by Salem Cross
“Ah, so you do know. Good, no need to explain then.”
Cain grabbed me before I could move and slammed the shackle shut around my neck. The cold metal pressed against my skin was enough to make my skin crawl. Then, I felt the effect of the binding, and the cold no longer mattered.
A fiery pain unlike anything that I had ever experienced caused my body to convulse involuntarily. I had been thrown into an inferno with a noose around my neck. I could feel the spell trying to bind the power within me. I could almost feel invisible red-hot cords wrapping around my limbs and sinking into my skin to hold my power at bay. But I was too powerful. My power was just as fiery as the burn that was causing my flesh and soul to sizzle. It surged hard against the spell, and the world turned white.
The ground beneath me buckled and shook hard. The ceiling began to crumble as my power fought back against the spell. I screamed as I felt the binding spell fighting back against my body’s attempt to break its hold on me. My body shifted into survival mode. Somehow, I found myself on my feet. The world came back into focus with a new violet hue to it.
Cain’s eyes were wide with awe and horror as he backed away from me. The burning in my veins increased as rage and anguish mixed with the binding spell. Without conscious thought, I raised my hands up and my power exploded around us. The spell placed on the shackle around my neck disintegrated, and the entire dungeon began to shake violently as energy spilled out from my body.
I felt detached from my body. It was on autopilot. Violet flames shot from my fingertips and swirled around me as my power continued to fill the space. The flames licked the walls, which were beginning to bow. The fire swirled around me in a thunderous protective dome. The iron bars of my cell began to melt. Cain attempted to grab me. His snarl was lost under the roar of my power. With a flick of my wrist, my power hit him and threw him out into the hallway. He was on his feet in an instant. His wings ripped his shirt to pieces as they grew from his back. He lunged at me again. This time I sent flames charging towards him.
His scream was lost in the roar of fire now destroying the entire dungeon. Walls, steel bars, and pieces of the ceiling were beginning to get sucked into the growing fiery vortex swirling around me. The violet haze grew heavier upon my consciousness. I knew what was about to happen. I would get lost in the power while it destroyed everything. It was my body’s defense mechanism. I almost let it happen. The pressure growing in my body was threatening to rip me to pieces. If I allowed myself to be consumed by my power, my consciousness would slip away, and I wouldn’t feel any of this pain.
But if I allowed myself to slip away I would lose all control. I would be just a vessel of the power my father had housed on Earth. I didn’t want that. I wanted to be me: Mae. So, instead of losing myself to the fire, I took a deep breath and clung on to control. I tapped into the chaos I was creating around me and increased it. The world around me crumbled. The horror in Cain’s blazing red eyes as my power blasted outwards was satisfying.
As the world crumbled around me, the debris got caught in the swirling fiery mass of power. Underneath me, the ground beneath my feet fell away. Instead of falling with it, I found myself hovering over the spot where I had been standing. I curled my open hands into fists as I tried to hold onto my control. As I fought to bring my fingers to my palms, I began to lift upwards, taking sections of the dungeon with me. As I ascended, I destroyed everything in my wake. My vortex of destruction took the brunt of the force as I smashed through the different levels of Cain and Ekon’s lair.
Something temporarily blinded me. It was then that I realized it was the blaze of the sun stealing my sight. I blinked rapidly until I could see again then looked down as I continued to rise into the sky. Through the chaos that whirled around me, I could see the massive hole in the ground that I had created in my escape.
Movement caught my attention. A short distance away, I saw that Cain had risen with me. His wings were flapping hard to keep him from being sucked into the destructive bubble that surrounded me. But he was staying close, watching me with the hunger of a man starved for power. The sickening desire that pooled in his eyes sent fear snaking down my spine.
Rylan, I called out hoping this time he could hear me.
I hear and I see you. I’m coming, Rylan promised.
I didn’t dare pull my eyes off Cain. Whatever he was planning was making him bold. He inched his way closer to me and my maelstrom of destruction.
