The Zoya Chronicles Boxed Set

by Kate Sander

  "I was a Zoya, for a time," Tesla coughed, a wracking, chesty cough. "I get glimpses of different moments in time. Some from now. Some from then. Not always in the right order."

  "You see the future?"

  "As do you, if you've spoken to the Zoya. They kept me alive to know what I saw." Another coughing fit. The energy of speaking was clearly getting to him. "You need to destroy it. And they need to destroy the red one. Break the link. The energy it's making..." he started sucking on oxygen, trying desperately to breathe.

  "Won't that kill you?"

  "Death is a gift. Trust me, you are young yet. This is hell. Take it, leave me."

  Carter didn't need to be told twice. Turning, he used his knife to pry open the metal box. An alarm sounded outside the room in Freudman's office, but no one was alive to hear it so Carter ignored it. It didn't take long for him to pop the box open. The door fell to the ground with a bang.

  "You're sure?"

  Tesla nodded slowly. "One day, you will understand."

  Carter grabbed the stone.

  Energy rippled through his hand, filling Carter with the most wonderful feelings of youth and vitality. As soon as he removed the stone from the holder, a long beep sounded from the monitor behind him.

  Tesla was dead. Kept alive for so long to fulfill the whims of the insane.

  There was nothing for it.

  Carter dropped the stone with a thump and the feeling of youth and energy left him almost as quickly as it came.

  Taking aim, he fired.

  Five pounds of pressure. That's all it took. Multiple times.

  The stone exploded into a million pieces.

  Now, he could only hope that Senka did her job over there.

  And, to make it easier, he needed to find Malin and Roald.

  His job was not done yet.

  27

  Tory

  "Stay and help them," Tory said, stopping in the hallway outside the throne room to look at her injured leg. "I can do this myself."

  It hurt. Dark blood was seeping out of a three-inch gash in her thigh. Even a slight amount of pressure on her foot had her wincing in pain.

  Ujarak shook his head and cut a piece of cloth off his shirt. Bending, he tied it around her leg tightly, trying to stop the bleeding. He stood. "You need this," he said, gesturing to his warhammer. "And Senka and Eris are Zoya. We're just getting in the way."

  "Then find Akira," Tory snapped. "Or smash it right here." She held out the Remiel.

  "They can't get any of the pieces," Ujarak said. "We both know that."

  "The river runs around the castle. I'll go up there."

  "I'm coming with you," Ujarak said. "You're not doing this alone."

  "Stay here," Tory said. "I'm fine without you."

  "What is your problem? I'm trying to help you. Why are you shutting me out?"

  Because I've seen what happened to Cass? I've seen her love push her off a cliff for greed and this stupid stone. More than one person has told me that you'll do the same thing. I'm not risking it. Not now, not ever.

  "Because I don't need your help to destroy a stupid stone. I'm a big girl, I lasted three years without you. I'll be fine."

  Hurt and confusion in his eyes as she held out her hand to him and he passed her his warhammer. Good. She needed him to stay put. As Tory turned to run away, she thought she caught something else in those eyes. Something she had never seen in her Ujarak.

  Loathing.

  Tory ran as fast as she could, limping and gasping the whole way, carrying Ujarak's heavy warhammer and leaving drops of blood as a trail. Black Eyes lead the way, having quickly scoped out a path while Tory and Ujarak had been arguing.

  "Get to the top, you'll be safe," she repeated to herself over and over.

  It didn't take long for them to reach the top of the turret overlooking a meandering river below. Luckily, they didn't run in to any Ampulex, because Tory was way too injured and distracted to fight right now.

  That look in Ujarak's eyes.

  Whatever, if it keeps him down there, who cares if he doesn't love you anymore?

  But that wasn't just falling out of love. That was hatred, in its purest and simplest form. Tory didn't know if Ujarak hated anyone.

  "Do it," Black Eyes said as they reached the top. "Do it, now."

  Tory tossed the Remiel to the ground and raised the warhammer over her head. Losing her balance slightly as her foot slipped on the pooling blood, she tried to right herself to deliver the blow.

