“Shall we, Katarina?” Juliette smiled and gestured towards the castle.
“You should call me Kat. Everyone else does.”
“All right, Kat, let’s go see that beautiful little girl of Bain’s, while I try to pry that baby from Darnel’s arms.”
Kat laughed, but it held little actual humor.
“They’ll be fine,” Juliette reassured as she headed for the castle entrance.
“Did you see something?”
“Afraid not… there is something about that castle and what it does to a seer’s magic when they aren’t within its walls. Everything appears blurry.”
“So, your confidence is placed in what, exactly?”
Juliette smiled. “It’s placed in the fierce warriors who just took flight. My bet will always be on them.”
Kat nodded—where was her faith in her true mate? Fear of loss was a common thread among them all. Some just handled it better than others. With a deep breath, she set off with Juliette to find Kyra and Makiah.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Bain hit the ground swinging. Izzy was out of his arms and he’d pulled his sword, decapitating the first Dark Fae that was within reach. Izzy began flinging people from her path with one hand and shooting off fireballs with the other.
Kale smiled as he set Jake down. It warmed his heart to see Izzy throwing fire around like it was something she’d done all her life.
“Follow her,” Kale ordered Jake, as he moved closer to Bain.
They would keep the guards outside from following the others inside the castle.
Uriah hit the ground running, uprooting anything that he could move.
“Duck,” Cree hollered at Izzy and Jake, who both turned and ducked as a statue of Darion flew past them. It slammed against the thick front doors of the castle, shattering them into dangerous projectiles. Izzy lifted her hands, pushing Uriah’s magic against the shards to protect her and Jake from being impaled.
She arched a brow and caught Uriah’s gaze as his eyes widened. “Sorry. You good?” he called out.
“Yep, let’s go.”
“Watch it, Uriah,” Cree warned as he ran past him.
Lothar landed next to them, leaping over the statue, with Cree hot on his heels. Jake lifted Izzy over it as Uriah leapt to follow Lothar and Cree. The guards were just as thick in the castle as they were outside.
“Go,” Cree roared. With a twisted smile on his face he produced a sword and began slicing through the flesh of the Dark Fae who dared to get to close.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Izzy hollered as she hesitated to follow Jake, Lothar, and Uriah.
“Positive, I’ve never felt better. Now go,” Cree ordered.
The guards kept coming and Cree kept swinging his sword, arcing out and thrusting forwards as he felt a breath of life fill his heart and soul. His anger and pain released with each parry and thrust of his weapon. He truly felt he had purpose for the first time since losing Rowan.
****
Lightning began flashing and cracking above them. Kale and Bain both looked to the sky where Makyle hovered high above, creating the dark clouds that rolled over the castle. With flicks of his fingers, he sent strategic strikes of lightning to the ground. Kale and Bain both shielded their faces as one of the guards before them was hit and exploded into red mist. Bain and Kale grinned before jumping back into the fight.
“Did you know he could do that?” Kale called over the thunderous storm, a stream of fire flying from his hand and taking out a couple of descending vampires. Turning them to ash where they stood.
“Nope, I sure didn’t,” Bain responded, his sword arching out and slicing through the air in a beautiful and dangerous dance.
****
Marie held back a whimper as the male who had joined them while she was knocked out brought the leather straps of a whip to her tender flesh. Holly had passed out a while back. Marie bit her lip and thanked God that they had given the poor thing a break. Marie had heard people say that blood had no scent. Those people were fucking idiots. The sharp scent of copper that was Holly’s dripping blood was officially burned into her senses.
“Enough.” Darion stood from the bed. Esperanza rose as well and moved back to the bedside chair.
“Bring the wildcat to the bed. Let’s see if we can find where her fire went.”
Jaeb dipped his chin and reached for the cuffs, releasing Marie. She collapsed, falling over his shoulder. He was silent as he passed Darion and deposited her on the bed.
