Power flowed easily into her spell, and she could have scrambled his mind as easily as an egg. As she scanned his memories of what happened to Darion and Navina, it was tempting, very tempting, and maybe a kindness compared to what the Demon Queen had in store for them. Her desire to find Darion overrode her desire for revenge. Memorizing where they put them, she turned and sprinted down the corridor.
Those in her way where easily put under with her new increase of power, sliding unconsciously to the floor. Down the hall, their shouts traveled through a thick door. She easily unlocked and opened the door.
Darion barged towards her, fire in his hands, but was brought up short at the sight of Becca. He looked like he’d been through hell and back. How long was she gone? Enough for him to lose weight. Thick stubble covered his face, his gaze frantic as it took her in.
“Are you real?”
Remembering the last time he saw her, she approached slowly. “Yeah. Been through a hell of a ride, but I’m here.”
By the time she finished her sentence, he had her in his arms. Clinging to her tightly, he murmured in her neck, “How the hell did you make it back to me? I thought I lost you for good.”
Tears came to her eyes and she held him. “I thought so too.”
Soon Navina clung to her as well, sobbing without restraint. Becca’s heart broke at what they had been through since she left. Those men deserved to die, long, painful deaths.
They are, the Queen answered.
Becca startled at the voice in her mind, unsettled by the demon’s presence.
Darion pulled back. “What’s wrong? Something feels different.”
Throat tightening, Becca struggled how to tell him. “I returned with the Demon Queen.”
He pulled back further with a confused expression.
“What’s a demon queen?” Navina ran a hand under her nose. “And did you kill all of these men?”
“Sometimes we can find alliances in unlikely places, and no, they are not dead, just knocked out.” She turned to Darion, hoping he would understand. The idea sounded more insane on this side of the universe.
“You feel different, but you couldn’t have…” He stepped back, scrutinizing her in an unfamiliar way.
Uncomfortable with his gaze, she glanced away. “I’m bonded to the Queen.”
His face couldn’t hide his horror. “She’ll destroy the world.”
“Tempting isn’t it?” The Queen appeared next to Becca without warning, her teeth stained with blood. She picked up the fallen man with one hand. “I’m sending this one back. Seems fair doesn’t it?” She walked away not waiting for an answer.
Becca lowered her gaze and turned back to Darion. “It’s not how it appears. We share powers, but I can control her to some extent.”
“Then she can control you as well?”
She could hear the revulsion in his voice, the same revulsion she’d experienced when first meeting the Queen. How could she explain it to him? How to convince him she wasn’t insane? She couldn’t blame him for his doubts. Maybe she was crazy.
She grabbed his hands. “I know this sounds crazy, but can you please trust me on this? She loathes Lazaro and what he does to her people as much as we hate him. This may work.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Then I can kill her, taking myself along with her. You know I will.”
He glanced at Navina, who started down the hall where the Queen had appeared, then back to Becca. “I don’t doubt it, but I wonder who’s standing in front of me now: Becca or Becca under the control of that beast?”
“It’s me, promise.” The question scared her to the core because part of her wondered just how much she would lose in this agreement.
Chapter One Hundred Fifteen
Without reinforcements, the day stretched on for what felt like a year. The sun beat down on their pain and exhaustion. Caleb and Nikki made a good team, but it was only enough to keep them alive. Patrick had his men pull back several times, and no one had even glimpsed Lazaro. Who knew if he was even there or if he was just pulling the strings from afar?
As the afternoon sun began to fall, Caleb and his team were hiding in a foxhole when a small group of Soultorns discovered their location. Alex was already injured, a leg wound that kept him in a sniper role. Caleb, Marcus and several others met them head on.
The Soultorns fought with an intensity that the others couldn’t match, especially not after a whole day of fighting. Caleb and Marcus had trained hours upon hours for this sort of thing with Leon, but even they weren’t a match for the demons. They couldn’t go on much longer, even with the magicians’ help attacking the Soultorns.
