by Shea Berkley
The inky blackness reels back, shuddering from the impact. I don’t let up. Pulse after pulse slams the area, forcing the darkness back. My body slows, like I’ve lead in my veins, and I send out one last pulse. When the dust settles, the dark streaks are gone and the streets lay in quiet disorder. Those still alive are quiet, suffering from the shock of the attack, too scared to move.
The ground beneath my feet sizzles, charred and smoking. My vision is tight, like I’m staring through a tunnel. I fight for control as my chest expands with each deep breath. It actually worked?
It takes a moment before the people begin to slink back into town to find friends and loved ones. There’s a nudge to my back and a hand to my shoulder. Wyatt stands beside me, staring at the destruction. “What the hell just happened?”
“That,” Granel says, slamming his sword into its sheath as he comes alongside us, “was the blackest of magic. Dark souls. Someone released them.”
“Dark souls?” Wyatt repeats. He drops his hand from my shoulder, an unsure smile tugging his lips. “Like bad-tempered ghosts?” I can tell he’d like to shrug the notion off, but it’s got him spooked.
“More like spirits called from the abyss,” Granel corrects.
“That’s nice and creepy.” Wyatt glances my way. “Looks like you’ve got yourself one tired, cranky whore of a problem.”
Like I need him to state the obvious? From what Kera’s told me about the firsts, messing with dark magic goes against their beliefs. “Who did it?” I ask Granel.
“How would I know? But whoever it is has a lot of power and then some.”
I’m not buying his innocent act and face him. “You were in the middle of the last killing spree. Seems logical you’d be in on this one.” I know I’ve hit a nerve when the muscles in his jaw jump and the hand resting on his sword hilt tightens.
“I have made my fair share of mistakes, but these are firsts. I have never intentionally killed my own kind.”
“That’s right.” My lip curls as I turn away from him, daring him to attack me. “You only intentionally kill my kind.”
“What?” Wyatt looks from me to Granel. “You tried to kill Dylan?”
I hike up my shirtsleeve and show Wyatt the brand on my arm. “Remember seeing this? It’s the mark of death, and if it were up to him,” I nod toward Granel, “my body would be nailed head and heel to the post in the middle of town feeding the crows.”
Granel scrubs his whiskered cheek and sighs. “I have no excuses to offer. All I ever wanted was to protect those whom I believed to be in danger. I can only ask that my former actions not contaminate your thoughts toward these people. What you can do—what I just saw you do—we need your help.”
I cover the brand with a jerk. “I’m here for Kera.”
“Kera is here? In Teag?” A spark of interest enters his eyes. “Does anyone else know?”
I can actually see his mind flipping through the possibilities of her being here. And he wonders why I don’t trust him? “She was kidnapped.”
He settles his face into a mask of sympathy. “I am sorry to hear that. You do know I have many contacts throughout Teag.”
Granel offering to help me—one of the tainted? Warning bells go off in my head. “Who’s pulling your strings now?”
His lips thin. “No one.”
“That’s not really your style, is it?”
“My style?” he asks after a moment’s pause.
“Thinking for yourself.” I don’t bother waiting to hear his reply, I walk away. My knees buckle and my footing does a strange little jig. I’ve used too much energy and I haven’t had time to recharge.
Wyatt comes alongside me and catches my elbow as I teeter. “He won’t be a problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“My pinky is thicker than that idiot’s spine.”
“Don’t be so sure,” I say. “There’s nothing he won’t do to get what he wants. Working for someone else or on his own, he’s a huge problem.”
We catch up to Leo, who’s directing people like a faithful herding dog making sure his sheep are going in the right direction.
I call him over, and when he gets close, Wyatt’s impatience gets the best of him. “So we have an evil someone with sleazy minions and a populace that’s completely at their mercy. Sounds like your run-of-the-mill dictatorship that needs to be toppled, which, lucky for you, is my specialty.”
