Soul Eternal

by Kate Keir

  My heart quickened with relief at Lyall’s safe return. Finlay released me without hesitation, and he gave me a reassuring nod as I fired him a last glance through the gloom before bounding up the stairs to check that Lyall and Artair were unharmed.

  When I burst back into the lighted room above and saw Lyall unhurt, I bounded across the room and hugged him tightly.

  He smiled and kissed my forehead. “See, I told you we’d be fine, love.”

  “How did it go?” Finlay asked as he appeared in the doorway. “Did you see what you wanted to see?”

  Lyall and Artair frowned at each other, and Lyall quickly released me so he could sit down at the table. We all followed his lead and took our own seats as a hush settled over the room.

  “Truthfully, it’s worse than we had thought,” Artair admitted.

  Enid bit her lip. “How much worse?”

  “He has around two hundred Supers.” Lyall’s words brought silence and looks of horror to the faces of everyone around the table.

  “They’re going to take us apart,” I finally managed to whisper.

  “Two hundred Supers?” Finlay shook his head in disbelief.

  “It’s not as awful as it sounds,” Artair insisted. “We have an equal amount of Draugur.”

  “We do have the animal souls,” Enid suggested helpfully.

  When Artair and Lyall stared blankly at her, Enid quickly filled them in on our latest recruits.

  “So, it’s not as bad as it sounds.” Lyall eased himself back into his chair but his usual overconfident poise didn’t come so easily today.

  “The question is, did you manage to get the spell set up in the basement?” Artair looked affectionately at Enid as he spoke.

  She nodded. “I did. It’s complete magical lockdown in there.”

  Artair reached out to lay his hand gently over hers. “Well done.”

  Lyall spoke with the calm confidence of a seasoned battle commander, and I wondered, not for the first time, how he managed it so easily. “So, our plan still remains the same. Flora will deploy her loyal Draugur to fight the Supers. If we can get them back here, they can be thrown in to the basement until we’re ready to deal with them.”

  “The animal souls will happily help with that,” Enid suggested.

  Lyall frowned. “I think half of the animal souls should help with the Supers and half should stay close to Flora to protect her while she works on Sluag’s soul.”

  Artair nodded. “Agreed.”

  “What will the rest of you be doing?” I dreaded the answer to my question.

  “We’ll be fighting amongst the Draugur and animal souls. We need to lead them and keep them right,” Bear replied.

  Finlay looked to Lyall. “Lyall, you need to be close enough for Flora to draw on your energy. You could do with staying behind the protection of the animal souls.”

  Lyall shook his head. “I’m not hiding behind anyone. I can stay close enough to Flora to share my energy with her and still play a part in the fighting.”

  I shuddered as I thought back to my dream. “You have to stay away from Sluag. Promise me?”

  Lyall levelled his gaze at me. “That’s not going to come true, love. It was just a dream.”

  “Even so, I don’t think we need to take unnecessary risks,” I insisted.

  “Flora’s right, Lyall. We should do anything we can to stop her dream from coming true,” Freya said firmly.

  Grudgingly, Lyall nodded. “All right, I’ll stay close to Flora. I’d prefer it that way anyhow.”

  Bear planted his sun-tanned arms on the tabletop. “So, I guess the only question left, is, when do we attack?”

  I bit my lip. I felt as though we were still so unprepared. Although I suspected I would feel the same even if we had a hundred years to make our plans.

  “The sooner the better,” Artair offered.

  Lyall nodded. “I agree, the quicker we attack, the less Supers Sluag can create.”

  Finlay spoke up. “There’s something I think we should do first.”

  “What is it?” I asked him.

  “Just because we can’t bury Pen, doesn’t mean that she can’t have a memorial service. I think we need to lay her to rest before we go to war.”

  He didn’t say any more, but I knew he was thinking that most of us wouldn’t be coming back from the fight, so we should say goodbye while we still had the chance.

  “Finlay’s right,” Freya agreed.

