by Candy Crum
There'd been an explosion across the room, and she could feel air coming in from outside, though she had no way of knowing what had happened to her opponent.
Taking a deep breath, Arryn used a little of what was left of her energy as she covered her face with her hands, making sure to keep her eyes opened as she slowly and carefully pulled her hands away. She used her nature magic to sense her own anatomy and physical magic to pull anything that didn't belong there from flesh and eyes.
She blinked, sighing in relief since the broken glass was removed. She once again covered her face as she used her magic to heal herself, wiping the blood from her eyes as she did.
Everything was cloudy at first when she opened them, but it quickly cleared and she took in the damage. Her body had somehow smashed the desk in half before landing on the floor behind it. She had no idea how she hadn't crushed her spine, but it was something she certainly didn't take lightly.
Across the room, the entire wall and a good portion of the floor were missing, flames licking the wood where she'd used both telekinesis and a large amount of fire to blow her attacker into oblivion.
She couldn't help but wonder if Leon actually made it outside and onto the ground below, or if he'd disintegrated in the blast.
Either way, she didn't give a damn. All that mattered was that he had been a cold-blooded killer and now he was dead. He'd never hurt anyone else.
Arryn could hardly move as she searched for the box. She sighed as she found the object she'd literally gone through hell to find to her left. Feeling unconsciousness approaching, she scooted across the floor and grabbed the box, pulling it to her.
Footsteps sounded inside the room, and Arryn's entire body stiffened as her eyes widened.
"Arryn!" Cathillian's voice called to her over the roar of the flames.
She sighed in relief, thanking the Matriarch that it was her friend and not another enemy.
"Over here," she croaked.
"Celine is causing a distraction," Cathillian said. "Come on, I have vines ready to lower us to the ground. Pretty sure everyone's gonna know it was you, though. So much for subtlety."
Arryn smiled, her head falling back as he lifted her into his arms. She took a breath, willing the words to come. "Well, you know me—I like to make an entrance. Or in this case, an exit."
Wrapping her arm around the box, Arryn fainted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Elysia stood in the trees, overlooking the barrier to the other side. A Schatten shadow warrior had retrieved her and told her what had happened.
Ever since the battle training, Elysia and the Chieftain had ordered the Schatten to fan out around the border, hide in the trees, and watch for anything out of the ordinary. They were to stay well inside the border so as not to be seen, heard, or sensed, and they were not to engage unless attempts were made to cross the border.
Even with her precautions, somehow the dark druids had been stealthier than the shadow warriors had been able to detect.
As Elysia looked down at body after body, she imagined the hundreds of animals that had been sacrificed for this incursion. Deer, raccoons, birds, and everything in between surrounded the Dark Forest border.
The tree she stood in began to creak, and she looked down to see her father using a root to elevate himself to the branch his daughter stood on.
"I don't understand," Elysia murmured, looking at the lifeless bodies decaying around their walls. "Ryel said the other walls weren't as heavily affected. It seems the southern wall is the worst, but they strung the dead out around our entire perimeter."
"I can't pretend to understand what's going on here," the Chieftain muttered. "And while I don't like admitting it, at this point I can't help but believe they are more than capable of coming through our barriers. They can apparently come in anytime they want, so I'm not sure why they’re waiting."
Elysia shook her head, unable to take her eyes away from the beautiful buck on the other side. He was one of the biggest deer she'd ever seen. It was early spring and there had been many births in the forest, but not even the young had been spared in their latest assault.
"I'm beginning to wonder if this has anything to do with Arryn and Cathillian," Elysia mused.
The Chieftain turned to look at her quizzically. "Why would you think that?"
Elysia took several steps back, leaning against the tree trunk before sliding down to sit on the thick branch. A small squirrel ran onto her shoulder and hid inside her cloak. Smiling, she took a moment to pull him free and cradled him in her hands, gently stroking the side of his face with the pad of her thumb.
