I could see what he meant. Three Reapers against Arya, all of them First Tenners, and they still failed to touch her. With a wave of her scythe, she launched a pulse that threw them violently back. By the time they tried to approach Arya again, a familiar figure emerged from the Nightmare Forest. Despite the horrific burns, I recognized Danika immediately.
“Derek,” I breathed, gripping his wrist. “She’s here…”
Danika helped Arya into the Nightmare Forest, while our Reapers valiantly but ineffectively tried to stop them both. Thayen was gone, along with Petra’s and Ramus’s soul shards. Seconds passed in heavy silence as the truth settled over us like a layer of suffocating dust.
“We have to go after them,” I said, determination flaring from the center of my heart. “Derek, I promised Thayen he’d be safe with us. I told him nothing bad would happen to him.”
Mira gave me a faint smile. “You have us all by your side,” she replied. “What Arya did—it’s unconscionable. I’m ashamed to have ever trusted her. We didn’t… we didn’t know. Please believe me.”
“I do believe you. I didn’t expect Arya to betray us, either,” I said. “It’s nobody’s fault but hers, in the end. She chose her allegiance a long time ago and spent millions of years pretending to be someone else. But we can’t let Arya or the Darklings win this. If they bring the Spirit Bender back, we’re all screwed. It would mean losing Thayen and maybe even Valaine.”
Time cleared his throat. “We have to assemble a crew to go after them, but we must protect Roano, as well. Tristan is still in his interdimensional pocket with Valaine. We cannot leave them on their own.”
“We’ll lead the team,” Derek said, raising his chin. “Thayen is our responsibility, and I will stop at nothing to get the boy back.”
Esme and Trev reached the north tower as well, both looking like they’d seen a ghost. Kailani’s gang didn’t fare much better. The bitter taste of defeat lingered on our tongues as we tried to accept everything that had happened and make a new plan.
The Darklings had snatched all the soul shards we’d managed to gather. They’d been ahead of us once again. This time, however, the abominable had happened. They’d taken Thayen, too. Their final objective was within reach now, and we were still outnumbered and outgunned. Without a full understanding of their death magic knowledge, our enemy remained a great unknown, a constant risk and a fatal danger.
But even so, we couldn’t give up. As long as the Unending was trying to make her way back to us, we still had a chance at success. Putting a crew together wasn’t even the hard part, but finding Arya and Danika before they killed Thayen would be extremely difficult. The promise I’d made to Thayen persisted in the back of my head like a nagging migraine.
“Danika won’t get away with this,” I ultimately said.
It had become my mantra.
Kelara
The thought that Corbin knew about Roano made me sick to my stomach—a sensation I wasn’t even supposed to feel anymore since I’d become a Reaper. But the more time I spent in the close company of this particular Darkling, the more nauseated I became.
I couldn’t see Soul anymore, and I had a feeling it had something to do with what Corbin had just told me regarding Roano. He must’ve warned the others. They probably knew Danika was on the move, as well. All I had left was the hope that they’d beat her to the finish line. After all, our victory depended on the Unending and Tristan pulling through.
Corbin waited in silence, the green fires still burning brightly around the camp.
“I take it I’ve upset you,” he said after a while.
“Your whole faction upsets me,” I replied dryly.
“It won’t matter after you’re turned. I hope that brings you some comfort.”
I scoffed. “I don’t care what you do to me. Once Unending is free, you are all screwed. I’ll consider my fall a sacrifice for a greater cause.”
“It’s the same way I view having to kill my own daughter. We may antagonize each other, Kelara, but in the end we’re both working for something bigger and more important than ourselves.”
Movement between the trees caught my eye. Several figures emerged from the distant darkness, making their way through the woods. Shadows and shade reigned supreme in this part of the Nightmare Forest. The overhead crowns were thick and loaded with leaves, keeping every beam of filtered daylight from breaking through. The smell of congealed blood persisted in the air, and I had a hard time looking away from all the dead Darklings. At least Soul had reaped their spirits, since I couldn’t see them anymore—it was better than they deserved, considering the many innocents they’d deprived of a chance at an afterlife.
