Flux Flame (A Flame Moon Novel

by K. J. Jackson

Skye nearly flipped when a hand came through the water and touched her shoulder.

  “Skye, what is it?” Shiv asked calmly.

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  “You just started screaming two seconds ago. I’m fast, but not that fast. I could barely hear you from where I was.”

  “Aiden. He was hit, and he’s sinking. You need to get him.”

  “No,” Shiv said. “He hates me and you’re crazy if you think I’m saving him, Skye.”

  Skye’s hand shot out, sinking into the back of Shiv’s head. She gripped the wet hair and forced Shiv’s face right into hers. “Shut up. I don’t give a shit whether he hates or loves you. You are going down there and saving him. You are doing this for me, not him. You are doing this for me, Shiv. You are diving down there, and getting him for me. You thought you were abandoned by me in the past? You don’t even know what that is. You don’t do this, and you will really learn what is to be abandoned by me.”

  Shiv tried to shove off of Skye’s shoulders. But she couldn’t break Skye’s hold on her.

  “You will do this.” Every word carried the weight of Skye’s world.

  Shiv’s hands dropped back into the water, beaten. “Fine. Let me go, and I’ll get him.”

  ~~~

  By the time the last boat around the platform exploded, the one Aiden and Skye were on, Charlotte and Triaten had taken out all but one of the Malefics protecting the half-breed.

  Charlotte stalked the last one, who was hiding a quiver after he just saw the entire platform turn red with the blood of his comrades. But he stood his ground, with nothing to lose.

  Just as Charlotte was closing the last of the gap between her and the Malefic, she saw Triaten start to advance on the half-breed girl, still in the middle, still with her hands in the water, still not looking up.

  “Oh, fuck,” Charlotte muttered. She wasn’t one to blithely lose her sword in battle, but it was the last piece of steel she had on her body. So she made an exception and pulled her arm back, then swung it forward, sending it spinning through the air at the neck of the Malefic.

  She ran away, feet splashing in the red water, before the blade hit its target. She dove at Triaten’s back, tackling him to the ground, and sending the dagger he had poised to stab the half-breed sliding across the platform.

  Flat on his stomach, Triaten flipped, sending Charlotte flying, before he realized it was her. “Char, what the hell?”

  “She’s just a scared girl, Tri. We can’t kill her.”

  “Like hell we can’t. She’s a half-breed that can take out the whole fucking world. We have to kill her.”

  “No—” Charlotte’s eyes shot above Triaten’s head. “Oh shit, not him too.” Charlotte scrambled to her feet and blasted past Triaten.

  She ran, dropping onto one long leg to slide across the wet platform, her arm up to block Damen’s sword.

  The flesh in her forearm didn’t stop the blade, but the bone did.

  Damen yanked the sword from her arm, and Charlotte’s hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. “No. Not you either. She’s just a child. A child.”

  Charlotte got to her feet. She stood wide in front of the quivering girl, who had finally pulled her hands from the water and looked up at the three of them, petrified.

  “She has to die, Charlotte,” Damen said, twisting his wrist from her grip. “Step away.”

  The tip of a sword appeared at Damen’s neck. “If Charlotte says she lives, she lives, you bastard.” Triaten pushed his blade, and the skin on Damen’s throat dimpled. “That’s your warning. But I’m actually hoping you make a move.”

  Her body a wall, Charlotte glared at Damen. Blood dripped down her arm, wrapping around her hand. Behind her, the girl curled into a ball, swallowing sobs. Triaten pushed harder on his blade, encouraging Damen to fight.

  Heaving a sigh, Damen slowly let his sword fall to the platform. “She lives. If this is a mistake, you will be the ones that suffer. But that is your choice.”

  Wood cracking and the girl’s sudden squeal was the first indicator that the platform they had slowly been spinning on, had picked up speed, and was starting to sink below the level of the water. The boats had been keeping it steady. But now there were no boats, and they were sinking fast in a whirlpool.

  “You get the girl,” Triaten said to Damen as he grabbed Charlotte’s hand. He pulled Charlotte across the platform. Damen followed with the girl.

