I glanced around our group. Nox was gone. As was Glinda and Sayer.
Tatiana stood on my left, both swords now drawn, while Fallon remained perfectly still, his bow straining.
“You’re outnumbered, Glinda,” I called, scanning the darkness. “And you have no idea who else was waiting for me.”
“The refugees?” she replied, her voice saccharine sweet. “What could they possibly do against me? Their flesh will be seared from their bones the moment Sayer senses their presence. Isn’t that right, my sweet?”
Her sweet? Fallon had told me he wasn’t screwing her, so what was that? Baiting me? Did she suspect Sayer?
I glanced over to Sayer. He’d squared his jaw and was looking at me as though to begging me not to react.
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, we’ll do this your way. Can someone make sure it’s noted that I tried to be diplomatic?”
“What are you doing?” Tatiana whispered.
I ignored her. Instead, I drew on what I’d learned with Nox and focused on the tree I presumed Sayer was standing behind.
It burst into flames instantly, and I heard Sayer curse. Then the heavens opened.
“Fire won’t work,” Tatiana commented, pulling me back by the shoulder. “All that’s likely to happen is you’ll burn half the forest and exhaust yourself.”
“We have to do something,” I argued.
Yes,” she agreed. “But a standoff here isn’t it. We should—”
The roar of flames cut her off, and she pulled me to the ground as she turned away from the conflagration. The sudden brightness affected my eyes and I squeezed them shut to clear away the flashing lights.
“Son of a… what the hell, Sayer?” I hissed, landing with a thud. He’d sent out a fan of flames to disorient us and it damn well worked.
I immediately rolled onto my back, looking wildly around for Fallon.
As my eyes acclimatized, aided by a lot of blinking, I made out his shape only a few feet away and pushed myself up so I could scramble to him.
He was hissing through his teeth, pressing his hands against his face, and I held him by the shoulders as I tried to check him over. But it was impossible with him holding his face.
“He’s hurt,” I told Tatiana when she joined me, “you need to get him to someone who can help, where are the Lioneag?”
“I won’t leave you to face her alone,” she countered, looking around us.
“I’m not alone. Nox is still here somewhere, please. Help him.” I couldn’t keep from choking on my words. Seeing him like this, in so much pain he was making noises, filled me with fear. It was bad, and there were no medics in Oz as far as I knew. “Please. I’ll follow.”
Joining her index finger and thumb, she pushed the two digits into her mouth and let out a loud whistle.
I leaned close to Fallon’s face and whispered, “I’ll follow you, I promise,” then pushed myself to my feet.
“Glinda!” My voice was hoarse with emotion, but my footsteps were sure and steady as I strode toward the tree beside the one I’d ignited, and said, “If you aren’t running, you should be.”
I reached the tree and kept walking with my hands by my sides. The wind was already building without me willing it to do so, the empty boughs above me creaking as they swayed, and I glanced from left to right.
“If you make it to Sayer and run along home, you’re only going to have to face me later. And you won’t like that. I’m alone now. I won’t be next time.”
“Treacherous little whore,” Glinda hissed somewhere to my right. “First, I gave you power and you think you can use it against me? Then, you take Fallon’s attention—he was supposed to leave, not be enraptured by some idiotic slut!”
I didn’t fall for it. I kept stalking forward, listening carefully. Eventually, I heard it, the soft “pfft” sound, and I stopped. “You call me a whore, but I haven’t sold myself. I gave myself freely, and Fallon did the same. Has anyone given themselves to you recently, I wonder? Has anyone declared their love for you?”
There was a rustle behind me, but I didn’t look back.
“Has anyone ever loved you, Glinda? I know Dorothy thought the people here did, but I’ve seen something very different from the image you presented to her. I know what you did and why you did it. There’s nothing good about you. You’re wicked to the core.”
The rain began to fall harder, the droplets so fast and cold they felt as though they were slicing my skin. My shirt was plastered to my body, my hair coming loose around my face, and I turned on the spot, my arms outstretched. “Take your best shot,” I prodded as our eyes met.
