The Legacy: A Custodes Noctis Book

by Muffy Morrigan

  “As much as I can.”

  “Thanks,” Galen said. Rob laid his hands on Galen’s forehead and chest. Before Galen focused the light, he reached out, trying to get a sense of his brother. Exhaustion washed up through the contact, Rob was very near the end of his endurance.

  “I’m okay, Galen, take what you need,” Rob said. “Please.”

  “Rob…”

  “You’re dying, Galen. If you can’t heal, I’m gone anyway.” Rob paused. “Please,” he said simply. “I’ll be okay.” Galen still hesitated. Rob sensed the hesitation and white light suddenly flooded Galen’s body. “Use it,” Rob’s voice was harsh.

  Galen waited for the space of three heartbeats, the light flowed through him, he caught it and focused it, sending shafts through his body. Consciousness began to waver, to shift, he was floating on the light, warmth filling his body. A soft song began, it sounded like the song of his sword. He drank in the healing like a man lost in the desert finding water. It filled him, altered him. Right before it pulled him away, he focused a tiny bit of it back into his brother. He heard Rob’s soft sigh as he drifted away, carried on the song and the light.

  Consciousness began filtering back. Galen was aware of an ache in his chest and neck, the fact he was breathing for himself, the bed under him and a warm hand resting on his. “Rob?”

  “Galen?” Flash answered. “That you, man?”

  Galen forced his eyes open. “Flash?”

  “Welcome back, shit, man, you had me worried.” Flash grinned.

  “Rob?” Galen coughed, his throat was unbelievably dry. Flash grabbed a bottle of water off the bedside stand, slipped a hand behind Galen’s head and held the bottle so he could take a sip. “Thanks. Rob?”

  “Sleeping.” Flash sat back in the chair beside the bed. Galen glanced around. He was in his own room. “He was about at the end. He wouldn’t leave.” Flash chuckled.

  “What?”

  “The kid wouldn’t go, even though he was pretty sure you were going to be okay. I tried, Rhiannon tried…Mike finally managed it.” Flash laughed again.

  “Drugged him?” Galen felt an answering smile on his face.

  “Oh yeah. Out like a light.” Flash glanced at the clock. “About fifteen hours now.”

  “Good, don’t let him get up too soon, okay?” Galen looked at his friend. “Flash…”

  “We’ll talk about all this shit later, Galen. And don’t do something like apologize. You saved my life. I know it, even if you deny it. So shut up and rest. I’ll keep an eye on the brother and the shop. Rhiannon’s down there now. Oh, your Mrs. Barkley came by looking for you. I told her you were sick. She bought some ginger and catnip and said she’d be back.”

  “She needs her arthritis treatment. I zap her,” Galen said. “Flash?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Could you give me a hand to the…”

  “Sure.” Flash pulled him to his feet and helped him to the bathroom. By the time Galen was back in his room he was exhausted. “You need more rest,” Flash said softly.

  “Yeah,” Galen said, letting his eyes close. He called up the healing and felt it respond immediately. The light flowed through him as he dropped off to sleep.

  It was raining.

  Galen could hear the water falling on the metal balcony outside his window. He sighed, listening to the musical sounds of the drops, enjoying the quiet, the soft feeling of the bed. There was a lingering ache in his chest. He ran a hand over it, feeling the rough texture of scar tissue. With another sigh he opened his eyes. He was alone in his room, he glanced at the clock. Ten thirty? I hope someone’s in the shop. Galen took a deep breath and pushed himself up, waiting for a moment, then he put his feet on the floor and carefully stood.

  He walked through the quiet apartment. The scent of coffee and toasted bread hung in the air. Galen paused by the door to Rob’s room, the bed was made with military precision. Galen smiled, remembering the mess that his brother left when he was younger. He grabbed a couple of towels out of the linen closet and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the steam heat the room before stepping under the hot water. The water helped relax the tight muscles along the edge of the scar tissue.

  When the shower cooled he stepped out. Wiping the steam from the mirror he looked at the damage on his chest and neck. He ran a finger along the slash on his throat, turning his head to get a better look at the deep purple scar. Something shimmered at the edge of his vision.

