by Bailey Dark
We rise, and she walks with stooped shoulders a short distance from Freia—far enough that the Goddess won't be able to hear. I jog to the camp and dig the heel of my boot into Thal's shoulder to wake him. He groans, swatting at me with a scowl.
“Thal,” I snap. “Wake up.”
One eye pops open. “Why?”
"Because I told you to," I say, narrowing my eyes at him. "We have business to take care of, and I need you. So get up."
Thal rolls over and climbs to his feet sleepily. He makes sure his sword is sheathed before trudging behind me towards Verity. “What is it?” He grumbles.
“The Shades,” I say curtly. “Verity has new information.”
“How did she get this new information?” Thal’s tired voice is steeped with suspicion.
“Verity has a rare ability to Dreamwalk—which is exactly as it sounds.” I eye him, daring him to say something smart. Thal shrugs. “She can’t control it sometimes. Last night was one such event.”
"And when she Dream walks, she Dream walks to the Shades?" Thal stretches his arm over his head, eyes half-closed.
I press my lips into a thin line. “Or they find her.”
We reach Verity, and she stifles a yawn. "Good morning, Thal."
Thal nods. He’s still wary of her. It’s difficult to trust a Bloodbane, but a part of me feels guilty that Thal and Verity are no longer close friends. I gesture for Verity to sit and she folds onto the ground gratefully. “So,” I say. “Go on.”
"I was in the Third Stratum, and it was dark. I don't know how close to the portal I was, but I couldn't see Freia's prison from where I was," Verity explains. Her gaze darkens. "A Shade found me. He chased me through the desert and herded me towards the others. They surrounded me on all sides—there were too many to count.”
“And you’re certain this was real and not just a nightmare?” Thal asks, looking skeptical.
Verity purses her lips and tugs her sleeve back, revealing a deep purple bruise in the shape of long, spindly fingers. “Does this look real?”
He grimaces. “Point taken. What did they want?”
“They’re coming for us.” Verity shudders. “I don’t know when, but it will be soon. I don’t think they’re as frightened of Freia as Sadal claimed. I think they simply had no interest in her.”
“Damn,” I curse. “We’re defenseless out here.”
I scan the desert, looking for any sign of a structure, but all I see is endless sand in all directions. My mind searches through every possibility of defense, but the Third Stratum is the last place any strategist would choose to make a stand. Even if the Shades live in the Second Stratum, the Ether is still their home, and we are at a disadvantage.
Thal rubs his jaw. “Erzur is almost recovered, so we’ll have her strength. We could use Sadal as well.”
I snort. “Sadal has the courage of a field mouse. He won’t be of any use to us—cut him out of the equation.”
“I’ll think of something,” Thal murmurs, a far-away look in his eyes. He rises, brushing off his pants. “Thanks, Verity.”
Verity starts, surprised to hear him say her name rather than call her Bloodbane. She nods. “You’re welcome.”
“How much longer do you need to make the web?” I ask as Thal strides away.
“I don’t know.” Verity looks pained and she rubs her temples. “I’m getting better, but I can’t guarantee when I will have it.”
I know she's right, but I wish it was different. Last night was pleasant, despite our circumstances, and I had high hopes for the morning. I don't know what I was thinking. We've left the warm connection of last night to our memories and today is a new day. Today is all about surviving and saving the Fae realms from the hunger of the Shades. I can only hope Verity is strong enough to do what must be done and that we live long enough to buy her time to do it. I nod, steeling my eyes.
“Do what you need to do, rest if you must.” I eye Freia behind Verity. “But keep your distance from her. We don’t want to release another evil on the world when we’re struggling to defeat another.”
Verity nods, eyes slipping closed with exhaustion. “We can do it, Altair.”
Her words are empty of feeling and hollow. But I nod along and force a smile. I rise, letting Verity return to her spell-casting while Thal and I plan a defense. I pretend her words mean something, that they're real. But I still feel fear in the back of my mind and ever-present phantom. Countless Shades, I think numbly. And only five of us between them and the world. I don't like our odds.
