Genesis

by Christie Rich

  I glanced at him and he gave me a real smile. I cocked my head at him. Wasn’t he mad at me?

  When I got close enough for him to hear me I asked, “When did you get here?”

  “Just a few minutes ago.” He shrugged. “Seems I missed all the action.”

  “I wish I had,” I said. A slight grimace worked its way onto my face.

  Zach clasped my elbow, startling me. “You’d better finish your dinner. Then we need to get to bed.”

  I chuckled. “Okay, Dad.”

  The other lords smiled, but Zach just tugged me over to my chair. “You need your strength. It’s bad enough you haven’t been sleeping well.”

  I sighed. Zach was sweet. He was also bossier than that guy on TV that likes to fire people for a living. I glanced at him sidelong, lifting my brows. “What’re you gonna do about it?”

  I was surprised by his response to my flippant remark. His eyes shone with a secret. “Remember back at school at the football game?”

  How could I forget? It was the first time he kissed me. I hadn’t even known my own name by the time he was done with me, so why did it feel like that was years ago? Like I was another person back then. Like he was someone I used to know? I nodded for his benefit.

  He went on as if he hadn’t noticed the sadness that crinkled my eyes, but the slight slump of his shoulders let on that he had. “My brothers searched for you the entire evening. Why do you think they couldn’t find you?”

  I studied the crystal goblet in my hand, twirling it between my fingers. “You cloaked me?”

  He smiled. “I knew you’d get it.”

  “So that’s the plan?”

  He licked his too sumptuous lips, reminding me of that first kiss again. “For now.”

  I skewered a vegetable of some kind. My fork skidded along the plate, creating a peal that set my teeth on edge, just like the rest of me. I focused on the tidbit. It was bright purple, but had the look and consistency of a cooked carrot. It smelled more like a potato and tasted like a mixture of both. Either way, it was pretty good. Not my favorite.

  I sighed. Distracting myself wasn’t working. The buzz of electricity Zach created still had me on an exquisite blade. Without even realizing until I had done it, I scooted closer to him. He smiled.

  I cleared my throat. “What do you know about wraiths?”

  One shoulder lifted in a lazy shrug. He angled his body closer to mine so our knees touched. “Not much. None of us do.” His expression turned grim. “When they first came to the planet, they offered us a service.”

  Oh, this was going to be bad. It had to be if he was actually giving me an answer. My throat caught when I swallowed.

  He picked up another chunk of bread and shoved it in his mouth. This time he chewed it completely before he went on. “We needed to be able to police ourselves. Too many times, we had argued about justice and punishment. The offer they made took responsibility away from us. If one of us disobeyed the law, the wraiths would escort them to the dark realms.”

  “That isn’t the first time I’ve heard that phrase. What exactly are the dark realms?”

  He covered his shiver with a wan smile. “Hell.”

  I jerked back from him. It was only impulse, but something inside me recoiled from the thought of such a place. The idea of heaven and hell has always been up for debate, but him saying it existed creeped me out.

  I licked my lips, trying to calm my raging pulse. “Tell me that’s a figurative term.”

  He glanced at Luke who stared at us, something unnerving lingering in his bright eyes. There was no way he could hear our conversation, but I could have sworn he was listening to us. Zach shifted so I couldn’t see Luke any more. “I wish I could.”

  Closing the gap between us, I chanced a look at Zach. “What happened to you two on that island?” I would never ask Luke such a thing, but Zach could take it.

  His eyes found mine before roaming over the rest of me like a caress. “Why do you want to know?”

  I wished he’d stop doing that. Being this close to him made my brain switch to standby. I clenched my eyes shut and held my breath for a second. That was better.

  Trying not to offend him, I made like I had gotten distracted and looked over my shoulder to suck in a quick breath. His spicy scent still surrounded me. He gave me a knowing waggle of his brows, smiling like I’d lit his night sky. I couldn’t help the smile that crept up my lips. It was so good to have the tension between us gone. I’d been the one to put it there, but still, Zach was important to me. Once I was able to find a bit of focus, I set into what I wanted to ask him. “I need to understand what I’m up against. More important than what happened is what she has planned.”

