Reluctant Gods (The Awakening Book 2)

by Keri Armstrong

Cian shrugged. “That mutt deserves to die,” he gestured with his chin toward Nathan. “But she...” he paused. “She’s interesting.”

  Azkuran looked at him sharply. “How so?”

  “There is something about her, but I can’t put my finger on it. Besides, she likely knows a lot about our rebellious descendants, so she could be useful.”

  Azkuran turned that unnerving yellow gaze on me, considering.

  I followed Nathan’s lead and just stared straight ahead. As soon as Cian mentioned rebels, I had a sinking feeling he spoke about my friends. During the dream, I remembered ‘The Voice’—which I now recognized as Cian’s voice—asking me a lot of questions about Caleb, Gabe, and the rest of our friends.

  It was all I could do not to sink into the ground. Did I really rat them out so easily? What would happen to them if these guys decided they wanted them?

  Nathan twitched beside me as Azkuran bent down to put his face next to mine. I swiftly looked at the ground to avoid that piercing gaze.

  He scoffed and straightened.

  “Very, well. This is my vote,” he said.

  His boots turned toward Nathan and I looked up.

  “Nathan of the Chupacabras, Descendent of Ixtolan the First and his handmaiden, I know what you did and why you did it. Nevertheless, you have proven yourself untrustworthy. Therefore—”

  “No,” I breathed in horror, even before he said it.

  “—you shall be sentenced to death.” He flicked his hand and the barbeque pit roared to life.

  “No,” I screamed finding my voice. “No, that’s not fair, everything he did, he did for his sister!”

  “Silence!”

  I tried to jerk my hand free of Nathan’s so I could attack that big blond bastard, but he pulled me back. “It’s okay, Phoebe,” Nathan whispered.

  Azkuran ignored the byplay and Nathan’s remark. “I still haven’t decided about you,” he said to me. “Maybe Cian is right.”

  “What?” Kiya shouted. “You can’t be serious. The girl clearly stated she could never be part of our group because we ‘harm others’.”

  I grimaced. I didn’t remember ever saying that, even though it was true. It must have been part of the ‘truth-telling’ session.

  “Cian had a point,” Azkuran pressed on. “She could an asset if properly trained and converted to our cause.”

  ‘Like hell I would,’ I wanted to yell, but held my tongue. Survival instinct is far greater than I ever realized. I really, really, didn’t want to die. And maybe if they spared me, I could convince them to do the same with Nathan. And then find a way to protect Sara and the rest of my friends.

  That all sounded so easy inside my head.

  I took a deep breath and raised my arm, since Nathan still had my hand in a vise grip. “May I speak?”

  Azkuran’s pale brows rose for second and he nodded.

  “I came here looking for answers, but so far it has been one emergency after the other, and I’m tired of it. I’ve not even had an opportunity to sort fact from fiction, or even hear both sides of the story. So, I guess my point is, I will try to work with you if you spare us.”

  Nathan grabbed my arm. “Phoebe, what are you doing?”

  I just continued to stare ahead as he’d been doing.

  “She’s lying,” Kiya said.

  “Possibly,” Liang replied.

  “Definitely,” Nassir shouted.

  “Probably,” Azkuran allowed. “But as stated before, she could be very useful to us. Once properly trained, she could help us gather the rest.”

  My skin crawled but I remained silent.

  “You mean—” Cian started to speak.

  “Yes.” Azkuran replied before Cian could finish the sentence.

  “Sure, I’ll do whatever you want. As long as you spare us both.”

  Liang and Cian laughed while Nassir and Kiya protested.

  Nassir shouted, “His sentence has been passed. You are in no position to ask for favors.”

  The fact that he felt a need to protest gave me hope. I looked Azkuran fully in the eyes. It was clear that he was in charge.

  “Will you please spare Nathan?” I asked, resolute. “You said I could be trained and I will gladly join your side if you spare him, and family and friends. I think Nathan has already proven he would do anything to spare his loved ones. You could trust us.”

