by S A Edwards
“You understand that the longer you remain in this world, the faster the Gates will fail?” Lux said.
“Which is why we must work quickly.”
The Keepers exchanged another look. “Very well,” Lux said. “Let us journey to the Underworld. Contact your Charlie, for once the Gate is open, he will have but moments to leave.”
“Thank you.” For the first time in a long time, true hope rose. Now, I just needed Charlie to reach out to me again. “Oh, there’s one more thing.”
Lux frowned.
“It’s about Kyne,” I said.
“What about him?” Umbra asked.
“He wants to go through the Void.”
“We are aware. As we have said in the past, we will not allow that.”
“Yeah. I know. Only, I kind of told him he could come through with me when I leave,” I said.
“Out of the question.”
“Well, that’s why I’m bringing it up. He will have to be trapped, too, when you trap Zantos. He’s willing to let every Gate fail to get the Void open. Once he realises he’s not going through, his retribution will be terrible. I’m worried about the people he’ll harm in his wrath.”
Lux sighed. “Very well. Ensure he’s in place at the Underworld.”
That meant I needed to find him again. I frowned. Another detour. Only this time, I wasn’t sure Charlie could wait. Unless he found me first with his Seeker-type Mage.
Umbra pointed at another tunnel opening. “Journey through there. It will take you close to the expanse.”
“The expanse?”
“The dead ground surrounding the Gate. Meet us there before dawn.”
I peered at the rock above us. How far away was morning? My head pounded. Would I make it until then? “What about you?” I asked.
“We have to prepare. Over two thirds of the Hellions in this world are free. They are journeying to the expanse, drawn to the dark power there. We intend to create a temporary prison to trap them until we can return them to their designated prisons. It will take a lot of power.”
“Can I help?” I asked.
“You can leave.”
I nodded. “Fine.”
Siren squeezed my hand. “Let’s go.”
“Keeper,” Lux said. “Make haste. We will not wait long by the Gate.”
*
I ran my hand over my stomach. Hours of walking through dark, uneven tunnels tired me, and hunger pains stabbed at my gut.
As though confirming my thoughts, it rumbled.
Siren smiled back at me. “There’s light ahead. We’ll rest soon.”
A moment later, the fresh forest scent broke through the stale air, and a pinprick of light emerged ahead.
I trudged on, feet aching, and drew my flask from my pack. A few gulps drained the last of the water and left me feeling refreshed, though the hunger remained.
At long last, we stepped off the rock onto soft grass. I breathed in the fresh scent of Riparians and sweet maple trees. The setting sun cast orange streaks across the clear sky with that strange tint of blue framing the two moons. A slow flowing river ran a short distance away, reflecting the moons’ light.
I slumped onto a fallen branch and dug into my pack, resisting my growing fatigue and the sharp ache in my arms.
Siren sat opposite me. “You should rest.”
“There’s no time.”
“You’re going to need your strength for what’s ahead.”
“There’s no time.” Impatience slipped through my words. “Look, I just want to get him out. No more rest. No more distractions. We eat. We leave.”
He frowned. “We can’t do anything until you’ve spoken to Charlie.”
That was true. I surveyed the forest shadows, hoping to see him standing there.
“Can you reach out to him?” Siren asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never had any control in it before. He’s just appeared when he has.” I closed my eyes, willing my mind to reach out to him, to touch Charlie. My good Charlie. Not the evil version taking over him. Charlie? Can you hear me? I really need to speak with you.
I opened my eyes.
Siren watched me intently, but there was no sign of Charlie.
I sighed.
Siren leaned back. “Just rest for an hour. I’m going to the river to clean up. Then, we’ll head off.” His blood-stained tunic hung crusty where it had dried. He headed toward the river and waded into the water.
I finished the last of my bread, grabbed a piece of fruit, and rubbed my arms against the ache. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed Chimera. I hoped he got out of the valley all right. Lying still and vulnerable, the Hellion might have hurt him, especially when it realised we weren’t coming out. “Where are you, Charlie?” I whispered.
“I’m here.” He stood behind me, smaller, weaker. His face had paled. He almost resembled the boy I grew up with before my gifts activated all those months ago.
“Charlie.” I scrambled to stand, failing to hide my relieved sigh. “You heard me calling?”
He flashed his dimples. “I hear you a lot. It’s how I’ve kept going all this time.”
I smiled at the small boy. “How are you?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
“You look different again, like you did in the village.” Worry coated my words.
Tears welled in his eyes. “I don’t think I have long left.”
“I have a way to save you. I’m nearly at the Underworld Gate.”
His mouth dropped. “No, don’t come here. It’s too dangerous now.”
“It’s okay. I’ve made a deal with the Keepers. We’re going to get you out, but you have to be at the Gate. You have to be ready because you’ll only have seconds before they close it again.”
“What about Zantos?” he asked.
“I have a plan for him, too. You’ll be free, Charlie. Just get to the Gate. And quickly. Can you do that?”
He nodded.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said.
“Clara?”
“Yeah?”
“In case it goes wrong –”
“Don’t.”
