by L. J. Stock
“I should have released you earlier, before the attack from Harker, but I couldn't let you go. The thought of... I'm sorry.”
A silence lingered between us again as his unspoken works hung in the air. He didn't need to finish the sentence, and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to. I knew what the next words would have been—he hadn't wanted to lose me. As sad as the thought was, the only response I could offer was that I wasn't his to lose in the first place. It didn't seem like an appropriate thing to say in that moment and it was unnecessarily harsh, no matter how true the statement rang.
“You have to let me go, Gori,” I whispered, his pain reflecting in my tone. “You have a chance to be happy here, to find love, have a family, and live the life you choose to lead. We both know I can never be that person for you. I understand if it would be easier to step down as my guard…”
“No,” he said bluntly, stopping in the middle of the hall. He turned and gripped both of my arms in his large hands, forcing me to look up at him with wide eyes. “I will never stop protecting you, Cassandra. I owe you my life and Thánatos will not stop until he sees you dead. I’m going to make sure that never happens.”
The conviction that weighed down every word shocked me. I'd known he felt as though he had to protect me now, but the intensity radiated from the grip on my arms to the deep, intense look in his brown eyes. He believed he owed me his life, that the only way to repay it was to keep me alive in the face of my fate. If I chose to ignore him and sent him away for his own good, the isolation and exile would break him and I wasn't willing to do that.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just want to make things easier. I... I know you—”
“You are my friend, Cassandra, which is much more than I deserve,” he replied quickly, releasing my arms.
“Don't be silly, Gori. You seem to forget that you saved my life.”
He shook his head and started walking again, looking back only when he realized I wasn't beside him. He tipped his head to the side and I followed, catching up with his slow pace easily.
“There's more,” he stated rather than asked. Apparently, the topic we'd been on was no longer up for discussion. He'd just shut me down, and maybe that was easier for now.
“They're throwing me an engagement ball thing,” I said slowly.
He muttered something under his breath in Russian. He spoke too quickly to catch a word of it. I just knew that he wasn't happy about this new development. I could see the lines marring his brow as he walked. I held my tongue as he mulled it over. He understood the risks just as well as everyone else did, but he had an insight that none of us had. He knew how they thought, how they planned and how they would execute their attack. He knew how they would arrange things to get to us quickly.
“I really don't think it's a good idea.”
“You're probably right,” I agreed, keeping my tone calm. “We understand the risks, though, which is why there's a plan in place.”
“Plan?” he asked. “Cassandra, you do realize that they will see this as a chance to once again get at you? They know they shook the core of the government when they attacked the last time. They've been waiting for another chance to move in and attack. Should it get out that you're planning another event, they will move into place and wait until we're all too distracted to realize it.”
“And each of us are prepared for this. In fact, I think that’s the point. There's one thing they won’t have counted on.”
“Which is?” he asked, offering me his hand as we reached the stairs. I slipped mine into his, even though I had running shoes and yoga pants on.
“The king is moving us. He's built another palace somewhere. It’s all very hush-hush. They won't tell anyone where it is. They’re just going to tell us what to focus on before we translocate. No one without the ability to skip out elementally will be within walking range of the palace, which puts my mind at ease. I think they’re hoping to draw the latros and veneficus here as a distraction.”
“Your father is a very smart man.”
“He's also very kind and honorable. He would never see the loss of life that happened the last time we were attacked. I believe he wants to have the upper hand. He knows the risks. In fact, I think he’s certain they’re going to take the opportunity to attack. He wants to give off the impression that it's business as usual, that they haven't already beaten us while still having the plan to leave before any real damage can be done.”
Grigori nodded thoughtfully and walked with me up the stairs. I knew he was going over things in his mind. I knew he was calculating the doubts against him. Hell, even I knew that it would be stupid for them to not consider that he was a spy feeding intel. I just knew better and I trusted him. I was also sure that my small white lie hadn't done the job I'd intended it to do. I didn't know where this new palace was. I'd simply omitted the fact that I'd requested not to know. I may have trusted Grigori with my life, and I would have trusted him with this information, but I also understood that the king needed the reassurance that his people and staff would be safe and this was the only way I could give that to him without insulting my newest guard.
Grigori, however, was just as smart as the king and didn’t buy it for a second. He looked at me thoughtfully as we climbed the stairs together. My hand itched to pick up the skirt I didn't have and twitched at my side.
“You do not know because they think you will tell me,” he finally surmised.
“Not entirely,” I embellished, feeling guilty for it. “They're not telling anyone in case the latros move in too quickly for some to escape. The less people who know, the less chance of the location getting out. You said yourself they wouldn't hesitate to torture people for information.”
Grigori nodded in acceptance. If he thought I was lying or exaggerating in any way at all, he didn’t show it. He trusted my word on the matter and that was final. “I will be close to you the entire time. The others may have to protect the king but he is not my ward.”
