by Peach, Hanna
Her heart squeezed up into her throat as she surveyed the scene of chaos in front of her – spilt bottles and tipped-over shelves. “Mayrekk,” she whispered, and her own safety was forgotten as she sped through the maze that was the hut.
She rounded the side of the shelving to the small space in the back of hut. Mayrekk was lying across the unmade bed, the sheets showing dark brown stains of dried blood. She let out a breath when she saw his chest rising and falling. He was alive. But where was Vix?
A small muffled cry caused Alyx to turn her head to her left. There, half-hidden by the trunk at the foot of Mayrekk’s bed, was a small blond head wriggling in vain.
“Vix!” Alyx realized too late that somebody must be waiting for her.
A sharp point pricked between her shoulder blades. “Why did you have to come back, Alyx?”
That voice. The voice that used to tell her stories at night, that used to correct her when she was out of line, the voice that equally loved and challenged her. No, that used to love her…
Her eyelids fell closed. “Symon,” she breathed.
“Why couldn’t you have just stayed away?” his voice was tight and strained.
Alyx lifted her hands in a surrender and she slowly turned to face him.
He looked the same, but… different. His face crinkled as he scowled, making him seem older. His hair was longer, more unkempt, and he looked thinner in his cheeks. But the face, the face that was now glaring his hatred at her, and his eyes, his clear-as-day blue eyes made glossy with the pain that filled them − all these things were him. Her trainer, her mentor, her only family.
The point of his sword now aimed at her heart. “Draw your weapon, Alyx.”
It was like the moment back in the DreamScape all over again. Except this time, it was real. Her memory of Symon’s pale, lifeless face flashed through her mind. Her mouth went dry. Her hands remained limp by her side. She couldn’t do it.
She shook her head. “No.”
The point of his blade shook at her with anger. “I said, draw your weapon, warrior. I’m giving you a chance to fight your way out of this.”
“No. I can’t fight you, Symon. I won’t…”
He snarled. “Then I have to turn you in, Alyx. You know I do.”
“I know.”
His blue eyes were moist as they sparkled with anger. “When I saw you earlier… I knew it was you under that mask. Even under all that silk and your hair cut different. God, they could truss you up in anything or strip you down to nothing and I would always know it was you.”
Alyx felt a single tear roll down her cheek.
“At first I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think that you would be so goddamned stupid as to ever come back. Then, when I saw you slip away from the ceremony and disappear under that mirage, I knew it for sure. I went first to the Elder dome, then the Archives, then I took a chance on coming here, where I found your Rogue friend. I knew you wouldn’t be far behind.”
He scowled at Vix. “What kind of company are you keeping now, Alyx? Do you even know? Vixen Demetri. Do you know why she was forced to leave Urielos? Do you?”
“Symon, please. I came back to save Mayrekk. You can turn me in, just let Vix and Mayrekk go. Look at him, Symon. Look at what Michael has done to him. Look at his injuries. They aren’t healing. Something is very wrong.”
“Because you sold us out to the demons.”
Alyx shook her head. “I don’t know what he’s told you, but Michael is lying to you. To all of us. He can’t be trusted.”
“And you can?” His voice was bitter. “You want me to trust you, a Rogue, over the Elders?”
Alyx cringed. The way he said “Rogue” made it sound like she was diseased.
“Symon. You know me. Nothing has changed. I haven’t changed.”
Symon’s blade faltered. For a moment Alyx thought she may have gotten through to him. She felt a sliver of hope that he might actually be listening to her, believing her…
“No.” His blade returned to its position, aimed at her heart. “Everything has changed. Damn you, Alyx. You betrayed me. Us.”
She had to make him believe her. She had a thought. She pulled Elijah’s pick off her wrist and held it out in her palm.
“Michael has a secret chamber in the woods near the top of the far side of the mountain. That’s where he was hiding Mayrekk’s prisoner’s apex. He’s keeping more secrets there. When you get to the tomb-like boulder, use this pick to help get through the shield. When you get inside, you’ll know I’m telling the truth. Don’t let Michael see that you have it.”