Chapter 16
Verity
The strain of the magic flooding through me makes my fingers tremble. I dig my heels into the baked earth, back bent with the effort. Sweat beads on my brow and I feel a dull ache throbbing in my lower back. From my hands, tendrils of white thread float, entwining together to make a thicker, unbreakable rope. The cord drifts away from me, towards a rune I carved into the ground with a dagger just a few hours ago. The rune is a slash of lines, violent and demanding—a visual of my own desperate need to complete the spell.
Above it, the white threads of magic coil and braid together to make a dome-like prison. It’s almost a perfect copy of Freia’s, only twice the size. I hope it’s large enough to trap the Shades, but if I make it any larger I risk losing my grasp on the magic. I can already feel my shaky hold on it slipping as my body grows more and more exhausted. In a perfect world, I would have spent weeks building this prison and studying the spell. As it is, I’ve only had a day.
The invisible sun overhead is setting, light sinking down below the flat horizon. I grimace as the spell falters and one of my threads snaps in half. Licking my dry lips, I rebuild it. It takes twice the effort. At my feet lies a pool of dried blood. In the beginning, Serus and I cut my forearms, hoping the blood magic would bolster this spell. It did for a short time, but now all the strength has to come from me.
Serus sits stoically nearby, watching the prison come together with sharp eyes. I groan as my head begins to ache. I need rest and an entire river to drink. I wonder if the Motabilem River ever makes a surprise stop in the Ether. The trembling of my fingers is becoming more like shaking now, evident and worrying. I grit my teeth and wrestle the magic back into my control.
“You need more strength,” Serus says as his amber eyes dart over me.
“I would need the Hulk,” I pant.
He stares unamused. "Can you finish it? You're close."
“I’ll finish it,” I growl.
Serus falls silent and I know he won’t bother me again. He’s checked on me intermittently and I know he means well but the distraction makes the spell even more exhausting. I stare up at the peak of the dome, to the small space where the last cords of the spell are binding together. This is the last stretch, I tell myself. I pull even more magic to me, until my body is brimming with it and it feels as if the very air is vibrating. I hold my breath as the final thread floats on an invisible wind up to the dome and wraps itself around the other chords, completing the prison. When the cords look secure, I send my magic over it, searching for weaknesses. Repairing weak spots is a pain-staking process and by the end of it, my vision is going hazy.
My arms collapse to my sides, feeling like gelatin when the last weak cord is bolstered by more magic. My body is shaking and weak. I drop to my knees beside the pool of my dried blood and then keel over onto the dirt. My cheek presses into the hot earth and the dust fills my lungs with each breath.
“It’s done,” I breathe, reminding myself. “It’s done.”
Serus pads towards me silently and his shadow falls over my eyes. “Well done,” he says, a hint of pride in his voice. “You weaved one of the most complex spells in existence, and it looks decent.”
“Decent.” I chuckle but it sounds more like a wheeze. It’s a compliment, coming from Serus. He simply doesn’t understand humans, but he tries.
I hear the crunch of dirt beneath boots and I recognize the gait as Altair. My heart twinges
and I almost lift a hand to brush the dirt from my hair before I remember that I’m too exhausted to move and that I truly don’t care. He comes to a stop at my side and crouches. I smile weakly as his lean face comes into view. His hazel eyes sparkly and his full lips are pulled into a proud smile. Butterflies flutter in my stomach at the sight.
“It looks perfect,” he says, pressing his palm to my sweaty forehead.
“Serus says it looks decent,” I say wryly. My familiar’s eyes flare but then his lips stretch in what might be a smile.
Altair glance at Serus with amusement, lips quirked. “High praise from him, I’m guessing.”
“Well it could be worse,” Serus says.
“It was just this morning you could barely keep a thread in place,” Altair says. He nods up at the prison. “And now look at what you’ve accomplished.”
I yawn. “It only took a whole twelve hours.”
His hand brushes over my hair, smoothing it. “After this, you’ll never have to do it again.”
“Cheap comfort.” I snuggle into the warm earth as my eyes slip closed. I could sleep for days.
