The Fulfillment

by Erin Rhew

  The smell of smoke assaulted Layla’s senses long before she reached hill’s crest. Holt fanned the flames of a large fire. Vespa, Grant, Samson, Mia, Jule, Iris, Nash, Zarina, and Wil arrived one behind the other and took their spots around the roaring blaze.

  Volton Holt folded his hands behind his back. “Are we ready to begin?”

  Samson snorted. “As ready as I’ll ever be to meet a psychotic immortal.”

  Holt ignored his nephew and turned to Zarina. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Zarina lifted her chin. “I want this monster out of my body so I can finally be free.”

  Holt nodded. “Then drink this.” He handed her a vile.

  She blew out a long breath and then gulped the concoction. Nash placed a protective arm around her.

  “Nash.” Zarina’s teeth chattered so hard that she bit her lip. A pinprick of blood pooled on the spot. “I….”

  She fell limp in his arms. He lowered her to the ground but kept her hand clasped in his. As he brushed pieces of auburn hair from her face, his obvious concern tugged at Layla’s heart. In that moment, she realized how much he’d come to care for the Outlander girl.

  Nash stroked Zarina’s cheek before glancing up at Volton Holt. “What now?”

  “Now we wait.”

  Zarina’s body convulsed. Nash pushed down on her shoulders, but even his unparalleled strength could not contain her quaking.

  “Zarina. Stay with me.” Nash cradled her face. “Please stay with me.”

  * * *

  As Layla watched Zarina shake, a sense of helplessness descended upon her. She yanked the paper from her pocket and silently read the words. They still made no more sense to her than they had the first time she read them.

  Beside her, Holt brushed his fingers against her arm. “When the time is right, you’ll know.”

  A frustrated, snarky remark danced on the tip of her tongue, but before she gave birth to the reply, a shimmer caught her attention. A flaming orange head poked out of Zarina’s chest. Red eyes, full of rage and hate, glared back at Layla.

  She shivered and leaned over to Wil, who stood on her other side. “Do you see that!”

  “See what?”

  “That.” She pointed at Haddey.

  “I don’t see anything. But just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. I’m here if you need me.”

  She grabbed his hand and squeezed. A small jolt buzzed between them—the same current they’d once felt in Etherea.

  He gasped. “I see her now. When you took my hand, I saw her.”

  Haddey’s arms reached out. She pulled half her form out of Zarina’s lifeless body. Layla recoiled. In her imagination, Haddey had been a gossamer beauty, yet the fiery beast emerging from within Zarina bore no resemblance to that fantasy.

  Holt took her other hand. Layla kept her eyes trained on Haddey, though she wanted to see her father’s reaction as he glimpsed the true face of his wife’s murderer for the first time. Haddey lifted out one leg. Layla tensed.

  Holt dropped her hand. “I can’t see anything.”

  “Let me try.” Samson pushed his way to her side and snatched up the hand Volton Holt had dropped. “I want to see this hag.” After a few seconds, he released her hand and kicked a nearby rock. “I don’t see anything either.”

  With her final leg free of Zarina’s host body, Haddey hovered in place and surveyed her surroundings. The spirit tilted her head and grinned at Layla—a wide, sinister smile that stretched the width of her grotesque, orange face.

  Layla tensed. If Haddey struck, holding hands could hinder both Layla and Wil’s ability to fight. She’d received training for single arm combat but never for fighting while attached to someone else. She wished Wil could see Haddey on his own. As if he’d read her thoughts, Wil dropped her hand.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You can’t defend yourself if you’re holding my hand.” Wil drew in a sharp breath. “Wait…I can still see her.”

  “What?”

  He pointed to Haddey. “I can still see her.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Nothing makes sense.” A shiver rose up Layla’s spine until her hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

  “Your father said you’d know what to do when the time came.” Wil’s confidence failed to inspire Layla, who still struggled to make sense of her responsibilities. Haddey watched their interlude with disinterest.

  Wil squeezed Layla’s forearm. “You’re one of the most extraordinary people I’ve ever met. I believe you can do anything. Anything.”

