Crowned

by Christina Bauer

  He’d loved his Elea.

  “Please,” I said. “I know this is hard for you, but I must see how the gateways take in magick.”

  Kila Kitu nodded. In the scene before us, a gateway flared to life once more. The younger Kila Kitu rushed back out from the arch, his body bright with purple light and hybrid magick. I popped my hand over my mouth. What Kila Kitu could do with his hybrid power was just what I’d hoped for. His younger self had reactivated the gateway with ease.

  The younger Kila Kitu raced toward the executioner, his speed enhanced by magick. Quick as a whip, the young Kila Kitu grabbed for the Sword of Theodora. At the same time, a cloud of purple mist enveloped them both. I’d seen that particular kind of swirling haze before. The younger Kila Kitu was casting a transport spell.

  When the haze cleared away, the executioner was left standing alone on the meadow. The younger Kila Kitu had transported away. I stepped in for a closer look. Sure enough, the executioner now held only the blade of the Sword of Theodora.

  I turned to the present-day version of Kila Kitu. “You only took the Sword’s hilt. Is that because the executioner held onto the blade?” Such things often happened with transport spells. If one part of an object was outside the sphere of the spell, it would get left behind. When it was a thing that got split into pieces, that wasn’t so terrible. It was only when human beings tried to join a transport in process that things got truly ugly.

  “Yes, I was able to leave with the hilt. And my having it is what brought you to me.”

  “And now you wish to keep your promise to your Elea.” I looked down at the ghostly version of my body. More blood dripped from my fingertips. Spots appeared in my vision. “And will you help me?”

  “I do not yet know if you are worthy,” answered Kila Kitu.

  My back teeth locked with frustration. Why didn’t Kila Kitu simply give me the hilt? Still, he hadn’t said he wouldn’t do so, only that he was unsure. There was still time to convince him, and I could be rather compelling when necessary.

  In the scene before us, the Sire lifted the body of Not-Viktor. Meanwhile, the Lady did the same with Not-Elea. After that, the deities carried their burdens toward the nearest gateway. All the while, the executioner watched on silently.

  My chest constricted, making it hard to breathe. The vision before me seemed too terrible to be real. Not-Elea and Not-Viktor were gone. This was like witnessing my own death.

  The Sire and Lady set the lifeless bodies onto the thresholds of two nearby gateways. Instantly, the corpses of Not-Elea and Not-Viktor seemed to come to life once more. The pair convulsed on the threshold, their eyes wild and unseeing. Their Necromancer magick poured into their casting hands, making the bones there light up blue. It was something I’d done a thousand times.

  Blue light arced from the dead mages’ palms, flowing directly into the gateway stones. In the sky, the Martyr’s Comet flared a brighter shade of red, casting a crimson glow over the scene. I’d read that the comet bathed the world in red light before it disappeared. Now, I understood why that was so important.

  The blue power of the Necromancers mixed with the red energy from the comet, creating a violet colored brightness.

  Hybrid magick.

  These combined purple lights spread from one gateway to the next, until all the arches blazed with violet light. The long cracks in the earth sealed up before my eyes. The bodies of Not-Elea and Not-Viktor shone with purple light as well.

  Then the comet disappeared from the night sky. The brightness that had illuminated Not-Elea and Not-Viktor faded too. As the light left the corpses, the bodies turned more translucent and ghost-like. Within a few seconds, they were completely gone.

  For a long moment, the Sire and Lady stared at the spots where the bodies had recently been. The Sire was the first to break the quiet. “I don’t like this obsession with hybrid magick. It gets worse with every Elea.”

  The Lady snapped her fingers. “I have it. Perhaps we should keep them apart next time. If they don’t know about each other, they can not work as a team.”

  The Sire shook his head. “Those two always found each other if they’re in the mortal realm, no matter where we placed them. It’s like how souls always found us, even before there were gateways.”

  “In that case, we shall raise the next Viktor with us in the Eternal Realms. We can then place the next Elea with the mortals. We can give her a godling to watch over her when the time comes. As long as she learns the ways of magick eventually, she’ll be a great conduit for the gateway.”