I realized then how hard my body was shaking. My vision was starting to blur, and my breathing was labored. Oh shit, he was waiting for me to lose strength. His plan was so simple and so achievable I wanted to cry. I could feel my body weakening. As my power began to wane, debris began to fall from the vortex I had created.
Unsure how far away Rylan was, I knew I couldn’t count on him getting here in time. And I could not let myself get recaptured. I had to do something… I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath to steady my nerves. I pulled my power inwards. As I did, the flames swirling around me went out and debris began to fall. I pulled all my energy inwards until the world went silent.
When the last stone fell to the ground below me, I knew Cain was coming for me. I didn’t panic. I didn’t even bother to open my eyes as I focused. I knew I had collected enough energy when I began to tumble from the sky. Without another moment’s hesitation, I released everything that I had.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rylan
Knowing our enemy had my mate was enough to make my blood run cold. Insanity threatened to override common sense as panic suffocated me. My soul screamed for her. It had been over an hour since I heard Mae’s voice calling my name. The knowledge that I could still sense her soul was what kept me from falling to pieces. Occasionally I could feel her fear and confusion flickering in and out. Another sign she was alive.
When Nikolas had emerged without Mae, it took Diane, Gabriel, and Jasmine to keep me from killing the warrior. When the others were able to subdue me, Nikolas admitted to everyone that he had tried to kill Mae while they had been distracted. Shock shook each of the warriors in the group.
“I was wrong,” Nikolas told me when the others had pinned me to the ground once more. “And I deserve the ultimate punishment. I went after your mate, who is innocent of any crimes, knowing what it would do to you should she perish. I thought it was the best option for the world. But she is not the enemy here. While I tried to kill her, she simply tried to defend herself. She never had any intention of trying to kill me in return. When I found her in the laboratory, she was trying to save our people despite her grave injuries. And when the roof collapsed and she faced our enemy, she demanded that I help the others, not her. Mae is selfless and kind, unlike the demi-gods past.”
When I pressed him about Mae’s injuries, Nikolas explained the beating he had given her in his attempt to kill her. My rage helped me to break free of the other’s hold on me. I attacked Nikolas. My sword almost pierced his heart this time. The fury that consumed me was uncontrollable. While the others managed to get me off of Nikolas, I could not be contained. I fought everyone as I tried to reach the Guardian who had gone after Mae.
Finally, Diane stood in front of me, grabbed my face in her hand, and reminded me that Mae still needed me. That’s when I finally stopped trying to kill Nikolas. Yes, Mae needed me… I had to keep a level head for her. I would kill Nikolas later when she was safely in my arms.
Somehow, we had to figure out where Cain had taken Mae. Unfortunately, when Jasmine was finally able to pull up archived plans of the mining tunnels on her phone we found the labyrinth would be too tedious to tackle without knowing exactly where Cain was. That, along with the uncertainty whether the rest of the tunnels would be clear stopped us from plowing straight into the ground to create a new entrance into the mines.
“We must be relatively close to Ekon’s and Cain’s lair,” Diane assumed. “Or he would not have appeared so suddenly after the collapse of the tunnel. He was probably checking on wh
at the commotion was while his petra thērion were taking care of the intruders above ground. That means there must be an entrance nearby that is used exclusively for his and Ekon’s use. I think we need to spread out and look for a well-trodden area. That is where the entrance will be.”
“There are not enough of us to split up to find an entrance that would be well hidden in this rocky terrain,” I said, dismissing her plan. “And someone needs to stay with the Guardians Mae rescued to make sure they are safe. I do not trust him—” I nudged my head towards Nikolas. “—to be of any help. That would leave too few of us to comb over miles of a landscape that can easily hide an entryway.”
“It has to be close,” Gabriel argued. “How else did he get here so quickly when the trouble started?”
