We heard the sound of the old doors opening and we gathered around ours, peeking through the large gaps between the crumbling wood. Someone entered followed by several more, maybe twelve total and they headed right for the cage where Seth was.
“Our little Prince is human again, good.”
“Come to torture me some more?”
“Is that a request?”
“You can try but you’ll fail. I’m glad you brought everyone. It’ll make stopping your plans easier.”
“Stopping us?” The kid laughed but he didn’t seem like a kid. He had to be almost sixteen. Maybe that’s why they wanted to rush the plans. “Really? Aren’t you forgetting that you’re stuck in there and we still have your precious Princess?”
Seth laughed this time. “No you don’t.”
The boy’s face went blank and we had to try not to laugh.
“You don’t even know where she is.” Seth said. “And if you did, you wouldn’t dare try to get her out.”
“And how is it you would know?”
Seth smiled and brought his hands towards the bars. When he gripped them, the door closed and locked everyone in. The boys were frightened, unsure how that just happened. It was funny but I began to see what little part the rest of them really played in all of this. The one Seth spoke to had to be Curtis and he seemed to be the only real threat.
I looked back at Zayden, wondering if maybe he saw it to. He nodded and seemed proud that I cared about not killing the innocent.
“If they get involved then they’re choosing death.” He whispered. “Protect Seth.”
I nodded and looked back to watch. Seth had his hands out to the side and the bars of the cage began to bend away from him until they snapped under pressure. He was freed and picked up his father’s weapons, looking at all the still faces.
“You could say a little birdy told me she was safe.”
Bryce and I both smiled and we got the okay to step out.
“Tweet. Tweet.”
The boys saw us and an even greater fear coursed through them. They knew who we were.
“What is this?” Curtis asked.
“Anyone who doesn’t want to get involved should step back.” I said. “It’s about to get hot.”
I unleashed my anger. My eyes turned red and fire ignited around me until I calmed myself enough that it only rested on my shoulders, hair and hands.
The boys were small children at this point and backed away as fast as they could; all but three, Curtis and two others that looked to be as old as him. Everyone else was probably much younger but it was perfect. Three of us and three of them. It looked like we got to have our firsts after all. They were there to protect him while we were here to protect Seth. Everything seemed to plan itself out. Curtis would be for Seth and the other two, well, it didn’t much matter how we split those up. They were going to die just the same.
“I will not have a bunch of kids ruin my plans.” Curtis said.
“You are a kid.” Seth replied. “But you won’t be for long. That’s why you’re pushing it. You’re afraid of who would be sent to stop you but you miscalculated. We’re of their blood and we’re here to stop you.”
“Kill him.” Curtis said. “Before he gives me a migraine.”
The two that stayed stepped towards Seth but so did we. Zayden said to protect Seth and that’s what I intended to do.
I moved Seth from a punch, like he would have needed my help to but this was my kill. I stopped the fist with a swift one of my own. I could hear the bones breaking beneath his cries and it ended too easily with my head slamming into his, leaving a crater in his skull. It felt amazing but it was over too quickly.
Bryce was eager to get his chance as I was. He got to have a little more fun which really meant more than one hit. I moved aside and let him go to work on the other one. He was very handy with the daggers Trever let him use. He was naturally good at throwing or shooting something that had a specific target to get to.
It was unfair to this other kid that only had his hands and maybe feet as weapons but he didn’t get the chance to touch Bryce with any of them. Three daggers were thrown into his chest and the fourth was nicely guided across his throat in the cleanest cut you’d ever witness. It was really our first time but it was still pretty nice.
“Who else you got?” I asked.
Curtis didn’t look pleased but he was upset about what happened. I could see it and I could even see his growing fear in us.
“No one, obviously.” Seth said. “And he’s mine.”
He snapped his arms straight to the sides and his father’s short staffs extended, spikes teeming with anticipation to rip open his treacherous flesh.
“I’ll give your regards to Cadence and let her know that you died like a coward. She’ll be pleased.”
Curtis could only huff in response before Seth made his move and he did it so swiftly. I could only see blurs of him rushing passed Curtis, Curtis reacting harshly to each gash that splattered his blood until Seth stopped in front of him. His eyes grew black and he spit right towards one of his wounds.
It must have been the venom he now had to be careful about, only not here. Curtis tensed almost immediately and his life faded, dropping to his knees like a bow then straight to the floor in front of Seth.
“I did deserve that. Thank you.” He said.
I congratulated him with a laugh and a pat on his back. That’s when I noticed the other kids were looking at us with terror.
“What do we do about them?”
Seth looked as well and it took him a moment to summon what he was thinking. “I don’t know.”
Bang! Bang!
