Fury

by Elizabeth Cole

I’d like to say I was sentimental enough to have my eyes glued to the reunion after we got off the horse, but there was a giant dragon with souls spilling out of its mouth. It was beautiful. I’d never looked at a soul with anything but resentment, but seeing it like this—watching the souls spill it in a cascade—it was oddly, peaceful. Gentle. It was like they brought a calm with them that I should not be feeling right before we left to kick a demon out of the manor. Still, I felt like an appreciation that had never been there before settled into me.

  I turned back around to see Joshua stepping back and Charon stepping forward and clasping Salem’s hand, his other hand coming down on Salem’s shoulder as he smiled.

  “It’s good to have you back, sir.”

  “It’s good to be back.”

  “There is a freaking dragon spitting up souls.” I said, cocking my thumb over my shoulder in awe.

  Salem smiled at me, Charon let out a chuckle that sounded like a cough, Tasha didn’t bother to cover up her laughter and Joshua shot me a look like he wanted to say, “With everything going on? Seriously, Nyx?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, “It’s cool. Sorry.” Then muttered more to myself, “Inappropriate, yeah, but still cool.”

  “Fenris got us out of there the second the fake you left to find Nyx. He took Jane into the city and she’s being watched over by Raiden and Fitz.”

  “Who’s Raiden?” I asked, not recognizing the name.

  “The man that owns the book shop.” Tasha offered.

  “Fake me,” Salem said, “Is a demon named Baal. Lucky for us, he doesn’t have my magic and he has no way to get it.”

  “The ring, sir.”

  “He can’t take it from her. She’d have to hand it over willingly and she has a plan for that.”

  Salem turned to me, his eyes only slightly narrowing. We’d argued back at the cabin, but he couldn’t deny my plan was a good one. A lot better than kicking down the doors to the manor and flinging energy balls everywhere.

  “I’m the bait.” I said, smiling at Salem. “I’m going to tell him I found it, and Salem will be waiting for him when he gets there.” Simple, yes. But when had complicated plans ever worked out for anyone?

  We went over the details and after a few protests, all from Salem because he didn’t like the risk I was putting on myself, the five of us headed back towards the manor. We waited until a very pissed off looking Salem rode up to the house, dismounted and slammed the door behind him.

  Tasha, Charon and Salem all took a side entrance Salem conjured, while Joshua and I took the main entrance.

  “Salem?” I called, Joshua behind me.

  The sound echoed off the walls of the quiet house and Baal appeared on the landing moments later.

  “Where have you been?” He demanded, fury etched into his features and each word.

  “I found it, Salem.” I announced, smiling at him. “The thing blocking your power.”

  “She was coming back when I found her.” Joshua said. A half-truth, but Baal didn’t seem to care.

  “Where is it?”

  “It will be in the old study, your fathers. Do you remember when you took me there the last time?”

  “Of course.” He snapped, taking the stairs two at a time and grabbing my arm a little rougher than necessary.

  “Show me. Now.”

  “Do you remember showing me the weird piece in his study?”

  Phrased like a question, it wasn’t considered a lie, Salem had told me.

  “There are many odd thigs in his study. The man sold his soul to a demon.”

  “I know, but do you remember when I asked about the odd feeling it gave off?”

  “Vaguely.” He snapped.

  “Come on.”

  I moved my hand so he was holding it instead of my arm and started to pull him towards the study.

  As soon as I threw open the door, I pulled him inside, going straight for the desk. I grabbed the first thing I saw and picked it up.

  “Catch!” I threw the paperweight towards him just as the door slammed shut.

  But Salem wasn’t standing there.

  Baal caught the glass object, then tossed it over his shoulder as the door disappeared.

  “You were good, Nyx.” Baal said, crossing his arms behind his back as he looked at me. “But I’m not stupid. As soon as I found out you were missing, I went to pay Salem a visit, but he wasn’t there. I knew you’d try something when you figured it out. I wondered how long it would take. You are the only one in this house not cowardly enough to accept everything I said without question.”

