The Relentless Warrior

by Rachel Higginson

  And I had to agree. I knew Sebastian was just trying to get us to react, but this felt so much more like grade school than an adult meeting of the minds. We were supposed to be discussing Terletov, not my love life, or lack thereof.

  “This is a waste of my time.” I took another step into the Throne room and met Avalon’s stare. “We have more important things that need to be discussed.”

  “You’re right,” he agreed easily. His expression grew serious and he slowly put on the persona of King. Pointing a finger at me he said, “But this isn’t over.”

  “Of course not,” I answered sarcastically.

  Avalon stepped up to the platform the solid gold Thrones were set on and clapped his hands together. We were already paying attention, but tension in the room notched up about a hundred degrees and we all put on our game faces.

  “We all know why we’re here. Terletov is destroying my Kingdom one city at a time. He’s so far managed to always stay ahead of us. We’ve picked up clues only to have them lead to a dead end or go cold. We’ve found secret lab after secret lab, but abandoned and empty. He is managing to kill my people and stay completely off radar. This cannot go on any longer. Our friends are at risk, my people are at risk, and now we know the human population is in just as much danger. If this continues, they will start to pay attention and they will start looking for answers. But most importantly, we need to end this before any more lives can be taken. I need to stay here. Mimi and I are moving home permanently. Eden and Kiran will be staying here full time, as well. At least until the, uh, until the baby is born. Talbott is investigating Jericho’s parent’s places. As I’ve understood it, you think there could be a lead there?” I confirmed with a firm nod. “And Gabriel has gone off on his own mission. There are other teams around the world, but this is our strongest lead. I’m going to leave it up to the rest of you to decide what you want to do. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. Or if you’d rather take off, no one will hold that against you. You’ve all done your share. You’ve all fought a war before. I’m not asking you to be a part of this one unless you want to be.”

  “And our other option?” Sebastian demanded.

  Avalon hesitated, but finally he said, “Talbott is waiting for you to join him.”

  “Then that’s what I’ll be doing,” Sebastian declared.

  “Me too,” Seraphina echoed.

  “Oh no, oh no. No, you’re not,” Sebastian argued. “I already said I was going. You can’t follow me over there, Sera. It won’t work.”

  She scoffed with so much attitude that even I felt wounded. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

  “So you’re not volunteering for this mission in some desperate attempt to gain my attention?” Sebastian was being more than a little harsh, but Sera could give as good as anyone. I was still surprised that their breakup had been so volatile. When it originally happened they seemed kind of amicable, but over the months, Sebastian had been growing steadily more bitter and Seraphina couldn’t seem to hate him more. They were strange. They’d been an odd couple when they were together and now they were a series of explosive confrontations that could be dangerous to bystanders.

  “Ugh!” Seraphina’s voice dripped with acid. “You’re so full of yourself it’s disgusting! Lilly is my friend. I care about what happens to her. Stop being a selfish prick and let me do what I need to.”

  “Selfish prick?” Sebastian demanded. “That’s hilarious coming from you!”

  “Enough,” Avalon growled. “Work out your sexual frustration later. Much, much, much later. Seraphina you will stay behind, just so I don’t even have to listen to this again.” Seraphina turned her fury on Avalon but he held up a warning hand. “Besides, Eden and Mimi need you here. We’ve shut down every upcoming event or gathering in light of Terletov’s activity, but we’ve opened the Citadel up to those who might feel in danger. The town is going to be flooded in a few days, and the girls need you to help organize.” She seemed just barely pacified by this, but wisely stayed quiet. Avalon’s irritated gaze swung to me and he demanded, “What about you Jericho? Are you in or what?”

  “I’m going,” I said. “I’ll meet Talbott.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely.” I shifted on anxious feet. Now that departure was within my reach my body hummed with excitement for action.

  “And what about Olivia?” Eden demanded.

  My overly enthusiastic body lurched at the mention of Liv. My excited energy quickly turned to nausea and I felt my entire aura revolt at the idea of leaving her here by herself. And this time it honestly had nothing to do with my lustful feelings for her. I was the only stable, familiar thing she had here; and I was abandoning her.

