by Bailey Dark
Sadal saunters towards us as Freia looks on with a wicked smile. He flings his hand out at me and I dart to the side as a ball of fire careens towards me. It bursts on the dried earth, singeing it, and sparks fly. “Gods, it feels good to be me again,” he says, satisfaction oozing in his voice.
I look sharply at Freia, realization striking me. “What have you done?”
She waves a lazy hand. “We made a bargain. A favor for a favor.”
“Just a touch of her power and it’s almost as good as new,” Sadal sighs. He turns black eyes on me. “Do you know what I would like to do first? Repay you for your kindness.”
“I told you we should have killed him,” Erzur snarls.
“Next time you want to kill someone, I’ll listen,” I snap.
Sadal turns towards Verity and cocks his head. “Don’t you think they already make a darling couple? But you and I, we could be stronger. Better. You could be a God.”
“Focus, Sadal,” Freia hisses. Her eyes turn towards the darkness. “We can’t wait much longer.”
He tuts and shrugs at Verity. “It’s too bad we didn’t have more time, darling. But don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find a way to move on.”
“Hurry,” Freia urges, smiling manically.
Sadal looks at her with scorn. “Never trust a God, Freia.”
“Let me out, like we agreed,” Freia demands, her voice strained with emotion.
“No.” Sadal curls his lip at her. “I don’t think I will.”
“Damn you, Sadal,” Freia screams, eyes wild with rage. “Damn you!”
“Enjoy eternity, Freia, I’m sure the Shades will make wonderful company.” Sadal smirks.
Freia screams, the sound ragged with fury at Sadal’s betrayal but I feel no sympathy for her. Rage boils in my chest and my heart beats wildly with it. The two gods conspired against us. They know just how serious the coming fight is. But our distraction created the perfect opportunity for them to betray us. I stalk towards Sadal, knuckles white as I clench my sword. Heat rolls over me in waves, angry and unbending. Sadal eyes me, a grin on his lips as I approach.
“I’m immortal now,” Sadal says gloatingly.
“We’ll see about that,” I snarl, lunging at him.
We clash, my steel against his flames. Heat singes my brows and face. He swings at me, aiming for my jaw but I duck. I swipe at him, sword singing through the air. Sadal hisses as the steel slices into his calf and blood soaks through his trousers. “You’re out of practice,” I say, grinning wickedly.
Sadal scowls at me, glowering. “When I’m through with you, you’ll wish the Shades had gotten you first.”
Sadal pushes his flames toward me, forcing me to drop to the dirt to avoid the heavy wave of fire. Erzur leaps into action, swinging her blade at Sadal with a roar. He directs his flames towards her, but she drives through them. As her blade closes the distance between them, Sadal extinguishes his flames and conjures a sword. He darts out of the way, narrowly avoiding her sword. Erzur and I circle him, but I know not to underestimate the Dark God. He almost killed me once. He could do it again. Sadal's black eyes glimmer and he lunges at me, making a play. Our swords clash and he knocks mine aside easily, testing me. I adjust my grip, trying not to let my eagerness to kill him get the best of my instincts.
“Why the sudden hesitation, Altair?” Sadal asks, quirking a brow.
I ignore him with a scowl. Erzur swings into action behind him, driving her sword towards his back. I lunge at the same time, blade swiping towards him. Sadal grimaces and jumps to the side, managing to dodge Erzur’s swing. He isn’t so lucky with mine, and I see blood stain the sleeve of his shirt. He hisses, narrowing his eyes at me furiously. I grin, spinning my sword so his blood catches the light.
Suddenly, a ball of hot, white light explodes beside Sadal. He yelps, turning away from it as the heat singes him and hot, fried earth splatters across his back. I turn, eyes wide with surprise, and see Verity glowering at Sadal. Her hands are glowing, smoke curling up from her palms. Verity stalks towards Sadal as he gapes up at her. She lifts her palms and another ball of light streaks through the air. Sadal leaps to the side and hurtles a cloud of darkness towards her.
“Verity!” I shout, starting towards her.
She clenches her eyes shut and lifts her palms as if to shield herself. More light erupts from her palms, colliding with Sadal’s darkness. The two forces erupt, sparks flying as they clash and roil in the air. Sadal grits his teeth snarling, and attacks again. My heart is in my throat as the two hurtle magic at each other with deadly ease.
