by Zoe Parker
I’ve perfected the fake pass-out.
“Release her, you will now finish the task Arick ordered you to.” Darvena sounds so pleased, so freaking smug.
Phobe lays me gently on the floor, and I feel him fighting to stay as long as he can, kneeling there beside me.
Even at the worst moments in my life, I’ve never truly wanted to die. Just like I don’t want to die now. But I’m looking forward to being able to do the one thing that makes dying a little more bearable.
At last, my Magiks have chosen to wake up, with a bang. Some because of whatever Phobe did when he was poking and prodding around inside of me. The rest is because I’m not giving it a choice anymore. Not that Magiks would’ve done any good before now. This time, at least, it’ll serve the purpose I need it for.
I peek through my lashes at Phobe’s serious face. His eyes have a strange look in them, it’s the first time I’ve seen them look that way. It pulls at my heart, that look. Hell, everything about him pulls at my heart.
I know what’s coming next, am counting on it. I’ve put a lot of thought into the events that are about to unfold. It’s why I keep my mind from him. Kept the thoughts and decisions I made as deep as possible from him. It isn’t for lack of trying on his part either; he beats against my mental shields nonstop, even when I was set on fire from the inside.
He’s doing it right now.
What Arick ordered him to do…that bastard deserves to be roasted alive or eaten. I know one day it will happen. And I’ve been given the opening to do what needs to be done to ensure it.
Because Phobe is the one person that can make it happen.
Taking a careful, shallow breath, I mentally brace myself. My heart sputters a little, barely holding on. Don’t you dare stop working, not yet. It’ll hold on long enough for what’s coming. I refuse to allow the fucking thing to stop.
Not yet.
I pool the last of my strength, pulling it from that dark place inside me. The one I always try to keep locked up. No longer. I will set one thing right before I draw my last breath. It’s the one thing that makes my entire existence worthwhile.
Darvena leans down enough to look into Phobe’s eyes. It’s her last mistake.
Before Phobe realizes I’m moving, I’m up and with Darvena’s dagger in my hand, move towards Darvena at a speed only Phobe can stop.
He doesn’t.
The razor-sharp dagger slides easily through Darvena’s throat. To anyone looking at us, it will appear I’m embracing her, instead I’m holding her up so I can feel the life leave her body.
I very calmly whisper into her ear. “He can get it up for me.”
A smile stretches my tender mouth.
Phobe stands, silent, watching from behind me. Because I can feel him there, feel his regard.
Darvena’s eyes plead silently with him to save her life, only to fill with hatred when she realizes he isn’t going to. I deliberately stabbed her through the throat, to keep her from speaking. Staring into those eyes I let the satisfaction show on my face until the life completely bleeds out of them and she’s dead weight in my arms.
Stepping back, I let Darvena’s lifeless body fall to the ground.
Arick yells her name and rushes to her, pushing me away in the process.
“What did you do? She’s dead!” A deaf man would hear the false grief in his voice.
Arick starts desperately searching for the Stone on Darvena’s corpse. Arick’s act of grief doesn’t last long once he realizes Darvena doesn’t have it.
I do.
“Looking for this, asshole?” I ask quietly, smiling through the sticky blood I can feel drying on my face.
He looks over at me, stunned that I’ve spoken and finds that I hold the Stone in my hand. Arick takes a step towards me. I smile showing all my sharp teeth, my face hot with the triumph I feel.
‘I read about this when I was a kid. The dying wish of a half-blood.’ I say to Phobe looking over at him.
His eyes are bright his mouth open in surprise.
I whisper, “Thank you for being my everything.” Then using every atom of Magiks I possess, crush the Stone in my hand. The backlash blows my hair back as the dust that is left, sifts through my fingers to the floor.
Smiling, I watch as the Magiks tying him to the stone begin to release him. The last tie binding him severs just as I fall bonelessly to the floor. My body is done, stubborn or not. Satisfaction gives me a warm feeling as his Magiks return, lifting him off the ground. Faster and faster he spins, hovering above me, growing more powerful by the second.
