Crack the Sky: Preternatural Chronicles Book 8 (The Preternatural Chronicles)

by Hunter Blain

  45

  Lilith

  The woods were dark and devoid of all life as Lily shifted to Faerie. She had chosen a spot far enough away to barely make out the castle of the Seelie Court off in the distance. It sat disfigured and grotesque inside the tree of life.

  It had only been a matter of minutes since the sorcerer, Magni, had combined the crowns of Faerie, and Lily hoped it wasn’t too late to seek the help she desperately needed…the universe desperately needed.

  Looking at the disfigured castle in the horizon, the once queen of Faerie let out a shuddering breath and turned to make her way toward the centaur village deep in the woods.

  Lily telegraphed her movements as she traveled, knowing she could have crept as silently as a shadow, but anticipating the centaurs would be on full alert.

  Even without her mantle, Lily held incredible power and could easily defeat an entire army of soldiers, but she needed their help in locating what she knew to be out there.

  After several minutes of steadily moving, a stout, commanding voice called out, “Take no further step, trespasser!”

  Lily did as commanded but chose not to raise her hands, even though the gesture would have suggested that no harm was meant.

  From around thick trees that managed to hide the height and girth of the centaurs, a pair of soldiers came into view. One had a bow aimed at Lily while the other wielded an enchanted pike that hummed with power.

  Lily let her eyes flicker between the two, taking a moment to appreciate how beautiful their human features were. They looked like they belonged on a romance novel cover with long, flowing hair, square jaws, and rippling muscles under tanned skin.

  The bow-wielding centaur had blond, almost curly hair that flowed down his back and morphed into a horse’s mane of the same color and texture. Stepping closer, he saw who he held his bow against and quickly lowered the weapon to point to the ground.

  “Queen Lilith,” he said respectfully as he bent his upper body while one of his horse legs extended forward and the other bent at the knee in a curtsy.

  The other centaur, who had straight orange hair that shimmered even in the low light, only narrowed his gaze at Lily as he looked into her purple eyes.

  “Something’s…off…” he said.

  “I am without my crown, noble warriors,” Lily said with a slight nod of her head in greeting. “I wish to speak to your chieftain.”

  “What is happening?” the orange-haired soldier flatly asked with a voice that resembled respect while verging on frustration. He tilted his chin toward the castle that was barely visible in the distance. Black clouds were inching outward in all directions like spilled oil on a glass-top lake. Thunder rumbled from somewhere miles away, sounding like a passing freight train heard from the next town over.

  “There is no time to explain,” Lily pleaded while taking a step forward. “Please, take me to Regnir.”

  The centaur warriors looked at one another, having an entire conversation without a word, before the orange-haired soldier nodded.

  He turned and began striding deeper into the forest, his hooves clicking against the dirt.

  The blond centaur extended his hand, which Lily took, and hoisted her onto his back.

  “I thought your people didn’t like passengers,” Lily mused while gently gripping his mane.

  “For you, I’d make an exception,” he said over his shoulder with a smile before taking off after his partner. “I’m Thadalion. And that’s Mentes.”

  “Pleasure to meet you, Thadalion.”

  “Please, call me Thad.”

  “Do I refer to him as Ment?” Lily asked playfully.

  “It would be humorous if you did, because he hates that,” Thad replied with another smile that challenged any social media influencer.

  They moved swiftly through the forest, and Lily took note that the deeper they went, the more life seemed to return.

  Passing through a clearing, Lily looked around until she found the faraway castle in the sky, and realized it was on her right.

  Looking to her left, she saw the mountains of the Unseelie Court—her home—reaching toward the sky, giving the horizon a wavy shape that resembled a stock market chart. Even though it looked close, Lily knew that her home was on the other side of the plane from the Seelie Kingdom. Views in Faerie were deceiving.

  Looking forward, Lily determined they were traveling the Fae equivalent of due north.

  “I thought your village was closer to King Taylor’s territory,” Lily asked as they galloped the invisible line between Winter and Summer.

  “Regnir has found something and is investigating with the shaman, Greg.”

  Lily didn’t want to admit that she hadn’t heard of the centaur shaman. Then again, it had been thousands of years since the creation of Faerie and its people. Of course the various creatures would have propagated without her direct knowledge or involvement, like a parent watching their child go off to enter the real world and make their own decisions.

  Several minutes passed as Lily kept an eye on the growing black clouds over the Seelie castle, which was now barely visible as a silhouette in the darkness.

  “Is it true?” Thad asked over his shoulder.

  Lily didn’t have to ask for clarification on what he was inquiring about as both creatures stared at the building abyss that would eventually swallow all of Faerie.

  She didn’t answer the question. And that—in itself—was an answer.

  “Can we stop it?” he asked, bravery giving power to his words. Lily knew at that moment that he was the type of soldier who would charge toward certain death with a smile if it meant defending his land and people.

  As Lily gave serious thought to the question, John flashed in her mind, as if both her heart and brain were in agreement that the man she loved might be the only person who could stop Magni.

