“It makes all the sense in the world, my love. But listen to me, because I’m only going to say this once. There’s no way in hell that I’m letting this place be the end of me. I didn’t come all the way here to get my ass handed to me by a guy who thinks he’s genetically superior and thus worthy of killing us all. No. I survived a crazy cult of witches, a kingdom of ogres, and an army of vengeful dragons, and I’ll survive this maniac, too.”
I paused, but Caleb didn’t say anything. I took it as a sign to keep going. There was more where that came from, anyway.
“Dammit, Caleb, I want us to rent a villa in Tuscany. One with a pool overlooking the hills. I want a hot air balloon ride and a taste of gelato—”
“You know your stomach doesn’t tolerate gelato,” he replied.
“A teaspoonful. I’ll have a teaspoonful with you, under the full moon,” I snapped. “But you get where I’m going with this, right?”
“I most certainly do.”
If I closed my eyes, I could almost see him standing in front of me, wearing that sly smile that always worked perfectly with his chocolate-brown eyes, as if he’d been specifically designed to dazzle me.
“I’m not dying here, Caleb.”
“It might not be up to you,” he mumbled.
“No. But I need you to know that I intend to do everything I can to come back to you. If I lose this, there will be no Tuscan vacation. No hot air balloon ride. No lovemaking under the moonlight for the two of us. There will only be death.”
“I know. And I do trust you. You’re a Novak. Ta’Zan should know better than to mess with a Novak.”
I chuckled. “He’s got a few Novaks in his dome. He probably thinks he can totally get away with what he’s done so far.”
“He can’t. Not while you’re breathing, babe.”
We laughed and reminisced for another hour or so, while the rest of the cave structure buzzed with preparation activities. All the ingredients we needed for the pulverizer pellets had been brought back to the cave, and Amal and Rakkhan were busy preparing the ammunition.
I left my chamber and went back to the main hall, with Caleb still on the line. I was his eyes and ears, for the time being.
“How’s everybody else holding up?” he asked, after we’d clarified that we loved each other too much to let anything or anyone get between us.
I stilled on the edge of the circular hall, leaning against the black stone as I took it all in. No one was standing still. Faulties, Perfects, and Draenir alike, the Stravians worked hard to prepare the ammunition and explosive charges, carefully guided by Raphael, Amane, Amal, Rakkhan, and Douma.
“You’d be amazed what tolerance will do for a society,” I mumbled. “They’re getting along so well.”
“Who?” Caleb replied.
“The Faulties. The Perfects. The Draenir. Without Ta’Zan, they’re perfectly… normal. You’d be amazed.”
“I’m not surprised. People, in general, aren’t born bad. We’ve already seen it with Douma and Araquiel, right?”
“Mm-hm. Speaking of which,” I answered, stifling a chuckle, “Douma and Dmitri are totally a thing now.”
“No way!” Caleb exclaimed, as if we were dishing on the latest gossip. Truth be told, we did like to keep tabs on what went on in The Shade and in GASP. Caleb, in particular, was quite ecstatic whenever a new couple formed. I found it downright endearing, more proof that there was a sweet and soft side he only showed me and, sometimes, Hazel, Benedict and the grandkids. “Then again, they were close from the beginning, if memory serves me right.”
“Yeah. We put him in charge of keeping an eye on her, prior to removing her memory chip—”
“And her head.” He chuckled.
“Believe it or not, I think the spark was there from the beginning,” I said. “Even though she was loyal to Ta’Zan, Douma exhibited a soft spot for Dmitri. She never would’ve admitted it, though. She was so stern and proud.”
As I spoke, Douma and Dmitri were wrapping up sticks of explosives in what looked like slim bands of white linen. They didn’t speak much, but they kept stealing glances at one another as they put the sticks together to create full charges, which they then handed over to Araquiel and Raphael, who mounted the small, remote-activated devices on them.
“In Douma’s defense, there is something about Dmitri that just gets to a girl’s heart,” I added. “I think it runs in the Blackhall family.”
