damage to them.

  He stood and pushed Zoe out of the way to give himself some room. He only had seconds to perform the move before the rotters would be too close to build momentum, but he had to try.

  He’d done this move before, he was sure of it. Maybe not in this lifetime, but it was familiar enough to his soul.

  He jumped into the air and spun around, sweeping his leg through the air as he kicked a steady, compressed formation of air toward the group. They flew backward, their backs hitting the brick wall behind in unison.

  David repeated the move, this time focusing the kick toward the heads of the rotters. He was hoping maybe the force of his kick would be strong enough to incapacitate them completely, but even with him putting everything he had behind it, the kick only seemed to disorient them.

  They recovered quickly and started heading toward him again.

  He wasn’t sure he had enough experience with this kind of offensive magic to survive against these kinds of zombies for long. He’d always been more of a behind-the-scenes guy in battle, rarely ever taking to a fight alone.

  He could hold his own for a while, but he really needed to focus on getting back to the rest of the group. Once the guardians were all together, it would make all the difference.

  The two of them couldn’t afford to get stuck up here fighting for a long time. It was too dangerous, because there could be more of these things on their way. It would also be difficult for Parrish and the others to reach them up here. They�
�d have to make their way through the whole building, which would be extremely dangerous.

  He had to keep moving.

  He gathered all of his strength and tried the move one final time, spinning twice in the air and on the final turn, kicking his leg forward. A wall of compressed air spun toward the five rotters, this time knocking them completely to the ground.

  He took Zoe’s hand.

  We need to get out of here.

  She nodded, holding tightly to his arm.

  He swirled his hands in front of them, creating a sphere of air around them like a shield, this time careful to cover all sides like a bubble. He ran forward, catching a gust of wind as he jumped to the nearest rooftop.

  He wasn’t sure how far the trap that had pulled them down originally extended, but he wanted to be careful not to fall again.

  The problem, though, was that the rooftops were now teeming with undead. Just minutes ago, they’d been relatively clear, but whoever was tracking them knew he was close to rejoining with his friends.

  As they flew through the air, he could see that the path between him and the guardians was now completely blocked.

  Red eyes glowed from crowds of zombies that pressed together, arm to arm on top of the buildings. There wasn’t a single place to land, even if he’d wanted to.

  He shook his head, seeing now what he’d failed to see before.

  He’d been guided this entire time. Ever since he’d first fled his old apartment with Zoe by his side, the witch tracking them had been leading him toward the same location.

  Central Park.

  He didn’t think this was the work of the Dark One, though.

  This was that witch the others had told him about. Lily.

  They’d told him not to underestimate her, but he had. Despite his knowledge and experience, he’d failed to see the patterns. She’d been placing rotters on rooftops, knowing he’d avoid them at all costs, even if it meant going out of his way.

  She’d wanted him to fly toward the park and away from the rest of the group. And when he’d changed direction, she’d grounded him and forced his hand.

  So, where was she now?

  Waiting for him at the end of the path?

  He couldn’t be sure, but as he looked across the crowded rooftops, he realized he had only two choices. He could follow her trail and face her head on, hoping the other guardians would be able to reach him before she captured him.

  Or he could turn around and head back toward the Bronx, undoing all of his work and taking them right back to where they started and away from the guardians.

  At this rate, if he turned around, he might not be able to get this close to them again for days. The witch could track him, so she’d know where he went and try to box him in anyway.

  Besides, there could already be traps back the way he came. She would have anticipated that he might turn back if things got too hard.

  No, the only way out of this was to face her head on and warn the guardians about what was happening.

  We need help, he told them, broadcasting his anticipated location to the other guardians and praying they could win whatever battle they were facing before it was too late. Can you hear me, Parrish?

  It took a long time for her to respond, but when she finally did, David nearly cried in relief.

  Where are you? Parrish asked. We’re in a bit of a tricky spot ourselves. Can you get somewhere safe and wait for us?

  Exhausted, he landed on a rooftop near the park where there were very few rotters to be seen. For a moment, he had a glimmer of hope that they’d be able to hide out here and rest for a few minutes.

  I think so, he told her.

  Carefully, he walked to the edge of the rooftop in a crouch and looked down on Fifth Avenue.

  There, standing on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was a woman with pale skin and a long, black dress that trailed after her in the wind.

  Her eyes snapped up toward his, and she smiled.

  David gasped, his stomach twisting at the sight of her.

  He was finally face-to-face with the witch they’d warned him about, but when he tried to reach out to Parrish again to tell her, his brain erupted in static.

  Was Lily doing this to him?

  He wasn’t sure, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach Parrish now.

