“Oh!” Argento started laughing. “I fear I’ve been gone so long I cannot determine the difference.”
“We need to find a way to stop her,” Anastasia insisted. “That’s the only piece of information we need, and I will take her down.”
“In order to find that, we need to know more about her,” Tony offered. “Why is she here? Why has she set her sights on Dakota? Those are questions we need answered.”
“I think if we start looking for a motive, it’s going to equal time wasted,” Anastasia commented. “And we don’t have the time to waste.”
“I’m afraid she’s right,” Elizabeth agreed.
Screams sounded outside, and Anastasia’s pulse spiked as they ran toward the noise. A portal was just disappearing, and Anastasia rushed to the new arrival.
“Queen Orlaith! What happened?” She fell to her knees beside the queen, who was soaking wet. The infant in her arms was screaming, and Anastasia covered the queen’s shaking hands with her own.
“She killed them all,” she cried, then buried her face into her baby. “She came and killed them all.”
“Who killed them?” Anastasia demanded.
Orlaith shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t know her name. But she destroyed my world.”
Anastasia helped Orlaith to her feet and away from the onlookers who had gathered around them.
“Here honey, have a seat.” Elizabeth guided her over to a chair and handed her a blanket to wrap the tiny princess in.
“Tell me what happened.” Anastasia sat across from her.
Orlaith shook her head. “I would much rather you see it for yourself.”
Anastasia hesitated only a moment before pressing the palm of her hand to Orlaith’s forehead.
At the contact, Orlaith closed her eyes tightly, and the horror played out in Anastasia’s mind.
Orlaith opened her amethyst eyes and stared into those of her husband and protector.
“What is it, my love? What did you see?”
“Our destruction,” she whispered, afraid to even speak the words aloud. “The voice, it told me that if we stand with the Sorceress, if we don’t pledge allegiance to it, we will all die.”
“Who was it?” His hand instinctively went for the hilt of his sword, the other wrapped tighter around their child.
She shook her head and wiped tears from her cheeks. “I do not know. I did not see a face. It was a man, but not a voice I recognize.”
“Vincent? Is it possible he’s returned?”
“No, his is a voice I won’t soon forget. This one was new.” She got to her feet and stared out at the storm heading straight for her home; for the people she loved most in all the worlds. “What can we do, Cormac? I saw it, I saw everyone dead on the ground.” She cried out.
“We do what we can, my queen; we fight.”
Thunder boomed ahead, shaking the ground. Orlaith took the child she was handed and watched in horror as a wall of water began to race toward them. A woman stood down in the center, nude except for long hair that flowed in the wind.
She grinned at them and waved her hand in the air just before purple lightning split the sky.
“Cormac!” Orlaith screamed over the sound of the storm raging around them.
“Get inside!”
“You come, too!”
“I need to make sure everyone is safe!” he yelled back as he headed for the stairs.
“Cormac!” Orlaith screamed and started to follow. She reached him on the stairs, and he turned, his eyes full of determination.
“I am your husband, Orlaith. But I am also the protector of our people, and I need to know that they are safe.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “You need to go inside or I cannot focus on my mission.”
He kissed her softly and headed down the stairs. Orlaith watched until rain began to pound down on them.
She rushed up the stairs and into the throne room. Minutes felt like hours while she listened to the rumbling outside.
The door flew open, and Orlaith looked up as water surged into the room.
“No!” she screamed, fearing that her husband and people had died. How could they survive amongst all this water?
She ran out of the room and to her bedchamber. After reaching into her drawer, her fist closed around the portal Anastasia had given her in case of an emergency. Just as the water reached them, Orlaith slammed the vial down and swam into the blue light.
Anastasia opened her eyes. After wiping tears from her cheeks, she wrapped her arms around Orlaith.
“They are all dead,” the woman whispered. “My entire world, destroyed. Why? What is happening?”
Anastasia felt the warmth of Dakota’s hand on her arm. She didn’t have to look down to know that there were sparks on her fingers, or that her skin had begun to glow. She could feel the power brewing, searching for an outlet for her rage.
She pulled back and stood to pace.
“You poor thing.” Elizabeth sat next to Orlaith on the couch and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “There is no reason for destruction like that.”
“There has to be,” Argento commented. “Why else would they tell you not to stand with the Sorceress? There is war coming, and I have a sick feeling it is not only the Siren we have to worry about.”
“You think there’s someone else? We haven’t had any other issues. Rosabel is more than powerful enough to cause that destruction,” Tony argued. “Could be this is all over Dakota.”
“Dakota?” Orlaith’s eyes found his. “What do you have to do with it?”
Dakota sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Apparently, she has a thing for me.”
“The Siren has set her eyes on you?” Orlaith’s eyes darted to Anastasia. “That is bad, Sorceress. Even in my world, we’d heard rumors—legends—of Sirens and their capabilities.”
“Do you know of a way to kill one?”
“I always heard they cannot be destroyed. Water is found on every world and through it, they can portal virtually anywhere. There is always a way for them to survive.”
“So, why go after your world? Because we helped you?”