  “It was a fatal wound,” his father said quietly.

  “I know,” Galen said. “So was the one on my chest.”

  “Yes.”

  “You and Rob saved me. Thank you.”

  “I only helped. Emrys helped, too. Galen…”

  “Yeah,” Galen said, knowing what his father meant. “Me and Rob, you and Bobby suspected all those years ago. You should have popped in to tell me.”

  “Suspected is different than knowing, and I couldn’t come until I was called.”

  “Are you planning on hanging around?” Galen asked with a smile.

  “We’ve been talking about it, and we think we might.” Parry’s form shimmered with gentle humor. “If you don’t mind.”

  “I’ve been hoping you’d haunt the place for years.”

  “Good.” A soft touched brushed Galen’s shoulder. “You need to eat.”

  “If you’re going to start bossing me around, Dad, maybe…” Galen laughed, his father’s form shimmered with laughter and slowly dissolved. “I’m glad you’re back.”

  Galen padded back to his bedroom, carefully stretching before he got dressed. The scar across his chest pulled his shoulder. He rotated the arm, trying to loosen the tightness. The room spun around him, he put a hand on the wall waiting for the dizziness to pass. His father was right, he did need to eat. He got dressed, walked through the apartment and down the stairs to the shop, automatically glancing out the back window as he passed the door.

  Galen could hear voices, his brother, Flash and a woman, talking in the shop. He paused by the curtains that screened the back from the shop and waited, pulling the fabric aside to look in. Rob was moving a little slow. Flash seemed his usual self, but Galen could sense an edge of weariness in his brother. The bell on the door tinkled as Flash escorted the woman out. Galen pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the shop as his brother turned back towards the counter.

  “Galen!” Rob smiled and walked quickly towards him, pulling Galen against him in a tight hug. “Hey.”

  “Hey, Brat,” Galen said, leaning against his brother for a moment.

  Rob stepped back, tears sparkling in his eyes. He left his hands on Galen’s shoulders, searching his face. “Should you be up?”

  “I think so, about time, don’t you think?” Galen laid his hand on his brother’s and let a little healing light flow through the contact. Rob closed his eyes briefly. Galen felt the exhaustion still weighing Rob down shift.

  “Thanks, but that’s enough for right now,” Rob said, giving his shoulders a squeeze and letting his hands drop.

  “Hey, man.” Flash came over and slapped him gently on the back. “I’ll get some coffee.” Flash smiled and headed out the door.

  “Sarah working?” Galen asked with a laugh as Rob led him to the stool behind the counter. “I’m okay, Rob,” he said gently. Rob leaned against the counter, Galen ran his eyes over his brother. He could see a scar at the edge of Rob’s collar. Galen pulled the t-shirt down a little. “I do that?”

  “The thing did it, Galen. Not you.”

  “I know, Rob, it’s just…” Galen sighed, the memory of his hands sinking into Rob’s chest suddenly fresh.

  “Your hands, I know.”

  “You know?”

  “Yeah, Galen, but you healed me, too. I never thought…” He stopped as Flash came back into the store, carrying three cups. Rob frowned. “I’m not sure coffee should be the first thing…”

  Galen reached for the cup Flash held out. “First
Dad, now you.” He grinned. “I should be okay, unless this one of Flash’s…”

  “No, it’s one of your wimp specials. I even had whipped cream put on it.” Flash shuddered. “Whipped cream.”

  “Thanks,” Galen said with a smile. He sipped his coffee and looked around the shop, enjoying the quiet comfort of the store. A thought wound its way into his brain. “How long?”

  “A week tomorrow,” Rob said softly.

  “Yeah,” Flash echoed.

  “I’m glad you’re up today, though. I wanted to make sure you were up and around before…”

  “Before what?” Flash growled.

  “You weren’t planning anything stupid were you?” Galen asked, looking at his brother.

  “What?” Rob and Flash said in unison, Rob’s voice innocent, Flash’s demanding.

  “You weren’t planning on going and cleansing the circle where the ritual took place without me, were you?” Galen met his brother’s eyes, knowing that was exactly what Rob had planned.