  I refused to look at Nathan. He’d gone still and silent beside me and I could only hope he understood.

  The others on the dais argued angrily among themselves and shouted protests to Azkuran. At least, two of them did. Cian still seemed to be enjoying the show, and Kiya appeared to be on the fence.

  Azkuran had to yell twice, “Enough,” before everyone stopped talking.

  “I am inclined to agree with the mongrel.”

  Nassir was outraged. “How can you say that, Azkuran? How can you be so foolish and weak?”

  He spat on the ground as he marched toward us. “Kill them both and let us be done with this foolishness.”

  Faster than my eye could process, Azkuran grabbed Nassir’s head and without effort, ripped it from the man’s body with his bare hands.

  Kiya screamed as Nassir’s body fell to the ground. Azkuran tossed the head to the side and I watched in horrified fascination as it bounced away.

  He calmly retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hands and face. “Does anyone else think I’m weak?”

  They all backed down. Even though Kiya’s eyes filled with rage, she wisely held her tongue.

  He nodded once. “Excellent, moving on.”

  He turned back to me.

  My entire body went ice cold as I suddenly remembered that I had once told Azkuran to kiss my ass. I was glad Nathan still held my hand. I leaned against him for support and felt the slight tremors that ran through his frame.

  Azkuran’s golden gaze seared my eyes. “Do you swear an oath before me now that you will support the awakening of the sleepers, and the gathering of the descendants, pursuing only our greater interests forevermore?”

  Just beyond his shoulder, Cian’s body tensed. His eyes were laser sharp, even though his face held its usual grin. This is it. This is what he was waiting on.

  Even though everything inside me rebelled, I spoke one word.

  “Yes.”

  Azkuran glanced at each of us, Nathan and me, for a moment. It felt as if everyone present held their breath until he nodded.

  “Very well. You are granted clemency, but don’t test our patience.”

  “We have none,” Cian provided. He jumped from the dais and knelt beside the blue pit. I tried to see what he was doing but my view was blocked. I didn’t dare try to get a better look since all other eyes were on Nathan and me.

  Cian stood back as the blue flame rose into the air. He came toward me, smirking. “Let’s make you whole again, little bird.”

  I started shaking my head, backing up. I knew that flame could heal. I’d seen it bring Sara back. Yet the thought of stepping in there willingly was beyond terrifying.

  Nathan’s turned to put his hands on my shoulders. “You can do this, Phoebe. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  I begged to differ.

  Before I could protest, Azkuran and Cian were moving forward and into the flame.

  I gasped as power like I’d never felt before rushed into my lungs, into my skin, thrummed through my veins. It was an energy rush that ripped me to pieces only to reassemble me again. I could see nothing but blue and white light, and then I saw nothing and everything at once. I was in all time, all space. I was the source of life and its creation. The flames grew and danced around me spinning me into the universe and collapsing me into atoms. I laughed in sheer joy.

  And when it was over I was gently lowered back to the ground, a babe delivered into mother earth’s arms waiting arms.

  I made a couple of steps then stumbled. There was something wrong with my vision.

  Azkuran and Cian helped m
e straighten. “Your perspective changed,” one of them said, but I couldn’t tell who. Sound was everywhere and I was still disoriented.

  “It will take you about three days to readjust,” they continued to advise me as someone removed my eyepatch.

  I frowned, then my hand flew to my face.

  I had two eyes, and two whole ears and the hair was my own. I looked back at the pit, and my poor wig was abandoned inside. It must have fallen off at some point.

  And yet…

  I still had only one hand.

  The others gathered around me, inspecting me.

  Cian lifted my handless arm. “This remained?”

  “A coding problem?” Liang suggested.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Cian replied.

  Azkuran joined in. “Maybe because she was born that way. It was not an illness or accident caused later in life.”

  “You think?”

  He shrugged. “It’s a possibility.”

  Kiya just glared, her arms crossed. Her silent judgment clear in her face: I was unworthy, hence the botched transformation.

