Flood and Fire

by Deirdra Eden

  “Oh.” I swallowed hard and cringed at my foolishness, pulling the sword to my chest.

  “Even though you are Immortal, you must still be careful. Shadow Lords can kill you if they stab you in the heart. Immortal Watchers who have joined the Rebellion can kill you as well.” Eva’s eyes grew more intense. “Auriella, you will not be able to come back to Earth a third time if you are killed while in your human form.”

  I shrank back from her, but she pulled me to her, embracing me. Her tone softened and turned apologetic. “I do not say these things to scare you.” She pulled away and looked me in the eyes. “What happened with those human assassins who killed you the first time will never happen again. Human weapons cannot harm you.” Eva let out a soft alto laugh, giving me permission to relax and laugh as well.

  The day I was murdered had faded to a dream, but I remembered the metallic tang of blood in my mouth, the foul smell of the mud, and the hissing and gurgling of air from the wounds between my ribs. “I wonder what happened to the assassins,” I mused out loud.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Eva said. “You are here now to perform missions and fight the Rebellion until Erebus is destroyed.”

  I lowered my gaze and asked, “Can you tell me where Azrael is performing his mission? I must go to him.” My longing for him had only increased as I saw this magnificent palace and discovered my new immortal abilities. The life we could have together would be grander than I imagined.

  Eva swallowed hard. “Let’s take you to see the high druid.” She made to leave the room but I caught her arm.

  “Tell me. Where is Azrael?” I pleaded.

  She took a deep breath. “Azrael is not on a mission—at least not one formally assigned to him.”

  It felt as though she had struck me. “What did he do?” My voice broke. A thousand horrible possibilities raced through my mind.

  “Oh, querida, he thought you were dead. He knew how you felt about immortality and believed you would not return, even if you were offered the choice.” Intense sadness reflected in her bright eyes as she held my hands in hers, gripping them.

  I caught my breath and held it. Hot tears boiled over in my eyes. An iron weight sank in my stomach and my shoulders dropped under the pressure. I couldn’t breathe. Whatever happened to Azrael and whatever he did, it wasn’t good.

  Chapter Two

  The Sanctuary

  We walked swiftly from the beautiful palace Azrael had built for me. Eva allowed me to pause and take in the glory of the silvery white palace shining brilliantly in the sunlight. White and gold flags danced in the wind like silk waves from various spires. Delicate white trim adorned the palace in everlasting lace. Wild ivy and roses garnished the balconies, columns, and walkways.

  Perfect as it was, this palace meant nothing without Azrael. The thought of what he might have done and why had he left me alone pounded through me along with the sharp ache in my chest. I turned away, waiting for Eva to lead us onward. As we walked, I could faintly taste the salt of the sea when I inhaled the wet forest air. The ocean was close.

  “So few of us come back as Immortals,” Eva said over her shoulder as she led me up a nearby hill and toward the secret Watcher city-state. “He thought you were dead. And Azrael knew how you felt about immortality…”

  I waved away her explanation, feeling it was an excuse for Azrael’s behaviours. Though immortal and nothing could hurt me physically, my heart ached and threatened to shatter into a thousand shards. I had never felt such pain or loneliness. Was anyone I had known before still alive? And now I was living in a strange place.

  “Why does it hurt so badly?” I rasped, barely able to speak. I put my hand to my chest as if hoping to stop the tightening and twisting there and the sharp ache of Azrael’s absence.

  Eva paused in our hike and turned to me. “You are immortal now. Very few things can hurt your physical body, but your spirit…” She took a deep breath and paused as if searching for the right word. “Every emotion strikes you more intensely. It’s what we call Immortal Pain or hyper-empathy. It’s one of the side effects of Immortality.”

  “Side effects,” I barely whispered. No one had told me about the side effects of immortality. No mortal wound could have given me the agony my soul now endured. I wiped my eyes, steeling myself for whatever came—or trying to. I willed my emotions to be as hard as my new immortal skin so I could press forward.