It’s a glorious sight and I’m glad I get to see it. Giving my life for his is so worth it.
With a roar, he lands with enough force to crack the stone floor beside of me. Magiks crackle all around him, making little pops like static electricity bursts. To say he’s magnificent is an understatement. The power is rolling around him like thunderclouds. I blink and he is suddenly beside me and lifting me off the ground.
My eyes are so heavy. So tired. I look up into his eyes and just as my sputtering heart beats its last beat— “I was right. My beautiful monster.”
Twenty-Four
Phobe
The force of my Magiks returning keeps me from doing what I really want, which is to go to Iza and see if she has indeed done what I think.
Given her life for mine.
With a roar, I land, breaking the floor beneath my feet, my Magiks writhing around me…free. After so long of being a prisoner, a single wish from her has ended my enslavement. Her. Kneeling I pick her up.
Those Magikal multi-colored eyes look up at me with wonder. “I was right, my beautiful monster,” she says. One last shaky breath and she is gone. I give her a little bit of a shake, and her head lolls. No life stirs within her. No playful banter, no sarcasm. Nothing.
For the first time in a millennium, my power is alive and in full control beneath my skin, and I do not care.
Magiks thrash furiously around me. With a growl, I turn to stare at the pale-faced Magistrate and his court. He did this, I should kill him for it. I should have my revenge on all of them. But…I turn back to her and pull her closer, feeling the complete blankness that used to be so…alive.
Inside of me something shifts.
Iza is dead. Her lips are slightly parted over her sharp teeth. Her eyes partially open, the orbs dull, empty of the Magiks that are her.
Death has taken her. An ache goes through my chest, then another. A year ago, I faced a dilemma on whether to try and save her or not.
There shall be no such dilemma this time.
Movement around me draws enough of my attention to determine who it is. Jameson.
Now he can finally serve a purpose other than potential food.
“You summoned me my lord—is she dead?” Jameson’s voice echoes loudly in the silence of the room.
All eyes turn to him except mine. As I study the still face of Iza, something solidifies inside of me. Something I never contemplated the existence of.
“Not for long,” I whisper to myself.
I have one shot at fixing this. Shifting Iza to one arm, I take two steps and grab Jameson’s arm. With my mind, I rip open a portal, the destination already glowing ahead of me in the darkness peeking through the tear in reality.
Seeing the familiar purple and black Magiks swirling in front of me really finalizes the fact that I am free. All because of her.
“You will not run away from me, you coward!” Arick screams, throwing a fireball at me. I turn partially to look at him, Darkness swirls in front of me and devours it. So hungry. I smile again, all teeth and deadly promises.
But first…Darkness lashes out of me grabbing Arick around the throat. I can feel his skin, feel his fear. Smell it, even at this distance.
Light Magiks rise in him, strong for one of his kind. Not strong enough. He disappears into those hungry shadows, giving me the energy I need to move forward with what I’m about to do.
“What in
the bloody hell are you doing?” Jameson demands.
Energized, just enough, from feeding, I step into the portal and pull Jameson along behind me.
“Getting her back,” I answer him to make him stop fighting me. It is annoying.
“I don’t understand what’s going on here, but she’s dead. There is no coming back from that.”
If only the man knew.
Dark tunnel after dark tunnel extends before us as I navigate the very plain I thought to never see again–the plain of my birth, the Nether-realm.
I flick a glance at her face again, and that weird ache fills my chest. Stopping, I turn and hand her carefully to Jameson who gawks up at me like a startled bird.
“Protect her.”
“Where are you going? Where the hell are we?”
I ignore the questions and make a final tear. This one takes a lot more energy than a normal portal. I am not welcome in this place. The wailing sounds of the dead greet me from inside. Without fear, I step through the opening. With one last glance at her still form clutched in Jameson’s shaking arms, I delve deeper into the darkness.
