The Lost Relics Box Set

by LJ Andrews

  "I don't know what to do," Killian said softly toward Axel. Confidence in his ability to face the Architect seeped through his pores like a thick gel. His shoulders slumped as the thoughts reeled through his mind of losing everyone he cared for. Sophia's final screams wracked his soul, but her silver eyes were soon replaced by a bright, emerald green. Glancing back at Mercedes, his mind urged him to run with her; to hide, but his heart and the prickling power that surged through his veins like a ferocious current pushed him onward.

  "You must face it," Axel said thoughtfully, pulling a thick cable toward him as if drawing energy from the wire.

  "I know, I just don't know if I can lose anyone else," he whispered. Axel nodded his understanding as his mysterious eyes seemed to drift away to a far memory at Killian's confession.

  A loud blast filled the air and the intricate building swayed back and forth. Mercedes rushed to one of the large windows as the beautiful greenish sunset had turned a bloody orange from another explosion in the back training fields.

  "Killian," she said softly, "The Trinity are everywhere out there. They're overpowering the recruits. We need to do something...now." Mercedes faced the two men, clasping her daggers firmly in her palms. Killian breathed in the furious rage billowing within her. Turning toward the empty shaft he absorbed her fire to fuel his own courage to press on.

  Bracing himself on one of the thick cables he urged the shambles he knew must be the car to come up. Axel held tight to a neighboring cable and closed his eyes. Metal clanged and burst throughout the shaft. A thick cable swung dangerously close to Killian's head, but he didn't release his grip; he focused harder on the changing elevator shaft. Slowly, a tangled mess of cables crossed around one another forming a thick metal nest around one center cable leading all the way to the bottom of the shaft. Killian's eyes widened.

  "That's not what I was trying to do," he said more to himself.

  "Well, it works," Mercedes said as she leapt the short gap onto the tangled mess of cables.

  "Rusty," Axel said pointing to himself, then to Killian. "No experience." I imagined a different outcome as well, the smooth voice admitted to Killian's thoughts only. Killian smiled briefly before joining Mercedes on the makeshift car.

  "So, how do we make it move," she asked looking in every direction as if she would find a hidden lever.

  "Uh...well," Killian stammered before placing his hand on the coiled cables. Inwardly he urged the metal nest to move downward. With a furious lurch the platform fell, choppily stopping and starting the entire nerve-wracking distance to the lowest level of the Praetorium.

  When the tangled web thudded onto the cold steel floor Mercedes shakily stepped off the cables and sat on the ground, placing a hand against her head.

  "You okay?" Killian asked kneeling by her side.

  "Just a little motion sick I think," she said as she slowly stood again. A loud clang of metal crashing to the steel floor made all three jump into defensive positions. The room around them was dark, only small pattering of scattering feet filled their ears.

  "I think we're in the laundry room," Killian breathed. Foreboding surged through his veins, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he tightly clasped his spear and released the ends. "Axel, go see if you can find Dalia and Gwyniera. The clinic is just above us, and the prison cells are just beyond that wall." He pointed to the thick door. Axel nodded and rushed back to the metal web, and quickly scaled the center cable up toward the clinic floor. Killian silently prayed he would find Dalia and Lucan safe, but also quickly—the burning in his blood was a constant reminder danger was near.

  "Come on Killian," Mercedes whispered, twirling her daggers confidently.

  The room was dark, mountains of sheets and fluffy, lavender scented towels lined the walls; a stark contrast to the normally tidy laundry room he'd passed through several times. Mercedes shrieked in front of him and jumped back. Peering over her shoulder Killian covered his mouth. A large mound of laundry fairies rested atop one another. Their tiny arms and legs disjointed and jutting out in odd ways.

  He felt sick. The invisible little creatures couldn't have posed a threat to the Trinity. The society was drifting from their original goal and turning into bloodthirsty monsters—killing anything that stood in their way.

  "Who's there?" a weak, raspy voice came from a shadowed, concealed corner in the laundry room.

  Killian's heart pounded, his eyes traced the hard floor spattered with blood like a speckled egg. His gaze rested on a crumpled figure, with arms bound awkwardly behind his back.