  “Uh…”

  “No, Rob. I won’t let you.” Galen frowned.

  “It has to be done,” Rob said, frowning back. “You know that.”

  “It does. But not alone. Gods, Rob, you know better than that.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Flash asked, looking from one to the other.

  “The place where the ritual took place needs to be ‘cleansed.’ That kind of thing leaves a huge scar on the earth, and it has to be removed or dark forces can use it as a gathering point. It also removes the possibility of the Old One’s minions returning to that spot,” Rob explained.

  “Okay, sounds like a good idea.” Flash paused. “I bet it’s not easy.”

  “No, and that’s why he doesn’t go alone,” Galen said.

  “No, Galen. No,” Rob growled.

  “Rob…” Galen began.

  “You can’t, Galen. It’s too big a risk.”

  “You’ll need my help, Rob. You can’t muster the power by yourself to cleanse that circle without help. Dad and Bobby won’t be enough.”

  “Even with Emrys’ help…” The fight left Rob, Galen watched his brother’s shoulders slump.

  “It has to be me,” Galen said softly. “Keepers work together, I have to be there.”

  “Galen, I…” Rob swallowed looking away.

  “I know, Rob. I understand. You’re worried what being back there will do. If the darkness that’s left will affect me.” Galen laid his hand on his brother’s arm. “You’ll be there to stop that, if it’s needed.”

  “No!” Rob shook his head, pulling away. “I won’t, Galen. No. I’m going alone.”

  “You’re going alone over my dead body.” Galen pushed himself off the stool and stood in front of his brother. The world suddenly revolved around him, he swayed. Rob caught him under the elbows and guided him back to the stool. Galen put his head in his hands, waiting for the dizziness to pass. “I might need to eat something,” he mumbled through his hands.

  “Yeah,” Flash piped up. “Soup. You need soup. I’ll be back.”

  “Are you fighting with me just for the hell of it?” Galen asked, looking up at Rob. His brother was frowning with concern. Galen watched the emotions playing on Rob’s face, ending with a half-hearted smile.

  “Probably. I know we have to go together. It’s how we work, but…” Rob looked away.

  “What?”

  “I just found you again, Galen. Then, after the ritual, I was sure…” Rob swallowed, then looked at Galen, bright tears sparkling in his eyes. “I was sure I’d lost you again.”

  “I’m not lost.”

  “I know, I’m just worried about what’ll happen if you go back.”

  “I won’t hurt you again, Rob, I won’t let that happen.”

  “You didn’t do it, the thing did it,” Rob said very slowly, very patiently like he was explaining something to a child.

  “Rob…”

  “We’re done talking about that, okay?”

  “Rob, I…”

  “I said we’re done.” Rob stuck his fingers in his ears and started humming. Galen chuckled, then laughed, lightly smacking his brother on the chest. “Well, that’s settled,” Rob said, letting his hands drop, grinning at Galen.

  “The other’s settled, too. I’m coming with you.”

  “Yeah.” Rob smiled. “I actually had no idea how I would manage it. You’re the only one with enough power to cleanse the place.”

  “You aren’t going to start that again, are you?” Galen sighed.

  “Galen,” Rob said, shaking his head. “After everything, you still doubt that you’re…” He trailed off with a shrug. “I won’t convince you of it, will I?”

  “There’s nothing to convince me of, Rob.”

  “The Legacy? Defeating the Old One? Coming back from the dead? Any of that ring a bell?”

  “I know, but…Okay, fine, I might need more convincing,” Galen laughed. The door to the shop slammed open, Galen got up, knowing who to expect. Rhiannon walked quickly across the store and pulled him into her arms. He held her for a moment, when he pulled away there were tears on her cheeks.

  “Good to see you up, honey,” she said gently.

  “Good to see you, too. Are you okay?”

  “Me? I’m indestructible, you know that.” Rhiannon hopped onto the counter. “Flash has soup. He was right behind me.”

  “I was, until you ran,” Flash grumbled from the door. “Thanks for the help.” Flash walked over to the counter and put two large bags down. “I got some kind of potato soup thing for you.” Flash dug a Styrofoam cup out of a bag and handed it to Galen. “Veggie sandwich for Rob and real food for me and Rhiannon.”