Arya led the group out of obscurity and closer to the campsite. Ice pricked through my undead veins, my stomach balled into a sudden cluster of oversensitive nerves as I understood the image before me. Arya… had betrayed us. Thayen was thrown over her shoulder, alive but unconscious. Danika walked beside her, gruesomely disfigured by Ridan’s fire and still healing. She held a small pouch in her hands, gently cradling it to her chest, but her crooked smile reeked of self-satisfaction. A dark blue velvet dress covered most of her body, but her skin remained a vivid mixture of pink and red. There was no hair in sight, but her eyes were bright blue and filled with hate.
Behind them, a couple dozen Darklings walked, smiling from beneath their leather cloaks, and I knew. Deep down, I knew what was coming. Danika had finally succeeded. She’d brought all the shards together, which meant that all the other Whips were dead now, and she’d stolen her son back from Roano for the last piece of the Spirit Bender’s soul. Everything we’d fought so hard to prevent had come to pass, as if the universe was basically flipping us off.
“Danika. It took you a while,” Corbin said as the Darklings reached the edge of the camp. I boiled with rage at his side.
“You’re making a terrible mistake,” I told him between clenched teeth.
“I’m doing what is best for my people,” he replied in a hushed tone, then raised his voice as Danika, Arya, and the others walked past the green fires and crossed the camp. They stopped before him, bowing reverently. “Welcome back, Danika. You’re looking a lot better.”
“You’re too kind,” Danika muttered, her voice raspy and strained. Her vocal cords were still recovering. From up close, I could see the extent of the damage she’d suffered from Ridan’s dragon fire. Her skin looked like a molten plastic glaze, still forming and struggling to stretch and cover the strips of muscle, tendons, and bones. Her hands were almost translucent, and I could literally see her cheekbones.
Arya dropped Thayen on the ground and gave Corbin a dry smirk. “We finally meet.”
“Indeed, first Master. It is an honor to have you back among our ranks,” Corbin replied. “I trust retrieving the boy and the remaining shards didn’t require too much of an effort.”
“Not at all,” Arya said. “They didn’t see me coming.”
“And you killed everyone who stood in your way? We’re aiming to send a firm message here,” Corbin replied.
“I let Sofia Novak live.”
Danika sneered at the Senior. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“She is of no importance to us, milord,” Arya said, ignoring the Lady Supreme. “A vampire poses no threat, and we should not make a habit of killing our own simply because we can.”
“Well, technically speaking, vampires are not our own. Also, you’re late to the party here, Arya. We’ve spent the past two million years obliterating anyone who dared oppose us,” Danika hissed.
“And where has that gotten you?” Arya snapped, giving the Lady Supreme a contemptuous sideways glance, much to Corbin’s apparent amusement. “You’re burnt to a crisp, your son is a victim, your husband is dead instead of supporting your endeavors, and the Unending is under the protection of foreigners. The only reason we’re in this mess to begin with is because you couldn’t keep your house clean.”
Corbin chuckled. “
Thankfully, you were able to leave the island and come to our assistance.”
“Crispy over here wouldn’t have been able to get past Roano’s protective shield,” Arya continued. “It takes a Master to break that magical combination.”
“We are indeed fortunate to have you,” Corbin said, cutting Danika off before she could respond. There was clear animosity between the Lady Supreme and Arya—something I might be able to manipulate in order to turn this situation to our advantage. “The rest of you should clean this mess up. The bodies will start smelling soon.”
The Darklings proceeded to gather the bodies and severed heads, piling them up closer to one of the green fire pits. The plan was to burn them, along with what remained of the campsite. Corbin knew we couldn’t stay here much longer.
“You’re a traitor,” I said to Arya. Her presence here wasn’t even as shocking as I might have expected, yet I couldn’t put my finger on why. Maybe there was something about her, something subtle and hiding just beneath the surface, something I hadn’t consciously noticed before but still sensed somehow. She did strike me as cold and patient enough to live on an island for two million years with her enemies while in the service of the Darklings and the Spirit Bender.