“I don’t know, bro.” The wind pushes a thick link of Leo’s dark hair into his eyes and he pushes it away. “So far all you’ve done is get Dylan in trouble. Need I remind you of the barn incident?”
Wyatt groans. “One miscalculation. Seriously, how was I supposed to know he’d light up like that?” He points to me. “Did you know?”
“Well, I—”
“I knocked out that guy with the sword and I wasn’t even on top of my game.” A mixture of desperation and hope colors his voice. “You need me.”
Seriously? He wants to stay so badly he’s begging? I don’t get it, so I ask. “Why do you want to stay here?”
“You’re kidding, right? It’s like, whiskey wild here. I might regret the hangover, but not the party. I promise, you’ll be glad I’m around.”
He’s like Jason, seeing the fun of the fight, but not the pain. The scary thing is, I need him. He has the tactical experience I don’t.
“You can’t think human,” I warn him. “There’s nothing typical about this place or any of these people.”
He nods. “Brief me on the particulars.”
My head has stopped spinning, but a dull ache has replaced it. I rub the heel of my hand against my forehead. “There’s not much to tell.” That’s a lie. There’s too much to tell and no time. “Everyone’s crazy. And to top it off, my dad’s their king.”
Wyatt laughs. “You’re a prince?”
“The heir,” Leo tells him with a wry curl of his lips. “It freaks me out, too.”
“Go on,” Wyatt stands with his feet apart and hands on his hips. Very Patton-esque of him.
There’s too much info. My mind refuses to land on any details, so I go for a generic overview, hoping he’ll catch on as we go. “This place is knee-deep in magic no one wants to control. Faldon says I should take the throne, but the people don’t want me.”
“Faldon?” Wyatt lifts his right eyebrow.
Leo leans close. “Wicked old dude who tried to kill him. He was Dylan’s grandfather.”
“Was?”
“Dylan took care of him…permanently.”
Wyatt sucks in a breath, his eyes harboring a bit more respect for me. “Nasty.”
“Something is going on with Baun,” I say, ignoring them as I think aloud, “but I just don’t know what yet.”
“Baun?” Wyatt asks.
“Their king and Dylan’s whacked-out dad. He’s imprisoned by the pux,” Leo adds.
“Pux?” Wyatt rubs the back of his neck. “You guys have mentioned them before, right?”
Leo holds up a hand and shakes his head. “Don’t ask.”
“And,” I continue, “I think Bodog agrees with the general idea of me saving Teag. I get what he means when he says this is all my fault, but it’s still crazy.”
“So let me get this straight.” Wyatt points toward the village. “You caused all this?”
“In a way.” That doesn’t sound right. “I killed Navar, who was controlling the people—”
“Killing that dude was completely unavoidable, and a good thing,” Leo says.
Nice of him to put a positive spin on that.
“But when he died, it left a hole. There’s no one to take over…” I look at the village, “…except it’s obvious someone is trying to take over.”
“So you need to find out who that is and why?”
“No.” I stare at Wyatt’s surprised face. He doesn’t get it. How could he? He wasn’t here. He didn’t see what they put me through. “I need to find Kera. That’s why I’m here.”
“Am
I missing something? What you did with those things, that was amazing. I can see why that guy wants you to help.”
“Sure, they want me now, but I wasn’t invited back. They don’t really want me here. They’re desperate. When it’s all over, trust me, they’ll turn on me, and I’ll be dead within a week.”
I know it sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. I peer through the smoke and patches of fire Granel’s men have yet to put out. “Where’s Bodog?”
“Gone,” Leo says.
I’m not surprised. He’s a shadow of the man he used to be. “Where’s Lucinda?”
I spy the woman in question a dozen yards away, lounging on the ground as she peels an orange. It’s such a simple, ordinary activity, but she looks dead sexy doing it. Her long, white hair fans out over the grass like a thick blanket. The fitted black dress she’s wearing makes the white of her hair stand out like a beacon. I have to hand it to her, she’s perfected the bored expression on her face as she watches the people file past.
