From Spirit and Binding

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Like I now knew that Lore hadn’t been his own man, neither was the king. The knight of the Obscurité had worked with The Gray, and it seemed the King of Lumière worked for him, as well.

  And I would be damned if I let The Gray keep his talons in the King of Obscurité. That would come later. First, we needed to get to Luken, had to get Braelynn, and we needed to get the hell out of here.

  “Luken is on the ground with poisonous gas around him, and you claim that you had nothing to do with this?” Rosamond asked as Rhodes slumped to the ground, his face covered in an Air and Water shield as he pulled Luken towards him.

  There was no time for answers, though, and it was clear the king wasn’t going to speak anyway. Instead, he used his Wielding, and I was thankful I was ready.

  I threw my hands out to the sides, Water from the pools around us tunneling up to the sky in falls of light and Air and Water as I used them to push at the Lumière guards that came at us. They had swords in their hands, Air and Water Wielding at the ready as they slammed into us. Easton and Teagan used their Fire Wielding to create a flame barricade to protect us.

  This was it, there would be no going back from this. There’d be no fighting alongside the king to defeat The Gray. Brokk was lost to us.

  And that meant… “We need to get back,” Easton growled, raising his hand to the sky as Fire erupted from his palm. He sliced his arm down, and a blade of Fire slashed across the flaming wall that they had made and into the fighters moving forward.

  “How are we going to do that?” I asked, pushing my Air Wielding towards the others coming at us.

  It was almost as if the poisoned Air that had surrounded Luken had rotted the king’s mind. His guards were throwing all of their Wielding at us, and I knew that this had all been a trap. The emissary had been sent so those here could kill the King of Obscurité and the Spirit Priestess and anyone else who dared to harm the Gray’s precious men.

  The only way we could get out of this, was by using the light crystal like we had the dark one, or by finding our way out of the Lumière Court and going back to the Obscurité Court on foot.

  The latter seemed like the only feasible option since there was no way we could use the Lumière crystal at this point. I could feel it pulsating behind the Wielding of those in front of us, but I couldn’t see it, couldn’t touch it. The King of Lumière clearly didn’t want us to put the two crystals back together. He didn’t want to protect the realm.

  He wanted to rule it. Or, at least, have his puppet master rule it.

  “If you would just bow before The Gray, you would not have this problem. Bow before me. I am the King of Lumière, I am the one who will rule us all. Throw down your arms and your Wielding and toss the King of Obscurité aside. He and his line have always been usurpers. Our lines, the ones of the light, have always been good, right. We are prosperous. While the Obscurité have faded into near extinction, we thrive. The dark kingdom does not deserve what we have. Come, Spirit Priestess. Be by our side and forget the Obscurité.”

  “Your uncle is delusional,” Easton growled, slamming his Fire Wielding into another guard. I ran towards Teagan, using my Air Wielding to bolster his Fire Wielding. Our magics didn’t meld as well as Easton’s and mine did, but I had been trained enough that I could help.

  Teagan gave me a tight nod before pushing at the wall of Water and Air again, his Fire Wielding strong. It wasn’t going to last forever. We only had so many power reserves.

  And if we weren’t careful, we were going to lose this battle. And then the war.

  “He’ll have another battalion waiting for us,” Rhodes said, shouting over the din of violence and Wielding. “This was a trap all along. Even though we might’ve seen it, we had no choice,” Rhodes kept shouting as he tossed Luken’s body over his shoulder. Braelynn’s bat wings seemed to have grown, and she hovered on Rhodes’ other side, spitting fire at anyone who dared to come too close to Luken or Rhodes.

  “How do we get out of this?” I asked, slamming my Earth Wielding into the ground so it lifted up rocks and shoved them at the onslaught.

  “We’ll use the crystal,” Easton said, a grin on his face that scared me.

  Was it The Gray? Would this be another trap? Or was Easton genuinely losing his mind and thinking we could actually get through this?

  “How on earth are we going to do that?”