  A sudden shudder and blast of sound and light emitted from the red stone, throwing Tory backwards. The tremor waved through the battlefield below, sending horses rearing up on their back legs, upending their riders to the ground, and bodies sprawling all over the place.

  The heavy, thick air returned, along with a rushing of wind.

  "DESTROY IT!" Black Eyes yelled over the wind. "DO IT!"

  Tory barely heard her. She scrambled to her feet and walked stooped against the wind towards the stone. Raising the warhammer, she yelled incoherently.

  The wind stopped. Surprise stopped her from making the swing. Everything went quiet, peaceful.

  Oh no.

  Turning slowly, she knew who would be right behind her.

  Ujarak stood on the turret behind her, looking awkward and not himself, a weird, predatory look in his eye.

  "Ujarak!" she yelled angrily. "Ujarak, you came!"

  Ujarak covered the distance in two large strides and wrapped her in a bear hug, spinning her around in a circle. "Of course I came, my love." His voice wasn't his. It was broken up, a puppet.

  No, no, no, no.

  Tory had seen all this before. In that fucking dream about the end of Cass. And it was happening again.

  "You need to go," she said hurriedly, pushing him away. "The Remiel, it's burning. I need to destroy it. You need to go."

  "Darling I know," Ujarak said firmly. "I know. I'm trying to put it right but you won't listen."

  Tory pushed him in the arm, trying to get him off the roof. Ujarak grabbed her wrist, hard. A horse neighed in the courtyard below.

  "Let go." She tried pushing him away again. "We have to hurry."

  "Let me have it," Ujarak said. "That stone you're always looking at. Let me have it."

  The man in front of her looked hungry, predatory. Fear crept over Tory. She wasn't going to be able to stop this. All of the warnings and knowing it was going to happen, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  "Of course not," Tory said. She tried to turn away from her lover but he held her wrist. "Ujarak, let go. We need to break it."

  "Give it to me," Ujarak said.

  "What? No. You couldn't control it anyway. Ujarak, we don't have time for this. Let me go."

  He cocked his head to the side and twisted her arm, hard.

  "GIVE ME THE STONE!"

  "No!" Tory yelled, pain ripping up her arm and into her shoulder. "Ujarak, this isn't you. Let go! You couldn’t use it if you tried."

  Where was Black Eyes? Why was this happening all over again?

  Tory didn't want to die.

  "Oh, I could use it," Ujarak said. "I've watched you, every night, looking into it. You've won wars with that thing. You're the most powerful being in the world. But it's all because of that stone. GIVE IT TO ME!"

  Tory looked around herself in complete terror. Black Eyes was pounding on an invisible barrier, like glass, that was surrounding Ujarak, herself and the stone.

  Tory was alone. The Remiel was a couple of feet behind her. If she could just get to it and toss it over...

  Ujarak saw it and his eyes went wide. Thinking fast, knowing the ending to this story and trying desperately to change the outcome, Tory kicked Ujarak as hard as she could right between the legs.

  Howling, he fell to the ground, clutching himself. Taking the opportunity, Tory scrambled on her hands and knees towards the Remiel, trying desperately to ignore the pain in her leg. Her fist closed over it and elation wound its way t
hrough her. She was going to do it. She was going to beat destiny.

  Ujarak kicked her in the stomach. The blow came from nowhere, and Tory wasn't ready for it. All the breath was knocked out of her and she fell to the ground.

  Ujarak grabbed her wrist and started to drag her.

  No, no, no, no!

  "You don't have to do this," she muttered, clawing weakly at Ujaraks wrist. "Love. You don't. You're better than this. You love me."

  "I do?"

  He stopped, mere feet away from the turret and the rushing waters below. Blinking a few times, he looked at her, then at the stone clutched in her hand.

  "I do."

  Her heart leapt. She'd gotten through to him. This wasn't her Ujarak. He was stronger than any of this. They were stronger than-

  "But you will die anyway."

  Tory sobbed, tears rushing down her face.

  Ujarak reached the edge of the turret.

  Tory knew what was coming. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, clasping the Remiel tightly.

  "Don't do this. I love you."

  "I know you did."

