Chapter Forty-Two
Keira clenched Ashley's tray of food tightly in her hands to keep the plate from rattling from her shaking hands. The Calydon standing guard outside Ashley's cell unlocked it and shoved it open.
Keira stepped inside and winced when the door clanged shut behind her.
Ashley was curled up in a ball against the wall, her head down on her knees, rocking back and forth.
"Ashley," Keira whispered.
Ashley jerked her head up, her eyes wide with relief. "I thought it was Charles." Her eyes settled on Keira's cheek, and filled with sadness. "He hit you again."
Keira shook her head, limped over to the cot, and set the food down. Then she kneeled in front of Ashley, biting her lip against the pain. "Listen to me, Ashley. It's going down now. Charles is back, and he's taking you out." She grabbed Ashley's shoulders. "You have to get that stone, and then escape from him when he takes you out of here. You can do it. Do you hear me? You have to do it."
Ashley nodded, fisted her hands, and gave Keira a look of quiet confidence. "Okay."
Keira saw Ashley's determination, and she knew her ally was ready. She'd done all she could for now. Suddenly too exhausted to stand any longer, she let herself slide to the floor. The tile was cold and hard, but she needed to rest for a minute. Just a minute. "When you get out," she whispered. "Send someone for me. Will you do that?"
"God, Keira, of course I will." Ashley grabbed her under the arms and pulled her upright, leaning her against the wall. "Come on, Keira. You're not giving up on me." She held Keira's shoulders, keeping her upright. "You're my strength."
Keira let her head fall back against the wall, unable to keep her eyes open. "I hate Charles, you know."
Ashley laughed, tears mixing with the laughter. "Really? I had no idea. We're like sisters, because I hate him too. What a coincidence."
"Sisters." Keira smiled faintly. "I like that." She opened her eyes and looked at Ashley. "You're the first friend I've had in two years. It's nice." Then the door clicked, and Keira's stomach rolled. "They're here."
Ashley's gaze jumped to the door. "They? Who's with Charles?"
Adrenaline raced through Keira, and she struggled to her knees. "I can't let him think he's won. Help me stand up."
Ashley pulled her to her feet as the door opened.
Keira braced herself against the cold cement wall and lifted her chin, willing strength into her body. "Survive, Ashley," she whispered. "Survive and escape."
"I will." Ashley's hands dug into Keira's arm as the door opened, and in walked Charles and Reidar.
Charles smiled, his eyes smug and satisfied. "Keira. How lovely to see you. I trust you're feeling well?"
She mustered up a smile as Ashley's fingers dug into her arm. "Not as good as I'll feel when you're dead."
Reidar laughed softly. "Enjoy your spirit, Keira. It won't last."
She was unable to keep herself from shuddering at his voice. He was wearing sunglasses now, which made him seem even colder and more merciless.
Despite the dark glasses, Keira could tell Reidar was studying Ashley intently, the same way he'd inspected Keira. As if he were dissecting her, tabulating her weaknesses and strengths, preparing his plan for her. Thoughtful and calculating.
Instinctively, she pressed closer to Ashley, trying to protect her.
Then his mouth twisted in a sour line as his gaze remained on Ashley. "She's hurt." Reidar was across the cell and standing in front of Ashley before his words had faded.
Ashley wanted to flinch as Reidar grabbed for her arm, but she willed herself not to show fear. To be strong like Keira was.
Reidar shoved her sleeve up and looked at her arm. He ran his fingers over the bruises, then he stopped, and a darkness dropped over his face. "What's on your arm?"
She looked down as he ran his finger over her skin. At first glance, all she saw were the bruises, but then she saw what he was tracing. On her forearm was the faintest hint of several silver lines, thin and delicate. They looked familiar—
He grabbed her other arm and yanked up her sleeve. The identical image was on that forearm.
"She's been marked?" Charles moved up to stand beside Reidar, peering at her arms. "They're not mine."
