Piercing the Darkness

by Angela Dennis

  She’d been alone for so long, she didn’t remember what it felt like to truly have friends. The pain of dying and the loss of Cade had kept her from fully connecting with anyone since. Even the IRT hunters she called friends really weren’t. None of them knew her, not really. But that was going to change, starting with Carina.

  Shoving back a flood of guilt, she stumbled through the damp caverns as quickly as her exhausted body would carry her. She had no idea how much time had passed since the Eversors had found Carina, but the fact that they had returned before she had regained her full strength meant one of two things. They were either desperate, or they hadn’t been after Carina. And if the Eversors were looking for Hilda, she could be walking into a trap.

  She felt the first flicker of unease when she stepped into the rock formation outside the caves. The wind had stopped and the air was thick with humidity, energy dancing through the sky like electricity. It whirled around her, prickling her skin and clinging to her hair, making it hard to breathe as she moved toward the tent.

  It was dark as she approached, but although she was unable to make out the shape of the small structure was in, she could still smell the blood. It permeated the air, the rich copper scent sickeningly bitter. The Eversors wouldn’t have inflicted those types of wounds. Killing Carina would be contrary to their purpose. Hilda prayed Carina hadn’t given up the fight.

  There were no signs of life as she stepped inside. She moved through the darkness, feeling across the floor and makeshift furniture because she couldn’t see. As she reached the center of the tent, the wind started back. It screamed in the silence like a baby starving for milk. The tent swayed in the onslaught, sending her to her knees. Lightning flashed, illuminating Carina’s form. The light caressed her like a lover where she lay before the fireplace.

  Carina was broken. Blood darkened her auburn hair, spilling down her forehead to pool beneath her head. Her already pale skin had taken on a translucent sheen, the blue veins rising to the surface of her shrunken flesh. Her body was a shriveled shell.

  Hilda closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose and took a few steadying breaths. She was close to losing it. Pulling Carina onto her back, she hesitated. Instinct told her to check for a pulse, but there was no way she was alive. Because she had to know for sure, she gently brushed Carina’s hair back and pressed a shaking finger to her neck. And felt movement. It was slight, almost unnoticeable, but there.

  She pushed back a wave of useless tears. Game plan. She needed a game plan. If the Eversors came back, she wasn’t strong enough to fight them. And she wasn’t ready to give up. If she could get Carina to the caves, they’d at least have some measure of protection. But she was too damn weak to carry Carina, and the witch wasn’t walking there on her own.

  Carina stirred in her arms, her green eyes opening to slits. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I thought I’d be stronger, but I couldn’t let them—”

  “Shh…” Hilda smoothed Carina’s matted hair from her forehead. “Save your strength. How bad are you hurt?”

  “Just weak.” She touched her throat with trembling fingers. “They healed me before I lost too much blood.”

  Hilda looked away. Carina didn’t need to see the relief in her eyes. “We need to get out of here before they come back. Can you walk?”

  “I don’t know.” She gasped as she sat. “Maybe.”

  Hilda grabbed her beneath the arms and pulled her to her feet. She stopped. Something was wrong. “Do you feel that?”

  Carina trembled in her arms. “Don’t let them take me. I can’t…”

  Hilda shook her head. No way was she letting those things get Carina again. “Come on. I’ll help you, but we got to go now.”

  “Don’t you see? There’s nowhere to go.” Carina struggled against her grip. And damned if she didn’t go for a knife the second she was free.

  “No.” Hilda jumped her, the knife spinning across the canvas floor. “We’re getting out of here.”

  “How?” Carina stared back, chest heaving.

  “I’ll find a way.” She fell to her knees as the tent began to shake. The door of the tent swept open and waves of power swept inside, twining around them strong as a python and just as thick.

  Carina clawed at the air, screaming, “No more. No more.”

  Hilda hit the ground, hard. She’d never felt pain like this. It wrapped around her like a million barbed vines, squeezing until she couldn’t breathe. Tainted magic rolled her in its caress, wrapping her tightly, pulling her insides apart until she knew nothing at all.

