He didn’t reply.
“We all have,” I said, staring back down at Shad. “But a life is a life, something that shouldn’t be taken brutally by the hands of another. We all deserve second chances.”
“Well, he outlived nine…”
“And you’re probably just as close in Marcus’s eyes.”
He sighed and headed to leave.
“It was once said, Conall, that lies don’t become truth. Wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, simply because it’s accepted by the masses,” I said. “It’s time we stood up to make a difference—all of us.”
“You’re treading on dangerous ground, little one. Take care with the words you speak, or something tragic could happen to someone else you love.”
Conall left, and I closed my eyes. He’d left me with a threat, but what did it matter? What else could any of them do to me that I hadn’t been through already?
“Cheyenne,” Darrien said. “This may help.”
I looked up to see both Darrien and Jahlem crammed in the stall with me. Darrien had a bucket of water and rags, while Jahlem held some sort of salve. They bent and began cleaning Shad’s wounds. Jahlem began applying salve where he could. I had no idea if this would help, but we had to try something. I couldn’t let him die.
Chapter 16
Shad’s eyelashes flickered, and hope rose inside me. Was he going to live? Conall had departed hours ago, allowing me and Darrien to clean Shad’s wounds, while Jahlem stood watch outside the stall. Shad released a small moan and then shifted into his human form. My heart raced. He wouldn’t be able to shift unless he was healing, or so Maes had told me.
“Shad,” I whispered, stroking his hair. “Shad, can you hear me?”
He groaned and rolled to his back. His breathing was still labored. Jahlem’s auburn head appeared over the stall door.
“Is he awake?” he asked.
“He’s shifted, but I don’t think he’s there yet.”
“Keep him quiet. I don’t want Conall to find us here.”
He passed Darrien a grey wool blanket, which we placed over Shad.
“We have a plan, Cheyenne,” Darrien said kneeling beside me, “but you’re going to have to play along.”
“Oh?”
“We’ve found a replacement for Shad, which should work as long as Conall doesn’t get too close.” He eyed me carefully.
“A replacement?”
“It was already dead, but it’s similar in size. It’s our best chance.” He explained what they planned to do.
I twisted my Servak ring. It would be difficult to pull off, but this was Maes’s brother. I couldn’t allow him to die.
“Alright.”
We waited as long as we dared, hoping to give Shad the best chance of escaping with us. When his condition began to improve, Darrien tapped my shoulder.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” I stepped aside as Darrien and Jahlem helped Shad to his feet. Shad’s weary amber-rimmed eyes looked at me.
“Why?” he croaked.
“I don’t need a reason,” I whispered. “All life deserves a chance.”
Jahlem and Darrien took him away quietly. I waited for their return. Soon footsteps approached; too soon. I swallowed. What if it were Conall returning? I waited to the side of the stall door, ready to blast anyone who came in.
“Bonjour?” a weak voice called out. “Nous sommes venues vous aider.”
I remained still, trying to figure out what they’d just said. The only word other than hello I was able to pick out was help. I opened the stall door to find two small, dark-haired men carrying a limp Tresez. One glanced over his shoulder, wary.
“Nous sommes seulement,” the other said. I frowned, recognizing the word for alone.
I waved for them to follow me, and we stopped at the stable doors. I peeked out into the courtyard. A few Tresezes and Trackers were milling about, but there was no sign of Conall.
“Cheyenne,” Jahlem whispered, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. “We’ll carry him out and then you can start your performance.”
I nodded, suddenly nervous. They’d found a replacement for Shad, one that I could burn to a crisp while Shad escaped, but we had to make sure neither Marcus or Conall looked at the body too closely. I closed my eyes, trying to prepare myself. Why wouldn’t they allow me to just do this in the stable? They could find his ashes later…but if I destroyed something of Marcus’s, his anger could get the best of him. That anger could be transferred to others around me, like Darrien and Jahlem, and I couldn’t afford to lose either of them.
