by Donn, KL
“Callista is with her, doing something with herbs and smoke. I don’t fucking know, man. Shit doesn’t look good.”
Scrubbing a roughened hand down my face, I try to think straight so we can formulate a plan, but I’d be lying if I said my mind wasn’t focused on Arianna right now.
“Tell us about the valley. What’s so dangerous about it?” Ares asks as he walks closer, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing.
Because of our princess, we’ve never been closer, but if we lose her, I’m not sure either of us will be able to withstand the results.
“The dark mage has it encased in magic. What was once a vibrant green landscape filled with flowers and life, is now a desolate wasteland. A rose wall blocks the valley entrance unless she permits you. One prick from the rose thorns, and you’ll be dead before taking another step.” King Stefan shakes as he sits down in his chair. Visibly distraught after his explanation.
“How did you get in?” Crossing my arms, I wait for the answer.
“Callista’s parents brokered the deal for our entrance. Without her, we would never have been granted permission. We would never have had Arianna.” His wife rushes to his side as he breaks down.
Obviously regretting their decision, yet grateful because, otherwise, they wouldn’t have their daughter, I can understand their anguish. Without saying the words out loud, they know they’ve caused this.
Arianna wouldn’t want them placing blame on their shoulders, though, and so, I know we can’t either. “You did it out of love and desperation, King. You can’t break on her now.”
“So, what do we do?” Leah asks, looking to Ares and me for direction.
“We do what we do best,” Ares grins as he meets my stare. “Start a war.”
Ares
I watch as Arianna sleeps. Not knowing if she’ll wake is the hard part. Killing the dark mage is what will give me pleasure.
“What are you thinking?” Apollo comes up behind me as Callista leaves the room.
“I’m thinking that if she doesn’t wake up, we’re fucked.” My honest confession brings silence.
“Gotta have faith, man.”
“Never had much of a reason to before. The universe gets their kicks out of seeing me get fucked over repeatedly.” Haven’t had much luck in the positive experiences department.
“You think Arianna is gonna allow that?” My friend moves closer to her, pulling the covers off her body. Brushing a hand up and down her skin, he cups her cheek before laying a light kiss on her lips and whispering, “We’ll bring you back, princess.”
I wish I had his conviction. If I weren’t so cynical of the world, I might have been able to complete this mission with the knowledge that we have some likelihood, at least, of returning from that cursed valley. But sacrifices will have to be made, and if I had my guess, it’s going to come in the form of a life.
Apollo is all that’s good in this world. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure he remains alive. Not only for Arianna, but for myself. Because without him in my life, I’ve got no one to curtail my perpetual rage. No one to keep me from becoming the homicidal maniac I often feel like I am.
I might be ready to wage war; blood and mayhem are where I thrive. But watching Arianna now, helpless, counting on us, has me feeling inadequate. Like I’m not good enough, not just for her personally, but as a protector.
I need to push those thoughts away, though, because no matter how much self-doubt I harbor, I know she doesn’t feel the same way. Neither does Asher. Which means I need to pull my head out of my ass and get in gear because there’s no way I don’t want to return here to her. I imagined a life with this woman when we were buried inside of her heat together, and there’s not much that I’ll let stand in my way.
Come hell or high water. We must prevail.
For her.
For us.
For Graeline.
“Let’s do this,” I say. Leaning down, I place a kiss on my princess’s lips, inhaling her warmth before leaving the room. Apollo follows on my heels.
“Plans to get into this valley of death?” I ask as we walk down the tower stairs and back to the king’s office, where Hawk has been trying to come up with that very solution.
“Me,” Callista speaks from the bottom of the steps.
“You’re fucking eerie, witch,” I say. Her lips quirk up in a grin, amused more than insulted by my constant need to call her witch instead of mage.
“It’s how I keep people guessing. Your way into the valley is me. The source of enchantment in the thorns leaves me immune.”
“How so?” Asher asks as she turns on her heel and walks away. We follow.
“Because it’s in my blood. The line between good and evil is merely a choice. The dark mage and I share the same mystical bonding. If something is harmless to her, then it is harmless to me.” Simple enough explanation.
“And vice versa?”
“Well, yes,” she replies.
“So, anything you would try to do to harm her would either be ineffective, or it could kill you too.” It’s not a question. I think this woman is going there to die.
She gives me a look as we enter the office.
Losing her will slay Arianna. This is her best friend. Sharing a look with Apollo, I know he’s thinking the same. We can’t let that happen.
“Alright, here’s what I have.” Hawk lays out his straightforward plan for us to get past the thorn wall, and, of course, it involves Callista tagging along. It’s the close proximity of her power that could be what saves us from the poison.
With a strategy in place, one that Asher and I would love to fight them on, we’re packing iron shackles and anything else that might help bring the dark mage down.
16
Asher
The change is immediate. Like a painting. In one stroke, the earth goes from bright and vibrant to intensely dispiriting. Dead trees. Ominous skies. Mountains looming like an impending apocalypse. The rough gravel road sports more potholes than an abandoned town.
“This is fucking depressing,” Ares murmurs as he watches the buzzards fly above us like they know we’re about to become lunch.