  “Yes.” The Sire nodded. “A godling. Tristan would be a fine choice. No woman can resist him.”

  “Agreed.”

  I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen. The Sire and Lady just admitted that I’d been entrusted to Tristan. Now, I realized the truth. My so-called sacrifice was why I’d been saddled with Tristan’s cursed so long ago. It was all so I’d learn Necromancy. After so many years of practice, my body would then automatically channel magick to the gateways.

  And it was all for the Sire and Lady.

  My blood heated with anger. Where once I had worshipped these two, now I felt nothing but white-hot rage.

  The Sire tapped his chin. “Yes, when the time is right, Tristan can force the next Elea to learn how to access her power.”

  “But there’s a flaw in my plan.” The Lady sighed. “If the Viktor is raised with us, then he could suss out ways to generate hybrid power using the knowledge of the Eternal Lands. We can’t keep him from every library and archive.”

  “Even if he does learn the secrets of hybrid magick, I doubt a Viktor would become any serious threat. His kind can never take in enough energy.” The Sire’s voice lowered, and the reverberation shook the ground. “No, an Elea with hybrid power is a far worse worry. If she got the Sword…”

  “That will never happen. We’ll plan this out perfectly.” The Lady clapped her hands. “I have it. You can cast a spell on what’s left of the Sword. Turn it into a possession to ensure things go smoothly, if all else fails.”

  “It might not work, considering the Sword isn’t whole.” The Sire rubbed his chin. “Still, it would act as a failsafe.”

  “Everything will work out fine. You’ll see.”

  “Yes, my love. You are right. And now, we’ve other worlds to manage.” The word manage had an edge to it that set my teeth chattering. One thing was for certain. I wouldn’t want to be a resident of any of those worlds.

  The Lady looped her hand around the Sire’s arm. Meanwhile, a nearby gateway flared with purple light, showing that it was ready to be used. Together, the Sire and Lady stepped through the arch and disappeared.

  Once they were gone, I realized a simple fact.

  Like Petra, I’d make sure those two paid for what they had done.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After the Sire and Lady departed, my mind spun through everything I knew of Viktor. Threads of facts move themselves into a larger tapestry. My eyes widened with a realization.

  I rounded on the ghostly Kila Kitu. “This is why Viktor created the Changed Ones. It’s all part of his plan.” I scanned the many gateways surrounding the field. They were lined up like so many soldiers, ready to die.

  And that’s when I truly understood what Viktor had planned.

  “Viktor is going to kill the Sire and Lady,” I went on. “After that, he’ll take over all the gateways. He’s already built a mindless army to protect him while he destroys them.”

  “Yes, I fear that is his plan.” Kila Kitu gestured toward my arm. “We should return. You’re bleeding out.”

  “Does that mean you’ll give me the Sword?”

  “I’m unsure. There’s nothing worthy about handing over the hilt, merely to create another tyrant. You’re not like my Elea. She was gentle and loving.”

  “I’m a Grand Mistress Necromancer. Gentle isn’t what we’re trained to be. And even so…” I opened my mouth, searching for the right words. None came out. Yea
rs of Necromancer training made me terrible at conversations like this one. “I’ve still got, you now, feelings.”

  What a terrible speech.

  Kila Kitu glanced at me from the corner of his eye. I’d seen looks like that one before. It was another way of saying sure, you have feelings.

  Another argument appeared. “How about Rowan? He’s my mate. That’s proof I can love and care for someone.”

  Kila Kitu gestured toward the sky. “The Martyr’s Comet has cycled countless times. In all those eons, you’re the only Elea who’s found a mate. And your Rowan is a Genesis Rex, no less. You love each other, but your bond is not that strong, is it?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” I blinked hard, forcing my mind to focus on the present moment. Blood kept dripping from my hand. My head was turning woozy. “Time is running out. You must give me the Sword hilt. I swear, you can trust me.”

  “How can I rely on you when even your own mate won’t? If your bond were true, Rowan would have shared power with you by now. He has not. One tyrant is as good as the next, and at least, I know what to expect from my current set of ruling fiends.”