  Ujarak threw her over the turret.

  Or he tried to. At the last moment, knowing it was coming, Tory pivoted on her good leg. Gracefully, she turned around Ujarak as he made a throwing motion. Her foot barely caught the edge of the roof. Ujarak wasn't as lucky.

  Without a scream, he fell the fifty feet into the crashing water below.

  Breathing hard, Tory tried to keep her balance. But her leg hurt. The wrapping was leaking blood. Exhaustion took over her. Both feet slipped off the edge.

  She was ready to join her love.

  The fall through free space only lasted a second. Someone grabbed a hand and Tory slammed hard against the castle.

  "Need your help," Akira yelled from above her. She was holding on to her wrist with both hands, the sheer will of a child the only thing keeping her alive. "I can't hold on for much longer."

  Tory nodded and tried to scramble up the edge of the castle. Akira hauled her up with a grunt and a red face.

  They both collapsed onto the roof, gasping.

  Akira grabbed the Remiel from Tory's hand before Tory knew what was going on. She tossed it onto the ground and, picking up the warhammer, she screamed and smashed it with all her might.

  It scattered into a thousand pieces. Instantly, the heavy air lifted, and the world felt right again. As if it had always been wrong, but they didn't even know it.

  Akira collapsed beside Tory. Both women had tears in their eyes.

  "I loved him," Tory said. "I thought that everyone was wrong. I loved him. I thought that would be enough."

  Akira had nothing to say. She simply grabbed the woman's hand and allowed her to weep in her shoulder.

  “Tory,” Black Eyes gasped from behind them.

  Tory’s eyes fired open and she scrambled away, leaving Akira behind her. Black Eyes held out a hand towards her.

  “Black Eyes!”

  Desperately, Tory reached out to grab her.

  With a sigh, Black Eyes faded from view, slowly disintegrating before their eyes.

  A light breeze drifted across the turret, lifting the dust of the shattered stone and mixing it with Black Eyes.

  “Black Eyes,” Tory sobbed, falling to her knees.

  With a last gust, the dust was carried away on the wind.

  28

  Senka

  Senka paced, facing Roald, like a cat on the prowl.

  Kai padded over to her, limping heavily. The toss against the wall in the blast of energy had taken its toll on both of them.

  "You good, buddy?"

  A low purr was the only answer she got.

  "Yeah, me too."

  Roald and Malin stood side by side, facing Eris, Senka and Kai. For a second, the world swirled around her. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply, she let the dizziness pass. That was one hell of a blow to the head.

  "What are we waiting for?" Senka asked with a smile. "Let's finish this."

  No other invitation was needed. Roald brought his greatsword up and charged.

  Kai leapt at him, but his leg was slowing him down and Roald easily sidestepped the attack and swung at Senka's head. But Senka was fast. And she was strong. With an easy dive under his arm, Senka came up swinging.

  Roald blocked the attack with the back of the sword and kicked, missing a spinning Senka by an inch. But the spin took her into his line of sight, and their eyes met.

  A wailing, pitiful cry of her baby filled her head. The vision of her child, wrapped in blankets, chest heaving and surrounded by wolves blinded her vision.

  "Get out of my head," she screamed, closing her eyes and backing away. She heard Kai launch himself at Roald and a loud thump, followed by a high-pitched whine.

  "Kai!"

  But her eyes stayed closed. That vision. That horrible, horrible vision.

  "How is it? Seeing your child die, over and over again. Having her screams fill your head. How is it, being us?"

  Senka kept her eyes closed and breathed deeply, trying to ignore the cries. She heard Roald's speech and followed his voice.

  This fight would have to be blind. This fear was too ingrained, too deep for her to face and fight at the same time. So she'd need to use her other senses.

  A swish right by her head. Surprised, she jerked her head to the right. And was met by a massive fist crunching into her face. Teeth shattered in the front of her mouth and she tasted blood. Head snapping back, she tried to roll backwards awkwardly, and was met by a kick to the chest. One that knocked the breath clean out of her.

  Hitting the ground hard, she lied there, dazed, coughing, trying to spit her teeth out of her mouth.