  Cian led me away from the outer courtyard toward the inner one, by the entry of the palace. We came to stop before huge, mirror-like windows that reflected us clearly, and the others trailing behind us.

  “Look at your true self.”

  I gasped looking at my reflection. The skin was smooth, almost poreless. I blinked at the reflection, watching two large, almond-shaped dark brown eyes with long dark lashes blink back. Shiny, almost-black hair fell in waves from my head down to my elbows.

  Almost Sara’s twin, but not. I was still slimmer, my hair darker. My eyes perhaps a touch more tilted upward at the outer edge. I touched my lips, now full and smooth rather than scar-puckered on one side.

  I closed my eyes for a second. I still felt like me, I still let the hair fall down across the half of my face to conceal the scars but when I popped them open again there were no scars to hide.

  The face was perfect, beautiful even, except it wasn’t my own.

  It was Izzara’s.

  Cian and Azkuran stood beside me, and I could see Nathan behind them.

  His eyes were huge and he seemed dazed.

  Extreme discomfort crawled through my skin. I didn’t know how to reconcile the images either.

  “Why are you frowning?” Azkuran wanted to know. “It’s a vast improvement.”

  “It’s probably the hand,” Cian chipped in.

  “Indeed?”

  “Why didn’t you have one of those prosthetic ones?” Liang asked.

  This was familiar ground. I was almost relieved to answer. “Gran always said we didn’t have the money for it.” I shrugged. “I managed without it just fine.”

  I looked down at my arm, the one jarring note in this beautiful new symphony of a body, and was grateful. At least that piece, or lack of, was still me.

  The sound of running footsteps cut my musing short.

  The area where we stood suddenly filled with people. Some were dressed like those from Ammon’s staff, others were dressed like the giant quartet next to me.

  Cian grinned as Azkuran addressed one of the guards.

  “Bring in our guests.”

  Twenty-Three

  My stomach sank at the word ‘guests’. If Cian looked that excited, it couldn’t be good. A few seconds later, I knew for sure it wasn’t.

  I rushed to Nathan when the newcomers arrived. His face had gone bone white.

  “Nadia,” he whispered.

  Even amidst the noise, her head turned toward his voice. “Nathan?”

  Her hand outstretched but, their father, who held her arm, tightened his grip and gave her a little shake.

  Nathan came out of his trance. “Get your hands off her,” he yelled, running forward until was held back by Liang.

  “Behave.” She easily held him in place, but her tone dared him to try something.

  He was no fool. Even though I could see it was killing him, Liang could easily break every bone in his body and not even have to pause for breath.

  The man of Nathan’s nightmares glared at him, then me, before he shoved Nadia to the floor. “On your knees, Nada.”

  Nada? Wasn’t it Nadia?

  Then it hit me, and I hated him even more. Nada was the Spanish word for ‘nothing.’

  Nathan growled and his father laughed. “What will you do, runt? Challenge the Alpha from behind a woman’s arms.”

  Liang’s impassive face turned distinctly unfriendly. She glanced at Azkuran as if to say, ‘How badly can I hurt him?’

  Unfortunately, her leader shook his head.

  My hand clenched in frustration. Nathan and I were powerless without magic, and there was nothing more I’d love to do than fry these assholes right now.

  Cian clapped his hands. “Perfect timing. It is past the noon hour and I’m famished.”

  Nathan’s father bowed low. “Masters, thank you. I am deeply honored for this audience. I am here to serve as you wish.”

  Cian’s smile was snake thin. “Killian, what was your one, and only task?” he asked conversationally.

  So Killian was the piece of trash’s name. It fit.

  He rose and looked at Nathan then me. His smile was sly. “To find Izzara’s descendants before those traitors did and deliver her,” he pointed at me, “to you.”

  He drew in a breath, puffing his chest. “And as you can see, my son, under my command did just that.”

  Nathan’s lips pulled back from his teeth. It was still frightening even without fangs.

  Cian was still smiling. “Indeed, Izzara is with us again.”

  Azkuran nodded.

  The so-called alpha smiled wider. I could see in those evil eyes that he was speculating what kind of reward he could milk from this.