  We reached the crest of the hill. In the valley below, white stone cottages, spiraling ivory towers, and regal long houses dotted the landscape all the way to the glittering sea on the horizon. The Watcher city radiated with light as the morning sun struck golden straw covering the rooftops.

  The white and gold Watcher flags waved from every tower and post in the city. Swords clanked from an arena nearby where men and women trained as archers in a field shot at targets in the shape of black Shadow Wolves—the Blood Hunters.

  My muscles involuntarily tensed as I stared at the crudely painted red eyes on the wooden targets. Those blazing red eyes and the horror I had felt as they started to eat me alive would haunt me forever.

  Laughter banished my terrifying memories as if awakening me from a nightmare. The children of the city played in the perfectly laid cobblestone streets, lined with sturdy cottages. The architecture of each home was unique. Neatly trimmed trees that bore delicious looking fruit crowded the city, and thick, deep green grass carpeted the yards around them. It was how I pictured the Garden of Eden, but without snakes, and everyone wore clothes.

  I took in the majesty of the city as Eva and I made our way toward the great white tower surrounded by a stone circle in the center of the town. When we passed by the training grounds the archers lowered their bows and the swordsmen stopped in mid-fight. They bowed as we walked by.

  “She’s back!” someone called. “The Lady of Neviah is back!” Children rushed toward me. They bounced around and examined my red hair and sparkling white skin as if trying to verify if it was really me.

  A young boy opened my palm and asked. “Can you shoot Starfire from your hands?”

  I laughed. “Only when Azrael is around.” The legendary weapon of Starfire was useless without him. I looked up, hoping to see him in the gathering crowd, but the dagger of his absence struck again.

  “Well, well, well,” a familiar voice said. “Look who has finally decided to join us.” Korban, one of the Watchers from Scotland, navigated his way through the crowd and embraced me. “I was wondering when you would awaken.” He pulled away, still holding my hands. “You sure look better than the last time I saw you… but then you were also dead the last time I saw you.” He gave me a half smile. “No one thought you were coming back.” His voice laced with regret as he lowered his gaze to the cobblestone road.

  I leaned close and whispered. “Where is Azrael?” If I couldn’t get an answer out of Eva, maybe Korban would tell me.

  Korban’s head snapped up and his shocked gaze met mine. “They haven’t told you what that idiot did?” he almost shouted. The crowd around us went silent.

  Eva hushed Korban with a finger to her lips. “I need to take her to the temple to see Zacaris.”

  Korban took a deep breath through his nose as he stood up straight like a soldier. “I will come with you.”

  What ever happened to Azrael was worse than I thought. On shaky legs, I clumsily followed them toward the great stone circle and white tower at the center of the sanctuary. The rest of the city passed in a blur as suspense and worry paralyzed my ability to take in its beauty. A hundred scenarios of what could have happened to Azrael played out in my mind. We reached the temple and Eva led me through the doorway into a large stone circle. Korban followed behind us.

  Bold silks in blue, purple, and scarlet were draped like curtains between the stone pillars. Symbols of various stars, squares, and circles with lines through them were etched in the stone columns and inlaid with silver and gold. I had no idea what the symbols meant, but I could sense they were important,
as if they told about the making of the universe and the whole Neviahan history from its genesis.

  A massive warrior-like man sat in a nook of embroidered pillows reading from a leather-bound book. His huge body sank deep into the couch and his brow creased as he concentrated. As soon as he looked up and gave me one of his endearing wide grins I recognized him.

  “Aye, look who’s outta survival sleep,” Orion crowed in his heavy Scottish accent. It took him only two steps to make it across the room before he grabbed me in a great bear hug and lifted me off the ground. “Now that you are immortal, I canna crush you to dust anymore.”

  I gasped for breath under his strength. “I beg to differ.”

  Orion laughed and set me down. “I knew ye would come back. How do you like being Immortal? You’re one of us now. We dunna have to worry about you breaking your neck when you fall off your horse.”

  I shook my head at the joke that would never die.

  Korban crossed his arms and winked. “You missed some great battles against the Rebellion while you were in survival sleep.”