“Tie her up.”
Marie tried to fight, but each move of her body and legs radiated pain through her every nerve. A tear slipped past her lashes as Jaeb bound her wrists in leather straps.
A loud crash caught all of their attention. Darion arched a brow, stopping the removal of his pants. Two of his guards left the room, leaving two to keep him safe. Darion reluctantly buttoned his pants back up and waited to hear word of what was happening. The room was lit by a new blue glow as lightning began flashing outside. He and Esperanza exchanged curious glances. Marie arched to look out the large window. Another flash lit the sky, causing a smile to spread over her lips. She chuckled softly and relaxed against the bed.
“What are you laughing about?” Esperanza demanded.
“You’re getting your wish. I hope he kills you.”
Esperanza growled and reached down to clasp her hand over Marie’s throat. “What are you talking about?”
Marie choked out a response. “You’ll soon see, you worthless bitch.”
One of the guards returned, closing the door and latching the lock behind him. “We need to go, My Lord.”
“What’s going on out there?”
The guards eyes shifted to Holly and then to Marie. “The warriors are here.”
“I have a castle full of guards and you mean to tell me that you wish for me to hide from five measly warriors?”
“It’s not just the warriors, My Lord. The Immortal Ruler is here, as is the traitorous trow, and the female Izzy.”
A thump against the door reverberated through the floor, drawing everyone’s attention. A second later, part of the door splintered and a fist appeared through the wood.
“Come Darion, this is not a fight you are prepared for.” Esperanza clutched his arm. “The end game was to get the Immortal Ruler to heal you… let them focus on these two while we find a way to get to him.” She pulled him toward the hidden passage, grabbing Ardea by her hair to yank her with them. “Come, Jaeb.”
They disappeared into the passage with two of the guards and the wall slid back into place as the final pieces of the door shattered, allowing Lothar, Uriah, Izzy, and Jake into the room.
Anger suffused Uriah as his eyes fell upon Marie’s nearly naked body strapped to Darion’s bed, with welts and bruises covering her perfect skin. With a roar of pure rage, he lifted the remaining guard in the room and slammed him against the stone wall, just to pull him back and repeatedly slam him against the unforgiving stone. With a final flick of his fingers, he catapulted the guard through the window to the courtyard below.
Izzy moved to Marie’s side as Uriah gained control. “Hold on sweetie, we’re gonna get you out of here.”
Marie smiled. “I’m really glad to see you, Iz, but go help Holly.”
Izzy furrowed her brow and looked over her shoulder as Lothar was releasing Holly from the wall cuffs. She sucked in a deep breath and nodded, rushing to Lothar’s side.
“Is she alive?” Izzy asked as she reached them. He lifted his gaze, a wet shimmer to his steel eyes, and nodded.
They heard footsteps rushing the hall. Izzy cupped Holly’s head and healed her enough that Lothar could move her without causing any more damage. She yanked a blanket from a chair and laid it over Holly’s body as Lothar cradled her.
“Get her to Bain.”
Lothar let his wings loose as he ran to the balcony and took flight.
Uriah had finished un-strapping Marie and was wrapping her in
a blanket. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
She smiled at him and shook her head, then grimaced as he lifted her. “I know it hurts, little nymph, but we’re going to get you out of here. I’m so, so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“Stop that, it is not. They’re after Makyle… thought I was Izzy.”
Izzy’s gaze whipped to Marie. “What?”
Marie caught Izzy’s pained, sapphire gaze. “It’s not your fault either. Holly and I were in the wrong place because of me. But Esperanza wants Makyle… There’s something wrong with Darion. I think she believes Makyle can fix him.”
“Get her out of here. Now!”
“I’ll be back for you two.”
The ruckus from downstairs had Izzy biting her lip.
Jake smiled. “I’ll go to Cree. You block the door.”
Izzy sighed. “Be careful, Kat will kill me if something happens to you.”