Symon’s blade tip flicked across her palm, leaving a shallow line of red. The pick flew out of her hand and bounced against the wall before landing on the ground and rolling to a stop. “I’m not going to be fooled by your tricks, Alyx.”
Her hand dropped to her side. When her eyes raised to meet his, the anger flared again across his face. “Now… I’m giving you one last chance to draw your weapon.”
Before Alyx could speak, a whoosh of magic crackled out of nowhere and hit Symon in the chest, causing him to let out a small cry. At the same time, Alyx felt an invisible hand knocking her back from the end of Symon’s sword. As she fell backwards, she saw Symon’s eyes widened at her in a silent accusation before they closed. He crumpled to the floor along with his sword.
A hand reached out to steady her. Jordan.
He appeared as he turned off the Miragecharm, his brows furrowed in concern. “Are you okay?”
Alyx stared at Symon lying on the floor. “Of course. You knocked me out of the way of his sword, so he didn’t cut me at all.”
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
His hand remained on her arm. When she looked up at him, his eyes spoke to her. Jordan understood how significant that terse moment was with Symon. He understood how painful Symon’s words would be. And how much words can wound just like a knife.
“This isn’t the time,” she said roughly. She turned away and blinked back tears. She just wanted to avoid feeling anything right now. Damn Jordan for seeing more than he should. She started to move towards Vix. “You get Mayrekk.”
Thankfully, Jordan let it go.
Alyx pulled the gag out of Vix’s mouth. “You okay?” she asked. Alyx unsheathed a dagger from her thigh, sliced away the ropes that kept Vix’s hands behind her back and flicked the handle to resheath her blade in one fluid movement.
“Angry at myself,” Vix admitted as she rubbed her wrists. “Embarrassed that I let myself get into this damned position, but otherwise, I’m fine.”
Alyx turned her head as she heard Jordan begin to speak softly. “Mayrekk. It’s me, Jordan.”
There was a groan. Then Mayrekk’s croaky voice, “Jordan?”
“Yes. We’re going to get you out of here. Can you sit up?”
Jordan held Mayrekk’s right arm up and pushed down his sleeve so that the silver prisoner’s bracelet was revealed. Alyx slipped the apex bracelet from her boot. Opening the apex she stepped towards Mayrekk. Mayrekk’s eyes widened in what appeared to be disbelief.
“Alyx… you…” he started to say, but his voice cracked and no more sound came out.
Alyx hushed at him. “Save your strength, Mayrekk.” She closed the apex around his bracelet. It clicked into place. At once a searing white light beamed out from the bracelet. Alyx felt the bracelet heat up as the whole thing began to move like a snake in her hand. She felt the ancient magical locks sliding and unclicking and ebbing in and out of place. Then something cracked and she felt the bracelet yaw from its hinge. The light died. The heat disappeared and the now cool metal stilled under her fingers.
Alyx pulled the bracelet off Mayrekk’s arm. Her heart pattered as Mayrekk stared at his wrist as if he had never seen such a thing in his life. His eyes misted.
Vix swore, pulling Alyx out of the moment. She was moving back from the curtained window. “I think I just saw a familia. He’ll return with company soon. We have to go.”
Michael. The Michaelea guards. They must have woken.
Jordan began to hoist Mayrekk over his shoulders. “The Miragecharm doesn’t have the range to cover us all,” he said grimly.
“But it’s wide enough for you, Vix and Mayrekk to get out?” Alyx asked Jordan.
His eyes darkened. “No.”
“I could distract them. Make it easier for you to slip through the patrole lines.”
“Absolutely not. I am not abandoning you here to die.”
“It wouldn’t be abandon—”
“No. Not up for discussion.”
Alyx sucked in a deep breath. Think, Alyx, think…
“Well, it’d be suicide to fight them head on. We might just have to make a run for it through open forest and hope that we get past their patrole guards,” Vix said.
“There’s got to be another way out…” Jordan’s voice trailed off.