  Layla cleared her mind and locked gazes with Haddey. Heat blazed from the First One’s red eyes. Haddey tilted her head, still observing them but not moving.

  Layla leaned in to Wil. “Why is she just hovering there?”

  “Maybe she’s toying with us.”

  Haddey snickered. She inched toward Mia. Her smile—a black, gaping hole in the orange—taunted Layla.

  “She’s moving toward Mia.” Layla gestured toward the pregnant girl. Fire flamed in Haddey’s red eyes like an unspoken challenge.

  Samson leapt in front of Mia. Grant and Iris inched closer, offering a unified front. Haddey’s high-pitched, ear-piercing squeal of a laughter filled the woods. Layla resisted the urge to cover her ears. Rather, she kept herself poised for a fight.

  Beside her, Wil winced, but no one else appeared to have heard.

  Haddey floated toward Mia.

  The glacial pace confused Layla. “Why is she moving so slowly, Wil?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe she’s weak without a host body? Regardless, we have to get to her before she gets to Mia.”

  Together, Wil and Layla crept closer.

  * * *

  As they proceeded toward the First One, realization dawned for Layla. The smiles, the laughter…Haddey enjoyed this game. Layla stopped her advance.

  Wil bumped into her. “What is it?”

  “She’s smiling and laughing. I get the impression we’re giving her what she wants.”

  “Then we have to throw her off. But how?”

  “I have no idea.” Responsibility weighed upon Layla. Her role as the Fulfillment had proven far more complicated than the Prophecy foretold. An idea—the slightest hint of a solution—flitted around the edges of her mind but eluded her at every turn.

  “Layla Givens.” Haddey’s voice, both gravelly and shrill, pierced Layla’s ears. “We officially meet at last.”

  “Haddey.” Layla gripped the hilt of the sword at her side.

  The orange form flicked as her red eyes swept down to the sword and back up to Layla’s face. “You must know you can’t stop me. You humans are so pathetic.”

  “You must be worried that I am capable of killing you, or you wouldn’t have tried to kill me in the Outlands. You worked up a pretty elaborate scheme to ruin the life of a pathetic human who can’t beat you.”

  Haddey’s eyes blinked black before returning to red. She drifted toward Mia. “If you let me inhabit Mia, who’s been nothing but a nuisance in your life, you could have Wil. He’s what you really want, isn’t he?” She flashed from orange to yellow as her voice changed to a high falsetto. “Oh, Wil, I love you so much, but I can’t have you because of that vapid Mia girl.” The spirit cackled at her imitation. The horrible sound slashed through the air. Layla tried not wince. She refused to give Haddey the pleasure of seeing her squirm.

  “Since you killed my last host, I need a new one. Do you think Nash will still like me if I’m inside the body of a wilting flower like Mia? He does seem to have a soft spot for saps.”

  Layla schooled her face, determined to keep her thoughts and emotions hidden.

  Haddey flickered. “Oh yes, I still intend to have Nash by my side. I need his half-Ethereal, half-Vanguard lineage in my heir, but to have an heir, I need a body.” Haddey cackled.

  “Protect Mia.” Wil waved the others, who watched the scene with confusion, toward Mia.


  “From what?” Samson’s arms tightened around the Outlander girl as he glanced around.

  Haddey’s red eyes glowed brighter. “Of course, Mia’s body is already with child. That’s unfortunate, but ripping out the little monstrosity is easy enough for me.”

  “Over my dead body.” Wil drew his sword and stepped toward Haddey.

  “That can easily be arranged, you puny Ethereal.” The First Ones’ body glowed a brighter orange.

  Layla grabbed Wil’s arm and pulled him back. “No, she’s toying with you.”

  Haddey swiped a hand across Mia’s leg. Violent tremors shook the girl’s body. Samson, white-faced, covered her body with his. He whipped his head around, his eyes wide. As Haddey’s fingers scraped across his back, a hole burned through his shirt and onto his skin. Samson cried out but did not let go of Mia.

  With a yell, Wil drove his sword into the spirit. The tip dissolved and disappeared. Haddey roared and captured his wrist. His flesh crackled and turned black. Layla stumbled forward as his screams ripped through her.

