The Dark Calling

by Cole, Kresley

  A million other thoughts swirled in my overloaded brain.

  Evie’s hurting. Got to feed my girl. Not my girl—she’s wearing Death’s ring. God, the sight of that . . . like I been stabbed. What’d I expect, me? I left her with Domīnija, left her to think I died. When she finds out the truth of that, she’ll have my ass. Did I really just teleport?

  One thought stood out: What will happen between me and Evie now? I’d have to confess that I’d decided to let her go. Because of Matthew, I’d abandoned her to a man who’d then tried to kill her.

  Kentarch said, “Trust me when I tell you she has an acute need for food. We have no time to spare.”

  He was right. I pictured her back there, looking so fragile. When I returned, Evie and I would have a long talk.

  Tugging my ragged coat closer, I surveyed the snowscape. Kentarch had brought me to the top of a large hill. From this vantage, I could see a castle sprawled over the neighboring mountain. A frozen moat with huge shards of ice circled it. A dirty yellow haze cloaked the entire rise like a bell jar.

  “That place is creepy as hell.” And I’d thought Haven House had looked spooky?

  On this side of the moat, a line of thornbushes as big as trees trailed over the countryside. Evie must’ve created that fortification.

  “Creepy as it may be, that fortress is stocked for an extended nuclear winter.”

  Yeah, Domīnija had told me about all the luxuries within. That was part of the reason I’d let Evie go.

  I pulled binoculars from my bug-out bag to scope the building. Electric lights shone from windows, while torches lit the grounds. Smoke curled from three chimneys. I caught the scent of cooking meat, and my mouth watered. On one of the many eaves, Gabriel crouched like a gargoyle.

  I could even make out Domīnija pacing a room. He’d had everything. Everything. Did some part of him comprehend what he’d lost? What he’d done to the woman he loved? She must’ve been so confused.

  I stowed my binoculars, and Kentarch and I started down the hill toward the dome. “I gotta get her back inside that castle.”

  “Will you kill the Reaper to do it?”

  “I’ll kill any threat to her. The rest is up to Domīnija.” I was conflicted. On the one hand, I hated him for what he’d done to her under the influence. But then I remembered when the Hierophant had brainwashed Evie right out of her head. Could Death be held responsible for his actions when he wasn’t in his right mind?

  Plus, I felt a deep gratitude to him for saving Evie from Richter’s attack.

  “You must want her back,” Kentarch said. “Will you pursue her?”

  She haunted me more than ever. Seeing her again just made it all the worse. But she expected to get Domīnija cured—which meant she expected to return to him. I told Kentarch, “I’ll end up doing whatever’s best for her. Story of my life with that one. You ever been in love?”

  He gave a humorless laugh. “You could say that. My wife, Issa, and I were separated months ago. I’ve been searching for her ever since. I came to this castle for assistance in finding her.”

  Bonne chance, Kentarch. Good luck, because his Issa was most likely long dead.

  As we neared the dome, I unstrapped my crossbow. Just beyond the boundary, Evie’s fortification loomed, a frozen forest of towering thorn plants. The foreboding branches seemed to move under the wavering yellow light.

  This place reminded me of tales my mother used to read to me, of enchanted winter forests filled with magic and evil villains.

  Only this was real.

  Snow trails meandered throughout, forged by what had to be large animals. Another grizzly? I checked my bolt-action clip of arrows, knowing it’d take more than this to bring down something so big.

  In a hushed tone, Kentarch said, “If Fauna is awake, she will be able to scent you. Should her beasts give chase, your only hope is to make it back here to me.”

  I nodded, not looking forward to an encounter with overgrown wolves—or worse. “No pressure.” More snow started to fall. Merde. This wasn’t exactly my preferred hunting environment, and the cold was making my bad leg stiffen up. “I’m heading in.” In case something happened to me, I turned to give him a last message for Evie but decided against it.

  If I died on her twice, no message was going to fix that wound.

  “Be wary, hunter,” Kentarch murmured. “All manner of creatures prowl within.”

  I crossed the boundary, heading into the thorn forest. Vertigo seized me and sweat started to bead my skin. I felt almost drunk. Not surprising. I hadn’t eaten in days.

