Anastasia opened her eyes and looked down at her open hand. Her eyes widened as she looked at what she held. A small ball of light sat on her palm, much the same as what Gregory had taught her to do, only this time her memory played back to her. She watched as she fell and skinned her knee on her first try of the climb, and instead of laughing at her, Dakota helped her back up and then gave her a boost onto the tree. Tears filled her eyes as she watched them play. Had Dakota always looked at her like that? she wondered as she watched him watching her climb the tree. How had she missed it?
“That’s amazing,” she finally said as she released the light and it disappeared into the sky.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel fine.” Anastasia smiled. She felt no deep thirst for power or bloodlust; she only felt happiness in her heart.
“Gregory wrote to me and told me that you have the power to freeze a moment.”
Anastasia nodded. “Yes, but I have only used it once, and I didn’t even know I was doing it.”
“I want you to try again. It won’t work against Vincent, as he has the same power, but it could help in a Brute assault.”
“I don’t even know how I did it.”
“Just close your eyes and focus. You need to be able to sense everything that is around you, or you could end up focusing your power on the wrong target. Use all of your senses and reach out.”
Anastasia did as she was instructed, but she couldn’t clear her mind. When she opened her eyes, she was staring directly into a smiling Vincent.
She flung herself backwards off the bench and felt the fence behind her. He faded away, and suddenly Carmen’s voice broke through her fear.
“Anastasia!” she yelled at her.
Eyes wide, Anastasia focused on her grandmother.
“Close your palm, Anastasia.”
She looked down and saw that she was holding a ball of flame in her palm; she had conjured it without even realizing what she was doing. She closed her hand and the fire sizzled out, leaving a small red mark behind.
“What did you see?” Carmen’s eyes were narrowed on her face.
“Vincent. He was here.”
“He was not here, not even projected, or I would have felt him.”
“He was here! I saw him!” she insisted.
“I think that is enough for today. We need to pace you.” Carmen smiled and reached for Anastasia.
“What is going on?” Tony and two Fighters came down the path towards them.
“I think Anastasia is just tired.”
“I’ll walk her home.” Tony held out his arm and Anastasia took it. “You two make sure Carmen gets back okay.”
“It’s not that far of a walk, Tony, I can see to it myself.”
“I know you can.” He smiled kindly at her. “I would just feel better if they went with you.”
“Well, all right,” she replied reluctantly, “if it will make you feel better. I suppose it has been a while since I’ve been escorted home by two handsome men.” Carmen winked at Anastasia. “Come on, boys,” she said on a laugh.
“Where’s Dakota?” Anastasia asked as they walked.
“Out on a scouting run with Argento and some of the others.”
“He’s out there? On the other side of the fence?” She stopped and felt panic begin to rise in her chest.
“Kaley is with him as well, Anastasia. He will be fine. They should be back shortly.” They began walking again, and when they reached the steps of the training cottage, he sat, and she followed. “Want to tell me what happened?”
“I saw Vincent.”
“He was here?” Tony’s jaw clenched, and he looked around them.
“Carmen didn’t see him.”
“I don’t understand, did he project himself? Like he did to you in Seattle?”
“I don’t know. She said she would have felt him, but she didn’t.” She covered her face with her hands. “I think I’m losing my mind.”
“Why do you say that?”
“There’s who I’ve been wanting to see all day.” Dakota and Kaley came up to the steps, and Anastasia smiled emptily at him.
“Just exhausted, Tony.” She pet Kaley lightly as she rubbed against her. “Have a good run, girl?”
“Hey, Tony,” Dakota greeted him and Tony nodded in response.
“Run went well?”
“No new camps.”
“Any sign of Brady?” Anastasia asked hopefully.
“Not yet. We will find him, though.”
“Well, I’m headed back to town.” Tony stood and walked down the steps. “I’ll see you two later?”
“We will be down in a bit,” Anastasia assured him.
“You know where to find me.”
He watched as they walked into the cottage, and he couldn’t help the worry that was settling in his chest. What if the training was too much for her to handle? She was the only family he had left, what if he lost her too?
“How did your training go today?” Dakota asked as they sat at the table that afternoon.
“It went well. I learned something new.”
“Oh yeah? Can you show me?”
Biting back the fear, Anastasia held her palm out and closed her eyes. She focused on the memory of the two of them playing in the tree and opened her eyes.
“That is amazing! I remember that day.”
“It’s my favorite memory of the two of us.”
He smiled and she closed her palm. “Are you ready to head into the village?” he asked her as he stood.
“I'm going to lie down for a few minutes if that’s okay. I’m pretty wiped out from today.”
“Of course. I could join you if you want company.” He winked at her, and she laughed lightly.
“You and I both know I wouldn’t get much rest if you came with me. Besides, your mom will want to see that you got back from the scout run safe and sound.”
“I’ll see you soon?” he asked, kissing her gently.
“Before you know it.”
After Dakota and Kaley left, she went into her bedroom and lay down on her bed. Moments after she closed her eyes, she heard the door open again.