  Lyall stood up and looked at me as he spoke. “I know a place that’s perfect.”

  I got to my feet and nodded in agreement. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The journey out to the stand of willows which Lyall had chosen to be Pen’s final resting place, was quiet—giving each of us too much time to think about the upcoming battle.

  As we made our way through the dense forest, the sunlight shone through the canopy above and dappled the floor beneath our feet with spots of gold. It was peaceful and beautiful, but I suspected that none of us were really enjoying the serenity of our surroundings.

  I stole glances at the faces of my Dion as they walked alongside me. They all looked tired, pale, and haunted—I knew I looked the same.

  No one spoke, and I was sure it was because we were all caught up in our own imaginations. Each of us was weaving an individual nightmare inside our heads of how the war was going to end.

  My personal nightmare was a perfect replay of my dream. Over and over inside my mind, Lyall would die and Finlay would disappear forever, while each of my other Dion was struck down by a different Super.

  I was drawn out of my daydream by the feel of warm fingertips brushing against my own cold hands. As Lyall slipped his fingers through mine, I smiled at him, grateful for the distraction.

  He returned my smile. “How are you doing, love?”

  I gripped his hand tightly. “Okay. I’ll be better when this is over with and we’re all still alive.”

  He looked so broken in that moment I felt as though someone had knocked the breath out of me. His amber eyes lost their fire, and I would have sworn his lower lip almost quivered as he fought to offer me a rueful smile.

  “Yeah me too, love.” His voice sounded cracked.

  “Is this it?” Enid called back softly as she approached a stand of ancient willows whose trunks rose toward the sky before their branches cascaded back down toward the ground. I noticed the branches of the trees closest to the water trailed gently over the surface of the loch, making tiny ripples as they swayed in the breeze. Each tree had its own perfect image reflected back at it on the mirror of calm, green water.

  “This is it,” Lyall confirmed.

  I gave his hand a final squeeze before letting go. “This is perfect. Thank you,” I murmured.

  As we entered the grove, the bright green leaves rustled softly in the breeze. That, mixed with the sound of the water of Loch Ness lapping gently against the shore, cast a blanket of calm over me.

  We had each brought freshly picked flowers to lay at the grove. Now all of us placed our flowers on the ground as we stood in a circle beneath the green canopy. We hadn’t planned anything that would happen, past getting here, and I looked around the circle, wondering who would speak first.

  Finlay took a step forward so he was inside the circle. His eyes were moist, and his head was bowed, but he spoke up vibrantly as he talked of the woman whom he had called mother.

  “Penthesilea was an incredible woman. She was strong and brave, but she was also kind and wise. She took each and every one of us under her wing when we had no one else left in the world.

  “Although Pen lost her first Soul Keeper, it was through no fault of her own. She loved Aiden and would have given her life ten times over to see him safe. The reason she lost the man she loved, was because of Sluag, and that is why we will do whatever it takes to finish him, forever. In honour of Penthesilea Michaelson.”

  We bowed our heads and murmured our agreement.

&nbs
p; Freya spoke next. “I knew Pen longer than all of you. I didn’t always want to be a Dion, most of you know that. I’ve been pretty unbearable sometimes, in fact. But, Pen was the one person on whom I could rely, and she made me into the Dion that I am today. No matter what happens, I will do her proud.”

  When it came to Lyall’s speech, my cheeks were already wet. I had heard so many stories about the different ways that Pen had touched our lives.

  “I know most of you don’t know my whole story. But, you do know that I killed someone, someone innocent.” Lyall clenched his fists so tightly as he spoke, that his knuckles turned milk-white.

  “I had lost everything when Pen found me, and if she hadn’t brought me to Castle Dion and fixed all of the things that were wrong with me, then I probably would have lost my own life too.”

  I felt sadness well up inside me as he spoke. I knew the full story of Lyall’s childhood, and it wasn’t a happy one.

