No longer able to contain herself, and now certain she’d found the command that Lucius must have recruited for their sickening desire for violence, she rushed the two closest, and tried hard not to take pleasure at the pain she was about to inflict.
Light bounced around the cave wall as Merrin allowed her light to shine bright enough to blind everyone inside. The two men didn’t even see her move as she grabbed them. A roar filled the small room, the ground shook beneath her feet, and Merrin realised in one glorious moment that Scarlett’s eyes were sparking to life too.
The air stilled around her as the two men folded and crashed to the ground. Her breathing was rapid as Scarlett shook herself as though coming out of a dream.
She glanced at the pile of men at her feet and her eyes widened even further. Her gaze shifted to Merrin, her lips tugged slightly. “You did all this?”
Merrin shrugged, her own smile hesitant. “We have a lot to talk about. But Skylar and Tarquin are in trouble, and we need to help them.”
Scarlett’s eyebrow lifted, and a frown chased away her smile. “Tarquin? He’s the reason I feel like someone stepped on my brain…but how’s Skylar involved in all this?”
Another piece slotted into place, but now wasn’t the time to discuss how Lucius had corrupted them. “We don’t have time. Are there any more of Lucius’ men inside?”
Scarlett’s gaze moved to stare over Merrin’s shoulder. “Ah, maybe we should ask them to go look?”
With a frown Merrin turned as dozens of girls pulled themselves from bunks and stood, rubbing eyes that glowed in the dim of the room. Warmth swept towards her as the first spoke. “Anyone else have the weirdest dream?”
With her eyes back on Scarlett, Merrin nodded. “Can you send half to check the perimeter? I need to find Tarquin.”
Though she still couldn’t be fully awake, Scarlett nodded. “I don’t know what’s going on. My memory is kind of fuzzy right now, but I kind of get the feeling you saved me from something just now. Thanks.”
Merrin’s smile was weak as she turned on her heel. Leaving the bewildered Luminaries to orientate themselves and to make sure no more of Lucius’ men were a threat, she hastily retraced her steps.
Because there was no way Tarquin was capable of killing Lucius. Not on his own.
***
Pain surged through his body, Skylar’s screams matching his as dark held them in its grip. He wanted to reach out, to find the light, but every thought was consumed by the weight of unspeakable agony that stole through his body unbidden.
Cold swirled around him, filling his veins as his thoughts entangled with Lucius’. Such a waste. You could have been something great.
Tarquin’s heart rate began to slow, his body unresponsive as black smothered him and curled inside him. A slow, sluggish mist began to circle his vision, thoughts, memories, suffocating him. You tried so hard to fight it. Tried so hard to not give in. But you enjoyed it, Tarquin. Admit it. Admit you like the power you have.
A muffled sob caught in his congested throat, his own loathing battling with the desire to do as Lucius said, just to stop the constant reminders flooding in.
It was hopeless. He was too weak. Skylar was too weak. Even together, Lucius had still managed to once again control them. No. It can’t end like this. I came back because I was called.
A delicate thread of light wove into the black swirling around him, like a spot of sunlight in a storm. With the last drop of strength he had inside him, Tarquin reached out a hand and pleaded with the light to once again take hold.
Pain shrieked through him with the movement as Lucius send another ripple of pain along with another taunt. There is not enough light in the world to wash away what you have done.
In too much pain to even move again, he nearly missed the buzz that grew in his ears and began to fill the length of his body.
Before he had time to join a coherent thought as to the familiarity of the feeling, the pain left him in a glorious rush.
Brilliant light swirled before his eyes, surging around and through him. The mist rescinded as Lucius’ howled as though the light caused him tremendous pain.
Every crevice of the cave now filled with light, Tarquin blinked rapidly as he tried to piece together what was happening.
His hand buzzed, and a thread of light began to weave around his finger, tugging him forward as though drawn into the source of the light. I need to move.
He staggered forwards as though drawn towards the light, Merrin’s yell lifting the cloud from his mind. “Both of you. We can contain him, but we need to work together.”
