by Linsey Hall
I’d never get to the guy holding open the barrier this way. But Ares wasn’t too far away. He’d just removed both arms from a demon with claws made of flame. One last blow of his shadow sword beheaded the beast.
“Ares!” I called.
He turned to me. I pointed toward the fire mage and called. “Get him!”
Ares shifted, turning toward the mage. He sprinted toward the man, his vampire speed eerie in its grace. I took off across the rooftop, scrambling onto the next and leaping onto the one after. I needed to get closer to the mage. He was protected by the line of attackers who stood between me and him, but if I could come at him laterally…
I felt like Batman as I leapt over rooftops and skidded along tile. Finally, I neared the barrier, which shimmered with a pale opalescent light.
The portal mage—or whatever he was—had his back toward me as he directed his magic at the tear in the barrier. It crackled with electric light.
I knelt and sighted my arrow, focusing on his back as I released the string. The arrow whistled through the air, colliding with his broad back. And then bounced off.
What the hell?
My arrows flew with enough force to pierce most armor, and this guy was wearing just a shirt. I conjured another arrow and aimed for his neck. It flew straight and true, but he dodged out of the way right before it struck.
It plowed into the barrier, shattering.
Damn.
But at least his focus was broken. The portal closed without his magic to sustain it. I leapt off the building, conjuring a sword as I raced toward the mage.
He was tall and young—not much older than I—but his magic stank like week-old tuna left out in the sun. As much as I loathed killing, this guy was just plain evil. His magical signature was a flag, declaring it for the world.
And he’d opened the portal into this peaceful world, bringing death and destruction.
I was ten feet from him when he threw out his hands and blasted his magic toward me. The crackling white light streaked through the air. I dodged, diving left, and narrowly avoided it. He was fast though, and the second blast hit me straight in the midsection, bowling me backward.
Pain flared as I crashed to the ground. The box strapped to me dug into my back before shifting to my side so I lay flat. It felt like stepping on a giant Lego. I sucked in a ragged breath, the shock of the blow keeping me pinned to the dirt. Stunned, I craned my neck to see my opponent. The mage was striding toward me, hands glowing as he charged up another blow.
Thank fates he wasn’t strong enough to strike three times simultaneously.
I played possum as pain wracked me, lying still and weak on the ground as strength flowed back into my body. I had the errant thought that if this place had any plant-life left, I’d be able to draw strength from them.
But Elesius had already given me everything it had.
Tears pricked the back of my eyes, but I dared not let them fall. Now was the time for battle, not grief.
The mage stomped over, looming over me, features twisted with raged. He held out his hands, glowing with light.
“Don’t kill her!” The rough shout came from twenty feet away. Another mage. “She’s the target!”
The words just pissed me off. Indecision flickered in the mage’s eyes as he stood over me. I used that second’s hesitation to thrust my sword upward, aiming for his gut.
But he dodged, narrowly avoiding my blade, and grabbed my arm roughly.
Magic exploded out from me, blasting the mage onto his ass five feet away. Shock flared. What the hell? It felt like it came from the bracelet that Ares had given me, but I’d never experienced anything like that.
I scrambled to my feet, my aches fading, and lunged for the mage. He leaned on one arm, the other extended out to me, light flaring from his palm.
I was about to charge him when something silver flew by, headed straight for him. A dagger thudded into the mage’s chest. His eyes flared with shock.
I glanced back. My mother stood ten meters away, having just thrown one of her daggers. She’d saved me.
A grin spread across my face. I nodded at her, then turned and ran for the mage, who was bleeding out onto the ground.
“Bitch,” he spat, blood burbling from his lips.
“Not gonna argue there.”
His eyes went still a moment later, dark and lifeless. A tinge of grief struck me for the life that was lost. He was evil, but he hadn’t always been so.
I knelt at his side, pushing back his collar.
The dragon tattoo twisted over his collarbone. It was no surprise, but my shoulders sagged anyway.
Buck up, buttercup. There was a battle to be won.
I surged to my feet, turning to face the field. Ares stood over the body of the man who’d shouted that I was the target. And my mother’s people—my people—had turned the battle toward victory. My mother and father were polishing off the last demons. The rest were scattered on the ground, already disappearing.
Ares strode toward me, eyes intense and face speckled with blood. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” I winced as I shifted the box strapped to my back. This stupid thing was becoming seriously awkward. And even though it was safe inside its specially designed foam padding, there was always the chance that something could happen to it. Fire ball, lightning—anything was possible. I needed to get this back to my trove ASAP.
“They’re Drakon’s men,” Ares said.
“Yeah.” I hiked a thumb toward the mage, who’d already turned to dust. “That one had the tattoo.”
There was no question about it—Drakon was after me. Somehow, he was powerful enough to track me all the way here. I’d gotten lucky both times, being surrounded by friends and family who had my back. But eventually, my luck would run out.
And then?
Well, I didn’t know what would happen then. But it’d be the fight of my life.
Chapter Six
An hour later, after my mother and father had seen to the wounded and the five who had died, we gathered around a table filled with food imported from the outside world. That was one of the many downsides of me taking all the plant-life from Elesius, and guilt was heavy in my stomach.