“He could have already been in the vicinity,” I exclaimed with frustration. “If I could just get through to Mae—,”
Without warning, a fiery pain rippled through me with an intensity that could rival a dragon’s fire. An invisible force latched itself to my neck, choking me with its grip and taking me to my knees as the pain intensified. I roared as an unknown pressure fought back against the attack. It felt like two suns had collided with one another and were battling for the chance to remain in existence within my very essence.
Rylan, what is going on? Diane’s worried tone yanked me from the clutches of the attack.
Quickly, the pain vanished as if it had never been. The moment the connection was lost I realized I had not been attacked. The way the pain had come and gone meant only one thing.
“Mae’s in trouble,” I snarled and leapt to my feet.
Just as I pulled my weapon from the mark on my torso the ground began to shake.
“Watch out!” Gabriel warned as the ground beneath us started to crack open. The five of us stumbled back as whatever was left of the tunnel Mae and Nikolas had fallen into began to cave in.
“We have to move the others further back to safety,” Diane warned as the ground continued to shake.
“I have to get to Mae!” I roared, desperate to aid her.
I could not remember a time when I had experienced pain so great that I had fallen to my knees. If I could be rendered helpless through our connection, Mae’s pain must have been extraordinary.
“There, look!” Jasmine exclaimed.
She pointed west, and we all turned to see a fiery purple mass lifting out of the ground several miles away. I did not hesitate. I took to the sky immediately and headed towards Mae. Even if her signature color had not indicated it was her, my soul reached out in that direction knowing its other half was trapped inside.
Rylan, Mae’s voice rang with exhaustion and pain.
I hear and see you. I am coming, I assured her as I drew closer.
I flew faster than I’d ever thought possible as I closed the distance between myself and Mae. I could see her through the mass of debris that had collected within her fiery sphere. Her arms were outstretched in front of her while her entire body glowed with the intensity of a shooting star. Her hair whipped around her while her torn and bloodied clothes clung to her petite frame.
She was utterly magnificent.
Mae’s attention was drawn to something off to my right. I followed her gaze and found Cain watching my mate. His glee was so profound it scared me. He was waiting for an opening, but for what? To kill her? To steal her away again? Whatever Cain planned to do, he would not get the chance. That bastard was going to die.
As I drew nearer, I could feel the heat of Mae’s fiery hell at the same time my body began to consume it. My body ate up her power as if it were starved for it. It broke down the chaos easily and reinvigorated it. I held it to me, knowing I would need it once I got to her. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to collect much when suddenly the chaos that whirled around her came to a complete halt.
Debris crashed down around her while the fire flickered out. Mae’s head bowed while she held her shaking fists out in front of her. Her shoulders sagged, and I saw her take in a shaky breath.
“Mae!” I roared a warning, hoping she would hear me.
I was so close… Cain came tearing through the sky, arms outstretched before him. A wicked grin split his face in two as his arms stretched out in front of him to grab my mate.
Suddenly, Mae’s head snapped up, and she stared at Cain coming towards her. She threw her hands down by her waist, unclenched her fists, and beneath us the ground erupted, decimating whatever structure was underground. Explosions rocked just underneath the surface, spewing flames and smoke that I had to weave and dodge despite my significant distance from the ground.
While the ground either collapsed or flew upwards, Mae began to fall from the sky. Cain’s progress to her had slowed as he was forced to twist and turn from the chaos. My heart raced as Mae’s body disappeared into billowing black smoke.
I got Mae. You take care of Cain, Jasmine said.
I could feel her presence close behind me as I flew through the sky. Despite my anger towards the Guardian for most of this trip, I was relieved that I could trust her in this moment. My fury drove me to fly faster. I pulled the sword from my tattoo, and I was on Cain before he realized I was there. My sword cut through his side and blood rained down to the ground below. Cain’s roar of rage and agony was drowned out by the ringing in my ears as red filled my vision. He twisted out of reach and pulled his falchion sword from the tattoo on his chest.
“She’s mine,” he roared. “Her power belongs to us. You have failed, warrior! The end is near, and you cannot do anything to stop us.”