“You know, I think you may be the worst bride I ever had,” Sadal says bitingly as he dances away from her assault.
She scowls, firing magical attack after attack at him with a fury I’ve never seen in her. “I almost felt sorry for you, Sadal. You once told me the Shades were the single truly evil thing in the Ether, but you’re wrong. It was you all along.”
Sadal smiles. “How touching.”
I see Verity wavering, her power draining. Erzur and I exchange a glance. We can’t let Verity continue, even though her power is a match for his. We need her strong enough to close the prison again and to survive the onslaught of the Shades. In unison, we run towards Sadal, swords raised. I bring my sword down over his head as he hurtles more darkness towards Verity. With a snarl, he whirls on me, smothering me with the shadows. They burrow down my throat and into my eyes. I scream, writhing, as the darkness seeps into every part of me and forces itself onto my consciousness. Pain lances through me as if I'm being torn into a million tiny pieces.
Verity screams, a rage-filled cry, and suddenly the night erupts with light. The shadows dissolve, forced away by her light, and I drop to the ground with a groan. Coughing, I spit blood onto the caked earth. Sadal lifts a hand against her light, blinded. Erzur is on him in an instant, her blades swiping over him with ease. He hisses, darting away, but not before she’s wounded him on the arms and thighs.
“Sadal!” Freia calls sharply.
He glances at her, and I take the opportunity to drive my sword into his gut. He catches the move and spins. My sword impales nothing but air. "I'm busy!" He snaps at the Goddess.
“Well you’re out of time, you fool,” she hisses. A cruel grin stretches across her lips and I know she’s anticipating Sadal’s death like Verity would anticipate a new book; with glee.
A shriek of bloodlust rings through the air, freezing us in place. We turn in unison towards the darkness in time to see Thal hurtle through the perimeter. Sweat sheens on his brow, and he drops, skidding across the ground towards his sword and armor. He snatches his sword, leaping to his feet. He barely glances at us, brows furrowed with confusion, but then the night is filled with howls. A black shadow leaps between the torches, careening towards us with wild abandon. Yellow eyes land on me and the hair on my neck stands on end. I stand, sword in hand, between two enemies.
We’re fucked.
Chapter 18
Verity
My heart is beating too fast, spurred along by the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Sadal’s shadows are whirling around us, blocking out the glow of the torches from time to time until I feel like I’m on a horrific carnival ride. I send a blast of my magic towards the Dark God but he wheels away. His shadows wrap around him like a cloak of death and I imagine the smell of rotting corpses drifting towards me.
The Dark God is swathed in power and looking entirely different from the madman he was before. His cheeks aren’t as sallow, his eyes bright with wickedness, and his shoulders are straight and proud. He lifts his palms towards me and I see shadows erupt from his palms. They careen towards me and I can feel the evil stretching at me. Fear welling in my chest, I shield my face with my hands. Light blinds me and I send it rushing at Sadal’s shadows.
My light and his darkness collide. Sparks fly and our magic roils like a star. He leans into it, strengthening the beam and sending me retreating a step. I grit my teeth, staring in fascinati
on at the way our magic explodes together. It’s beautiful, and if I wasn’t so terrified of the Shades coming ever closer, I would find it peaceful. Suddenly, Sadal breaks away and I stumble as my magic collides with empty air. I see Sadal pivot towards me, hurtling shadows my way. I dodge them, breathing hard, and cast my light his way. He anticipates every move, always one step ahead.
Fatigue tugs at me, weighing on my bones and muscles. If I keep this up much longer, I'll have nothing left for the Shades or to close their prison. I search for Erzur and Altair. They leap at Sadal and my heart stutters at the sight of Altair baring his teeth at Sadal. He brings his sword down over Sadal's head, and my eyes go wide. But before Altair's blade connects with Sadal, Altair is thrust backward. Shadows writhe around him, forcing their way down his throat. His body is stiff, joints bent at awkward angles as his body rejects the shadows. But they keep going, pouring into his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He screams, but the sound is muffled by darkness. The sight is horrific.
“No!” I shriek, tears pooling in my eyes.