  Layla grabbed Wil’s other arm and yanked him with all her might. He fell back into her, out of Haddey’s grasp. Layla righted them both, and then rushed Wil further out of the First One’s reach and laid him down.

  A black char of mangled flesh circled Wil’s wrist. Layla shivered. Jule inched her way over to inspect Wil’s wound, while Volton Holt sidestepped toward Samson.

  Layla made a mental list of Haddey’s powers. She could inhabit bodies, shorten pregnancies, observe her subjects within the confines of the Outlands, and burn both flesh, fabric, and steel. The thought that had eluded Layla earlier washed over her now with surprising clarity. Powers. The answer lay within their powers. In life, Haddey had been a shape shifter. But she lacked the strength of one brother and the mind controlling abilities of the other.

  Layla had been able to free Wil from Haddey’s grasp using Vanguard strength, and Iris had mentioned that Haddey always chose a host with queen’s blood because that blood provided her immunity to Alternations. Without her host’s protective shield, Haddey could be susceptible to influence.

  “Wil.” Layla crouched down beside the fallen Ethereal, while keeping a careful eye on the First One.

  Wil’s hair clung to his forehead. He wheezed and panted with each breath, pain etched upon his face.

  Jule fumbled around inside a bag. “Holt gave me this bag of medicine when he rushed to assist Samson, but I don’t really know what will help the burn.” She pulled out a salve and rubbed in on the spot, but Layla observed no signs of healing.

  Wil’s eyelids fluttered open. “I’m here. What do you need?”

  Layla bent down to whisper in his ear. “I think she’s susceptible to our powers. She couldn’t hold on to you when I pulled you away, so I think she can be Altered.”

  Jule shook her head. “He may be too injured to maintain the focus he needs.”

  Layla grabbed the bag from Jule’s hands and dug around until she found a second salve. As she smoothed the lotion on Wil’s burns, his features relaxed.

  Wil smiled at her. “It eases the sting.” He stood. Layla recognized the determined set of his jaw. “Let’s try your idea. Typically in battle, I play to person’s fears. What kind of Alteration should I perform on a heartless monster? What fears would she have?”

  Layla pondered his question. “Well, she has some strange attachment to Nash. Maybe show her Nash and Zarina together. Or show her the Outlanders being toppled by the Ethereals and Vanguards. Or make her believe she can’t locate a host body.”

  Wil nodded. “I can work with some of that.”

  “Just remember, she’s going to try to distract you. She’ll go after the baby.” Layla touched his good arm. “I won’t let her harm your daughter.”

  He swallowed and nodded. “I trust you.”

  He narrowed his eyes and focused on the spirit. As Wil worked, Vespa rounded the circle and came to stand beside her brother.

  Layla held up a hand to stop Vespa. “What are you doing?”

  “I can make his Alteration stronger.” Vespa raised her chin. Her expression dared Layla to object.

  “How? You can’t even see her.”

  “I’ll place my energy in the same direction as Wil’s. I don’t have to see her for my abilities to join with his. We’re a team. We always have been.” Vespa join her brother and turned her attention to the invisible enemy.

  Haddey let out an angry roar. The sound filled the whole forest and blew leaves around in a mini tornado. A general sense of unease descended like a fog.

  Vespa smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Why isn’t this working?”

  Wil cradled his injured arm. “I don’t know. I can clasp on to her mind for a moment, but then she flickers and darts away. It’s like trying to catch water in your hands.” Wil lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Layla. We can’t Alter her.”

  Across the fire, Mia spasmed again. Samson punched and kicked at the air while shielding her with his body. When he made contact with Haddey’s arm, his calf sizzled. He let out a gasp of pain but continued to kick the spot. He connected with the First One two more times before she floated out of his reach. A festering dark wound spread across his leg.

  Zarina, who had been motionless on the ground, stirred. Nash helped her to her feet and hugged her. She smiled. Seeing her former host alive, Haddey wafted toward Zarina.

  Layla pointed in the First One’s direction. “Nash, she’s after Zarina.”

  “No.” Nash placed his wife behind himself.

