by A. C. Arthur
Aliceanna, the name he hadn’t allowed himself to think, let alone speak, in hundreds of years, had brought the demonic spirit into Mt. Cedius, the home of the emperor and his Noble Drakons. Through Torrance’s love and trust of Aliceanna he gave Hoan audience, and the demonic used that time to possess the Drakon emperor. Torrance’s stern but just rule over the Far Realm began to shift to a heavy-handed domination. The Noble Drakons—those of pure breed and from leadership clans—were directed to kill any resisters of the new laws on sight and to burn down any property they owned. In addition to the chaos that slowly began to break out on the Far Realm, Torrance used the force of his legion of Drakon to overrule the Spirit Realm, releasing more of the demonics that had been jailed there. That was when Theo left. When the killing and forceful domination had begun to take its toll on him, and he knew there was no getting through to his father. When Theo left the Far Realm, Aliceanna was ill, probably dying, and the demonic spirit, also known as the Dark One and more nefariously known as Hoan, was the actual ruler of the realm.
“I’m going to get her,” he stated again.
Magnum stepped in front of him. “I’m going with you.”
“I will follow,” Reece added, lowering his head as a show of dedication.
Theo wanted to look away from the Drakon’s action because he had never wanted to rule. He’d never wanted to be in a position to be manipulated the way his father had been. But none of that mattered now. Nothing mattered but Shola.
“You will not be alone,” Bleu said. “Not as long as we breathe.”
Bleu caught Magnum’s gaze and nodded in his direction.
“Get the truck,” Bleu told Reece.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Far Realm
Mt. Cedius, Home of the Drakon Emperor
Every part of Shola’s body ached. She was lying on a hard cool surface that didn’t help the aches and pains shooting throughout her body as she tried to stretch her legs. Her eyes would not open immediately; she’d been trying for what seemed like forever to drag herself out of the fog that held her down. When her legs were finally straight, she attempted to move her arms, but it felt like the action would break her bones. Pain ricocheted through her limbs and she wanted to scream but didn’t.
Snatches of memory popped into her mind, and she saw the white truck jump the curb and stop just in front of her as she left the Tower. The next memory was of someone coming up behind her and a sharp sting in her neck. Her arms were yanked behind her back and heavy material was wrapped around her hands before she was lifted off the ground. That stick in her neck must have paralyzed her because she didn’t recall putting up any type of fight. Instead her body had remained still while her mind listened.
The first voice she recalled hearing was the one that had caused great pain to radiate throughout her chest.
“When she gave me the box and the forms she’d completed to ship, I knew right away what it was,” Monife had said.
Monife, the general of the second most prestigious group of warriors in the River Tribe. The woman who had grown up alongside Shola and had even shared meals at Shola’s house. Ejaita had welcomed Monife with open arms as the young woman was following in Ejaita’s footsteps by becoming one of the youngest leaders on the all-woman law enforcement team. Shola wouldn’t go so far as to say that she and Monife were like sisters because there had always been something unseen that separated them. Now, Shola knew what that was.
“How did you know?”
That was Warrick, his deep hissing-like voice was new to Shola, but she would never forget it.
“I knew what she was from the start. My family didn’t live in the village with the other tribe members; we had a small house in the deeper, uncharted areas of the forest. Since they had escaped from the Far Realm, my parents were taught to harness their solitude. Or, in other words, hide. I didn’t like hiding, so I ventured down to the river almost every night to swim and frolic as other members of the tribe did. I was there the night Shola met her maker,” Monife told him.
“Ahhhh,” he replied. “And because of your dragon powers, you could see all that happened that night, whereas any other tribe member may not have seen everything.”
“Correct. I saw the great Orisha Oya come to ten-year-old Shola. I heard the story that was told to her.”
“And you waited,” he’d said.
“Yes. I waited until I was able to stand up and do something for our tribe as well. Just because I am also Drakon does not make me any less Yoruba.”
Monife was Yoruba, born and raised in their village. As far as Shola knew, there had never been any knowledge of Drakons living among them in Mobo. It seemed she was learning more and more by coming to the Western World. Only, Shola was not certain that was where she was at this moment.
The air smelled different, fresher, crisper. It wasn’t hot, nor was it cold. More like a spring day with a mild temperature, which worked because she didn’t feel like she was still wearing the slacks and blouse she had worn to the meeting at Theo’s office. That brought forth another memory.
Hoan ruled the Drakon. Theo was a Drakon. Theo had been working for Hoan, and because he somehow knew that Warrick planned to betray Hoan, Theo needed to kill Warrick. This is what Hikeen wanted her to believe, and as painful as it was to consider, everything the vampire said could be true. Theo had been skeptical of Warrick from the start. Shola recalled the way he referred to Warrick as her husband-to-be in the beginning, his tone always laced with contempt. And how about the day he asked her if she loved Warrick? Was that because he knew he was going to kill him?