  Cade paced the ritual room Brenna had shown him to earlier. It was small, occupying what had once been a walk-in closet. It would do, but he wasn’t convinced they had gathered enough power between them to pull this off.

  Brenna had settled beside Gray on the floor. She looked fragile beside her enormous husband, but Cade knew better. She’d be a hell of an ally.

  “Were you trained to reach the Void?” Cade studied the two Shadow Bearers. Seraph might trust them, but he didn’t. All he knew about their kind was that they’d been fighting a civil war for three centuries. And that wasn’t reassuring.

  “No,” Gray replied. His violet eyes narrowed, a tinge of humor in their depths. “I’d never heard of it before I met Seraph.”

  “Where is Seraph, anyway?” Brenna asked Gray.

  Gray shrugged. “He’ll come when he’s ready.

  “We’ve got a better shot at this if he’s here.” Brenna jumped to her feet and moved to the dresser that housed her herbs. “We need as much power as we can get.”

  She quieted as Seraph stepped inside the room. He’d stripped off his suit coat, and the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt had been rolled to his elbows. “The deviants are out in hordes, but the humans are keeping them back. They’re holding their own. I’ve no idea how.”

  Cade wondered at Brenna and Gray’s shared glance. But it wasn’t his business. He needed this spell done the right way, and the only way that was going to happen was if Seraph stepped up to the plate. Seraph crouched and pulled a bundle of sage from the pile on the floor. “Let’s do this. We’re wasting time.”

  Brenna took the sage from him, set it back on the dresser and picked up a stack of cream-colored candles. “This spell has to work, or Hilda’s going to be trapped in a hell dimension for an eternity. I need to know what I’m working with, or it could blow up in our face. What’s your connection to the Void?”

  Cade jumped to his feet. “You know we’re Adurro. How do you not know that the Void used to be our home?” He moved over to Brenna and grabbed some of the candles before she dropped them.

  “You’re right. How did I not know that?”

  Seraph shrugged as he settled cross-legged before the pile of candles and began to arrange them. “It’s no secret. The Guardians kicked us out so they could store their outcasts there, scattered us across the planes of reality. I ended up on yours. That’s how I met Gray.”

  “Didn’t you fight back?” Brenna crossed her arms.

  “It was over before we could, then they put up the damn wards,” Cade replied. “We’ve never been able to break through them to physically return. We can send in our spirits, but that doesn’t do a hell of a lot of good. That’s why we need your help to pull Hilda out. Our combined powers should allow us to send my physical body inside.”

  “It’s the Guardians’ wards we have to break through, right?” Brenna asked.

  “Yeah. Why?” Cade watched her carefully. There was an undercurrent of relief in her tone.

  “I’ve dealt with the Guardians before. They’re not indestructible. Years ago my father created a toxin that could weaken the Veil and, as a result, the Guardians. When I was banished here, one of my enemies stole the toxin and crossed through after me. He used it to rip the Veil and pull an army of demons through to help him. It weakened the Guard
ians to the point they couldn’t heal the Veil or themselves. Gray and I had to help them.”

  Cade drew a sharp breath. “The Guardians are all about balance. That would mean they owe you a favor.”

  She held up a hand. “Don’t even go there. A favor from the Guardians could turn the tide in the war on this plane. I’m not using it for something we can do ourselves. It’s a last resort, if even that.”

  “But if this fails, you’ll consider it.” Cade’s heart leapt with relief.

  Brenna turned back to the dresser, opening the metal container that sat on top and pulling out two silver athames. “I’m not going to promise that, not yet. There’s too much at stake.” She tossed one of the blades to Gray, who deftly caught it by the handle. “Let’s do this. Cast the circle.”

  For the first time, Cade felt hope stirring. But right now he needed to concentrate on the spell. He needed to focus if they were going to pull this off. It’d been years since he’d used this much power. Adurro was the slang to refer to his people. Their people were the Curium Facultas, which, literally translated into English, meant Skin Power. But the name Adurro had stuck because their skin glowed when they used their magic. The Shadow Bearers were in for a show.

