Fumiko looked at him in horror.
Yonge himself spoke. “That’s right. He’s taking your place. You were supposed to be the one.”
Fumiko’s eyes went wide in shock. “No.”
“Did you really think the Emperor’s Butterflies were just a bunch of well-trained assassins? If that were the case, then why have the eliminations? No, my dear, you were all nothing more than my insects, my beautiful butterflies. With each of you dancing for my pleasure.” He smiled cruelly. “And if you stopped being beautiful, then I would simply pull off your wings.”
“No!” Fumiko moved.
For a moment, my eyes saw two Fumikos running in different directions: one toward Yonge, the other toward Wynn. The guards reacted immediately—their blades coming out and slicing through the images, dispelling the illusions. I heard a meaty wallop and then a whimper as Fumiko’s shadow dissolved. She appeared on the floor before Hao—the man’s fist extended at where Fumiko would have been standing.
Cabrina gave a big sigh. “Fumiko, Fumiko. Did you think I couldn’t see through your illusions? You’re good dear, but nowhere near as good as I am.”
Zofie and I knelt beside her. She looked up at us in utter despair as a new trickle of blood came from her nose.
Wynn looked at Yonge, rocking on his heels and clearly growing impatient. “Can we get on with this? I really must be moving on. My return portal will be opening shortly.”
Cabrina smiled broadly. “Why, of course. How would you like to do this? You promised to show me the technique in case I need to repeat it.”
Wynn gave a polite smile. “Of course.” Wynn walked over to stand beside Yonge’s wheeled chair, and Hao joined them.
Wynn cleared his throat. “Now each of you take one end of the key.” Yonge feebly grasped one end while Hao took the other.
Wynn put a finger in the middle of the key. “For the next step, all you need to do is feed it just a smidgeon of myst to get things started.” The metal bar began to glow a brilliant white, and Wynn snatched his finger away.
I whispered to Zofie. “What is he doing?”
She shook her head.
Cabrina walked over to stand by us. Her grin the one of a child getting the perfect Day of the New gift.
The glow grew brighter.
Coren! announced Abe in my head. This is bad.
I cocked my head to one side. “How?” I whispered, glancing at the guards around me.
Zofie cut her eyes in my direction, listening in to our conversation.
The Griffin’s Key can unlock anything. Worse, it looks like Wynn has figured out how to use it. It was never intended for this. And it is forbidden even by the Dark Avenyts themselves.
“But what is it?” I whispered.
You know that Dark Avenyts are curses so advanced they are intelligent?
I nodded my head, watching as Wynn took an additional step back from the pair.
Abe continued. Well, guess how the original ones were made.
“The originals?” I asked.
Come on, Coren. You can’t be that dense.
“It’s... it’s talking to me,” yelled Yonge excitedly, his wobbling head turned to Wynn in amazement. “What do I do?”
Wynn grinned. “Tell it what you want to unlock.”
Yonge took a deep breath. “I want to move to a new body.”
Wynn shook his head. “Not what you want to do. Tell it what to unlock.”
Yonge licked his lips. “I want to unlock... myself.”
Both Yonge and Hao were instantly enveloped in a blue glow. He gasped. “It burns!”
Wynn nodded. “It always does.”
The glow continued to grow brighter. Yonge groaned. He suddenly went limp. At the same time, all the guards collapsed, and Cabrina staggered, falling against me.
I wasn’t sure what had just happened, but I knew we needed to get away quickly. I tugged on Zofie and nodded with my head toward the door. I passed a dazed Cabrina to her and helped Fumiko stand. We moved toward the door.
A myst barrier sprang up, blocking our path. “Now, now,” said Wynn. “Can’t have you wandering around by yourselves. No telling what mischief you’ll get into. Besides, you’ll not want to miss this.”
The white glow gradually subsided. Yonge had collapsed in his chair and was unmoving. I wasn’t sure he was breathing. Hao staggered back and looked at his hands, then felt along his face. “I’m in a new body,” he whispered. He turned toward us. High on his chest, just above his heart, was a curse mark that hadn’t been there before. Most curse marks were relatively small. No larger than a gold royal. But this one was larger—much larger. Almost the size of Abe’s curse mark.