  He picked at some dirt on his shoe. “She didn’t share that with me, Rayla, but it doesn’t take much imagination to guess.”

  That answer wasn’t good enough. “I’ve heard she wants to create her own world.”

  He wasn’t as shocked as I expected. “Most likely true…to an extent. Creating worlds is what Gods are for.”

  I shook my head. Deeper and deeper we go, where we’ll stop nobody knows. “So she wants to hijack this one?”

  Zach pinned me with his stare. “You have to understand something very important. This world is only a spec in the eye of your creator. Even your Bible tells of worlds unnumbered. She’s hoping he won’t care if this one falls away.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Is that a possibility?”

  It took him longer to answer me than it should have. “Not really, but if she can get enough humans to want the world to change, it will happen.”

  I grunted. “She’s lying to them?”

  He cocked his head. “We aren’t allowed to lie.” I scoffed, but he went on as if he hadn’t heard me. “Yet we can manipulate the truth.”

  “You should know,” said Luke from over my shoulder.

  Chapter Eleven

  When had Luke sat next to me? I stared at him, scolding him with my eyes. He was practically seething in his chair. “That wasn’t very nice,” I told him.

  Zach stood. “It’s okay. I need to get Styx settled for the night.”

  I jumped to my feet. “You brought him!”

  Zach threw his head back and laughed. “I thought you were scared of him.”

  I shrugged. “Not anymore.” A shudder swept through me. “Not after all the other things I’ve seen in this place.” Seeing Luke’s expression plummet did strange things to my heart, so I stepped over to him and grabbed his hand. “Would you like to come?”

  His eyes lit up, and so did my smile. “If you’re asking?”

  I pulled on his fingers. That was all it took for him to be right beside me with an arm draped over my shoulder. I didn’t mind. I was supposed to be spending quality time with him, after all.

  The stables were larger than I remembered from the other day, but then nothing seemed the same other than the not so pleasant smell. It was brighter and nearly every stall filled with animals of one sort or another.

  We had to be in a different part of the castle. My stomach turned to a bag of rocks at the thought of talking to Styx. It was strange to feel this way. He was just as much of a friend to me as anyone here. I guess my anxiety started because in the deepest part of me I believed he could help me figure this all out. Now, if I could only get him to do it.

  A loud snort came from the far stall and then a crash split the air. Zach raced over to Styx. I let go of Luke’s hand and ran to him.

  “Control your temper,” commanded Zach.

  Something buzzed in my mind. Was it Styx? I concentrated on the sound and his screaming whacked me upside the head.

  “Whoa,” I said, skittering away. A piece of hay got lodged in my sandal. I hopped in place, trying to pull it out before it became a permanent part of my foot and shook my head at him.

  Styx kicked the gate again. “You promised me! It’s been hours already.”

  “Styx?” I said, using a soft ton
e. “What’s wrong?” I could guess, but I didn’t want to make assumptions.

  His dark voice came loud and clear. “Do you know where she is?”

  I sidestepped Zach who tried and failed to catch my arm. “I think she’s in a stable on the other side of the castle grounds.”

  Zach pushed past me. “I have to get approval first. You know that!”

  Styx turned in the stall, facing us now. The view was much better, although his obsidian eyes burned with furor. “You’ve had plenty of time.”

  I grimaced. “I’m afraid that’s my fault, Styx. I’ve been keeping him.”

  A grunt. “Do this for me, my lady, and I will be forever indebted to you.”

  “Nonsense. Of course you can see Bastion.”

  He kicked the back wall at the mere mention of her name. I conjured an apple, and held it out for him. Zach gave me an awed glance, but I ignored him and focused on soothing the raging beast in front of me. “Something to take your mind off.”

  He snatched it from my hands faster than I could pull back my fingers. He actually nipped me. “Ow!”