  Gray closed the circle, then settled on the floor beside Brenna. “It’s all you. Tell us what you need.”

  “Complete cooperation.” Cade freed his ceremonial blade from the sheath at his ankle. “I’m going to have to drain power from you to complete the spell, and it’s not going to feel good.” He leaned forward, carving a rune in the floor’s oak planks. “Don’t fight me. It’ll only make it worse.”

  “Understood.” Gray let out a deep breath. “Take whatever you need.”

  “Same here.” Brenna watched him carefully. “But how are you going to utilize our powers to travel through the Veil? Don’t you need us to do that?”

  He lit a candle and placed it in the heart of the rune. “As soon as I start draining your powers, I’ll learn the skills that come along with them. It’s why our people can only drain powers consensually.”

  “Otherwise you’d be able to rule the universe?” Brenna joked, but he could tell she was uncomfortable.

  “Exactly. But we can’t just take powers. It’s impossible without the ritual, and the ritual requires consent.” He used the blade to split open his palm, letting his blood spill onto the rune. Singing the incantation, he rose to his feet, moving within the circle. He crouched before Gray, bloody palm outstretched. “Do you gift me with your essence?” he asked in his own language, knowing Gray could understand. He’d bet money the Shadow Bearer had done this before with Seraph.

  Gray bowed his head. “What’s mine is yours,” he said in his own native tongue, completing the ritual.

  Using the blood from his palm, Cade traced the same rune on Gray’s forehead that he had carved on the floor. When he had finished, he bowed in deference to the other man. “Thank you. Seraph’s mind and body will stay here. I’ll only be borrowing his power. But he’ll still be strong enough to break the spell if something goes wrong. You’ll be safe, no matter what happens.”

  Gray nodded. “Seraph is my brother. He’d kill you before he’d let you hurt us.”

  “Understood.” Cade pressed his palm against the rune on the other man’s forehead. Gray’s head fell back, his breath quickening as his magic streamed into Cade’s body. Cold as ice, it slid into his bloodstream. Once Cade had taken enough, he let go. Gray slumped in place, his breathing shallow.

  “He’ll be fine in a few minutes,” Cade said as he walked over to Brenna. “Ready?”

  She nodded, but her eyes never left Gray. “Get it over with.”

  When he finished, Cade returned to his place in the circle. A rush of power surged through his blood. It was exhilarating.

  “Get on with it.” Seraph narrowed his eyes. “In and out without incident, or the Guardians will find out and we’ll be screwed.”

  “I know.” Cade closed his eyes and gathered the magic around him like a cloak. He stretched his arm toward Seraph, magic twirling around it like a violet snake. It jumped from his fingertips to Seraph’s, wrapping around the other man’s arm until they were linked. “When you hear me in your head, pull us out.” He closed his eyes, focused and disappeared into the Void.

  Everything was blurry. Cade rolled onto his stomach feeling like he was nursing a two-week-long hangover. Groaning, he pushed himself onto his hands and knees. He was inside a house of some kind, but the walls were moving. A tent. Probably the tent he had pointed out to Hilda. Their bond had held true, leading him right to her. He peered through the darkness, but there was no sign of movement. Where the hell was she?

  “Hilda?” he called as he picked himself up off the floor. As his eyes began to adjust, he realized there was a fireplace on the far end of the room. The scent of wood smoke was still strong in the air, so the fire hadn’t been out long.

  He moved toward the fireplace as the wind screamed outside the tent. It wasn’t until he came closer that he noticed it—the metallic smell of blood. It danced in the air around him, raising his hackles.

  “Hilda?” he called again, moving farther into the room. Then he found her. In the corner of the room, curled in a ball, dull blond hair spread across the blood-stained canvas floor. If they’d killed her, he’d make them pay. Those damn Eversors wouldn’t know what hit them.