Marked? Marked by what? She looked at Keira, whose eyes were wide as she, too, looked at Ashley's arm. Wide in a "holy shit" kind of way that made Ashley tense. "What are you talking about?"
"Calydon bonding marks." Reidar gave Ashley a speculative look that made her skin crawl.
Calydon marks? Ashley looked at them more closely, and then realized the marks on her arms matched part of the design of Viktor's throwing star. The brands on his forearms...were now on hers? She pulled her arm back and hugged herself, not wanting Reidar to know the truth as to who the marks belonged to. "What do you want from me?"
He rocked back on his heels and slanted a lethal stare at Charles. "I'm not pleased she's hurt."
Charles shrugged. "It's not your problem, is it?"
Reidar turned with menacing slowness and faced Charles. He was smaller than Charles, but he carried an aura of power. Of utter and complete confidence. Again, a faint feeling of recognition fluttered through her. Ashley recognized that stance. The way he leaned slightly to the left, as if he was trying to keep his weight off his right side. She'd seen it before. She knew him. But how?
Reidar's eyes narrowed. "I gave her to you because I wanted her trained, not beaten."
Gave her to Charles? What? Charles had been the one to abduct her.
"The beatings are over." Reidar's voice was hard and unyielding, but Ashley didn't feel at all reassured that he was speaking out for her protection. "Now that you've gotten the dark Illusions out of her, I can help her develop them." There was distinct pride in his voice as he glanced at Ashley, and she had to concentrate on not shuddering.
Charles shifted, scowling. "Beating is the only way. I need to do it for this last Illusion—"
Reidar's hand moved so fast Ashley didn't even see it move. One minute Charles was standing there looking smug, and the next minute he was flying across the room after Reidar hit him. He crashed into the wall so hard he cracked the cement.
Ashley scrambled backward as Charles slid down the wall, blood trickling down his cheek. Please let them kill each other.
Charles held out his arm, called out his knife with a crack, and hurled it across the room. It sank deep into Reidar's shoulder, and Ashley gasped as Reidar dropped to his knees with a groan.
"Don't fuck with me," Charles said. "Bring your men tonight and do what I want, or you get nothing. We both get nothing. How many times do I need to remind you what we're dealing with? The ultimate power doesn't come without risk, and we can't afford to fuck up."
Reidar yanked the knife out of his shoulder and tossed it behind him. Keira lunged for it and swept it up as Reidar faced Charles, who'd called out his other knife and was twirling it around on his finger.
"You underestimate me," Reidar told Charles. "With Ashley properly trained, I'm strong enough to—"
"No. You underestimate who I'm working for. Big difference."
Trained for what? While the men continued to argue, Ashley glanced at Keira, who was studying the knife. Ashley followed Keira's glance and saw there was writing on Charles's knife.
There was a hum, and the knife snapped out of her hand and slapped back into Charles's palm.
Reidar was staring at the knife, a look of surprise on his face. "You had the tablet inscribed on your weapon?"
Keira and Ashley exchanged sharp glances, and Keira nodded. "The stone is the handle of his knife," she whispered. "He's never called his knife out in my presence before, or I would have seen it."
"I'll get it," Ashley whispered back. Adrenaline rushed through her. She had a target now. A goal. That knife was her mission.
Keira smiled. "I know you will."
Charles sheathed the knife inside his arm. "And poof, it's gone." He spread his hands. "You'll nev
er get it from me, so don't bother to try. Just play nice and we'll all get what we want." He jerked his head toward Ashley. "I assume we're finished here."
Reidar glanced at Ashley, and his face softened. "For now." He crouched in front of her and touched her forearm where the marks were. "I'll be back for you, Ashley."
She lifted her chin. "I won't be waiting."
He patted her cheek, then stood up and strode out of the room, snapping his fingers at two large Calydons standing in the hall. "Put the good doctor back in her play pen. It's time to go."
A large Calydon with red hair strode into the room and dragged Keira away so fast she was barely able to stay on her feet.
"Let's go, Ashley. It's playtime." Charles went for her arm, and Ashley ducked out of reach and led the way to the door, bunching her fists in determination.