“Let’s go,” Jahlem said, tugging my elbow. He and Darrien dragged the bloodied Tresez body out into the open.
I followed, my head hung low. Darrien and Jahlem crept back into the gathering that had started to flock around me. I knelt and forced myself to remember feelings and emotions I’d fought to push back. I thought of my parents, both my adoptive and birth sets. I thought of my betrayal of Callon. I thought of Daniel, and what I’d done to him, and to Colt. I brought out all the heartache and misery I’d endured over the years from Marcus’s hand, and I felt the crimson-eyed beast come to life.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I stretched my hands out over the battered and bloody Tresez, willing the fiery fury to come to life. The blue hue began to grow in my palms until it turned to a scorching red-hot flame.
I flicked my fingers, holding them out, till the limp Tresez began to burn. I stood and moved back, pouring out more power until a blazing fire roared. It wasn’t enough, as the crimson-eyed beast mourned my losses, and soon the twisting and turning of my hands created a swirling vortex of flames. I moved the tower of fire back and forth, ensuring the Tresez would be burned beyond recognition.
The Trackers moved back as the heat increased, and the ground began to rumble. A lone figure walked down from the terrace steps, stopping before the crowd. Marcus had come to watch. I closed my eyes, allowing the beast control, feeding it with my sorrow and despair.
Images of my parents flashed before me, camping gear lined in a hall. The voice of Sheriff Taylor telling me they’d never come home. Anger, pure, white hot, and raw, raged through me as I saw Marcus’s face after Colt’s death.
But all too soon the power started to leave my veins, the anger disappearing. Marcus was taking control, calming the raging beast; forcing it back down. He was the one controlling it now. That was why I hadn’t been able to summon it.
He approached me, and a hint of remorse flickered through his eyes. Was this Matt or Marcus? He stepped closer and wiped the tears from my cheeks, his eyes searching mine.
“I’m sorry. It had to be done,” he said quietly.
“No,” Darrien said loudly. “It never should’ve happened.”
Marcus’s eyes darkened. Darrien had challenged him in front of his army, taking his focus off the Tresez ashes. But his plan had backfired as Marcus’s rage now turned on me.
Without warning, his fingers wrapped around my neck, and he slammed me to the ground. All the air in my lungs was forced out. I hadn’t expected an explosion of violence like this. His knee landed on my stomach as his fingers grew tighter. I fought to free myself, but he was suppressing my powers. He had me pinned in such a way I couldn’t even kick him.
“I’ll teach you to speak against me in front of my men!” Marcus hissed. I struggled to take a breath, and his blue eyes turned black. From under his shirt, his tattoos began to glow, and I slowly felt myself drifting away.
A whip cracked, and a silvery strip of leather latched around Marcus’s wrist and broke his hold. Marcus fell on top of me, but quickly scrambled to his feet. I rolled to my side, gasping for air.
Jahlem and Darrien circled Marcus, while the other Tresez and Trackers backed up. The whips snapped in the air, and a dance of sorts began. Marcus glanced at me, as if he wanted to use my powers, control me to do his bidding, but for some reason he decided against it.
Another snap,
and he jerked himself forward as the crack landed on his cheek. With the flick of his wrist, he slammed both of my Servak brothers into the stable walls and held them there, their legs dangling.
I began to panic. Visions of all the heartache and death I’d seen over the years nearly overwhelmed me. He’d kill them if I didn’t stop him. I crawled to my knees and stumbled as I landed at his side. I grabbed his face, forcing his eyes upon me.
“Matt!” I cried. “Matt, come back to me!”
A flicker of light flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. Instead, rage, deeper than before, began to etch the lines of his face. The muscles in his face tightened under my hold, and I blinked. He was focusing his anger on me again, but there was more to it this time. Golden strips began to trace up his neck, and my hold wavered.
“Matt,” I cried out, softer this time. “Matt, you have to come back. I need you.”