  Another slap of power, another fiery death as I slammed my Wielding into someone who tried to throw a dagger of Air at me.

  It was as if the single moment of green gas around Luken had kicked off a war that we hadn’t been prepared for. A battle that would only have one ending, a resolution not in our favor.

  “You are the damn Spirit Priestess,” Easton growled out. “Find the crystal and use it. Rhodes and Rosamond are strong enough to use their powers to get us back, but they need the Spirit Priestess for that. So, call it. Use it.”

  “I don’t know how to do that. And even if I did, wouldn’t that hurt the crystal? I don’t want to strip anyone of their Wielding just to get us home.” I rolled to the ground, and Easton held out a hand and lifted me to my feet. The Wielder with the sword in his hand fell, and Rosamond hovered over him before slamming Air Wielding down into him, punching it into the ground beneath him. I used my Earth Wielding to cover him, essentially killing him—at least, I hoped.

  I didn’t want to kill, I didn’t want death. But there was no going back. This was our new normal.

  We had to fight to live, for others who couldn’t fight for themselves.

  I would deal with the ramifications of my actions later.

  “Pull into yourself like you did with the dark crystal. The light crystal knows you’re here. Call to it, and this will work.”

  I looked into the Seer’s eyes, a bare kernel of hope popping within my soul.

  “Are you sure? Is that a vision? Or a hope?”

  “It is what it needs to be. Fight, Lyric. Pull on the crystal. We haven’t much time.” And then she hovered off, flying towards Rhodes’ side. Braelynn landed on her shoulder, and the three of them, Luken over Rhodes’ shoulder, fought against those who had once been their court, their family.

  I hadn’t seen where the queen and the prince had scurried off to. The king had disappeared with them after his speech. He’d left his own men, his cannon fodder, and we were just pawns in his game of chess. No longer. I refused to be that.

  The Lumière Kingdom, at least his court, was firmly against us. And not us as Obscurité or those they thought might be traitors. No, those against The Gray.

  And it scared me more than I cared to admit. But it didn’t matter. We would fight. Because we had to.

  “Close your eyes and focus,” Easton snapped.

  “If I close my eyes, I can’t see what I’m fighting.”

  “Then let me protect you, and you can get us out of here. Trust me, Lyric. Please.”

  I looked into his eyes for just a moment, his pupils so wide that I saw the fear in them. I had never truly seen the expression on his face before, and seeing it now scared me. However, I would do as he asked. As they all requested. They were counting on me, and I trusted him. I didn’t trust The Gray, but I trusted Easton to fight what bound him. To protect me with everything he had.

  I nodded. The relief in his eyes was there for a bare instant before he slammed out his hands again, a wall of Earth protecting me from a stray blow of Water power.

  Then I closed my eyes and reached out towards the crystal.

  It was as if the Lumière crystal had been waiting for me. It was warm yet surrounded by a frozen chrysalis. As if somebody had been trying to steal its light and heat.

  I knew it was the king. I knew he had used bone magic just like his brother. The king had been using this crystal for his own gains. His greed. Just like Lore had used the dark crystal.

  We were running out of time. The crystals only had so much left to give. If I could give part of myself to them, part of this Spirit that swirled insi
de me without a purpose, maybe I wouldn’t take too much from it or anyone else.

  The crystal’s energy wrapped its tendrils around me as if it had been waiting. As if it were a long-lost friend who wanted protection. Even as it tried to protect me.

  “I won’t fail you,” I whispered to the crystal, though I knew it wasn’t truly alive. It helped give life, though. Helped keep those in its grasp alive, and I would not let it fail.

  “Help us, please.”

  The crystal’s hold tightened before power shocked my body.

  I threw my head back, and power erupted from my eyes, my mouth, my hands, everywhere.

  Easton shouted, then there were no more sounds.

  There was so much power within me, each of my elements fighting each other. But it didn’t matter. I was meant for this. I was strong enough for this. “Don’t give me too much, you need to be whole again.”