We were in a small dining room in my parents’ house, a space that vaguely reminded me of childhood meals. Ares sat at my side, my parents across from us.
I swallowed a bite of potatoes covered in cheese and looked at my parents. “I’m sorry about those who died.”
My mother’s gaze met mine. “Don’t be. We are all prepared to defend our home.”
“But they were after me.”
My mother sighed, her eyes heavy with worry. “I was afraid of that. It has begun, hasn’t it? The great evil you are meant to fight?”
“Yes.” My appetite was waning. I explained what I knew of Drakon.
“He must be powerful if he made it through our barrier.” My father shook his head. “That has not happened in centuries. Now twice in one day.”
“But I didn’t come to wage war,” Ares said.
“Yes you did.” My mother smiled. “Fortunately, you didn’t need to.”
Ares nodded.
“This Drakon is your fate, then,” my mother said. “The reason Elesius died.”
I swallowed hard. I was always the sidekick, never the hero. And now a whole kingdom had died to give me the power I needed to win the battle?
Oh, man.
“Do you know your next step?” my father asked. “We will help you.”
I picked up the box from the floor and removed the beaker, then held it up. “I’m going to use this to untangle the prophecy. Then I’ll know what he’s after, and hopefully be able to stop him. The knowledge could even lead me to him.”
My mother’s eyes flared wide. “Where did you get that?”
“A tomb in northern England. Do you recognize it?”
She nodded slowly. “I do. And I cannot say that I am surprised.”
She held ou
t her hands and I passed it across the table. She studied the incised decoration, tracing her fingers over the carvings. “This was made by the immortal wizard Ademius. He was one of us, long ago. An ancestor of ours who used his magic to extend his life. His name and deeds have passed through the ages.”
Ademius. The name tugged at a memory, but I couldn’t place it. “Could I maybe find where he went?”
“You’re meant to find him,” my father said. “It’s no coincidence that you were chosen for this, Nix. You are the Warrior of Elesius, created by our world. Given the tools to fight this battle.”
My mother swallowed hard, tears glinting in her eyes. “I’d hoped you wouldn’t have to face this.”
I reached across the table, gripping her hand. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not. But it is what it is.” She looked at my father, who nodded. “Before Ademius left, he knew that the Warrior of Elesius would have to seek him out. The seer told him so. He left something to help you track him.”
My heart leapt. It was going to be hard enough to find a guy who was thousands of years old—or dead—but at least I’d have a clue.
Later that evening, after showering in a little stone room with a fountain shaped like a lotus, there was a knock on my bedroom door.
“Come in.” I finished tugging on my boots and stood. It was only eight p.m., but I wanted to go find Ares.
My mother stepped inside, two small boxes clutched in her hands. “How are you?”
“Fine.” I didn’t think scared or feeing unworthy would go over well, so I stuck with fine.
“Fine never means fine.”
Of course my mother saw right through me.
“It might, if I keep telling myself that.”
She smiled and took my hand, then sat on the bed. I followed her down. “You are strong Nix. You can do this. You were born to do this, and I believe in you.”
My mother believed in me. It was something that should be obvious, but I’d been without her for so long that just hearing the words were a balm on my soul. And they helped, somehow. They erased a tiny bit of the doubt that I felt. I squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”
“That vampire is handsome.” Her green eyes sparkled.
“He is.” My heart fluttered.
The sparkle in her eyes faded. “Be careful, though. He is death, and you are life. Opposites.”
“Opposites attract.” I frowned. “And I’ve been responsible for my fair share of death, lately.” The reminder made my stomach turn.
“You’re fighting a greater battle. One for good, not evil. And you’ve only killed those who fight on the side of destruction.”
I smiled weakly, but it made me feel a bit better. It still boggled my mind that I was siting here with my mother after being alone for so long. I’d watched Cass and Del discover their pasts and wished so desperately to discover my own.
Now that I had, I was so lucky I couldn’t fathom it.
“Here.” My mother handed over the two small boxes. “For you.”
The first one, about the size of a cigarette pack and made of wood, contained a lock of hair, carefully laid out. Magic shimmered over it. Something to preserve it, if I had to guess. “This belonged to Ademius.”
My mother nodded. “Yes. He was one of the founders of this kingdom, so long ago.”
“I will find him.” Determination burned within me. “If Drakon has drunk the potion and understands the dragon prophecy as we believe, that means he’s found Ademius.”
“Perhaps.”
“Unless Ademius gave the potion recipe to someone else, he was in Drakon’s grasp. Or he’s escaped it, in which case he is likely hiding. Either way, he’ll be hard to get to.”
“It will be difficult, but you can do it.”
Her words warmed me. “Could you tell me a bit about him?” I’d need that info to help my dragon sense latch on.
“According to legend, he was tricky and wise. Not a seer, but he had a sense for things to come. That may have been why he left Elesius. A plague came not long after his departure. Perhaps he knew it was coming.”
I closed my fist around the box, calling upon my dragon sense. After a while, it tugged at me. “He’s in the American west. The desert.”
“You’ve found him, then?”