“Forget something?” she asked playfully, sitting up in bed.
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
Anastasia leapt to her feet at the sound of Vincent’s voice. She ran through her doorway and into the living area, where she saw Vincent, Brady, and half a dozen Brutes standing in front of the door.
“Brady, what are you doing with him?”
“He is the only one who understands how I feel.”
“He is working with the Brutes! If that is what you are mad about, then why are you with him!” she yelled.
“He doesn’t like them either! They are only in it for the mutual benefits, but you all actually like them. Noelle is sleeping with one!”
“Brady, please come home.”
“Never.” He sneered.
“Get her, by whatever means necessary,” Vincent ordered.
Two of the Brutes moved in for her, and she dodged them. She threw her hand out and fire scorched them, knocking them to the ground.
Vincent laughed as three Brutes knocked her to the ground. “I'm going to kill everyone, Anastasia.” He sneered at her.
“Anastasia!” She heard the yelling and fought to get the Brutes off her. She flung her arms out and fought with everything she had. She saw her skin begin to glow, and suddenly the Brutes released her.
“You better run!” she screamed at them. She held her palm up and watched the flames leap on her skin.
“Anastasia, come back!” she heard the distant voice again. Why was it calling to her? She hadn’t gone anywhere—if anything, she had been found.
“Anastasia!” It was getting closer, and the glow on her skin began to dim.
“ANA!” Her vision cleared and the Brutes faded. In front of her stood Dakota, Tony, Argento, Elizabeth, and three other of the loyal Brutes. The cabin was smoking from her magic,
and her body began to shake.
“Stay away from her.” Argento gripped Dakota’s shoulder when he moved towards her.
“Get off me.” Dakota pushed through him and reached for her.
“Don’t touch me,” Anastasia said softly.
“Ana—”
“Get out!” she yelled at them. “It’s not safe! Get out!” Her skin started glowing again, and everyone but Dakota began backing away.
“I'm not leaving you!”
“Go, Dakota! Tony, please make him leave. It’s not safe!”
Suddenly Vincent was back and the Brutes were reaching for her again. She pushed herself back into the corner as far as she could away from them and began sobbing. “Please go. I don’t know what’s real.”
“I am real!” She heard the voice again and fought to hang on to it.
“Go.” She flung her hand and threw Dakota out into the night.
The door swung shut, and no matter how he pushed at it, Dakota couldn’t get it to budge.
“What the hell is happening?” he yelled, turning to face the others.
“It is the effects of the stasis.” The Brute healer, Rayden, stepped forward. “She is having trouble discerning reality from illusion.”
“I thought that this would clear up, why is it getting worse?” Elizabeth asked him.
“I honestly am not sure. I have never seen a human put into a stasis, let alone ripped from one as abruptly as she was. Normally when we pull a Brute from it, we do it gradually by adding doses of reality back into it until it is back to normal. She found a way to get out of it within seconds. Normally it takes days.”
“She thought she saw Vincent today, while she was with Carmen,” Tony told Rayden.
“And you’re only just now telling me about this?” Dakota stepped towards Tony, and Elizabeth moved in between them.
“Dakota, calm down,” she urged.
Dakota saw the look on her face and felt his anger spike. “You knew?” he accused her. “Why wouldn’t you tell me? I understand Tony keeping her secret to some extent,” he added with a glare at Tony, “but you should have told me.”
“Dakota, I—”
“It doesn’t matter now,” he cut her off, turning his attention back to Rayden. “What can we do?”
“I do not know. As I said before, we have never used stasis on a human. If we try to reinsert her, then her mind could break and we may not ever recover her. I think the best course of action is to leave her be until she comes around.”
“Does that look like she is going to come around?” Dakota asked, pointing to the cottage.
“We need to place guards outside so someone can sound an alarm if need be,” Argento suggested.
“Guards? Are you kidding me? She is not the enemy!” he yelled, but Tony stepped next to Argento.
“He is right, Dakota.”
“You agree? How can you of all people agree to that?”
“She is dangerous right now, Dakota. Think about it from her side, how do you think she would feel if she tore this village apart?” He stepped closer to him until they were nearly standing chest to chest. “Do you think this does not tear me apart inside? She is like a daughter to me! I will not risk her hurting any one of our people not just for their sake, but for hers.” He turned to face Argento. “I’m going to get Carmen. She might be able to protect the cottage from any further damage and keep her inside until either she comes around or we find a way to drag her ass back to reality.”
“Dakota,” Elizabeth started, but turned and headed back towards the village with Tony.
“I am sorry, Dakota.” Argento touched his shoulder and then motioned to the Brute who stood beside Rayden. “You stay in those trees out of sight. She comes out, you alert us, but under no circumstances are you to go after her.”
“Understood,” he agreed, and hid himself from view.
Dakota sat on the porch, his back to the door. He could hear her inside crying and closed his eyes at the sound.
“I’m here, Ana,” he said quietly. “I'm not leaving until you come back.”
