“How did they get past the barrier?” Lome questioned, kneeling down to examine the lesser immortal by his feet.
“Portals,” Thane revealed. “The initial attack was a distraction. All so they could breach our shield and try to retrieve their friend.” He gestured to the sealed door at the back of the room. He sent silent thanks to his witch allies who had made the dungeon impenetrable to magical entry. The only way inside was through the metal door.
Lome’s brows furrowed. “They couldn’t have possibly believed their plan would work.” He expressed Thane’s original thoughts. “This isn’t the rebellion where our enemies defeated innocents to try and achieve notoriety and rise in the ranks. The attack targeted us. They had to know they didn’t stand a chance.”
Thane couldn’t agree more. Then again, he wouldn’t pretend to understand the minds of the crazed rebels.
Movement from the hall drew their attention. Petre, the mansion’s steward, crossed into the room. He eyed the bodies on the ground before locking eyes with Thane. “What would you like us to do with the bodies, Lord Thane?” Behind Petre, several more lesser immortal servants stood ready to assist.
Thane glanced back at the sealed entrance. He didn’t think it would be a good idea to house the rebels in the same area as their powerful colleague. “Take them to the garages. Tie them up and keep them unconscious. We will have the Nightsbane Clan enchant the building to keep them contained.”
“Very good, Sir.” Petre flicked his fingers and two pairs of males entered. They mounted the limp bodies onto the two litters between them before carrying them away.
Thane directed his next words at Des. “Darcie should have already contacted the clan to come assist us with refortification, but should I be the one to ask her to add the garage task to her request?” He looked pointedly at Des’ still-fisted hands. His brother was still trying to reign in the power he’d released.
Des followed his gaze and jerked his head once. “That might be best.”
After placing a consoling hand on his brother’s shoulder, Thane excused himself. The sooner the Nightsbane clan could secure the makeshift prison, the better.
He spared a brief thought for why members of the Nightsbane clan had not arrived to assist them during the attack, but he quickly shoved the question aside. The powerful clan might be their ally, but that did not make the magical beings warriors.
Rather than transport to Darcie’s rooms, Thane decided to relieve the tension from his muscles by walking. He moved through the outer corridor with little hindrance. The servants had outdone themselves with their quick and efficient work. There were no broken fixtures or bodies blocking his path. Most of it was cleaned using their immortal gifts and abilities. Thane made a note to express his gratitude for their loyalty. It didn’t feel deserved.
To avoid being seen and potentially delayed by conversation, Thane turned left and pushed open the wooden door concealing a stairwell. There were several such structures built in the mansion. While they were constructed with servants in mind, Thane and his brothers often utilized the secret passages in order to avoid attention. Having every move monitored could be tiresome, as was fazing from every single location.
Thane climbed to the third floor, assuming Darcie would still be safely stowed in her quarters. Des would not have joined the fight unless he knew his One was protected from the invaders. He stepped into the hall, the plush carpet absorbing his footfalls. He’d taken five steps before he froze.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
A feeling of dread pressed down upon him as he rushed towards the family rooms. He flung open Lome’s room. Then Eshe’s.
Nothing.
He continued to his own room. Seeing it clear, he rushed towards Des’ private chambers. Nothing but emptiness greeted him.
Finally, Thane’s eyes landed on the door at the far end of the hall. He knew before he pushed the heavy door inward that he would not like what he saw in Darcie’s room.
He growled low, but the two hooded figures standing over Eshe and Darcie did not move a muscle. The enemies had their back to the door, facing the wide windows. Eshe and Darcie sat with their backs against the wall, a protective barrier keeping the intruders at bay. Darcie’s hands were thrown out in front of her body, and her arms shook from the effort of her spell. Disheveled hair covered her shoulders, and her clothes were astray.
The cloaked figures continued staring at the shield erected around the two immortals. It wasn’t until Thane stepped inside that the silent spell cast on the room dissipated. He could hear the enemies chanting. Cracks and snaps of power traveled to his ears. They were trying to breach Darcie’s defenses. His power erupted in his hands.
Almond eyes snapped to his. “Thane!” Eshe called out. “Duck.”
Thane did not hesitate. He listened to his sister-in-law’s command and rolled out of the way as a streak of light brushed past his shirt. He cringed at the sharp burn left by the attempt. He looked down at the scorched skin with a frown.
Looking up, he deflected the shorter figure’s second attack. He would not be caught off guard twice.
The individual’s companion snarled angrily. The feminine voice spoke in a guttural language, but Thane easily translated the Russian words. “Stop. The girl is our priority.”
“He is a threat,” the shorter one replied. Now that they weren’t chanting in ominous tones, Thane concluded both of the cloaked figures were females—witches from the mysterious clan given their black attire.
“He is not.” The taller witch lifted her hand and stark black curtain quickly descended from the ceiling. It thumped loudly against the ground, blocking his family members and their attackers from sight.
“NO!” Thane roared and charged. The structure was not movable like a curtain would be. It was as hard as a stone wall. He shot several bursts of power into it. The darkness absorbed each burst of energy. And each time, Thane swore the wall swelled—like it was becoming stronger with each attempt to destroy it.