I’m about to call Lucinda over when a little girl wanders close—a little too close—and stops. Lucinda stiffens. A low growl comes from her throat. The little girl doesn’t seem to notice the warning; completely captivated by the stretch of Lucinda’s impossibly long, sleek hair. The girl’s hand slowly reaches out toward the shining mass.
Leo takes a step forward, a look of horror on his face. “Oh God, she’s not going to pet her, is she? That’s not a good idea.” Leo takes off and reaches the girl, jerking her away from Lucinda just as the woman springs forward, all claws and gleaming white teeth. Leo yells something to the extent of “bad kitty,” and while he gently pushes the little girl on her way, Lucinda yanks her hair out of reach with a hiss and glares after the little girl.
“Whoa!” Wyatt says. “What’s with the blond chick?”
“She’s Leo’s...special friend.” How do you explain Lucinda? She’s one of a kind.
“How’d he bag that kind of friend?” He asks, clearly confused. Leo isn’t a guy you’d peg as a chick magnet. Not that he’s ugly; he’s sort of awkward in that lanky, disjointed way loads of tall guys are before they hit twenty-five.
“I think it’s more of a cat and mouse kind of relationship. Take my advice; you don’t want to get too close to her.”
Wyatt starts to move their way, a predatory glint in his eye. “I’m pretty sure I do.”
I stop him. “Seriously, you don’t.”
And just as I say that, Lucinda morphs into cat form and jumps into Leo’s arms, rubbing her fluffy triangular-shaped head beneath his chin and playfully nibbling at his ears. Leo sighs and tucks her beneath his arm, petting her between her ears and down her chest.
There’s a heavy silence in the air, one born of disbelief. I’ve gotten so used to the oddities of Teag, I forget how everything must seem to someone not used to magic. Wyatt blinks a few times, and the hair on his arms prickles when Leo approaches.
Without a word, Wyatt steps back, his eyes centered on Lucinda and her sleek, white furry body. “That’s freaky, dude, and not in a good way.”
Leo covers Lucinda’s ears. “Be careful. She’s sensitive.”
“I don’t care. Keep her away from me.”
But the damage is already done. The fur on her back spikes and she hisses at Wyatt before leaping to the ground. “Don’t be that way,” Leo calls. With a twitch of her tail, she stalks off. “I’m not coming after you,” he threatens as she disappears behind a building.
Leo sighs and turns back to us. “I’m going to have to go after her.” He faces me. “You know how worked up she gets when she’s in a mood. There’s no telling what she’ll do.”
Alarms go off in my head. “I thought you weren’t interested in her?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but our arrangement is of a temporary nature. We’re testing the waters.”
I’ve never seen a cat who liked water, but I keep that to myself.
“Where are you going to be?” he asks.
“Nothing’s changed for me. It’s all about finding Kera.”
“But we don’t know where she is.”
“I think Bodog has an idea—that’s why he brought me here. I’m going to go find him.”
Irritation sharpens Leo’s relaxed stance. “Really?” At my nod, he mutters, “Fine. Let me tell Cin and—”
“You can’t come along. If Bodog’s scared, which I know he is, he’ll barely trust me.”
Wyatt claps his hands, bringing our attention to him. “Sounds like you’ve got a plan.” He nods toward Granel and his men. “I’ve got one, too. While you’re gone, I think I’ll have a talk with your not-so-friendly friend about what they’re planning to do if those things come back. And if they like me, which let’s face it, everyone does, maybe they’ll let loose a few of their trade secrets.”
As Wyatt heads toward the soldiers, Leo’s deep voice calls after him. “Am I the only one with serious reservations about Dylan wandering the woods alone?”
Wyatt spins around and shrugs. “He’s more equipped to deal with what’s out there than we are.”
“So you’re just going to let him go? Alone?”
Wyatt keeps walking.
“You’re an ass.”
Wyatt flips him off without missing a step and Leo turns, pinning me with a worried frown. “People are dead. Butchered outside their own homes. It’s not safe here anymore.”