  I didn’t know why I was talking to the crystal like it was a living being. It seemed to understand me and pulled back just slightly. I could hear the others of my group coming closer, and then I heard the screams and the shouts of those against us.

  I must’ve been a sight. Maybe it would put the fear that they needed into them. Perhaps they would give us time to recover so we could formulate the plans we needed to.

  Maybe this would be enough.

  “Let’s get home,” I whispered.

  I could feel the crystal as if it were breaking. As if it had emotions. I felt sadness from it.

  “One day you’ll be my home, too. For now, protect these people. Please. And then I will come back for you. I promise.”

  I hoped these words of assurance made sense. Even though I wasn’t sure what they meant.

  I pushed power into the crystal, and it flared to life. Rhodes mumbled words and chants next to me, and I knew we were going home. I reached out and brushed my Wielding along the crystal’s facets, and it hugged me close before saying goodbye.

  We arrived back at the Obscurité Court as tears slid down my cheeks. I hoped that this wouldn’t be the last time I saw the light crystal. I hoped that I could keep my promise and go back to save it. And not just the crystal, but also its people. The crystal was dying, and it knew it. It had used some of its power to protect me.

  Just like the dark crystal had.

  They were clearly two halves of a whole, dying without each other.

  I needed to bring them back together.

  We stood in the crystal room, people moving around as Ridley came to Luken’s side. Rhodes barked out orders, even though he had no orders to give. Rosamond was shaking, helping Braelynn and Luken as well as she could. Teagan and Easton were moving around, most likely making sure that the kingdom was safe.

  I only had eyes for the crystal.

  I could feel Justise’s gaze on me as he watched. I didn’t care. I moved forward and put my hands on the dark crystal. Power and light flared for just a moment, and its tendrils hugged me just like its brother’s had.

  “I’ll find a way. I promise, I’ll find a way. I’m sorry.”

  The tears continued to fall, and I knew the others were watching me with curiosity, their hushed voices worried.

  “The king is a puppet of The Gray. Just like we feared. There will be no help from that corner. We left the crystal and people who need it behind. I will fight for them, just as we will fight for each other.” I turned, my palms leaving the crystal even as it reached out to me. I turned my back to it, only so I could see the others. I could feel the heat of the crystal behind me, even its jagged shards, and I somehow knew that it understood. It got that I wouldn’t be leaving it behind. No matter what.

  “Brokk did not want a healer there,” Ridley whispered.

  “No. He wanted to kill everybody. He didn’t want anyone healed. He didn’t want you there to help Luken.”

  “He’s always hated Luken,” Rhodes whispered.

  “Okay, then. I’m sorry for that. We need to figure out what to do next,” Easton growled. “We need allies.”

  “Allies,” I whispered. “Who is on our side? Who can we meet with to form our army? Because it’s going to require more than the handful of people in this room. We need an army to protect these crystals. To bring them home.”

  Nobody questioned the way I was talking about the crystals. Or their people. There was no need to. They were as worried as I was, and now that I had felt the soul of each crystal, I knew that, no matter what, I would give my dying breath for them. Just as they were doing for their people.

  “My parents might be able to help,” Teagan whispered.

  “The Lord and Lady of Fire would be strong allies,” Easton said simply.

  “I don’t know about my parents. Maybe they’ll be able to help,” Wyn said from the doorway, and I turned to see the pale warrior standing tall in her leathers. She looked shaken, and I knew it probably felt as if she had lost a limb without her Wielding. Yet she stood there, ready to fight. I hoped that the Lord and Lady of Earth would stand by our sides just as strongly as she was.

  “My grandmother will help,” Rhodes said.

  “She is the one ally I know will always be on our side,” Easton said, and the layer of trust in those words wrapped around my heart. I knew it was hope.

  “Okay, then,” I whispered.

  “The lords and ladies. Those of power. That is who we meet with.”

  “We cannot allow the King of Lumière to act as he has,” Easton said, regalness in his tone. In this moment, he was royalty.