“I'm counting on that. You know I trust you implicitly.” I grinned, and released his hand as we crested the top of the stairs. “I'm going to take a shower now. I'll meet you in the hall after and we can talk some more if you’re up for it?”
He nodded in agreement. There were two guards at my door at all times whether I was inside or not, which was the only reason he felt safe leaving me alone. Offering me a small bow, he stepped away and we parted ways, heading to our rooms, which were still opposite one another by my request.
I watched him for a second longer than I should have. I understood that he didn't want to hurt me with whatever he was feeling, but I was worried about him. As he turned in his doorway, he caught me watching and gave me a genuine smile before stepping inside and closing me out completely.
Shaking my head at myself, and the mess I'd managed to get myself into, I gave the guards a nod of respect and shut the door on the rest of the world, happy to have some peace.
The tub in my own bathroom had been replaced in the weeks that had passed. It was a running joke that they'd kept it metal. Even Melody would stick her head in and grin as she told me she was just checking. It was all in the name of fun so I flipped the bird at her and continued on my way. Still, having the freedom to skip over for a shower in the empty farmhouse was a luxury I no longer took for granted. When I arrived, I knew I’d be alone. I was sure that Acantha and the others were downstairs with my parents discussing this ball they were planning on throwing, which was fine with me. It meant all the more peace for me to enjoy my shower.
Letting the water cascade over my body, I hummed my pleasure as the heat pulled out every ounce of the tension from my body. Being this alone was such a rarity these days that I found myself standing under the stream as the water cascaded over me. The silence in the house was almost enough to make my ears ring. It had been that way since I'd arrived, which was exactly why I’d started the shower as soon as I had.
On any normal trip back, I padded around my bedroom, pla
ying with the modern wonder that was my laptop. I just didn't have the heart to do it when there was none of Zander's music playing, Alexa wasn't there singing along either, and Acantha's endless and restless pacing was missing, too. I'd never thought of the farmhouse as particularly loud, but without the signs of life filling the stone walls, it was deathly silent. If it hadn't been for the water hitting the bath and curtain, and the drain gurgling it down greedily, I was certain I would be humming to break into the starkness of it.
I’d barely rinsed the last of the conditioner from my hair when the dogs started barking wildly, alerting me to the fact that there was something wrong. Their normal joyful sounds of someone arriving had now changed into something violent and urgent. The growling howls and grunts came loud and frantic, and it made me heart hammer in my chest with concern. I'd never heard a sound like it before, especially not from them.
I left the water running as I stepped from the tub and pulled a towel around myself, entering into my bedroom as the shattered silence became filled with the unnatural reaction of the dogs. Somewhere deep inside, I knew it was a bad idea to look around and search for the source. Part of me knew that I should have translocated and sent someone else to check it out, but this was a working farm and there was no one home. I was almost certain it was a customer.
I didn't leave my room. I’d at least learned that lesson. Instead, I wandered to the window that overlooked the paddocks and the driveway for visitors.
For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. There was no way there could be that many people wandering up the long drive toward the house. There had to be at least thirty of them moving mechanically in jerky movements toward the house. From what I could see, their eyes were trained on the door and nothing seemed to deter them from that path, not even the rapid fire of the dogs’ displeasure.
Upon closer inspection, I could see the blank stares in the ones closest to the house. Their expressions were empty to the point that they reminded me of a zombie movie I'd once seen as a kid. It was surreal enough to delay my reaction, but when my mind started to tick and the memories of that look on another face filled my mind with dizzying speed, I slowly started to panic. This new horror made me realize I only had seconds to get the hell out of the house and warn the others before they passed back over, too.
When the creaking of a floorboard on the landing sounded, I launched myself at the bathroom. Stumbling past the dresser and knocking it roughly with my hip, I squeaked but didn't slow. I couldn't. I was barely even in the room as I ripped the curtain out of my way and reached out for the falling water. The towel I had around me was soaking from using the shower as I jumped out of my Mortisalian bath. Not that it mattered. Without missing a beat, and not really thinking about what I was doing, I took off toward the door.
I moved quickly on my bare feet and I didn't stop in my room to dress. I knew there wasn't time. Instead, I pulled open the double door and sprinted to the top of the stairs with only Grigori's voice trailing behind me as the dripping water from the towel coated my legs. Without hesitating, he closed the distance between us quickly. Not slowing, he pulled the shirt he was wearing over his head and handed it to me.
It was only then that the levity of wandering around the palace with only a towel on hit me. Thanking him, I pulled the shirt over my head and was grateful when it fell to my knees. It was more of a short dress than a shirt and it covered me. That was more than I'd had or could have hoped for under the circumstances.
Grigori didn't ask questions as he kept pace with me. He obviously knew it was important—I was running around half naked after all—and he seemed reluctant to hinder me with words as I pushed my legs harder on the long rug that ran the length of the great hall. I almost went base over apex as I skidded around the corner to the king's wing. The hangings on the wall were almost a blur as I pushed myself to the limit.
