Get them back, Aidan. It was all I took the time to say and I heard them retreat. Not far, but far enough to keep themselves from being targeted by Rhi as he dealt with me.
Fire. It was a Hunter’s toy, but today, it was mine to own. My hands moved quickly as I tossed flame after flame at Rhi, watching him dance and attempt a rebuttal. He leapt behind furniture and shot orange bursts at me. I slowly strode forward, ignoring the complaints and frustration from those behind me.
Put out his fire, Amelia. Let’s end this. We’ve got your back.
Aidan’s words were a light bulb in my mind. He’d said the same thing in the prison chamber. I needed to put Rhi’s fire out. Of course.
Rhi started to lower his body into a crouch and I knew I had to stop him before he leapt at me. As quickly as the thought was there, he froze in place. I walked up to Rhi, slowly circling the Hunter who had been the source of so many of my nightmares.
“You know, you aren’t invincible,” I said nonchalantly. I paused and took a moment to enjoy my position. White smoke gathered around me and I was facing my arch enemy, but my heart beat a steady pace.
“You think you are,” I continued as I stood in front of him, eye level as he remained crouched. “You’ve done so much to so many. You’ve taken so much, and we have all lost more than we should have to you…but not anymore.” I leaned in and looked him directly in the eyes. I let him take in the shining violet and the white star that burst from my pupils.
“I found her,” I whispered. “Gaea gave me the tools to defeat you. You were never meant to be, and you will never be again.”
Rhi’s solar storm eyes narrowed, then widened as he took in the full weight of what I’d said. Just like Tragar and Joran, the doors in his mind unlocked and the memories flooded in. I saw it in his eyes, the way they widened and unfocused. In the drop of his jaw and the momentary loss of his precious control.
“No,” he whispered, still looking dazed. “We were meant to rule. Lies! You’ve manipulated me somehow and these are nothing but lies!”
I had a moment’s hesitation. I knew what came next. It was so clear in my mind, but I could not undo my next choice once it was made. Rhi continued to rail against me, refusing to acknowledge the truth I’d shown him.
So many times, I’d wished Rhi dead. I daydreamed of killing him in the worst ways possible. But after seeing the devastation of his wrath firsthand, and hearing Gaea’s stories, now I just wanted him gone. I would not start the Immortals on a new path that looked just like the old one.
We will never be safe in a world where he lives, Amelia. Let me help you. You won’t do this alone.
Aidan was everywhere at once. He physically stood behind me, ready to back my play, no matter what. He was in my mind, constantly reassuring me. His power ran alongside mine, a slow infiltration rippling through me and then merging into my own. We made the choice together to care for the Immortals Gaea put on this Earth. Rhi might be the first to die, but he would not be the last in our quest to right their world.
Be ready to refuel and heal me, Aidan. This will take everything I have.
Water. I grasped Rhi’s face in my hands, calling the moisture from my own body and mixing it with the magic running through me. I poured every ounce of water I could into him. I doused his spirit with the cleansing combination and put out every flickering lick of power inside him. Then, I pulled. I looked into his eyes as I extracted every wet, ashen piece of his core out of his body and into mine.
I felt the drain immediately, my organs and tissues shrinking, along with my well of power. But, Aidan was there. He fed my soul and rehydrated my system.
I could taste the burnt, foul remnants of Rhi’s magic, and I didn’t want it. I didn’t want the death and destruction that defined him. I took one hand away from Rhi’s face and allowed the residue to flow through and out of me. It was black soot, a dirty rain falling from my palm and collecting on the ground in front of him.
To his credit, Rhi didn’t make a sound. As I drained him of every ounce of power he’d ever had, he did nothing but stare into my eyes. When I felt the well run dry, I pulled my hand away, wiping it on my jeans. His eyes no longer burned bright. They were dim, brown, and empty. As his skin wrinkled and his body shrank before my eyes, he said nothing.
