“Navid will be there to help,” Allie said.
She turned to Sasha. “When this all goes down, I’m going to need you to remind me why we’re doing this. But I also need you to be a liaison between us and Jayesh.”
“We’ve been talking,” Sasha said. “He has a lot of plans, but his special ops background is going to be a problem. He moves too fast sometimes. I’ll keep him on your pace, so we’re not overwhelmed.”
“Thank you.” Allie smiled nervously as the time drew near for her to address the group.
“You’ve got this.” Santi squeezed her hand, giving Allie a moment of peace. Allie closed her eyes, allowing Santi to touch her soul in her special way.
Calm and in control of her nerves again, Allie thanked her. “You have no idea how much I needed that.” She closed her hand over Santi’s. “We’re really going to need you to work with the Soma kids. You have a unique understanding of what some of them have been through.”
“It will be my pleasure to see that place become something good.”
“Thank you, guys.” She forced a smile. They were so supportive, but they didn’t know the full story yet. They all thought this meeting was about a group endeavor to take down Soma and ultimately bring Aidan and Naomi home.
"They're on their way." Alísun came to her side. “It’s time, Allie.”
Allie closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she was about to commit them all to.
Aidan, I wish you were here for this. Wherever you are... You have to know I'm doing this for you.
She opened her eyes to find Alísun staring at her. There was no doubt Alísun loved her granddaughters, but the queen needed an heir. This was big moment for her, too. She was more than ready to pass the torch. Allie frowned, realizing how much stress her elderly grandmother was under, carrying the weight of their world on her shoulders. She needed a break. She deserved a break. Allie’s resistance was selfish. She was young and motivated to make a change. She could take that burden from the queen. It was time. “I’ve got this, Grandma,” Allie whispered.
With a gentle squeeze of her hand, the queen drifted into the crowd. As Allie turned her back to the windows, she found herself alone at the front of the beautiful room. She recognized all the faces. This was her family and a few friends she trusted. She shouldn’t be this nervous, but only a handful of them knew she was the named heir of Indriell. She hadn’t even told Sasha yet. But they were all about to find out.
"Thank you for being here today," she finally spoke. "I know some of you aren't sure what this is about." She glanced at Quinn, standing with Sasha to his left and Santi to his right. She wondered what they would think about the naming.
"I've asked you all here today because I need your help. We are still waiting for a few others to join us, so I will tell you all right now, if anyone wants to leave at any point, you are always free to do so. If you've had enough struggle in your life…" She gave Sasha a hard look. "Please understand that I will never make you feel like you can't walk away."
"If you are here, we are here with you," Sasha said. "No matter what."
Quinn nodded.
The sound of an opening door sent a hush across the room.
"This way," Liam said.
Allie watched as her brother led a petite young woman into the room, Dean right behind her.
“Livia?” Tessa took a menacing step toward Allie's sister. Allie lifted her hand, her solar power sparking at her fingertips—an involuntary reaction to the threat.
"Don't you dare zap her," Livia muttered.
“That's far enough.” Liam stepped in front of the girl. “My wife is not the person you remember.”
“Your wife?” The girl sneered, her blond hair falling over her shoulder.
“Much has happened since we last saw each other.” Livia moved to stand beside her Complement. “I don't deserve it, but I hope you will give me a chance. As trapped as you've been for most of your life, I have been as well. Soma was my prison, too.”
Allie heard the pleading in her voice. Livia thought she would never be able to atone for the things she'd done. But if Allie could forgive her for what she’d done to their family, then she hoped Tessa could find it in her heart to forgive Livia, too.
“We have a lot to discuss, and I’m a nervous wreck.” Allie managed a tight smile. So, let’s get to it. Please everyone, take your seats.”
Allie felt Darius's eyes on her. They'd discussed this part. If they wanted to foster a sense of honor and honesty, this was the moment they needed to do it. It went against the grain, but with a shudder, Allie dropped the pretense shielding their Syntrophos bond. The bond was something they protected with their every breath. But it was also something everyone in this room needed to witness. The family knew, of course, but she especially wanted Tessa and Dean to understand.