  I glanced over his shoulder as he started to walk towards me, waiting for a door to appear.

  “Oh, he doesn’t have enough power to break through mine.” Baal said, grinning. “Not without the source of it. I’ve taken the liberty of cutting off access to this room and the foyer. If the others managed to slip into the house, they are cut off. So, you are going to tell me exactly where the trinket is containing his power. You were telling the truth about it, I heard it.”

  I darted out from behind the desk but he caught me by my hair and wrenched me backwards. He didn’t keep hold of me for long. He threw me across the room and I tumbled into one of the sitting chairs, knocking it over and hitting the floor.

  He stalked over to me and picked me up, shoving me into the wall. “Tell me where it is!”

  My body crumpled to the ground from the impact as pain radiated up my spine. I thought if I stayed down, I’d earn a reprieve but he was there, right in front of me, pulling me back up by the throat, cutting off my oxygen and pushing me up against the wall. He lifted me up so my feet barely touched the ground.

  I tried to pull in suck in air, but couldn’t. I scratched at his hand, tried to pull it from my throat but he didn’t so much as flinch. I kicked out at him, hitting him in the legs and he rolled his eyes.

  “Where is it?!” He hissed angrily, and then seemed to realize I couldn’t answer with his hand around my throat so he let me go. I dropped to the floor, and as I gasped in oxygen, a door appeared.

  He turned towards it and I scrambled to my feet, coughing as I tried to pull in breath. My throat felt like it was on fire but I needed to get to the door. I came up behind him and pushed him out of the way, managing to graze the handle before I was yanked backwards again and thrown to the ground.

  Baal stomped towards me, “If you won’t tell me to save yourself, I’ll go get Joshua and torture him until you do.”

  Baal hadn’t been lying. Salem couldn’t get through. There was no way Salem would have left me alone in here this long.

  The door needed to disappear. Baal had to be just as cut off from the others as I was.

  I remembered what Salem had set about me being able to control the manor and focused on the door, desperate for the house to listen to me.

  To my relief, the door vanished and I smiled, feeling like I had achieved something more than simply making a door disappear.

  Baal looked from me to the door and then he headed for me, “You have it with you. That’s the only way you could have done that. Give it to me!” He roared the last part, and I knew his patience was gone.

  I kicked an ottoman towards Baal and pushed myself up onto my feet again, focusing on the wall closest to me. I wasn’t stupid. If I could get out of here, I could give Salem the ring back and he could break through Baal’s power. I’d have to find him though, which meant I needed to keep Baal trapped.

  Before a door had the chance to appear, something struck me in the back and I cried out as my vision blurred but I managed to stay on my feet. I ran down the wall, doing my best to keep distance between Baal and me, but this time he picked up a chair and when it hit me, I saw stars as I crumpled the ground.

  “Give it to me!” He screamed again, sounding too close.

  “Screw you.” I snapped, pushing onto my hands and knees.

  “When I get out of here, I will kill him. I will kill them all!” He delivered a swift kick to my ribs
and I rolled to my back.

  “Give it to me or I swear I’ll beat you unconscious and take it.”

  He knelt beside me, taking a fistful of my hair and I smiled, “You can’t take it. Salem’s magic doesn’t allow it.”

  Blood had pooled in my mouth and I spit, red droplets spattering across his face.

  “I can make you wish you were dead. I can torture you until you’re begging me to take it.”

  “You could try.”

  Carefully, I reached into my shirt and pulled the chain up.

  Baal watched the movement and when the little ring came into view he latched onto it and then started screaming as a hissing sound and the smell of burning flesh filled my senses. He let go and stumbled backwards and I got to my feet. I brought my leg back and landed a kick right between his legs. Demon or no, a man was a man.

  I tried again to focus on the door, until my eyes scanned a fireplace. Remembering what Mary had said the day at the antique shop, I had an idea.

  Baal was blocking the doors, but he wouldn’t have thought about the fireplace. I didn’t even have to think about what I did next. I asked the fireplace to light and it blazed to life.