“It’s not the charming wit, for sure,” Caleb shot back.
I covered my mouth so no one would see me grin, thankful that Bastien wasn’t on the line with us. He would’ve growled. I shifted my focus to Elonora. She and Nevis had been missing for the past couple of hours, and I was old and experienced enough to know what they’d been up to—not that her flushed cheeks hadn’t made it obvious already.
“Caleb?” I breathed.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t want you to worry too much about me,” I said, watching Elonora as she joined Douma and Dmitri in packing the explosives. “I’ve got the best people I could’ve asked for with me.”
“Oh, that much I know,” he replied.
“I’m serious. I mean, Elonora alone is enough to take down an entire city, if she sets her mind to it. This girl’s got enough grit for an entire army regiment. She’s fierce and determined. She’s more like Claudia than I thought, and I mean it in a most positive sense. No wonder Nevis is head over heels with her.”
“He’s got the hots for Lenny? The icy Dhaxanian prince? Mr. I’m-Too-Good-And-Superior?” Caleb shot back, clearly amused. He secretly liked Nevis because he reminded him of his younger self—cold and ruthless, shrouded in mystery, and capable of some scary deeds to get what he wanted.
“Oh, yeah. I wonder what Ash and Ruby will say about that.”
“How’s Varga?” he asked.
“He’s okay. Equally stressed about all this, but in good humor and determined to see this through. You should see this boy fight, Caleb. He’s scary smart on the battlefield,” I said. “He and Lenny are incredible when they’re together. It’s like their minds are connected, and they can anticipate each other’s movements.”
“How are the Faulty twins coming along?” Caleb replied.
Amal and Amane were inseparable, which made it slightly awkward for Ridan, who had trouble leaving Amane’s side. The dragon and Amal were sort of competing for Amane’s attention, from what I could tell. It was cute, to say the least.
“I think Amane has already forgiven Amal,” I explained. “She’d been living with the dread that her sister was blindly devoted to Ta’Zan. I guess a part of her was terrified that she might have to kill Amal to stop her, if that were the case. Since she learned the truth, though, it’s like a weight was lifted off her shoulders.”
Amane had lit up since she’d made peace with Amal, in a complete 180-degree turn from the other day. She was happy.
“She looks happy,” I murmured.
“She’s got the dragon swooning over her, and her sister back by her side. I’m guessing this is as happy as she’ll ever be, in her mind,” Caleb suggested.
I had to agree. “Amane once believed Ta’Zan to be superior to everyone, to be the only one who could lead her and her people into the future. She left him because she realized what a filthy liar he was, and she thought her sister was indoctrinated beyond salvation. Until she met us, and Ridan, specifically, my guess is that Amane didn’t think there would be light in her life again.”
“Yeah, then the dragon barged in and set everything on fire,” Caleb replied.
Looking around a little bit more, I settled my sights on Vesta. She and Zeriel were helping Rakkhan with the pulverizer ammunition, pouring the completed liquid into small glass pellets created by Lumi. The Tritone king was nuts about Vesta—it was painfully obvious, since he couldn’t take his eyes off her and kept spilling the pulverizer liquid.
“Stop overpouring!” Rakkhan snapped.
“Sorry…” Zeriel mumb
led, then tried again with another glass pellet. It didn’t take long before he found himself staring at Vesta again.
“Vesta is equally fearsome,” I said to Caleb. “All this time, and she hasn’t once complained about wanting to go home or missing her parents. Nothing of the sort. This is her first military field mission, and I have to admit, babe, I’m in awe of her. She’s already had it rough as a kid, hunted by daemons and Exiled Maras alike, raised on a foreign planet, but now she’s dealing with the end of the world, basically. She’s holding it together well, considering.”
“She hasn’t killed Zeriel yet, either,” Caleb replied.
“Oh, honey, they’re a pair now.”
A second passed before Caleb burst into hysterical laughter. He hadn’t seen it coming, for some reason. Then again, he hadn’t spent all this time with Vesta and Zeriel, observing them as the days went by. He couldn’t have seen this coming, like I had.
