And Jae was screwed, times ten, if he stayed.
Katana was right. They needed to leave this world and go to another.
“Let’s go.” He took off with Jae and Katana right behind him. No one tried to stop him. But the Stripers were looking a little lost, and a bit like they wanted to flee themselves.
If they were very lucky, they’d get off the island in time before Fazendiin arrived. And he wouldn’t hunt them all down for failing at this job.
They made it to the base of Juliska’s fortress and needed to find the Book of Doorways. It was their one chance of escape. They were greeted by claws, teeth, and deadly wings. Hollee had healed, was awake, and pissed off.
Jae wasn’t able to fight her. Now that he was back in Juliska’s control, she’d made it so he could not fight against his own kind, not in Scratcher form, anyway. Colby and he fought her back, with spell after spell, instead, working their way inside. They ordered Katana to find the book. She’d never seen it, only heard about it. And was told by her father Juliska kept it in her own private room. That did not help her much.
She made it to the room she believed was the Queens and hopped right in. And deflated almost instantly. This was not the right room, or if it was, there were no personal possessions here. She left that room and tried the next one. Footsteps came up behind her.
“Get rid of the crazy one?” she asked as Colby and Jae reached her.
“Knocked her out, it won’t last long.” Jae motioned for them to follow. He knew where the book was kept. He raced into the room and went right to the glass case it was stored in, and punched in the glass.
Colby reached in and grabbed the book.
“Where to? And how the hell do we find an open door?”
Almost instantly, an out of nowhere, white door slid downward, hitting the ground with a flood of fog-like wisps that shot outward. The door opened and a man stepped out.
“I heard a call for assistance.” Jae recognized the man as the same B.O.D. guard that had come when they got stuck in limbo after leaving Eidolon’s Valley.
“We need a doorway to anywhere that’s fast to get to.”
“Ah, well, you’re in luck. This fortress was built around such a doorway. One that is always open, and leads to many worlds.”
Jae realized right where they needed to go. It was in the lowest part of the fortress. They tore off back down the stairs.
“You’re welcome,” the young man hollered after them, to the pretend thank you, he’d not heard. “Always in a hurry, these people.” He went back inside his white door and it flew upward and dissolved into nothing.
The threesome made it to the cellar with Elisha at their heels. Jae led them to the archway. This is where the Svoda had first left the Isle, all those years ago now. He was too young to remember but he’d heard the stories. And this doorway had been used for others traveling as well. This door could lead to many places. Any, would do.
All at once, the three of them shuddered. As if some great power had shimmered into existence, close by. They were out of time. Fazendiin, probably Juliska, and KarNavan, had come to the island.
“It doesn’t matter where we end up.” Colby went to go through.
Katana grabbed his hand and Jae’s. “We go together.”
They agreed and jumped through just as a shape landed a few feet away.
Jurekai Fazendiin stared at the empty archway, keeping the furious stream of anger threatening to pour out of him, inside. Trying to find his son would get him stuck in a maze.
Tanzea had arrived at his estate, and he’d been in the middle of finalizing his agreement with KarNavan. Which he’d needed Juliska’s unwilling help for. He’d made Tanzea wait for him, though she’d said it was urgent.
He left in a flash, returning to where it had all gone down on the lower part of the island. To where Ardon was speaking with KarNavan.
What bad timing. There was a bit of that going around and it was beginning to annoy him. And now, his son had gone and let all the people go.
He’d needed that magic. But no matter, his plan could be adjusted. He could still move forward with his agreement with KarNavan. The rest would get back on track soon because he’d find every single last person on this planet with an ounce of magic still inside them. And he’d take it. All.
And then he’d return magic, as planned, and harvest that as well.
But his son. Colby, the one he’d handpicked, and raised.
He shouldn’t have been so blind to the boy’s growth into a man. Hormones did strange things to boys becoming men. It had been a few ages since he’d felt them, himself.
He’d told his son to flex his muscle, and remind everyone who was in charge.
And he did.
And although not in the manner he’d wanted or expected, there was something satisfying about it. His son was learning the ways of the world. A necessary lesson. And he’d come back, stronger, wiser. And ready. Once he’d had his fill of a world in which he was not in charge. Or not as powerful as he had been. Power, and missing that power, always brought them back.
Juliska was lumbering off to the side, looking a little out of sorts.
She hadn’t expected to lose her immortality today. He needed her vulnerable, to rebuild her. He wasn’t giving up yet. He’d even thought of telling her the truth and attempting to have her bring Colin into the fold. Instead, he’d told Juliska she’d get her immortality back, soon.
And if she wanted to be with her son, she’d have to stick around. If she wanted to live, forever, with him, she’d have to stick around. This was a potentially providential situation.
And the other reality, Tanzea had failed at her first attempt to hunt down Colin. Some new force to reckon with had shown up and saved the day.
Hollee approached her Queen.
“Take me to my fortress,” Juliska ordered evenly. She caught Fazendiin’s dark gaze as she went by him. You promised me revenge, hers claimed. He was impressed she was still fighting the truth.
KarNavan was arguing with Ardon.
“You let her go. You let my daughter go with them.”