I ignore the clusters of floating spirits and seek out a specific place—the in-between.
“This is not your place, Darkness. Return to your master,” A voice echoes around me. Ignoring it, I keep walking, trusting the faint but familiar thread pulling at me to lead me to my goal.
“Halt, I see no shackle upon you, Darkness. Who has sacrificed to free you?”
I continue walking, her soul beckoning to me.
“She is the one that freed you?” the voice asks more softly, the words thick with surprise.
My steps pause but do not stop. Why does this creature care about Iza? Out of the darkness, a male form appears in my path, stopping me in my tracks. The form is almost my height, same dark hair. Swirling, glowing eyes.
Familiar eyes.
“Leave her in peace,” he begs in a voice layered with emotion. I cock my head to the side to eye the ruler of this domain, Sergean, The Farrier of the Dead.
“You know her.” It isn’t a question. I bet Sergean more than knows her.
Sergean looks over his shoulder in the direction I want and will go. “Have you come to harm her, Darkness?”
For a moment I consider not answering, then change my mind. “No.”
“Death is final, Darkness. There is no return from it.”
“You will not keep me from her.” I will go through him and anyone or anything that stands in my path.
“Why come for her? We both know you are not a sentimental being.” I growl at Sergean’s words. Time is ticking, and I need to get to her, now.
“You care for her.” It is said with such surprise that Sergean’s mouth is slightly agape.
Looking at me hard for a moment, he shuts his mouth and steps aside. I move past him without a word. Words are a waste of time.
“I tried to free you, Darkness. But it was to no avail.” He calls after me.
I do not pause. It is something I am already aware of and one of the two reasons I did not send death to his own demise.
The other—he is Iza’s father.
Ahead of me, a dark glow bathes her bodiless soul. I watch as her soul sinks into the darkness of death. Where other souls circle like stirred liquid, in the Well of Dark Magiks. I leap the distance between us, punching the shimmering shield that stands as the last obstacle in my way.
‘Not yet Iza.’ I call to her as a crack appears in the shield. Gritting my teeth, I hit it again, harder.
Movement. A wispy arm moves and then the other.
‘Phobe?’ A ghostly whisper that encourages a hit hard enough to make the shield crack.
Sergean appears beside her and kneels. My fists, my power, continue hitting the fracturing shield, unsure of Sergean’s intentions.
“Hello, Dove,” Sergean greets. “It seems I’m not allowed to keep you.”
Sergean smiles, pulling her from the death’s grasp. Staring down at her he cradles her in his arms. The shield finally crumbles before me. He meets me halfway, a fond look on his face as he looks down at the confused eyes of Iza. Iza who is looking at me.
‘Who is this dude?’ She asks.
Reluctantly, Sergean gives her feather-light form to me.
‘Your father.’ Those beautiful eyes cloud over with more confusion and then clear as the realization hits her.
‘But I’m dead, aren’t I?’ She asks, looking over at the man whose eyes are only for Iza.
“Only for a little while longer, Dove. It seems Phobe—" He raises an eyebrow at the use of the name. “—won’t let it remain that way for long,” Sergean explains.
‘I don’t remember you.’ She speaks softly like there is a weight upon her. Death is still calling while I hold her.
“We must go, Death. Before your claim on her is complete.”
He needs to move out of my way before I move him. Father or not. Sergean softly touches her hair and moves back.
“Soon I will visit and try to explain the best I can, Dove.” He turns to me. “Go now, before I change my mind and decide to see who is the stronger,”
I say nothing at his empty threat. I already know the outcome.
Turning, I run to where Jameson now sits on the other side of the rift, holding Iza’s still body. He looks up in surprise, trying clumsily to get up which results in Iza’s body tumbling to the ground. Scrambling, he rights her turning red in the face.