“I can’t believe it. In the midst of all that chaos and violence and death, the Tritone king still managed to fall in love.” Caleb sighed.
“Hey, remember how we got started. You were serving an evil witch,” I retorted, then moved my attention to Kailani. I worried about her the most, because I knew the others had control over themselves and over their abilities. They knew their limits. Kailani didn’t. “How’s Arwen doing?” I asked. “Has she spoken to Kale recently?”
“Yeah. She’s worried. She knows about the Word incidents,” Caleb said. “I think she regrets supporting Kale’s decision to start the apprenticeship.”
I shook my head. “It’s just bad timing. Kale’s a fantastic swamp witch, for what it’s worth. She’s got a tremendous amount of power that she hasn’t tapped into yet, but everything she can do, for the time being, is exquisite,” I explained. “Normally, the apprenticeship would take place in a controlled environment, but, out here, we’re busy running for our lives.”
“Rose, she killed four Draenir,” Caleb replied. “I love that girl as much as you do, but… come on, let’s face it, she’s a bit of a risk.”
I had to admit it. Caleb was right. Without full control over her abilities, we didn’t know if or when she’d black out again and release another devastating pulse. What was really impressive and scary at the same time was that the pulse had been powerful enough to permanently kill Perfects, too.
“If we could get her to control this connection of hers to the Word, Kale alone would be enough to rein the Perfects in,” I said. “But we can’t exactly rely on her, like this. Hunter is with her at all times, whether she likes it or not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Eh, they must’ve argued about something. Not sure what, but Kale has tried to keep some distance. I insisted that he keep an eye on her, nonetheless. After all, he did a good job of snapping her out of her last blackout… Still, I worry.”
“I get it. Let’s see how she pulls through the captivity, then,” Caleb muttered. “Aren’t you worried Ta’Zan will want her swamp witch knowledge?”
I smirked. “It’s beyond his reach. Ta’Zan will want to study her genetic material, but he’ll only see what he’s probably gotten from Corrine, already. Swamp witch magic isn’t genetic. And Kale would never tell him anything, anyway. Her oath binds her for life.”
“And Ben? How’s he holding up?”
“He’s in here, somewhere, probably talking to River.”
“That sounds so damn gloomy. Like we’ll never speak again, or something,” he grumbled.
I breathed out, emptying my ribcage of all the angst and fears that had been piling up over the past couple of weeks. This whole mission had taken its toll on me, and I knew I needed a clear mind and heart in order to survive everything that came next.
For that, of course, I needed my husband to be calm and ready for anything that might happen.
“It most likely isn’t, baby, but you know how hazard works,” I said softly. “We’re all doing the best we can to survive this battle, and we need to talk to the people we love the most. Ben and I are a lot alike, and only amazing creatures like you and River are capable of boosting our morale.”
“Oh, now you’re trying to tickle my ego, aren’t you?”
I giggled like a little schoolgirl. “Is it working?”
“Yes. As long as you come back to me, Rose. Hazel and Benedict are both looking forward to holding their mother again, you know.”
My heart twisted itself up in a most painful pretzel as I thought about my daughter and my son. They were both big and strong enough to go on without me if something terrible happened, but I still had a hard time imagining a reality in which I wasn’t by their side.
Caleb, Hazel, Benedict, and their children were the most important people in my life. My parents, too. And this was a war I was fighting in order to save and protect them all. Sure, the rest of the universe was on the line, too, but this was extremely personal to me. I’d never been away from Caleb for so long, and it took a toll on my already-frayed nerves. This whole thing had evolved into a let’s-just-get-this-over-with-so-I-can-get-back-to-my-husband type of mission. Ta’Zan’s ideals of superiority were tiresome, to say the least.
I took another deep breath and got ready to end my conversation with Caleb. Judging by the pile of pulverizer pellets and explosive charges rising on the floor, we were getting close to the next stage of our mission.
“I’ll see you all again soon enough, Caleb.”
