The Reckoning

by S. L. Morgan

  Reece was pacing the balcony of her room when she heard a thunderous knock on the door. When she opened it, she gasped as Levi’s eyes bore into hers.

  “Reece,” he softly questioned. “Forgive me for intruding, but I felt it necessary to check on you. I became concerned when you never returned.”

  Where’s Harrison? she thought in frustration and fear. But to her surprise, Levi’s expression was warm and friendly as he smiled at her. I don’t want to lose you! she thought.

  “I have been thinking a lot about us over the last week or so—” His eyes were dark and filled with passion as he ran the back of his fingers along her chest.

  “Levi, please…you must leave for Pemdas immediately. You are in danger.”

  He smirked and brought his hand up to cradle her head, eyes more mysterious than she had ever seen them. “Danger?” Levi questioned as he unexpectedly brought his lips down onto her shoulder. “I cannot remember feeling this comfortable.”

  Reece’s mental state was out of control. She instinctively tried to push away from him, but he only held her tighter. Fortunately, she managed to break free of his kiss and demand him to stop. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Harrison approaching the room through her half-opened door.

  “Levi, you must return to Pemdas at once!” she demanded.

  Instantly, both of her arms were under Levi’s crushing grips. “I will do as I wish,” he growled viciously. “I take no orders from you.”

  Before Reece could react to the pain, Harrison hurled Levi forcefully to the ground, shackling his wrists together.

  Reece gripped her head as Harrison forced Levi up to his feet. “No,” she cried out. “It can’t be happening already. Harrison, we have to get him to Galleta now before Mordegrin destroys his mind.”

  At that moment, four Guardians entered the room. “Gentlemen, get him back to Pemdas as swiftly as possible. We will be right behind you.” Harrison rushed over to Angeline, who stood quietly outside of the room. He looked back at Reece. “We must leave now,” he said with a stern expression. “Have you had any further contact with Mordegrin? Do you know where he may have gone?”

  “No. For all I know, he’s watching every move we make. We just need to leave.” As they marched briskly out of the room, Reece glanced up at Harrison’s commanding gaze. “He told me that he has altered Levi so he can transform into a drone that will do whatever Mordegrin desires, and then he disappeared.”

  “What?”

  Tears filled her eyes, and Harrison gripped her shoulders, forcing her eyes up to meet his. “Reece, do not fall apart on me. We will figure this out once we return to Pemdas. You are right to assume that we may have a chance if we get him to Galleta quickly.”

  “It will be okay, Reece,” Angeline said once they were traveling at high speed back to the closest vortex that would bring them to Pemdas. “I am confident that Emperor Navarre will have Galleta ready to receive Levi. She should have some knowledge about how to fix this.”

  She squeezed Angeline’s hand. “I hope you’re right.”

  Once they entered the vortex, they pulled into the parking structure along with three other cars.

  Levi, still in restraints, emerged from the car he traveled in and walked toward Reece. He looked sorrowfully into her eyes. “I am so very sorry about my erratic behavior earlier. I have been made aware of what has happened to me and what I will soon become.”

  Reece could see fear in his eyes as if he knew there was no hope for him.

  “Everything is going to be okay. Let’s get you to the palace, and maybe Galleta can help us find a way to fix this.” She looked at Harrison, who stood protectively at her side. “Please. If you can sense he’s okay, get him out of these cuffs.”

  Harrison’s eyes beamed vividly as he studied Levi. After a soft exhale, he nodded and unshackled Levi’s restraints. “Let us go quickly,” he ordered.

  They walked rapidly through the gates, and within seconds of arriving, Saracen, Areion, and Arrow were thundering toward them through a vivid forest. As Reece waited for Arrow, she noticed that Areion had slowed significantly, and he studied the area with an intense focus she had never seen. Before Reece could question what the horse was doing, Harrison shouted for Angeline to stand next to Reece. She did, and Arrow protectively stood in front of them. When Reece peered from around the massive horse’s head, she heard Areion let out a guttural and frightening sound. She gasped in fear when she saw Areion pawing at the ground, seemingly ready to attack Levi at any second.