She was perfectly dry, her gown unruffled and her hair set in a perfect yellow bob. “You are deluded if you believe you are a match for me, little girl,” she snarled, all pretenses of the pastry puff gone.
“No,” I said simply, raising my hand. Her eyes locked on my fingers, on the flaming tips I was admiring. “But I’m pretty sure Nox is a match for Sayer, and without him, you’re at something of a disadvantage. You have water at your disposal, and after his little display, I know that with him you have fire, but take Sayer out of the equation and you’re faced with fire and air and anger. I’m not a little girl. I’m a grown ass woman who’s dealt with people like you all my goddamned life. I’ve done this a dozen times before, and I’m not afraid.”
I eyed the sky and willed it to fall. Not rain but fire, not cold and sharp, but hot and consuming. And I brought it down on her.
I knew she would protect herself, forming one of her signature bubbles over her the instant my fire touched the earth, but that was what I needed.
There was a terrifying roar nearby, I knew immediately that it meant Nox and Sayer had crossed paths, but there was no answering sound. Not even a flash of light, and I saw a flicker of panic in her eyes. Was that her only ally defeated?
I pursued my lips and sucked in a breath, before turning up the heat. “Sounds like my guy found your guy. I wonder how that’s gonna to turn out?”
The rain had stopped, and my strong wind and falling fire overpowered her contributions with very little effort. She remained in her bubble, looking as though she might run at me and scratch my eyes out.
I walked toward her. She may have felt safe in her cocoon, she may have been furious at me for double crossing her, but I had every confidence it was nothing compared to how I was feeling.
“So,” I started, stopping right before her. I poked the membrane of her shield with one of my flaming fingertips and heard it hiss. Her eyes widened. “We can end this now, Glinda. You can give up. You can return to the South and never leave your lands again, or I can tear your overly made-up face off and trample it into the dirt. Your choice.”
“Or we can do this my way,” Sayer interjected from behind.
I turned slowly, balling my hand into a fiery fist, and faced him. I didn’t want to believe it, but I could hear it in his voice. He was going to screw me over. “Don’t—” I began, but I couldn’t finish, the shock and disappointment brought a lump into my throat.
He sighed. “I had hoped you were smarter than this. I certainly didn’t want to have to be the one to end you.”
“If you do it, you take the power. Then she’ll kill you,” I warned.
He smiled, and despite knowing how I should feel, I still felt my stomach squirm with joy from being so close to him. I loved his smile. I’d spent the last ten days desperate to see him again. I’d been worried for him. I’d taken on the whole responsibility of defeating Glinda because of him. I trusted him.
“No. Glinda the Good is my queen. She is a goddess. It is an honor to take from you what is rightfully hers. Delivering her full power is a declaration of my love for her. My final act of worship,” he declared.
“You’re fucking insane,” I snarled, stepping back and forgetting that Glinda’s bubble was directly behind me. Unexpectedly, I passed through the gelatinous membrane, and I turned again to come face to face with Glinda and a dagger I hadn’t
realized she was carrying.
Then we rose. Her bubble floated gracefully skyward, through the hole in the trees, and away from Sayer and Nox.
I looked at the sharp point of the blade pointing at my throat, then up at the sky.
“So this is it?” I commented, returning my focus to her and looking directly into her eyes.
Her eyelashes were insane. I regularly wore false lashes, needed them for work, but hers were just... well, they weren’t any worse than the stupid beauty spot she’d stuck to her cheek.
“Yes, Ellana, now you die,” she chirped.
My lips twitched and she grinned.
“I’m glad you’re able to find joy in your end, Ellana. Your death will bring peace to our lands. Freedom to our people.”
My smile grew wider and I tipped my head to the side.
Her eyes widened as she realized what I’d done. But it was too late. We were too high.
She turned the dagger, holding it parallel with my throat, and irritation replaced her glee.