She could sense the fear in the little one, and she took a moment to push her magic, reassuring him that as long as he remained in the Dark Forest, they would keep him safe. Within moments, the little guy had curled into a ball in her hands and closed his eyes, falling asleep.
The Chieftain never said a word as he watched their interaction, giving Elysia a few moments to rest her mind and reassure herself as well as her new little friend.
Finally, he spoke. "Why do you think this concerns Cathillian and Arryn?"
"None of it started until they left. When Cathillian sent word, he told me that Jenna had shown up at the Arcadian gate and killed several guards. She's lost. Whatever redeemable qualities she may have had are gone. There is no saving her now that she has taken innocent life."
"They're safe though, right?" the Chieftain asked. " I hope Jenna hasn't made any more moves."
Elysia shook her head. "That's all he said. He said he tried to stop her, but she fled. He didn't give any more detail than that, but I feel like I'm missing a large piece of the story. Still, I can't exactly leave to hunt them down and find out what's going on, not with our own borders being threatened so often. I have no choice but to believe him and trust they’re safe."
The Chieftain nodded. "They are safe there. If anything terrible were to happen, they know where we are. They would send Echo for help if they needed it. And while I couldn’t invest myself in a war against Adrien because of how much we stood to lose, nothing would stand in my way if we had to go to Arcadia now. I would move the very heavens to save them and any who stood with them. You should trust them. They know what they're doing."
Elysia nodded. "I suppose you're right, but I can't seem to shake this feeling. It’s like a black cloud is hanging over all of us, like death and doom are in the air, breathing down on all of us. I'm afraid for them. I don't think it's limited to us here; I feel it for Cat and Arryn, too. Jenna wouldn't have stopped at Arcadia for no reason. There's a message there."
The Chieftain laughed. "Are you blind? Have you seen my grandson? He's the spitting image of his grandfather! The ladies love him."
Elysia laughed, far harder than she meant to. "Is that so? He apparently got his narcissism from you."
"That he did. But Jenna always seemed jealous of Arryn. I don't think it was limited to the fact that Arryn showed more promise both magically and physically. I think it was because of how close she and Cathillian were."
"Cathillian never liked Jenna. Even as a child, he only had eyes for Arryn. I'm no fool… I've seen how the other girls look at him. We raised our children to be confident, forward, and never to back down from something they wanted. Cathillian is no stranger to women, but he's never shown much real interest in anyone except Arryn. Jenna was always jealous of that.
“I kept my mouth shut because I hoped she would use it as fuel make herself better and stronger. The need to impress someone else, while annoying when they don't notice you, certainly goes a long way when you’re doing things to make yourself stronger."
The Chieftain shook his head. "No, it only made her angrier. She worked so hard to try to get his attention, and failed at every turn. Arryn worked, too, but it wasn’t for Cathillian’s attention. It was for honor. Because Arryn never cared about love or other things, Jenna hated her for the way Cat took to her. She never saw how hard Arryn worked when she wasn't around Cathi
llian. She busted her ass every session and between them until she got the hang of whatever it was she was being taught to do. Cathillian always took notice of that."
He leapt to the branch Elysia sat on and knelt in front of her. "Like his mother, he admires strength. The day Arryn came here, she had just lost everything, but she’d still fought her way through a dangerous forest to come to us. Arryn is a survivor, and he's always been drawn to that. I don't know if your gut is right. I don't know if the same cloud that hangs over us hangs over them, but I do know they are strong."
"If I'm right, we need to keep them from the Dark Forest as long as possible. If Jenna is trying to lure Cathillian back, then we need to make sure they believe everything is safe here. That's why I lied when I sent Echo back. I wrote that everything was fine here, but that I would heed the warning. I'm just grateful that Echo didn't witness anything like this." She gestured with her free hand over the border to the sacrifices. "Jenna and Aeris are after something, and somehow Aeris has the most control. I have a feeling that if Arryn and Cathillian come back, war will find us."