He blinked, his breathing changed, and then slowly the black faded to blue. He released his hold on Jahlem and Darrien, staring at me.
“Cheyenne,” he murmured. His gaze fell to me, and sorrow washed through him. He drew me gently into an embrace. “I’m so sorry.”
Relief washed over me like rain from a summer storm. And I swallowed. From the corner of my eye, I watched Jahlem and Darrien get up. They were still alive.
Without warning, Marcus scooped me up and carried me inside. He took me to his sitting room, and set me on the leather couch. He sat beside me, lightly holding my shaking hands.
“Cheyenne, please forgive me. I—I…”
“Where do you go?” I asked, trying to keep Matt on the surface.
He lowered his head. “Matt’s always here, but he gets pushed aside as this darkness grows inside me. You have your crimson-eyed beast, but I have a golden dragon whose thirst is becoming harder and harder to quench.”
“I need Matt to stay here with me. Matt is the one who cares for me. Matt is the one I have a future with.”
“But Matt is weak. The only way to make him strong is for you to give him your powers.”
I stilled.
He looked up, his gaze softening.
“I only say this because I know, Cheyenne. I watched my father drown in this darkness, with no lifeline to save him. I watched your grandfather Jorell do the same. I thought your mother would save me, but she chose a different path.”
His fingers brushed my cheek.
“You’re my last hope, my angel. Without you, all will be lost.”
He leaned closer, his warm lips touching mine. I wanted to push him away, but I didn’t dare. I had Matt here with me now, and I needed him to stay. Tenderly, he began caressing my lips, coaxing me to give in. My mind was whirling. The thought of what had happened last night with Marcus made my stomach grow queasy. My pulse began to race. Was this truly Matt here with me now, or was this Marcus trying to deceive me again? I had no idea where the line was drawn between them, who really controlled who.
Everything I once thought was black and white was turning to shades of grey.
Boots echoed in the hall and Marcus drew back. Darrien and Jahlem were standing in the entry, ready to fight again if needed.
I glanced between the two and then stood up and headed for them. I needed to keep the peace for the moment and keep them out of his sight. They followed me up the stairs, and down the hall to my room. Once inside, a wave of emotions hit me. How could I have thought being here would save my family?
Darrien pulled me to the broken sofa and I sat.
“Are you alright?” He kneeled in front of me, inspecting my bruises. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have challenged him. I was just trying to focus his attention elsewhere…”
“I know.” I touched his hand.
Jahlem disappeared into my bathroom, and reappeared with a wet towel. He leaned over me, wiping debris, and I was sure blood, away. I closed my eyes, trying to slow my racing pulse.
“Are you okay?” I asked. They’d been thrown up against the stable walls and choked as well.
Darrien squeezed my hand. “You don’t need to worry about us, Cheyenne.”
“But I do,” I said, my eyes opening. “No one deserves to be treated like this or to die at his hand.” I pushed Jahlem away and pressed both my hands to my temple. I was dealing with a man who had multiple personalities, one who could switch temperments with the blink of an eye. How was I supposed to deal with that? Besides, I didn’t even know if our plan worked.
“Did you get Shad away safely?” I asked.
“He’s safe,” Jahlem replied.
A huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Shad would be safe, at least for the time being. But now an even bigger question came to mind. Was Marcus telling me the truth about fighting the darkness? Part of me wanted to believe him, yet the other half assumed it was just a trick. How was I to know for sure?
“Have you seen different sides to Marcus?” I asked.
“What you mean?” Jahlem replied, settling in on the floor in front of me.
“He told me before you came that he’s fighting the darkness from taking over. Like what you saw earlier, his anger switching to remorse in the blink of an eye.”
They didn’t reply, but exchanged glances.
“It’s like he’s two different people,” I said and then hesitated. “H—he said that if I gave him my powers, it would bring him back from the edge. That I was the only one who could save him.”