“It wasn’t like I could stop her.”
“Enough,” ordered Fazendiin. “You’ll get your daughter back when I get my son back, and when Juliska gets her pet back. Do you still wish to enter into this agreement?” His eyes blazed into KarNavan’s, seeking out the truth.
“That depends, can you still win this war?”
“It’s already won. The events here today are inconsequential. It almost makes my job, easier.”
KarNavan hardened himself. He was pissed that his daughter had gone gallivanting off, but she’d come back when she was ready to be his daughter again. Damn teenagers.
He lifted his hand. “Let’s make a deal.”
Rather than shake on it, though, he waited as Tanzea approached with a pointed knife and jabbed it into his palm. He flinched only slightly, letting his blood drip into a glass. She proceeded to do the same to Fazendiin’s hand. Only she took a lot more blood from him. She turned and walked over to a table that appeared out of nowhere. Stocked with vials and potions. She added a drop each of their blood to a mixture, which shot off a plume of steam, and gave her Master a vile grin.
The Grosvenor closed his eyes, and heard the gasps as the thing he’d requested, suddenly arrived. The Immortality Stone. He opened his eyes and let KarNavan address the Stripers.
“Today is the day we no longer worry about being on the losing side.” He eyed Ardon. His silent stare, I know you’ve been questioning. But no longer. “Today, we are offered a one-time opportunity. And as your leader in a world that has been uncertain, and often unkind, this is a chance for us to make our mark in this world. To join forces, from this day forth, with Jurekai Fazendiin.” He turned it over to him.
“What I’m offering you is immortality.” Nothing like getting right to the good stuff. It’s what they all really want anyway. To live forever. Who cares about the consequences.
>
KarNavan eyed Ardon, who got it now. This is why he’d been so sure, when she was not. He was securing a deal where they became the Grosvenor’s personal army. A few were already lining up and asking what they had to do. And Ardon had to admit, it looked nice, on paper. But really, they were just securing themselves as slaves to this man’s whims.
What was the alternative though? Be on the losing side? Because the other side was not winning. And Striper’s never sided with the underdog. Fazendiin was the highest bidder. It was a long job, though. But it sparked a fire inside her, just like the others.
KarNavan sidled up to her.
“Are you with me?”
She stepped into the line already forming. “I serve my people. And if this is how we live, and survive in the world to come, then count me in. Forever.”
Fazendiin watched as they hurried to give away their freedom. Each giving a drop of blood that would be mixed with his own. Each warrior, tied to him. Fighting only for him. The Stone had enough power to do this. They’d been collecting magic, slowly, over the years. The Svoda had never guessed. Wondered why their power had begun to lessen, but never questioned as they’d been careful when collecting. But it added up. And much more these last weeks. All of it transferred into the Stone. As well as what Juliska had returned.
Fazendiin was glad of that move. It had knocked her down a peg, if nothing else. And she needed to remember she was not the one in charge. But he’d have to give her something, soon, to make her happy, or he would lose her. And she was valuable to him.
He let out satisfied simper that was already moving onto the next project.
Immortal army? Check!
Once the process was complete, the Stone would be secured again in his estate. He would then work on returning magic, as planned, with the unwilling assistance of his daughter, so he could harvest that power and create his new Stone.
And then, his army would win him this war.
And he would at last, create the world in which he wanted to live.
And his son, to reign.
CHAPTER 44
This wasn’t going well. Meghan was not surprised. It was a hell of a thing to be told your future, and find out it was downright bleak. But all for a purpose that was getting clearer, the longer the conversation went on.
Dealing with Fazendiin and the Grosvenor was going to take time. If they wanted it done right, and forever. Meghan ended up sharing all she’d found out, including what Colby had shared with her right before she’d gone on this journey back in time.
When it was all finally laid out for them to see, Jasper was the first one to speak.
“I can’t do it.” And by it, he meant, living in relative freedom while the woman he loved was held prisoner. And it was killing Meghan that he didn’t know he died before he got to see her again. She was asking these people to sacrifice their lives, to create a prophecy so that in her time, they could finally win this war.
“We can’t stop the Immortality Stone from being created,” Aloyna argued, although weakly. “It sounds like this prophecy is our only option. She was sent back here for a reason. In her future, I create this prophecy, which is something I would never do now. It makes sense this is what she came for.”
“Then find a new way to do it,” Jasper spit out.
“Take it easy, friend,” Robert ordered calmly. Jasper blew him off.
“You’re asking me to let you become a prisoner of your son’s. In a brutal way I can’t allow.”
“If that’s what it takes, then I am willing.”
“And what do I do?” Jasper asked.
“You and I, and others, will prepare.” Robert explained. “Thanks to Meghan and Sebastien, we know what to prepare for. And when it needs to be ready. Yes, it is a sacrifice. It’s not so different than what we’re doing now.”
“For some, maybe, much more so for others.” Jasper plunked down.
“Um, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go lie down for a minute.” Meghan was feeling a little lightheaded. Sebastien followed her, sensing the others needed a little time to sort through it all. Once behind the doors, Meghan sank onto the bed. He joined her.