A Soultorn made it past the lines and reached for Caleb. With no time to reload, Caleb used the rifle to strike out at the demon. He missed his target and he found himself on the ground, struggling for a breath.
Marcus grabbed the Soultorn from behind, slicing his throat.
“Thanks,” Caleb gasped for breath. Then he noticed another man take aim at Marcus. “Watch out!”
Marcus turned and took the bullet straight through the chest. Alex screamed, returning the man’s fire with furor. Caleb caught his friend and cradled him for his last few breaths.
Marcus’s dark eyes bore down on him. “Make him pay.”
“I will. That bastard will pay.” Caleb fought to contain the agony and rage as his friend faded from this life. One of Patrick’s men helped drag Marcus’s body back to the hole.
He avoided everyone’s gaze and checked on their ammunition. He was out, as were most others. He ran out of arrows, hours and hours ago. Pulling out his knives, he got ready to go back out.
Nikki stood in front of him. “We can retreat again.”
He couldn’t meet her eyes. “Take the wounded back. I will cover you.”
“I’m not leaving you.” She grabbed his shirt in her fist.
Stepping back, he pushed her away. “Yes, you are.” He ground his teeth, finally meeting her gaze. If she wanted a fight, he would give her one.
“Guys, look.” Alex, standing on one foot, dirt and blood covering his clothes, pointed off to the distance.
Caleb turned to the horizon. Scarlett sat upon her horse, her blonde hair flowing behind her. She roared a battle cry as she struck men through with a long sword, others thrown back by magic. Caleb thought if he ever saw an angel of death, she would look like that.
By nightfall, the tides changed. The rebels had killed or chased off all of Lazaro’s forces. Caleb helped carry Alex to a med unit. He walked through their makeshift camp like a ghost, empty and unfeeling. Marcus was dead and by the time this was done, there would be more to bury.
Caleb hoped for a drink and to spend the night curled around Nikki, but they were both summoned, along with Patrick, for a meeting. They brought Alex, limping along. By the time they arrived at the tent, it was filled with more people than he recognized. There was no time for introductions.
After Andre made sure their conversation was private, he stood with Scarlett at the head of the tent while others gathered around. A few remained outside on the watch for Lazaro’s retaliation, while Nevada provided cover.
“We wanted to commend Patrick and the team that was able to head off Lazaro’s forces,” Andre began.
Patrick nodded, looking years older in one night. They all did, at least those that survived.
Scarlett continued. “Unfortunately, Lazaro has more men on the way, but we can’t afford to fight this fight on his terms. He is setting up blockades to keep us from the city, but we are going to push forward to the location. Andre and I will be fighting from the south. Our goal is to keep pushing east until we can drown Lazaro’s Manhattan.”
Caleb would love to see Andre wipe that man from this earth, but they still had to make it to New York. They could make it there by car in a day, but Lazaro was going to fight them for every mile.
“Leon and I have made assignments and we will leave before daybreak.” Scarlett contin
ued issuing directions.
Caleb struggled to focus and when the minutes passed, he was surprised to find the meeting over. Nikki, next to him, must have noticed his inattention. “They want us to stay with Patrick’s team. You need to get some sleep.”
“You too, but I need to check on Elizabeth first.” The numb spot in his chest wouldn’t feel any better if Becca was really gone, but he needed to talk to Elizabeth.
“I have to talk to my dad too. I’ll meet up with you after.” She reached out and touched his hand. Just a simple gesture, but it pulled him back to earth and what was really important. Not the war around them, but why and who he was fighting it for.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you then.”
After he spoke briefly to Leon and Patrick, he headed out to find Doc’s tent. The layout, while now much larger, still followed the same pattern. There, off the main path, Doc’s tent was set up. Outside, Elizabeth stood with one of Scarlett’s coven members, Brianna, if he remembered right.
“Hey, Lizzy,” he called to her as he approached. Lizzy was a nickname from when they were kids, one she didn’t really love.