The Chieftain reached out, placing his hand on his daughter's knee. "I trust your judgment, and we will do what we can to keep them away. When the time comes, when the children come back to us, if war does find us, we will meet it as we have done everything else. As a family."
Elysia shook her head. "I can't lose Cathillian like I lost his father. I can't do that. I don't care how long I have to deal with the crude warnings. I will do all I can to keep Cat and Arryn away from the Forest, and I will find a way to end Aeris myself."
***
Talia was pleased. Things had escalated quickly. After Arryn had escaped from jail, hid out for a few days before breaking into the school, killed another student, and blown the entire side of the tower away, her fate had been sealed. Even with the evidence in the box she had managed to steal, there was no way anyone would believe her.
Now, all that was left to do was to seal the fate of the entire city. It was necessary for Amelia to die, and Talia to be recognized as the hero. The further into the game she got, the more Talia saw the allure of power. She finally understood what Scarlett had been talking about.
At some point, her motives had turned from simple revenge to creating a legacy. The city would be hers.
As expected, Scarlett made her way into Talia's office. She had a large smile on her face as she sauntered across the room and sat on the front of Talia's desk, crossing her legs.
"So, when should I have your crown made?" Scarlett asked, playfully running her finger across the smooth wood of the desk. "And how should I present it?"
Talia sighed, pausing in the task of writing a letter. "Do you ever stop?"
Scarlett shrugged. "I keep hoping you'll come around, but you're such a prude." She winked.
"I assure you that I'm no prude. I just strongly doubt you could handle my interests. As for the metaphorical crown, it's almost time." She folded the letter and placed it in an envelope, sealing it with wax. "I'm sending this with you. The remnant won't eat you alive if they know what's good for them, and I know you understand that you have to ride there as fast as possible. If you get there quickly enough, in a day's time we could have ourselves a celebration. I even put in an order with a rearick for a barrel of mystics’ brew for the occasion."
Scarlett took the letter, letting her fingers brush Talia's as she did. "Is this what I think it is? The grand finale?"
Talia smiled. "It most certainly is. You deliver that and the remnant will come and take the city.”
Scarlett nodded slowly, turning the envelope over in her fingers. “You do know the remnant can’t read… right?”
There was a pause as both women stared at one another. Talia felt a little embarrassed at the mishap, but she didn’t plan to let Scarlett know that.
“Exactly. Which is why you’re going to read it to them. I don’t trust you to tell them word for word what I need said. There… It’s all written down and nicely packaged for you so it can’t be fucked up.”
Scarlett nodded again. “Mmmhmm. If you say so.”
Rolling her eyes, Talia said, “Anyway—back to business. The Guard will fall for the most part, and I will do my best to help them. Amelia will be pulled in too many directions. It'll be my time to really shine, to solidify myself as the better leader, especially when I turn on the remnant and kill them myself."
Scarlett inspected the envelope for a moment and leaned across the desk. "How many do you think you'll need? We have a large army, but they're idiots. Have you seen them? If one of them so much as passes gas, they fall over." She rolled her eyes as she further laid across Talia's desk, her face only a few inches from the Dean's. "It's rather pathetic."
"You’ll see. It's all there in the letter. They have numbers, so I asked for no less than a couple hundred remnant. They should be excited—this is the war they’ve been waiting for. I need few enough that we can rebuff them, but enough that we lose half or more of our army. Amelia will absolutely need to die. Of course, I'm certain you can be of help there. Amelia won't stand down from the battle. She will fight. All you have to do is overwhelm her so she blanks out for a few moments. That should be enough time for some remnant to run her through."
Scarlett nodded. "What about Arryn? We both know she's hiding out somewhere, and she's going to come back with a vengeance. Two days is more than enough time for her to rest. As long as she doesn't have any other heroics planned, she'll be charged and ready to go for the battle."