Thane roared again but dropped his fists. He stepped back, huffing while examining the formidable wall. What kind of spell could keep an Original Immortal at bay?
“Thane?” Lome appeared in the doorway. “I heard you shouting. What’s wrong?” The sound-masking spell around the room must have lifted.
Thane saw the moment his brother noticed the newest addition to the room. Lome scowled and moved closer to the black wall. “What is this?”
“A blockade. Witches are on the other side with Eshe and Darcie.”
Lome did not waste a moment. He punched the wall, his purple flames spreading across the black surface. Nothing happened, but Lome did not give up. He reared back for another punch, but Thane grabbed his forearm.
Lome shirked him off and spun around with rage-filled eyes. “What are you doing?”
“Attacking with our abilities strengthens the barrier,” he said.
“I don’t care!” Lome shouted, pointing a shaky finger at the wall. “Eshe and Darcie are over there.”
The air in the room shifted. Thane stiffened. He didn’t need to turn around to see who’d arrived. He could sense Des’ volatile power pressing against his skin, threatening to detonate given the slightest provocation.
“Over where?” Des’ deadly voice entered the room as did he.
The anger faded from Lome’s gaze. He swallowed and looked at Thane. They both knew Des was on the edge of complete and total destruction. He was riding high from the initial battle and learning his One was in danger would tip the scales to ruthless abandon. He would destroy anyone and anything that stood in his way.
“On the other side of the barrier,” Thane finally replied.
Des eyed the contraption. His green irises swirled with fury but tendrils of logic lingered, giving Thane hope.
Des approached the dark wall and placed his tan hand on its surface. His power radiated out, creeping along the wall in a spider web design. The wall hissed, and smoke trailed into the air.
> “Des?” Thane did not want to distract his brother from the task, but he needed confirmation his brother was still with them. Thane didn’t know what kind of power he was unleashing to destroy the resilient wall, but he prayed to The Creator that Des could reign it back in once his task was complete.
Lome shifted forward, standing beside Thane. The pair watched their brother work until his power had reached all four corners of the formidable structure. Thane held his breath, waiting to see what Des would do next.
Des dropped his hand and stepped back. He rolled his shoulder and neck—the movement looked almost robotic.
On an exhale, Des said, “Unleash.” Blinding white light swelled against the wall. Then, the immortal power obeyed its master’s command.
Thane and Lome were blown back by the release. Thane collided painfully with the dresser against the wall. The ornate handles dug into his back sharply before he fell to the ground on hands and knees. His eyes watered—burned by the intense white light.
Blinking, he looked up and stared at Des.
His brother hadn’t moved from where he was, but the black wall was no longer in front of him. Thane could see the two cloaked figures, but he no longer saw Darcie’s protective barrier.
A gust of wind blew by Thane, drawing his eyes back to Des. His brother stood in a swirling vortex of his own making. His shirt flung around him, and his hair blew into his face. But none of it affected Des. His attention rested on the group in front of him.
Rising to his feet, Thane cleared his throat. “Des. Stay calm.”
There was no response.
Thane stepped closer, careful to move slowly and not startle his brother. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lome do the same. The two shared a glance, both conveying their unease with their brother’s state and covertly agreeing to keep him from causing anyone harm—including the witches. The Alliance needed them. It wasn’t every day that witches could construct a spell to effectively hinder Original Immortals. They needed to know who, and what, they were dealing with. Perhaps they would be more compliant than the warlock currently locked in their dungeon.
The witches didn’t move. The taller one stood beside Darcie and Eshe; her hand held out over them as if she was holding them in place with a spell. The shorter witch faced Des with crossed arms, unaffected by Des’ display of power.
“Who are you?” Des did not sound like himself. There was an eerie and dangerous quality to his voice. It indicated just how far gone he was.
“Lord Des. We finally meet.”
“Who are you?” His voice carried an even more lethal note than before.
“We are members of clan Negrisi.” The shorter witch pulled back her hood. She was younger than Thane expected. Her brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her pale skin was marked with freckles.
Des’ head lifted higher. “Negrisi?” It sounded like he recognized the name.
“Yes.” The witch smiled. Thane did not understand why the woman seemed so calm. She stared down the most powerful Original, and he was seconds away from releasing hell-fire on her and her companion. Why wasn’t she quivering in fear?
“Perhaps you remember our ancient sister?”
Thane’s attention shifted to Des as he said, “Charlotte.”
Thane only knew of one woman named Charlotte. She’d lived centuries ago. She was one of Des’ soulmates. And like every soulmate prior to Darcie, she met an untimely end at the hands of Adir. Their rebellious Original sibling had spent his life striving to keep Des from fulfilling the bond with his One, killing the innocent women out of jealousy and greed.
Other than that, Thane knew very little about the young woman. Des had taken great lengths to conceal her existence from the general immortal population and kept her away from their family’s home. Des had believed discretion would be the key to keeping Charlotte alive until they could bond. Unfortunately, he’d been wrong.
“Yes,” the young witch confirmed. “One of the greatest witches in our clan’s history. Extinguished from existence by you and your brethren.”
“Charlotte was not a witch,” Des replied in a flat voice. “I would have known.”