  “Areion, NO!” Reece screamed.

  Areion ignored her, his eyes transfixed on Levi standing in front of him.

  “Reece, stand back,” Levi ordered.

  Harrison snatched Saracen’s bridal as the horse was beginning to move aggressively toward his cousin as well. Harrison’s face was grave as he mounted his horse and slowly walked toward Areion. “Areion, settle,” Harrison deeply intoned, but the horse flattened his ears and lowered his head even further as he slowly stalked toward Levi. Levi stood in front of the massive horse, unmoving and saying nothing. The other Guardians stepped toward Levi, trying to cause a distraction for Areion. “He sees the darkness that Mordegrin has implanted into you!” Harrison shouted.

  Saracen was fighting Harrison violently with his reins.

  This isn’t going to work! Reece thought impatiently. Areion saw Levi as a threat, and Reece was sure the horse would kill him. She stepped out from behind Arrow.

  “Areion!” she said sternly.

  The horse grunted but ignored her.

  “Reece, don’t,” Harrison ordered her while leaping off of his unruly horse’s back. “This horse is seeing more than our eyes are at the moment.”

  Reece ignored Harrison and kept her confidence as Arrow followed closely by her side. She knew Arrow wouldn’t allow Areion to hurt her, so this was their only chance to try to get through to Levi’s horse. She stepped past Levi and walked closer to Areion. His usual golden eyes were fiery red, and his breathing was heavy. The strange part was that he was prepared to kill Levi, yet he hadn’t made his attack yet.

  “Areion,” Reece said, “let us help him.”

  The horse viciously pawed the ground. Fortunately, Harrison used Reece as a distraction and swiftly removed Levi from the area. “Send for the escort horses before Levi is killed, quickly,” he ordered a Guardian.

  Areion reared back and violently paced back and forth. “Areion!” Harrison bellowed. “Get back to Javian.”

  Areion wasn’t so easily persuaded, but he eventually turned and aggressively fled the area. Harrison looked over at Angeline and Reece with a horrific expression on his face. Reece couldn’t be sure, but it seemed as though Harrison’s hope for fixing Levi’s mind had vanished.

  He rubbed his forehead as he approached Levi. “Are you all right?”

  Levi said nothing as he slowly nodded. Harrison looked up at the sky as if to beg for help and roared so loudly that it echoed throughout the area. Angeline burst into tears as she reached for Reece’s hand. Reece stood motionless as she watched Harrison fall completely apart in front of them. He gripped his mouth as he looked back at Levi.

  “This cannot be happening,” he said in a heartbreaking voice.

  Levi faintly smiled. “Harrison, you know that you should have let that horse have his way. We both know his reason for behaving as such.”

  “There must be a way around this,” Harrison returned, ignoring the shock on the women’s faces as they realized the implications of what the men said. “There must be some chance that we can reverse what Mordegrin has done to you.”

  Levi looked back at Reece. “Give me a few moments with Reece before the escorts arrive.”

  Reece inhaled deeply as Levi walked somberly to where she stood in shock. He approached her and smiled while he stared into her eyes. “I cannot remember loving you, but I will admit that I have fought very hard for those memories to return.”

  Reece knew where this was going—a f
inal farewell. “Levi, stop!”

  He reached for her face, tenderly caressing it while studying it. “I must. Please, allow me this opportunity to request something from you.”

  Reece nodded.

  “Whatever happens to me, promise me that you will erase these last few months of how I have behaved from your mind. Raise our child with the good memories we shared together before Mordegrin destroyed my mind.”

  A tear slipped down her cheek. “Why are you saying this? We’re going to fix this!” she insisted.

  “Promise me,” he returned in the same authoritative tone.

  She exhaled, her eyes burning from fighting back her tears. “All that has kept me going is the memory of what we had before you lost your memories. Our child will always be told about the courageous and selfless man his father is.”

  He ran his hand along her abdomen. “Our child has been blessed with a strong mother—”

  Reece stepped back. “Levi, don’t! I beg you. Stop talking like this.”