For the first time, she had a way out. Charles always had his knife out when they were on a killing spree. There'd be a chance, and she'd take it. I'll come back for you, Keira. I swear I will.
Then there was a glimmer of heat on both forearms, and she laid her palm over the marks on her right arm, on Viktor's marks.
Charles caught up and grabbed her arm, pulling her down the hall. She quietly released her grip on the marks, a new sense of confidence building inside her.
Viktor might have fallen to Charles's blade, but he was still with her, giving her his warrior strength. With him, she could do it. She knew she could.
And she would.
She had no choice.
Madison winced as the undercarriage of her car bottomed out over the rocks with a screeching protest. She pulled up next to Ajax's truck, which he'd driven to Zion's cabin such a short time ago. Her throat tightened, and for a moment, grief closed in on her, suffocating her, tearing her apart—
No. She had to stay focused. A few more hours, and then she could fall apart.
A movement to her left caught her eye and she turned sharply. Luke was peering in the window at her. His face was muddy and peaked. His eyes were tired. He looked young and overmatched.
Too young.
Not that it mattered.
They had no choice.
She swallowed her grief and rolled down the window. "Get in."
"Can I drive?"
She rolled her eyes at him, and he grinned and vaulted over the hood of the car in one leap that reminded her that he might be young, but he was far more than a normal eighteen-year-old.
Was he enough?
Hopefully.
He opened the door and hopped into the passenger seat. Madison had the car moving before he'd even gotten the door shut.
Luke turned sideways in the seat, resting on his left shoulder so he could see her. "It was bad, huh?"
She nodded, forcing herself to drive slowly over the rough road. "They got Ajax's sword."
Luke swore and leaned back against the seat. "So the only O21 line that they don't have a weapon from is mine. All they need is me to undo the spell."
"Yes."
He turned his head to look at her. "Where's everyone else?"
She bit her lip. "Dead."
"Dead? All of them?"
She didn't look at him, didn't want him to see the lie in her eyes, didn't have time to explain what had happened. "Yes."
"Shit." Luke was quiet for a minute. "So, what now? Are we going into hiding?"
"Do you want to hide?"
He turned toward her again, his face far too serious for a boy his age. "I want to kill the asshole who murdered my father."
She smiled as dark power flickered beneath her skin. "Then let's do it."
"You have a plan?"
"Yes."
"Is it a good one?"
She looked at him, allowing her eyes to reveal her true nature.
Luke recoiled with a startled look, and then he grinned. "As long as you don't direct that evil shit at me, we are all good."
"I'll do my best, but I can't promise. I can't always control it."
They looked at each other, and she knew he understood what she'd meant. That she might kill them both.
He nodded once, accepting the risk. "No problem. Tell me the plan."
Chapter Forty-Three
Madison stopped the car a half mile from Nightshade Tavern. It was raining again, and the woods were dark and impenetrable all around them. Without a word, she and Luke climbed out of the car.
She walked around to his side while she checked her watch. "We're two hours early."
Luke nodded. "Let's go anyway." She could feel a faint energy vibrating from him.
"I agree." Together, they walked over to the side of the road, and slid down the muddy embankment toward the woods.
"I can't sense anyone." Luke's voice was so quiet she could barely hear him.
"How good are you at picking up Calydon energy?" she whispered.
He grimaced. "Better than I was a month ago."
She looked up into the dark trees above their head, listening to the water dripping off the branches. "Are you good enough to be absolutely certain that they're not here yet?"
"No, but I'm pretty good." He paused. "What about you? How sure are you?"
She turned her attention to her Illusionist energy. The night was quiet. No tension. Just rumbling energy waiting to be released. "I don't feel a threat right now."
"Well, that's two of us who are pretty certain." He raised his brows at her. "Game on, then?"
She took a breath, then nodded. "Game on."
He saluted her, and then took off in a dead run, vanishing into the night instantly. Not a sound, not a whisper indicated he'd ever been there.