  “The proper term is ‘revival sleep’ since she died and came back as one of us Immortals,” Orion corrected. “And you’ve come back just in time. Been some trouble in the Celtic lands.” Orion let out a sigh and flared his nostrils. “Nobody is sayin’ it, but everyone is thinkin’ it—Erebus is back.”

  My heart pounded and my fingertips smoldered with heat, more than ready to test the new strength of my immortal body in a fight against Erebus. He had destroyed my country, killed my friends, and worst of all, tricked me into loving him by impersonating my fiancé.

  Korban nodded. “These political disturbances have his trademark. In London, you and Azrael almost killed him, but he has that blasted necklace.”

  I ground my teeth together and pressed my palm against my forehead. It was my fault he was still alive. “I gave him my healing necklace when he was disguised as Lucas.”

  “Do not be hard on yourself,” Eva said. “That diablo tricked us all. We thought he was dead, but he has simply been in hiding for many years.”

  “Shadow Survival Sleep,” Korban corrected.

  Orion shook his head as if hushing Korban. Korban glanced at me then looked away.

  “Shadow Survival Sleep?” I asked.

  Eva lowered her eyebrows and scolded, “She’s a lady. Don’t speak of such things to her.”

  “Auriella is a warrior,” Korban said in a clipped tone. “She needs to know.”

  “But her Immortal Pain,” Eva argued. “You know how bad it is for new Immortals.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. The ache for Azrael hadn’t dulled. Another new pain would hardly matter. I was tired of people keeping information from me to spare my feelings. “Please tell me.” Knowing would be better than wondering—at least I could have answers for this.

  Korban let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl. “In Shadow Survival Sleep they bury the broken Shadow Spirit in the ground and perform human sacrifices over the grave until the shadow arises in full strength again. Hundreds of people must have been killed to get enough blood to bring Erebus back from the Shadow World.”

  Eva was right about the Immortal Pain. The loss of hundreds of lives sliced through me. I squeezed my eyes shut. It was as if in my mind I could see it happening all at once. Sharp pain exploded in my chest. I pressed a hand there, wishing to relieve it. I had to master these new emotions.

  Orion crossed his burly arms over his massive chest. “Zacaris isn’t happy about it. All the Neviahan Watchers the high druids sent out searchin’ for the gravesite have disappeared. Even against the high druids will, Azrael—”

  “Orion.” Eva cut him off with a stern look.

  “What did he do. Tell me,” I asked.

  Orion’s eyes flickered to Eva. She dropped her shoulders as if surrendering then nodded. Orion continued, “I’m sorry. He went lookin’ for Erebus and he’s disappeared. Perhaps dead as a sacrifice to Erebus.”

  Korban added, “We think he went on a suicide mission after you died. He didn’t think you would come back and he didn’t plan on returning himself.”

  Chapter Three

  High Druid of Fire

  Anguish took control. I couldn’t repress the thought of Azrael being hunted for his blood. If he was dead then Starfire was lost. Hot tears evaporated off my cheeks. Gold flames shot from my fingers tips. Korban shouted in surprise and stumbled back away from me. Flames spewed off of my whole body. Korban and Orion slid against the wall for safety.

  Eva jerked away and held up her hands. “It’s all right, Auriella,” she said in a soothing tone. “Azrael may yet be alive.” Eva stepped farther away. “Control your fire.”

  I clenched my hands into fists and dropped to my knees. I wrapped my arms around my middle as if I could force the flames to stay inside my body. It worked. I stayed on the floor until I was sure the fire was gone.

  “New Immortals,” Orion said under his breath. “Never can control themselves.”

  I took a deep breath, struggling to maintain control over the emotions threatening to boil over again. “We have to find him.”

  “We will,” Korban promised, then a half-smile escaped. “As long as you quit trying to kill us.” The painful feelings hadn’t receded enough for me to laugh with him yet, but Orion’s shoulders shook with a repressed laugh.

  “That’s why we must see Zacaris,” Eva said. “The High Druid of Fire will train her and teach her how to control her new immortal strength.”

  Korban put his fists on his hips. “Good. We can use another warrior in battle.”