  He quickly stepped forward and embraced her. The sound of more horses arriving thundered in the distance, announcing the men who would be escorting Levi back into Pemdas. Levi gently kissed her forehead and turned toward the mob of men who awaited him.

  Reece watched in utter disbelief as Harrison returned shackles to Levi’s wrists and despondently escorted him to a horse. The men who arrived wore all black and rode horses like the Guardian horses; the only difference being these horses were thicker and taller.

  Harrison turned back to a frozen Reece. “Angeline will ride with you,” he said in a commanding tone.

  Reece stared blankly at Harrison’s grave expression, but she managed to answer him with a nod. He walked over to where Reece stood, and without a word, he assisted both women onto Arrow’s back. Once Harrison was on his horse, the group of men began moving forward. Watching them treat Levi like he was a horrible creature that would destroy Pemdas was a vision Reece couldn’t look upon.

  Do any of them have hope that we can fix him?

  Harrison rode next to the leader of the escort, briskly pacing the entire group back toward the barriers. Once they cleared the gray, misty void, the horses abruptly halted as Navarre approached on his horse. At his side, he held the reins of a horse that was neither a guardian horse nor an escort horse.

  “Gentlemen, as your emperor, I thank you for your service today and ask that you release my son.”

  “Your Highness, with all due respect, there is a reason we must take such measures with him. We can make no exceptions.”

  Navarre’s face grew fierce. “Do not speak to your emperor as though I were a fool!” he said, enraged. “I understand the reasons why we have sent for you.”

  “You risk the safety of Pemdas and all worlds by dismissing the reasons why a Guardian horse desired to kill your son.”

  “This will be resolved, gentlemen. He will be locked in a secure unit until we find a way to heal him. I do not want my son seen by anyone in Pemdas in this manner.”

  “As you wish. Please forgive our impertinence, Emperor Navarre.”

  Navarre nodded. “Gentlemen, your honor and duty are very much appreciated. Now please, we must be on our way.”

  The transfer was made, and by nightfall, they arrived at Pasidian Palace.

  “Galleta is here. She will meet you in the isolated holding unit, Levi,” Navarre announced.

  Levi nodded but said nothing.

  “Son,” Navarre said, “we will help you.”

  That evening, Reece was inconsolable. Her mind was reeling with ways to help Levi. She watched as Galleta became violently ill the moment she made contact with him. When Galleta recovered, she notified Navarre, Harrison, and Reece that Levi’s mind was rapidly changing. She explained that it was as if potent venom was slowly eating his conscious mind away.

  Galleta may not be able to heal him, but maybe I can.

  Her powers had completely diminished since returning from the other galaxy, but what if there was a way? She was able to project images into Levi’s mind before she received the power from the stone, so what if she could fight Mordegrin’s dark powers that were altering Levi’s mind by trying to mentally battle it herself? She was able to destroy the Olteniaus females by mentally persuading their minds to die, so there was a possibility she could do it with Levi’s mind.

  She left her room and walked directly to the command center where Navarre and Harrison sat in Harrison’s office going over the details of everything at hand.

  “Reece,” Harrison said, standing up from his desk. “Are you okay?”

  Reece walked into his office and tried to ignore the grave and hopeless expressions on the faces of both Harrison and Navarre.

  Navarre was the first to approach her. “Reece, forgive me, as I know you have been through quite a bit, but you appear to be extremely unwell. Have you tried resting?”

  Reece exhaled. “I’m not going to be able to rest until we help Levi.”

  “Galleta is working on preparing herself mentally to help him. She believes that if she is more prepared, she can try to battle this,” Harrison said somberly. “Try to reverse this dark curse.”

  A faint smile pulled up at the corner of Navarre’s mouth. “You should try to rest, my dear.” He glanced down at her stomach, and when his eyes met hers, she could see the humor in them. “My grandchild needs his mother to be strong.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” Reece inhaled deeply. “What if I try to mentally persuade whatever this venom is that’s running through Levi’s mind to leave? I can stop it from taking over. I can heal him.”