I didn't wait for the guards to announce me at the door, and I didn’t wait for them to open them. They were startled by our appearance so I took matters into my own hands and burst into the room where I’d left everyone. Every eye in the room landed on me in shock. Damon's face flickered through about twenty emotions as he took in my half naked form wearing only Grigori's shirt as water dripped from my hair onto the expensive rug below me and my limbs trembled with my exertion.
“Where's Acantha, Alexa and Zander?” I panted, scanning the room.
“Right here,” Alexa said in shock, her eyes wide as she took in what I was wearing. “What the hell is going on? Why are you half naked and wearing Gori's shirt?”
“I was taking a shower at the farmhouse, and there were swarms of moderatus. They were in the house. You can't go back there. The moment I translocated back, I hit the ground running with a towel on and Grigori offered me his shirt.”
Damon let out a long breath and stepped forward, folding my trembling body in his arms. The shirt explanation was inconsequential. It shouldn’t have mattered but I was glad it set their minds at ease. Cradling my head against his chest, his hands tangled in my saturated hair.
“Damn,” Zander growled. “We can't go back there now.”
“We must. The dogs!” Acantha shouted, clearly upset about this new development and their possible demise at the hands of the shells of human bodies flooding the house. I turned my head in her direction to offer an apology, but noticed the look on her face was fiercer than simple regret at losing her beloved animals.
“I'm sorry, Acantha,” Alexa said gently. “We just can't risk it.”
“You don't understand. We can't leave them there.”
“Acantha...” I started, hoping to explain the situation and just how dire it was, but her wide eyes turned on me and my voice trailed off only to be replaced with a new question. “What aren't you saying?”
“Wait a minute. Did they go crazy when the moderatus showed up?” Alexa asked me, eyeing Acantha pensively. I could almost see the cogs of her mind working as she waited for my answer. Stepping out of Damon's embrace, but staying close enough to still be touching, I turned to look at the two women.
“Yeah, they wouldn't shut up. They sounded… wrong,” I said, looking between them. “Why? What does that mean?”
“You ever heard of Laelaps?” Shannon asked, sitting down hard in the chair she was closest to. She looked surprised and a little disturbed by her deduction. It didn't bode well for me to see her like that.
“No.”
“I thought Zeus turned him to stone?” Zander said, looking between them as I'd been doing. “And there are two of them?”
“Neither of them are Laelaps.” Acantha sighed, resigned and looking at those speculating over their breed. “They’re psychopomps.”
The room went quiet and Acantha dropped back down in the chair by the fire with a sigh. I could see all eyes in the room were on her now. Whether they understood or not was irrelevant. I wasn't even sure what a psychopomp was, but it couldn't have been good looking at the grave faces of those in the room who did understand. Hardly anyone seemed to be breathing as they waited for something to happen.
“What is a psychopomp?” I asked finally when it appeared no one was going to say anything. I think my mom, Steven, Liana and I were the only ones who were oblivious.
“They guide the souls of those who have died to the afterlife. When a soulless being comes at them, they go wild because it's so unnatural. When the veneficus and latros possess a human body, their soul seems to temporarily check out to allow space for the invader.”
“Where the hell did you get two of them?” Rasmus asked curiously.
“Melinoe.”
“Persephone's daughter?”
She nodded only once before standing up and pacing in that elegant and floating way of hers. Alexa watched her before her face lit up in interest. “It's why they never age.”
Acantha smiled and continued to move from one end of the room to the other. “They are my guardians. When Thánatos' mother came to me with the secrets of our kind, Melinoe k
new it would be a burden for me to carry alone. Thánatos began coming after me in some crazy belief that I was still in consort with the Gods. You have to understand that no being wants the world destroyed other than Thánatos. Everything works on balance. Should the worlds end, there will be no need for Gods or soul collectors. Everyone was working together to try to keep the necessary players safe until Cass arrived.”
There was another lingering silence in the room. The meaning behind her words was unsaid but we all knew what could happen should something bad transpire with those dogs. They were creatures that kept balance in the world, on loan to Acantha to act as the sentries they were. They had given me advance warning of the oncoming mass, doing their job excellently. Unfortunately, being on loan from what was essentially a demigod, losing them was not an option.
“Damn it.” Rasmus growled bravely, standing up. “I'll go.”
“They won't come to you,” Acantha said gently, treading carefully. She'd always been such a soft spirit and this was no exception. She didn't want to be a trouble to anyone else. She was taking responsibility for the gifts she'd been given, and in her mind that was her wrong to right. However, Rasmus didn't seem fazed. He'd committed himself to this for whatever reason and that was all he would hear about it.
“No, but they'll come to you, and I can protect you, Acantha.”
“I can't ask you to do that.”
At least I knew where my stubborn nature came from. She thought the same way I did. I hadn't noticed it before then, but it was plain as day now she was faced with an impossible task.
“Yes, you can,” Shannon said, stepping forward. “And I can help. Once we get there, I can create us a small area of fire where we will be safe. Although, I fear it may cause some damage to your house.”