  “Sorry,” he said, but it sounded muffled.

  “Geez. Get a grip already. I said I would help you.” He huffed and purple smoke hazed through the air. I put up my hands. “Yeah, I’ll just go now…be right back.”

  I found Jett still in the great hall. I drifted to save time, but it would have been easier if I had remembered I could send him a mental message before I came all the way here.

  He leaned against the table chatting with Mom. Theirs was an easy friendship. Theran wasn’t around so that probably helped. “Hey,” I said, looking down at Jett. “I need to talk to you.”

  “Of course.” He stood. “Excuse me, Ali.”

  There was no way Theran would be okay with Jett using a pet name for my mom, yet neither of them seemed to care. Mom nodded, but I pulled Jett away too fast for her to actually say anything.

  When we reached the corner, I blurted, “I want Styx and Bastion together. You’ve told me you would give me anything I want, so…”

  His eyes flew as wide as his smile. “Already learning manipulation, I see.” He grunted. “Very well. Your wish and all that.”

  I hugged him. “Thanks! I won’t forget this.”

  His voice came out dark. “I’m counting on it.”

  I hesitated for only a second. Oh, bother, why did I suddenly think there was more to that response than the question of who I bonded with? Too bad I didn’t have time to pull his hidden meaning out of him right now, but later, well, he’d better answer my questions.

  I drifted back. Styx had mutilated the stall, but surprisingly, it held. I unlatched the gate. “Come on.”

  Styx blasted a thought at me. “Jafan agreed?”

  “No. Jett did.” I shook my head at him. “Time’s ticking.”

  He followed me like a good pegasus to the pasture, and he didn’t even rear back more than once. Bastion raced against the wind, her bright wings pinched to her sides. Somehow, she seemed more arrow dynamic than a horse with those wings of hers. I opened the gate, and Styx gunned forward, catching up to her. She bit his neck and he bucked.

  I turned away. They needed privacy.

  Zach and Luke watched me.

  I cleared my throat, unsure what to think about their grim expressions. “What now?”

  Luke locked eyes with me. “Now, we talk.”

  I found myself sandwiched between two hunky lords who currently fought for control of the conversation. If they didn’t cut it out I was going to backhand both of them.

  “Shut up!” I shouted after I couldn’t take another second of it. Two angry faces snapped toward me. I gave a curt nod. “Thank you.” Man, I should have thought this through before I demanded their attention. I had no idea what to say. “Um, what I meant to say was that I can’t hear both of you at once.”

  Zach dipped his head, deferring to Luke, who smiled as if he had won some major battle. “I learned much during my captivity.”

  I touched his hand. “Are you sure you want to talk about it.”

  He grunted, fixing a belligerent stare at me. “I am not so weak as you have imagined me. I managed to fool a certain princess into believing me incapable of being a threat. In fact, she thinks she has control of my mind.”

  Okay? That wasn’t good, or was it? “So she’s directing you?” Luke nodded. I gulped down the bolder in my throat. “Can she hear us now?” I really hadn’t meant that to come out as a cell phone commercial.

  “I am shielding this conversation,” said Zach, cutting off my inner chuckle.

  Luke rolled his eyes. “Once I discovered her desire to capture my mind, I let her in. To better know what we truly face, I let her think she had succeeded.”

  “Hang on,” I said. “Why aren’t Jett and Taylor out here?” The two of them shared a look I did not like.

  “We don’t know if it is safe,” said Zach finally. “She has ways to snare an unsuspecting mind. Our plan depends on the other lords believing she has made a mind slave of Luke. It will keep them attuned to possible invasions. We will discuss this with them later. There is another thing you should know. She also believes I am her captive.”

  I licked my lips. Trust was such a fragile thing. If I didn’t trust the men that had risked so much to protect me, then who could I trust? Tabitha’s warning rushed into my mind. I’d go along with this for now, but I had to be guarded. I looked at them in succession. “Tell me your plan.”