As true as it could be, none of that sat well with her spirit. The entire scenario was in direct conflict with the man who’d built a home for his closest friends, even though he wanted to believe they were only staff. And it didn’t match the man who’d warned her about taking a life and who had done everything in his power to protect her even when he’d had no idea who or what she was. Her temples throbbed, and Shola whimpered. She wanted her eyes to open so she could see where she was, but they wouldn’t cooperate. And her mind would not stop going.
How could she have lost sight of her reason for being sent to Burgess? Her destiny. Her purpose. Her life.
Because it had felt way too good to finally have someone look at her and really see her. Even when he learned who she was, to still look at her as if he believed in every word she’d spoken. And his touch, not only had it felt like the first time for her, but it had also empowered and emboldened her in a way that none of the training she’d endured could. Theo had opened a door within her that she never realized was locked tight, and she’d given permission for him to walk through that door and settle in. He made her believe she could expect more from her life than this one task. The time she’d spent with him made her want more, and now she feared it was too late for everything.
“She is awake. It’s time to go.”
That was Warrick.
The moment his voice registered in her mind, she was lifted from where she lay. He carried her as if she were a baby, a thought that was too disgusting for her to digest, because her eyes flew open and she whispered, “Put. Me. Down.”
He threw back his head and laughed.
“My wife-to-be has awakened.”
“I am never marrying you!” she announced and prayed her limbs would cooperate as she struggled to get out of his grasp.
His hold on her tightened. “Calm down. Your dragon friends aren’t here to help you, and you’re a long way from home, so whatever powers that goddess may have given you likely won’t work on this realm.”
Shola immediately looked down at her hands. They were unbound and whatever they had used to cover them when she was on the Human Realm was now gone. She looked around and saw that he was right. They were in some type of cave with black jagged rock walls and a piercing green light in the distance ahead. From what
she could see of him, Warrick wore all brown, his eyes were bright gold, lips clenched, bald head shinning.
“You are going to regret this,” she told him.
He laughed again. “If you don’t calm down, you’ll be the one with regrets.”
She tried again and was elated to find she could now lift her arms enough so that they fell against his chest. They still felt like lead weights, but she was determined. She took that moment to focus all her strength on the single action and pressed as hard as she could into him. He stumbled, but his arms stayed tight around her.
“Let’s just get this over with,” he said and turned down a corridor that brought them closer to that green light.
About twenty feet away from the direction in which they were headed there was a winding rock staircase leading up to the brightest part of the light. The steps went up at least fifty feet, and she groaned at the thought of ever having to walk all the way up there. But that definitely wasn’t where they were going, she knew, because in that moment she saw that glossy metallic sludge easing over the floor in front of them. She wiggled and slammed her arms into Warrick’s chest again, but to no avail. When he didn’t bother to laugh or taunt her this time, she figured it was a waste of energy. She needed more power than she possessed on her own. Were her other powers really stalled, in wherever this place was?
“She’s here. The ceremony can begin now.” Warrick spoke, but at this point, there was still no one there.
He came to a stop, and just as Shola was about to attempt pushing away from him again, he let her down so that her wobbly legs barely held her up when her bare feet touched the cool ground. She stumbled, but tried to hurry and put distance between them. Her arms were cold and she looked down to see that she was wearing the oddest outfit, a sheer white shorts jumper. Her feet and legs were bare, her mouth parched.
“Welcome,” an eerie voice echoed throughout the cave.
The sludge once again swirled upward until the hooded man appeared five feet or so in front of them.
“I do not need a welcome because I will not be staying here,” she snapped.
Seconds after the words were out, she thought about her position, where she was, how she was dressed, who was around her, and decided she needed to regroup. Taunting this particular duo might not be the smartest action. Instead, she needed to find her balance, search the air for her connection and pray that these things would bring her power.
“You will do as I say,” Hoan stated. “Your creator is very powerful. She has given you great energy. I was grateful for the tip on your true identity.”
She didn’t respond but tried desperately to focus on the great energy he’d just mentioned.
Her legs were feeling stronger, but her arms were still heavy, and it made her shoulders weary with each attempted motion. She could wiggle her fingers, but there was no feeling at the tips, no power waiting to be utilized.
“We’re ready for the ceremony,” Warrick stated evenly.
“Are we in a rush, Lord Camden?”
It grew colder with Hoan’s question. A gust of frigid air swept over her legs. If Warrick noticed, he didn’t show it. Instead, he stood with his back straight, legs parted and hands folded in front of him.
“Ready to get this agreement taken care of,” Warrick said.
Hoan nodded, and Shola found herself wondering what the spirit would look like if the hood were suddenly taken away.
“The agreement, yes,” Hoan said. “You were going to marry Shola as a result of the deal I made with her father years ago. The deal would begin to bring that part of the Human Realm under my control.”
“It would be under my control,” Warrick added. “Burgess and the town of Mobo would be mine.”
“But that was never going to be enough for you, young lord. Was it?” Hoan asked.
Something was happening. Shola could feel it stirring in the pit of her stomach. It was a slow churning that was different from anything she’d experienced before.
