Dark Promise

by Patti Larsen

  ***

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Floating in perfection, body infused with balanced power, I felt the Node embrace me, its curiosity about me as it studied me carefully and accepted who I was, who Theridialis and Tara were, welcoming me home as though I were a monitor. Until it jerked in pain, its agony my agony, slicing through the magical connection formed from Theridialis's magic and Tara's.

  Ameline. I focused on her name and felt myself slide through the light, thrown headfirst at a blackened blob tainting the center of the Node. Threads of sickly gray and red branched out from her, as though she wore a cloak of fiber-thin roots digging their way through the heart of the Node, infecting it. I dove for her, hands outstretched, power gathering, only to feel the Node shudder from me as well, watch more of the taint slide from my fingertips.

  Right. No magic against her power.

  This was very bad.

  Ameline saw me coming, her huge amber eyes fixed on mine, filled with madness as she slung herself forward, the Dead Stone in her right hand. I spun at the last minute, ending up feet out in the thick air/membrane/support of the Node, heavy boots impacting the side of Ameline's jaw before she could correct herself. The Node shook like a quivering drop of water waiting to fall as the blow sent Ameline spinning away, trailing her dirty magic with her. I had no choice but to use magic to stop myself and push me forward again, though I knew doing so did more damage.

  No choices.

  The song of the Node swelled around me, once sweet and pure, now so discordant it felt like my head would explode from the pressure of the sound, the rush of my blood heating in answer to the harsh tune.

  Ameline's burbling laughter drove my anger out to the surface as she spread her arms wide.

  You can't stop me, she sent. All the power of the Node will be mine, will transform me into a demon more powerful than anyone has ever known. And I will watch these planes break apart with great satisfaction, knowing I've hurt you, Sydlynn Hayle.

  Thought it wasn't about me, I sent as I half-swam, half-glided toward her.

  A snarl replaced her laugh. We could share this, she sent. I'd heard that argument before. She'd offered help in return for half of the vampire inside me.

  You're so original, I sent. Try another one.

  Ameline shook her head, hair rippling around her as the Dead Stone pulsed in her hand, pulling in power as her taint grew, the Node's song worsening by the second. Who cares if a self-destructive race falls? They will wipe each other out eventually anyway. And we have a bigger enemy to fight. Sister.

  Shudder. I can handle the Brotherhood, I sent. Without you and your misguided attempt to become maji.

  She shot power at me, absorbed instantly by the Node, but not to good effect. The whole thing shook again and I knew I had only seconds left before this was all over.

  The Dead Stone. It was key, had to be. Begging the Node to hold it together just a little longer, I shielded a blast of demon power, Ahbi's magic eager to do the job, and whipped it out toward Ameline's hand.

  She tried to dodge, saw it coming, but the thickened gray she'd created seemed to solidify as she did. It slowed her down, almost hardening around her as Ahbi's magic snapped over Ameline's wrist and sent the Dead Stone flying.

  I dove for it immediately, the pressure of the flow of energy shifting to deliver the Stone to my hand. It glowed beyond its black heart, a beating thing in my fist as I faced Ameline.

  She clutched her wrist, writhing in the confines of the hardened toxins she'd dumped into the Node. Caught by her own greed, Ameline howled her fury at me while I threw a shield around her so she couldn't do any more damage.

  Earth magic wrapped around air drove her free of the taint she'd made, green and blue power rolling through the Node. Which bucked like a green-broke horse and began a slow, inevitable tilt to one side. The terror in Ameline's face would have been priceless if my own hadn't matched it. My shield slipped as I released her to reach out to the Node, trying to support it even as Ameline ripped open the veil right there, in the middle of the center of Demonicon's power, and dove for safety, shedding demon magic as she went.

  I know about Liam, she sent just as the fissure snapped shut behind her, leaving me with even more fear and a massive mess on my hands.

  The Node failed, its slow collapse pressing down on me as the power tilted softly, its song digging holes in my brain, making it hard to concentrate.

  I had to save it.