  I couldn’t make the door, but Salem could if he had his power back, and the rings magic would be released in fire. If Salem was willing to give up his power and strength to make sure I could go see Callie and Iris, I’d give them up to make sure he could protect himself.

  I pulled the necklace over my head and threw it into the fire.

  The smoke turned that lilac color I’d come to attribute to Salem’s magic and a wave of power washed through the room, knocking Baal and me off our feet. I hit the ground again and opened my eyes in time to see doors appearing everywhere. Every part of the room that had been wall was replaced by doors. Salem barreled through the one on the far side of the room and his eyes found me.

  Salem took one look at me and did not like what he saw.

  The purple orb he generated flew across the room before Baal even had time to react.

  He didn’t poof, he didn’t turn to ash, he didn’t start to burn up.

  Instead, lightening seemed to flash all over his body like a storm was raging its way under his skin. I couldn’t look away as it ripped his soul from the inside out, the air crackling with power and I watched on in horror. Salem’s face was suddenly there, blocking my view as he cradled my head to his chest. I heard a sickening crunch and a rumble that sounded like distant thunder before the air stilled.

  Salem pulled me back so he could look at me, his jaw clenching so tight his teeth were probably on the verge of breaking. Then, so quietly I could barely make out the words, he spoke.

  “You destroyed it?”

  I wasn’t sure what was wrong with my ribs, but they ached and my breathing hadn’t become any easier.

  “I…did…” I rasped.

  “Nyx, I can’t…”

  I started to nod, but it hurt so instead I tried talking again, “I know.”

  “And you did it anyway? Just like that?” He asked, and this time I reached up and cupped his face.

  “Eternity…with you. Yeah. Just. Like. That.”

  Chapter 18

  It took a couple hours for me to be able to breathe again. Apparently, I’d been injured worse than I’d thought. Tasha had helped with some tonics before they left to get Jane and the rest was Fenris’ doing. I bit his head off for not healing Salem—going head first into a rant Salem cut off with a kiss—but Fenris calmly explained fae magic didn’t work on Salem because it contradicted his own.

  Once everyone was sure I was going to be all right, Joshua and Tasha had gone to get Jane and Salem told Fenris he’d go back to the forest with him to deal with the traitors.

  I had told him I’d be going as well, and now we were in a standoff in front of a door leading to the forest, Fenris having excused himself when the argument started.

  “I’m going.” I said, hands on my hips. “I think I’ve earned the right to see this through.”

  Salem was stubborn. Yes, I knew it from the beginning, but this was ridiculous.

  “You were barely breathing and bleeding all over the place less than an hour ago. Go upstairs and—”

  “If you say rest, I will punch you in the face. You didn’t just go rest when I told you to. Besides, Fenris helped me, first to find you and then he healed me. I’m fine and I am going to make sure Lenox pays for what he did. If you don’t take me with you, I’ll walk out the front door and double back, but that means I’ll be wandering through the woods on my own.”

  “You are infuriating.”

  “So are you, but I love you in spite of it.”

  His eyes narrowed, “That’s not fair.”

  “No, but it’s true. Now, let’s go.”

  Salem took my hand and led me to the forest, keeping me a step behind him. We were halfway in when Fenris appeared out of the shadows.

  “That really is a neat trick.” I muttered, and got a smile.

  “I’d be happy to teach you how to blend, mi’ lady. After Lenox and the few of my kind are dealt with. The others have all been told of your arrival.”

  We followed Fenris deeper into the forest until the trees hollowed out a bit and for the first time I saw their village. Trees had been carved out, bridges zipping from high branches one to another, lights and fires danced inside the trees and just outside of them. It was beautiful, not at all what I’d been excepting.

  “Lenox!” Fenris called, his voice a menacing growl. “We have visitors.”

  It was quiet for a moment and then a fae jumped down from a tree, landing gracefully on his feet. The fall would have killed me, or at the very least broken every bone in my body.