“My name is Allie Carmichael, and this is my Syntrophos, Darius McBrien.” She gestured for him to come join her.
“Most of you know me well enough to know it would take an act of God to get me in front of a room full of people. And some of you know how much I've battled accepting this Immortal life. I never wanted this … any of it." Allie gave a bitter laugh. Five years ago, she didn't even know Immortals existed, and now she sat poised to lead them into a questionable future. Who did she think she was?
Aidan. You're doing this nonsense for Aidan.
"But our world is changing, and our generation is suffering." Allie lifted her chin. "My maternal grandmother, Queen Alísun, the last queen of Indriell, has named me her heir." Allie chanced a glance at her grandmother. She stood at the back of the room, a look of fierce pride on her face. "A position I've resisted for years," Allie admitted. Alísun may have just named her the heir, but Allie had been resisting her connection to Indriell since the moment she found out about it. “But I have finally learned to accept it,” she finished. “By the right of my birth, I am the first princess of Indriell. That knowledge cannot leave this room. We need to keep it within the family and our most trusted friends.”
Allie chanced a glance at her friends, but they stood with approving smiles on their faces as if they’d known all along. Their silent encouragement gave her the strength to go on.
“I am the second natural daughter of the ancients, Kassandre and Ashar. My mother, Kassandre, was the natural daughter of Queen Alísun. My elder sister is Livia. She was once my enemy and is now my strength and my ally." Allie wasn't sure those simple words were enough to convey what she felt for her sister. After all they'd been through—together and apart—Livia meant more to her than she'd ever thought possible. "Together, we are going after Soma, and we are asking you all to join us.”
Allie took her seat at the head of the table, not sure her legs would hold her upright much longer. “The ancient, Lord Teigan, known today as Marcus Servius, is behind Soma. He isn't the only one using and abusing our generation, but he is the worst. He claims that Soma is a safe place that we all desperately need, but it is a guise used to lure unsuspecting young Immortals into the web of Sterling Tower. Too many have realized the trap only after they’ve been sold into slavery. It has to end." Allie took a deep breath, listening to the conviction in her own voice.
“Livia and I are going to return to Soma to bring it down from the inside and build it back up into the institution it claims to be. And then we're going after the others—all of those who’ve been sold into slavery. Most of you have already agreed to help. But we still need you, Tessa. And Dean." She gave them a pointed look. "You both have a unique experience with the enemy. Others will look to you for the truth. Tessa? Are you with us?” Allie wouldn't blame her if she ran shrieking from the room. But she saw defiance in the woman's eyes. She was a fighter.
“I'm in.” Tessa nodded firmly and for one horrifying second, Allie thought she was going to bow. A fire of determination lit Tessa's eyes. Allie gave her a nod, grateful for her support.
With a glance around the room at all the approving nods, Allie let
out the breath she'd been holding. “Good because someone I love is in trouble, and I need your help. All of you.”
Allie stood, too nervous about this next part to remain in her seat. “The Chief Justice is building an army of Syntrophos with the intent to overtake Soma and make it a government run institution. We have to stop them.”
A collective gasp swept the room as the realization of what she was asking hit them all at once.
“I know I’m asking you to defy your government. A government most of you work for, but we cannot allow the Senate to take that much power for themselves. We cannot allow a Chief Justice to wield the power of a Syntrophos army—an army taken by force. They have Aidan and Naomi. We owe it to them to bring them home. It might mean war against our leaders, but for the good of our children, we simply must provide a safe place for those who do not have a family like ours. We are lucky to have you all.” Allie met her mentor’s gaze. “To have teachers with the wisdom and experience to provide the training we desperately need.
“We will be taking Soma before the Chief Justice has a chance to, and then we will find a way to free the Syntrophos under their control.”