  “You’re right. The King of Lumière cannot stand. And after this, hopefully, there won’t be two kingdoms at all.” I looked at Rhodes, and his silver eyes narrowed.

  “It’s time for our generation to step up, for our kingdoms to thrive.”

  “Then we’ll meet. And we’ll plan. And we’ll protect our people.” The others looked at me as I spoke, and I raised my chin, even as the Wielding within me shook.

  “We must save them all, no matter the cost.”

  And I knew these weren’t platitudes. I knew we were going to win.

  Because, in the end, there wasn’t any other option.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Easton

  * * *

  Perhaps in the eyes of those far older than me, I was still young, untried, a mere pup, hardly older than a teenager. I had lived centuries. I had fought, bled, had almost died.

  And in all of my years, I had never had a meeting quite like this one.

  Perhaps I had never even heard of one such as this. Oh, there might have been summits that contained these key players before the Fall…however, I hadn’t heard of one since. I should ask Lanya. She would remember. Rhodes’ grandmother, the Lady of Air, had felt so wise beyond her years. As if she had witnessed the Fall and had tried to stop it before. Her husband had been the same way, had died to protect those under his care, and even those who hadn’t fallen directly under his umbrella.

  I didn’t know all of the histories; I wished I did. I knew the King of Obscurité hadn’t been the dark creature portrayed. My grandfather hadn’t been pure evil. Oh, he had killed thousands, but it had been to protect the world.

  I knew he hadn’t been the darkness that some thought. It had taken me too long to see beneath the layers to who he was, and I was only now figuring it out. However, people needed enemies. They needed figureheads for their darkness and untruths of history. So, they cast Easton in that light—no matter that he hadn’t deserved it.

  So, my grandfather would always be the hated one, the arrogant sovereign. The one who had gone head-to-head with the original King of Lumière because of power.

  I knew deep down in my soul that it wasn’t as it seemed. There was more to it. That just like now, the Lumière Kingdom had darkness along with its portrayed light. They were the ones with the tendrils of hate and deception and the shadows in their souls.

  So now, we were meeting, a summit of the lords. Sadly, I did not think it would be enough.

  The p
art of myself that pulled at my heart, that sank its tendrils of hate and fear inside, knew that this would only be a part of it. We would have to sacrifice more than our positions and our old loyalties and treaties in order for this to work.

  I looked over at Lyric, who sat on my old throne not because she was in power but because she was exhausted.

  I knew we would have to sacrifice more, and I think she knew it, too.

  She looked at me then, her gaze weary as she gave me a small smile. Surprisingly, it reached her eyes. Then again, Lyric was always surprising me.

  While we waited for the lords and ladies to enter the crystal room under the guise of secrecy, I ignored my uncle’s pointed looks and went to Lyric’s side.

  “If you can’t rest before the meeting, you at least need to eat.”

  I knew I sounded like an asshole, as if I were ordering her around. Then again, I was.

  She sat up straighter, shaking her head. Her hair had long since fallen out of its braid, and it now tumbled over her shoulders. My hands itched to reach out and tangle my fingers in those strands. I held myself back. It was lust, nothing more. Every time I tried to think of something more, icy shards sliced through my body and wrapped their way around my heart before piercing a hole.

  I was an angrier version of myself and if I thought about anything more, I’d break, so I wouldn’t think at all.

  “There’s no time, I’ll be okay.” She must have seen the skepticism in my expression. “Really, I’m fine. It just took a lot out of me to open up the crystal like I did to bring us here.”

  “You do look nice on the throne, I’m just saying.”

  She shook her head, rolling her shoulders back as she stretched as if she were waking up from a nap. Rest she desperately needed. “No, I don’t think the throne is for me.”

  No, a Spirit Priestess didn’t get to be king or queen. I had figured that much out. So, it was a good thing that we weren’t able to be soulmates. Because having her as my queen wouldn’t be a good thing.

  It would only lead to heartache and death. Something I was sadly getting better at.