  I couldn’t just stand here and let him get away with it.

  “He didn’t do jack shit,” Nathan shouted.

  His father snarled, showing fangs. “Hold your tongue Omega, or I’ll rip it out from your filthy mouth.”

  “The boy has a point,” Azkuran said mildly.

  “Indeed,” said Cian.

  Kiya smiled for the first time since I’d met her and it raised the hair on my arms.

  Nathan’s father lost some of his cocky air. His smile wavered but held. “The boy always does what I tell him. Always.”

  He pulled back on his cloak of bravado but I could see he wasn’t quite as confident as before.

  I glanced at Nathan and saw he’d gone still, only his eyes moving slightly back and forth between his sister and their father.

  Without further ado, Cian pulled an Azkuran. That is, simply and swiftly walked up behind the other man and sent Bad Papa’s head in the opposite direction of his body. He made sure to push the body in our direction so most of the arterial spray got on us.

  Liang threw Nathan forward and ducked out of the way. I bent over, gagging, as Nadia called out, “What’s happening?”

  From my peripheral vision I could see Azkuran helping her to her feet. When I managed to stand again, I looked at Nathan. He was on his knees in a pool of his father’s blood. More blood covered his face and hair.

  His eyes were closed and he licked his lips clean of the residue, smiling like a satisfied cat.

  And down I went again.

  “Nathan? Nathan, what is going on?” I could hear panic in Nadia’s voice.

  This time I went to her, forgetting everything else. Azkuran still held her by her arms and I took her hands. He gazed down at us, speculative.

  “Everything is okay,” I tried to soothe her.

  There was a grunt behind me and I turned my head to look.

  Cian had thrown the body over his shoulder and was now carrying it over to the fire pit. The red one, not the blue.

  I turned back quickly. I knew what would happen next and didn’t want to watch.

  “Is he... is he dead?” Nadia asked.

  “Yes.”

  She breathed in
and out slowly. “Good.”

  I couldn’t agree more, even as I gagged on the bitter smell of roasting flesh.

  A few seconds later Cian returned and spoke to Nathan. “I’m not big on sharing but, would you like a piece?”

  Nathan nodded. “Leave me his fucking heart.”

  Twenty-Four

  It’s amazing how, even when the stomach should be empty, the gag reflex can still be going strong. Mine was working overtime. I’d have to pay it time and a half.

  Cian nodded at Nathan after their exchange then calmly ordered, “Seize her.”

  There was a moment of confusion about who he meant. Azkuran moved Nadia out of my hands and into the hands of one of the large, black-suited guards.

  “Nathan?” Nadia cried.

  “What are you doing?” Nathan shouted.

  “Making sure you do as you’re told,” Cian said, easily holding Nathan back.

  “Take her to a holding cell,” Azkuran ordered.

  I ran after them, yelling. “No. Don’t you think she had enough?”

  “You want to use her as leverage, fine, but don’t treat her like a criminal when she’s done nothing wrong. Take her to a room and let either Nathan or me go with her.”

  Liang and Kiya huffed in disbelief. Azkuran raised an eyebrow and I knew I was pushing my luck again.

  “I’m sorry if you think I’m being disrespectful. But it wouldn’t kill you to show a little bit of kindness. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness.”

  Kiya snorted. I ignored her.

  “Fine. You follow me then.” His tone was flat, almost bored.

  “You’re going to let—” Liang’s voice died off when Azkuran turned that cold gaze on her.

  Nathan struggled against Cian. “I’ll go.”

  “It’s okay, Nathan,” I said quickly. “I’ll watch after her.”

  His expression was tortured, conflicted, but he nodded.

  Not that he really had a choice, and we both knew it.

  I turned to Nadia. “I’m Phoebe, a friend of your brother.”

  “I know who you are,” she said. “Nathan has told me a lot about you.”

  Nathan groaned. “Nadia,” he almost whined.

  In the midst of all of this, I had to smile. That type of sibling relationship, at least, was very familiar to me.