Another way out… “Yes,” Alyx cried as she remembered the back way out through the bloodink room. “Mayrekk, can you get us through the back way?”
Mayrekk grunted from his position across Jordan’s shoulder. Alyx hoped that the noise was a yes. She paused, taking one last look at Symon, crumpled on the floor.
“We can’t take him with us, Alyx,” Jordan said softly.
“I know.” She picked up Elijah’s pick from where it had rolled and settled, then pressed it into Symon’s palm. Her fingers caressed his in a silent goodbye as she pulled away.
“Okay, follow me. Quickly,” she said. Alyx flew through the maze of shelves towards the rock wall that stood bare across the back of the hut, Vix and Jordan following closely behind her. “Hold him close to the wall,” she said to Jordan. Jordan stepped up to the wall, his eyes searching the rock face frantically.
“What now?” he asked, eyes flicking to Alyx. She was close enough to see the crinkle of fear at his brows.
“Mayrekk,” Alyx pleaded to the limp figure laying across Jordan’s shoulders. The noise of movement outside caused her heart to thump. “Mayrekk, please. We need you to open the mirage to your bloodink room.”
Mayrekk moaned and his eyelids flickered.
Alyx spotted the twinkle of the chain around the back of his neck. She grabbed the chain and pulled it from around Mayrekk’s neck. Alyx held up the keye towards the wall, racking her brain. What was it that Mayrekk said to activate the wall?
“Mayrekk, you need to open the hidden door behind the rock wall. Mayrekk, now!”
“Recludo,” Mayrekk mumbled and his eyelids flickered shut.
Alyx felt the rush of relief as the keye pulled towards the rock wall and the surface of the wall began to wash again like sand revealing the familiar room beyond. She knew the hidden passageway out to the forest lay behind the shielded far wall.
“Get in.”
They entered the cramped room, and the wall closed back up behind them.
“We’re safe for now. But we still need to get out of Michaelea,” said Vix. “Mayrekk’s in a bad way and needs medical attention now.”
Alyx used the keye to open up the wall, revealing the dark corridor beyond. “This leads to a hidden exit to the forest,” Alyx said. “I’ll take you there and let you out.” Alyx turned to Jordan. “Use the Miragecharm. Get Vix and Mayrekk out of here so she can get Mayrekk back to Ana.” Jordan began to protest, but Alyx interrupted him. “Then come back for me.”
Jordan scowled. “I don’t like it.”
“Like it or not, there’s no other way. I am safe in here.”
For the moment.
* * *
Symon felt himself coming to consciousness. Whatever he was lying on was hard and uncomfortable. His eyes were heavy, but he forced them open anyway. Floorboards came into focus. A musty smell hit his nose and he almost sneezed at the amount of dust on the floor.
His last few memories came back in a rush. That blast of DreamWalker had come from nowhere. Her male accomplice, no doubt. Symon had forgotten about him. Now Alyx had gotten away. He was surprised to find he felt more relief than anger. And she had left him alive.
He sat up and something rolled off his palm. His hand reacted to grab the object instinctively. Symon looked down. It was the cuff that Alyx had tried to give him. The twisted metal was sitting almost weightless in his fingers.
“Michael has a secret chamber in the woods… use this pick to help get through the shield… you’ll know I’m telling the truth.”
He heard the noise of movement coming through the jumble of shelves that was Mayrekk’s hut. Symon made to call out, but for some reason a voice inside told him to hide. He glanced around for cover. Silently, Symon pulled himself under Mayrekk’s bed. The bedframe was wooden and just let him fit underneath. The dust was tickling his nose even more fiercely under here. Symon peered out from under the bed, spying legs through the shelving.
“They’ve taken him.” A powerful voice rang out that he recognized as Elder Michael’s. “God damn it.” Symon heard the violent crash of something smashing.
Symon gripped the cuff in his palm, the metal cutting into his skin. He thanked his instinct to hide. “Don’t let Michael see that you have it.” If he was found here with this cuff… He flinched in repulsion as he stared at it. Alyx had given him a curse.
