Dark Descent

by Nicole R. Taylor

  Wilder frowned. “You told them?”

  “Greer and I had a little chat and worked a few things out. After my display in the library, I kind of had to, but it didn’t seem to matter as much as I thought it would. Aldrich already seemed to know about my suspected contact with Arondight, and Brax… Well, Brax is just grumpy.” I smiled, knowing I had Wilder genuinely lost for words for the first time since I’d met him. And it only took me stepping up for it to happen. “We’ve got a lot to do,” I added. “Training, Balan hunting, Arondight clues to decipher, and a family tree to put together. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Will you help me?”

  He snorted. “Of course I will.”

  “FOMO?” I titled my head to the side.

  “FO-what?”

  “Fear of missing out.” I laughed and shrugged. He was all anarchy and screw the establishment, but deep down, Wilder wanted to be part of it all. We had that in common. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

  “What secret?” he asked with a scowl.

  “Shh.” I waved him off. “It’s in the vault.”

  We sat together for a while, the comings and goings of the infirmary bustling behind the curtain.

  “Wilder?” I asked, breaking the silence. “What happened? After the Balan picked me up, it bore into my mind like a drill.” I winced at the memory. “The next thing I remember…”

  “Aldrich,” Wilder replied. “He caused a diversion and I was able to attack.”

  I nodded. They must’ve cut down the lesser demons, freed the others, then Wilder stabbed the Balan, breaking its hold on my mind. It also meant Aldrich was a total bad-arse by cutting down that Colossus solo. I still had to figure out what one was exactly, but it sounded horrifying.

  “Wilder? What’s a Colossus?”

  “A seven-foot-tall wall of muscle infused with electrified scrap metal, powered by a ball of Darkness woven by a powerful greater demon.”

  “Oh… is that all?” I shivered and was suddenly glad I missed out on tangling with it in the back halls of the Sanctum. It also elevated Aldrich to god-like status, knowing he’d taken it down on his own.

  “When… What did you see?” Wilder asked.

  “I…” I shook my head and studied the hem of my jumper. “It, he, showed me the night my parents died. He had all the answers, Wilder. I could’ve…”

  He frowned, then reached out and grasped my hand. His touch was almost alien, the gentle gesture uncharacteristic. Almost like that kiss…

  “You turned him down,” Wilder stated.

  “Let go of your past and embrace your future,” I whispered.

  He stared at me, confusion clouding his eyes. I didn’t know how to explain it to him. When those words appeared in my mind, I wasn’t even sure they were my own, but without them, I would’ve submitted to the Balan and signed a deal damning everyone.

  “Scarlett—”

  “Thank you,” I whispered, “for saving me.”

  “It’s fine,” he said. “Don’t mention it.” He grimaced as he stood, the gash in his side hindering his movements. “And if you think you’re going to get out of training just because I got skewered, you’ve got another thing coming.”

  I laughed and shook my head, a little pang of unrequited something-or-other tugged on my heartstrings. Now I understood how Jackson felt and it sucked big time. Knowing how well things had gone between my best friend and I, I decided to let my burgeoning feelings for Wilder go. I didn’t know when our relationship had changed, but he meant a great deal to me. After all, he was my mentor.

  “Scarlett—”

  “It’s your turn to not mention it,” I interrupted. “I’ve got to focus on becoming the best Natural I can be. There’s a war going on, you know.”

  Wilder smiled, but it never reached his eyes. “Tomorrow,” he said. “Today, we rest.”

  “Sounds like a plan, Grumps.”

  He raised his eyebrows.

  “You call me Purples, it’s only fair you get an annoying nickname, too.”

  “You could’ve thought of something better than Grumps.”

  I grinned. “I did, but it’s far too rude to say out loud.”

  22

  The Bit at The End

  Scuffing my toe through the rubble on the roof, I uncovered the corner of my copy of the Codex.

  Above, a crane was lifting a new glass panel onto the reconstructed library dome, the crew of workmen shouting instructions at one another. The low drone of the crane’s mechanism vibrated through the air as I bent over to pick up the book.

  It was strange how rebuilding took an age, but destruction only took a few seconds. I don’t know why humans are always so fixated on destroying one another when it took this much bother to repair the aftermath—bother and cold, hard cash. The Naturals must be loaded to bankroll these kinds of repairs.

  Dusting off the leather cover, I held onto the Codex and glanced at the view beyond the rooftop. London stretched ever outward, a heaving beast full of life and progress. Cranes littered the riverside, building apartment blocks and commercial structures, and in the distance, the glittering skyscrapers of the financial district reached towards the sky, intermingling with older, more ancient parts of the urban sprawl.

  I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the city. A familiar sensation wrapped itself around me and I turned. The Codex.

  It was the same tug I’d felt the day of the attack when I’d stood before Greer and received my punishment for leaving the Sanctum. Frowning, I wondered if it did that to everyone. It seemed insistent, like a toddler tugging at my trouser leg trying to get my attention, and the more I attempted to block it out, the worse it got.