  “So, there are two ways that I can pay Penthesilea back for all of the things she did. Firstly, I’m going to make sure that I protect our Soul Keeper at all costs. Nothing is happening to Flora, as long as I’m here to stop it. Secondly, once we put Sluag down, we’re taking back Castle Dion. It doesn’t belong to the devil. It belongs to us and so help me, we will be sleeping in our own beds again before this day is done.”

  As the other Dion cheered aloud, I realised Lyall hadn’t just intended a memorial speech. That had been a battle-cry. It was his call to arms and his way of letting the other Dion know we weren’t backing down without the mother of all fights.

  In that moment, I understood what Pen had meant all of those months ago when she told me how important it was to choose the right Dion to bond with. Lyall was the leader I had needed by my side, the protector who would keep me safe from harm, and he was the one person whom I could trust to keep my heart safe.

  I took a step toward my bonded Dion, wanting to thank him for his strength. But, I was stopped in my tracks by the sound of a solitary pair of hands clapping slowly and mockingly.

  We all fell into a shocked silence as Sluag walked slowly across the clearing until he reached the centre, still clapping his bony hands as he went. I glanced around our circle, and my stomach tightened in fear as I took in the figures of perhaps thirty Super Draugur standing behind us to form their own circle. We were trapped and outnumbered.

  “Ahh, what a rousing speech, young Lyall. Again, I lament your refusal to join the winning side.” Sluag stopped clapping and instead stroked his scaly chin thoughtfully. “Unless, of course, you have changed your mind, perhaps?”

  “I’ve told you this before. I’d rather die a thousand times over than even consider joining you, monster.” Lyall curled his lip in disgust.

  Sluag shrugged. “A shame. But, your death is going to be arranged much quicker than you anticipate, I suspect, Dion.”

  I studied Sluag intently before speaking. “It’s okay, he’s not really here. He’s just projecting like he did in the cottage.” I frowned at the Supers. “I don’t think I can say the same for them, though.”

  Sluag threw back his head and roared with laughter. His mirth continued for so long I was just starting to think he had gone completely mad. Then his mouth snapped shut and, his head twisted to look at me.

  “Just projecting, Flora?” His voice was mocking. “Are you so sure of that?”

  Before I had a chance to answer, he darted across the clearing with unnatural speed until he had his bony fingers wrapped around Bear’s throat. Sluag pushed him backward until he thudded to a stop against a willow trunk.

  The brawny Dion paled instantly as Sluag’s monstrous grip on his throat cut off not just his air supply but the blood supply to his head too.

  Freya howled and dived at Sluag but he simply swatted her away as though she were made of feathers.

  “Still think I’m not really here, Little Dreamer?”

  “Sluag, stop?” I called as I rushed forward.

  My attack was swiftly ended as two firm hands wrapped around my waist and yanked me back.

  “Sorry, love, can’t let you do that. We need you alive.”

  “Lyall, let me go,” I hissed.

  Sluag bellowed in delight. “Ahh, a lovers’ tiff.” His fingers tightened around Bear’s throat, and Bear’s eyes bulged from their sockets.

  “Please?” I murmured as Freya launched herself at Sluag again, only to be batted aside once more.

  Then, just as quickly as he had grabbed Bear, Sluag abruptly let go and the Dion slid down the tree to land on the grassy floor in a broken heap. Sluag crossed the clearing again until he was facing me. Lyall pushed his body in front of mine defensively.

  “Loyal Lyall.” Sluag shook his head. “I can’t decide whether to kill you in front of Flora, or if I should kill her in front of you.”

  “Try it,” Lyall growled.

  Sluag was silent for a moment before he took a single, menacing step toward us.

  “Oh, I will. Not now, however. This is my first experience of complete liberation from the Endwood. My priority is to go and take my place inside my new castle. Flora knows I have a hankering for a throne.”

  My heart sank as I realised he was talking about Castle Dion.

  “It’s not yours,” I snarled.

  Sluag turned his back on us both, his cloak billowing out behind him as he stalked imperiously across the grove, followed closely by his Supers.