“No,” Darrien said shaking his head. “You can’t save the unwilling. He’s too far gone. Giving your powers to him will only seal our fate.”
“But what if he can be saved? Isn’t that what we did for Shad? We knew he wasn’t a good person, but we gave him a second chance. Why couldn’t we do the same for Marcus?”
“What we did for Shad is different than what you would do for Marcus,” Jahlem said. “You’d give him access to all the clan’s powers. If you think he acts like two different people now, it would only get worse. There’s nothing worth saving in him—nothing.”
Darrien moved closer.
“Marcus has meddled too much with the clan rings, Cheyenne,” Darrien said, folding his hands in his lap. “Draining the Servak and Quaysaar clans has corrupted him to the point where he only wants more power.”
“Even if he gets the Kvech power,” Jahlem added, “it won’t be enough, and he’ll destroy everything searching for more. He’ll keep going until the entire Timeless race is gone, and then he’ll set his sights on the humans.”
They could be right, but the truth was so buried I couldn’t find it. I stood at the terrace doors and stared out across the white horizon. I needed to go for a walk. I needed to leave this room and clear my head. I needed answers.
“I want to go to my garden,” I said and turned to face them.
“We can take you there,” Jahlem said, “but we won’t leave you alone.”
I nodded in understanding; I didn’t want to be left alone either. I had no idea whether Marcus would come, or perhaps it’d be Matt. I couldn’t risk him finding me alone again.
They took me down the familiar hall, and we stopped as Jahlem unlocked the door, allowing me into my private garden.
The untouched snow compacted as I stepped into the garden path. Darrien and Jahlem stayed close, and I circled the familiar bench, dusting it off so I could have a seat.
My last conversation with Marcus was troublesome. I saw the Matt I knew, saw a friend, but minutes earlier he’d been about to spill blood. How could someone switch personalities so quickly? Unless what he’s said, and Darrien and Jahlem agreed, was the truth. The darkness was taking over, and little by little it was eating away at his soul. Soon, any good within him would be extinguished, and then Matt would disappear forever.
A black mist began to take form near the edge of the bench. A silhouette I knew all too well. Raina.
A wicked smile was perched on her lips. Her long black hair fell over her black leather trench coat, and she tilted her head.
“O
h hello, cousin.” She emphasized the last word.
Darrien and Jahlem moved closer, flanking my sides.
“Oh please,” Raina waved her hand. “If I wanted to really hurt her, you couldn’t stop me.”
“What do you want, Raina?” I questioned.
She placed her hand on her hip. “Besides knowing your little secret about Shad,” she said coolly, “I just wanted to see my cousin. Anything wrong with that?”
“Your second cousin once removed,” Darrien snarled.
She stepped closer to Darrien, her fingers brushing his unshaven cheeks. He drew back.
“You just couldn’t get over the fact that I never had feelings for you, could you, Darrien?”
“What about Shad, Raina?” I said, trying to get her to focus on why she was here.
She rolled her eyes.
“I could care less about him.” She looked away. “It’s just so boring here. I thought I’d have a stroll in the garden.”
“Shad told me everything. You were cursed because you helped my mother,” I said.
She averted her gaze from me.
“I also know that Marcus did it partially to hurt Maes.”
She didn’t reply.
“Help us,” I pleaded. “Help me to know more.”
She turned back, and a cool veil had slipped over her face.
“Help you?” she mocked. “Ha! And get what in return? Eternal damnation in this godforsaken hellhole?!” She shook her head and pointed her finger at me. “I helped your mother once, and look where it got me. Go waste your words on someone who cares.”
She flicked her wrist and returned to her misty form. She ascended over the stone wall, and then she was gone. I sighed, and looked at the others.
“Will she tell Marcus?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” Darrien said. “She wouldn’t have anything to gain from it other than seeing you tortured.”
“Marcus might torture you, too.”
“I doubt it. Marcus needs us. He can’t just do as he pleases.”
“He needs you?”
Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four Page 22