  The entire platform started to tilt, forcing the four of them to leap off the edge into the water as the wood disintegrated below their feet. They bobbed in the water, each of them swimming hard against the sucking force of the current.

  Useless against the siphon of water, Damen caught the girl before she disappeared under the foam, and put her hands around his neck. She clung to him, desperate.

  Behind them, the last of the platform disappeared, and as hard as they battled the rip of the current, they were no match for the tornado of ocean sucking them in.

  Triaten grabbed a hold of Charlotte as her injured arm slowed, and she began to slide further back toward the epicenter. She was starting to give up, and Triaten wasn’t going to let her do it.

  Charlotte’s kicking toes hit the air above the center of the whirlpool, and the force started to overwhelm both her and Triaten.

  “Let me go,” Charlotte said, begging, twisting her hand to free it. “You can get out, Tri. Let me go. You have to let me go. Please. Let go.”

  His grip tightened on her. The only answer he afforded was to swim harder.

  Charlotte’s legs were locked by the force of the whirlpool center, and her head dipped below the water, cutting off her pleas to Triaten.

  Triaten gritted and fought, pulling against the sucking force that was swallowing Charlotte and his baby. And he was losing. He was losing her, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Nothing, but put his head down and battle the ocean with every cell of his body.

  His arm stretched out, pulling at the water. His hands pushed, his feet kicked, and still the water slaughtered his attempts at pulling free. He was so focused, he didn’t even see his salvation appear next to him.

  Shiv’s head popped out of the water by Triaten. Popped out, and she treaded water next to him like she was on a leisurely swim.

  “Grab hold,” Shiv yelled over the churning waves.

  Triaten didn’t wonder at it, just gripped Shiv’s wrist, and then locked even harder onto Charlotte. And just as Damen went by, fighting the suck, Charlotte threw a hand to him.

  Damen caught it, fingertips slipping and stumbling, then puzzled their hands together.

  Shiv swam, pulling the line of them out of the immediate churning circle of the whirlpool. It was a mild strain, but she never once faltered in the smooth moves of her body through the water.

  She stopped when they reached Skye, who was well clear of the whirlpool, holding onto a floating chunk of wood.

  Skye had her other arm solidly under Aiden’s arms and across his chest. He was still knocked out, and there was no chance of her letting go.

  Charlotte broke the chain and swam to Aiden, her hands going over his body, touching as much as she could around Skye’s grasp.

  Charlotte looked at Skye over Aiden’s shoulder, and Skye cringed against what Charlotte might say.

  “He’s going to be okay. I should heal him on land, though.”

  Even soaked, the tears slipping down Skye’s cheeks were visible. She nodded, grateful, not able to form words as she clasped her head to Aiden’s.

  “But now, land,” Triaten said, “we’re currently without a boat.”

  Silence fell on the group.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Skye finally broke the silence. “Shiv, do I have to volunteer you? You know you can get us all into land.”

  “But do I want to, is the real question,” Shiv said, her green eyes grumbling.

  “Well, you haven’t left yet,” Skye said. Then her tone went noticeably softer. “I know all
of this is incredibly unsettling. What you can do. I know you’re confused. I was right there where you are now. I know. But right now, we need to get to land.”

  Skye pointed her forehead at the group treading water around her. “You already saved them from getting sucked to the bottom of the ocean, so I think you actually do have this particular answer. The rest, everything you’re going through, we can deal with once we have ground under our feet.”

  Shiv bit her lip, looking from Skye to the rest of the group. “Okay, yes, fine, I’ll get you into shore.”

  “Good.” Skye smiled and glanced around the group. “Everyone grab a hand?” She looked at the young girl. “You must be the half-breed?”

  The girl nodded nervously.

  “Welcome to the club,” Skye said, and her eyes shifted to Damen, suspicious. “And who are you?”

  “Damen. Father to her.”

  Shock hit Skye’s face, and she glanced at Charlotte and Triaten. Her eyes flicked back to him. “If you’re the Damen I’m thinking of, how is it that those two haven’t killed you?”