A chill ran down my spine as it all came together. The key had turned Yonge’s personality. His soul... into a curse.
He was now an Avenyts.
Wynn grinned at us. “See, I told you, you wouldn’t want to miss it.”
Yonge raised his arms and flexed his muscles. “This is amazing.”
Wynn nodded. “And with that...” He stepped toward the Forever Nexus Shadow and looked back at Yonge. “May I?”
Yonge waved him on. Wynn grasped the pyramid and tucked it into a leather pouch, which he slung over his shoulder. He gave it a pat. “Thank you...”
He broke off as a sudden commotion came from outside the room. In the distance, I could hear fighting.
Wynn gave a heavy sigh. “I really have to go now. I suspect she will be coming soon.”
Yonge looked up. “Who?”
Wynn sighed wistfully. “She was supposed to be my partner but got a better offer from the Collectivity and decided to betray me instead.” He waved a dismissive hand toward us. “Can’t say I blame her. That group is pretty powerful.” He shook his head. “I wish I’d just killed her when I had the chance.”
He stepped to the center of the room.
Yonge looked up. A look of concern on his face. He pointed to his collapsed guards. “My charms aren’t working. I thought you said I’d be able to use my myst.”
Wynn sighed impatiently. “I did. But if you will remember, I said you would be able to use your body’s myst.” He grinned. “Your current one. Myst abilities are dependent on the body, not the soul. So none of your charms work now.” He shrugged. “Sorry, just one of those things.” He turned but then looked back for a moment. “Of course, you could always go back to your old one.”
Yonge glanced nervously at his former unmoving body.
Wynn grinned. “I thought not.”
A long-range portal opened in the center of the room. I couldn’t help but wonder who was creating the portals. The wayfarer behind them must be extremely powerful to do two in one day.
Yonge went to squat beside a fallen guard and flipped him over. He began fiddling with the charm the unconscious man wore.
Wynn stepped toward the portal and glanced our way. “Sorry I can’t stay longer, but I must be moving on.” He patted his pouch. “I need to get this someplace safe. I have great plans for it.”
Suddenly a myst barrier sprang up in front of Wynn. A really thick one. From its shape and color, I knew it was Cabrina’s.
The young man turned to glare at the youth in annoyance. “Really? You dare attack someone of higher cothe? I was going to let you live, but no, you had to poke the bear. Your new directive...” He turned away. “...is to kill your host. Now!”
Cabrina sucked breath like she had been struck. “No!” she wailed, falling to her knees. The knife she had used to cut off our charms sprang into her hand and inched toward her throat.
Fumiko grabbed her hand and struggled to pull the knife away.
I sprinted after Wynn. He turned just as he was stepping inside. I reached in to grab him but missed, only managing to catch him by the pouch holding the nexus. He grabbed it and tried to pull it away from me. But I hauled on the strap as hard as I could, leaving him half out of the portal. He glared at me.
A harsh cold emanated from the portal, an
d its edges began to fluctuate. We only had a few moments before it closed. One didn’t want to be caught in it when it did.
“Let go!” he screamed. He kicked at me.
Behind me, I heard Fumiko yelling. “Don’t do this No-name!”
“I can’t stop,” the youth wailed. “I have no choice. I must do what I was made to do.”
Zofie ran over and grabbed me about my middle and added her strength to pulling me out.
Wynn and I glared at each other. “Release her,” I shouted.
He just snorted.
That really pissed me off.
But not as bad as it did to the woman at my back.
Zofie punched him.
His nose sprouted blood. “I’ll kill you!” he screamed. “Both of you!”
She punched him again. “Not if I can help it.” I made a mental note to never, ever piss her off.
Wynn’s head rocked back.