  “Sweetheart?” He knelt beside her, ignoring the blood quickly coating his pants. It was like some sick form of déjà vu. But this time she wasn’t dead. Her chest fell in shallow breaths, her body shaking with the effort.

  He rolled her over, careful not to injure her further. Her skin was like ice. Instead of its usual silk, it felt coarse, dry. “Talk to me,” he said as he ran his hands across her body, searching for any obvious injuries.

  Coughs racked her body, but she opened her eyes. “Carina?”

  “What?” He leaned forward.

  “Carina?” She struggled to sit. “Where is she?” she asked before collapsing against him.

  Who the hell was Carina? Assured Hilda’s pulse was steady, he took a quick glance around the room. He didn’t have to look far. There was a crumpled form beside the fireplace. He moved to check. The floor beneath her was slick with blood, but she was alive. Cradling the woman in his arms, he moved her beside Hilda. He hoped he had enough power to get all three of them out, because there was no way he was leaving anyone here.

  “Hold on a little longer,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around the two women. “I’m getting us out of here.” He closed his eyes and called to Seraph. As he did so a gust of wind swept through the room, betraying the unworldly presence outside the tent.

  “No. Not again.” Hilda rolled into a ball, burying her face in her chest.

  Cade stroked her hair. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve got this.”

  Magic built around them, pulling them apart then painfully reassembling them. Someone screamed. It might have been him. It was like being sucked inside a tunnel that was too small for your body. Pressure built until it seemed like he would explode. The pain pushed him to his limits physically and mentally. Then, when he couldn’t take any more, it stopped. And he slammed face first into the wooden floor of Brenna’s ritual room.

  Chapter Six

  Cade rolled onto his back, feeling like he’d been flipped in the air by a freight train. He motioned to Seraph, even as he groaned and somehow managed to sit up. “Help them. They’re both injured. I don’t know how badly.”

  Seraph knelt down so they were eye to eye. “We know. You’ve been out for a while. Brenna’s on it. She’s the best healer we’ve got.”

  “That’s good.” Cade slumped against the wall. He knew enough to know he’d only be in the way if he tried to help. He hated it, but all he could do was wait.

  “How about you? You okay?” Seraph moved closer, presumab
ly to check him for injuries, but Cade shifted out of his reach. “What the hell happened? I almost couldn’t pull you out.”

  “I could feel the Eversors outside the tent. Their magic must have interfered with the spell.” Cade leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. “I almost couldn’t break through.”

  “Damn it. I told you…” Seraph rose and began to pace the hallway.

  Cade struggled to his feet and grabbed Seraph by the arm. “What was I supposed to do? Leave them there? The Eversors were using them for food. So what if the Guardians know? They can kiss my ass. They can’t interfere unless we upset the balance and put the Veil at risk, and we didn’t. We were careful. And if they do come after us, I’ll take the blame.”

  “No you won’t,” Brenna said, walking toward them. “I’ve got your back.” She stopped beside them, clearly exhausted. “Whatever did that to them doesn’t deserve to live. They were drained within an inch of their lives.”

  Cade flinched as she brushed her hand across his cheek. Her healing magic seeped into his skin, warming his blood, making him feel like a new man. “Thanks, but I’ve taken enough from you.”

  “I’m a healer. It’s what I do. And you didn’t take anything I wasn’t willing to give.” She leaned against the wall, closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

  “Why didn’t you tell us Hilda was going to come back with a body? I about had a heart attack.” She grinned. “Is it permanent?”

  Cade returned her smile. “No idea. But if it is, she’s not human. Same spirit, different body, different abilities. There’s no way to label her now.”

  Brenna’s grin widened. “I’ve never been able to label Hilda anyway. She’s always been unique.”

  “That’s the truth,” Seraph chimed in. “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah,” Brenna replied. “All I could do was start the healing process. She needs to rest to finish it. I put her in one of the empty rooms. It’ll be hers, now that she’ll need it.”