“Yes,” said Eshe. “Looks like there are some rogue warlocks and witches helping the few remaining rebels.”
“That would explain how they managed to stay hidden for so long,” Darcie observed.
“Yes, but we have you and your visions,” Des stepped forward. This time, he did not stop himself from reaching out and grabbing Darcie’s hand. “I’d say we still have the upper hand.”
Darcie pulled away, and her angry expression returned. “Let’s see if I feel like sharing my visions with you in the future. Who knows? Maybe Eshe and I will go try to capture rebels by ourselves.”
Eshe chuckled while Des frowned.
“Hey.” Thane lifted his hands innocently. “I wasn’t the one who decided to keep you in the dark.”
Des glared at his brother, but Thane did not feel bad. It was the truth. Now, it was time for Des to face the music.
“As much as I would love to stay here and watch you two lovebirds argue,” Eshe interrupted, “we do have a prisoner in our dungeons who could probably tell us exactly who and what we are dealing with.”
Darcie crossed her arms. “You think the warlock will talk?”
“After experiencing some of Lome’s methods?” Thane lifted a knowing brow. “Yes.”
“Hm.” Darcie stared off towards the house. Unease flared in her eyes, and her intense stare made Thane wonder if she could somehow see into the depths of the dungeon.
Thane hoped she was just imagining the sight and not trying to utilize her abilities to watch the interrogation. Torturing a captive for information was not ideal, but it was a necessary evil to prevent another rebel uprising. The world almost did not make it out of the last one unscathed.
“I should tell my mother.” Darcie swung her intelligent blue irises back to Thane. “She and the Nightsbane clan might know who has the ability to manifest portals.”
It still amazed Thane how the great and powerful Nightsbane clan had finally allied with The Alliance during the rebellion. They were a crucial element to the group’s success, and he would be forever grateful to the elusive group of magical beings. Although, he wasn’t naïve enough to believe the clan acted on the behalf of mankind.
No. Thane knew the powerful young woman standing before him and her similarly powerful mother were the reasons the Nightsbane clan finally got their heads out of their asses and decided to help The Alliance defeat Adir’s destructive rebellion. The women were two of the clan’s most powerful members, and the rest of the clan leaders had wanted to stay on their good side.
“Good idea,” Des said. He stepped forward and wrapped a strong arm around Darcie’s shoulders. She tried to shrug him off, but he held firm.
“How about we go inside and grab some dinner? I can beg for your forgiveness while we eat.” Des managed to shake off his earlier worry about upsetting his soulmate and was now focused on earning her forgiveness.
Thane covered his smirk with a hand. Des was the epitome of “whipped”, as he heard the newest generation of young people say.
Darcie’s nostrils flared as she huffed, “You’re lucky I’m hungry.” Then, without warning, she turned inward and used her momentum to shove Des back a step. Using his imbalance to get away, she spun around and stomped off towards the mansion.
Gone was the timid creature Thane first met in the modest library in Maine. Darcie was a force to be reckoned with, and Thane suspected his brother didn’t mind the challenge one bit.
After a surprised blink or two, Des shook his head with a smile and rushed after his One.
Eshe and Thane grinned in their wake. They enjoyed finally seeing their brother get as good as he got.
3
“Thane, we’re ready for you.” Lome stepped onto the stone terrace. His words possessed a hint of caution.
Thane pushed off the patio chair and walked toward the balcony doors which extended from his personal rooms. The balcony had been his and Bella’s favorite place to spend their afternoons, and he found solace being in the meaningful spot. “Very well.”
Lome observed his approach, searching his expression to discern his mood. Thane wished his brother would relax, but he couldn’t blame him for his continued wariness. Thane had spent weeks in an emotional void, falling into a deep pit of darkness and emptiness. Losing Bella had nearly destroyed him, and it made him an undesirable immortal to be around.
But after Adir’s downfall, Thane had resumed his role as the leader of The Council. The group of Original Immortals were charged with overseeing the world and monitoring lesser immortals’ involvement with mortals, and he had always acted as the figurehead for the organization. And, as displayed the previous evening, he’d resumed carrying out reconnaissance and intelligence missions on behalf of The Council.
Yet, despite all that progress, Thane knew his family waited nervously in the wings, fully expecting him to break down at any moment.
Thane nodded to Lome as he walked past, leading the way through the mansion to the main parlor where the informal council meeting would be held. Using his immortal abilities to transport directly to the meeting would be faster, but with the powerful protective spells and enchantments placed on the mansion to thwart unwanted visitors and intruders, walking was simply easier.
The soles of Thane’s shoes clicked against the clean marble floor as he stepped off the last step on the spiral staircase. The parlor’s wide doors stood open. He rolled his shoulders back as he crossed the threshold.
Thane’s eyes landed on Eshe, Des and Darcie. They stood to the right of the entrance. Lome brushed past Thane and moved to his wife’s side. His fingers touched Eshe’s tan wrist before he let his hand fall to his side.
“Thane,” Julisanna’s sultry voice called his name. “It is good to see you.”
Thane turned to the stunning immortal. Julisanna’s blonde hair and light eyes illuminated when she smiled at him. Her hips swayed as she walked towards him. Her skin-tight dress left nothing to the imagination.