Anastasia sat rocking against the wall. “It’s not real,” she kept telling herself. “Dakota’s not dead, he’s alive, and my people are alive.” She wrapped her arms even tighter around herself as Brutes appeared in front of her again.
“No!” she screamed, and threw her magic at them, but they only laughed and disappeared. “It’s not real. Dakota’s not dead, he’s alive, and my people are alive,” she repeated again, rocking. “Please don’t let it be real.”
“Anything?” Matilda walked down the narrow path to the training cottage carrying a plate of food.
Dakota shook his head in response and continued staring at his hands. He had never felt so helpless in his life. Even when she had been taken from him, he had been able to do something to bring her back. Carmen told him that if he went in there she might kill him on accident, and that would only cause her to spiral further, so all he could do was wait.
“She will come around, Dakota.”
“Thanks, Tilly.”
She smiled at him and gently patted his cheek.
“That for me?” he asked, amused.
“Unfortunately, no.” Matilda laughed and set the plate by the door. “Your mother is still angry with you, so I am under strict orders to not bring you any food until you go talk to her, but just in case she asks,” Matilda gestured towards the door to the cottage, “there’s an extra helping of stew on the plate.” She winked at him and headed back towards the village.
“Ana?” he asked, pressing his hand to the door. “There is food out here.”
The silence began to worry him, but she screamed and threw something at the door. He reached for the knob and then pulled away. She was fighting her own war in there and he would only be in the way, at least until Carmen and Rayden came up with something to snap her out of it.
“How is she?” Argento’s deep voice sounded from behind him, and Dakota turned to face him.
“The same.”
“Rayden is working with Carmen. They will find something.”
“I hope so.” Dakota sat back on the steps and Argento took a seat next to him.
“It is hard to feel useless when you are so used to being strong.”
Dakota nodded in agreement and stared out at the trees in the direction of the village.
“My wife is so strong that sometimes I feel useless.”
His words shocked Dakota. “You are married?”
“Of course,” Argento scoffed. “It is how I am king.”
At Dakota’s curious look, Argento smiled. “We Brutes are a matriarchal race, therefore the royal line is passed down through females.”
“Seriously?”
“You seem surprised.”
“Well, honestly, yes.”
“Most who learn of it are. We may seem tough, but it’s mainly on the outside. We are very family-oriented, and honor is incredibly important to us.” His jaw set. “It is why these traitors must be brought to justice.”
“They will be.”
“Your Anastasia will come back, Dakota, you must have faith. She has a strong mind, and when she comes back to you it will be with a fire that will propel her forward into victory.”
“Thank you, Argento.” Dakota smiled lightly at him. Strange how he had begun to think of Argento as one of his closest friends.
“You should go and talk to your mother. Time is not on our side right now, and you don’t want to miss an opportunity.”
“You’re right. I just can’t believe she didn’t tell me.”
“Perhaps it’s because she was being faithful to Tony.”
“Tony?” At Argento’s awkward silence, it hit him. “So she finally took that step. Good for her.” Dakota smiled, glad that his mom had finally gone for what she wanted.
“You are not angry?” Argento asked, confused. “Does it not bother you that she is with someone when you lost your father?”
“Honestly
, no. My dad would have wanted her to be happy and to not be alone for the rest of her life. Tony is a great man, and I know he will be good to her.”
“He is very honorable,” Argento agreed. “I will wait here while you go speak with her.”
Dakota eyed him warily. “I appreciate the offer, but maybe wait out of view? If she does come out, I don’t want her to mistake you for the enemy.”
“Good idea.” Argento moved to the side of the porch out of sight from the front door. “Go, I will be here.”
During the short walk back to the village, Dakota almost turned around three times. He knew he had been wrong to jump down their throats, but he couldn’t help the anger and betrayal he felt. Could this have all been avoided had they just told him? Maybe he could have talked to her and they could have figured out what was going on sooner. They wouldn’t know now, he supposed, so there was no need to focus on the past when there was already such an uncertain future ahead of them.
He turned the corner to his mom’s cabin and saw her and Tony on the front porch. Tony kissed her lightly and she smiled. Dakota cleared his throat and walked closer, his eyes trained to the ground.
“Dakota.” His mom’s stern voice immediately took him back to his teenage years.
“I’ll leave for a bit and let you two talk.” Tony started to turn away, but Dakota stopped him.
“Tony, please stay. What I have to say I need to say to both of you, so it will save me some time.”
“Go on.” Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked at him down her nose just as she had done when he got in trouble as a kid.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have gotten so angry at the two of you. Mom, I know you were only keeping Tony’s trust, and Tony, you were keeping Anastasia’s.”
“I would have told you had I believed this were ever a possibility,” Tony said, sitting on the steps. “This is my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Tony. It’s that bastard Vincent who is to blame. Well, he is,” Elizabeth added at Dakota’s surprised look.
“Not arguing.” Dakota held his hands up as if in surrender and walked to the edge of the steps. “Have Carmen and Rayden found anything out?”
The Fighter (Prophecy Series Book 2) Page 8