  She knew it sounded strange, but what wasn’t bizarre about all of this?

  Navarre’s eyes grew somewhat severe. “After watching Galleta’s response with Levi today, I do not feel it is wise to take any chances with you.”

  “He’s right, Reece,” Harrison interjected. “You run the risk of injuring yourself and your child—”

  “You think I’m not thinking of my child?” Reece snarled.

  “You have been through a lot today. You should rest,” Harrison said calmly.

  “Please,” she said through tears. “Let me try.”

  Navarre stared intently into her eyes. “Reece, I say no because it is exactly what Levi would say.” He reached for her hand to console her, but Reece stepped back. “He would never allow you to put your life or his child’s life in jeopardy in such a manner.”

  “Let Galleta work with him for now, and if she is unable to help him, maybe we can consider your idea,” Harrison interjected.

  They wouldn’t know if I was trying to help him or not, she inwardly thought. “Can I at least see him?”

  Harrison arched an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. “Reece,” he returned in a knowing voice.

  “What?” she seethed through her teeth. “Now I can’t see him?”

  “Come.” Navarre extended his hand. “Do not be alarmed by his appearance. His health is changing rapidly. This may be your last opportunity to see him in a decent state.”

  “What does that mean?” Reece said as she walked with Harrison and Navarre down a long hallway.

  “The darkness that grows within his mind is changing his features. His appearance may startle you.”

  “I will never be afraid to see him. He’s still with us.”

  As they turned the corner, the transparent walls of Levi’s holding unit showed exactly what Navarre was trying to explain.

  The moment they stood next to the glass, Levi smiled so malevolently at her that it sent chills down her spine. His once jewel-like, sapphire blue eyes had turned to silver, just like Mordegrin’s. His hair was in complete disarray, and it seemed as though he had been violently pulling at it.

  “I knew you would come to me,” he snarled.

  “LEVI!” Navarre said in a booming voice.

  Levi recoiled and gripped his head tightly as if to fight the poison that was slowly consuming him. “Get her out of here!” he screeche
d in pain.

  Reece immediately closed her eyes and tried to help him mentally.

  “NO!” Levi screamed. His eyes were deadly as he stalked around the room. He started laughing wickedly, and his probing eyes kept returning to Reece. “It is too late!” he growled in a voice so evil that Reece cringed and stepped back.

  Levi dropped to the ground, moaning and gripping his head tightly—he was in utter torment.

  “He’s trying to fight it,” she whispered.

  “Let us go,” Navarre returned in a grave tone.

  Reece numbly walked with Navarre and Harrison away from Levi’s holding unit. It was frightening to see Levi in such a way, but the worst part of it all was that no one was able to help him.

  “My son is in absolute agony, and I am powerless to help,” Navarre said, collapsing into a chair in Harrison’s office.

  He was right; it was like watching someone being tortured to death. Words could not describe the emotional oppression that filled Harrison’s office. Reece studied both men’s defeated expressions. She felt the same way they did—lost, hopeless, and sick with the knowledge that Levi was suffering.

  “I didn’t get sick,” she softly said.

  Navarre’s head snapped up. “What?”

  “I tried mentally helping him, and I didn’t get sick.”

  “How do you even know if you were able to get through to his mind, Reece?” Harrison asked in a firm voice.

  “It’s why he said that it was too late.” Reece reached for Navarre’s hand. “Please, let me try to help him.”

  Navarre sighed, and the subtle expression of hope she saw in his eyes told her that the emperor may, in fact, allow her the chance to save Levi.

  Chapter Nine

  Reece placed a black, plush horse onto the cream bedding that was crafted for the crib that used to hold Levi as a baby. The ornate crib had been refurbished, and its mahogany wood was now polished and seemingly new again. The rich wood glistened against the sun’s rays, which peered in from the floor-to-ceiling windows in front of the crib. Reece ran her hands over her rapidly growing abdomen as she stood silently staring at Levi’s crib.