  “Complicated, but he did save me, Skye,” Charlotte said.

  “Whatever. You can fill me in when we’re on land,” Skye said. “Grab a hand.”

  Hands clasped around the group. Triaten to Charlotte, Charlotte to the girl, the girl to Damen. Shiv reached out for Skye’s fingers, but Skye snatched her hand away.

  “No, I’m last in the train,” Skye said to her sister. “Because one, I’m holding Aiden, and two, I know you aren’t going to leave me behind.”

  “Aw, fuck it. Fine.” Shiv rolled her eyes and grabbed a hold of Triaten’s hand. “Damen, you better damn well hold onto my sister.”

  { Chapter 27 }

  Dawn greeted six bodies, strewn haphazardly across the sand. Half on their bellies, half on their backs. Waves gently rolled to the shore behind them, kissing their toes as the early morning glow pulled them out of the shadows.

  An ear-splitting maritime air horn blared through the salty air, assaulting the still of the morning. Skye’s bleary eyes opened to the sand.

  “Hey you. Deadbeats. Yea. You.”

  Two early morning joggers kicked up sand next to the group, running in place. One of them gripped a hand-held air horn in his fingers, thumb twitching over the button. The other stepped from body to body, nudging them none-too-politely with the toe of his shoe.

  One by one, eyes crept open.

  “Yea, you guys.”

  Skye spit sand out of her mouth, tilted her head, and looked up at the bodies attached to the feet bopping up and down in front of her. The sun behind them blinded Skye to their faces. She quickly stole a glance at Aiden next to her. His eyes were open, looking at her. Relief flooded her.

  “This is a nice family beach. Get your drunk asses off of it before little kids start showing up.”

  Horn guy pushed the button once more on his can of obnoxiousness, the sound reverberating into the air, tweaking ear drums. Satisfied by their contribution to the safety of humanity, the two continued their trot down the stretch of packed sand.

  Stunned silence absorbed even the sounds of the waves.

  Skye was the first one to laugh as she rolled onto her back. “Really? We just save the whole freakin’ state, and that’s our reward?”

  Triaten joined with a chuckle and sat up. “Welcome to our world, Skye. You didn’t think there was actual reward for good deeds done, did you?”

  “No, I guess not. But I didn’t think I’d get a kick in the head, either.” Skye exhaled and leaned over Aiden. She gently flipped him onto his stomach. His eyes were open, and he was watching her with mirth on his face. Painful mirth—his backside was a bloody mess of torn flesh and must have been killing him—but mirth nonetheless.

  Skye looked up. “Char. You up for this now? I’d hate to scare those forthcoming innocent babes with the monstrosity of Aiden’s back.”

  Triaten slipped his hand under Charlotte’s shoulders and pulled her to a sitting position. His fingers went gently to her stomach and he leaned into her ear with a whisper. “The baby?”

  Charlotte’s hand went over his, and her other went to his cheek. “It’s alright,” she said quietly. “I feel it in there. It’s alright.”

  Triaten closed his eyes, visibly relieved.

  Damen watched the scene from a distance, and his face turned calculating.

  Charlotte crawled to Aiden, and started assessing the wounds on his back. She was just about to start healing him, when she looked up at Skye. Skye’s attention was over Charlotte’s shoulder, her jaw dropped.

  Charlotte craned her neck behind her, only to see Triaten tackling Damen to the ground. The half-breed girl shrieked, jumping away from the scuffle and spraying sand.

  Charlotte was to them in a few wide steps, reaching into the fray, searching for a piece of Triaten she could yank. “Tri, stop! He saved me, Tri. Stop.”

  Charlotte caught a piece of Triaten’s black shirt and yanked. It gave Damen just enough space to kick off Triaten and roll away.

  Triaten got to his feet. “He tried to kill you, Char.”

  “He didn’t.”

  “I saw him stab you.”

  “Yes. He stabbed me under my armpit. He didn’t hit anything. Tri, look at me.” Charlotte pushed his chest and then lifted her arm. “Look. See. No wound. He saved me, Tri, he didn’t try to kill me.”

  Damen stepped close to the two. At the movement, Triaten wrapped his arm along Charlotte’s shoulder, placing himself slightly between the two.

  “You are pregnant, Charlotte,” Damen said. “I saw it just now between the two of you. Do you deny it?”