The portal’s fluctuations became more erratic, and I knew we only had seconds left. I felt his fingers slipping and thought he was going to let go—
Suddenly, a pair of female hands came out from the darkness of the portal behind him, and while I couldn’t see her face, I could make out two dark eyes peering over his shoulder. They reached around his waist and grabbed my wrists. I was dragged forward with my arms just inside the gate’s darkness.
The portal began to close, and I had time to wonder what life would be like without hands.
“Now!” Zofie screamed, and we both jerked back hard. At the same time, the woman holding my hands let go, and the purse’s straps slipped through my fingers.
Zofie and I fell, landing on our backs. I felt one more puff of icy air, and the portal immediately closed. I cursed. Wynn had gotten away.
Zofie and I scrambled up and tried to help Fumiko with Cabrina. Fumiko was wrestling with her and nearly had her pinned. A sudden burst of myst flung Fumiko away, where she lay for a moment clearly stunned. Zofie and I immediately took her place.
“Please let go!” pleaded the youth. “I don’t want to hurt you. But I must do what I was made to do.”
Fumiko shook off her daze and joined us. I couldn’t help but be struck by the irony. Only a few days ago, Fumiko would have gladly killed Cabrina. But now, she was trying to prevent her from dying.
“Abe,” I yelled. “Is there anything I can do?”
Are you sure you want to? He said calmly. She is on the path to becoming a Dark Avenyts. She is an enemy of humanity.
“I don’t believe that. She would choose light if she had a choice.”
Then give her one.
I felt her myst building, and suddenly all of us were flung away. Fortunately, she lost the knife in the process but quickly scrambled to retrieve it. Zofie and Fumiko rushed to stop her.
I picked myself up. “How...?” I asked Abe. But I knew. “You can name her, can’t you? You’re a Creator blasted Avenyts.”
I am, but I’m not. I’m something different. But for this, I am close enough to fill the role. Just be warned, if I name her, then we are taking responsibility for her not going dark. It will not be easy.
I didn’t hesitate. “How do I do it?”
You can’t.
I watched as Zofie and Fumiko struggled with Cabrina. “Then how...”
Abe paused and spoke in an unusually subdued tone. To do it, you have to turn over control of your body to me. You’re going to have to trust me.
My eyes went wide. Evelend’s bindings prevented him from doing something like that unless I was directly endangered. But to willingly give up control? Who knows what would happen.
He might not give it back.
Cabrina gave another burst of myst, throwing both Fumiko and Zofie off of her. This time Cabrina kept her knife.
Fumiko always said I was too trusting. She might be right. Then again...
What’s a world without trust.
“Do it.”
Suddenly, I felt as if I was shoved aside, and my body moved by itself. It reminded me of being in the audience of a play where everything was happening, but I could do nothing to affect the outcome.
My body rose to my full height, arms at my side, and fists clenched. I looked at Cabrina and spoke. It was my voice, but yet it wasn’t. “Ye who has No-name! Attend me!” I yelled in an old dialect of Ellish.
Cabrina paused with the knife just in front of her throat. She jerkily turned to look at me. The conflicting directives making the knife quiver in her hands.
I pointed at her. “By the rights granted by the progenitors. Your seal, I do claim. Henceforth, no other may direct you, no other may shape you, and no other will be your master. From now until eternity, you will cease to be a No-name. You will instead be known as...” Abe paused.
“Hope.”
Myst flowed from me to Cabrina, and she was instantly surrounded by a deep purple glow, the same shade the clouds take on just as the sun is about to rise. She fell to her knees, and the knife clattered to the floor. She stared at me in disbelief.
It felt almost as if a door was opening between us. And through it, I could see a symbol taking shape—the lines twisting and turning as if they were having trouble deciding its form. Suddenly, the lines froze and then moved into position, forming the stylized image of a rising sun.
Then the door closed, but I could still feel the connection. I knew it would be there till I died.
The glow went out. Cabrina’s eyes rolled up, and she fell to the side.
I staggered, and my body was suddenly back in my control. Zofie and Fumiko knelt beside Cabrina. They turned and gave me a questioning look.