  "Blake!" Mercedes cried out first as she rushed to his twisted form. "How did this happen?" The question was asked numerous times as she untwisted the thick rope around his wrists, each time growing more breathless as if the reality was finally crushing in on her.

  Killian joined her and furiously ripped the cords off his friend's raw skin.

  "Thanks, guys," Blake smiled weakly, his eyes maintaining their playful twinkle. "Took you long enough."

  Killian wrapped an arm around Blake's slumped shoulders. One of Blake's earlobes had dried crusted blood where the black stone earring had been ripped out. "Glad you're alright," Killian said sincerely. "The Trinity is getting aggressive up above. Have you seen Miller?"

  Blake stood shakily, with the help of them both. "Where is Dax? Sophia?" He asked holding a hand to his forehead and grimacing.

  Mercedes sniffled loudly, but said nothing.

  "What? What is it?" Blake's voice was suddenly strong and urgent.

  "Soph...she got caught in..." Killian trailed off. The reality was like an iron cannon ball dropping violently in the pit of his stomach. Just saying the words made him want to wretch.

  "No," Blake shook his head and pointed a menacing finger toward them. "No, you're wrong."

  Mercedes rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him as he lowered slowly to his knees. "There wasn't anything we could do Blake," she breathed against his ear.

  "The Trinity is too powerful," Blake ranted more to himself.

  "Blake, we have help, we can beat them!" Killian exclaimed desperately trying to pull him through the grief. Blake was a fierce fighter, and though the torment of Sophia's loss, and numerous others, Killian knew they needed his skills. "We didn't come back empty handed from Glaciem. Blake we found the other—” Killian stopped as a gurgled, painful coughing filled the room.

  "Kill...Killian," Miller's strained voice came from behind a large steel slab.

  "Miller!" Killian rushed toward the fallen wall. Using all his force he urged the slab away from the wall. Miller was bound, crumpled and bleeding, but his gray eyes broke through the darkness and relief flooded his expression as he met Killian's eye. His bushy mustache was painted crimson with dried blood, and his eyes no longer sparkled. They'd grown dark and weary as he slowly raised his gaze to Killian. The hot power surged through his veins as Killian pushed back the trap encasing his grandfather. The steel melded and twisted under the fierce, desperate Infinium allowing them enough space to bring Miller from his steel cage.

  Miller coughed a wretched bark that brought up spats of blood from his lungs as he hunched on hands and knees. Once he composed himself his face was desperate as he gripped Killian's forearms. Killian noted the strange restraints holding his Grandfather captive. Mercedes had already moved in to help untie his bound wrists. She recoiled instinctively, pushing a finger in her mouth licking a fresh pool of blood off the tip. "What is he tied with?" She asked more to herself as she stooped toward the old man's bleeding wrists to get a better look.

  Killian joined her behind his weak grandfather. His eyebrows scrunched together at the odd ties. "They look almost like...thorny vines."

  "They're pure black, and...it's like...they're fighting back," Mercedes stammered as she desperately tried to cut through the vines. Finally her sleek daggers pierced the thorny rope enough they broke free. Miller slumped forward over his crossed legs into Killian's arms.

  "Y
ou have to get out of here," he rasped. "It's a trap."

  "Miller, we're leaving," he said assuring his grandfather. "We found Blake, and now you. Help is coming."

  Miller's face went a paltry white as his eyes scanned the room landing on Blake who seemed to stand much straighter next to Mercedes.

  "Blake...Blake..." Miller stammered at his recruit before whipping his face at Killian and Mercedes. "No leave, NOW!" He shouted, jutting his dangling shoulder into Killian's side in a strange urge to push him away.

  Blake smirked. "Miller, I think you've been behind that steel slab for too long."

  Mercedes stepped closer to Killian, he felt her tense around her dagger. "Miller, what's going on?" She asked briskly.

  "Dez, it's obvious the old man is delirious," Blake insisted, but Killian noted how he had pulled his infinity arrow from under his belt.

  Miller spat on the floor by Blake's feet, his eyes seething in disgust.

  "Why was Miller tied with the vines, and you had...simple rope?" Killian suddenly questioned, his heart thumped against his sore rib cage.