“I do not know.” Orlaith looked down at her daughter and pulled her closer.
Anastasia crossed her arms. “We need to head to the Guisnow world, see if there were any survivors.”
“It’s completely flooded,” Orlaith murmured as she rocked.
“We have to try,” Anastasia insisted. “I can swim.”
“You can swim, but water is the Siren’s territory,” Argento added. “If you try and take her on, you will fail.”
Anastasia glared at him. “I might not.”
“Yes, you will,” Dakota said. “We don’t know how to stop her. What happens when she manages to take you out? I have zero interest in becoming her new baby daddy.”
“Baby daddy?” Argento asked curiously, then let out a laugh. “You were being sarcastic. Funny.”
“We can’t just sit around. How many worlds is she going to attack? The Brutes are on high alert, the Guisnows have all but been wiped out—”
Orlaith whimpered.
Anastasia cringed. “I’m sorry, Orlaith. How many more are going to suffer because she can’t keep it in her pants? If she even fucking wore pants in the first place!”
“She doesn’t wear pants?” Argento asked Tony, who shrugged and shook his head.
“I appreciate you wanting to go to my people, but I think it’s best you wait,” Orlaith said sadly. “We stand no chance without you, Sorceress, that much I know.” Her voice broke, and she buried her face into her daughter’s damp hair.
Anastasia knelt in front of Orlaith, placing a hand on the queen’s knee. “If I can save at least some of your people, I have to try.”
“I fear there is no one left.” Orlaith choked up on the last of her words.
“If Rosabel went after the Guisnows, do you think the other worlds are in danger, too?” Elizabeth asked.
&nb
sp; “Only one way to find out.” Anastasia waved her hand, and a portal appeared. “We’ll be back soon,” she told Orlaith, then she stepped through the portal. She didn’t have to look behind her to know Dakota followed.
25
Jaitu World
Anastasia
Once the portal closed, Anastasia surveyed the world before them. The Jaitu people had re-built after Vincent’s monsters had destroyed their villages and slaughtered their people.
The village before them thrived with light and life, and eased a bit of Anastasia’s growing fear.
If they were all right, then it was possible the other worlds were as well.
“Anastasia! This is a surprise!” The familiar voice brought a slight smile to her face.
“Hi, Nallia,” Anastasia said to the Jaitu queen.
“Dakota, it’s good to see you as well.” She bowed her head slightly. Anastasia noticed a slight swell to her normally flat belly, as well as the threads of gold that had been braided into her hair.
“Nallia, are you expecting?” she asked.
Nallia beamed. “The first Jaitu-Guisnow to ever be born.”
Nix, the Guisnow general, had fallen in love with Nallia, and once the war with Vincent was over, he’d resigned his post and traveled back to her world so they could be together.
“Congratulations.” Dakota offered her a smile, and Anastasia inwardly cringed. It seemed everyone was ready to move on with their lives except for her.
Then again, she’d been right, hadn’t she? They were once again at war.
“So, what has prompted your visit?” Nallia asked with a smile. Anastasia hated that it was going to disappear.
“Is Nix around?” Better to tell them both at the same time.
Nallia’s smile faltered at the look on Anastasia’s face. “Yes, right this way.”
They followed her up some wooden stairs to the top of a tree. The Jaitu built all of their homes off the ground, while the common areas were left at ground level.
They walked through a doorway and into the living room of Nallia and Nix’s home.
Nix was barely recognizable, and Anastasia had to cover a gasp.
Guisnows were pale, their hair completely white as well. The only color were their amethyst eyes. She’d never seen one that didn’t look exactly that way, so the dark-haired man who stared back at her, caught her completely off guard.
“Anastasia, Dakota! It’s wonderful to see you both.” He smiled, and neither Anastasia nor Dakota spoke.
Nix laughed. “I imagine it is strange for you to see me this way. It seems as though my exposure to this world has altered my physical attributes. He gestured to his hair.
“Looks good.” Dakota cleared his throat. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Nix smiled and wrapped an arm around Nallia.
“So, what is going on?” she asked. Nallia was never one to beat around the bush.
Nix looked at her, confused, then back up to Anastasia and Dakota. “Has something happened?”
Anastasia swallowed hard. This was going to suck. Nallia confided in her about a year ago that Nix was having trouble coping with leaving his home world behind. He’d felt as if he abandoned them, even though King Cormac and Queen Orlaith couldn’t have been happier for their friend.
Learning the Guisnows had been nearly completely wiped out was going to crush him. “There’s been an attack,” she finally said.
His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped slightly. “An attack? On Terrenia?”
Anastasia shook her head. “The Guisnows.”
Nix stepped forward, horror replacing the shock on his handsome face. “What has happened?”
“A Siren flooded the world. Only the queen and her child made it out.”
“The king?” His voice was hollow, his amethyst eyes wide and glazed over with pain as Anastasia shook her head.
“Oh no.” Nallia reached for her husband and pulled him close. They stood there for a moment, her holding him as he stared at the wall in disbelief.
“My home is gone?” he asked, his voice shaking.
“We don’t know yet,” Dakota added. “We are going to check it out, we just needed to warn you first.”