I hiss, pain flaring in my cheek as Altair pinches it. I swat at him but he catches my wrist gently. “Don’t sleep, not yet. We still have work to do.”
“What did I say this morning?” I ask, glowering at him. “I’ve already done all the work.”
His lips purse unhappily at my words. I know I’m being unfair—selfish even—but how much more do I have to give while the others do nothing? “You forget how much the rest of us have sacrificed. Erzur gave up her armies. Thal lost his memories. You aren’t the only trying, Verity.”
A blush creeps to my cheeks as shame clenches my heart. He’s right. “I’m sorry,” I say, pushing myself to my feet.
I wobble and Altair catches me. “It’s understandable.”
I pinch my lips unhappily and follow him towards the others. They’re circled together, Sadal standing a little way off. I follow his gaze towards Freia. She’s watching him and turns away when she notices my attention. I frown, suspicion lancing through me before Altair pulls my attention away. I meet Sadal’s gaze, but he merely glowers at me. The others stand aside and make room as Altair and I join them.
Thal whistles low when he sees the complete spell. “Nice work, Bloodbane.”
I feel a flash of irritation but smother it quickly. “Thanks,” I say.
“I suppose I should be impressed.” Erzur crosses her arms over her chest and studies the prison appraisingly.
I know that’s the highest praise Erzur will ever willingly give me so I shrug off the back-handed compliment. Altair rubs his hands together and studies each of us in turn. “Now that the cage has been completed, we need to discuss how we’ll lure the Shades here.”
“It’s too bad we can’t bring the cage to them,” Erzur says with a twist of her lips. I wonder if she knows I wasn’t strong enough to weave the spell without the help of the rune, essentially locking the prison in place.
“It’s better this way,” Thal says. “It will be on our terms. Anything else is too dangerous and risky.”
“Agreed,” Altair says, nodding. “We know the Shades are going to come eventually, but we can’t wait for much longer. We’ll be weak by then, and I suspect that’s what they want.”
“Let’s do it tonight,” Erzur suggests. Her dark brown eyes are like caramel in the orange glow of sunset. “I want to get out of this place.”
I sigh, turning my eyes towards the dry landscape. “Me too.”
“That’s short notice.” Altair frowns.
“But it gives the Shades less time to make their move,” Thal says, quirking a brow.
Altair muses over this. I’m quiet, knowing my input means little to this group of seasoned strategists. I’ve done my part for now. Altair looks back towards the portal, and I wonder if his Fae eyes can see the Shades—if they’re watching us too. “Alright,” he finally says, relenting. “But that leaves us the question of how.”
“Bait,” Erzur says with sharp eyes.
My eyes widen slightly. “No, that’s too risky,” I say, surprising even myself. The words come out in a rush, tinged with fear.
“This whole experience has been one giant risk,” Erzur argues. “What’s stopping us now?”
“But this is different. So far, we’ve done our best to avoid the Shades. We can’t go running at them now. You don’t know what they’re like,” I say insistently.
“I was there when it attacked us.” She purses her lips. “We all were.”
“That was one,” I say, voice quiet.
“Do you have any other ideas?” Erzur snaps. I fumble for words, trying to think of something—anything. She grins smugly. “As I thought.”
Thal scoffs, silencing Erzur. “Enough, Erzur.” He turns to Altair. “I’ll be the bait. When I get their attention, I’ll draw them here. Just be ready.”
Altair looks unhappy at the idea of Thal sacrificing himself. “You’ve already given up so much.”
"Don't get soft on me now, cousin. You know I can't remember what I gave up," Thal says, slapping him on the back. His green eyes glitter as he studies me. I straighten under his gaze. "And you—have that cage open and ready for then."
Altair and Erzur nod, drifting away to discuss defenses for when the Shades arrive. Thal strips of everything but his light shirt, trousers, and boots. He unbuckles his scabbard, setting it carefully on top of his discarded armor and cloak. My cheeks pale when I realize he won’t have anything to defend himself if things go sour. He pulls back his hair, which is long enough to brush his shoulders.