“Stop here,” Callista demands, and I slam on the brakes. Exiting the vehicle, we both remain silent as the mage does whatever it is that she does when she closes her eyes like that. Standing in the middle of the road, her arms open wide, her head tilts back in the air, and she stands perfectly still.
Unpacking the bags from the back of the vehicle, we each put a pack on and wait for her further instructions. The woman is bossier than my ninth-grade principal, and that woman was a damn tyrant.
“She’s here. Watching. Waiting. Can you feel her?”
Gazing around, I don’t see what she obviously does, but as I walk closer to Callista, I can feel a charge in the air. Like lightning is about to strike.
“That’s her,” she whispers. “Brace yourselves; this is going to hurt.” Before either Ares or I can ask what the hell she means, a blast of energy hits us and throws us back forty feet.
Hitting the ground with a thud, my ears ring, and I have to shake the stars from my eyes as I search for my friend.
“Ares!” I yell just as I hear coughing from my left.
“I’m good,” he responds as I see him getting to his feet, automatic rifle in hand. “Callista!” he yells, and I search for the woman who was there just moments ago.
“I’m fine.” I hear her voice, but I don’t see her.
“Where the hell is she?” I hiss.
“Up,” Ares says, and when I look up, sure enough, the woman is fucking floating.
“What the hell? Nobody said anything about flying.”
“Sure didn’t.”
“Focus,” she snaps. “Another wave is coming.”
The words haven’t even left her mouth, and we’re sailing through the air again. Dust and debris follow us as we’re tumbled along the rocky road, and I only come to a stop because of the boulder in my way.<
br />
Pain vibrates through my back and leg as I attempt to gain my bearings. “Would you fucking stop this bitch already?” I bark at the mage, slowly climbing to my feet.
“This is your battle, Apollo. Draw on your strengths. Call on the powers that you believe in.” Fucking Christ.
“Ares!” Panic threatens to swallow me when my eyes don't focus long enough to spot him.
“Fucking up here.” Oh, he’s pissed. Turning, I look straight up to see him tangled in some branches of a dead tree. “This bitch is dead.”
Fighting a laugh, I toss him a knife just as I feel a current of energy vibrate through the ground.
“This isn’t going to be fucking good.” Flames burst into the night sky from the mountains, and like a tidal wave, they rush forward, taking aim at us. Burning embers float through the air like a blizzard, directing its heat as it slithers closer with every breath.
“Not really up for being roasted, man. Hurry the fuck up.” Ares falls to the ground as I finish speaking.
“Callista! Let’s go!” he shouts as we begin to run east. The thorn wall pops into view, and it’s too late to turn around. I get the feeling that it’s death by poison or flame today.
“Faster.” Arianna’s sweet voice penetrates the fear trying to gain traction in my mind. “Run faster.”
“How the fuck is she doing that?” Ares puffs out next to me.
“She’s the higher power you believe in. Draw on her,” Callista directs as she floats above us. That’s not a sight I’m going to get used to any time soon.
Pumping my legs as fast as I can, the thorns appear in front of us quickly, and we barely get a chance to take a breath before we begin our breach.
“Slow your breathing, calm your heart. Allow instinct to guide you, my dark princes,” Arianna soothes as we get about a foot inside the barricade, her voice drifting in and out until we’re on the other side.
Amazed, we stare at each other. Unscathed after penetrating the poisoned thorn wall. I honestly never thought we’d get through.
“It’s Arianna. Her powers are yours. Use that,” Callista directs before interjecting, “Now the true battle begins.”
Ares
Powerful wind.
Fire.
Poisonous thorns.
Flying witches.
Did we fucking drop into the land of Oz or what?
“She’s not a witch, Ares,” Arianna’s voice admonishes me. I want to argue with her, but I’m too relieved to have her in my head to say a fucking thing.
I can feel her power flowing through me. Not quite like when I was beside her, but as if she were inside me. Her spirit flows through my veins, and I fight not to think too hard on what that means for her at home.
Weaving our way through this wall of thorns with Arianna popping into our minds every so often should make it more difficult, but the more I hear her persuasive tone, the easier it becomes.
“What next?” I ask as we leave behind the most uncertain part of our mission, and Callista lowers to the ground.
“Now we invade,” she whispers, her body glowing a bright white and blue. I can feel the electric currents rolling off her as an older woman appears out of the bushes, a crow on her shoulder.
“This is who you bring to defeat me? To bring your precious princess back to life?” The crone’s maniacal laughter echoes through the valley, and the searing heat of the fire intensifies as it remains contained behind the thorn wall.
The plan had been for Apollo and me to distract the evil bitch while Callista shackled her with the supposed cuffs that would help bind some of her powers. Not entirely sure I believed it could happen. Now, I’m not sure that there’s any force in the universe strong enough to keep this woman from getting what she wants.
But we must try.
“What is it you think these humans will do to me, Callista?” The way she sneers “humans” with such disdain makes me want to blow her head off. “You’re predictable, young mage, just like your parents. They made it so easy to kill them when they chose to grant the monarchy with the life of the princess instead of growing their powers and joining me.”