“Maybe next time,” I quipped quietly, pulling back my head.
It was just enough for her to miss as she attempted to slice my neck, her face twisted with fury.
“You treacherous—”
I managed to wink before the flame at my feet ate through the last of the membrane holding us. We fell together, and I reached out and shoved her away from me. Where she landed was her problem. As for me, I didn’t bother to try and save myself.
There was no need with my friend below to catch me.
Chapter 14
Fourteen
If catching me mid fall hurt her, Kali showed no sign. My landing was awkward, and it certainly hurt me, the jarring to my back was worrying for a couple of minutes, but I righted myself and clung on. She hadn’t so much as wobbled and took off at a surprisingly high speed.
I held on tightly, burying my face in her neck to protect it from the cold night air. There was a strong wind I had nothing to do with, and it was loud in my ears as she flew.
“Ella!”
I was almost certain I could hear someone calling my name, but it couldn’t be. Not at this height or moving at such speed.
Then I heard it again.
The voice was faint, but I was certain I’d heard my name being called. I didn’t try to search for the owner. Kali was too high up for me to see anyone on the ground and in all honesty, I was sure I’d be blown off if I sat upright.
Lioneag, I discovered, were very, very fast fliers when they felt like it. And Kali was no exception despite her smaller than average size.
“Ella!”
I turned my head sharply to the right, and despite my fear of falling to my death I sobbed with relief.
“Where the hell were you?” I yelled over the howling wind.
Nox didn’t answer. Instead, he pointed down from the Lioneag he was riding on and I sat up straighter to look.
There were few clouds, and the night sky was clear. Stars, constellations I’d never seen before, shone brightly and the moon illuminated the ground below.
The landscape was rocky, and it reminded me of the top of the mountain in the West. Not far ahead was a tall cliff face, beyond that was what I assumed to be the border hills before the impassable waste, and between the two stood a black castle.
The parapets were lit at regular intervals, but there was no obvious entrance to the building from what I could see. What was clearly visible was a winged patrol moving west, to east, and back.
I looked over to Nox. He was grinning broadly, his braids blowing behind him in the wild wind, barely holding on to his mount.
I had so many questions, but it was impossible to ask right then. Turning my attention back to the castle, I clung to Kali and hoped the patrol would just let us through.
“Ella, thank goodness.”
I was surprised to see Remi standing in the courtyard, but I was warmed by the relief in his voice.
I slid from Kali’s back and stroked her head, allowing her to rub her beak against my shoulder. “Thanks for saving my ass,” I said softly, stepping around her and toward my general. “Why are you here, Remi? Is everything all right?”
Remi lowered his head. “Apologies. There was growing concern for your safety as whispers left the forest and spread over the planes. Talk of wolves and other creatures sent to...”
“Only wolves,” Nox corrected, stepping to my side and looking down at him. “You didn’t tell me your people were so loyal, Ella.”
I took a deep breath. I didn’t really want to have to explain it all right then. I wanted to see Fallon, to be sure he was all right, but Remi looked concerned at the appearance of the lion shifter. “Remi, this is Nox. He found us in the forest and helped me take the West. He also defended me against Sayer and—”
“Sayer?” Remi interrupted, the wrinkles on his brow deepening. “He openly attacked you?”
I shrugged. “Something like that. It’s complicated, we can’t really tell what’s going on with him. But, we’re here now, mostly in one piece.”
He lowered his head. “Fallon was taken directly upstairs. Lady Bree is tending his wounds and should be with us shortly.”
“Where?” I demanded, glancing around the courtyard.
There was a large, wooden door to my left and I headed toward it.
“Ella, please. Lady Tatiana left refreshment. Let me get you something to drink, get you warmed up, and Bree will take you to him when—”
I stopped and lowered my head, fighting back tears.
“Ella...” Nox murmured softly.
I closed my eyes as he placed his hand on my shoulder. The urge to lean into him, to seek comfort I knew Fallon would offer if he were here, was tremendous. All the times I’d felt that spark of attraction and pushed it away flashed into my mind and I held my breath.