“Excuse me,” Tessa said softly. “What is a Syntrophos?” She glanced from Allie to Darius. And then to Sasha and Quinn. “I can sense it in this room, but I don’t understand.”
“It is a bond,” Quinn said. “Much like the Complement bond, but it links you with your …”
“Your best friend,” Sasha supplied. “But that’s not a strong enough word for what Quinn is to me. It’s far more than that.”
“It’s an ancient bond that dates back to my ancestors,” Allie said. “The Queens of Indriell surrounded themselves with their Syntrophos armies—the strongest of our kind. When linked as we are, what wouldn’t we fight for to protect the two most important people in our lives? Our Complement and our Syntrophos. We were unstoppable. No one dared come against the queens and their most fierce protectors.”
Tessa nodded. “And you say our government is now developing this army?”
“Yes. And you should all know exactly what that means. When a pair of Syntrophos bond, they form a unique connection allowing them to have access to the other’s power. We influence each other’s gifts. There are so many things I can do now that I couldn’t do before Darius and I bonded. Together, our arsenal of abilities has tripled over the last four years. We continue to discover new ways our bond has allowed us to use the power.”
“May I?” Gregg stood to address the room.
“Please.”
“I was Syntrophos to Allie’s mother, Kassandre. I have been able to teach these young pairs uniting as they did in the days of Indriell. Yet, I have neglected to teach them one last crucial detail. I didn’t want to burden them with the knowledge until it was time. It is time they know now. The way Allie describes their use of the power is telling. Some of you ancients have likely already guessed. A Syntrophos pair uses the pure, untainted power as it was before the Great War nearly destroyed it.”
“What?” Sasha gasped.
Allie’s mind reeled, and she had to sit down.
“That’s impossible,” one of Gregg’s lieutenants said. “The power was almost destroyed, so how could they?”
“It is the nature of the Syntrophos bond. It’s stated in prophecy. ‘The Power is corrupted and will remain so until a new generation is born with the strength of their ancestors, led by one with an unsullied, natural connection with the power. Her heart will guide her, giving her the restraint to wield her power wisely. She will gather her equals and together they will stand against those who persist in the corruption of the natural order. She will be strong and fierce in her beliefs and steadfast in her love. Born the second child of the seventh daughter of her line, she alone will possess the skills and the knowledge to heal what has been broken.’”
Allie breathed a silent thanks when he left out the last part about how she would have the courage to judge unbiased and mete out the ultimate punishment. They didn’t need to know that aspect of her abilities.
“The Chief Justice is currently training eight Syntrophos pairs,” Allie said. “Looking around the room, I can see the fear in your eyes, just knowing that there are two Syntrophos pairs in this room. Can you imagine what the leader of our world could do with an army of sixteen well-trained warriors, each with a partner that allows them access to the pure power?”
“We are with you, Allie,” Gregg said. “What will be our first move?”
“You are with me on this?” she asked. She’d fully expected him to resist on the grounds that she was too young to attempt something so dangerous.
“I stand behind my queen.” He nodded to Alísun. “And with the heir. I know my son would do the same, if given the choice. I’d like to offer it to him.”
It bolstered her confidence to have Gregg behind her. “Then we will be making a move against Soma immediately. Before Marcus or the Chief Justice suspect anything.”
“You believe we can stand against Livia’s father?” Tessa asked. All color drained from her face. “He is Soma. He’s ancient, and his forces are impenetrable.”
“He is not my father. Marcus raised me,” Livia said. “And once, when I was a child, I wanted nothing more than his approval. I have not loved him as a child loves a father in a very long time. Navid is my father. The only true father I have ever known.” Livia took Navid’s hand. “Marcus is confident in his position, and he is confident that I would never betray him.”
“He believes we still hold her captive,” Liam added. “If we strike now, he will not see it coming.”