“I need AirWhisperers. And a MirageWeaver. Bring them here. Now.” Michael’s fury reverberated within that small hut. “The rest of you search the area. They can’t have gone far. I want them found.”
There was movement, more scrambling of warriors’ legs, all rushing to evacuate the hut.
“Elder,” a female voice sounded. It took a moment for Symon to recognize it as belonging to Elder Bezebel. “I came as soon as I was alerted.”
“She took Mayrekk’s prisoner’s apex and the charm that Raphael left for her. I was so close to figuring it out,” said Michael. “Damn her and that godforsaken Rogue, Jordan. I should have killed him while I had the chance. And her, too.”
What in the hell? Symon felt his whole body growing cold, as if the blood in his veins had stopped rushing from the shock of what he had just heard… Mayrekk’s prisoner’s apex… the charm that Raphael left… There had to be a reasonable explanation for this. This was an Elder talking. There had to be reason behind it…
Unless…
Unless Alyx was telling the truth.
Prickles of fear began rolling down Symon’s neck. This was not a conversation that was meant for his ears. If he were discovered…
* * *
In Mayrekk’s chaotic hut, Michael felt himself vibrating with anger. He barely restrained himself from throwing another innocent jar from the shelves. Alyxandria. The name burned in his blood like acid. Oh, the depths of pain that he would put her through once he had her caught would make the last time seem like a flight to heaven. That wretched warrior – this mere seraphelle – was becoming more than just a nuisance.
Damn the prophecy. He didn’t follow prophecy, he made it.
Alyxandria. Oh pretty, pretty. She had already made a fool out of him. Twice. But how did Alyx find his Eden and his Tree of Knowledge? How did she discover its existence? Only he and a select few knew…
He turned his glare towards Elder Bezebel. He studied her long, honeyed hair and amber eyes. The face of a youthful woman. But was it the face of a betrayer? His eyes narrowed as he considered this thought.
“We will find them, Michael.” Elder Bezebel gazed at him with what he recognized as stoic confidence. On the surface she showed no nerves, but he noted the hard swallow at her throat.
His words were as cold as the deep artic winter. “It would be a very unfortunate thing if I found one of my most trusted to have betrayed me.”
Her face showed her shock. “What?”
“Only a few know the location of my chamber of Eden. You included.”
“Are you… accusing me, Elder?”
“Somebody is to blame. Somebody will pay for this. Gather the others. I want council in my chambers.”
He turned back to the rock wall and ran his hand across it. Where was that MirageWeaver? Frustration grew under his skin. He hated waiting for someone else’s magical assistance. But – his thoughts turned back to his precious Tree of Knowledge – once he had it working to full capacity, he wouldn’t have to…
Soon, soon. He was almost there.
Chapter 19
Alyx had returned to the small room behind Mayrekk’s hut. Everything was deathly still. To pass the time while she was waiting for Jordan to return, Alyx searched the shelves for bloodink, but all the wire baskets were empty. She wondered how long it had been since Mayrekk had been strong enough to distill any Seraphim blood.
Alyx frowned. What about the warriors then? Did they not get issued bloodink anymore? Or were their issues limited? Alyx gripped her hands in fists. Selfish Michael. Did he not realize that by taking away the bloodink from the warriors it would make their patrolling more difficult? Did he not care?
Something Passar said to her repeated in her mind.
“Didn’t you ever wonder why we only patrole the mortal cities closest to Michaelea? The Elders don’t care about keeping the mortals safe, they just want us to keep the Darkened away from them.”
Oh, Passar, she thought. You were right about the Elders. You were right to turn away from their dogma but you still went about it the wrong way. Samyara is no better master. You just traded one devil for another.
As Alyx pulled back from the shelves, something caught her eye. Peering into a corner, she could see that it was a vial covered in dust and cobwebs. It must have fallen out of its wire basket. She pulled the small glass container out and brushed it clean. The silver liquid inside looked like melted stardust and gleamed even in the dim light. MirageWeaver bloodink. Alyx tucked the precious vial in her pocket.