  I shook my head hard. A successful take could mean the difference between my girl living or not. Stay sharp, Jack. I’d done this all my life. Even before the Flash, my survival had always depended on my ability to hunt. Clotile’s survival and ma mère’s as well.

  As I eased deeper into the thorns, I began to hear bird calls. Dozens of them nested on high branches. A jackpot of animals!

  We’re goan to eat good today. I raised my crossbow. Took aim—

  WHOOSH. They scattered in a frenzy of feathers, squawking a retreat. I stilled. What had spooked them? Was Lark on to me?

  An unsettling quiet fell over the forest. All my senses told me danger lurked, but I continued forward anyway. Those fowl would have to set down somewhere.

  I sucked in a breath when I saw large tracks ahead. Wait . . . my own footprints? I’d gone in a circle, me? I swiped sweat from my brow. Jack Deveaux doan get lost.

  Not even in enchanted forests.

  I peered closer and spotted a second set of prints, almost as large as my own. Those tracks followed alongside mine. Some animal I didn’t recognize, something with size to it, was stalking me.

  Chills skittered up my back. I straightened, muscles tensed. Finger on the crossbow trigger. I ain’t the hunter here anymore—

  A roar sounded in the branches above me. I pivoted, swinging my bow up.

  Golden eyes gleamed in the dark. A flash of fangs as a beast sprang for me. I fired.

  Before I could shoot again, a weighty body crashed into the snow, not inches from my boots. My arrow jutted from one of its eyes.

  A lioness! She looked to be a couple hundred pounds. No wonder all the other game had scattered.

  My gaze darted as I shouldered my bow. How to get my prize back to Kentarch?

  I would be getting it back. We could feed on it for days.

  A shriek sounded from the castle. Lark! She must’ve sensed the kill. Adrenaline spiked my veins. No way I was leaving this lion. I bent down and grasped the carcass under its front legs, maneuvering it for a fireman’s carry.

  Now to rise. Damn it, I could haul this beast from here. I’d lifted Matthew. But that had been before my injury.

  Come on, legs, doan fail me. With a yell, I hoisted it up and across my shoulders. My knees knocked, my bad leg screaming. But I took a step forward.

  One foot in front of the other . . . for Evie . . . one foot . . . Lungs squeezing for air, head spinning, I pushed on.

  Halfway there. I hoped.

  Behind me, creatures gave chase. Their roars and howls were spurs to my back. Another surge of adrenaline. One foot . . . one foot . . .

  Just outside of the hazy sphere, I caught sight of Kentarch. His jaw was slack. “You took down a lion? With a crossbow?”

  A whistle sounded in the air behind me. I knew that pitch. Gabriel was gunning for me.

  Closer to the boundary, closer.

  “The Angel is diving for you!” Kentarch held out his hand, even as his gaze was focused on the sky behind me. “Drop the dead weight, you madman!”

  No way. Digging into the last of my reserves, I forced my burning muscles to keep going. For Evie. For Evie. Faster, Jack! Boy, doan you know how to run?

  From far too close, Gabe yelled, “You’re mine!”

  I vaulted the last few feet past the border, collapsing forward into the snow. Kentarch dragged the lion off me, then lugged me several more feet away fro
m the dome.

  “Ahhhh!” Gabe bellowed his fury. His wings swirled snowdrifts as he reversed direction.

  Heaving breaths, I scrambled around to face him.

  The Archangel hovered at the edge, fangs and talons bared. “Greet me properly, hunter. Come shake my hand.” His wings were much larger than before, and now a lethal-looking claw jutted from each joint.

  I croaked out, “Pass.”

  Eyes crazed and hair wild, he looked like a psycho version of himself. If this shocked me, how stunned had Evie been when Domīnija turned on her? She was lucky to be alive.

  Gabe turned to the Chariot. “Join us, and we shall find your wife for you.”

  Was Kentarch tempted by that offer? I called, “Doan you want to know how Joules—your loyal ally—is doing out in the Ash? I’ll tell the Tower you asked after him.”

  Gabe barely glanced at me, attention on Kentarch. “You do not have to join our alliance. Simply bring us the Empress, and we shall unleash all of Fauna’s creatures to locate Issa.”