Skylar’s forehead was beaded with sweat, but he seemed to understand the direction too.
As Merrin struggled with holding a squirming Lucius, he and Skylar clamped a hand on each of his shoulders.
Lucius’ face went slack as all the bones had suddenly melted. “I was right. You were the one to bring them together.”
Merrin’s voice was calm as she spoke. “I only did what the wind called me to.”
Her gaze slid to Tarquin then to Skylar. “We needed to stop bickering and work together for Onom’s purpose.”
Warmth descended on Tarquin chasing away the remnants of the cold. A faint smile twitched at his lips. “I told you we needed to be bonded.”
At Skylar’s sharp intake of air, Merrin shook her head and turned to the woman who stood beside her.
A flicker of recognition stirred as Scarlett stepped forward, her eyes carrying a hint of light that showed she was waking. “Sky? Are you well? What’s going on?”
Scarlett stepped a little closer, and Skylar’s posture shifted, and he muttered a slight curse. “No. I’m not well. I feel like someone stuck a fire poker inside my head and scrambled everything.”
Scarlett snorted and locked eyes with Lucius. “I told you, didn’t I? I said you wouldn’t win. You thought we were all insignificant specks of light. And alone that’s exactly what we are. But together, Luminaries will always find a way to light up the dark.”
Scarlett stepped past Lucius and smiled at Skylar. “Let’s go back to Evanswood, Sky. Help me get them back. We need to let the council figure this out.”
Whatever ill feeling he’d held towards Skylar seemed to lessen as he took charge as though he was born to it. Maybe he is? Maybe Lucius was half right? Maybe it’s time a new council was elected?
Merrin’s fingers laced into his, and as Merrin’s smile radiated warmth that slid through his body, he was filled with a deep yearning that renewed his determination.
If Lucius held no power over them, and all their memories were restored, maybe they might have a chance at a new life?
***
The trek back to the council took far less time than Merrin expected. Thanks in part to the amount of Luminary on hand, but mostly because Onom granted them speed.
They split into two packs, forming a barrier, should Lucius try anything or should any of his men still be under his control.
But when the Luminary had searched for the remainder of his men, all they’d found were bandits who’d scattered to the wind with the knowledge they were free to come and go.
With so many now awakened, and with Lucius’s knowledge that when they were together they could overcome him, the leader of the Tartarean clan seemed to have lost all desire to fight.
By the time they’d reached Evanswood again, Merrin’s entire body was raw with anxiety. Even with Tarquin and Skylar present, unease had settled in her.
Until the Chief and the council decided how to punish Lucius for his crimes against Luminary, her fate and future were still not secure.
As Skylar assisted Lucius up the stairs with Scarlett at his side, and the rest of the Luminary behind, the unease grew.
Two steps behind Skylar, Tarquin was the first to hear his curse as he stepped through the door. He whirled around to face her, his expression grim. “Stay here. There’s blood on the floor.”
His eyes slid sidelong to Tarquin. “Scarle
tt and I will go in. Keep this out here where we can see him.”
Tarquin grabbed a now smiling Lucius, his laugh a half-twisted threat. “You’re too late. The Sleepers inside the council will have done as commanded.”
Fear flooded her veins as Skylar and Scarlett both hurried inside. The Luminary outside all carried worry and cast each other nervous glances.
Tarquin’s voice was strained as he drew Lucius away from the door. “What did you think would happen now? We’d just let you walk away from this?”
Lucius’ expression shifted into smugness. “The Chief is gone. The council dead. I have ushered in a new age.”
Heat blazed through her body as Tarquin’s cheeks flushed in time with his eyes sparking. “You did it for nothing. You will never be Chief after what you’ve done.”
Lucius’ smugness only grew as his eyes flicked from her to Tarquin. “I have fulfilled my purpose. I have destroyed what I set out to. I have brought order from chaos. Unity from disunity. That is my final gift to you, Tarquin. To you, to my son and to Merrin.”