Anger and fear rage in my heart, and my legs go weak. Don't die, I plead silently, don't die. I lunge forward desperately, my magic responding without any coaxing. It erupts from my hands, dousing the shadows attacking Altair. The darkness disappears in a puff and Altair collapses to his knees, breathing hard. My magic is blinding, whole, and spreads out in an enormous dome. Sadal hisses, lifting his arms to block his eyes from the light. I watch, intent on destroying him, as Erzur leaps into action. She slices her blade over his legs, cutting deep into his thighs. Sadal buckles, crying out.
I snarl, stalking closer to him as my body thrums with power. I’ll burn his black heart out of his chest. Suddenly, a haunting howl echoes over, close enough to make us falter. My light dies as I turn with fear towards the night. Thal sprints into the campsite, making his way to his sword. His green eyes dart over us only for an instant but he hides his confusion well. Thal drops into a combat stance and jerks his chin towards the darkness. “There’s at least twenty,” Thal says.
My jaw drops. The odds don't seem reasonable and a wave of nausea hits me. Warning signals flare in my mind and my magic surges in preparation. A black shape hurtles through the torches like a long shadow. The Shade's yellow eyes rove over us and goosebumps pock all over my skin. With a frightening scream, it lunges towards the nearest Fae; Altair. At the same time, the rest of the Shades leap past the torches, drooling.
The sight of them in real life; creatures I've witnessed only twice out of my dreams, sends my body quaking. And there's so many of them. Too many. The hope I felt earlier falters as Thal and Erzur are overrun by Shades. I force myself forward and snag the back of Sadal's shirt. Ignoring his protests, I pull him backward, blood trailing behind us. I toss him close to Freia's cage, hoping he'll stay out of the way and manage not to make things worse for us.
Wordlessly, I pin him to the ground with my magic. He struggles to rise, eyes wide with panic. “Please,” he begs. “Let me go, let me out of here.”
“Shut up,” I snap.
I tune him out and turn back to the fighting. Sounds of the battle reach my ears; steel clashing against claws, cries of pain, shouting, and the rumbling of the Shades. Altair is fending off three, sweat sheening on his brow. He whirls, the sword an extension of his arm, and drives the blade across the chest of one of the Shades. It howls as black goo spurts from its papery flesh. But the victory is short-lived as another Shade hurtles towards him from behind. I open my mouth to scream a warning, but the Shade is already on him.
Altair is buried beneath the black, long limbs, and strange body. His sword spins away. For a moment, it’s as if the entire world has stopped. As if my life was frozen in time. I stare, screaming, as Altair disappears under the Shade. The others pile on top, each grappling for the chance to rip him apart.
“Bodies,” the Shades hiss in unison. “Make us like you.”
A strangled cry echoes towards me, and I know the Shades are forcing their energy on Altair, trying to overtake him. The thought of losing him has my heart beating unevenly and my blood roaring. I rush towards him as one of his hands slips through the knot of Shades and stretches upwards. So far, the only weaponized magic I’ve been able to use has come to me in the form of a ball of light. But I need something more, something deadlier. I push my thoughts and desires onto the magic, forcing it to bend to my will.
Bolts of lightning sizzle out of my hands and I hurtle them towards the Shades overpowering Altair. Pure electricity strikes them, spidering across their skeletal bodies. They freeze, bodies stiff. The lightning is only enough to paralyze them, I need more power if I’m going to kill them—if that’s even possible. I scream, a sound of pure rage and desperate fear. I feel tears spill from my eyes and down my cheeks but I don’t care. I throw bolt after bolt of electricity at the Shades.
Altair’s black hair appears, and then his hazel eyes turn upwards, searching for me. He crawls out from beneath the frozen Shades, careful not to get too close to my sparks of magic. Once at a safe distance, he scrambles to his feet and retrieves his sword. Altair doesn’t stop before he sprints towards Thal to help him herd a group of Shades towards the prison. Altair’s hazel eyes meet mine for an instant as he passes, and I see my reflection in them; wild, ferocious, and roaring. I cling to the image even though I don’t feel as strong as I appear.
Suddenly, a Shade careens at me. It’s long, bony fingers wrap around my waist and tug me towards it. I cry out, trying to recoil from its disturbing touch. But the Shade holds me fast, drawing me towards it too-wide mouth. “We want to be like you—we want to be you,” the Shade murmurs. Its voice sounds like many Shades are speaking at once and I wonder if they have some sort of hive mind, like ants. “Let me in.”