It was heady to know I finally stopped him. But it wasn’t over yet. I took a deep breath as Aidan stepped to my side. I jolted, shocked, but relieved to see him there. Compassion radiated from him. He took my right hand, interlacing our fingers, then we faced Rhi together.
Air. I called again. This time, though, I called it to me. I reached my left hand toward Rhi and curled my fingers back, as if I were beckoning him to my side. I heard his forced exhale. He began to cough and I called again, this time with urgency. I would not draw this out. I would not do to him as he had done to others. In two heartbeats, Rhi collapsed to his knees and then the ground, his body devoid of oxygen.
Sprawled out, his white hair spread around him and his eyes utterly lifeless, Rhi was no longer a threat. He would not hurt anyone else ever again.
45
We stood over Rhi’s body and it was surreal. We had killed a man. I knew it was a first for both Amelia and me, and that it had taken both of us. As she called the air from his lungs, she drew power from me in a steady stream. Whatever Gaea had done in our mating process provided me with what felt like an unending supply of power to provide to Amelia. Finally, I could protect her.
Micah, Joran, Rynna, and Derreck stepped to our side. Joran had joined them at some point and he looked at Amelia in awe.
“I heard what you said and I believed your words, but to watch this for myself…you are truly the one, Amelia,” he said.
Amelia looked at him, the sadness of what we’d just done still lingering in her eyes. “This is only the beginning, Joran. We need to find Baleon, deal with the other Hunters here, and get to Julia. I need to know my brother and Bethany are safe and then…then, we’ll figure out what the next step is.”
I continued to send waves of reassurance and healing to Amelia. She felt calmer than I’d expected, but I had no idea what the repercussions, if any, would be from what she’d just been through.
“I must find Baleon. I cannot wait any longer. Rynna, Derreck, can you come with me? I don’t know how much help he will need, but his wounds will be severe, I have no doubt. Amelia, I know you must continue on. Take Joran, he will help you handle the Hunters.” Micah’s urgency was felt by all, his concern for Baleon evident in his pained expression and tense posture.
“Go, Micah,” I said. “And, please, go with him,” I directed Derreck and Rynna, who looked uncertain about leaving us. “Clearly, we can handle ourselves. And, with Joran, we have a buffer. We’ll come back as soon as we can to help.”
The three took off toward the door Rhi came through, skirting his body without sparing him a glance.
Joran turned on his heel and we followed him back toward the main sections of the house. We moved quickly through the hallways, not caring who knew we were here.
“Where are they, Joran?” I asked, filling the silence as I worried about Amelia. She was lost in her own mind and I was trying to stay out of it.
“They are protecting the Queen. She is weak, but her hold is still there. As soon as she was alerted that you arrived, she gathered every Hunter in Cresthaven to guard her. She knows we are coming,” Joran said. His strides were long, his thick boots echoing as they slapped the marble floors.
“Where are the Queen’s chambers?” Amelia asked.
I only half-listened to Joran as I stared at Amelia.
What are you going to do? I asked her.
Don’t worry, Aidan. I know what to do. I need you to trust me, though.
I was silent. I did trust her, but I didn’t like this.
I trust you. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.
We approached the main entrance of the house, the largest gathering space available, and could see the wall of Hu
nters as we headed straight for them. Men and women, all with matching white hair, black ink, and leather jackets. Their eyes were a blaze of orange against their light brown skin. In contrast to their stark white hair, it looked like we were approaching a group of demons, ready to eat our souls.
“I need you both to stay here,” Amelia finally said.
Joran stopped walking, immediately standing alongside the wall.
“What? No! Amelia, what are you doing? At least clue me in on the plan,” I demanded.
She looked at me with utter patience. “Aidan, I asked you to trust me. This power…it’s a lot. The more I use, the more I understand. I know I should be scared right now. I can see them. But, I’m not. I know what I’m here to do. I know I can keep them from hurting me and each other. I know I will convince them to listen, and that they will let me through. Julia is on the other side of that wall and I will get to her. I won’t wait anymore. This has to end.”