“She will not remember this,” Sergean discloses, appearing beside me, invisible to Jameson, “but I would ask that you prepare her so I can pop in. I don’t want to shock her any more than I must…remember, Darkness, this is the only time you can ever stop death’s claim on her.”
I simply nod, and Sergean disappears, the portal closing with a whoosh behind him. I kneel next to Iza’s still form and look at the bright soul in my arms.
‘Why did you come for me, Phobe?’ It is a good question. Being the creature, I am, I take complete advantage of the situation. 'I cannot let you die sucking at your Kung-Fu.’ A translucent smile is her response as I gently overlay her body with her soul.
Her body jerks and her eyes open swirling purple and blue, then finally black with the power that calls to the power inside of me. Our eyes meet, communicating many things without saying a word.
She promptly collapses.
Twenty-Five
Phobe
A sliver of will and a portal opens in front of me, each to a different world. Just a mere wish. Over and over I do this; closing and opening. Enthralled with the fact that I can do it again.
I am whole. I am Darkness. I can go anywhere.
Where shall I take her? Where will the Light’s presence be the lowest? All it takes is a portal that can be opened to another world, dimension. Traversable. I am not the only one that can use them, but I am the only one that can use them so effortlessly.
Now I just need to find the right portal, the right window to traverse.
Another portal opens and I see a grassy field. Tilting my head to the side I scrutinize it more closely. It is the human realm, Earth. Humans are not Magikal creatures. While there are some creatures from this world and many others in that realm it is mostly humans. There is one specific kind there that can help Iza.
It is perfect.
Jameson walks over and stares into the portal.
“What is that place?” Instead of answering I push him into the portal. He sounds like a girl when he screams. I can see why he amuses Iza so much.
Grabbing Iza I tuck her against my chest and walk through.
Cool soil meets my bare feet. Jameson is standing with grass in his hair dusting himself off.
“Arrange transportation.” Jameson looks at me with his mouth hanging open.
“How exactly am I supposed to do that? And where would we go, anyhow?” For once, his words are logical. For once.
“Here.” I hand him the diamond I have in my pocket. Arick had it on him he u
sed it as his Mage Gem. Now it is mine to do with as I wish. “We will use this to acquire their currency. Then we will arrange transportation.”
“That diamond is huge. Where did you get that?” My eyes narrow on him. He holds his hands up in defeat. “Alright, so once I can figure out how to barter this and arrange transportation where are we going?” More logic. Perhaps he is getting smarter? Can they do that? “I wonder if any of the women here are attractive.” he ponders.
No, they cannot.
Letting my Magiks free from me I seek out the creature that will benefit Iza. Nika, the dragon healer. And there she is. I point east. “We go that direction.”
“And you know this how?” Jameson demands and then pales when I look at him again. “Apologies, it’s the stress.” He turns around in a circle. “Which way to a road?”
“You are a Feyrie, can you not smell the humans?” He shakes his head at my question. “You have become too Schoth.” His cheeks redden. Why be upset by the truth? “We go straight on, east.” The humans just happen to lie in the direction we need to go.
I start walking leaving him to follow. Skimming his thoughts, I catch one that makes me stop. “If you run, Jameson, I will find you, I will kill you. Understood?” Jameson nods emphatically. With a grunt, I start walking again.
I will not have him get in my way. Whether Iza is fond of him or not.
Twenty-Six
Phobe
After finding a place that bought the diamond, which was much simpler than I expected it to be, we stopped to allow Jameson to eat human food. A taco, they call it.
Something I am sure Iza would like if she were awake. She would like a lot of things in this world if she were awake.
After too many stares from the humans, I glamour her and myself invisible except to Jameson. I do not understand their horror at seeing her in my arms. It makes no sense to me. She is unconscious. Not dead.
Growing impatient, I grab Jameson and drag him away from the girl who works in the vehicle they sell their tacos from. He is a walking penis. Letting his baser instincts rule when it is not the time for them.