  They were on their own against the most dangerous witch in the city.

  Forty-Seven

  The Witch

  Going after Karmen and the others had been so tempting, but the witch had not come here for them.

  Instead, she’d sent one of her many pets out to greet them, knowing this one would keep them occupied for a little while. At least, the witch hoped her decoy looked enough like her at a distance to make them all believe they were facing their old friend.

  It had taken her all night to find a human who could pass for a twin, but it had been worth it.

  The question was whether they’d be reluctant to kill someone they’d once cared about, or if they’d be eager to get revenge.

  Either way, the fake witch would be a nice distraction while she captured the fifth and the little girl.

  These next few minutes were critical to her plans for the future. One wrong move and the Dark One would be done with her forever.

  The witch couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing the Dark One again. Love and adoration welled up inside her, and she was flooded with the confidence that someday, she would return to their home world as a champion, revered by many and feared by all.

  She’d longed for that kind of recognition and respect her entire life, and she was so close to it now, she could feel it the way she could feel the warmth of the sun on her face.

  With that kind of power, she could change the world. She could make sure that no child ever grew up the way she had, unloved and tossed aside. Treated like a nobody, undeserving even of a name.

  With that kind of power, she could have anything she wanted.

  She just had to do this one last thing. Infect the fifth and capture the girl.

  He’d triggered her trap on top of the building a few blocks away, and soon, her pets would steer him this way. She was sure of it.

  She needed to get him away from the buildings, and then he would belong to her. She imagined the look of pride and excitement on the Dark One’s face when she handed him over.

  Maybe she’d let her keep the child as a reward.

  Parrish wouldn’t like that at all, but once the Dark One had control and was free again, it wouldn’t matter what Parrish wanted. Besides, the witch would keep the little girl safe. She’d make her just as happy as any sister could.

  She would protect her in a way Parrish never could.

  Something snapped the witch out of her daydream, and she looked up, catching the eyes of a human looking out over the top of the building. She couldn’t see him from here. He was up incredibly high.

  But she could feel his eyes on hers.

  She smiled. She’d been waiting for this moment her whole life. A chance to finally prove herself and claim her prize.

  In her mind, she reached out to the rotters she’d stationed there on the roof. They’d been hiding there for hours, just waiting for the fifth to fall into her trap.

  A young girl screamed, and even at this distance, the sound rang out in the relative silence of the dead city.

  Don’t hurt them. Just bring them to me.

  Excitement hummed through her entire body. She could hardly stand to wait down here, and she wished she’d joined her pets on the rooftop, instead.

  But she knew her plan was a good one. Get him to the ground, lure him into the park where more of her special pets were waiting for him. A single bite was all it would take.

  She absently ran a hand across her arm, as if checking to make sure her skin was still smooth and beautiful. She’d gotten used to the textured feel of her scarred skin, but today, there wasn’t a mark on her.

  She planned to keep it that way.


  The witch looked up, impatience stirring in her heart. What was taking them so long? Her pets should have grabbed them both by now and dragged them down here. She’d given them wings for a reason.

  But instead of her beloved pets, she saw a cone of air rise high into the sky above the tall building.

  She tightened her jaw. The fifth had reacted faster than expected, but it was okay. She had a backup plan to force him down here.

  The witch closed her eyes and summoned a pack of dogs she’d stationed inside the building. It was amazing how many humans had died inside some of these buildings. They’d all just been trapped inside their apartments and offices for weeks, rambling around mindlessly until she’d come along to turn them into something new.

  These days, she didn’t even need to be near them to turn them into her special pets, the way she’d needed to that first night in D.C. when she’d met the guardians. Over time, she’d taught herself to cast the spell and turn them with nothing but her mind’s powers.

  A gift from the Dark One to be able to reach inside these undead humans and create whatever she wanted out of them.

  That was real power.

  Who cared that she’d had to pay such a high price for it?

  She shuddered at the memories and pushed them deeper. She wouldn’t think of that now. She had a job to do, and it was almost done.

  She gave the dogs the attack order, but only moments later, she gasped as their bodies flew off the rooftop and crashed onto the pavement below. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what the fifth had done to the poor creatures. They’d barely even had a chance to serve her.

  She was going to have to take matters into her own hands. There was no more time to waste. She couldn’t allow Parrish and the others time to make their way here, so it was now or never.

  As long as she could feel her decoy fighting, she knew she was safe from any attack from Parrish or the others, but how long would that horde keep them away? She needed to move quickly.

  The fifth would be hers, and nothing could keep her from her goal.

  The witch summoned a ring of fire in the air in front of her. It started small, only about as big as her own torso and thin like a hoop.