It’d been a week since Thane had seen any the Originals aside from Des and Lome. He’d actively tried to stay away as much as possible; Thane could only don an aloof mask for so long. He had no patience for the subtle games played by the strongest beings alive. But as the leader of The Council, he could not avoid them entirely.
“Julisanna,” he returned her greeting, lifting the hand she offered to his lips. His mouth barely touched her skin before he released her slim fingers.
Eros, another one of his fellow Originals, appeared at Julisanna’s side. “Now that we are all here, can we get this meeting underway? I have a lady friend who is waiting for me back in my chateau.” The flirtatious male shot Darcie a suggestive glance, not at all bothered that she was, technically, a member of his family. Darcie’s father was a very distant descendant of Eros, but the Original was very adamant that the relation was almost miniscule. Practically non-existent.
Thane smirked as Darcie rolled her eyes at Eros, but his smile widened after seeing Des glare at the male. Eros was the ancestor of seductive sirens and irresistible incubi. And like his offspring, Eros constantly unleashed his charms on those around him—regardless if their soulmate was standing next to them.
Before either of the males could do or say anything they’d regret, Thane gestured his arm towards the table at the far end of the space. “After you.”
Thane followed Eros and Julisanna to the round table. His siblings and their Ones trailed behind him, and they all sat to his right, leaving him to sit beside Eros. Charmian, the immortal from whom the witch and warlock bloodlines originated, sat beside Eros and Julisanna. Observing the group, Thane struggled with the truth of their reduced number.
There were once nine Original Immortals, but after the treacherous acts of Evetta, Faine and Adir, their pseudo-family’s number was down to six. While the nine of them had not always been close and often argued amongst themselves, they had spent millennia living and walking the earth together. They established friendships, relationships, and even
trust throughout the years, but all that had changed.
The new reality would take getting used to.
Thane spared a glance to each of his brothers. After losing the love of his life and the upheaval of the Originals’ family, Des and Lome were all he had left in the bleak world. They were the only ones he could trust.
Sensing his gaze, Des turned to look at Thane. He read his emotions, and Des’ eyes dimmed ever so slightly, sharing in his brother’s sadness, before quickly schooling his features.
Des turned away and began without ceremony. “We are here to discuss the events of our most recent mission.”
“A mission no one else in The Alliance, or even The Council, knew about.” Charmian frowned, displeased. That wasn’t entirely true, but Thane wasn’t going to rat out the witches who had helped cloak them with silence spells. He’d promised them anonymity for their help.
“The intel was time sensitive,” Des stated. “There was no time for politics or debate. We needed to act right away.”
“How convenient,” Eros drawled, “that no one is able to discredit your excuse—seeing that Darcie was the source of your intelligence.”
The young woman’s back straightened. The skin between her brows furrowed. “Des is telling the truth. My vision happened only hours before the rebel meeting.”
“Hours?” Eros tilted his head. “How could you know the date of your vision and also the time? Was a calendar a part of your vision? Or perhaps one of the rebels flashed you his watch?”
Thane heard his middle brother’s growl. Des looked ready to jump across the table and punch Eros for his rude tone. Thane wouldn’t blame him, but he would try to stop him.
Darcie placed a small hand on Des’ flexed forearm. “No.” She met Eros’ probing stare. “I just knew.”
“Indeed?” Charmian joined the conversation, leaning forward and eyeing her granddaughter with unveiled interest. “Your visions are becoming stronger. More informative.”
Darcie’s gaze flicked towards Charmian before returning safely to Eros. “No. I’m just better at reading them.” She still wasn’t comfortable interacting with her grandmother. After all, she’d only recently learned of their relationship.
“Ah.” Charmian grinned with excitement. “I see your work with the Elder is paying off.”
Des agitation increased, and he scowled with annoyance.
Thane groaned. He knew his brother did not like Darcie training with the Elder in the Realm of the Fae. They’d only recently learned the truth about the otherworldly beings and their mysterious land. Every time Darcie traveled to train in Eirie, Des would return to the mansion in a foul mood, ready to pick a fight with anyone for the slightest offense. He did not like his One venturing to the mystical, unknown world without him. Especially, not after the danger Adir’s rebellion had caused for the young woman.
But regardless of Des’ unease, Darcie’s training with the powerful Elder proved invaluable in helping her develop and control her immense witch and immortal powers. She’d only been training with him for less than a year, yet Darcie’s abilities had increased exponentially. She was becoming a force to be reckoned with.
“We can discuss Darcie’s visions at another time,” Thane interrupted, sounding like the leader he’d always been. No one could sense just how much he had changed. No one knew how damaged his soul was. “The more pressing issue is our guest.”
The curious atmosphere in the room shifted at the mention of the warlock.
“Did he truly call upon a portal?” Charmian’s question held equal hints of unease and awe.
“He used a portal,” Thane stated. “We do not know if he was the one who created it.”
“He was.”
Several eyes swung to Darcie.
“How do you know?” It was Des who voiced the question.
“Because I went down to the dungeons with Lome.”