Turning towards the name, Elizabeth smiled while her eyes remained sad. “I sure don’t feel like a Lizzy anymore.”
“Sure you do. You still have your freckles.” He pushed back a thick clump of hair that hung in her face. “How are you holding up?”
When she didn’t answer, the witch next to her did. “While Doc’s tent is a safe place for us, it’s a little overwhelming with the wounded. They are setting up another tent to deal with the overflow.”
Understandably so. “Thank you for being here with her,” he told the witch, even though he knew she didn’t do it for him. Scarlett’s coven had been a bit enamored with the idea of a seer. At this point, he didn’t know what was best for Elizabeth. But if they could keep her safe, maybe a coven wouldn’t be so bad.
“Have you heard or seen anything from Becca?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I stopped looking, really. The silence hurts.” Her voice caught, and he could hear the pain in her voice.
He pulled her into a hug. “I know.” Her frame felt so small in his arms. How could they keep one so fragile safe in the midst of all this? Maybe it was a mistake to bring her so close.
After a moment, she pulled back. Her face was pale and ghostly in the dim lights of the camp. “You need to stay with Nikki.”
“Did you see something?”
“In my visions, I drift to those I know without trying. Stay next to Nikki and stay away from the monsters.”
“Monsters?”
“Demons, I’m assuming. Too many to describe. My visions have been changing so much, it’s been hard.”
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I’ll stay away from the monsters, and you stay safe. Promise?”
“Promise.”
The next morning, Elizabeth was woken by the sounds of battle. “Brianna, is it happening?” They were miles away, but somehow, she knew it started. Staring up at the canvas ceiling, images of men screaming, tortured by magic, flashed through her head. Her dreams had been full of them. She didn’t need to be at the fight to know what it looked like.
Brianna had been up for a while, her dress and hair done up for the day. “I have my book ready.”
Brianna had started writing down all the images Elizabeth had seen. Often, the stories blurred together after a time and she struggled to get them straight. This way, Brianna could help untangle the mess Elizabeth saw. Then she’d send word to the others through the radio. So instead of Elizabeth just telling Scarlett that Patrick’s body was torn to pieces, Brianna would ask Elizabeth questions to gather useful information for the others. This morning there was no new information though.
“You don’t need the notebook right now.” Silent tears slid down her face. “Nothing new, just reliving what’s about to happen.”
Not wanting Darion and Navina to witness the bloodbath outside, Becca stayed with them inside. They didn’t speak much, just watched the hallway for signs of the Queen. Navina watched an empty space on the ground, keeping Darion next to her. Every now and then, she’d flash a nervous glance at Becca. It used to be Becca the girl would cling to, but now she scared her. Becca could feel it.
Frustrated, she turned to Darion. “I didn’t do this for me.”
“I never thought you did.”
Not sure what to say, Becca remained quiet. Searching for some reassurance, she broke the barrier with her sister and reached out to Elizabeth. Last she heard a battle was on the horizon, but Becca had learned from Darion that she’d been gone for days.
Closing her eyes, she reached out, but something felt different. Was it because of the bond she shared with the demon? When Elizabeth was possessed by a demon, they couldn’t communicate. Using her power, she pushed out more.
What is going on? Elizabeth? Becca cried out for her sister. There was no response in the usual fashion. Instead, images of a battle flashed through her mind. Demons and Soultorns ravaging the people. Others swallowed by great holes in the earth. Beasts eating men’s stomachs, bloodied with delight. Then, in the middle of a forest, Elizabeth stood all alone. Then he was coming for her, with a beast bigger than she’d ever seen.
Unable to watch anymore, Becca pulled back, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Even as powerful as she was now, there was so much about magic she didn’t know. She couldn’t talk to her sister, but there was some kind of bond or presence there.
Despite any previous contention, Darion knelt by Becca, placing a hand on her shoulder. “What is it?”