  Luke shoved his fingers through his hair, and it went all sexy surfer. I totally wanted to fix the tiny spot in the back that refused to lay the same direction as the rest of his mane. “She did forge a link with my mind. Make no mistake, I am still aware when she taps in, yet the line gets more fragile as time goes on.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “There is a risk,” Zach interrupted. “If she claims enough power, she might be able to accomplish the very thing she thinks she already has.”

  When both of them stared at me expectantly, it hit me. “You want me to pick,” I whispered. The words were like super glue against my throat.

  “Yes,” they said in unison.

  Zach continued his explanation where Luke dropped off. “Even if neither of us is your choice, it must be done…for the safety of Faeresia and your beloved humans. You have had time with each lord now.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he waived me off. Luke’s expression still had me wondering. He didn’t seem to agree with Zach on this one, yet he wasn’t complaining. “We understand what we are asking of you. We also realize this would be a sacrifice on your part. It’s up to you, but delaying can only lead to paths you don’t want to traverse.”

  I nodded. “I need to think about it.”

  They stood. Zach gave me a pat on the shoulder. “We will leave you to it.”

  I walked back to the castle in sort of a daze. My thoughts still swirled with questions that didn’t seem to have answers; however, night had descended at an alarming rate, and I couldn’t linger outside any more. I made it past the guards and two thirds of the way to my room before a familiar sound halted me where I stood.

  Hissing.

  I rolled my eyes. Not the smartest thing I had ever done, but couldn’t everything just leave me alone for two seconds so I could think? Besides, they should have wards against these things? Squaring my shoulders, I turned toward the sound. I should have gone the other way or shouted for help, but I wanted to see why it had come back. It could have killed me or sucked out my soul already if it wanted to.

  “I know you’re there.” My bold words fell against silence. Not sure how to continue, I hesitated trying to control the trembling in my hands. Giving up, I shoved them into my pockets. Frustration ramped up inside me until I knew I would burst. It was here, and it was watching me. The little hairs on the back of my neck made sure I was keenly aware of the thing. I tried again. “You didn’t tell me your name last night.”

  Hiss. Closer this time follo
wed by a laugh. “You were too buussssy callliing for helllp.”

  Unbelievable. The thing was mocking me. “Do you blame me? You threw me against the frigging wall.”

  It chuckled. “You weigh leessss than I thought.”

  I? Jett had said Wraith as if they all shared a brain. “Should I be offended by that statement?”

  It stepped out of the shadows three feet away from me, and it took every ounce of conviction I had not to scream. “Your choiccce.”

  I scratched my itchy nose. What a time for my allergies to act up. Didn’t they know I was in mortal danger? “What do you want from me?”

  “Freedom would be niccce, but I did not come for me. I already tollld you. I’m here to proteccct.”

  Since discussing things with Zach and Luke, I had a better idea of just what he might be talking about, but I had to ask. “From what?”

  “Danger hoversss over you, Raayyyla. Any number of thinnngss or people could hurt you.”

  “Why would you care?”

  Laughter. “You came to the borderlannndsss. You helllped a friend.”

  “Cerb?” The frightening image of my pet hellhound came into my mind. His yellow eyes with horizontal pupils might as well have been fixed on me I could feel him that much. “You came here because Cerb asked you?”

  A nod of a scary head. “Among ottther thinnngss.”

  “What should I call you?”

  “We have no nammesss, Missstresss.”

  What an odd answer. “Why not?”

  The shoulders slumped. “We are outcassstss. Who would call the monsters?” It had sounded almost human just then.

  “That’s absurd.” I chuckled nervously. “I mean. I’m scared of you. I won’t deny that, but everyone should have a name.”

  It inched nearer. “What would you call me?”

  Satan spawn? I doubted that would go over very well.

  Another laugh. “It hasss a certain rinnng to it.”

  Crap. It could hear my thoughts. Could Cerb hear my thoughts too? “Is he okay?”