  I opened my mouth again, ready to argue, but Kila Kitu raised his arm toward me. “No. This is over. If you want a way to heal the gateways, use Viktor as the sacrifice.”

  “I still need the Sword for that. And what are the chances that I’ll be able to finish him off right when the Martyr’s Comet fades? I can’t risk our world in such a foolhardy manner. I need an alternate plan. That’s hybrid magick.”

  “My answer remains the name.”

  A burst of purple smoke surrounded us. The charge of magick returned to the air. Within seconds, I found myself transported back into the tall round chamber. Nan and Mrefu waited nearby. Meanwhile, the moss and leaf version of Kila Kitu still stood beside me at the center of the stone platform. A pool of my blood encircled us both. On reflex, I pressed my healthy palm against the open wound.

  “What happened?” Nan looked up at me from the chamber floor. “Are you all right?” Her eyes widened as she took in the top of the platform. “Where did all this blood come from?”

  I squinted, forcing myself to focus on Nan. It wasn’t easy. “How long have we been gone?”

  “No one went anywhere. One moment you were walking toward Kila Kitu, the next you were standing in a pool of blood.” Nan winced. “Is that all yours?”

  Mrefu stepped closer, speaking in his strange language. “What did you see?” asked Mrefu. “Can you find the Sword?”

  I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. “Did you just speak to me, Mrefu? And more importantly, did I understand you properly?”

  “Yes,” said Mrefu. “All who get touched with Kila Kitu’s magick become gifted with the power to speak and understand our tongue. How do you think Nan learned?”

  The world started to turn hazy at the edges. “I see.”

  “So, what’s the answer Mrefu’s question?” Nan turned her attention to Kila Kitu. “Will you give her the Sword?”

  Kila Kitu stood tall, folding his moss arms over his bark-covered chest. “No.”

  “If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more she can do here,” said a voice. I stilled, knowing that tone as well as I knew my own.

  It was Rowan. He was here. Before I left with Kila Kitu, I’d thought someone—or a group—were hiding in the darkness above out heads. Turns out, I was right. Rowan was here, waiting to see if I claimed the Sword.

  When my mate spoke again, he broke my heart. “Attack!”

  I curled my torn up arm against my chest and tried to focus my hazy brain. With all my concentration, I kept one thought central to my mind.

  Run.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Shadowy figures began scaling down the cavern walls. Rowan and his troops were closing in. The whole scene was turning dreamlike, and not only from the fact that I’d lost so much blood.

  My mate was coming to attack me.

  Moving to stand by my left, Mrefu took out his bow and notched in an arrow. Nan pulled out a dagger and took the spot on my right.

  “Cast a spell,” ordered Nan.

  “I can’t. I lost all my memory of incantations. You and Mrefu should run. I can face Rowan alone.”

  Nan rolled her eyes. “You were always too noble for your own good. I’m not leaving you.”

  Through the haze in my mind, I managed to speak. “Why do you trust me now?”

  “You went with Kila Kitu.” Her eyes glimmered. “That took courage. I was wrong to believe Petra’s tricks. You’d never order my death behind my back.”

  I forced a smile. “No, I’d fight you face to face.”

  “I’m sorry I doubted you.” For the first time, I noticed how her skin seemed to shimmer in odd ways in the dim light. There was no time to contemplate that now, though.

  Warriors were scaling farther down the walls in their bid to attack us. All my plans were going to implode, right here, unless I could think of something. I scanned my head, desperate for any solution.

  Sadly, my mind was as empty as my veins.

  With a series of thuds like drumrolls, the first of the warriors reached the chamber floor, their boots hitting the wet ground with a sloshy thud. I should have been planning my escape, but I could only scan the oncoming faces.

  Was Rowan in the first group?

  I didn’t see my mate, but I did spot Kade and Amelia, both wearing their Caster leathers. Kade wielded a Sword. Amelia had some kind of cannon contraption winding up her arm. Both of their mouths were contorted into angry snarls.

  Was it only a day ago that I laughed with Amelia in her laboratory? Or the Casters reached for my fingertips, wishing me well as their best chance to win against Viktor? And now, they all glared at me with outright hatred.