The air around them turned frigid. A tremendous roar shook the ground, the sky opened up, and hail began to fall. Just like it did the day I met Tarquin.
As though pushed by an invisible hand, Merrin’s body shied away.
Lucius’s eyes grew wide with fright as the hail swept around his blackened figure, growing into a vortex of action, swirling around him.
The roaring continued as the hail continued its violent assault on Lucius. His muffled screams were barely audible over the roar of ice that had turned a deathly black.
Tarquin grabbed her hand and yanked her further away, her heart was pounding in her chest as together they joined the others as they helplessly watched Lucius be devoured by the cold and dark he’d embraced.
A peal of thunder cracked overhead and in a flash the sky cleared, and the sun broke through and landed on the empty spot where Lucius had once stood.
Skylar’s voice broke her from her terror as he raced towards them, Scarlett at his side. “What just happened?”
Too shaken to answer, Merrin was grateful when Tarquin spoke. “He said it himself. He’d served his purpose.”
Scarlett sighed, and Merrin noticed for the first time her eyes were red-rimmed. “Everyone inside is dead. The Chief. The council. Everyone.”
Tarquin’s expression was grim as more Luminaries gathered around, shock and confusion in their muted questions.
“Who will lead now?”
“How did they all die?”
Skylar worked his jaw as he looked in Tarquin’s direction. “This is what he wanted, isn’t it? For me to be the only council member standing.”
Tarquin swallowed, his expression pinched. “I think so. In his twisted way, I think he wanted you to have the position you were denied because of him.”
A knot formed in her stomach as she tried not to cry. She had no time to say another word to Skylar when he was swamped by Luminaries who wanted answers.
***
Tarquin sat on the outskirts, his eyes on Merrin as she listened to everyone speak. His eyes constantly scanned the area surrounding the woods should any of Lucius’ men decide to turn up.
It was unlikely, given Lucius was dead and no longer able to control them. But bad blood didn’t die easy. Especially not among men who had no honour to begin with.
His concentration was pulled in different directions as he tried to watch Merrin and keep an ear on the conversation.
The atmosphere was tense, Luminaries sitting cross-legged in a large circle as Skylar talked about a plan to restructure the way the council worked.
“We need to be careful. These are perilous times. The old ways need to be thoughtfully examined. I have an idea. One that I think will secure a better hold on the boundaries and prevent threats of darkness from ever corrupting us again.”
Skylar glanced at Merrin, and for a moment jealousy hit his middle. “Luminaries need to pair up. We need an accountability partner. One who knows us well and knows our weaknesses.”
Tarquin’s heart began to beat a little too fast. Hadn’t Merrin said Skylar knew her better than anyone?
Scarlett’s voice jostled him from his unwanted thoughts. “Twenty years ago, something terrible happened. Instead of changing things to make sure it never happened again, the Chief and the council decided to hide the truth and create a lie that Luminary were somehow immune to temptation.”
Skylar’s eyes scanned the crowd as his expression turned grim. “I loved our Chief, as you all did. But he was fallible, as any leader is. Without transparency, Lucius was able to use one lie and manipulate as he desired. This causes me more pain than I care to admit, but Lucius fooled the council, but worst he manipulated my mother, and I…”
He faltered, pain etched on his face as Scarlett stepped so she was shoulder to shoulder with him. She took hold of Skylar’s hand, and he grasped it so tight, it was evident they were closer than perhaps even Merrin he’d ever realised.
With a tight-lipped smile, Skylar seemed to find the courage to continue. “Lucius Tartarean was my father. He willingly gave up his light and murdered my mother to gain control over all who had the blood of clan Templeton.”
No one moved, too stunned to speak, Skylar closed his eyes, then shook himself and carried on. Skylar’s eyes slid to Tarquin. “Tarquin knows better than anyone just how insidious Lucius was. And he and Merrin are the reason why Lucius finally fell. Tarquin was brave enough to return to the caves. You have him to thank for your release. Luminary owe him a debt.”