“You what?” It was never a good thing when Des’ voice dropped to such a dangerously low level.
Darcie was unrepentant. “I wanted to speak with him.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Des’ words were thrown towards Lome.
The youngest of the three brothers did not flinch, but a healthy amount of apprehension seeped into his brown eyes. “I wasn’t aware of her plans until she was already in the dungeon.”
Des’ neck snapped back to Darcie. “What were you thinking?”
“That we needed answers,” she responded. “And I knew the warlock would give them to me.”
“Through another vision?” Charmian entered the couple’s dispute without a second thought. The Original was too fascinated by Darcie’s gift to show caution.
“No, not another vision.” She gave Des a pointed look. “From the first one. I saw the rebel meeting, but I also saw the warlock in Lome’s custody.”
A loud smack hit the air when Des slammed his hand onto the round table. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Darcie crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. Sometimes, she acted like a woman more mature than her nineteen years should allow. Then, there were times when Thane remembered Darcie was a teenager thrown into a crazy and dangerous reality. She was handling it the best she could.
“Like how you told me about going on the mission?”
Darcie wasn’t wrong to be angry. Des should have told her when he and his siblings left to intercept the rebels. Visiting the dungeons without telling anyone might be foolish, but Thane could see how she believed it to be equal to Des’ offense.
But now was not the time to try and make a point. Not when Des’ control had grown so thin.
“Nothing happened,” Lome spoke, trying to calm his agitated brother. “I stayed the whole time.
“Yet, you did not make her leave?” The chair underneath Thane began to tremble.
“No one can make me do anything,” Darcie countered. “All I did was talk to the guy. What’s the big deal?”
The question was never answered.
Thane hissed as the legs of the table rattled against the ground. Murmurs of surprise filled the room. No one but Lome and Thane recognized the signs that their brother was about to lose control of the great power inside him.
“Enough, Des.” Thane stood on his feet and stared down at his unseeing brother.
Noticing his odd expression, Darcie used the hand on Des’ forearm to shake him.
Gone was her anger. She stared at him with worry when he did not react. “Des?”
He didn’t hear her.
“Clear the room.” When no one moved to leave, Thane shouted, “NOW!”
The remaining immortals scattered, including Lome and Eshe. The male had to insist before his wife finally agreed to abandon the room. Thane did not miss the alarmed expression so rarely seen on the Egyptian’s face.
Thane looked back at Des. The furniture continued to shake, and the portraits on the wall began rattling on their hooks.
“What is happening?” Darcie asked, standing up. Both she and Thane stared at Des, but the immortal did not so much as blink. Thane could feel the heat of his brother’s power filling the room.
“Des is fighting to control his abilities.”
“What do you mean?”
Thane looked away from his ticking time bomb of a brother. “I mean, that unless we do something to get him to release his volatile emotions, there is a very good chance he will level this mansion to the ground.”
Darcie choked on words before they could leave her throat. Her wide eyes scanned Des from head to toe. She saw his flat eyes and the flickers of electricity firing underneath his tan skin. Thane knew the moment she acknowledged the danger was real.
She gulped. “What do we do?”
“Move into his line of sight.” Thane gestured to the other side of the round table.
Darcie followed his instruction and moved until she stood directly across from Des. Her worried eyes trailed over the unmoving male. “Now what?”
Thane tugged a hand through his
hair. He didn’t really know what to do. He and Lome had seen short spurts of Des losing control but nothing so sustained. They should have addressed the problem sooner. “Try talking to him.”
Darcie cleared her throat. “Des? Can you hear me?”
No response.
“Come on, Des. Whatever is happening, you need to snap out of it.” Her worry was obvious. She cared deeply for him, and his unresponsive state troubled her.
A fresh tremor rolled across the floor. Still, Des did not respond.
Darcie bit her lip. She looked at Thane. “What if I’m making it worse?”
“You’re the only one who can help him at this point.” Thane was pretty sure he was right, but he couldn’t be certain until she tried.
Darcie exhaled one long breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, determination highlighted her features. “Des, you’re scaring me.”
A slight shudder traveled from Thane’s shoes to his neck. He saw his brother’s fingers twitch.
“Des?” Darcie noticed the reaction as well. “Can you hear me?”
He did not answer, but both Thane and Darcie watched as his eyes shuttered in one long blink.
Darcie leaned forward. “Des, I love you. Snap out of it… please.”
Thane didn’t know if it was her declaration or plea that brought Des back from the brink of destruction, but Darcie’s words worked. The shudders and tremors ceased, and the last remnants of stifling power dissipated from the air. Thane sighed in relief, collapsing back into his seat. A bead of sweat rolled down his neck.
“Darcie?” Des continued to blink as if regaining his vision after being locked in a dark room. “What happened?”
Thane spoke before Darcie had the chance. “Your powers have been building up on you, Brother. Looks like not fighting with rebels has taken its toll.” He tried to sound smooth and unworried.
Thane hadn’t concealed his fear in the moment, but now that Des had regained control, he knew his brother would not want Darcie to know the full extent of the danger she was just in. Thane needed to play off his anxious behavior from moments ago.
Endured (Immortal Chronicles Book 5) Page 2