The taller witch broke her bout of silence. “Are you sure about that?” she asked, smirking.
Des did not answer. He showed no outward signs of his turmoil, but Thane knew his brother was struggling to rationalize and think through the information, all while being at the mercy of his own power.
Thane stepped forward. “You should know Adir was the immortal responsible for Charlotte’s death.”
Darcie had once shared a vision of Adir visiting Des and Charlotte. She’d been drawn into the memory by the rebellious Original, and she’d learned Adir and Charlotte had once been lovers. Adir had admitted to snuffing out Charlotte’s life the moment she decided to fulfill her destiny as Des’ One—just like he did to all of Des’ soulmates. It didn’t matter that Adir loved her. He was determined to keep Des and his brothers from ever gaining more strength.
But the information did not affect the witches. “We are aware of our master’s treachery.”
Master?
“But Charlotte was wrong to betray him,” the shorter witch continued. “She was wrong to choose a fate with Lord Des. Her life was forfeit once she made that choice.”
Des snarled. “Enough. Release them.” The still-hooded witch continued to hover over Darcie and Eshe. Neither of them said a word; they were still under the influence of the witch’s power.
“Not until we retrieve The Veritas.”
So that was their goal.
Again, Thane and his brothers had been duped. The attack might have wanted to achieve the warlock’s release, but their odds of success were extremely low. The rescue attempt had served as another distraction. All so that the two gifted witches before him could find Darcie and pry the immensely powerful spell book from her young, immortal hands.
Unfortunately for them, their mission was doomed to fail.
“The Veritas is not here.” Thane took another step forward. He stood to Des’ left. Lome moved to stand by their brother’s right.
The short witch maintained her smile, but it turned cold. “We are aware of that, Lord Thane.”
“Then release them,” Lome bit out. “You will not retrieve the book this day, but perhaps we will not kill you. Drop your spell.”
For a moment, Thane believed the witches contemplated the offer. He felt sure they would abandon their objective in order to live and fight another day.
But he was wrong.
The shorter witch lifted her hand. Thane braced himself, thinking the attack would be coming their way. But the air flew out of his lungs when he saw the flicker of light fly from the witch’s palm towards Darcie’s chest.
Darcie’s blue eyes rolled into the back of her head as her muscles threw her back and forth. The taller witch must have dropped her hold because Darcie’s body flung forward and continued to seize. Drool escaped the corner of her mouth and blood dripped out of her nostrils.
Eshe lurched forward to help Darcie, but a swipe from the tall witch’s hand sent her flying back and colliding with the wall. She crumbled from the impact.
It all happened so quickly, Thane did not have time to react.
Des did not experience the same delay.
The sound of thunder assaulted Thane’s eardrums, and the crack of lightening flew across his vision. The lights went out, and Des released a terrifying and earth-shattering bellow, filled with the promise of swift extermination.
12
“Do not lose yourself, Des!” Thane’s shout was carried away by the storm swirling in the room. Even so, his warning had come too late.
Flashes of lightening flung around them, followed by booms of thunder. Darcie continued to seize on the floor as the witch hovered over her. Des’ steps were heavy and full of ominous power as he closed the distance between him and his One. Wind continued to rip at his clothing, traveling with him as he progressed forward.
The shorter witch stepped in Des’ path. Her palms called forth a black mass—the same material used to construct their formidable wall. But before it could grow in size, the forming spell disintegrated into black powder. Thane hadn’t seen him do anything, but he knew Des was responsible. Des’ abilities had expanded and filled the entire room. It contaminated the air. Thane could feel it with each breath.
Des shoved the smaller witch to the side. The female looked stunned. She hadn’t expected her spell to be so easily thwarted. She stumbled back into a strong body. Lome had already wrapped her in ropes made from his abilities before she realized she’d been caught.
Thane’s attention returned to Des. His shoulders were stiff, and his muscles rippled beneath his billowing shirt. Des was ready for a fight. He was ready to make the taller witch pay for harming his One.
From the corner of his eye, Thane saw Eshe regain consciousness. She pushed herself up and touched a tender spot on the back of her head. One second later, her brown eyes widened as she took in the state of the room. She pressed her back against the wall and swallowed thickly as she observed Des. No doubt, she could see and feel the immense power encompassing him and room around her. Thane needed to act before Des did anything he’d regret.
He stepped forward. “Des. Think about what you are planning to do.” More than likely, he was contemplating several ways to end the offending witch’s life. Thane couldn’t let that happen.
The taller witch glanced at Des. Fear filled her expression, but she did not release Darcie from whatever was controlling her. She returned her focus to the seizing young woman.
In the blink of an eye, Des closed the distance and wrapped a strong hand around the witch’s throat. She gasped and scratched his arm. Red, angry lines marred his skin, but it made no difference. Des was beyond feeling pain.
The witch’s fingers illuminated with some spell. No doubt, it was intended to make Des release her. But almost the moment the lights flickered on her fingertips, they sputtered out like dying flames. Des was immune to all attacks, including those conjured by the powerful beings before him. He was unstoppable.
Endured (Immortal Chronicles Book 5) Page 7