  The Dead Stone pulsed in my hand, its heartbeat off tune with the Node's. I reached for it on impulse, feeling the power it absorbed attuned to its new rhythm and let it channel through me, feeding into the stuttering heart of the Node. It seemed nothing happened as I hovered there, heart in my throat, the oozing fall of the Node pulling me sideways.

  Sydlynhamitra. Ahbi's voice, soft in my head. You must find the heart.

  I stopped. Fought to concentrate, feeling at last as the Node beckoned me deeper. I dove down in desperate hope, the Dead Stone held out in front of me, black taint pulled from the white and into the heart of the failing Node, a cloud of gray and red following me down, down into the very core of Demonicon's power.

  I bobbed to a stop, the weight of the Node's energy pressing against my body so tightly I feared I'd be crushed to death, but out of choices and time. I called on all of my magic to stabilize the Node, using Theridialis's power, Tara's, and Ahbi's as well as my witch magic and the call of the Sidhe. Only my vampire held back, whispering in my head even as the Node shuddered at the presence of my magic and began to fail again.

  Sydlynn, Ahbi whispered. Foreign magic is illegal on Demonicon for a reason.

  Right. Idiot. I jerked my other powers back, slamming them behind shields, pouring everything I had into the demon magicks inside me.

  Better, she sent, the sigh of her voice a mere echo of who she had been.

  What do I do now? I reached for her, desperate, hoping she knew because I was barely holding things together.

  You must let me go. Ahbi's power pulsed, sliding from me toward the Dead Stone. A sacrifice must be made. And I'm the one to make it, dear granddaughter.

  Why did I resist all of a sudden? Will you be all right? What a stupid, stupid question. She was dead already, wasn't she? And here I was, floating in the heart of the Node keeping Demonicon's planes in balance, talking to her spirit.

  Ahbi's power chuckled. Of all of them, she sent, I adored you the most.

  My chest clenched as I released her, Ahbi's power instantly sliding inside the Dead Stone. It blazed with light, the terrible blackness of it shattering apart, flashing it into tiny fragments, exploding, little falling stars, absorbed by the Node.

  The heart embraced me as the remains of the Dead Stone and my grandmother's power merged with it, quivered in delight and flooded with brightness. I felt the body of the teardrop solidifying around me, strengthening as the pulse of the core steadied and settled into a slow, heavy beat.

  Living. Breathing. Spinning softly and more powerfully than ever, the Node gently thanked me in a murmur of magic. I slid out, deposited on the chamber floor. A further soul joined mine as the energy of the boy, Todd, nestled into my magic, safe and sound.

  I looked around to see I was surrounded by people, monitors with wide eyes, reaching out to touch me, gaping at the Node as though a miracle occurred. And maybe it had. I turned and looked up at it with a smile on my face. I may not have captured Ameline, but I saved the day.

  Hell, yeah.

  As I spun back to accept the accolades of who had to be eternally grateful demon monitors, something sharp pierced the skin of my neck and, for the second time since I found myself on Demonicon, my vision went fuzzy and slid sideways into darkness while I sighed deeply in understanding at the last second.

  Here we go again.

  ***

  Chapter Thirty Four

  When I woke back in the same cell I'd occupied in Ostrogotho, I'm sure they heard me swearing all the way up on the Seat.
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  We could simply go home now, my vampire sent, her anger a cold fire in my heart while my demon snarled and paced inside me, Shaylee vibrating with rage. They were all in agreement, even my witch magic, longing to be let loose at last.

  They were right. I stopped my own travels back and forth the short distance from one side of the cell to the other. I had enough power, unblocked this time around, I knew I could break through the veil and leave on my own. I waffled back and forth between just leaving the whole ungrateful demon race behind and holding on to the need to make sure Dad would be okay. Though, why I cared at this point, after being stuffed into a prison for the second time for a crime I didn't commit, I had no idea.

  If nothing else, my worries for Meira held me in my cell, fuming. Pacing. Fuming some more.

  My door groaned open, a small, silver ball of fur trotting inside before it slammed shut again. At least they knew better than to restrain my other magicks. That would have signed someone's death warrant. I glared at Sassafras as he hopped delicately over the dirty floor and onto the metal bench, shuddering as he landed on the cold platform.