I snort. He’s got to be kidding. “When was it ever safe?”
With Friends Like These
Leo has my back…and I appreciate the fact that Leo has my back, but there are some things a guy has to do on his own. Finding Bodog is one of them. He knows where Kera is, but the little guy is skittish even on his best days. For some reason, he’s decided to trust me. I can’t drag along an entourage just because there are a few uprisings going on.
Wyatt’s right. I can handle whatever magic pops up. They can’t.
But Leo won’t let it go. As we make our way through town, he starts in on me. “You know what you have? A classic case of zombie magic.”
I step around a broken cart. “I get the apocalyptic destruction of a village by unknown beings may lead someone to question their belief system, but,” I shake my head and glance his way, “there’s no such thing as zombie magic.” At least I’m pretty sure there isn’t.
His eyes grow big. “There must be, ’cause it’s eaten all your brains since you started this magical mystery trip.”
It’s hard not to laugh when Leo says stuff like that. We jig around a man who’s desperately trying to calm a horse, and I nearly get kicked in the head for wandering too close. “I’ll be careful.”
“Careful. Riiiight.” His voice deepens with doubt. “That’s not exactly a word most people associate with you, bro. Where are you going to start looking for him? Do you even know? There’s a lot of acreage out there to cover, and that’s assuming he’s found a little nest to hide in. You could be out there for days. These people need you here. Now.”
I get what he’s saying. The air is thick with the crumblings of the battle. It’s sad, really. Kera’s town had been a place like none other. Lively, clean, and picturesque. Even now, some of the firsts are using their magic to repair the buildings; some have pulled out tables and sit around sipping tea like nothing odd has happened. Others wander aimlessly as if the small amount of magic they have left is the only thing keeping them upright. It’s the mark of denial, of hopelessness, of sheer terror in the face of an unknown future.
“Kera needs me more. I can feel her, Leo. It’s like we’re attached. I can’t close my eyes without hearing her calling me, but it’s getting fainter. I need to find her. Now.” I hop over a deep trench in the middle of the road. “Besides, the best way I can help everyone is by finding Kera.”
“How is finding her going to help anyone but you?” Leo jumps over the trench, easily landing next to me. His serious gaze searches my face. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t find her. You should, but yo
u’re doing this for yourself. Don’t act like Navar. He said what everyone wanted to hear when his real motives were all about him.”
I grab Leo by his shirtfront and jerk him close. “Navar and I are nothing alike.”
Leo’s gaze shifts to my suddenly glowing brand. Never again will I be able to deny I’m angry, not when it glows silver bright on my arm. Leo nods, causing his hair to fall into his eyes. “You’re right. Sorry.”
My gaze locks with Leo’s for a second longer before I let go with a tiny push that has him stumbling backward a few steps. I hurry forward, disturbed by what he’s said.
I am putting Kera first because her need is greater than everyone else’s.
We come to the edge of town. Beyond the fields, the forest stretches out dark and foreboding. A menacing cloud seems to have settled over Teag, but still, I prefer it to the false light that once pervaded the place.
That strange overconfidence I felt when I’d first stepped into Teag washes over me. “You want to know my plans? I’m going into the woods to find one of the tunnels. It’s where Bodog feels safest.”
“You don’t have to go. He’ll come back. He always does.”
“Not in time and not here. These people hate him about as much as they hate me. They imprisoned him.” I take a deep breath. Getting worked up isn’t helping. “I have to go to him. Make him feel safe enough to take me to Kera, or at least point me in the right direction.” Tension causes the muscle in my cheek to jump and I eye my friend. “You’ve got a choice, Leo. You’re either on my side or you’re not.”
Leo’s back snaps military straight. “That’s messed up. I’m here, aren’t I? Even after what happened to Pop. See anyone else crazy enough to follow you?” He pauses for a split second and then says in a hard but honest voice. “You don’t because I’m your only friend.”