  “No, I’m okay.” Zarina stepped out from behind his wall of protection and faced the monster, which had inhabited her for so long.

  Nash’s mouth fell open, but he stepped back and allowed Zarina her space. “Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  As the First One slinked toward Zarina, the Outlander lifted her hands high into the air, leaving her chest exposed. Haddey flew toward it.

  Zarina smiled. “I renounce my Outlander heritage and my Outlander powers. I am no longer Queen Cataleen of the Outlands.”

  Unable to stop her momentum, Haddey slammed into Zarina’s chest. The former queen reeled backward, but Nash caught her before she fell.

  “Are you hurt?” He slid his hands along her arms.

  Zarina stared down at her unscathed body. “No, I’m okay. She didn’t hurt me.”

  Haddey grabbed her head and screamed. The sound of her earlier laughter paled in comparison to this ear-splitting display of rage. Crawling along the ground, Haddey dragged herself toward Mia. Her orange had dulled to a muted yellow.

  “She’s headed for Mia.” Layla ran to assist Samson.

  The First One lifted up and reared back to punch Mia through the chest. Samson, with his Vanguard reflexes, whirled the girl around. He maneuvered them both into a crouch and covered the back of her body with his own. The hand Haddey had intended for Mia slammed into Samson’s back. He screamed as the spirit burned him, but the shield his body had created prevented Haddey from connecting with Mia.

  Enraged, the First One tried to slither underneath them. Wil surged forward and threw himself in front of the crouched duo. Haddey raked him across the face, leaving a burning claw mark along his cheek. He cried out and fell to his knee but continued to safeguard Mia and their daughter.

  Layla could not explain how she knew it, but she did. The time had come. Her hands shook, and her breathing escalated as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the paper her father had given her. She stared down at the indecipherable words. But then, the letters transformed, manifesting into a language she could understand—a language she could speak.

  Raising her voice to sound more brave and powerful than she felt, Layla shouted the words. “I, Layla Givens, the Fulfillment of the First One’s Prophecy, do hereby call upon the sons of Crus and Ree to cease their sister’s immortal reign!”

  Haddey slid away from Mia. “No.” Her red eyes glittered white.


  With those words, a thunderous boom rattled the forest around them. Layla’s hair whipped around in the howling wind. She gripped the paper tighter in her hands to keep it from flying away. Though her whole body had broken out in a cold sweat, she stared down the enraged spirit and grabbed on to Wil, Samson, and Mia. Haddey shuffled away from Mia and Layla, a trapped expression on her gruesome face.

  Two forms shimmered near the fire pit. Layla gasped. Though she’d never seen them before, Layla inexplicably recognized the two men as Zed and Poden, the original Ethereal and Vanguard, solidified. Like the Ethereals that followed after him, Zed’s hair shone bright blond. His brother, Poden, stood strong and proud. His bulging muscles and dark hair connected him to his Vanguard descendants.

  Layla’s mouth dropped open. When she’d read those words, she hadn’t imagined the First Ones would manifest in front of her.

  Zed spread his arms out wide. “Do not be afraid. I’m Zed, and this is my brother Poden. We’re not here to hurt you. We’ve come for Haddey.”

  A few steps away, the Haddey spirit vanished, replaced by a beautiful young woman. A long braid of red hair curled over her shoulder, all the way down the front her baby blue dress. Layla’s brain tried to reconcile the homicidal spirit with this wide-eyed girl.

  Haddey peered down her nose with disdain. “Brothers, I won’t be needing your assistance.”

  Poden flexed and released his hands. “Haddey, we can’t let you continue what you’re doing. Our parents’ hearts break as you reign terror down upon innocent people. You know how much our destructive natures pained them. Come with us. We can live together as a family, free from jealousy and hatred once and for all.”

  Zed stepped toward Haddey, his arms open. “Please, sister. Mother and Father want us all to be together again.”

  Haddey’s bountiful lips turned up in a sneer. “So, you’ve all joined together to bring me down, have you? Well, I’m stronger than ever. Unlike the two of you, who succumbed to mortal death, I have lived for centuries. And I intend to remain for centuries more. Leave. Go back to whence you came, or I’ll be forced to kill you again.”