“Warn us? Why?” Nallia asked.
“We think she may be coming here next,” Anastasia answered.
“Why?”
“It sounds like whoever is behind this is making a power play,” Dakota responded.
“I thought you said it was a Siren?”
“Who flooded the world, yes, but we don’t know if she’s acting alone.”
Anastasia bit back a smart-ass comment. It would do no good, and she knew Dakota was only being logical, not actually sticking up for the fish-tailed bitch.
“What can we do?” Nix asked.
“I can understand if you do not wish to leave your home right now.” Anastasia held out a portal vial. She kept a few in the pouch at her waist for emergencies, and in her book, saving the Jaitu people was one hell of an emergency. “You can talk about it, and if you decide to leave or if something happens, you can use this. It will bring you to Terrenia.”
“Thank you, Sorceress,” Nallia said, her face completely blank.
“Can I travel back with them? Temporarily, of course, so I may see the queen?”
“Of course, my love,” Nallia responded. “I imagine seeing you would be wonderful for her.”
“Is that all right?” he asked Anastasia and Dakota, who both nodded.
“Leaving them here is not smart, Anastasia,” Vincent muttered, having appeared beside her. “It’s only a matter of time before she comes for them.”
Nallia took the vial. “Is there nothing more you can do?”
Anastasia sighed. “I want to try something, if that’s all right?”
Dakota turned to her, his eyebrows bunched. She’d considered doing this the second they’d stepped foot in the Jaitu world, but she wasn’t entirely sure how it was going to work.
“I know what you’re planning,” Vincent said beside her.
She ignored him. Judging by the fact that no one else turned around, she guessed he’d hidden himself from everyone else in the room. Smart move.
“I can teach you how,” he offered.
She ignored him again. “I want to try and shield your world, much in the way Vincent shielded Seattle from the rest of that world. If I can hide this village, I might be able to keep you safe.”
“Anastasia…” Dakota started. She knew he was concerned about her well-being. After all, if she did do this, and it drained her, they would be more vulnerable than ever.
“I want to try.”
“Won’t it be too taxing on you?” Nallia asked.
Anastasia shrugged. “Truthfully, I’m not sure. But Vincent managed to shield multiple places; I don’t see why I can’t. I’m more powerful than he was.”
“Ouch,” Vincent muttered behind her.
“If you’re sure it won’t harm you,” Nix said softly, tears burning in his eyes.
Anastasia closed her eyes. The air around her snapped with magic as she pushed out with her mind. She envisioned the entire Jaitu city and pushed her magic out until she could all but see the barrier in the air.
She tested the power by pressing against it, and smiled when it held strong.
“Well done,” Vincent commented, and Anastasia opened her eyes.
“I can feel the tension in the air,” Nallia said.
“I’ve never tested it while in another world, though; I’m not sure it will hold once I leave.”
“It will, if you did it right,” Vincent whispered in her ear.
It took all her willpower to keep from ripping him a new one right there.
“If you need us, use the vial.” Dakota reached forward and shook Nallia’s hand.
Anastasia conjured a portal and stepped through, back into Terrenia, with Nix and Dakota on her heels.
“My queen!” Nix fell to his knees in front of Orlaith as soon
as the portal closed behind them.
“Nix, it is so good to see you.” Tears began to stream down her pale cheeks again as she looked upon one of her own, a soldier she hadn’t seen in two years.
“I am so sorry I was not there to help.”
“There is nothing you could have done, Nix. Nothing anyone could have done. I just can’t believe—” Her voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands.
“You could have taken her deal,” Dakota said.
Anastasia looked over at him, shocked. His eyes were bright, but something felt off about him. Nix and Orlaith both stared at him, anger in their amethyst eyes.
“Dakota George,” Elizabeth scolded. He shook his head as if trying to clear a bad dream. “That came out wrong. I’m grateful, of course, that you didn’t. I was only saying it sarcastically.”
“Can I speak with you?” Anastasia pulled Dakota from the room.
Once they were outside, she whirled on him. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Meaning?”
“He isn’t fully himself.” Vincent materialized beside them. Dakota stared straight at him, his hands clenching into fists.
“Vincent.”
“Nice to see you.” He turned his attention back to Anastasia. “It seems your husband isn’t very clearheaded at the moment.”
“Probably a lack of sleep,” Dakota answered.
“Yeah, probably.” Vincent didn’t sound convinced though, and Anastasia picked up on it.
“Why don’t you get some rest, then?” she said sweetly. “Maybe sleep will do you good.”
That, and you’ll be in the cabin where no magic can reach you.
“Sounds good,” he said and leaned forward to press a kiss to her cheek. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.” Once he faded from view, Anastasia turned to Vincent. “What in the hell are you saying?”
“I’m saying that perhaps your Dakota isn’t quite himself lately. I thought that was fairly self-explanatory.”
“Why wouldn’t he be himself?”
Vincent shrugged. “He’s been sick, for one, and another thing, the Siren kissed him. Maybe she transferred something to him that neither of you noticed.”
Siren Page 11