I looked into her bright eyes and watched the starburst around her pupil dilate and then reduce. The power fluctuations I felt in Amelia were everywhere — in her blood, her eyes, the air around us. Unable to stop myself, I grabbed both of her shoulders and pulled Amelia in for a hard kiss. It was the only place to put my frantic energy. It began with smashed mouths and ended in a needy exchange meant to remind her what she was walking away from.
“I will be fine, Aidan. I promise you. You and me, Montgomery. Always. Trust me to do this, and then follow me once I’m through. They’ll let you.” She was so sure; there was not a flicker of doubt in her eyes or her mind.
“Okay, doll. I trust you. I’ll be here, and never far.” I touched a finger to my temple and then kissed her forehead.
I let her walk away from me. I didn’t tell her I loved her. She didn’t say it either. That was something you said when you thought it was goodbye.
46
There had to be fifty Hunters staring at me as I walked toward them alone. I should have been scared. I knew that. But, I was focused. There were two things that needed to happen in order for me to get through that wall of Immortal ninjas without any of them, or me, getting hurt, and get to Julia.
I finally exited the hallway completely and the sound of my boots hitting the floor was the only thing I heard. They didn’t speak, and neither did I. I walked out into the middle of the room, completely exposed, and lifted my hands as if I surrendered. Aidan didn’t speak. I didn’t hear him in my mind, or from where he stood, holding his breath while he watched this play out.
As I started to speak, I also focused. I had one true task to accomplish. I let my eyes wander across the swath of Hunters. Their eyes glowed, a swirl of orange, red, and yellow. Most held fireballs in their palms, ready to attack. The smirks and insults had already begun in response to my posture.
“I believe you already know who I am, but in case you don’t, I am Amelia Bradbury. I am the daughter of Liana and Nathaniel Bradbury. I was born an Elder and I am the last of my kind,” I said calmly. Focus, Amelia. I took a breath and slowly exhaled through my nose. The Hunters bordered on restless. There were murmurs between them and more than once, I heard Rhi’s name.
“What you don’t know is that I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to be part of a prophecy. I didn’t ask to have power stowed away in my soul that ultimately just wanted out of me and back to its original owner. I didn’t want to be taken by the Queen, to find my fellow Immortal women chained to beds with their power bound and bodies abused. Yet, while I didn’t ask for any of this, it still came to me. And with it, came the knowledge that you are among those I am bound to protect. I am no longer bound by this prophecy, I am bound by my own honor. I am bound by the choices I have made.”
My hands started to tremble, the white smoke I kept inside too much to contain. My power had built during my speech and this was the moment I waited for.
“I am bound to you,” I said, my voice rising as they looked at each other. “Each and every one of you is my cause, my family. I am bound to protect you and I won’t have you bound to another,” I finished. I clenched my hands into fists and threw them wide. In unison, I heard a chorus of high-pitched tings and then a continuous stream of clanging as their collars fell to the floor and bounced off one another.
“I went back to the castle with my mate, Aidan, the AniMage King, and we freed Gaea. Our Mother has returned to Earth. Think about her now and remember who you were. Remember your purpose and step aside. Allow me to end this once and for all.” The words hardly sounded like me. I intentionally spoke formally to the Hunters, trying to connect to their sense of honor and respect.
I stood still and watched them. I saw the doors in their minds unlock. I heard their gasps. Those too young to remember Gaea were educated in hushed whispers. It wasn’t long before the group split. Hunters stepped to the left and right, creating a path between them to the other side of the house.
I crossed the room and silently walked between them. Some watched with questioning stares. Others shed tears of guilt. I could feel it, and the ache reverberated through me. What shocked me most was the gratitude of the few who stepped forward, brought their fists to their hearts, and bowed their heads to me.
Once I passed through them, my steps quickened. I needed to get to Julia before anyone else got to me, but as I half-ran down the halls, doubt crept in.
Could I do it? I had killed Rhi. Could I kill her, too? I didn’t know the answer.
Gaea, you said I could call on you. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what’s right.