I have Mae, Jasmine assured me.
Cain raised his weapon and blocked my next attack. The clash of metal sent sparks flying. Cain blocked two of my next blows, but I caught him under the arm with the third. He used his wings to try to block me, but I twisted and dropped underneath him. My sword came up and met his falchion again, but this time I did not break away. While our blades vied for the upper hand, I brought my wings together in front of me. My feathers slid down his arms, cutting his flesh and severing tendons and muscle.
Cain roared and flung himself backwards out of reach, but I was on top of him before he could figure out his next move. My sword cut through the air. It was so sharp that its progress did not slow down even as it sliced through Cain’s neck. The other Guardian’s eyes widened in surprise and alarm. Then, slowly, his severed head toppled from his shoulder and fell from the skies. Cain’s body hung suspended a moment longer before gravity pulled it downwards.
Without waiting to see the carcass hit the ground, I turned and flew back towards the others where I knew Jasmine had taken Mae. I dropped from the sky when I approached. My feet had hardly touched the grass before I was running towards Mae, who Jasmine had placed on the ground. Jasmine and Diane were knelt around her, both talking softly to my mate.
“Move,” I said as I came to Mae’s aid.
Jasmine shifted to get out of my way while Diane remained by Mae’s side. I fell to my knees as a strangled sound escaped me.
Up close, I could see the horror of what Mae had endured over the past few hours. A cry I did not bother trying to hide slipped past my lips as I studied her face. She was hardly recognizable. Her right cheek was so swollen I was sure half the bones in her face were broken. The crimson trails down both of her cheeks were evidence of the bloody tears she had cried. Blood still dripped from her ears. Just under her jaw were deep scratch marks that indicated she had tried to claw off the metal shackle that was wrapped around her neck. Blood caked her clothes. Bruises marred most of her skin, and her hair was matted with dirt and grime.
A knot formed in my throat. I could not breathe. My mate… I could sense her life flickering like a flame in the wind. Gingerly, I lifted her limp body and nestled her into the crook of my arm. I reached up and tried to remove the shackle around her neck. As I unlatched it and tried to open the shackle, I found that it had melted into the flesh around her neck. The thing was welded to my mate. If I attempted to
pull it off, I would kill her. Nausea swamped me. I had never once thrown up, but at that moment I felt the need to.
I forced my body to heel. This was not about me. It was about Mae. She was suffering, and she needed me. With a deep breath, I forced the power that I’d collected back into her body. Her entire body, though still unconscious, seemed to relax. Mae’s breathing became less shallow and some color rose in her cheeks. It was not much, but at least she would be a tad more comfortable.
“I have contacted both groups and have told them of our findings. Zara and Samson are on their way to help us transport our new guests while the second group is on their way back to the house,” Diane said softly. “Take her home and get her help, Rylan.”
A knot formed in my throat making me incapable of speech. Was there any helping her now?
“Get back or lose your head, Nikolas,” Gabriel warned behind me.
An involuntary hiss slipped past my lips as I turned my head slightly to look over my shoulder.
“You dare to come near my mate after what you have done?” A red haze clouded my vision. “You have broken one of our most sacred laws, Nikolas. If you do not listen to Gabriel, I will dispense justice right now.”
Nikolas did not look away from me as he moved around Gabriel and came to stand in front of me. His expression was void of emotion, which was not unusual. What was strange was the blazing intensity in his eyes. He raised his right hand and placed it over his heart.
“Rylan, you know what I have done, and I will not ask for mercy as you deal out your punishment. Words will not carry the weight of my regret for what I have done. I misjudged your young mate. I expected treachery and lies from her. The gods I have known never knew any other way of being. When I realized what Mae was, I assumed she was the same and that she had somehow blinded you all to her true nature. But I was wrong. I was the one blinded. There is nothing but true goodness in her heart. I am truly sorry.”
“I do not need nor want your apology!” I roared.