I shudder at its words, begging for an invitation. Five Shades couldn’t force Altair to bend to their will, they needed permission. It leers at me, rotten breath wafting over me. I bare my teeth as it leans in closer. “Go to hell,” I hiss, pressing a hand against the papery skin of its face.
My magic rockets into him, but I hold on tight. Energy rushes through the Shade, burning him from the inside out. I grit my teeth and cling tighter, digging my nails into its skin as it screams. Black goo oozes over my fingertips like tar. The Shade's scream is painful, grating on my eardrums and threatening to burst them. It's body jolts and shudders as I attack him. He drops, hand loosening around me, and I collapse beside his charred body. Its eyes, once yellow like a harvest moon, are burnt and shriveled to husks. I pant, staring in shock at the dead Shade. The night is quiet and I turn to see my friends gaping at me. But it's the Shades I fear. They're watching me with keen, hungry eyes.
Moving in unison, the Shades lunge at me, leaping over my friends or darting around them. I scream, scrambling to my feet. “To the cage, Verity!” Altair shouts behind me. “Lead them to the cage!”
My feet slap against the baked earth as I careen towards the cage. Arms pumping, I hurtle over the dirt, listening to the thumping of the Shades. They're gaining on me, long limbs propelling them faster than my legs ever could. Tears prick at my eyes, and I don't waste any energy trying to force them back. I have eyes for one thing, and one thing only; my cobweb cage. Spindly fingers claw at my back as I reach it and I know they're right behind me. Tendrils of fear crawl up my spine as I enter the cage. I run through its broken walls but I don't stop.
I dare a glance over my shoulder, and my vision is filled with yellow eyes. A scream rips from my throat but I force myself to look past the Shade on my heels to the ones in the back. They pile over each other in their haste to reach me. I see the last one make it into the cage and I feel a wave of relief. Without stopping, I plunge deep for my magic and send it rushing through the rune on the ground to seal the wall. I beat my record from practice, sealing it in the span of a few seconds.
I am trapped in a cobweb cage with some of the evilest beings in existence.
I see Altair, Thal, and even Erzur running alo
ng beside me, just outside the bars of the prison. Thal shouts something to me, but I can’t hear it over the din of the Shades. Altair points to the end of the cage, just a few yards away. I run my tongue over my lips. If I’m to escape, I have to do this right. If I’m too slow in resealing the wall after breaking it a second time, it will have all been for nothing.
The end of the prison rears up before me and I lift a hand. A burst of magic tears open a small slit in the bars of the cage. Before I've even reached it, I'm already trying to repair it. The magic makes quick work of the breach until there's only a small sliver of open space. I clench my eyes closed and leap through it, hugging my body. The bars of the cage burn me as I slip through, and I hiss in pain. Eyes still closed, I send a final burst of magic into the cage, knitting the prison back together. I hear a scream of pain as I collide with the hard ground. My brain rattles in my skull, pounding at the sharp impact. My shoulder takes the brunt of the impact and pain shoots through it. I open my eyes, locking onto the cage. A thin, shadowy arm just out of the cage, trapped in my magic. Thick, black blood drips from the severed arm onto the earth.
Altair skids to a halt beside me as I stare at the Shades trapped in the magical prison. They howl, the very air vibrates with the sound of their screaming. Some pound their fists into the ground, while others begin to dig as to burrow their way out. I slump back onto the ground, relief washing through me. It’s done. It’s finally done. Exhaustion weighs on me, like an anvil pressing me deeper into the ground. I find Altair’s gaze and smile.
“Let’s go home,” I say quietly.
“We have one last thing to do,” Altair says. His eyes are dark.
I sit up, watching as he stalks towards Sadal. With a flick of my wrist, I release the Dark God from the spell I cast earlier. Sadal doesn’t make any move to run. His body is dripping in blood, his face stained with it. He slumps, staring at the ground. I wonder if Freia’s power was just a temporary gift, or if Sadal has simply given up. Altair crouches beside him. He rests his sword beneath Sadal’s chin and lifts it up so Sadal is forced to look him in the eye.