  Father Thomes’s words inserted themselves in the middle of her thoughts, and the image of John distorted like taking a flame to 8mm film. As the man she would die for bubbled and melted away before her eyes, Ulric stood in his place, a grin of malice stretching from ear to ear.

  “We will stop it,” Lily confirmed to Thad while turning her attention forward, grim determination furrowing her brow. “By any means necessary.”

  46

  Magni

  Why are you doing this? the young man asked from his prison of stone located within his own mind. The Ether had swallowed him whole, leaving only his face free so that he could watch as the world burned by his hands.

  For too long have we been used by the primitive animals of Earth and the foul swine of Hell, uncomprehending of the power which they foolishly abused. The Ether’s words came from all around, like a swirling vortex. The fact that this collective entity chose not to manifest itself in a singular form somehow unnerved Magni.

  If the young man were to discuss the notion with John, the vampire movie buff would probably liken it to horror movies that didn’t reveal the monster until much later in the film. Just as with Jaws, not seeing the shark was the terrifying part.

  John…help me, Magni prayed with a tear running down his mental projection’s face. Except it wasn’t just a projection anymore…it was all that remained of Magni Thorson.

  He cannot save you, child. You are with us. We are one.

  Magni clenched his jaw in an effort to keep his mouth shut, swallowing the desire to scream and taunt the thing that held him. It would do no good.

  Thinking of his dad, Magni wordlessly asked himself what Ludvig would instruct him to do.

  “Know your target,” Ludvig said from a part of Magni’s mind that was walled up from the probing Ether. “What is your opponent’s objective? How will dey complete deir goals? Be patient and strike only when de time is right.”

  Concentrating on the world outside his mind, Magni watched as a portal was opened and more of the Ether escaped into Faerie, rushing to fill the sky and blot out the sun. Magni gulped at the sheer scope of what he was seeing. W
hatever the Ether was planning, it was going to be biblical in nature.

  What are you doing? Magni asked with a dry throat, which was odd, considering he was only a mental representation not held by the rules of a human body.

  A debt is owed. Thousands of years in subservience to thankless hosts who abused us without payment, the Ether said with vengeance tingeing its words. A debt is owed.

  Wha-wha-what payment will you, um, take? Magni asked with a churning in his stomach.

  Only what is fair, the Ether answered, and for a moment, Magni’s stomach settled at the mention of the word fair. But something didn’t feel right.

  When the Ether didn’t elaborate, Magni couldn’t help but press further.

  What’s fair?

  Oblivion.

  47

  John - Grand Island, Nebraska, 1990

  I sat on a couch that miraculously still remained within the destroyed home, though I did have to right it and dust off some debris.

  With my fingers interlocked behind my head, I looked up into a star-filled sky that wasn’t my own, letting my mind wander from thought to thought without any input from me.

  My interaction with Da was first, and I wiped a tear at how terrific and terrible it had felt seeing him in my old home. Now that he was gone, guilt squeezed my heart from thinking about all the years I had taken advantage of him being by my side. The man I had become was a direct result of meeting my guardian angel.

  Father Thomes was next, and I had the desire to go see him just so I could be in his presence when he was still young and wielded incredible power. That seemed pointless, however, because I could simply relive our first meeting by utilizing my perfect preternatural memory. But I also didn’t need a reason to visit another of my mentors who had guided me toward the light.

  As I stared up into the twinkling stars above, feeling the cool air of the Nebraska night glide across my face, I thought about Lily.

  “Lily…” I breathed, sending all of my love into the universe as I spoke her name. The only woman I had ever loved.

  A brief notion of how sad that was nudged into frame, and I had to mentally remind myself that even though I had been in my early twenties when I had been given the dark gift, I had still lived on a farm far from civilization. Well, except for the other nearby farms we shared resources with, like an ox for plowing. But the other farmers only birthed men, leaving me with no hope of finding a wife unless I left the farm.

  I had actually been working up the nerve for several months to talk to my loving parents about leaving to find what else was out there in the world—like love—but kept swallowing the desire the more I watched my parents age.

  Don’t get me wrong, both of my parents were strong from a lifetime of hard labor, but I knew they had crested the hill and were steadily strolling in the direction of their twilight years. If I wasn’t there to help pick up the slack and tend to our only means of survival, who would? I don’t think I would have been able to live with myself if I had left them right when they needed me most.

  Turning on the couch so that I was looking out toward the backyard, I saw Depweg sitting in front of the grave talking quietly to his family. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, and I was thankful to not intrude on his personal conversation.

  From how far away Depweg was, I could barely make out the brown patch on the ground, but my eyes still latched onto the grave.

  My parents came to mind, and I saw their corpses with complete clarity as I buried them. The change had given me perfect recall of every moment I had ever unlived, and one of the first things I had seen was my mom and dad…

  I shifted uncomfortably on the couch, my skin starting to crawl all of a sudden.

  Smacking the cushions as I changed positions, I posted my elbows on my knees and rested my tired face in my hands. The dark thoughts were coming, and I wasn’t ready to face them all.