  I didn’t like that a bit. I rose with difficulty and slapped Kentarch’s shoulder. “We got to go, podna.” A chorus of howls sounded. “He’s just stalling for Lark.”

  “You’re correct.” Kentarch clamped my arm and the lion’s neck. “I still can’t believe you bagged a lion.”

  Between breaths, I wheezed, “What? Like it’s hard?”

  His lips twitched. “Come, hunter.”

  As he began to teleport us, I glanced back at Gabe—just as his wing claw lashed out from behind the sphere.

  Air whistled across my throat as we disappeared. The Archangel had missed my jugular by millimeters.

  20

  The Empress

  I paced the cave, using calories I didn’t have. I’d started hyperventilating, imagining all the things Arcana could do to Jack.

  Snarling wolves, Gabriel’s talons, Aric’s unnatural strength and speed. If Jack faced the Endless Knight, he would die. With one sword strike, I would lose both of them forever.

  Joules sat by the fire. “How do you plan to tell ol’ Jackie boy you’re in the family way?”

  “That will be a good problem to have.” I pinched my temples. “I can’t do this again.”

  “You’re still in love with the Cajun.”

  My eyes watered. “Of course I am! We didn’t break up, Joules. He was stolen from me.”

  “So now what are you goin’ to do? You got Death’s unholy spawn in you.”

  No matter what had happened, I would still try to save Aric, just as I’d endeavored to save Jack. Both had earned my loyalty.

  As long as one didn’t harm the other.

  “In case you were wondering, my vote goes to the hunter.”

  “Maybe Jack found someone else out there. We haven’t seen each other in months.” How long had he been enslaved?

  “Come on, Empress. It’s not like females grow on nonexistent trees these days. Even if they did, Jack’s a goner for you. Gabe, Tess, and me were in and out when he built Fort Arcana. Every day, he was praying he’d get you back and keep you safe inside it.”

  My tears fell.

  “Of course, whichever one you choose, you got to get back into the castle. Why don’t you go with the Cajun, and then we take over the place? Jack’s good with strategy.”

  I stopped in my tracks. “I can’t believe you’re using my heartache to pitch me an overthrow of Aric’s home—”

  “Heads up!” Joules cried as shapes materialized in the cave.

  Kentarch and Jack appeared, dragging something with them.

  I stumbled to Jack, wrapping my arms around him. Relief flooded me, until I registered blood. “You’re hurt!” My hands flew over him, checking for injuries, brushing away crimson snow.

  “Not my blood, peekôn. I’m fine.” He looked wiped out, but in good spirits.

  Kentarch certainly was. “Your hunter deserves the name. He took down a lion with merely a crossbow.”

  Joules crouched beside the creature. Its lifeless eyes stared at nothing. “Fauna’s got a lion on her card.”

  In the previous games, they’d surrounded her. I’d once asked her why she now favored wolves. All business, she’d said, “Better suited for the terrain here.”

  Lark would be furious at this loss. “Jack, I thought you were going to snare a hedgehog or something.” When he reeled against me, I said, “You need to sit and rest.”

  “Bonne idée.” Good idea. He all but collapsed by the fire.

  Sitting beside him, I stroked damp hair from his forehead. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

  Kentarch answered for him. “He carried this game through the snow—what should have been an impossible feat—while the Archangel bore down on him.”

  Joules’s head whipped up. “You saw my boyo?”

  Jack nodded. “Since when did he grow wing claws?”

  “One of his cult elders said that he’d grow ’em eventually, along with his wings getting bigger and tougher. Must be all the food he’s tucking away at the castle.” Joules bit out a curse. “I canna believe he’s still under the influence.”

  “Gabe was twisted.” Jack looked at me. “Is that what Domīnija was like?”

  “Worse. Gabriel doesn’t have a history with you or a reason to hate you. And you’re not an Arcana.”

  Joules poked the lion carcass with his javelin. “Is this one of her familiars?” Poke. Poke. “What if it comes back to life?”

  Kentarch assessed the animal. “Aren’t her familiars giant like those wolves?”

  I shook my head. “No, the wolves grew so big because they drank her blood when they were pups. Her falcon is a normal size. This lion could be connected to her.”

  Joules stumbled back. “Can we eat a familiar?”