“I can’t believe it was me all along. I am the reason I’m alive. Try to wrap your brain around that without having a meltdown.”
He chuckled tiredly. “It is a bit much to think about on too deep a level.”
“I must be crazy to want to put myself through all I’ve been through. Okay, yeah, I got to stop trying to make sense of it.”
There was a knock at the door and Sebastien called out, “Come in.”
It was Robert.
“Seeing as it seems to be centered around them, I put in my two cents, now I’m vacating so they can talk amongst themselves.” He eyed Meghan. “Don’t worry about it, Red. We all knew ending this war would not be easy. And might not go fast, either. Of course, I think we were thinking months, maybe years, but not hundreds of years.”
“I wish there was some other way. I could be wrong.”
Robert shook his head. “I don’t think you are. You want to be.”
“I wish I was wrong. It’s almost easier to think of destroying the Stone and ending my life, rather than knowing the various levels of hell those two have to suffer through to get to my time.”
“But we don’t know how to destroy the Stone,” Sebastien reminded as kindly as possible.
“Right. And that problem.”
“So, I’ve seen most of what’s in your head at this point, but I have to ask, Red. You didn’t meet me in this future, did you?”
“No. Sorry. I can’t with any honesty tell you what your future holds.”
“Better off not to think about it. And Jasper, he doesn’t make it.” Statement, not a question.
Meghan sighed. “No. Which really sucks. We could use him. And you. My brother, he doesn’t have anyone to help him. And my other brother, my blood brother, Colby, he’s probably going to need some help at some point too.” She went on to tell Robert how exactly Jasper’s death went down. It only felt right to tell someone. She’d let Robert decide if Jasper should be told or not. He was already struggling with the loss of Aloyna. It would be hard to talk him into a life where he had no future to look forward to, at all.
“I’ll give it some thought,” Robert told her after she was done. He glanced at the door, eyes pinching inward. “They’re about done out there.” He flashed back to Meghan, then to Sebastien, and back to her, and gave a short laugh. “You should just kiss the boy, and put him out of his misery already.”
She choked out a series of words that made no sense, refusing to look at Sebastien who she was certain was ten shades of red himself.
Robert winked, and made to leave them.
“You’re a brave young woman, Red. What you’re doing, it takes guts.” He nodded in a manner meant to show great respect for that.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The entire house and ground shook all around them.
Sebastien dove, with Meghan, into the mattress. Robert balanced in the doorframe and Aloyna and Jasper shouted from the other room.
“C’mon.” Robert ordered them to follow. He got them to the front room as another series of booms pounded outside. “Looks the war has come to us.”
“They know we’re getting too close,” surmised Jasper.
“We can’t stay here. It’s not safe.” Aloyna passed her gaze to Meghan and Sebastien. “We can’t let anyone see you two. No one can know you’re here.”
That would really mess things up they imagined.
Robert waved his arm around and a translucent shield went up around Meghan and Sebastien.
“The three of us are the only ones that can see you. Where to?” he aimed at the others.
“Let’s go see what’s going on out there?” Jasper and Aloyna and Robert readied themselves to fight.
“What about us?” Sebastien asked. “We can fight too.”
“No.
We cannot chance you changing the future. Not now.” Aloyna, it seemed, was accepting her fate. “Just stay close.” They left together, with Jasper and Aloyna at the front, and Robert bringing up the rear. Meghan and Sebastien took center in the magic cloak, feeling rather useless and cumbersome.
“Wow,” she mumbled. “Looks like a few bombs went off.”
Buildings were blown apart. There were townsfolk running for their lives. A few, fighting. A few who recognized Aloyna, Jasper, and Robert and were glad to see them joining the fight. This must be some of the others helping, Meghan and Sebastien assumed.
There was a loud whistle of movement overhead. Meghan looked up and gasped at the giant fireball closing in. Robert reached up his hand and first, stopped it in mid-air, and then flung it back to wherever it had come from.
She lowered her head to see Jasper putting protection shields around those on their side. Robert joined him a minute later. While Aloyna shot off spell after spell toward anything flying in their direction.
Soon, they were back near the alley in which she and Sebastien had first come.
Robert peered at them, and nodded curtly. “Stay here. You’ll be safe inside the cloak.” He laughed then, which seemed odd. “If this is somehow my end, then it was a pleasure to meet you both. I wish you all the luck in the world.” He winked as if he really didn’t care whether he lived, or died. Was just excited to play the game.
A strange and lovable sort of fellow. It was refreshing in a way. Someone who held nothing back and let the world roll off him, ready for the next blow.
Jasper and Aloyna were arguing, in the middle of the battle.
Meghan deflated a little. She realized what moment was about to happen. Jasper was about to give in to his fate, and accept what was about to happen. Accept that the prophecy had to happen.
The moment took place just like in her blood memory. He and Aloyna argued, she took on the stance of, this is what’s going to happen, we must accept it. A fireball flew over their heads into the wooden cart still sitting there. Jasper froze the moment, and caved in, agreeing to do it. But refused to call it a goodbye, just a temporary, although a long and painful, separation.
The Ghost, The Dragon, and The Lost King (Fated Chronicles Book 4) Page 46