  "I don't know Kill. I don't know the Trinity's method to madness." Blake drummed his arrow against his thigh.

  "Blake what's going on?" Mercedes growled, gripping her daggers firmer.

  "Don't...touch him," Miller gasped from behind. "He's...Trinity!"

  "No," Killian heaved out in a heavy breath. The crushing blow of reality was settling deep in his chest, crushing his lungs and snatching his breath away. Blake had been easy to find. The ropes were loose the more he thought on it and Miller's wounds were much greater. It seemed set up, almost like Blake wanted them to find him.

  "Uh, Miller don't go spoiling any fun," Blake scoffed and launched one of the infinity arrows straight into Miller's shoulder faster than anyone could move to react. Miller screamed in agony. The furious sound pelted against Killian and thrust him into action. He lunged at Blake with his spear, a hot fury pulsing through his body. Blake smiled wickedly, dodging Killian's attack and wrapping his arm around the bare skin of Killian's neck.

  "Thanks for sharing," he whispered quickly into Killian's ear. Blake cocked his head to one side still holding tight to Killian's bare neck, and gave a false sympathetic look. "I know this is coming as a bit of a shock, Kill. But believe it or not, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

  Killian clasped his spear tight and subtly Blake reached for his bow.

  Shrugging him off Killian reeled around and threw his spear menacingly toward him, urging the weapon to hit his best friend square in the chest. Blake focused on the spear, and strangely the weapon seemed to resist midair, until it diverted off course and pounded against the steel wall behind Blake.

  "I hope that isn't the best you can do," Blake scoffed as he placed one palm on the smooth metal of the wall. A horrible screech of bending metal filled the room as the wall bent and twisted like a frail piece of paper under Blake's palm. "I admit this is intoxicating, Kill...the power. I can feel it surging through me, even if it's only a pseudo-power."

  Mercedes wailed ferociously as Blake focused on Killian. She lunged at him at a full sprint, thrusting her daggers toward Blake's back. Blake turned to face her onslaught, his face twisted into such a look of wickedness; it sent chills down Killian's spine. Blake held out a hand as Mercedes pounced through the air effortlessly, but as she drew closer to Blake it was as if she hit an invisible wall. Her daggers would not attack him.

  Blake gripped her bare wrist harshly and with no resistance from Mercedes he ripped the two steel daggers out of her palms, causing her to crash to the hard cold floor. Briefly, he examined the weapons before throwing them with expert marksmanship over Mercedes neck. The daggers, that were once so loyal to her, now lay crisscrossed over her throat and with one wrong movement they would slice into her smooth olive skin.

  "Mercedes," Blake said smiling at her sweetly, "forgive me, but this is just between Killian and I."

  Killian had rushed toward the swift attack on Mercedes, and tried to intervene, but Blake stood between them.

  Killian glared at Blake, the once cheerful, friendly face was now dark and ominous. "You can't beat me Blake," he snarled snatching his spear from the ground and raising it defensively.

  "Perhaps not. But I can match you." Blake raised his arms again and shards of the folded wall soared across the room at Killian.

  Killian's veins throbbed with fire as Infinium pulsed through his system. "No!" he shouted angrily at the metal as he ran forward, yearning to bring Blake down.

  The jagged shards of wall melted into a shiny, molten steel soup on the floor. Blake glared at Killian, but ran to meet his oncoming attack.

  Blake held a new arrow firmly in his grip and jabbed it up through the musty air as Killian pummeled on top of him. Roaring in pain, Killian looked down as the sharp point entered his abdomen just under his rib. Swinging one end of his spear he twisted until the arrow pulled out and hit Blake's skull with the thick metal of the spear.

  Blake screamed in angry pain and clutched the gaping wound across his temple. While he was turned away, Killian rushed toward Mercedes who lay still on the floor with the daggers inching ever closer to her throat. Killian wrapped his palm around one hilt and pulled against the force that kept it in place. Just as he freed her from one deadly point Blake leapt onto his back, and wrapped one strong arm firmly around Killian's neck. Both men wrestled to the ground, Blake striking Killian anywhere he could. Killian closed his eyes. The hurt, betrayal, pain—this was nothing compared to Nathaniel months earlier. This was Blake, his ally, his only friend, his rescuer. The back of his neck bubbled as if the skin was ripping off his muscles. With a wave of power he'd never experienced Killian pushed against Blake. In a terrible burst of energy Blake was thrown across the small room and slammed against the wall.