  I met Korban’s confident gaze. They all believed in me and that made me want to work harder to learn to control my powers. I wouldn’t disappoint them.

  The red curtains to the inner circle flew open. A man wearing a dark blue robe and a scowl that wrinkled his forehead eyed Orion and Korban. Intensity burned in his hazel eyes, reaching into my core. Power radiated off him in a way I could feel pounding through the room. His hair was pulled up into a knot, emphasizing his chiseled, sharp features. Everyone at the sanctuary had been so friendly, but this man seemed as if he could not only destroy me physically, but destroy my mind and make me feel like a helpless child in his presence. I held my breath, unable to breathe at the sight of the terrifying man. His focused gaze found me and pinned me to the ground.

  “On your feet, Auriella,” he commanded in a low voice like thunder.

  I stood on shaky legs.

  He motioned for me to follow him behind the curtain. I glanced at Korban and Orion— both staring attentively at the floor and unmoving, seemingly paralyzed in his presence.

  Eva winked at me and squeezed my hand as I passed by her, assuring me everything would be all right. I followed him behind the curtains into the inner circle then stepped inside the massive, domed room.

  Higher above me than any cathedral I’d ever seen, a painting of the twelve universes rotating around the governing star blanketed the ceiling in vibrant celestial hues. The painting itself seemed alive and moved as if stirred with galactic winds.

  The man in dark blue robes leaned against the mantel of the fireplace across the immense expanse of the room. He flipped his hand through the air and ignited the cold wood in the fireplace. I swallowed hard when he turned and glared at me, his lips pressed together in a thin line, and I stopped several feet from a large, oak table that separated us.

  This must be Zacaris, the High Druid of Fire. I twisted the sash of my dress around my fingers, anxious to hear what he might say. He glared at me as if the silence would break me down like acid. My knees trembled underneath my dress, hardly holding me up as the weight of all that had passed since I awoke pulled me downward—my immortality, Erebus’ return, Azrael’s disappearance.

  “It would have been so much easier to train you while you were still mortal,” he finally said in his immortally deep voice. He shook his head and looked away. “I’m utterly disappointed.”
/>   I wanted to defend myself and say it wasn’t my fault I had been murdered in a surprise attack.

  Zacaris continued, “As it is, you are a walking fire hazard. Any moment you could blow the sanctuary to dust.”

  I clenched my hands together and mustered every ounce of self-control I had to not catch on fire again. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of being right.

  He spun away from where he stood, striding closer toward me. “And that fool, Azrael, wasn’t much help at the end of your mortal life. Lingering near you only added to the danger of the possibility of your powers combining.”

  “Azrael was a wonderful protector,” I said in the strongest voice I could muster. “Without him, Erebus would already have my half of Starfire.”

  Zacaris’ eyes hardened, and his forehead wrinkled. “Because of Azrael, Erebus almost killed you both and seized the full power of Starfire.” The angry flames in the fireplace shattered the burning wood and roared like his temper.

  I swallowed hard. By his attitude, it seemed Zacaris wouldn’t hesitate to ban me from the sanctuary if I burst into flame now as I had while with Korban, Orion, and Eva. I had to be on my best behaviour if I was going to get the druids’ support to find Azrael.

  Zacaris leaned forward against the sturdy table covered in flickering ivory candles. “What do you know about Immortals? Having been with Azrael and the others so much, I suspect you know far more than you should.”

  I took a deep breath, but the only thing I could think of was that immortality might not have saved Azrael from Erebus. “I’m still learning. It is why Eva has brought me here,” I admitted, hoping to show my humility.

  “Of course, you haven’t been trained yet,” Zacaris snapped. His penetrating voice echoed off the walls of the room. “The people look to you as a leader. Among Watchers, you and Azrael are warriors like no other. You two hold the conjoining halves of Starfire, a weapon we must keep secret. Only the Great King of Neviah possesses the power you and Azrael have. Do you realize what Erebus would do with the king’s power if you were captured? The Lord of all Darkness could destroy every human on this planet in less than seven days.”