“Elizabeth. I couldn’t talk to her, but I saw her dreams or visions. The others, they are getting slaughtered. And Lazaro wants her, wants Elizabeth. How can I know all that?”
“I’m not sure, but with your connection to the demon and your sister, anything is possible.” He removed his hand. “And any powerful magician would spill blood to have your sister. If Lazaro knows about her, she’s at risk.”
Frustration built inside Becca and emotion squeezed her throat. “Darion, I came back to help. Not only to end this war, but to end this way of life. You know our odds in a fight with Lazaro. And from what I just saw, it doesn’t look good.”
“Even if that demon returns, how do we get to them? They are hundreds of miles away, dying while your demon’s outside feasting on the bones of others.”
“I am no one’s demon.” The Queen stood in all her dark grandeur. “The only reason I don’t kill you too is this one. You stink of death and stolen power.”
“Do you mean demons?” Darion asked, Navina tucked safely behind him.
“Yes. They may be weak, but they are of my world and are mine. I will kill those who dare use them.” The horns on her head grew, twisting and scraping against the stone walls.
Becca flinched at her anger, trying not to doubt her decision. Turning to Darion, he had his defenses up and mask in place. She didn’t blame him. She didn’t think she could ever breathe easy in the presence of the Queen.
Standing up, Becca addressed her. “We need to get to our people. They are several hundred miles to the north, fighting Lazaro and his men. We’ll have to find a boat or, if possible, a plane. Not sure who we will find to fly it if you killed everyone.”
The Queen hissed in return. “Compared to those of mine murdered, I have barely started. And remember I’m not your servant to fetch you transportation. I’m here to kill Lazaro and all others who dare desecrate me and mine.”
Becca recalled the images she received from her sister. “I know where we can find him.”
Chapter One Hundred Sixteen
Patrick’s forces were hit the heaviest early on. Caleb knew his success came from Nikki’s shields. Together they made a deadly team. For a moment, the fighting lessened. Caleb staked through the debris and fallen men searching out the enemy.
The opposing forces were moving, centering their attack around Patrick. Caleb moti
oned to Nikki and they began to work their way towards him, soon fighting through the onslaught of warriors, magicians, and Soultorns.
“Look,” Nikki yelled over the noise and motioned to the sky.
A demon soared into the sky, larger than anything he had ever seen before. It almost reminded him of a dragon from childhood stories. While he was distracted by the sight, someone punched him. Pain radiated up his jaw, but he turned to the fight. The fact this guy was punching and not cursing him meant the fight would be over faster. Caleb struck out, burying his knife into the man’s liver.
“Cover me,” he called to Nikki and pulled the bow off his back. He aimed at the monster, who now circled above Patrick, and let his arrow fly. It glided off the beast as if it were no more than a drop of rain.
Frustrated, he pulled another arrow, wondering if Nikki could enchant it for him. Something to pierce that hide. Then a second later, something knocked him backwards, forcing him to the ground. Some type of magic or pressure pinned him down. Everyone else appeared to be in the same position, on both sides of the fight. Everyone except Patrick.
It looked as if the magician who rode that dragon wanted an audience. Caleb assumed it was Lazaro himself. The demon dove at Patrick who stood motionless, grabbing him by the shoulders and hoisting him high in the air. Such great heights, and Patrick looked to be nothing more than a rag doll. Then, without notice, the dragon dropped him.
A scream pierced the sky, and other shouts and cries joined in, spells maybe, any last ditch effort. Still pinned to the ground, time appeared to slow for Caleb as he watched this man, a friend, fall to the ground, waiting every millisecond for someone to catch him, for a magician to counter it, to help him. But no one came. Patrick was dead.
The demon wasn’t done with him either. The beast landed on top of him and roared. It rang in Caleb’s ears and vibrated all the way to his bones. He watched those pitch-black eyes gloat over its prize. Then the beast dug into his body. Caleb closed his eyes, trying to block out the picture.
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