“I didn’t betray anyone,” Arya replied. “I was always loyal to my Darklings.”
“We trusted you.”
“That was your mistake. Did you really think we’d let the Seniors live on those islands without some kind of inside man for additional supervision, especially considering how determined they were to bring the Darkling faction down?” Arya shot back. “Every time one of them came up with an idea to get off the island or to sabotage my colleagues, I had to work out an angle to dismantle their plans, to knock them down a few pegs. It hasn’t been boring for the past two million years, I can tell you that.”
“You should’ve killed Sofia,” Danika reiterated, slowly shaking her head. I noticed she couldn’t bring herself to look down at Thayen. “She’s more dangerous than you might think. She’s determined.”
“So are we. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of an itty-bitty vampire.” Arya giggled.
“I’m afraid of the Reapers in their alliance. The witches. And that blasted dragon is a problem!” she screeched. Corbin raised a hand to silence her.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. We have everything we need now. All the pieces of the Spirit Bender’s soul have been brought back together,” he said. “Prepare for the ritual, Danika. I shall remove the shard from your heart and complete it.”
I needed a few seconds to put two and two together, but when my synapses were finally in sync, I started laughing. Corbin stilled, giving me a confused and curious glance. Arya didn’t say anything, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She also realized what Danika hadn’t done.
“You don’t know…” I said to Corbin. “She didn’t tell you!”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, his gaze bouncing from Danika to me and back. It only made me laugh harder, despite the rune collar pressing against my throat and my otherwise grim predicament.
Danika tried to speak, probably to attempt some damage control. Judging by the look on her horrifically scarred face, she’d forgotten to cover this particular aspect of her personal plan regarding the Spirit Bender’s return. But I quickly cut her off.
“Danika transferred her soul shard into Thayen’s heart the moment he was born,” I said. “And I guess she didn’t tell you. Petra knew, and so do we. Why did you think she had Thayen taken from Roano? Did you think she was actually worried about him?”
Corbin glared at me as if I’d insulted him, yet I could hear the wheels slowly turning in his head as he shifted his focus to Danika. “Is this true?”
“The Spirit Bender gave us a treasure trove of knowledge. I was curious and resourceful and determined to live, in case the worst-case scenario ever occurred,” she said. “How was I supposed to know these wretched foreigners would push us to these extremes?”
“I’ve been living in hell since discovering the Unending’s identity,” Corbin growled. He shot to his feet, fists clenched tight at his sides. “I’m forced to kill my own daughter while you willingly send your son to be slaughtered to spare yourself? Are you kidding me, Danika?!”
“I… I thought you’d understand. It’s only so that we can be together,” she replied, in a bid to save her hide. I refused to let her slither out of this mess.
“Hah. No, Danika. Be honest. If not with us, at least with yourself,” I said. “The only reason you transferred the shard into Thayen’s heart was because you’re selfish and will stop at nothing to live forever. It’s why you became a Darkling in the first place, isn’t it? To preserve your eternal life?”
She pointed an angry metallic finger at me. “Keep your mouth shut, Reaper!”
“Why? Is the truth inconvenient? You can’t even look at your own son, can you? Deep down, the shame is eating you alive,” I replied, riding the wave all the way to the end. Danika was close to snapping. Anger rippled off her in heated waves. Her eyes twitched, unable to stay still for more than a second. Most importantly, fear glowed in them whenever she looked at Corbin.
“The Reaper is right, Danika. What you’ve done is horrific. What Petra tried to do is horrific, but at least she has met her just end. You, on the other hand—you disgust me,” he said.
“Why, because I want to live?” Danika demanded.
“Because you want to live by killing your own son,” Arya replied, her expression grim. “I had to watch my daughter die because she was the Unending’s first incarnation. If anyone understands what Corbin is going through, it’s me. For you to willingly put your son in harm’s way, Danika… there’s no worse crime.”