“We had a deal,” Warrick argued.
“That you were going to break,” Hoan replied with a lethal edge to his raspy voice.
Warrick remained silent.
The cold air continued but Shola didn’t shiver, she just noticed it was damn near arctic in this place at this moment, but it didn’t bother her at all.
Hoan lifted one long arm. “Come to me,” he commanded.
Shola looked in the direction his arm was pointed and felt a rage so strong she wanted to growl the way she recalled hearing Theo’s dragon that night in the alley.
Monife walked out from behind a rock wall. She no longer wore the uniform of the Odò Guard but was dressed in skintight brown leggings and an equally tight red vest. Her toned arms were bare, showing off her honey-brown complexion. Her cornrows hung down past her ass as she held her head regally, shoulders back, small smile on her lips.
“He would attempt to deny the plan you told me about,” Hoan said once Monife stopped a couple feet from where he stood.
She looked directly at Warrick. “He lies. He was going to make a play for the convergence. Using the vampire army he planned to build in Mobo, he was going to expand his power throughout the African region and use the combined forces to take down the Royal Capitol.”
“Bitch!” Warrick yelled at Monife.
Hoan nodded. Monife snapped her fingers and a spear appeared in her hand. Before Warrick could shift, she’d aimed and threw the spear. It pierced his chest with an explosion of blood. Warrick fell to the ground.
Monife walked over to where Warrick’s body lay. She put a foot on his shoulder and yanked the spear out of his chest. Then she turned to Shola.
“Is she next?” she asked Hoan.
Shola felt no fear. She felt no power either, but there was definitely no fear as she stared into the black eyes of the woman she thought she knew.
“No, my dear. She is going to bring the greatest power to me. With her, I will get so much more than I originally planned. Bring her.” Hoan dissipated into that clawing sludge, and Monife stepped to her.
“You will not live through the end,” Shola said when they stood toe-to-toe.
Monife tilted her head and stared at her. “Who do you think is more powerful, a demigoddess who despite all her training still doesn’t know how to properly wield her powers, or a Drakon who has been trained for war all her life?”
Shola was certain she was supposed to feel intimidated by Monife’s stance and her claims of power. But the Drakon’s eyes didn’t shift the way Theo’s did when he was letting his dragon take control. Monife’s eyes remained as black and cloudy as Hoan’s smoke.
The Legion in the Far Realm
Mt. Cedius was a mountain on top of a mountain. It sat high and looked low over the realm that spread out around it. Massive chunks of land floated around Mt. Cedius and served as the homes of the Noble Drakons. Those homes created a fort around the mountain.
Below, in the valley, the realm stretched out for acres and acres; some areas were thundering waterfalls and lush green grass, while others were a jungle of soaring trees that dripped crystalline raindrops on its magenta-hued water surface. There were cavernous areas cloaked in thick fog and other locations drenched in a perpetual winter complete with snowcapped mountains and a glorious ice mansion.
Theo and his team came through the zigzagging tunnel of silver and white light, stepping out of the In-between and onto land made of rock and laced with thatches of moss.
“Home sweet home,” Reece quipped.
“Not a chance this will ever be my home again,” Ziva added.
Theo didn’t speak, but after looking around to see where they’d come through on the realm, he walked to the west.
“She’s at the mountain,” Bleu said, falling in behind Theo.
“I know where she is,” he replied.
He didn’t possess the same knowing power that Bleu did, but he still knew. The beast recalled what being close to her felt like and therefore could successfully track the feeling it sought above all others. After a few steps, he broke into a run, and in seconds was a blur of light moving over the valley floor. He felt the others following. They’d already decided they wouldn’t shift until necessary because he wasn’t sure what type of situation they were walking into. They wouldn’t have brought Shola here if there wasn’t a plan for either someone to die, or someone to take over the throne.
He hated that it would boil down to that, but had decided the moment he knew she was gone that whatever it took to save her, he would do.
They came to the base of Mt. Cedius and Theo stood looking at the magnificent structure. This was where he’d spent his childhood. It was where he learned to be a Drakon. It was also where he’d watched his father bend to the will of evil with his mother looking on in triumph.
“I’m going directly to the throne room. Bleu, you and Magnum are with me. Steele, you take the others and split up around the other entrances. I don’t know what’s going on in there. All I know is that I’m leaving with Shola alive,” he said.
“We’re leaving with all of us alive,” Bleu countered.
Theo nodded. He could get behind that plan too.
Scaling the two mountainsides was like getting on a bike again.
They entered through a side entrance that opened into the kitchen. The Drakon who worked here weren’t allowed to speak to anyone other than their immediate supervisors. They were Baron Drakons, meaning they weren’t born from a leadership clan and their blood was possibly mixed with another type of being. Theo had no doubt they recognized him immediately when he, Bleu and Magnum walked through the kitchen. They came out in a dark hallway that split off like spider’s legs going in many different directions. Theo chose the path, and they all moved with stealth through the structure.