The sound made all of us look to the front door. It opened and there was this figure like a man only with one odd difference, I could see right through him. A ghost? Did I even believe in such things? My eyes couldn’t have been cheating me because everyone else was seeing him too. He wore completely black and even his hair was black but it was his eyes that looked threatening. They were grey like a faded remnant of all the black that matched him and he had them directly on the group of boys that were now even more tightly huddled together than before.
In an instant he was in front of them as if moving as fast as Seth could but I didn’t see the blur. He placed his hand on one of the boy’s heads and it was like a chain reaction. They became unconscious one after the other, falling down maybe because they were all connected in some way then this mysterious man-figure looked at us.
Zayden and Trever charged out of the back room, yelling loudly, enough for me to break my stare from those eyes. “Kole!”
Chapter 33
Seth
They called him Kole. My father knew this strange man?
He took his eyes from us and smiled when he saw their urgency to get to us. “What an interesting day this has been. Zayden, Trever.”
Trever almost seemed happy to see him but my father was still furious.
“What are you doing here?”
“I think I just solved your problem.”
“But you created another.”
They looked at us and Kole stepped closer. “Oh, surely you don’t believe they’re still children, Zayden. Their performance was fantastic.” I felt proud to hear someone say it, even if it was a stranger. “I’d say they’re mature enough to handle it.”
“We never wanted them to have to.”
“Father, what’s going on?” I was getting confused to hear them talk about us but not to us.
He sighed and Trever put his hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right. Let me.” He turned to us explaining what seemed like the impossible. “This is Kole. We grew up together much like the three of you.”
“But he’s so young.” Bryce said. “No offense.”
Trever laughed. “I know. He’s stuck at the age of twenty-seven because that’s how old he was when he died.”
My neck twitched with this indescribable shiver going down my spine and I repeated the word. “D
ied?”
“Why do you think I look like this?”
“Why do you look like that?” Trever asked. “Can’t you change so you look alive?”
“Not at the current time. There have been complications with coming here at all. That’s why Ryon couldn’t be.”
My father was shaking his head but I wasn’t going to let it go so easily. I heard what he said and the thought of it sank deep in my chest. “Uncle is dead?”
Kole closed his mouth at that point and my father still wasn’t happy about this. “Thank you. Now see what you did?”
“I’m sorry. I forgot he didn’t know.”
My father sighed and turned to me, kneeling like he was about to tell me something very important. “I didn’t want you to find out this way. Ryon isn’t really my younger brother. He’s older.”
“He is?”
“Yes. He died the same month Kole did long before you were born.”
“How?”
“I really don’t think you need to get into that.” Trever said quickly.
“It’s all right.” My father replied, looking back over his shoulder at him. “He can handle it.” He slowly looked back towards me and continued. “The story is a bit lengthier than just explaining how he died. There were many things that led to it but it really started when he fell in love with your mother.” I was too stunned to say anything. I wanted to hear more. “She loved him too, they just weren’t open about it. Then she met me and everything changed.”
“She chose you.”
“Yes and he always hated me for it.”
“But you don’t hate each other.”
“Not anymore because we grew passed it.”
“How could he have if you’re telling me he took his own life?”
“That happened before we grew passed it and that’s why he did it, by using my venom as his method of choice.”
I felt sad for him now. All this time and he’s never mentioned it.
“The closure started to form between us after he had died and I found out we shared a mother. Then he strengthened your wolf blood as a means to always have you protected; family. I didn’t like it but it couldn’t be undone and I agreed to have him in your life so you could learn about it. I’ve only changed once and that was much too long ago for me to help you. He was supposed to be here when you first changed but he couldn’t be and that’s not his fault. He didn’t want you to see him, well, like that.”
He looked at Kole and so did I.
“It’s not as bad as it looks. Trust me.” Kole said.
“Will I be able to see him again?”
“Of course you will.” My father said. “Just don’t feel sorry. He wouldn’t want you to be because none of it is your fault. It was his choice but it allows you to be able to see him whenever you want or need to just by calling to him. He’ll come. He just couldn’t do that before.”
“I understand, father. A child wouldn’t have.”
“I know and I’m glad you’re taking it well.”
“I shouldn’t be so sad if we still get to see him. Does anyone else come here like that?”
He stood up and looked at Trever.
“No.” Trever said. “No one else until Kole here. It’s difficult for them to come back but Ryon always dealt with the disadvantages because he got to see you. He cares about you that much.”
“Where is he?”
My father and Trever both looked at Kole and he seemed really unsure about answering. “Can I finish what I came here for? I’m sure there’s a much better setting we can discuss this stuff.”
“All right.” Trever said.
Kole turned to the group of boys on the ground and the moment his eyes reached them they disappeared.
“Whoa.” Dirk muttered. “What was that?”
“Being dead permits me to be able to do a lot of things.” Kole said. “They’ll be fine. I just sent them home to their beds. They won’t remember any of this, if they do they’ll think it was all a bad dream when they hear about the horrible fire you now get to set.” Dirk smiled. “Darius must be so proud of you. Where is he?”