  She trusted me more than anyone else and I was choosing to leave her behind.

  That pummeled my chest like missiles of inadequacy. What kind of guy abandoned a girl like that when she needed him?

  Me? Was that the kind of guy I was?

  Most of me wanted to say no. I stuck around, sometimes for too long. I didn’t let people down. I was loyal to a fault.

  But then why was I in such a hurry to get away from Liv?

  Yes, I wanted to be back out in the field, but Olivia was important too.

  Was she simply not important enough?

  I didn’t have the answer. Or maybe I did, but it was too scary to admit it to myself. Because maybe it wasn’t that she wasn’t important, but that she was too important.

  And if I stuck around much longer, than I wouldn’t be able to ignore those obvious feelings anymore.

  I shook those thoughts off and forced myself to sound level, “She’ll be fine. She has you guys. Eden can still work with her. Her sister has been showing signs of improvement lately. She’s not going to be here much longer, anyway.” Geez, that was like ten answers for one question. Pretty sure, I couldn’t get more obvious than that.

  The room just stared at me, silently letting me decompress from my overeager answer.

  Avalon cleared his throat and said a little dazedly, “Well, if you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure.” I answered quickly.

  A knock on the door drew our attention and we remained silent while a pair of Titan Guards entered the room in their relaxed uniform.

  They both bowed in their stiff, military-style and then one of them spoke up, “Sir, the Gypsy Queen is here to see you.”

  Avalon tried to suppress a smile, but he couldn’t quite manage to dim the curiosity in his eyes. Even Eden and Kiran started whispering animatedly.

  Avalon looked around at us and waggled his eyebrows. “Illeana has never been here before. This must be a big deal.” Then assuming the look of Lucifer himself, Avalon told the Guards, “Tell her I’ll be with her in a minute.”

  The Titans shifted uncomfortably and then one cleared his throat, “She said to tell you to stop stirring mischief and to thank you for gathering everyone for her benefit.”

  Avalon’s smile grew, “Fascinating. Alright, show her in.”

  The Titans turned on their heels and marched from the room. I had been ready to bolt just moments ago, but was just as guilty at succumbing to curiosity as Avalon.

  She really had never been to the Castle before. She always waited for Immortals to visit her. Of course, before us, she had never been welcome here. Although, I didn’t think that bothered her. She didn’t want anything to do with the Citadel or reminders of a Monarchy that killed her parents and treated her like an outcast.

  I didn’t blame her.

  But what could she want now? Hopefully information regarding Terletov and where to find him.

  Avalon looked at me and asked, “Do you think she’s pissed I haven’t been down there to visit her again?”

  I refrained from laughing and said, “I hope so. I hope she beats you with a stick again.”

  “How about I beat you with a stick this time, General,” Ileana’s scraggly voice sounded from behind me.

  I had to assume she was
talking to me. I jolted to attention and offered her a genuine smile. “Hello, your Highness. You’re looking lovely as usual.”

  She snorted loudly at that and rolled her violet eyes. “You can’t charm me, Jericho Bentley. In fact, from what I’ve heard, you’re having a hard time charming anyone.”

  I felt my face heat from uncharacteristic embarrassment. It was one thing to be ribbed about my failures from my friends, but that the Gypsy Queen had found out or foreseen my screw-ups was an entirely elevated degree of humiliation.

  Avalon burst out laughing until Ileana leveled him with a ferocious glare. “Enough, young King, your own journey to matrimony was equally difficult. But that is not why we’re here. We have important matters to discuss and then I want to meet her.”

  “Meet who?” Avalon asked carefully.

  “The Immortal human. We are so much alike.” She looked around the room, her tiny frame somehow filling up the room with her presence. She wore a purple bandana tied tightly around her head, but her gray curls still escaped in chaotic wisps around her face. Her nose was pierced with a large golden ring that matched the three sets in her ears. Her clothes were layered rags that puffed her up to four sizes larger than she really was. But it was winter, and she lived in a hut, so she did what she had to in order to stay warm. And her nails were as dirty and chipped as ever. She did not look like a queen per se, but she chose this life, she chose this style and anyone that knew her realized how much respect she demanded. She cleared her throat and said, “But there are two Immortal humans, aren’t there? One with an eternal life and one in an eternal sleep.”