  “This place is hideously familiar,” he said. “I hoped to never see the inside of a cell again.”

  “You and me both,” I snapped. “What the hell, Sass?”

  He sighed, swiping his pink nose with one paw. “Harry's working on it,” he said. “Just be patient.”

  “I'm done with patient,” I said, pulling my in my energy, feeling, as I did, the hum of the Node through the magic I held inside me still. Theridialis. Tara. My grandmother was gone, lost to saving the Node, but those two remained, with Tara's brother Todd for good measure.

  I couldn't leave yet. Not without restoring their magic.

  Damned conscience.

  “I need to find Ameline.” Ahbi's geas might have been broken with the loss of her magic, but my drive to track down the girl and help her find her Maker hadn't lessened. Maybe Ahbi finally rubbed off on me.

  “I know,” Sass said, purring his soothing way to try to calm me.

  Good luck with that.

  The door opened again, two Guards on the other side glaring at me. Sassafras let out a soft growl of displeasure.

  “Jabuticabron,” he said, words as sharp as glass shards.

  “Sassafras,” one of the Guards answered in a rumbling voice. “It's been a long time, little brother.”

  Sass snarled and swiped one paw at the hulking Guard while I tried to keep my jaw from unhinging in shock. This was his brother? Avenesequoia's brother? Wow. I was starting to understand Sassy's unhappiness with his parents. Talk about experimenting with the gene pool. “Enough with the platitudes,” Sass spat. “I take it Her Highness has been summoned to the Seat?”

  Was it just me or did Jabuticabron's face crumple just a little? It was clear from Sassafras's reaction they had been far from friendly with each other. But from the way the big Guard reacted, I wondered if things had changed since Sassy's banishment.

  “Princess Sydlynhamitra,” Jabuticabron turned to me with a little bow. “Ruler is ready to see you now.”

  How nice for Ruler. I stormed past Sassy's brother and his fellow guard, my furry friend at my side, ignoring the pair who trailed behind me, following Sass's lead down the corridor and into a round chamber with a lift in the middle. I shuddered, looking up, imagining the weight of the whole mountain above me as the Guards mounted the platform and it began to rise.

  I bent and scooped Sassafras into my arms, holding him close as he began to purr again.

  It's going to be fine, he sent. I promise. Just go with the theatrics.

  My favorite.

  It was a long climb to the surface, the air heating from chill damp to warm again as I stepped off the now-immobile elevator and onto a narrow walkway along the edge of the mountain's base. I saw the Parade up ahead, the wide expanse marking the entry to the Seat and felt myself calm a little as the familiar sight of the main platform greeted me, a weeping figure standing on its edge.

  Pagomaris hugged me the moment I crossed onto the elevator, sobbing into my hair, squashing Sassafras between us.

  “Forgive me, Your Highness,” she wept. “I was overcome with grief. I should have known you would never harm Ruler.”

  I pushed her gently back, forcing a little smile, patting her arm as she dabbed at her tears with the hem of her elaborate cuff.

  “I would have doubted, too,” I lied, still furious with her, before turning my back and facing the city, forcing myself to confront my fear of falling as the elevator began its majestic rise to the top of the mountain. Sassy's purring helped a bit, my sheer stubbornness refusing to allow me to step back or look away.

  It really was beautiful, Ostrogotho, red-tinted skyline fading into deep red and green and gold, the rising moons bathing the edges of the horizon with cool silver. Safe, stable, in balance, did the people of Demonicon know how close they'd come to total destruction?

  Did I care?

  I felt the elevator stop, the soft touch of Pagomaris's hand on my sleeve, but I waited one last moment, taking a long, quiet look over the city, before spinning and marching forward, Sass still in my arms, down the length of the throne room and to my father's Seat.

  The family had crowded the edges of the central walk, alternating pushing close to see and pulling back as though I'd turn and attack them. The thought crossed my mind, my temper rising again as I stomped in my heavy boots over the polished stone under the exposed, darkening sky.

  Matched my mood. Perfect.