  Face her fears. Or die and actually kill her baby. These were the options.

  "Fuck," she muttered, slurring through her broken mouth.

  And she opened her eyes.

  Roald was standing over her and their eyes met. Cries filled her head and the gruesome scene tried to blind her vision. Overwhelmed, she wanted to drop to her knees and sob.

  But she couldn't, not this time.

  Senka took the full force of the image. Her daughter, screaming. Wolves circling. Instead of pushing it away, she closed her eyes and accepted it as false. A terrible, punishing falsehood.

  Roald swung his sword at her head, clearly under the assumption that she would be overcome and unable to block, so he swung haphazardly. Opening her eyes, she saw it coming, and easily blocked the blow with a tanto.

  Roald's eyes went wide. Senka smiled and cocked her head. With a spinning kick to the stomach, Roald folded in half and fell to the ground, winded. His sword skirted away across the room.

  A gasp from the other side of the room drew her attention. Eris was not faring well against Malin. Her khopesh was lying uselessly in the middle of the floor, some twenty feet away from her. Senka strode forward to help, when something picked her up around the waist and threw her heavily against the wall.

  Roald clambered up from the floor, arm still outstretched, as Senka lay coughing on the floor. Something was broken somewhere, she knew it. Figuring a rib or two with how much it hurt to breathe, she scrambled to her feet, guarding her ribs and leaning heavily to the side. She'd manage to keep a hold on both her weapons, but with how she was feeling it wouldn't be long until she couldn't use them.

  "You!" Roald cried, striding up to her. Her body wasn't working properly. She couldn't even bring up an arm to block as he punched her in the face. The blow landed full force, and Senka fell to the ground on her stomach, dazed.

  A knee was pressed into her back. Her head was lifted off the ground by her hair.

  "Any last words?"

  A dagger was pressed against her throat, tip digging in, a small drip of blood joining the pool from her face on the ground underneath her.

  Nothing. That's all she could do. Using the last of her energy, she skidded her tanto across the floor in the direction of Eris, hoping desperately it reach
ed close enough to Eris to help her.

  Roald laughed, "How sweet. Your dying breath was to save a traitor instead of saving yourself." The dagger pressed and Senka closed her eyes.

  I'm sorry, baby. I tried.

  It's funny. She'd craved death for so long. Wanted it more than anything. Now that it was upon her, all she wanted was to stay alive.

  A yell from across the room had Roald hesitate and look up. Just in time to see Kai flying at his head. Removing the dagger from her neck with a cry, he tried to block the five hundred pound pissed off cat. Kai grabbed him by the throat, tearing him off of Senka's back. Shaking him violently, Senka heard Roald's neck snap as Kai tossed him away with a growl.

  Dragging herself to her feet, she limped towards the disfigured body. Roald’s arms and legs stuck out at odd angles, with one finger twitching. His eyes tracked her across the room.

  "You good, Kai?" She asked as the panther limped up to join her. "Fucker didn't get yah with the knife?" Kai nuzzled her hand. "Good".

  Roald's chest rose and fell quickly. He lay there, looking at her, head cocked awkwardly to the side, unable to move.

  "You asked for my last words?" She twirled her remaining tanto. "Fuck you."

  She stabbed him through the eye, lodging the blade into his skull. With a twist of the knife, she pulled the blade back out, sending blood and brains flying into the air.

  "Asshole."

  29

  Eris

  Eris jumped over the wrestling bodies of Roald and Senka and swung wildly at Malin's head. It wasn't well aimed and her feet weren't planted, so Malin easily parried the blow. Eris skidded to a stop and pivoted recklessly, barely blocking Malin's counter.

  They faced each other, both chests heaving.

  "I thought better of you," Malin snarled.

  "Mother, it doesn't have to be this way."

  Malin screamed, face contorted in a look of hate that was foreign to Eris. She attacked with such fury that Eris was immediately put on the defensive, trying desperately to stop Malin's sword.

  Eris blocked and was thrown off balance. Malin flicked her wrist and sent the khopesh flying, leaving Eris undefended. With an easy kick and step through, Malin had Eris on her back.