  My heart twisted inside my chest and my Magic jolted in my blood. “Are you saying that Ophelia won’t wake up?”

  “Who is Ophelia?” Ileana asked in her thick Romanian accent.

  I growled under my breath.

  “He won’t be found until he wants to be,” she declared and we scrambled to keep up.

  Terletov.

  We settled in around the room. Eden, Kiran and Mimi took seats on their Thrones while Avalon stood next to his wife. There had been talk of commissioning a third Throne so that both sets of king and queen could sit, but Avalon had been dragging his feet- big surprise. Truthfully, I didn’t think either couple wanted to reside together at the same time. But they couldn’t change that for the moment. The Kingdom needed them to stand together.

  Seraphina sat down next to Angelica in the chairs that were usually occupied by the Council, except that three of those members were off with Terletov. Silas had been kidnapped by him, and Talbott and Gabriel were hunting him. Sebastian sat on the other side of Angelica and I took my seat next to him. Ileana stood in the middle and gave her prophecy.

  Ileana spun around and stared at Sebastian and me. “But when he finds you, there will be an opportunity to end this.”

  Foreboding chills skittered across my skin. I didn’t like the way she said that. As if, it could end, but not in the way we wanted it to.

  I also felt unnerved by her direct involvement of Sebastian and me. Usually her skill was reserved for the royalty. Avalon, Kiran, Eden and Amory had all benefited from her future-seeing words, but never before had she reached out into the commoners like myself.

  Seeming to read my mind, she said, “A new era is born in your Kingdom, General. The royalty rule from their resplendent seats and you are left to fight their battles.”

  Avalon made a choked sound of outrage behind her, but she held up a dirty hand and he slumped back against the side of Amelia’s Throne. Sebastian snickered next to me.

  “The Kingdom is left to you two,” she croaked ominously. Sebastian sobered immediately. “God save you all.”

  She whirled around to Avalon and immediately began discussing the Kingdom as a whole and her concern for her own village. Sebastian and I sat equally stunned, paralyzed by fear of the future.

  “Holy shite, Jericho,” Sebastian eventually whispered.

  I grunted something in response. There weren’t any other details to that, no more instructions or warnings, just… basically we win or lose this battle, so don’t f it up. Great. Fantastic. Awesome.

  “We should probably meet up with Talbott then,” I suggested, still feeling dazed.

  “Yes,” Sebastian agreed. “Tonight, today, right now.”

  “She’s obviously lost her mind,” Seraphina hissed at us from across Angelica. “Before you save anyone or anything, Sebastian, you’re going to have to pull your head out of your ass.”

  Sebastian cocked his head at me and smiled bitterly. “Isn’t she lovely? Is it any wonder why I broke things off before they got too serious?”

  I averted my eyes. This was well on its way to becoming a train wreck.

  “Too serious? You broke up with me?” Seraphina shrieked. “Hardly!”

  “I’m going to check on….” I didn’t even finish. I just stood up and bolted.

  “Jericho,” Angelica called from behind me.

  I waited for her and offered her my arm. “They’re nuts.”

  “Yes, yes they are.” She smiled up at me. I towered over her petite frame. Her long, curly hair had turned brilliantly white in recent years and her violet eyes dulled with time. I wondered how much longer she had left with us, or if the open Magic would affect her. None of us knew how that would work. The Magic was open again, flowing freely among us. Yet, marriages were still mostly segregated and there hadn’t been enough time to put theories to test.

  “Do you think they’ll ever be able to be friends?”

  She shook her head, “No. They weren’t meant to ever be friends.”

  “Oh.” I shot her a dubious look but she didn’t give anything away. She left my side and joined Avalon as he talked over some strategies with Kiran and Eden.