Jake smiled and ran out of the room. Once he was clear of the debris, Izzy began moving furniture to block the entrance to the room.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Bain rushed to Lothar as he hit the ground with Holly in his arms. He pulled back the blanket to see her wounds. His gaze locked with Lothar’s. “What the fuck did they do to her?”
“Just heal her,” Lothar snarled.
Bain cupped Holly’s face and began the process. Her eyes fluttered open, and she locked her gaze with her brother.
“Hey, big brother.”
Bain smiled. “Hey, little girl. We’re gonna have you all fixed up real soon.”
“Get the bracelet off me and I can heal myself. You need to get Marie.”
Lothar lifted her arm from the blanket. The bracelet fell from her wrist as Uriah landed next to them, his magic snapping it in half. Marie shifted out of Uriah’s arms and grabbed Holly’s hand.
“I’m here.” Marie smiled softly.
Holly sighed and smiled back. “You okay?”
Marie nodded and looked to Bain. “Go get Iz. Third balcony on the third floor.”
Bain took flight as the thunderstorm settled above them, and Makyle hit the ground. He stalked towards them as Kale came to join the group. Marie’s eyes were wide as Makyle’s glowing orbs fell upon her.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“They’re after you! You have to go,” Marie shouted.
“What’s going on?” asked Kale. “Why are they after Makyle?”
“He’s sick… Darion. I think Esperanza thinks you can heal him. You have to go.”
Kale furrowed his brows, and Uriah nodded. “She’s right, plus your brothers will be here any moment now. Take Marie and Holly back to the castle. We’ll follow.”
Makyle scoffed; the idea of running was out of the question. “They are your mates and they need you. Go, and I will follow once the others return.”
Lothar looked to Uriah, who sighed, and then to Kale, who nodded. “He’s a fucking Immortal Ruler, he can handle himself, and I will wait here for the others… go. Get them out of here.”
****
Izzy looked around the room, from the chains Holly had hung from, to the bed her little sister had been strapped to… Anger welled and the chains were ripped from the wall and slung through the broken window. The bed flipped over and shredded into pieces. Izzy didn’t hear the scrape of stone over her heavy breathing. Only the cold press of metal against her throat stopped her emotions from destroying the room.
“Temper, temper,” Esperanza chided. “Now calm down because you are going to help me.”
“In the words of the man who once called you mother, ‘you can fuck off’.”
Esperanza laughed. “Come, Darion.”
Darion smirked as he rounded Esperanza and stood before Izzy. “She’s a wildcat too… just like her sister.”
Izzy reached for him, the sharp edge of the blade biting against her skin, drawing a small trickle of blood.
“Calm down, because you have a choice to make. Darion can place that bracelet in his palm on your wrist, it will stifle your magic, and you will essentially be human again. Then you can replace your sister’s position, or I will allow you to keep your magic, you will heal him, and I will let you go.”
Bain snarled as he flew through the balcony doors and slammed against Darion. The two rolled on the floor, both landing and taking blows. Izzy’s cry was the only thing that stopped Bain as he pinned Darion to the ground , his fangs bared.
“Let him go, Bain,” Esperanza ordered.
Bain narrowed his gaze on his mother. “Let her go.”
Esperanza smiled. “Not going to happen, but with you here, I’m not sure I need her. So new plan, heal him and I will let her go.”
Bain stared at his mother, his emotions warring. Finally, he sighed and returned his gaze to Darion. Bain’s eyes began to glow and he blew over Darion’s injured face. Once the cuts had sealed, he lifted his gaze back to his mother’s. “Let her go.”
“Finish healing him,” she ordered
Bain scrutinized the man before him. The man who had killed Rowan. If not for the blade at Izzy’s throat he would have ripped Darion to shreds, and basked in the blood that drained his life. “What else needs to be healed?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Whatever your wretched sister did to him!” she screamed.