  The words swirled around, escalating the already tense orb suffocating them. Damen looked back and forth from Charlotte to Triaten, bemused at their sudden silence.

  Both Triaten and Charlotte eyed him with suspicion, mouths tight. Waiting for him to continue.

  Damen let them stand in the silence for agonizing moments. Then he finally turned fully to Charlotte. “Charlotte, you have given me back something I thought I’d lost. Something I had been prepared to lose again.” He looked at the half-breed. “My child.”

  Damen’s fingers ran through his dark hair, smoothing it to its usual obedience. “So let me return the favor. I need to give you something back.”

  Charlotte’s eyebrows scrunched her forehead. “What could you possibly give me?”

  “The last night you were at the castle. Do you remember what happened?”

  Charlotte’s face went white.

  Damen smirked. “I figured not. What happened was this. You passed out. There was nothing more of that night. Nothing happened between us.”

  “What?” Charlotte’s voice was thin. “I passed out?”

  “You did.”

  “Really?”

  “Do you think I would lie about such a thing?”

  Charlotte eyed him thoughtfully, as core-shaking relief spread through her. Triaten’s arm had slipped down to her waist, and was the only thing that kept her on her feet. “No. No, I don’t think you would. Malefic or not. That, you would not lie about. It is your pride.”

  “Peace of mind. It is a token of my gratitude.” Damen tilted his head to her. “This is where we shall part ways.” He looked to his left at his daughter. She stood, staring at the sand, sunken into her still-soaking royal blue robe. She had pulled the hood over her head.

  “Damen, she’s a half-breed,” Triaten said, “and from what I understand, that isn’t the easiest road to walk. If you need help with her, we know someone who may be able to help.”

  “I will keep that in mind.” Damen gave Triaten a nod.

  Triaten returned it.

  The small exchange is all either would afford the other in congeniality.

  Damen began to walk away, then had to reverse course back to the girl, who wasn’t moving. His hand on the small of her back, he guided her along with him. His pace slowed in deference to her, but they were soon past a rocky out
cropping and out of view.

  Triaten’s grip on Charlotte tightened, his eyes not moving from the rocks. “You realize I never needed that. This baby was always mine.” He looked down at her as his hand spread across her belly. His eyes searched her face. “But you apparently did. I can see, feel, the relief in you. For that, I do owe him the smallest molecule of gratitude.”

  Charlotte closed her eyes, nodding. “God, I had no idea how much I needed it. Not until he said it.” Her eyes flew open. “Tri, your father. How—”

  Triaten squeezed her, face solemn. “He died well. I didn’t think it possible, but he chose saving me. He chose saving the two of us.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I will be. I will process it, and I will be.”

  Charlotte’s hand went to his jawline, gently cupping it.

  Skye coughed, reminding Charlotte that Aiden was still in need of some healing hands.

  Charlotte hurried back to Aiden and went to her knees next to him. Triaten stayed where he was, and went into a deep inside pocket under his tight black lycra shirt. He pulled out a slim, waterproof phone.

  Charlotte started healing Aiden, and it was then that Skye noticed Shiv walking away from them in the opposite direction that Damen had left.

  She got up to chase down her sister. It was a good excuse, for she didn’t like watching Aiden grimace as Charlotte picked the last shreds of wood and metal from his gashes before she healed him.

  The ocean had washed most of the big chunks of rubble from Aiden’s body, so Charlotte only had to dive deep into his wounds several times with her fingers. Nonetheless, it made Skye squeamish. She knew how painful the healing could be sometimes. Charlotte was only going to do it the right way, and the right way often tended to cause agony.

  “Shiv, wait.” Skye continued an awkward run through the sand. “Shiv, stop, please.”

  Shiv slowed and waited for Skye to catch up. She turned to Skye, watching the waves roll in past her sister’s head. “You’re going to make me do it, aren’t you?”

  “Do what?”

  “Say goodbye.” Shiv looked down at her feet, flicking sand with her toe. She had lost her shoes somewhere in the ocean. She looked at Skye. “We’re best at just leaving each other without goodbyes, you know.”