I meant it. I had every intention of getting out of this place alive. Sure, the odds weren’t exactly in my favor, but I was a Novak, dammit. And Novaks go to hell and back if they have to, for the sake of freedom and love.
Sofia
Knowing that I could die in a few hours didn’t exactly boost my morale in any way.
But I didn’t want Rose and Ben to surrender. My life was worthless if Ta’Zan won. I was hoping I’d get out of here, sooner rather than later, so I’d be with my husband again. So we could fly away to some other world and get the vacation we actually deserved—one that didn’t involve a mad scientist looking to kill everybody who wasn’t a Perfect.
If the universe wanted me to die instead, I had to find the courage to accept such a fate. No one runs toward death, not even as a sacrifice. It takes great courage to die.
Something gnawed at my stomach—most likely the prospect of dying and never seeing my beloved Derek, my Ben and Rose, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren ever again. My father. Kailyn. Corrine and Ibrahim. Abby and Erik, not to mention Amelia… All the people who meant something to me. My friends and allies.
I’d never stare at the moon for hours on end. I’d never dip my feet in the ocean, the crisp water tickling my skin. I’d never wonder when Serena and Draven would have a child of their own. I’d miss out on Harper and Caspian’s endeavor, too, though Harper would have to first turn human in order to conceive. All curious and scary and wonderful things I’d never get to witness as they unfolded.
Tears came up, threatening to roll down my cheeks and make it impossible for me to hold it together. Self-pity was lurking around, ready to sneak in and make everything worse. I shook my head, rejecting its poison, and focused on something I could still do.
So far, Ta’Zan had yet to find out about Isda. She was always ready to pass a message to Derek for me, if needed. And I knew Ta’Zan would come around again to gloat and to torment me. He’d taken great pleasure in telling me that my life was over unless my kids surrendered.
“I’ll kill you myself,” he’d said.
The double doors to his private quarters slid open, and, as if summoned by my very thoughts, Ta’Zan came in. He didn’t look as confident as before, though. Something was different. His head was slightly bowed, which was a rare occurrence for a creature who’d always held his chin up, looking down on everyone like he was a friggin’ god.
My blood boiled. Had it not been for the shock collar around my neck and this stupid glass box, I would’ve already torn him to shreds. I would’ve p
ulled him apart like a gingerbread man, one limb at a time. Imagining just that made it easier for me to watch him walk toward me. It was therapeutic. By the time he reached me, I’d already hung his entrails all over the walls.
“Your children have yet to surrender,” he said, his tone flat. Chills ran down my spine. Of course he knew who was in that group. Cassiel was still serving him, from what Isda had told me. That treacherous, two-faced, chicken-winged bastard.
I crossed my arms, doing my best to keep a straight face and not show him how deeply all this had already affected me. The last thing I wanted was an enemy reeking of self-satisfaction.
“Aha. And?” I asked.
“It just seems like your daughter and your son don’t love you as much as you might’ve thought.”
“If I die here today, Ta’Zan, it’s because they love me. Because they know that I would gladly give my life if that bought them some more time to pulverize you, like you deserve,” I replied, wearing a cold grin.
“And you’re okay with dying?”
“No one ever is. But we do what we can to save the lives of billions from monsters like you,” I snapped.
Ta’Zan didn’t like being called a monster. His face was ashen, almost the same color as his hair. His lips turned into a flat, thin line. Hate blazed from his eyes—raging oceans in one, dark forests in the other. Had he not been so cruel, he would’ve broken a few hearts. He was beautiful, physically, but he was rotten on the inside.
“I like how you try to convince yourself that your martyrdom will make some kind of difference,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, Sofia. I will kill you if they don’t surrender, and they will suffer. Then, I will kill another. Then another. And, in the end, I will kill them, too. There is no stopping this. No matter what tricks they pull. I will always be one step ahead. I know enough about them to understand where to hit for maximum damage.”
Stalling was suddenly a great idea. I exhaled sharply and prepared myself for what could be my last contribution to our final mission.
A Dome of Blood Page 5