  “John?” a familiar feminine voice asked, startling me.

  I gasped as my body scrambled into a karate position while still seated, only to see the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on in front of me.

  “Lil…Lily?” I breathed, dropping my hands and slowly raising to my feet, my heart forcing me upward.

  “What are you doing here?” Lily asked, eyeing me up and down with narrowed eyes as if she were searching for something. They slowed at my chest and flicked back and forth over my coat.

  “Lily…I…” I began to say, not knowing where to start. This wasn’t my Lily, no matter how much my heart disagreed.

  Stepping forward, I extended my arms, wanting nothing more than to embrace her. I yearned to smell her hair and taste her skin with my lips.

  To my dismay, she took a step backward as she lifted her eyes from my neckline and toward my face.

  “You’re not my John,” she stated with doubt creeping into her words.

  “I…um…yeah. I’m not from…” I thought about how much I should tell her, but then remembered Da confirming no one would remember what I said in my time line. “I’m from a different river of time.”

  “River?”

  “Yeah.” I kind of chuckled, lifting a hand to remove my beanie before resting both fists on my hips. My black hair spilled over my face, and I shook my head to get the strands flowing back in place. At that moment, I became aware that I needed a shower after my battles. “Gabriel explained it to me like a river. Probably to help me understand. But yeah…I’m not your, um, John.”

  “What are you?” Lily asked, taking a step forward, which I took as a sign of trust.

  “I mean, heh…I’m still me…just with some, um, upgrades. I’ve had an interesting…um…what year is it again?”

  “1990 by the Gregorian calendar.”

  “So, yeah. It’s been a tough, like, fifty years.”

  Taking another step closer to me, she ran exploratory fingers over the material of my coat, pausing over the crucifixes long enough for me to notice.

  With an audible gulp, I lifted my hands to wrap around hers, almost moaning at feeling her skin. She saw my reaction, and a twinkle touched her gorgeous eyes, mirroring the stars above.

  “We’re together?” Lily asked, and I knew she was referring to the future.

  Licking my lips nervously, I nodded my head like a lovestruck child, feeling my throat tightening. With a smile, she pulled me forward and pressed her soft, warm lips into mine. My entire body tensed in surprise before relaxing at the realization of what was happening.

  I wrapped my arms around her petite frame, running a hand through the waves of her silky hair while the other caressed her back, which was interesting because I was still holding my beanie.

  Our tongues explored one another while we both moaned in ecstasy.

  Her hand snaked up to my scalp before snatching at my hair and yanking my head toward my shoulder, exposing my neck. As she vigorously kissed from ear to shoulder, her free hand forcefully gripped the front of my pants, making me gasp in pained delight.

  “I love you,” I hissed in pleasure without meaning to, making her pause.

  We locked eyes, and I was mesmerized by their beauty. They were green at the moment, and it reminded me of making love while lying in the fields of Faerie, thick grass acting as our bed.

  “You…love…me?” Lily asked almost shyly, and I wanted to squeeze her in my arms while lifting her off the ground and spinning around in circles.

  Then my brain reminded me of why she might be surprised. Our relationship hadn’t always been one of affection. Instead, it had been more of a business arrangement devoid of emotions.

  “I do,” I admitted, pulling back from her embrace and placing my beanie atop my head once again. The simple act was both practical and a wordless gesture that suggested the carnal delights portion was over.

  I could see Lily fighting with how to word a question.

  “And you love me, too,” I informed her with a smile.

  Her body seemed to relax ever so slightly as a shy smile raised the corne
rs of her sultry lips. Her gaze dropped to the ground as she covered her mouth with a fist, considering my words.

  “Tell me everything,” Lily demanded, plopping down on the couch with her legs underneath her and an arm resting on the back support.

  Taking her cue, I eased myself next to her, but not too close for fear of being unable to control myself.

  “Almost feels like I’m cheating on you with you,” I admitted with a smile as I dared to lose myself in her green eyes.

  “Nonsense,” Lily said with a light slap of my shoulder using only the tips of her fingers. She brought her hands up to rest her knuckles against her cheek, waiting for me to tell the story.

  “Do you want to know why I’m here? Ooooorrr did you mean about us?”

  “Us, silly,” Lily giggled. “When did we first fall in love?”

  “Well…” I leaned back in the couch, running my hands nervously up and down the tops of my thighs as I thought about where to start.

  A few minutes later, I had told her everything.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Lily said softly, letting both hands drop to her lap as she looked down in shame.

  “I get it,” I reassured her, resting a hand atop hers and squeezing gently. “Admittedly, I probably wasn’t prepared to find out you were the Lilith.”

  “I’ve been hiding…from him. That’s why I try to stay in Faerie as much as possible. He can’t get me there.”

  “I know,” I said softly with an understanding smile that didn’t touch my eyes.

  Lily looked up at the sky as her eyes searched for something that wasn’t there, and I figured she was playing back our entire conversation again.

  “So I save you and Depweg in 2019? By giving you my blood to first introduce you to the In-Between, and then telling you how I had set everything up to betray a warlock?”