“Well, screw you. It’s done!” she spat. “I get to live and have other babies, and that’s it.”
“You don’t deserve to be a mother,” I interjected. “If you’re so eager to keep your life at the expense of Thayen’s, you don’t deserve to be a mother, Danika.”
Corbin sighed, visibly disgusted by the Lady Supreme. “I can’t believe you’d do such an awful thing.” He paused, taking a few deep breaths as he closed his eyes for a second or two. “The worst part is that you’re willing to tear the boy’s heart out—no, I cannot let that happen.”
For a moment, I wondered what he meant. Hope was a dangerous feeling in times like this, but I couldn’t help it. Was Corbin finally having second thoughts? Was killing Thayen too much, even for him?
“I’ll have to do it myself,” he added, squashing whatever optimism I’d had left. “And you will have to stand here and watch. Maybe you don’t think it’s a big deal, but trust me, Danika. The image of your son dying for your selfishness will haunt you forever.”
She didn’t say a word, though I knew she was struggling on the inside. Sociopath or not, Danika had given birth to this boy. She’d raised him. Until she’d learned about the Spirit Bender’s demise, she must’ve looked ahead at an eternity with Thayen by her side as future Lord Supreme and ruler of the Visio empire. All those dreams had vanished into a puff of ashes, and it couldn’t have been easy to adjust, to cope. No matter how she tried to play it off, I knew Danika wasn’t in the best frame of mind at this point—not after Corbin and Arya’s harsh words.
“Don’t do this,” I said. “You’ll be killing a child.”
“Danika hasn’t left me any other choice,” Corbin replied, staring at Thayen. The kid was out cold, his eyes closed and his cheeks red from the cold. He looked so helpless and fragile. It broke my heart to see him like this, especially after all the trouble we’d all gone through to keep him safe. I could only imagine how Sofia was feeling right now.
Something whistled past me. It hit one of the trees behind us, turning it into a loose pile of silvery ashes. I followed the source and couldn’t stop a cackle as I saw Sofia and Derek leading a group of fighters our way. Rose was with them, as well as Lumi and Sidyan. Esme and Trev. The Night Bringer, Dream…
and Soul. He must’ve caught up with the crew. He must’ve brought them here!
“Let Thayen go!” Sofia shouted from the edge of the camp, pointing her pulverizer weapon at Corbin, who stood frozen on the spot. He hadn’t expected this particular twist.
“How is this possible?” he mumbled, his eyes bulging in shock.
“You warded the camp against Reapers with your green fires, but you didn’t take the pulverizer weapons into consideration,” I said.
“Dammit, Corbin…” Arya sighed, drawing her scythe.
Within seconds, the Darklings dropped the bodies they’d been carrying back to the pile and took out their weapons, bombarding Sofia and Derek’s crew with a flurry of death magic attacks. The night quickly came over us, courtesy of the Night Bringer. Everything turned pitch black, and all I could see were the glimmers of active scythes and the bluish flashes of pulverizer pellets flying past.
Someone screamed. One of the green fire pits was knocked over somehow. “What’s happening?” I breathed, suddenly motionless as I tried to make sense of it all. The rune collar had reduced most of my abilities as a Reaper to zero, and I could barely protect myself. Everything was happening so fast, I could barely register most of the movements and words that flew back and forth through and around the camp.
A bright light flashed in the middle of the camp. It burned bright and pink as Lumi stepped forward, aiming her glowing white hands at Danika. I felt Corbin’s hand on me, his fingers digging into my shoulder. He kicked Danika in the back. She cried out and fell forward. He snatched the satchel she’d been holding and shoved it under his belt, then grabbed Thayen’s hand. For as long as the pink light burned above the camp, I could see. And Corbin had something planned.
The pulverizer weapons continued firing. The Darklings perished, one by one, while Danika struggled to get up. Arya and a few others moved away from Corbin and went on the offensive, using death magic to hold the pulverizer pellets at bay. Some shots were avoided while others took a few more Darklings down.
A Shade of Vampire 85: A Shard of Soul Page 24