  I almost missed a step as my eyes settled on Henemordonin standing at the foot of the thrones, facing me with his hands clasped behind his back, face calm and welcoming. My gaze flickered to Bakari, hovering close, looking none the worse for wear. Dad watched, as stony and still as Ahbi had ever been, though I knew, for him, it was an act. It would be centuries, I figured, before Dad's soul was crushed completely.

  Happy thoughts, Syd. Gotta love them.

  I came to a stop beside my grandfather, staring up at Dad who nodded slowly to me.

  “Sydlynhamitra,” he said. “Welcome home, my daughter.”

  I grit my teeth and held back a rude comment. “Thanks,” I managed.

  Humor flashed in Dad's eyes. Still alive and kicking in there, as I thought. Instead of addressing me further, he stood from his throne, amber fire cascading from him as he reached out to the family with the power of the Seat.

  “Our old ways have almost brought us to ruin,” he said in a booming voice, the floor shaking as the mountain answered Dad's words with sympathetic vibrations. “A new day begins for Demonicon, thanks in part to Her Highness, Princess Sydlynhamitra, and the brave souls who fought beside her.”

  Thought you were a goner, I shot at my grandfather as Dad went on with a flowery speech I was sure would put me to sleep otherwise.

  You underestimate me, Henemordonin sent. I'm hurt. His mind grinned. Turned out your father had more loyal Guards in the bunch Sekaniphestat brought with her than not.

  How's the war going? With you in custody and all? I couldn't resist the jab.

  Oddly, he sent back with a bit of confusion in his tone, I was invited.

  Really.

  What was Dad up to?

  It seemed he'd tired of his own speech, because as I refocused on his words, Dad gestured to Henemordonin with one big hand, a fall of sparks spraying outward to bounce from the polished stone floor. “Second Seat has stood empty since the death of Ahbi Sanghamitra,” Dad said, grief coloring his voice. “Henemordonin. Father.” Dad's eyes locked on my grandfather, his power reaching for the demon before him while Henemordonin actually gasped. “I ask you, for the good of all demonkind, to ascend to the throne and take your place at my side.”

  I thought, in the next few seconds, half the family would die of collective shock. The outflow of their magic, tied to the gasping and swooning actually made me grin.

  Clever, Dad. Oh so clever.

  Henemordonin finally gathered
himself as I prodded him with my magic.

  Seems I'm not the only one underestimating today, I sent.

  He didn't respond, instead frowning thoughtfully while I felt his mind churn, physically disguising his rush of thoughts as he tried to understand what was happening and how to turn it to his advantage fully.

  “My son,” he finally said. “I'm not an aristocrat any longer.” Pride rippled through him, through his power where Dad's reached for him. The idiot. “I work for the people.”

  I would have kicked him in frustration if Dad hadn't had it covered.

  “You want change,” he said, eyes glowing amber, magic softening as he continued to face his father. “Start from the inside. Help me reform our system peacefully. Bring change all demons can live with.”

  Don't be an idiot, I shot at my grandfather. It's the best of both worlds, and you know it.

  Henemordonin's eyes flickered toward me before he laughed softly and took his son's hand. “A novel idea,” he said. “Well done, my son. I accept.”

  “The war is over then?” Dad leaned back, pulling his father up the steps before Henemordonin turned, back to his new—well, old since he'd sat there once before—throne.

  “It is.” My grandfather sat slowly as Dad did, the two of them landing at the same moment, magic whipping out from the First throne to engulf my grandfather. He didn't flinch, accepting it as it embraced him, absorbed into his body in a flash of light so bright I had to look away.

  Dad didn't waste any time or let the family recover from this new development. “Hathenemeira,” he boomed. “Come forth, my daughter.”

  I turned with a sharp intake of breath, looking for my sister, guilt and shame rushing back to me. I'd done a good job smothering it, keeping my heart safe, but I now had to face the fact I'd let my sister down.

  Ready for the worst, I was shocked to find her looking even more herself than I hoped, though she hadn't returned all the way, more my age in appearance. She focused on Dad, walking to my side, looking straight ahead, refusing to meet my gaze as she raised her chin, now at my height.