  “Then come and take it from me, Little Dreamer. I believe you’ve seen how the battle of Castle Dion ends. How brave are you feeling?”

  I closed my eyes, but I could still hear his laughter long after he had completely disappeared amongst the dense surrounding woodland.

  Chapter Thirty

  Once we were certain Sluag and his Draugur had completely gone, Lyall stepped aside and finally allowed me to run toward where Freya leaned over an unmoving Bear.

  “You have to be okay,” she was whispering, over and over again.

  I dropped to my knees beside her and pressed my fingers against the pulse point in his neck. Part of my tour guide training had included first aid, in the event a visitor keeled over on site, and I knew the basics pretty well.

  I quickly found a pulse and also confirmed he was breathing by himself. Lyall handed me his jacket, and I laid it over Bear to keep him warm.

  “Freya, he’s okay. He’s going to be okay.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as I spoke.

  She turned wide blue eyes on me—they didn’t look as ice cold as they had when I had first met her.

  “Do you swear it, Flora?” she rasped.

  I nodded. “I swear.”

  Bowing her head until her forehead came to rest on Bear’s chest, Freya breathed out deeply. “Thank you.”

  As Bear began to wake, my lips curved up in the hint of a smile. “Don’t ever try and tell me that he means nothing to you again, though.”

  She looked from Bear’s confused face to mine, and her face broke into a grin. “Tell anyone and you’re dead to me, Soul Keeper.”

  I looked around at the group of Dion who surrounded us at a little distance. “Might be a little late for that I think.”

  But Bear was awake now, and Freya’s attention was all for him.

  “So much for the element of surprise,” Artair said as I rejoined the others.

  “I hadn’t expected the veil to fall so quickly,” Lyall admitted.

  “We need to go back to the terminal and regroup. Attacking Castle Dion isn’t going to be as easy as attacking the Endwood.” Finlay ran his hands through his hair in the way he always did when he was worried. It was strange to watch the gesture performed by his new body.

  “Agreed,” Lyall said.

  “If we’re heading back now, we might need to give Bear a little help,” Enid suggested.

  “Bear doesn’t need any help.” Bear’s voice was slightly pained but still full of his usual wicked humour as he stood up.

  We all smiled in relief to see him o
n his feet so quickly, until he stumbled slightly and lost his balance. If Freya hadn’t been waiting to catch him, he would probably have ended up on his ass.

  “Bear is going to have to shut up and accept some help,” Freya growled as she supported his weight.

  He grinned at her. “A get-well kiss would probably fix me in no time, hotness.”

  “Unless you want to end up on your ass again, I suggest you shut up and start walking.” Although her words were harsh, Freya’s face was lit by a smile as she spoke.

  That was obviously good enough for Bear, and he beamed at her as she helped him to start walking.

  As I watched them, a sudden thought hit me, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

  “What is it, love?” Lyall asked in a worried voice.

  My voice was stricken. “The Everwood. If the veil has fallen, then the rogues will have passed through it. I have to go and check on my pure souls, Lyall.”

  “I’ll come with you,” he said firmly.

  I shook my head. “No, get them safely back to the terminal. There won’t be a single rogue left in the Everwood by now. They’ll be desperately trying to steal themselves a body in the mortal world.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’ll be fine. Look after the other Dion.”

  He finally agreed. “All right, love, but if you’re not with us in two hours, I’m coming for you.”

  I didn’t hesitate. I faded from where I stood in the mortal world and reappeared in the Everwood an instant later.

  I hadn’t been ready for the devastation that I found.

  The first thing I noticed was the colour of the sky. It was as though blood had been spilled across the roof of the world. This wasn’t the red-gold dawn that had promised itself in the Endwood. This was a dark and brooding sunset, the end of the day, the end of an era. The Everwood was breaking apart before my eyes.

  A cold wind whipped through the trees, tearing the blue flowers from their branches and scattering the petals across the grass. Grass which was no longer completely lush and green but a straw-yellow colour instead.