  Fine, I thought, storming off the roof and back inside, let’s see what you want, Codex. What’s one more indiscretion on the epic list that is my growing rap sheet.

  Stopping in the main foyer, I glanced at the halberds on the wall, noting the one I’d used to cut down that lesser demon had been replaced. Overhead, the elaborate domed skylight let in the morning light, filling the space with dreary gloom. I stood amongst the black veiny marble on my own and for the first time, was able to approach the small metal plaque screwed into the wall and read the words etched there. Let there be Light amongst the Dark.

  “Hey.” I turned at the sound of Romy’s voice. “What’s up?”

  “I was on the roof.” I held up the book and shrugged. “I left it up there the other night. Luckily for me, it was still there.”

  “It’s a little battered,” she said, her voice echoing off the marble.

  “Symbolic, right?”

  Romy laughed softly, glancing down the hall. “Listen, Scarlett, what you did… Well, it took real courage.”

  “Actually, it was stupid.” I grimaced at the memory of rushing at the Balan like a fool. I had no chance, but I flung myself at him anyway.

  “Maybe, but when you’re in the middle of a real fight… Well, the rules fly out the window.”

  I nodded, knowing this time I’d gotten lucky. Without Wilder and Aldrich, I might be dead or worse—like stuck in a one-sided contract with the demon who may or may not have killed my parents.

  “What are you up to now?” Romy asked, looking hopeful.

  “I’m supposed to be training, but Wilder’s still sulking in the infirmary.”

  “And you’re up there picking through rubble?”

  I winked. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

  “You two are made for each other,” she said with a sigh, causing me to pale. “Two rebels in a pod, or however the saying goes.”

  “It sounds like trouble if you ask me. If that’s the case, then I don’t know why Greer forced him to mentor me.” I glanced down the hall, the tug from the Codex becoming more earnest the longer I lingered. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Oh, okay.” Romy offered me a little wave and we parted ways. “Hey, Scarlett?”

  “Yeah?” I turned, surprised to see she was a litt
le nervous. I wondered why that was? I should be the one grovelling at her feet.

  “You want to get lunch later?”

  I smiled, hugging the Codex against my chest. “Sure.”

  Romy grinned and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Great.”

  And with that, we were friends again. As I walked away, I hoped it was because I was a super cool person, not because I was the chick supposedly touched by Arondight. I was still hesitant to claim the title, no matter what Greer or Aldrich said.

  The conservatory was empty when I arrived. Greer was likely someplace else, overseeing the repairs of the Sanctum. I crossed the room, my gaze locked onto the Codex, knowing I had time to figure out what was calling me here. I knew I should’ve just asked, but something about this felt personal.

  I hesitated, throwing a look over my shoulder at the stairs. This was bad news. If I was caught in here, I’d be on probation for life. I tried to imagine being on permanent house arrest and I couldn’t fathom never going to TopShop ever again. I mean, there was online shopping, but somehow, I didn’t think the Sanctum had a post office box.

  Circling the case, I couldn’t see where the opening was. Like the bars in the vaults downstairs, there were no joins or latches. Placing my palm against the glass, I wondered if I was supposed to know a secret password like open sesame.

  Open, I thought. The glass rippled, then my hand passed straight through. I made a face, not believing the solution was so easy. Who would’ve thought the simple act of asking could work so well? I rolled my eyes at the irony.

  The Codex shimmered as I stepped within, and I breathed deeply. The air tasted like popping candy. It was weird, but what wasn’t around here? The more appropriate question was, what was normal when everything was strange?

  Pure of heart, I thought. Be pure of heart, Scarlett. It’s called to you for a reason.

  It was hard to trust when everyone told you the magical book burned. I wondered what happened if someone unworthy tried to read the real thing? Greer said it was full of secrets only the worthy could read. Standing over it, I could feel the power that’d been weaved through its pages for over a thousand years, but to me, it just looked like a fancy book in a museum.

  “So, I’m here,” I whispered, my voice echoing back and forth against the glass. “What do you want to tell me, Codex?”

  Naturally, it didn’t reply.

  “So, it’s going to be like that, huh?” I wove my fingers together and cracked my knuckles. “Touch the dangerous book that might burn me from the inside out, and don’t learn from my mistakes. Got it.”

  I raised my hand, my stomach twisting in anticipation. My fingers shook as the Codex’s Light brushed against my skin, and it hummed, inviting me in.

  This is what kidnappers do, I thought. They lure kids into the back of their creepy vans with sweets, then murder them. Don’t murder me, Codex.

  The very tips of my fingers brushed against the page, but that was all it took for the Codex to drag me out of the present and shove me headfirst into a spiral of colour and sound. I spun, my breath tearing from my body, and then I saw it—a sword hung in the air before me and I tensed.

  “Lady Lake person?” I called out in a childlike voice. “Is that you?”