“It will take time. It’s a vague sense of location now, but as we get closer, it will hone in on him.”
“Don’t go until tomorrow morning. You must rest.”
She was right. A short sleep would regenerate my power after the battle and leave me fully prepped for what was to come. I tucked the box containing Ademius’s hair, which was kinda gross to think about, into my pocket. Then I opened the next box, which revealed a slender silver bracelet.
“It’s a powerful concealment charm,” my mother said. “Wear it, and hopefully it will keep Drakon’s men from finding you.”
I’d once worn one of these to protect myself from the Monster who’d stolen me as a child. But if this one was enchanted to conceal me from Drakon, that could be useful.
“I can’t guarantee that it will work,” my mother said. “He’s amazingly strong if his men have the magic to break through our barrier. But wear it for me. Please.”
“Of course.” I slipped it onto my wrist. The wide band that Ares had gotten me sat higher on my arm.
“Be careful when you seek Ademius. And we’ll be here if you need us.”
I hugged her, so grateful to have my mother back. For so long, I’d only had Cass and Del. But now, with my parents and Ares, my world had grown so much larger. My throat tightened and I squeezed my mother’s hand.
As much as I wanted to be with her always, I couldn’t stay here. Not with my life and responsibilities in the outside world. Cass and Del were my family too. But hopefully I could visit. At least occasionally.
I found Ares in his room down the hall. At my knock, he pulled open the door.
“Uh, hi.” My gaze went straight to his bare chest. It wasn’t that I was a horndog. But I kinda was, because he looked good. I jerked my eyes up to his face. “You want to take a walk?”
The corner of his mouth kicked up, and I stared way too hard at his full lips. “Sure.”
“Great, I’ll uh—just wait here.” Smooth, Nix, real smooth.
He left the door open and found the towel on the bed, then scrubbed it over his wet hair. He must have just gotten out of the shower. My eyes traced his muscles like he was a sculpture. He dropped the towel. And because I’m super smooth, I blushed and looked away so fast you’d have thought I was spying on his income taxes.
Whistling, I walked down the hall a ways, willing my cheeks to cool. The door shut behind me.
I turned. He wore a dark T-shirt and a smile. Though the smile should have made him look less deadly, I was pretty sure nothing did that. It didn’t help that he had a burn on his cheekbone from the fire mage. It just made him look rakish and more dangerous.
“Where to?” he asked.
“Not sure. I just want to explore.”
“Fair enough.”
We didn’t speak as we walked down the stairs and out the door. I was ridiculously grateful that we didn’t see my parents on the way out. I wasn’t a teenager and he wasn’t taking me to the movies or the prom, but it would still feel kind of like that if I saw my parents. I didn’t know how to do those things. I’d forgotten what life with family was like. Del and Cass were definitely family, but not this kind. Though they might have heckled me before a few dates.
The moon was high overhead, half full and gleaming with light that shined on the city around us. Golden lanterns hung from buildings and the water fountains made the loveliest noise.
“You’re from a nice place, Nix.”
“Yeah. Weird, but nice.” I turned left, heading up toward the mountains. The street inclined in this direction, but I always liked to get the hard part done first.
Ares walked at my side. It was warm enough here that I’d been able to forego my jacke
t, and the bracelet he’d given me wrapped around my bicep. I pointed to it. “What is this thing, exactly?”
“Protective charm. Unfortunately, it can’t repel shots of magic, but it’ll blast anyone who touches you with ill intent.”
“Cool, thanks. It saved me from that mage.”
“You saved yourself from that mage. It just helped.”
I smiled at him. “It definitely did. Where’d you get it? Is it what you went to the Vampire realm for?”
“It was.” He raised a hand to the burn on his cheek, as if checking it. It was nothing but a faded mark now. “It’s from the Pūķis.”
“Really?” I loved the idea that my fiery dragon friends had helped me out.
“Yes. It is imbued with their magic. I’d once heard that they could enchant objects like that, but had never actually seen one.” He shrugged. “But with Drakon after you, I wanted you to have extra protection.”
“So you went to the Pūķis.” We’d reached the top of the street, where there was an open expanse to our left—a dead garden, I was afraid—and a path into the mountains on the right. I chose the path on the right. It almost felt like I could feel a hint of life in the forest around me.
“Yes. Except they didn’t understand what I was asking for at first. Hence, this.” He pointed to the burn on his cheek. “But eventually they understood what I wanted and that it was for you. It’s damned hard to talk to a dragon, though.”
“Thanks for trying.” I reached out and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back, and we walked like that for a moment.
I released his hand to climb up a rock. The path was becoming windier and more narrow. I could imagine this place with flowers and grass and trees. Devastation made a wasteland of my chest. “All of this is dead because of me.”
“Not because of you. For you.”
“Feels like the same thing.”
“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t want it, you didn’t ask for it.” His voice was firm, as if he wanted to force me to agree. “And you’ll risk your life for whatever fated task you must accomplish. It’s your sacrifice too, Nix.”
He was right that I’d give it back in a heartbeat if I could. But I was part of something bigger—something I barely understood and definitely didn’t feel worthy of.