  “You are not welcome here, Fenris.” Lenox said, and I noticed he wasn’t looking at us, but at a knife in his hand. “Who did you bring me?”

  “Lenox, Dark Fae and usurper,” Salem hissed, “You invited a demonic presence into my home. You and those who helped you will be put to death.”

  Lenox’s head snapped up, but he didn’t move.

  “Hawcus, Brocklyn, Martak.” Fenris named, and with each name, another fae jumped to the ground. None of them moved, none of them so much as blinked and it was only when a heavy weight settled over the encampment that I leaned into Salem.

  “Can they move?” I asked, and he shook his head.

  “Not until I release them.”

  Perfect.

  I dropped Salem’s hand, walked right up to Lenox and punched him right in the face.

  Twice.

  “That’s enough, Nyx.” Salem said, but Fenris grinned.

  “By all means, mistress. You can take a blade if you wish it. It would be your right.”

  Nope. No, no and no again. The punches had been enough for me.

  “We will leave you to it, Fenris. Unless you wish for their souls to spend eternity in my river.” I said, not understanding why my brain had decided to lay claim over the river, but I rolled with it.

  Salem’s lips twitched when I said “my” river, but he didn’t make a comment and I figured it must be okay.

  “No.” Fenris said, “We’ll have our fun and then kill them so their souls go where they deserve.”

  Memo to me, never piss of the fae. I considered Fenris an ally, but he still scared me a little. The punches had been deserved, but I wasn’t up for torture. It wasn’t something I’d ever consider fun.

  I took up my position at Salem’s side and assumed we were done, but he wasn’t.

  “Fenris has been warned, but now I’m warning all of you. If this ever happens again, if one of you seeks to gain power by inviting any person into my home or territory who wishes to do harm to me or mine, I will condemn your souls to,” he looked over at me and put emphasis on, “Nyx’s river and you will never be allowed to pass on.”

  Salem didn’t yell. He spoke as calmly and quietly as if we’d been talking to each other, instead of a forest full of fae. But if the murmurs and gasps of hor
ror were anything to go by, they’d heard him.

  “Fenris has the trust of me and my mate and she has taken a liking to him. She is also the only thing standing between the rest of you and my revenge. She told me some of you helped, and said not all of you wanted this and she is the one to thank for my mercy. If it were up to me, I’d kill everyone who didn’t stand with Fenris outright.”

  Fenris turned to look at me and bowed low, “A compliment mi’ lady. Thank you.”

  I hadn’t done anything, but it felt rude to point that out. I didn’t know what to say or do, so I channeled my inner Jane Austen and bent my knees into the most unladylike and wobbly curtsey anyone had ever attempted. It wasn’t perfect, but it seemed to work out.

  “We leave you to your task, Fenris.”

  “No task, sir. This is our pleasure.”

  I swallowed and turned to go, taking Salem’s hand as I did and picked up the pace. I didn’t want to be around for any noises or sounds to make their way to my ears.

  After we were far enough away I spoke up, “I guess handing Briella to the fae is out.”

  “You thought of that?”

  “I was thinking I’d shove her through the door Abaddon shoved me through, but Fenris was too excited to…get to work.”

  “Fenris likes you. He’s never offered to heal anyone before and I couldn’t have asked it of him.”

  “I like Fenris, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch him cut people into little pieces and eat them.”

  “He doesn’t eat them.”

  “Still.”

  “Even Briella?”

  “Even her.”

  “Good. I was planning on stripping her of her title and taking her house and her lands.”

  “What’s to cause her from stirring up more trouble?”

  “I thought I’d exile her.” He said, grinning as he added, “To your world.”

  I accepted that. I wasn’t a saint and I knew for a while I was going to see every bruise and cut Salem had endured due to her petty jealousy.

  “So, are we going to talk about custody of the river?” He teased and a blush bloomed over my cheeks.

  “Sorry. I don’t know why I said it. It came out and I didn’t want to take it back in front of all of them.”