Power (Dark Scions Book 3)

by Anna Carven

  A sudden thought occurs to me. “Can I see her? My mother?”

  “Of course. She has been giving me hell ever since she learned you were able to come here.” Death turns and beckons to the empty air. “Lialli.”

  The air swirls again, and suddenly she’s standing before me.

  The woman I saw in my vision. The woman who fell by Khelion’s hand.

  I remember her so well.

  Proud features, deep brown hair, green eyes.

  A curse whispered in Khelion Rel’s ear; one that ate at him his entire life, twisting him from the inside while the black eye disease ravaged his face.

  What a brave thing she did.

  She wears a flowing white sleeveless dress that hangs from shoulder to ankle, leaving her arms and the upper part of her chest bare.

  My breath catches. Right there in the hollow of her left collarbone is a crimson Mark just like Amali’s.

  A thousand questions flood my mind, but I hold my tongue as she walks forward and holds out her hands, palms facing upward.

  I stare at her in surprise.

  This kind of greeting; it’s an old Ioni one, used when a persons feels a sense of humility toward the one they’re greeting. It can be an apology, or an acknowledgement of the superior status of another, or even an intentional act of submission.

  I cannot accept any of these from my mother, not even the first one.

  She has no reason to apologize. If anything, it is I who should apologize, for all the anger I harbored toward her in my callow youth.

  I take her hands into mine, surprised that they’re solid and warm even though she just materialized out of thin air. Quickly, I reverse my grip so that her hands are on top and mine on the bottom.

  Death quietly fades into the background, giving us time.

  For a moment we just stare at each other, trying to grasp for some sort of connection amidst all the years we lost. A torrent of emotion dances across her face; sadness, grief, anger, pride, determination, love…

  Her lower jaw trembles as she opens her mouth to speak. “I—”

  I squeeze her hands gently. “It’s all right, mother. I know why you left me where you did.”

  She shakes her head in wonder. “How could you possibly know why I decided to leave you to the Order?”

  “I am Ven,” I say simply. “I understand the Order. And if one wants her son to become a wolf, then you must leave him with the wolves. What I don’t understand is why the mountain trader you left with didn’t take me under his wing when he was supposed to.”

  “Lahren was a good man, but he died before I did,” she says softly. “Rockfall accident. I was all alone, and I knew I didn’t have much time left on this earth. So I left you in the one place where I knew you’d grow strong enough to defend yourself against the rest of the world. You had to become strong, because sooner or later, you were going to find out who your father was.”

  I glare at Death. “She was all alone with me, and you could do nothing to help her?”

  “The Living Earth is not my domain,” Lok growls. “Until a mortal puts one foot beyond the veil, there is little I can do, unless I pass them in the dead of night or they are in one of the places that lies closer to the veil; the Talamuranas. I do not choose when it is Time. Only you can do that. I merely take the souls when they are ready. I knew Lialli’s Time was coming soon, and I knew you would be safe with the Ven until you came of age. They are my Order, after all.”

  “Your Order?”

  “The Order of the Ven is older than dragons. It has its origins in a time when I fought some gods over various things.” Lok waves his hand dismissively, trailing wisps of shadow behind his fingers. “I will tell you of its history one day, but I do not want to interrupt Lialli any longer.”

  Death sounds a little uneasy.

  My mother is glaring at Death as if she could cow him with just her stare.

  Lok inclines his head and steps back, his dark robes swirling.

  I look at my mother.

  My mother.

  The woman who loved me and did the only thing she could to ensure I survived.

  “I hold no anger,” I say softly, pulling her into my arms. “Only gratitude.”

  Lialli nods and holds me tightly, resting her head against my shoulder. “I would have kept you safe, you know. I would have fed you and coddled you and raised you well if not for that damn disease.”

  “Shush now, mama. It’s all right. I’m here now.” A strange feeling comes over me as I allow myself to fall into my mother’s embrace—my very first memory of it. It’s a good feeling. Her warmth; the way she holds me so tightly… it washes away the last remnants of the old, corrosive bitterness that lies deep inside me.

  But I am hardly bitter anymore.

  After all, there is a beautiful woman waiting for me on the other side of this veil, and she has already lifted the shadows from my soul.

  “My baby has grown into a man,” she murmurs, running her fingers through my hair. “And a fine one at that. You take good care of that Amali now, you hear? She is a strong young woman, and the only one who can keep you in check when you need it.”

  “I know that very well,” I chuckle. “I would have wanted for you to meet her, but…”

  Mama pulls back and grasps my hands tightly. “As would I, but not yet. We have plenty of time. She should not cross the Veil for a long time yet.”

  “I should hope so,” I growl, shooting Death a pointed glare.

  The life Amali and I are building in Kalabar…

  I would not trade it for anything.

  Let us live awhile as mortals. After the pain and the storm and the suffering, life is all the more beautiful.

  As mother gently steps out of my embrace, I turn to look at my father.

  Death is smiling.

  But he isn’t being straight with me. One thing in particular still bothers me. “You said earlier that there was a condition to my power. What is it, father?”

  Lok looks at me sternly, and all of a sudden, the faint smile evaporates from his lips, replaced with the cold, inhuman visage of a god. “The power to slow time comes from the place without time—here. So do your hands, which are extensions of your immortal body. If you want to keep both, then you simply have to keep doing what you’ve already been doing.”