Talia smiled, the very darkness of it seeming to chill the room as she leaned closer to Scarlett, pressing the tip of her nose against the mystic’s. "That's the best part. I've already discussed this with the other teachers. If Arryn comes—and she will—I want you to lure her away from the crowd. Once she is out of sight, we’ll take her out. I think chilling out in the Frozen North would do her some good."
Scarlett swallowed hard, her eyes locked on Talia's. "The… The North?"
"Mmmhmm," Talia murmured. "Yep. I want her to suffer. Killing her is too fast. I want it to be slow and painful. We take her down, bleed her out a little so she wears herself out healing, then take her north and drop her in the frozen wasteland. She'll have no clothing, no supplies. Using magic will only weaken her further. Even if she manages to warm herself enough to stay alive, she'll start to die.
“Not even nature magic would allow her to grow food there. Well, not at her level, anyway. She'll either freeze to death or starve. Either way, she'll be gone, and will have had a lot of time to wonder exactly what's happening here in her city. Her last moments on Irth will be filled with worry, desperation, and an extreme sense of failure."
Talia pulled back quickly, tapping her desk once before standing and pointing at the letter in Scarlett's hand. "See to it that gets delivered tonight."
Scarlett grumbled a bit as she reluctantly stood and walked out of the room. Just before crossing the threshold, she looked back and said, “You’re a real tease, you know that?”
Talia only waved her away.
***
Having been largely invisible to everyone else, Celine was the best choice to send toward the Capitol building. The only person who had seen her and knew her identity was Amelia. The rest of the city wouldn't care less and had long forgotten her relation to Elayne, Christopher, and Arryn.
When she arrived at the Capitol building, she saw several men working to clear the area that had been blown apart. The death toll stood at ten now. Several bodies had been pulled free that night, but it had taken clearing to find more. It was a tragic loss, and one the city would not soon forget.
As Celine made her way to Amelia's office, she was surprised to see how largely unaffected this side of the building had been. It was incredibly obvious to anyone with a brain that it had been a setup. Someone had deliberately avoided attacking Amelia directly.
But because of Scarlett's involvement, the panic in the city was widespread and only getting worse. She
had only needed to affect the first group. After that, the misinformation was securely sown, and each of those people spread it like wildfire.
Celine didn't know a lot about mental magic, but she knew enough to understand that all Scarlett had to do was come into contact with someone for a suggestion to be planted in their mind that would solidify the allegations against Arryn.
Amelia’s role was once again being called into question as a result of Scarlett’s machinations. It was obvious to everyone in Girard's house that Amelia's life was in danger, but she was desperate to restore her reputation with the people.
Arryn's escape had made Amelia look suspicious. The city was quickly coming to believe that Amelia had released Arryn under the guise of an escape, and they thought she was no longer fit for her position.
It was only a matter of time before Talia would be able to fully take power.
Celine's job now was to convince Amelia to keep herself safe while they made a plan to rescue the city. A dead Amelia would do no one any good.
"Celine! Please close the door," Amelia quickly exclaimed.
The woman did as instructed before turning back to the Chancellor and crossing the room. "I'm sorry to bother you, Chancellor, but as I'm sure you're aware, this is rather pressing."
Amelia's expression softened, her shoulders falling a little. "How is she? How's Arryn?"
Celine nodded. "She's fine. She nearly died in that last fight, but she held it together until we got there. Cathillian and Samuel pulled her out of the building, and we got her home in time to heal her. All of us have been on the run since."
Amelia gestured to Celine with an open hand. "Not all of you, it would seem. I'm glad that at least one of you can walk freely in the city."
"That's why I'm here. With me being the only voice for us, I had to talk to you immediately. During the fight that Arryn was in, that student told her they had control of the remnant. I wish there was a better way for me to tell you, but there's no time. You know there was a recent attack on Cella. The only logical path to take now is to attack Arcadia."