  Jack said, “After what I just did to bring that back, we’re goan to clean its goddamned bones.”

  At this point, I had no qualms about dining on one of Lark’s creatures, but what would lion taste like? Would I be able to keep it down? “We probably want to cut its head off as quickly as possible.” We? Right now, I couldn’t cut butter with a hot knife.

  Kentarch gestured toward Joules. “You and I will take it outside to butcher.”

  “Tarch, I’m more on the consumption end of things. Less production, you understand? But I’m an ace baster.”

  “Now, Tower.”

  As the two hauled up the lion, Jack started to rise, but Kentarch waved him down. “Stay and rest.” Catching my gaze, he said, “I’m sure you have much to tell each other.” So he hadn’t revealed my secret.

  Perfect. I’d get to.

  At the cave entrance, Kentarch turned back and told Jack, “A lion marked me when I was young, nearly taking my life”—he’d never volunteered anything about his childhood to me and Joules—“but now one will save us from starving. Good work, hunter.”

  Jack gave him solemn nod. “Thanks for the ride, podna.”

  This exchange reminded me of how people responded to Jack. He commanded loyalty because folks genuinely liked him. Aric commanded loyalty out of fear.

  Once we were alone, Jack pulled off his bow and bug-out bag. “Adrenaline’s wearing off.” He snagged a flask from his coat pocket.

  When he offered me a drink, I held up a hand. “All good.” Just seeing his face was a luxury for me. He was safe. Warm. Larger than life. I leaned in closer to him.

  One of my biggest regrets was never telling him that I loved him. How would he react to those three words? And to my news?

  He took a swig, then stared into the flames. Was he remembering his harrowing escape from Richter?

  Needing to comfort him, I took his hand in mine.

  He turned to me, and a marked longing lit his gaze. Then he tapped my ring. “So, you and Domīnija, huh?”

  Voice soft, I said, “I thought you were dead. We all did.”

  “That’s all that needs to be said, then.” He took another drink. “You get hitched?”

  “Not o
fficially in this life. Kind of a leftover from the last game.” Aric had never considered us not hitched. Not even when he’d been trying to behead me.

  “I’d love to see the look on the Reaper’s face when Gabe tells him I’m alive.” I could only imagine Aric’s fury. “Still can’t believe he attacked you.”

  “Paul reverses a card, bringing out an Arcana’s worst traits. You can actually see a tableau turning upside down. Aric’s resistance to change and his rage were brought to the fore. His unresolved anger over the past spilled into the present, and he hated me. He truly would’ve killed me.”

  “Tell me everything that happened.”

  Staring at Jack’s beloved face, rememorizing every feature, I told him about the Hanged Man and his powers. About Finn’s poisoning and Lark and Aric’s attack. About Gabriel and Joules rescuing me, and Kentarch saving the day.

  Jack took it all in. He was silent for a moment, then asked, “Why weren’t you affected by the Hanged Man?”

  “Aric once told me I’m immune to brainwashing after my run-in with the Hierophant.” But I didn’t know why I’d escaped a reversal. After recounting everything to Jack, I began to see how distinct those powers were.

  His fists clenched as he said, “I’m goan to kill the Hanged Man for what he’s done to you. And Finn too.”

  “The problem is how. I didn’t tell the others this”—I glanced at the cave entrance and lowered my voice—“but I clawed him and nothing happened.”

  “He regenerates like you?”

  “It’s hard to explain. His skin was simply unaffected. Aric told me he’s invulnerable to harm.”

  Jack muttered a curse. “You think there’s any way to lure the Reaper out of that dome? Gabe didn’t seem keen to leave it.”

  “Nor Aric. He believes it protects him from my spellbinding, bringing him much-needed clarity. Since my escape, I’ve tried to goad him into leaving, but he refuses.”

  “How’d you talk to him?”

  “Kentarch has a satellite phone that still works. I called Aric a couple of times. He’s cruel. Jack, you can’t believe how cruel.” He’d been about to make me beg, had enjoyed my tears. Before I went down that rabbit hole, I said, “Let’s talk about something else, okay?” I still needed to tell Jack about the baby, but he looked so whipped with exhaustion. “How did you escape from those slavers?”