  Curse you, Mlinzi and Walinzi.

  I was hobbling closer to the edge of the platform when I saw him. Rowan. He was everything strong and majestic as he scaled down the wall, a single loop of vine around his right arm.

  Then his gaze locked with mine. Nothing but pure rage shone in his green eyes. The sight cut me through, more deeply than any knife.

  I had to get out of here.

  The only way to get my Rowan back was to find that damnable Sword, and Kila Kitu had it. I rounded on the mage. “I understand that you don’t trust me, but you don’t trust anyone but your Elea, do you?”

  Kila Kitu slowly swung his head from side to side. No.

  “Well, I’m the closest to her that you’ll ever get. And I look like her, don’t I?” I gestured toward my face. Kila Kitu winced.

  With that, I knew exactly how to get him to give me the Sword.

  “Can you really let me go now?” I asked. “Leave me to die like she did?”

  Kila Kitu didn’t answer, which was a response in itself. He wouldn’t leave me to die.

  I leaned in closer to him. “If you give me the Sword hilt, I will not betray your trust.”

  “You do look so much like her,” said Kila Kitu in his deep whisper.

  “That’s right. So give me the hilt. Now. After that, I’ll need a way to leave this place safely along with Nan and Mrefu.”

  Kila Kitu frowned. “You ask too much.”

  “The hilt is no good to me if I’m imprisoned. Plus, you should want to rescue Nan and Mrefu, they’re Zaidi.”

  All of a sudden, it looked as if the entire cavern were lined with Caster warriors. They raced toward us in a single wave of brown leather and angry faces. I tried to ignore Rowan’s glare in the mix.

  Kila Kitu gave me the barest of nods. “You are worthy. Barely.” With those words, the mage burst back into a swirl of tiny particles. Another vortex appeared on the round platform. Someone gripped my arm through my Necromancer robes. I looked over to see Rowan standing beside me.

  “Where is Jicho?” His voice was tight with fury. I could only gape at him in agony and longing.

  My Rowan. My mate.

  Before I could rep
ly, long tendrils of moss, leaves, and wind wrapped around my body, pulling me into the vortex on the round stage. Rowan was untouched by the gale. Nan and Mrefu quickly became caught in the same whirlwind as well. As the winds moved faster, the stone platform opened up, pulling all three of us underground.

  Rowan glared at me from the edge of the pit as I spun lower. It didn’t seem possible that our pain and grief could still be so fresh, but it was. My eyes prickled with tears as I spun into the abyss below. In truth, I didn’t know where I was going, but at least I was alive. And something even better had come to pass as well: a metal hilt had magickally appeared in my palms. It was made of silver and encrusted with a swirling pattern of tiny amethysts. Kila Kitu had kept his word.

  The first part of the Sword of Theodora was mine.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I don’t know how long I tumbled through the darkness. My fall ended with a jolt. It took me a moment to realize that I’d landed on my feet, in a jungle, and during daytime. Nan and Mrefu were nowhere to be seen. The Sword hilt stayed in my grip, though. After so much pain and loss to get this far, there was no way I was losing it now.

  But where was I, exactly? Was this the same place where I’d left Jicho and the MAJE?

  A voice cut through the dense jungle, answering that question for me. “Elea? Elea?”

  My heart soared. That was Jicho.

  I could have danced for joy. Kila Kitu had used his magick to drop me off in the jungle right where our metal vessel had been docked. The mage had even made sure I landed on my feet. As magick went, that was rather impressive. I had arrived without Nan or Mrefu, though, which sent pang of loneliness through my soul. It seemed I found friends only to lose them, time and again.

  I cupped my hand by my mouth. “I’m here!”

  “Don’t move,” cried Jicho. “I’ll get to you.” The joy in his voice was unmistakable. It also sounded as if he was speaking from somewhere above my head. I frowned. Had my little friend gone back to climbing trees?

  I slipped the hilt into one of the deep pockets of my Necromancer robes. The jungle around me seemed deserted, but I knew enough to realize that was an illusion. Someone could pop out of the shadows at any moment.