“Don’t look so sad, Verity,” Thal says, grinning. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
My heart pangs with regret and fear. I wonder if this will be my last moment with him. “Thal,” I say, hovering nearby nervously.
He finishes tying his hair up and turns to me. “What is it?”
“I just wanted to thank you for all you’ve done for me,” I say, thinking of the weeks we spent training and hunting demons together. “I never thanked you before you forgot, and I should have.”
“You sound as if you think we’ll never meet again.” He grins but I see the dark look in his eyes. “Save your goodbye for later, Verity, I’m coming back.”
He spins away, jogging towards the portal before I can speak again. My gut twists. I wish I had been able to say more to him. I force a smile, watching his lean figure disappearing into the haze of heat. He'll come back, I assure myself. Of course, he will. But my thoughts are hollow and I know I don't trust them myself. Thal is long gone by the time I pull myself away from watching him. I head towards the cobweb cage, prepared to tear it open and seal it back up when the Shades have been forced through. I can't help but glance over my shoulder every few minutes to scan the horizon for any signs of my friend. My heart pounds, a steady drum of fear.
I haven’t been in a real battle since the scouting group that found me after I escaped the Ether was attacked by the enemy. I was paralyzed by fear then, and I wonder if I will be now. I clench my hands into fists. I can’t be. I have to protect the people I care about the most. I stare at Altair as he and Erzur move from position to position, gesturing. I can’t lose anyone. And I’ll do anything I have to. I thumb the ornate dagger at my waist. Anything.
Chapter 17
Altair
The night is pitch black, lit only by the soft glow of the cobweb cages and the torches we’ve scattered around the perimeter. I stand in the middle, sword in hand, staring into the darkness. My Fae sight isn’t as sharp in the Ether as it is in the realms above and I feel a wave of frustration that I can’t see much farther than a mortal could. My skin tingles with apprehension, muscles tight. Erzur prowls the perimeter like a wild cat. From time to time she swings her sword experimentally and I know she’s eager for the battle to begin.
“Once more,” Serus says from behind me. His voice is even but I can hear the strain in it. Even one of
the most powerful beings in the Ether is frightened of what’s to come.
“Okay,” Verity says, sounding tired but focused.
Magic thrums in the air and I hear the whisper of silk as Verity weaves the cage back together. The sound lasts for only an instant and I feel the tightness in my chest ease. She’s getting better, closing it more quickly now. Even Serus seems satisfied by her success. Suddenly, I see a flash of movement in the darkness and I whip towards it, heart racing. Erzur halts her stalking, watching.
Howls pierce the night, shattering the stillness. I move closer to the torches, joining Erzur, and we drop into combat stances. The air hums with energy and fear but I still myself. I picture a mountain lake and a sunset so vibrant it paints the water blood red. Soon, the ground will be soaked with blood, a lake in and of itself. The serene picture settles me and I breathe deeply and evenly until my heart rate is slow and steady. The sword is an extension of my arm, a part of me bred for killing.
And the Shades are coming.
I hear the ringing of metal against metal and I know Verity has drawn her own dagger. She’ll be near the cage for most of the battle as we herd the Shades towards the cage. If we’re lucky, Verity won’t need to spill any blood. But I doubt we’ll be so fortunate. Sadal will be beside her, and I’ve already warned her that if she must, she can use him as a defensive shield. I grin at the prospect, but Verity wasn’t pleased when she heard my advice. She’s too kind-hearted for her own good.
I hear a soft chuckle and turn towards the sound, brows furrowed with confusion. “Sadal,” Verity says, her voice raised with surprise and fear.
The former Dark God is standing beside Freia’s cage, grinning like a madman. I narrow my eyes at him. “What are you doing? We don’t have time for this.”
“No,” he purrs. “You don’t have much time at all.”
Suddenly, flames burst from his palms and envelop his forearms. He lifts his arms admiring the magic. Erzur’s gaze darts between Sadal and the darkness where the Shades are coming closer quickly. “Altair,” she says warningly.