“But if it does –”
“It won’t, Charlie. Trust me.” He couldn’t. I wouldn’t let him say that.
He wrung his hands. “I need to say goodbye.”
“It’s too close to giving up. We’re not there yet.” I longed to reach out to him, to cuddle him, to give him the comfort he needed. Soon. It wouldn’t be long. “You’re strong. I’m coming. Don’t give in.”
“I love you, Clara.” He glanced behind him, and then vanished.
36
Istared at the place Charlie had vanished from, numbness spreading through my chest. Time was running out. We needed to save him. Now.
I shoved my uneaten fruit back in my pack and tugged out a clean tunic. The drying blood on my sleeves irritated my skin, so I slid it off, wincing against the pain, and used the water from my flask to clean my arms before pulling the clean tunic on and tugging out the heavy book.
The pages rustled when I turned them, filled with images of plants, creatures, a jewelled alter, but my tired eyes struggled to focus on the words. I sighed. There had to be something to help in there, but we had a plan, and since time was running out, it would have to work.
I snapped the cover shut, slid it away, and closed the pack.
The stars glittered around the moons, easier to see in the darker sky. The last streaks of orange faded on the horizon and plunged the scene into silver light.
To fight the fatigue, I stood, stepped over the fallen branch, and headed to the river, rubbing my aching arms. They hurt more now. A part of me wished Hanrel was with us. He could fix whatever Siren hadn’t. Hopefully, he would be about done, and we could keep going. Who knew how long it would take to cross the expanse?
Siren’s ruined tunic lay on a rock, white flames alight over the material. A sweet odour of burning fabric mixed with the fresh scent of Riparians
on the bank.
Siren stood with the water waist-high, running his hands over his muscular arms. They glistened under the moonlight like his scales, and his sapphire eyes glowed a little in the darkness.
At the sight of him, my words became lost on my tongue, and I stood, frozen, mesmerised by his beauty. It got me wondering about how dangerous he could be. Powerful, sure, but dangerous?
He turned to face me then, and with a smile, waded to the bank, muscles rippling with his movement. He reached for a bush overhanging the water and plucked off a leaf.
The flames on his destroyed tunic flickered and died, casting his face in shadow.
“You’re beautiful,” he said and stepped onto the grass. His trousers clung to his glistening skin.
My cheeks flushed, and I bit my lip, glad it was dark. “Why did you burn your tunic?”
He fiddled with the leaf for a moment, and then threw it aside. “Ancient blood.” He shrugged. “Don’t want it falling into the wrong hands.”
“You mean that’s magical, too?”
“Every part of an Ancient is magic.” He took my hands in his, cold water still clinging to his skin. Heat radiated from him, amplified by his naked torso. The symbol of the Ancients marked his wrist, glowing like his eyes, and I absently traced my thumb over it.
“You should rest,” he said.
“There’s no time. I spoke to Charlie. I don’t think he has long left.”
“The Keepers won’t be ready until the moments before dawn. You can get a couple of hours sleep.”
“No. We should go now. I don’t want anything to go wrong.”
He rubbed his fingers across his mouth and chin, clearly unhappy with my statement.
“This may be his last chance,” I said. “If we don’t get to the Underworld Gate before dawn …” I shook my head. “The sooner we get there, the more likely he is to survive this.” I turned to retrieve my pack, but he tightened his grip and pressed his nose against mine. His vanilla scent wrapped around me. I welcomed the comfort that accompanied it but couldn’t shake the need to move on.
“If you don’t look after yourself, you’ll be no good to Charlie,” he said.
“If I could rest, I would, but how can I, knowing he’s losing the battle?”
Siren nodded and sighed. His grip tightened, and then he pressed his lips to mine.
Heat coursed through my cheeks.
He released my hand and laced his fingers in my hair, driving me back against a tree. The bark scraped my tunic, dragging it up, and he deepened the kiss. His fingers slid down my arms, leaving a trail of goose bumps.
I wound my hands around his neck, embracing his odour, the touch of his hands on my skin, the essence of his soul, shivering through my blood.
His hand shifted to the exposed part of my back, drawing me close. His body, hard against mine, seemed to mould to my shape, and I leaned into him, drawing closer. His palm burned against my back, igniting in me a desire stronger than any I’d felt before.
His tongue traced my lip. I tasted vanilla. And something else. Something sweet.
Then, he pulled back, breathing heavy. “Of all in this world, I am more anxiously concerned about your wellbeing than that of anyone else.”
I stared at him, lips still tingling, and my heart hammered. Surely, he could hear it.
Dizziness washed over me.
He grabbed my waist. “Easy.”
“What’s going on?” I gasped.
The dizziness increased, and my knees buckled.
He caught me, scooping me in his arms. My head dropped against his chest, my focus moving to the bushes on the riverbank. Tiny berries clung to the branches around small, pointed leaves. Deepwood.
*
I opened my eyes.
Siren sat near, chin resting on his fists.
“You drugged me.” I sat up, fighting the dim grogginess.
“You needed to rest.”
“I said no.”
“You said you would if you could. I timed it so you’d wake when we needed to leave.”