Tarquin’s cheeks burned as every eye turned to look at him. He cleared his throat as Merrin’s eyes sparked brightly as she smiled at him.
A chorus of cheers surrounded him. Whether it was in agreement for Skylar for him, or both, he no longer cared as Merrin stepped through the crowd, her eyes locked on his.
A raft of unpleasant memories washed over him as Merrin was nominated for the new council. Nausea began to brew as he recalled incident after incident of depraved acts they would surely remember.
Tarquin’s heart sank to his toes as a girl met his eye. The excitement slid from her face, replaced by shock, then her hand flew to her mouth as she looked away.
Heat blazed across his cheeks, his gut twisted as the girl whispered to another beside her. How long would it take before word spread and everyone started remembering exactly what he’d done?
He’d been a fool to think he had a place among the Luminary. A fool to think they could overlook what he’d done.
Lucius might be dead. But his legacy would blacken Tarquin’s soul forever. And if he stayed, Merrin’s too.
Chapter 8.
Merrin’s foot tapped impatiently as she waited for the Luminary girl Skylar was talking to finishing speaking. Her eyes strayed from Skylar to Tarquin as he hung back, close to the trees as though he were about to disappear. And if it weren’t for the tug towards Skylar and the desire to clear the air, she’d be happy to join him.
But too many things were compounding, and she couldn’t just leave without making sure their friendship was still intact.
With a pang, she wished she could reach out to Tarquin, but whether it was because Onom had allowed Lucius to be used as a conductor, she could no longer read his inner light without physically touching him.
Her eyes slid to the blackened spot where Lucius had stood. As though the hail and the lightning had combined, there was a still a charge left in the air that spoke of the raw energy that had visited them.
Finally, when she thought the others would never leave him alone, Skylar caught her eye and smiled. He said something to Scarlett, and she nodded and drew a few stragglers away.
His smile was back to a cheeky grin that warmed her. “You going to be alright?”
She nodded, her lip caught between her teeth, and she kicked at the grass beneath them. “About what happened? Uh, I think you should know that I thought you were Tarquin.”
His eyebrows rose, a
nd his smile faltered a little before he shrugged. “Figured as much. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy kissing you but…”
Her eyes widened as she followed his gaze. His smile was bright as Scarlett caught him looking. “A part of me knew it wasn’t a good idea. He needs you, Freck—” He pressed his lips together and then tried again. “Merrin.”
Her throat grew tight as he gestured to the hall. “We need to start bringing the bodies out; maybe it’s best if you go home? I’m sending the youngest off, back to guard their borders. We’ll take a few days to regroup. Go home. I’ll come find you when we need to vote.”
Tears sprang to her eyes as he pulled a face and awkwardly offered her a hug. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, but you’ve got Tarquin to do that now.”
She accepted his hug with a stilted smile as she tried not to cry. “Thank you for always being there.”
He winked at her and turned back just as a Luminary slipped past Scarlett. She covered a smile as Skylar fielded yet another question from a young luminary she didn’t recognise.
She was about to turn on her heel and find Tarquin when Scarlett approached. Her expression wary. “Look, I know we haven’t had much to do with each other. But please know, I never thought you should leave Evanswood.”
Merrin swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She’d not mingled much with her own kind and, after Toby had been confirmed as a victim of Tartarean’s, she’d avoided almost all contact with her own kin.
Scarlett offered Merrin a brief smile as she jabbed a finger at her chest. “Please don’t stay hidden away. Not anymore.”
Merrin’s own smile was forced, but she gave her best attempt and said goodbye. As she worked her way through the throng of Luminary, more seemed to be arriving, and with every new person with light in their eyes and questions on their lips, Merrin shrank back inside herself.
She wasn’t used to this many people, and she didn’t want to get used to it. There was only one person she wanted to speak to right now, and he was nowhere to be found.
Illuminate: Upper YA Paranormal Romance Page 23