My strides were even. The low glow of the sconces lit the hallway, leading me to the Queen. I would be there soon.
Show her the truth and allow her the choice. We are all accountable to the choices we make. The Fates will have it no other way.
Gaea’s voice was soft and comforting in my mind. It enveloped me like a hug while strengthening my resolve.
I closed the last few yards to the Queen’s chamber just as Aidan and Joran came around the final turn. Turning to him as I opened the door, I stepped halfway inside and connected my gaze to his.
Forgive me. Trust me.
It was all I allowed between us before I shut the door and used my magic to keep it that way.
I slipped through the suite of rooms, pulled to Queen Julia’s bedroom. I knew where to find her. I knew she would be in a regal bed with four posts and a mountain of pillows.
I walked through the doorway. Just as I crossed, I heard a small voice. “I knew it would be you. I thought it might be Mikail, but he was never strong enough. No, I knew it would be you.” Julia’s voice was faint. If it weren’t for my heightened hearing, I would have missed her statement entirely.
I’d guessed right. The four-poster bed was stacked with pillows, but the frail woman situated between them was not the regal Queen I’d remembered. Her blonde hair was silver, leaning toward white. Her icy eyes were dull, like a calm patch of ocean water. Paper-thin skin with crisscrossing light blue veins sagged from her face. She had aged more years than I could comprehend.
I walked to the side of the bed and used my power to bring a chair to me. I sat down at an angle where we could see each other and continued to look around the room. My eyes were drawn to my mother’s cuff, which sat on a shelf just five feet from me. My anger boiled and I turned to stare at the Queen.
“I wonder if you knew this day would come?” I asked. “Did you understand what you were doing couldn’t last forever? Did you realize you could never fulfill your ridiculous plans?”
“You petulant child. You understand nothing. You have no idea what I gave—” A fit of coughing interrupted her tirade.
Show her the truth. That’s what Gaea had said.
I knew what I needed and only Gaea’s power could give it to me. As I focused on finding it, I responded to Julia.
“I do. I can see it plainly. You gave up yourself. It was never really you controlling me. We assumed you put the collars on the Hunters to control them, to s
ee through their eyes and force their compliance. How long has it been since you’ve been able to actually hurt anyone? How long has Rhi done all your dirty work?”
Her smile was almost proud, but then she laughed. A dry, brittle sound came from her stretched smile, making me wonder if the corners of her mouth would crack and crumble. “There is so much about this world you do not understand,” she said. Somehow, Julia found condescension even in this state.
“Is there?” I asked. I found what I was looking for. I held up a hand and a white orb appeared. It brightened as I sent the orb through the air between us and it hovered just in front of her. When the orb dimmed, the scenes began. Her smile remained as she saw who they featured.
Cane in the halls of the castle, sneaking kisses from Julia.
Cane with Rhi in the training yard.
Cane with other women in the stables and their beds.
Julia eyes were round, her shock apparent.
Then, the conversation began between Cane and Rhi.
“Do you really think we can do this?” Rhi asked his brother.
“Of course. She’s so weak and gullible. She’ll do anything I say. We’ll marry, I’ll be King, and then she’ll mysteriously meet her end.” The two laughed, maniacal deep roars that ended as Cane said, “I must go entertain the witch. Wish me luck, brother.”
The scene faded. “You lie,” she whispered. “You lie to taint his memory and I will not have it!” For the first time, I saw red creep across her eyes. Only this time, it stopped midway and then receded. Julia labored to breathe and I had to hold back from helping her. There was one last thing she needed to know.
“I am not lying, Julia. I had no idea what the orb would show you. All I know is Gaea told me to show you the truth, and so I did. Do you remember Mother Earth, the Goddess who created you?” I spoke slowly and clearly to ensure Julia heard every word.
Her eyes smashed closed and then darted around beneath the lids. Her head started to slowly move back and forth, speeding up until she threw it right and then left.
Bound by Prophecy (Bound Series Book 3) Page 24