“How could you?” Anger flared. “How dare you take away my choice. I can’t believe I trusted you. You’re no better than Kyne.” That, along with the embarrassment of the kiss, made me dislike him more than Kyne.
He straightened. “Now, that’s not fair. I will never be like him.”
“Really? Because you just lowered your morals to his.”
“Not at all. You forget that I can feel what you can. The Hellion wounded you.”
“You healed that.”
He cocked his head and concern drew a frown. “To an extent. The poison of its nails still flowed in your blood. The only way to be rid of it is to sleep. Since you were so determined not to, you would have passed out anyway before morning. Only, if you did, you wouldn’t have woken up.”
“And what about you? It attacked you, too, remember?”
“Ancient blood. It had no effect on me.”
“And I suppose that’s why the Deepwood didn’t work on you either?” If he’d held it in his mouth before giving it to me, he should have fallen asleep, too.
He nodded. “Ancients are immune to a lot of things.”
Of course, they are. I glared at the trees, silhouetted under the moons’ light. “You could have just slipped it into my water.”
“That would have been harder.”
Right. So, he took the easier route. A kiss to get the berry into me faster.
“Please, don’t be angry.” He reached for me, but I shifted back. “I didn’t simply choose the easier road,” he said. “I really did want to kiss you.”
My stomach fluttered. “You could have just told me the truth about the poison.”
“If I did, would you have taken the Deepwood?”
Probably not. “That’s not the point.”
“That exactly the point. How’s the ache in your arm?”
I rubbed it gingerly. Nothing. No pain. My eyes met his.
He smiled. “Now that you’re okay, let’s go and get Charlie.”
I swung my pack over my shoulder and headed up the slope without another word. My arm might feel better, but his deception stung.
“How long did I sleep?” I asked.
“Only a few hours.”
My heart lurched.
He raised his palms. “Don’t worry. There’s still time until dawn. We can still get there.”
I stared ahead, desperately hoping he was right.
The trees parted a short distance from the hilltop to reveal the blackened ground of the expanse.
Hellions covered the area, blocking any clear path to the arch in the centre.
Siren paused beside me. “They’re drawn to the darkness of the Gate. The longer they spend there, the more powerful they’ll become. If the Keepers can’t return them to their prisons soon, they may not be able to.”
“How am I going to get through?”
“We. You’re not going alone.”
I scowled at him.
“I understand you’re hurt,” he said, “but you must understand why I did it.”
“I get it. That doesn’t make it right.”
“I’m sorry. Mostly.”
I glared at him.
He shrugged. “I’m not sorry about the kiss. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” His gaze lingered on my lips. “And to save your life, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“How am I supposed to trust you when you could betray me at any moment?”
Hurt flashed over his features and a stab of guilt touched my gut. Not my guilt. His. “I give you my solemn promise,” he said, “I will never deceive you again.”
So, what? I was just supposed to take his word for it? Determination mingled with my doubt. His determination, and somehow, I sensed he was telling the truth.
“Fine.” I turned back to the expanse. “How are we going to get through?”
“We work together.” Kyne marched along the hill toward us from the deeper shadows. Hanrel, Ri
ckson, Tulia, and a few other Mage I only knew from sight waited by the trees. “I thought you were dead,” Kyne said.
“You thought wrong.”
“I see that. Good. I didn’t like the idea of falling back on my previous plan. I’ve gathered a couple of Mage to help. The others are nearby awaiting my command for when the Void opens.”
I frowned at the thought of betraying him, of leaving him to be trapped by the Keepers. Maybe we were all as bad as him. Maybe, in his own twisted way, he was trying to do what he thought was right. It didn’t change what needed to be done though. Kyne was too dangerous to leave free.
“We have an hour until dawn,” Siren said. “We must reach the arch by then.”
“Then, we’d better get a move on.” Kyne gestured to the group, and three moved to join us.
“Hi, lass, it’s good to see you,” Hanrel said.
“You, too.” I frowned at Rickson. “Do you think it’s a good idea for you to come?”
“There’s no question of it,” Kyne said. “He’s coming.”
“I don’t want you getting hurt.” Even if I didn’t trust him. Even if his fluff did stop that fluffball Hellion. The thought worried me. If that was true, how could he be counted as an ally?
Tulia snorted. Dressed all in black with mud covering her face, neck and hands, she blended in well with the darkness.
“Something funny?” I asked.
Rickson grinned. “Just ignore her. I’ll be fine.”
Another figure jogged out from beneath the trees to join us.
“Ah, you’ve met Loreto,” Kyne said.
The Mage nodded in greeting.
“You got your gifts back, then,” I noted, recalling Loreto’s powerlessness beside Dmitri and the bridge.
“Just in the nick of time,” he said.
Hanrel squeezed my shoulder. “I’m not coming. I’m too old to face the likes of them.” He cast a dark look at the Hellions. “Anyhow, Siren, there, has learned all he can from me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Quick learner, too. Just wanted to wish you luck. And be careful. I want to see you again.”
“Thank you.” At least he had the sense to stay safe.