  No one answered, which meant I was supposed to look at the sword. I mean, why show me it in the first place? Funky book calls out to me, lures me into the back of its van with its siren song, then shows me a pointy sword. Why? Unless…

  The blade was long and silver, its form rippling as if it was underwater and something had disturbed the surface. I studied it closer, looking for clues. The hilt was pure silver, wrapped with Celtic knot work and long enough to be held aloft by two hands, and the cross guard was set with more elaborate designs, each end curving towards the blade and fashioned into sharp points. The pommel—the counterweight that balanced the sword—was a circular design, set with a clear, raw crystal.

  As I focused my vision, the blade flared, revealing runes etched into the metal. My brow broke out into a cold sweat, the Codex piercing my mind. It was showing me Arondight. Not a copy or a symbol or a long-lost memory, but the real thing, as it was… right now.

  “Where is it?” I whispered. “Where…?”

  I reached out, desperate to pluck Arondight out of its watery safe-deposit box, but the moment my fingers brushed against the water, I was torn out of the vision and flung backwards.

  A blur of light formed in front of me. I was vaguely aware I was lying on the floor, but my limbs weren’t responding. The last time I’d fainted—after I’d been hit in the head by a discus at a high school sports day, and not counting the altercation I’d had when I’d first arrived at the Sanctum—I’d had a mean concussion and, most mortifyingly, I’d peed a little bit. Oh man, I hoped I hadn’t peed a little bit.

  “Scarlett?”

  I screwed my face up and attempted to sit, recognising Greer’s voice. I was in so much trouble.

  “Greer,” I whispered.

  When my vision had cleared enough to make out her features, I saw she looked horrified, and rightly so. I’d done what I was forbidden to do, and what probably should’ve killed me.

  “Scarlett… what have you done?”

  “I-I saw it, Greer. I saw Arondight.”

  Scarlett’s adventure continues with DARK ILLUSION, the second book in the thrilling Arondight Codex!

  An ancient war with demons. A lost sword with the power to end it all. And a woman with purple hair is the world’s only hope.

  Keep reading to the end of this ebook for an exclusive peek at the next chapter…

  Thank you for reading Dark Descent!

  If you enjoyed this eBook, please consider leaving a review.

  OTHER BOOKS IN THE ARONDIGHT CODEX

  by Nicole R. Taylor

  Dark Descent #1

  Dark Illusion #2

  Dark Abandon #3

  Dark Genesis #4

  Dark Crucible #5

  Want more novels just like this one? Check out Nicole’s other series:

  THE WITCH HUNTER SAGA - Vampires and witches collide in this thrilling Urban Fantasy adventure. You’ve never met vampires quite like these…

  THE CRESCENT WITCH CHRONICLES - Witches, shapeshifters, and ancient myth collide in this colourful Irish flavoured series! Come on an adventure fraught with danger and forbidden romance… and the ultimate battle to save magic before it's gone forever.

  Find out more at: NicoleRTaylorWrites.com

  ABOUT NICOLE

  Nicole R. Taylor is the author of the bestselling Urban Fantasy series, The Witch Hunter Saga.

  She writes about vampires with complexes, insane witches, super heroes, post-apocalyptic warriors and samurai sword wielding women…all from a desk in a country town near Melbourne, Australia.

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  Dark Illusion (The Arondight Codex - Book Two)

  A sneak peek…

  The library was a ruin around me, the ombré portal swirling like an angry tornado through the shattered remains of the dome.

  The scent of phantom smoke filled my nostrils and I scrambled across the floor, my hand curling around the hilt of my arondight blade. As soon as I had it in my grasp, the sword erupted into life, sparking with purple Light.

  My throat was raw, and my knees were red with blood, but I pushed to my feet and swung my blade with my la
st ounce of strength. The demon roared with fury, the sound cutting off with a gurgle as I severed his head from his body.

  I’m waiting for you, Scarlett.

  I jumped as a book slammed down on the table in front of me, bringing my consciousness back to the present. I was in the kitchen at the London Sanctum eating lunch, not battling a greater demon who’d been trying to trick me into selling my soul.

  “What’s that?” I asked as Wilder slid into the chair opposite. Wilder was my Natural mentor, trainer, and an all-round pain in my arse. “Don’t tell me there’s bland reading involved.”

  “You had a lucky break,” he said glowering at me, the light catching the subtle silver sheen in his eyes. “There’s still a long way to go with your training.”

  Sighing, I pushed away my half-eaten lunch and dragged the book towards me. The hardcover—simply entitled Demonology—was a deep midnight blue with gold embellishments.

  “Why didn’t anyone think to give me this when I first got here?” I complained as I opened it.

  “It’s a kids’ book,” Wilder declared.

  Ugh, he was right. As I flipped through the pages, I found illustrations of different demons and simplified explanations for each kind of manifestation.

  I shot him a pouty look. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

  “I’m trying to impart on you the wisdom of a fifteen-year education in as little time as possible,” he drawled.

  “Is there such a thing as a spell book? Or is it called a Light book?” I wondered. “That could be useful.”