“I want this to be a peaceful takeover,” Allie said. “As peaceful as we can manage. Right now, Marcus is away from Sterling Tower with several of his closest companions. Livia, Darius, and I will walk into Soma tomorrow and take the helm along with Jayesh Basu.”
“And how will you keep it?” Tessa asked. “Marcus will return and he will retaliate. He would sooner blow Sterling Tower up than to see it stolen from under his nose.”
“Leave that to me and a few of my dream walkers,” Quinn said.
“Dream walkers?” Dean spoke for the first time.
“It’s been a while, nephew.” Quinn smiled. “But yes, I am a dream walker now.”
“Then you know Brecken?” Dean cast a worried glance at Tessa.
“We’ve met.” Quinn’s eyes narrowed to slits. “How do you know him?”
“We’ve spent the last four years as slaves to Vivian Dyson,” Tessa said. “Brecken was our jailor.”
“We became cursory friends over time. But I still wouldn’t trust him,” Dean said.
“You leave Brecken to me,” Quinn said.
“You’re going to do what he did?” Tessa asked. “We were free to come and go as we wanted on Vivian’s vast property, but we could never leave its borders. We were surrounded by the dreamworld. There was no way out.”
“Or in,” Quinn said. “Once I create a rift between the waking world and the dreamworld, I will surround Sterling Tower with a barrier none can cross without my permission. Anyone inside the building will be free to leave under escort, but no one enters. Including Marcus, the Senate, and anyone else who opposes us.”
Tessa nodded, her eyes bright. “But we … we aren’t going to be stuck in there?”
“I will not ask you to give up one prison for another,” Allie said. “We desperately need you inside Sterling Tower to help us convince those in residence we have their best interests at heart. But you can leave at any time.”
“I remember you, Tessa,” Quinn said softly. “That day in the warehouse. You showed me kindness in a place where I thought none existed.”
“You were running like your life depended on it,” she said.
“It did in a way.” Quinn smiled. “If I had failed my task, Santi would have suffered greatly for it. You helped me succeed that day. I give you my vow, if you ever need to cross my barrier, I will personally escort you and Dean to the ot
her side.”
Chapter Twenty
“You sure about this?” Navid asked. “This is the point of no return.”
Allie stared across Monroe Drive and up at Sterling Tower, certain she was doing the right thing. The shifting spectral figures of her visions swarmed the park and the city block. There were more here than she’d ever seen anywhere else, and she struggled to keep them confined. But her visions shone with the green light of her power, and that was always a good sign.
“I’m sure.” Allie nodded. “Just scared.”
“It’s a good plan, Allie,” Navid said. “And we are all with you.”
“Are you sure you’re ready to go back in there?” she asked Navid. The dreamworld was a dangerous place for him. He’d spent too much time there in recent years, and it had left him struggling with the addiction to his power like he hadn’t experienced in a thousand years.
“I can manage this. We won’t be there longer than my threshold allows, and Quinn knows how to pull me back if I linger too long. Don’t worry about me, sweetheart.”
“What about you, Quinn? Are you ready to go back to Soma?”
“No. But this will be different. I’m not a captive anymore.”
“Let’s do this.” She took Quinn and Navid’s hands, Livia stepping up to clasp Navid’s free hand. Quinn and Navid would guide them into the dreamworld; something they’d done an awful lot of in recent years. As the daughters of one of the most ancient dream walkers, she and Livia both had an affinity for the place. They could do things other dreamers couldn’t, but they needed the assistance of a walker.
Allie took a deep breath. She needed to clear her mind to reach a meditative state. Entering the dreamworld this way was never easy for her. She gripped their hands tightly, resisting the urge to fight the force pulling her from the waking world. It felt like drowning. All the air was sucked from her lungs until she thought she would pass out.
The park dissolved in a swirling mass of green as they collectively fell into the world of dreams. Allie and Livia stumbled with the wrongness of the entry. For them, it was unnatural to arrive this way. They could only do it because they shared their lineage with Navid, but it didn’t come without consequences.
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