Bain growled and looked back to Darion. As he focused, through the rage, he could feel the misbalance of magic.
He nearly laughed. “I can’t heal what’s wrong with him… but you know who probably could have? Your daughter.”
“It isn’t an unbalance of luck. It’s magic.”
Bain shrugged. “There is nothing I can do.”
Esperanza’s gaze locked briefly with Darion’s. In that transitory moment, Darion understood what she wanted. The iron bracelet in his hand closed around Bain’s wrist, cutting off his magic. Darion pulled a knife and placed it against Bain’s chest as Esperanza ushered Izzy forward.
“Then we will try your female’s magic… She must have picked up some of Rowan’s gifts in the brief time she spent with her.” Esperanza’s voice dropped to a menacing whisper meant only for Izzy’s ears. “Heal him and I will let you both live. If I for one second think you are up to something, I will have Darion kill him… I have already sacrificed one child. We both know I will sacrifice my son as well.”
Izzy’s eyes locked with Bain’s as she leaned over Darion and began healing him. She felt his magic and as she focused, she could feel the balance within him returning. Once he was healed, she leaned back and nodded. “It’s done.”
“Good.” She pulled another bracelet from her dress pocket and tightened it over Izzy’s wrist.
“Move,” she ordered Bain. “Into the corner.”
Bain stood, and backed into the corner.
“You good?” Esperanza asked Darion as he stood.
“I feel much better… I do wish I could keep her,” Darion said, leering at Izzy.
Esperanza sighed and shoved Izzy at Bain, grabbing Darion’s arm as she ran. They disappeared into the passage as the stone wall shifted closed.
Bain pressed his lips to the top of Izzy’s head. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“I really, really hate her.”
Bain nodded and looked back to the stone wall that had closed behind them. “Me too.” His wings opened behind him. “At least I can still fly.” He wrapped her in his arms and took to the sky, just as Cree and Jake were exiting the castle.
“Everything okay?” Kale asked as they hovered over the courtyard.
Bain huffed. “Fantastic.”
Makyle arched a brow. “What happened?”
“Run in with Esperanza.”
Makyle nodded and a new storm formed above them. “Is everyone clear of the castle?”
“Everyone who matters,” Cree offered as he and Jake joined the others.
Makyle smirked and brought strikes of lightning raining down upon the castle. Stone exploded and shards of the castle’s exte
rior littered the battle-strewn courtyard. Glass imploded and fire rose from the interior.
Bain shook his head. “I should probably stop trying to piss him off all the time.”
Izzy laughed softly. “I didn’t think you were trying, I thought it was just the natural order of the relationship.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Acacia stood among the devastation, reliving the lives of the Fae that had perished. She recognized the magic that had littered chunks of the castle among the dead in the courtyard.
“Are there any that are worthy of your domain?” Josiah asked as he stood next to his sister.
Acacia nodded. “A few. I suppose it comes down to how many of their sins were enacted at their own hands.”
“Isn’t that how it always is?”
“Even the pure of heart falter.”
“They do… how is she?” he asked, finally looking Acacia in the eyes.
There was a new depth to her peridot pools. “She misses her son, and she worries what it will cost Makyle for helping her.”
Josiah sighed and took in the destruction around them, taking in all the death and blood, the anguish and pain, and all the collateral damage that was done. “He’s crossed the line once again. You stand here alone as part of your punishment… Do you not believe he deserves to be punished as well?”
Acacia sighed. “I believe we should be afforded the rights of those we eventually care for.”
“But we are not the same… We are more than any of these creatures.”
Acacia narrowed her eyes. With a flourish of her arm, she held three glowing soul orbs. “The rest of the souls that litter this place are all yours.”
She faded out and left Josiah among the wreckage. With another sigh, he collected the souls and returned to his domain.
With the souls delivered to their different levels of the Underworld, Josiah found his brothers.
Immortal Rapture: Immortal Heart Page 17