  “And that is what, exactly?” My voice grows sharp. I do not like all this cryptic nonsense.

  “That when you administer revenge, you do so with justification. That in the world of the living, you become that which has not existed there before.”

  “Father, can you please speak in plain language?”

  Lok smiles indulgently. “In time, you will become used to the way of speaking in infinite possibilities. But for now, let me speak plainly. In the world of the living, you must become Justice. You will keep the balance between life and death. I do not need to tell you that there will be consequences if you abuse your power, because I know you would not do anything quite as foolish.”

  “Are you saying you could take my powers away?”

  “Nothing quite as dramatic. You are what you are, my son. I can’t take your power.” Lok gazes at me, his eyes reflecting infinity, his expression unreadable. The shadows swirl around him, becoming a moving, living thing in his presence. I can feel the immense dark power radiating off him. It is truly one the few things in this life that I am scared of. “Just know that here in my domain, I am the absolute master. Do you know why even seemingly immortal beings like dragons and sanguisu fear me, child?”

  “Because even they can be killed, and they will all end up in your domain eventually.”

  Even me.

  Even Amali.

  I quietly contemplate my father’s revelation.

  Justice?

  The irony isn’t lost on me. The ex-assassin who once lived for revenge is to become Justice in the mortal world?

  A mere winter ago, the thought would have been ludicrous, but I understand things differently
now.

  With her by my side, anything is possible.

  I nod slowly as a glimmer of understanding forms in my mind. I think I know why my father asks this of me, but who can really ever presume to understand the plans and designs of a god?

  “My son is no fool,” Death murmurs approvingly.

  “Of course he isn’t,” Lialli says sternly as she comes to my side and squeezes my hand. “No son of mine would do such a thing.” She plants a kiss on my cheek. “Go well, Kaimeniel. We will meet again. There is so much for us to catch up on. You don’t understand how good it is to finally see you after all these…”

  Her voice starts to fade.

  Death’s pale face starts to fade.

  The green valley and the balmy breeze and the sight of the village in the distance…

  They all start to fade.

  Kaim.

  Kaim.

  Kaim!

  Someone is calling me back. Someone sounds worried. This won’t do.

  Suddenly, I’m back in the Tenggu tent, wrapped up in furs beside the love of my life.

  She’s on top of me, straddling my torso, her warm hand caressing the side of my face. “Good morning, Kaimeniel.”

  I stare up at her. She’s completely naked, her body lithe and bare and perfect, limned by the faintest hint of early morning light that creeps in through the window in the roof of the tent. With her fiery hair wild and tousled; a sumptuous halo surrounding her gorgeous face, she looks like a goddess herself.

  “You went somewhere, didn’t you? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you away from there. I were so very cold and still. I am still not used to these…”

  “Shh.” I smile and put a finger against her lips. “Don’t apologize. I would gladly be taken away by you, even if it were the gods themselves that had summoned me.”

  She smiles then; a sexy, mischievous smile. Irresistible dimples appear.

  My erection is instantaneous, surprising me with its ferocity. My jaw drops open. The blood departs from my brain and pools in my cock, robbing me of all conscious thought.

  I’m pinned beneath her, paralyzed by lust, stunned at her beauty.

  “Good morning,” she says softly, teasingly, her voice dancing across all my senses. “I do like waking up next to you. It’s the very best thing.”

  “I…” For once, I’m truly rendered speechless. Only she could do this to me.

  Amali leans in and kisses me. Her lips are fire to my ice, and like always, she isn’t bothered by my cold nature.

  Her heat quickly spreads through me, bringing me back into the world of the living.

  I’m overcome with the sudden urge to consume her, to claim her, to make certain she knows without a doubt that every last inch of her is mine

  And I will do just that.

  I return her kiss, pulling her into my embrace, running my hands up and down her sinuous body, my fingertips gliding over smooth skin and scars alike.

  Her warmth infuses into me, making me whole again.

  I taste her sweetness.

  Beautiful.

  Strong.

  I am the luckiest man in all the universes combined.

  When I have all this…

  How could I possibly ever want for anything else?

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  Also by Anna Carven

  Dark Planet Warriors

  (in order of publication)

  Dark Planet Warriors (Book 1)

  Dark Planet Falling (Book 2)

  Into the Light (Book 3)

  Out of Darkness (Book 4)

  Darkside Blues (Book 4.5)

  Forged in Shadow (Book 5)

  Infinity’s Embrace (Book 6)

  Electric Heart (Book 7)

  Brilliant Starlight (Book 8)

  Hidden Planet

  Destroyer (Book 1)

  Catalyst (Book 2)

  Darkstar Mercenaries

  A Darkside Interlude (Book 0.5)

  Taming Chaos (Book 1)

  Shattered Silence (Book 2)

  Fractured Souls (Book 3)

  Hyperspeed Dreams (Book 4: Lodan & Tasha - coming soon).

  Dark Planet Warriors: Earth Files (a series of short stories)

  Book 1 (Rykal and Arin)

  The Dark Scions Series

  Vengeance (Book 1)

  Chaos (Book 2)

  Power (Book 3)

  Also available as a compilation.

  Novellas and more:

  Sanctuary - A Dark Planet Warriors Novella