It was only there for a second before he removed it and took a step away to my right, and assured, “He’s okay. Bree’s handled worse than a few singed hairs over the years. Give her time to treat him.”
Time. It all came down to time and I was running out of it. Sayer had put on a good show, but he was walking the line as much as I was. Fallon was injured. Tatiana had done all she could on her own. It all came down to me.
Taking a deep breath, I blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall and strode into the castle.
The entrance hall was as you’d expect. Bare. Cold. The unwelcoming feel was only accentuated by the black stone walls that absorbed most of the light from the candles in the gothic, wrought iron chandeliers hanging above. Freezing and miserable, I passed through quickly, opening a second door and stepping into what I expected to be a drafty reception hall filled with suits of armor and imposing fireplaces.
I was pleasantly surprised.
The room was airy, with doors leading off right and left. There were no windows, but the walls were built from a different stone, this more of a pink-orange in color, and the focal point was a huge fireplace carved from what appeared to be black and white marble.
There were two large tapestries on the walls on either side, but I didn’t pay them much attention.
Nox gave a low whistle behind me, and I looked back over my shoulder, inquiring, “You’ve never been here?”
He shook his head. “I’ve tried to go unnoticed for obvious reasons. Well, I did until you showed up.”
Guilt stabbed at my gut. He’d remained hidden for so long, able to help so many people as a result, and after knowing me for just a few days, I’d undone everything he’d worked for.
“I’m sorry. I never meant to—” The tears welled again and I choked on my words.
He closed the distance between us but didn’t touch me. “Don’t ever apologize. Oz has waited years for you. The people have suffered, struggled to survive, never knowing you were out there. Never knowing you would come,” he soothed.
I turned to face him. “I’m not what everyone wants me to be. She almost killed me. Sayer could have killed Fal
lon. I didn’t know where you were or what had happened to you and when I got away, I didn’t turn back for you. How can I save all these people when I couldn’t keep the two who’ve risked their lives for me safe?”
I shivered. Whether from the cold night air chilling my bones or the thought of having lost Fallon and Nox, I didn’t know, but my body trembled. I felt so alone.
When I arrived here two weeks before, I was furious. Fury became curiosity, and although I wasn’t sure when I’d made the decision to follow it all through, that’s exactly what I’d done. Sayer made me believe. Sayer showed me I wasn’t just Ella anymore.
I was a witch of Oz.
And I was alone.
Nox looked down at me and smiled. At least a foot taller than me and twice as wide, I should have felt intimidated, but I didn’t. Not when he smiled like that. I met his gentle eyes and gave him a watery smile in return. Then he stepped forward and put his arms around me.
I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly as my body relaxed, that simple act bringing a physical relief. His skin was warm, despite him having flown over in nothing but a cotton shirt and his usual shorts, and I savored the heat he gave me.
“You aren’t responsible for me, or Fallon, or even Sayer,” he began, his voice a low rumble in his chest. “You did all the things you should have done, and we did what we could. Every action you took brought us together here. You’re safe. You’re with friends. That’s far more important than having ended her. Than having died for us. We can plan the next move together.”
I pulled away slightly and looked up at him. “You’re staying?”
His tips twitched, parting slightly.
I focused on his plump bottom lip, how the soul patch of his short beard sat perfectly groomed just below.
“I’m staying,” he replied softly, raising his hand and cupping my cheek.
Something stirred in me. It washed away the anxiety and the guilt. It cleansed me. It drew me closer to him, my gaze still fixed on his mouth.
“Ella,” Tatiana called, blustering into the room. “I’m sorry. I meant to be here when you arrived, but Fallon was being difficult.” She paused, looking at Nox and me, smirked, then continued, “Bree forced a sleeping draft down his throat in the end. Much easier to treat him when he’s still.”
The Quartz Tower (Kingdoms of Oz Book 2) Page 12