“Home.” My father said. “I had to leave someone in charge.”
“That’s right, you’re King now. I keep forgetting.”
“How? I’m sure you see my father.”
“Not that often. I’m kept pretty solitary. I’d love to come here more but Jay probably doesn’t want to see me.”
“I wouldn’t say doesn’t. She’d want you to visit regularly like Ryon does and that could lead to—”
“Complications.” Kole smiled. “I get it. Where’s Troy?”
“Home also.” My father said. “I needed to leave someone responsible to get things done.”
“Of course, the always loyal Troy. He never lets you down and if he thinks he has, he’ll spend the rest of his life wallowing in the blame.”
“How do you know he still blames himself for your death?”
“Because he’s Troy. It’s what he truly believes. He’d never blame someone else.”
“All right.” Trever said. “How about we get back? Aleks would like to know you’re safe, Seth.”
I nodded.
“Meet you there.” Kole said.
He disappeared and I couldn’t really believe how okay I was being with this. It was a terrifying shock, yes but I guess it was also reassuring to know there is something after this life and death didn’t seem so horrible.
“Dirk, start the fire. We’re leaving.”
My father guided me to the door while Dirk lit up the bodies first then around the walls of the old dried wood.
I could hear it crackle as we were walking away. Smoke began to rise but no one saw us leaving it and that was a good thing.
“There you are! Are you all right?” Grandfather got right on the matter when we walked in the palace.
“I’m fine.” I groaned. I didn’t want it to be made into a big deal
“Of course he is.” Kole said, appearing next to us like it was no big deal that he was dead! Sorry, still wrapping my brain around the possibility. “You should have seen how amazing they were.”
Another compliment by the stranger made me smile and think he was a little less strange. “Thank you, Kole. We were pretty amazing.”
“I don’t mean to jump into it but—” He disappeared and appeared behind me. “Tell me all about this Princess of yours I’ve heard so much about. I have to meet her. Have you—”
“Kole!” The grownups in the room chimed in at the same time to get him to silence his question.
“He’s thirteen.” My father said.
“Yeah. I remember being thirteen.”
“I remember you being thirteen.” Trever said. “And none of them are like you.”
He laughed, not to be insulted and I realized what his question would have been; Cadence. I haven’t seen her yet to know that she was really okay and I jumped on the opportunity.
“I’m going to let you continue to argue while I go see her.”
I was ready to pass all of them but I was stopped.
“She’s not here.”
My grandfather’s voice made me turn. “What do you mean not here?”
“Her mother came. She was worried sick and took her home.”
My head was spinning and I was just trying to figure this out. “You let her leave?”
“Meg is her mother, Seth. I couldn’t say no.”
“Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered what that thing is sitting on your head? It says you have power over everyone and you shouldn’t have let her leave with that witch!”
“Seth!” My father sped up next to me and stopped me from leaving. “Apologize.”
“For telling the truth? Do you even know why I came here?”
“She told you she wasn’t coming this year.”
“Not exactly.”
“Not exactly what?”
“She told me we can’t see each other anymore.”
&nb
sp; My father’s hard face softened slightly like he somehow understood. “Take me to see her.”
“You can come along, I guess but I’d go with or without your approval.”
My father still had my arm so I couldn’t leave and he looked back at my grandfather. “Keep the portal ready for when we come back.”
“Of course.”
“Boys, you come with us.”
“Why?” Dirk asked.
“You for brute force if Seth refuses to leave and Bryce to put him asleep if the force starts to draw too much attention.”
I sighed loudly but no one paid attention to me.
“Okay.” Dirk said with a sigh of his own. “Where exactly is this place?”
“Seth, take us there.”
At this point I didn’t care if everyone wanted to come, even Kole. The point was I was going and no matter what Meg said, I was going to see her. My father didn’t seem pleased when I told him she said we couldn’t see each other anymore like he was hearing about it for the first time and was never involved in that decision.
I knew he would be able to change it and I needed to get him there to do it.
I walked a little faster but tried not to be too fast when I saw the iron gate to her house. I was ready to see Cadence and reached for it.
“Seth, wait.” My father took my arm and pulled my hand from the handle. “You wait here. Let me talk to her.”
“But father—”
“You are not to step foot through this gate until I figure out why this happened at all. Is that understood?”
I didn’t like it but it’s not like this little wall was hiding me either. Cadence would be able to see me out of any one of those windows if I was waiting here. “Yes, sir.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He went through the iron gate and Meg was already at the door before he reached the steps. “Zayden, what a surprise.”
“Is it really, Meg?”
Her eyes glanced down the trail at me and she stepped out, closing the door like she didn’t want who was inside to hear. “I shouldn’t have to explain. It’s what’s for the best right now. She should be focusing her time on her future.”
Blooming Life (Fate's Intent Book 10) Page 19