Then Abe surprised the hell out of me by what he said next.
Thank you.
He then seemed to catch himself. She will be out for a bit. We’ve adjusted her Avenyts, so she will need time to process. And monkey brains, when she does wake up, don’t abuse her. I know your pervert mind is already thinking of ways to take advantage of her.
“I won’t abuse her.”
Of course, you won’t. I won’t let you. She’s my apprentice, after all.
I couldn’t help but grin. But there was a question in the back of my mind. “Why did you name her Hope?”
That, my friend, is my secret. One day you’ll know. I’ve always hated those long names anyway.
I couldn’t help but smile. Creator, I can’t believe I missed this foul-mouthed, good for nothing curse. But I had.
“Abe, it’s good to have you back.”
He paused in surprise. Well... Don’t be getting all sentimental on me. I... He suddenly paused. Damn. We’ve got company. And not the kind you want to have tea with.
I heard swords clanging outside the entrance and turned to see a guard fall through the door with a hole in his chest. A moment later, the attacker strode into the room.
Lilith shook her sword in anger. “I missed him!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Jiaying’s
Lesson
“Damn him!” shouted Lilith. She swung her sword through the air in a sudden diagonal slice. I could hear it sing as it cut the air and felt the splatter of a few drops. I looked down to see a thin line of red splotches across my robe.
“How did you get in here?” Yonge asked, his voice breaking. His new body possessed a higher-pitched voice and obviously wasn’t trained to project authority.
“Did he get the Forever Nexus Shadow?” she demanded. “Did he leave with it?”
I gently lifted the unconscious Cabrina into my arms and then jerked my head toward the door. Zofie and Fumiko nodded. We then began to slowly back away. Lilith was too much of a wild card, and none of us were in a condition to fight someone of her level. But we didn’t get two steps before a small group of men entered and moved to guard the door. They were Lilith’s men, and among them was a particularly tall one—Wort.
Yonge dropped the man’s wrist and stood to his full height. “Yes, Wynn did. Now answer the question. How did you get in here?”
Lilith smirked. She sheathed her sword and shrugged. “It was nothing really. This place is like a kicked anthill. Everyone’s running around, but nobody seems to know what’s going on. So I thought it a golden opportunity to bring the boot down.”
Lilith glanced at the prone figure lying in his wheeled chair and then back to the body Yonge possessed. She smiled—only it was a deadly smile. “He showed you how, didn’t he?”
She put her hands on her hips. “You’re an illegal. An aberration. What he showed you was forbidden knowledge. Even the Collectivity is forbidden to use it.”
She glanced at one of the fallen guards and gave an amused snort. “Let me guess. He offered you the knowledge in exchange for the Forever Nexus Shadow. And he told you everything would be exactly the same except you got a new body. But you’re finding that your charms don’t work anymore.”
Yonge took a step back toward his original body.
She cocked her head to one side and stepped toward him. “Be careful of offers that are too good to be true—because they are.”
Yonge took another step toward his old self, but a knife suddenly appeared in Lilith’s hand. She lunged forward and plunged it into the chest of Yonge’s old body. “Whoops! I slipped. But it shouldn’t be a problem since you didn’t want that body anyway.”
His eyes went wide in horror. She gave him a wicked smile and stepped closer. He backed up but was stopped by the edge of the vault.
“Take what you want and leave!” he yelled. “My guards will be here shortly, and you’ll be dead.”
Lilith shook her head. “I don’t think so. They all ran when the tapestry fell. I’m not sure you realize just how much panic you’ve caused. The few that haven’t run have all gone to protect the emperor. So no one will be coming to your aid.”
He tried to slide away and then bolted toward the door. Lilith easily caught him and threw him to the ground. “I’m sorry advisor person, but I can’t let you live. You can blame Wynn for this. I’m always having to clean up after him.” Lilith’s dagger flashed, and she sliced his throat.
Assassin of Curses: (The Coren Hart Chronicles Book 3) Page 35