  I glanced at the door, wondering if I could sneak away now and go check on Liv. I had been avoiding her since the lake. I didn’t know how to explain my insane behavior, or that I would be leaving her sooner than I thought. She obviously needed time to cool off after our… intimate moment.

  But probably by now she was better.

  “You’re not going up there without me,” Ileana announced to the room and even though I wasn’t looking at her, I had the terrible feeling she was talking to me.

  I turned back around and met her steely gaze, confirming my suspicions. “I’m not?”

  “I told you, I want to meet the Immortal human.” Her harsh voice was firmly resolved.

  I shot a pleading glance to Avalon, but he was absolutely no help. He just waved at me and nudged Kiran. Oh good, they could both have a good laugh at my expense. Another good laugh.

  “Take me,” Ileana demanded. “Now.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I smiled at her. Explaining Ileana to Olivia was going to be tricky. But probably explaining Olivia to Ileana was going to be worse.

  I held out my arm and let the ancient Gypsy Queen lean on me for support, although I doubted she truly needed any help. We left the Throne room and made our way toward the sick wing. With each step we took, I felt Olivia’s place in the Immortal world slide more firmly into place.

  And my mood lightened and my fears dissipated with that thought.

  I should be concerned for Olivia; I should be trying to figure a way out of this for her. I should be glad that her time with us was temporary. Instead, I proudly led Ileana up the south staircase and decided it would be good for Liv to meet a half-Immortal.

  I decided I liked thinking of Olivia as Immortal- as part of this Kingdom… as part of my life.

  Chapter Ten

  Olivia

  A knock at the door pulled me out of the last hazy remnants of sleep. Ophelia hadn’t moved next to me, even while I was wrapped around her. I lifted my head and glared at the door. Maybe, if I ignored the knock, they would just go away.

  Except this room wasn’t exactly private and people came and went as often as they pleased.

  I groaned and rolled over. My hair stuck to my face, and sprung from my head.
I could feel how wild it was from the little bit I’d been asleep. The thing about short hair was that it was impossible to hide the disarray. I didn’t need a mirror to know it would be sticking up everywhere in crazy angles, or flattened against my head in other spots. Super.

  I brushed under my eyes as I stumbled to the door. No doubt, my mascara was smudged. My mouth felt dry and bitter; even a few hours was enough to give me morning breath. I rubbed my tongue along the roof of my mouth and groaned.

  At least I wasn’t trying to impress anyone here.

  Or I could keep telling myself that.

  The door swung open before I could reach it and Jericho stuck his head in. Of course.

  “Hey,” he murmured and then chuckled in surprise. “Were you sleeping?”

  I grunted in reply.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I have someone I’d like you to meet.” He truly looked apologetic, but that didn’t stop him from walking in the room and bringing his guest with him. “Olivia Taylor, this is Ileana of the Gypsies.”

  He introduced us with some kind of respectful flare and I had point three seconds to ready myself. In the half moment I had, I pictured from his tone someone regal and royal. I expected to be intimidated and inadequate.

  And then a tiny, squat woman covered in rags and facial piercings walked in the room. What in the world?

  She looked up at me with shrewd violet eyes that were half hidden behind smudges of dirt and dark kohl. Her purple bandana attempted to contain the mess of wild gray hair springing from her head and clashing hideously with her dull plaid shirt that overlaid an evergreen sweatshirt with a bedazzled Christmas tree on it. She wore black work pants underneath a long, paisley peasant skirt. Her feet were covered in worn brown loafers that were scuffed and tattered; one had a hole through the big toe. Her fingers were gnarled and dirty, her nails chipped and broken. She was the opposite of intimidating.

  I stared at her, wondering why she was here. My brain was still foggy from sleep and I knew my breath smelled bad, so I wasn’t exactly eager to speak.

  Her oddly colored eyes narrowed on me and in a moment I understood Jericho’s reverence. “The Immortal human,” she declared. “Not exactly what I expected.” She walked around me while I stayed dumbfounded in the middle of the room. “And you took long enough to get here.”