  “Thanks,” Galen said, settling down on the stool.

  “So what’s the game plan?” Rhiannon asked around a mouthful of sandwich. “Rob and I need to go cleanse the circle.”

  “No,” Flash jumped in. “You and I and Rob need to go cleanse the circle.”

  Galen snuck a glance at his brother, Rob quirked his eyebrow at him. “No, Rhiannon, we need to do this, you and Flash can come with us to cleanse the circle,” Galen said, emphasizing the “us.”

  “You just got out of bed,” Rhiannon said with a frown.

  “And I’m coming with you.”

  “Rob?” Flash said.

  “He’s coming.” Rob shrugged.

  “We settled it a minute ago,” Galen said with a smile. “When’s moonrise?”

  “Just before midnight,” Rob said. “You can finish your soup, take a nap and I’ll wake you when it’s time to go.”

  “Rob? You weren’t planning on not waking me were you? Maybe trying it for yourself after all?”

  “It’s tempting, but no. You need to be there.” Rob laid his hand on Galen’s shoulder, meeting his eyes. Galen felt the truth of his brother’s statement, as well as an undercurrent of fear.

  Galen felt an answering shiver of fear in his heart.

  With a deep breath, he smiled at Rob and opened his soup, content to listen to the others talk before heading up the stairs and back to bed, wondering what the night would bring.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The rain had stopped by the time they reached the site of the ritual. The all-pervading damp was still there, sending a soft ache into the scar tissue on Galen’s chest. He rolled his shoulders and looked out the window at the dark place. He could just make out the ring of stones in the glow cast by the headlights. Something that felt like an inaudible rumble flowed through him, the remnants of the ritual, of the Old One, still moving through the place. Galen could sense the emotion from Rob. His brother was worried. “I’m okay, Rob,” he said quietly.

  “Yeah.” Rob looked over at him, then laid his hand on Galen’s arm. “You’re lying.”

  “Not too much,” Galen said, smiling. “It has to be done.”

  “I still wish you’d let me do it,” Rob muttered. Galen looked at his brother as another set of headlights swept over
the place. He raised his eyebrows and met Rob’s eyes. “Okay, fine.” Rob grinned. “Rhiannon, Flash and Mike are here.”

  “We don’t really need babysitters.” Galen got out of the jeep and walked around to the back, waiting for Rob to open it.

  “They seem to think we do,” Rob said, laughing. His mood was catching and Galen felt an answering chuckle in his chest. “I guess I could’ve messed with Rhiannon’s car, but then I would have had to sabotage Mike’s and Flash’s.”

  “And take their credit cards so they couldn’t rent one,” Galen added.

  “So, letting them come along seemed like a better idea.” Rob opened the back. “I got everything I think we need.”

  “I’ll say,” Galen said, looking into the jeep. Rob had their swords, several additional blades, a large box full of herbs and charms and some smaller items scattered in the back. Galen reached in and grabbed his sword, pausing as the song flowed up his arm and behind his eyes. He leaned against the car for a moment as the dizziness passed. “I wonder how long that goes on?”

  “I don’t know.” Rob picked his sword up and closed his eyes. “It could be inconvenient.”

  “I didn’t notice it during the ritual,” Galen said as they walked towards Rhiannon’s car.

  “We might have been a little distracted at that point.”

  “Maybe.” Galen laughed softly. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen, maybe you three should stay back here,” he said as they approached their friends.

  “Yeah, sure. Of course we will.” Flash looked at him. “Not.”

  “He said it.” Rhiannon smiled.

  “I agree,” Mike chimed in.

  “Fine,” Galen said, smiling. “Just be careful, and if something looks like it’s going sour, for gods’ sake, run. Promise that.”

  “We’ll run. Right guys?” Flash said, looking from Rhiannon to Mike and back again.

  “Flash…” Galen growled.

  “Oh, no. Fuck no, not leaving you, Galen. Just get over it. Okay? You and Rob are the pros, we get that, but we’re here to back you up, and back-up doesn’t run.”