Apollo and I stare in shock at the revelation. Callista never said that’s how her parents died. In fact, beyond the mention of them setting up the meeting with this cunning witch, they haven’t been spoken of.
“Nothing to say?” the evil one goads. Callista’s eyes are closed, and the way her fingers move, I’d guess she were playing an instrument, but I believe she’s chanting. “Ahh, I see. You’re just weak. You can’t fight me, so you send these men to do it for you. Too bad, I’ll be the only one left standing after today.” Her laughter pulsates through the air like a soundwave.
“Bitch.” I draw her attention as I raise my M17. “You talk too much.” Squeezing the trigger, her eyes widen with shock before the bullet blasts through her chest, sending her back into the tree a few feet behind her.
I don’t foresee that working again as she sluggishly stands, and a dark fog begins to slowly cover the ground. Loud growling can be heard from the surrounding trees.
“Shit,” I hear Apollo mutter as Callista begins to float again. “Feeling real out of my element here.”
“Same, man. Fucking same with this bullshit.” Inhaling steadily, I raise my gun again and take aim, for her head this time. As my eyes open, I squeeze the trigger, and just like I thought, she avoids the bullet.
“Cute trick, human, but you won’t get me again.” She smiles, enjoying the game we’re playing.
Shuffling closer to Apollo as the fog rolls closer, we both freeze as two pitch-black wolves the size of grizzlies erupt from the forest. Wild yellow eyes, strings of drool dripping to the ground, and mouths filled with teeth the size of the weapon in my hand. I don’t think we have a hope in hell of coming out of this alive.
Callista was right.
We came to the valley to die.
Asher
Magical fucking wolves. With paws the fucking size of my head.
We are so fucked.
“It’s time to end this madness,” Callista whispers from her floating perch above us.
With every step of the wolves drawing closer to our position, I grow antsy. Our weapons won’t stop them. They might slow them down, but we’re outmatched here, and I seriously dislike the damn feeling.
“Stop it? They created it. I’m only giving the royals what they deserve,” the wicked witch bites out.
“How?” I call out. I never considered that this could be a situation where violence wouldn’t be needed, but perhaps, it’s the truth that could set everyone free. “How do the innocent people of Graeline deserve this suffering? Why does Arianna deserve your curse?”
My challenge has her baring her teeth as she stares down at me.
“Do you even know who I am?”
“Is that a trick question?” Ares smarts off, and I elbow him. He only shrugs.
“I may be labeled as the darkness, evil incarnate, even, but once, I was the premier mage bound to the inaugural royals of this land. I was the one they came to for guidance, for light. Until a plague unlike we’d ever seen tore through the lands.”
“Black Death,” I say. It was a scourge that roared through the UK, as well as the rest of Europe and Asia in the fourteenth century, stealing millions of lives.
“Yes. I suffered more than anyone. I couldn’t prevent the deaths, the sickness, so I killed all those who were infected and buried them in the Catalina Valley. I was crucified and banished for it.” Her body slowly begins to lower to the ground as understanding dawns.
“You stopped the extinction of your country,” I say.
“Yes,” she whispers.
“You murdered innocents!” Callista snaps.
Whistling loud enough to end the bickering, Ares offers his two sense. “Tricky situation. I bet those innocents you killed had already been exposed, and you were trying to curtail the spread by eliminating those who may or may not have been infected.�
�
“They posed a risk, and the king wouldn’t issue the order to have them burned and buried. I made the decision to eliminate the few and save the many.” Anger covers her features as she recollects that time in her life, long ago.
“And now, why are you punishing them now? Not a lot of people know of Graeline. Was that your involvement when Jonas started taking girls eight years ago? When the villages were attacked?” I snap. I understand her reasoning for her past actions, but now? She’s done nothing but rain down misery.
“They brought this on themselves!” she screams, and I can feel the heat of the fire behind us rage forward just as the wolves attack from the front.
“Fuck!” Ares and I split up as he runs one way and I go the other.
The animals panting breaths are hot on my neck as I pump my legs faster. “Arianna, baby, you there?” I might have an idea, but it will only work if she’s present. In mind, at least.
A new wave of energy knocks me to the ground as I see the wolf that was just about to take my head off sail through the air and into the fire on the other side of the thorn wall. It’s yelping cries only last a minute.
“I’m here, Apollo.” The sadness in her tone is overwhelming.
“I have a plan.” Out of breath as I lay on the ground, I fucking pray it works.
“Tell me how I can help,” she implores.
“Motherfucker!” I hear Ares yell. “Incoming, man!” Rolling over, I draw my rifle from across my shoulder and take aim at his wolf’s head. Just as he rushes past me, I take the shot, the bang ringing out loud as the beast falls to the ground, tongue rolling out of its mouth and blood pooling on the ground. I’m shocked it died.
“What’s this fucking plan of yours?” Ares kneels beside me, blood dripping down his face and from the gouges in his shoulder, presumably from the beast’s claws. Rolling his eyes when I quirk a brow at him, I hadn’t realized he could hear me too.