Madison looked around at the darkness that suddenly seemed more oppressive, more ominous. She shoved her hand into her pocket, wrapped her fingers around the burner cell phones she and Luke had picked up on the way, then began to walk through the woods toward Nightshade Tavern, toward the spot where Viktor had been killed.
Consciousness hit Ajax like a sledgehammer. His body lurched with pain, and he rolled to his side, nausea churning from the agony of the movement. His first thought was of the one thing that mattered to him. "Madison. Where is she?" He tried to stand up, and his body collapsed beneath his weight. "I need—"
Heavy hands shoved him back to the ground, holding him there. "Open your eyes. Can you see?"
Ajax recognized Xander's voice, and he wrenched his eyes open, squinting against the setting sun. His retinas burned as if they'd been fried. In fact, it felt as if his whole body had been ripped apart and boiled in acid.
Xander was also bruised and burned, but he grinned when he met Ajax's eyes. "They're not red. You're good."
"Good" felt like an overstatement, but he was alive, so he'd go with it.
Kerrick was leaning over him as well, his face drawn and gray, eyes sunken. Ajax frowned up at him. "You look like hell, Kerrick."
"Because I saved your life." Kerrick was studying him closely. "You died, mate. You fucking died."
Ajax blinked. "You brought me back from the dead? That's impossible."
Kerrick shrugged. "You weren't out long. A couple minutes. Immortality comes in handy for beating death."
"I guess." He jerked his head toward Kerrick. "Thanks."
Kerrick shrugged and stood up, and Ajax knew he was thinking of his own sheva that he hadn't been able to save. Human mortality was a bitch.
Ajax tried to prop himself up on his elbows, and this time, he managed not to tip over. He looked around, saw the Order standing around him, surrounded by the carnage of dead bodies. "Holy shit. Madison did this?"
"Your girlfriend is a serious badass when she gets pissed." Xander crouched next to him.
Ajax recalled the explosion that had rolled toward him. He remembered the intense heat. He replayed Madison touching his mind, telling him it was an Illusion and not reality.
The Illusion. A million tons of boiled lava incinerating living flesh. He recalled now how he'd tried to use her vision to deflect the impact of th
e Illusion from his team by taking the hit meant for them. "Everyone all right?"
"The Order is. All of us."
"Shit, yeah." He turned his head, saw hundreds of incinerated bodies peppering the landscape. He sucked in his breath when he saw the carnage.
Only an Illusionist who'd murdered with her Illusions could have created that kind of lethal attack. Jesus. How had he not realized? She'd practically told him, practically begged him to tell her that he'd be okay with who she was. And he'd thrown it in her face.
A searing pain stabbed his chest. "She's dead, isn't she?" The Order had killed her. They had to have. There was no other option. If he'd been willing to see the truth, she'd tried to share with him, he could have prevented this, helped her manage it, done something... An agonizing numbness began to settle over him, stripping him of—
Xander clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Chill out, mate. She's alive."
Air flooded back into Ajax's lungs, and he had to cough to cover the groan of relief that slipped out of him. "But you should have killed her."
"Isaac was the one who made the call. He let her go."
Isaac shrugged. "We gave her our oath. We don't go back on that."
Ajax surveyed the Order standing around him, and he saw the agreement on everyone's face. They'd sworn to protect Madison, and they would do that to the bitter end. Something gut-punched him, and he felt like he couldn't breathe again, but this time it was different.
His team had had the chance to take her out. To take down the rogue murderer, like they'd forced him to take down Enzo.
But they hadn't.
They'd covered his back, and Madison's.
They shouldn't have. He'd been going rogue, and she was a murderous Illusionist. And yet, they'd stood by them both. He swore under his breath and suddenly everything began to spin.
They hadn't walked away. They'd backed him straight up.
For centuries, he'd refused to trust them. He'd refused to see any honor in them. He'd waited for the chance to prove he was right not to believe in them. But now…they'd shown him the truth he'd refused to believe for so long.
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