  Killian scrambled to his feet and ran toward him. Blake gasped, but did not move much. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet he still smiled the same wicked smile as Killian pointed the deadly spear in his face.

  "How could you do this?" Killian shouted. His voice was angry, but a subtle plea was hidden in the depths of his tone.

  Blake chuckled, then grimaced as if the movement pulled against an unseen injury. "You look at me as a traitor, Kill. But in my eyes I see myself as progressive. I have talents, I'm sure you can tell. I'm a borrower, I borrow any talent, ability anything." Blake smiled again, coughing up a small trail of blood at Killian's stunned expression. "I even borrowed Infinium. I admit it's been my favorite one."

  "Why would you betray the Ponderi?"

  A spark of fury flashed across Blake's eyes. "Betray the Ponderi? They betrayed me! That's what they do, Kill, they exploit the gifted ones for their own selfish interests. As soon as I took the blinders off and was shown another way I knew...they were the traitors." Blake bent close to Killian’s face. “My own parents couldn’t see it Killian, even they had to be eliminated.”

  Killian’s eyes widened as he realized the depths of blackness that shrouded his friends’ heart. “Blake, you didn’t…murder your family. How−"

  Blake sneered wickedly. “The Trinity’s cause is the true righteous cause. I did what needed to be done to progress toward our final goal.”

  "Let me guess,” Killian began, his voice cracked angrily at Blake’s callous attitude toward the evil he’d committed. “The Trinity told you how special you were; they promised you would go far in the society because of your gift. Sounds like you're still being exploited by another society."

  Blake's eyes looked beyond Killian and lit up with excitement. Killian's blood chilled as a sweet, but sinister laugh came from behind.

  "I've never been in control of Blake, he can choose for himself how to use his ability Killian. As everyone should."

  Killian closed his eyes. The foreboding filled his chest like a heavy iron ball, crushing his insides. He knew the Architect, and he knew he was no match.

  Turning slowly, he held his w
eapon close to him as if it would provide extra security and strength.

  He met her eyes, her stunning silver eyes. Queen Maurelle smiled brightly, her perfect face lighting the dim room. She held her hands over Mercedes who remained still on the floor; Miller babbled in pain, still slumped in the corner.

  "It's wonderful to meet as we really are," Maurelle said kindly. Killian's stomach twisted in a painful spiral as the realization of the power of Maurelle now became the power of the Trinity Architect.

  Chapter 17

  The Trinity Rises

  Maurelle sauntered toward Killian, her black pantsuit rustling. Everyone was silent as she crossed the room. They seemed frozen, but Killian saw Mercedes’ eyes whirling wildly in her head.

  “What are you doing to them?” Killian shouted reaching out to Mercedes. Maurelle swiftly wrapped a pale hand against his cheek, burning his skin with her touch. Killian cried out in pain, as his body flung into the air stopping only after a sick thud against the opposite wall. Killian heard a loud crack as his ribs fractured. He gasped for breath, but each rush of air soaked his body in wrenching agony.

  Blake quickly toppled over him, straddling his legs across his chest. An infinite arrow dripped with Killian’s fresh blood from a fresh cut he’d made on Killian’s neck. Blake hungrily stared at the wound and held out a crystal vile.

  “Blake,” Maurelle hissed. “Leave it!”

  “We can use it! I know we can,” he said, the crazed look in his light eyes soaking in the power-lust of finally having Infinium.

  “Fool! The curse has activated, there is no telling what it would do at this point.” A fierce burst of light filled the battered laundry room causing Blake to tumble off and land next to him on the hard floor.

  Blake gazed at Maurelle, a mix of shock and anger filled his fair features. Maurelle moved swiftly toward him, Killian was sure she would end Blake’s life and slowly he moved to intervene. No matter what Blake had done, he could sit idly by and watch him die. Maurelle was too fast. She cupped Blake’s face in her soft hands and pulled him from the ground.