“Gabby, I’ve come to save you,” I argued, holding out my hand to try and stop her.
She reached around to her back and unsheathed a dagger.
“Gabriella, please. Don’t do this.”
“You tortured me,” she seethed, and I flinched as if she’d slapped me.
“What? I never hurt you!”
“You scarred my skin! You ruined me, and I will make you pay!”
I was trying to understand the words pouring out of her mouth and nearly missed the dagger rushing toward my chest. I caught her wrist and shifted to the side, but she kept coming. I had seen Gabriella hunt and move with stealth as she tracked her prey, but I’d never seen her fight. She was trained by someone with skill. I could tell from the way she moved, coming at me with that damned dagger. I instinctively drew my own just to help block her ferocious attacks.
“Gabby! Listen to me!” I yelled over her battle cries. “Tori is in your head, you have to fight her!”
She made no sign she heard me.
I whirled around, punching her in the back to try and throw her off balance.
“Don’t make me do this!”
“You brought this on yourself!” she ranted, slowly turning back around, readjusting her grip on the dagger. “I did nothing to you, nothing to deserve what you did to me!”
“The only scars on your body are from your mother,” I shot back.
“Liar!” She was on me again.
Our daggers clashed as we moved around the circle, Tori watching on in delight. Each hit jarred up my arm, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. Her blade slashed down, and I gasped in pain as blood welled in the wound on my arm. “I will kill you!”
I ducked out of the way, barely in time to avoid being stabbed, but then she latched herself onto my back and nearly plunged the dagger into my chest. I grabbed hold of her wrists, forcing the tip away from me.
She pushed harder, but I flipped her off my back and slammed the hilt of the dagger into her face. Blood dripped from her nose, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.
As we fought, all around us the mirrors began to pulsate with power. I searched for Tori, but Gabby’s attacks kept me distracted.
“Your mother is going to kill you,” I yelled to Gabby, blocking another swipe from the dagger, only to have her kick me in the stomach instead.
“She’s my mother! She would not hurt me.”
“Yes, she would! She’s the one who gave you those damned scars, Gabriella, not me! You and I, we love each other, damn it!” I lunged forward, waiting for the dagger to stab into me, but it missed, only glancing my side. I grimaced, but wrapped my arms firmly around her body, trapping her against my chest. “You have to remember! You saved me, and I saved you. You and I, we’re bound together by a force greater than her dark magic!”
“Kill him, Gabriella,” Tori yelled. “Kill him before he tricks you with his lies!”
“I have never lied to you, not once,” I said, only looking into Gabriella’s eyes. “You brought life back to my world, and together, you and I discovered what it meant to be truly loved.”
She blinked, and the light in her eyes dimmed. “Is that true?”
“Yes,” I replied, loosening my grip on her slightly. “We did not love in the beginning, but we do now, and nothing can break that love.”
I let her go completely and stepped back.
Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”
I sheathed my dagger at my hip and lowered my hands to my sides. “I will not fight the woman I love. I won’t hurt you because of your mother.”
She stared at me. Her eyes took in the wounds she’d caused me. Each one made her breathing grow more ragged, and she jerked back as if struck anew by the damage caused by her own hand.
“Gabriella, you will finish him,” Tori ordered.
“I…” She glanced from me, to Tori, the dagger in her hand beginning to slip. “You—what did you do to me?”
“I’ve told you the truth,” I whispered. “Remember, Gabby, remember us.”
“Kill him!”
Gabby’s hands flew to her head, clutching it and screaming, as if someone was trying to tear her apart from the inside out. I longed to go to her, but I had done all I could. It was up to her to break Tori’s hold on her mind. She stepped backward, shaking her head as she screamed again in anguish.
“Destroy him, Gabriella! Save yourself and me from his clutches! Save us!”
Gabriella straightened. Her eyes flared violet with her power, and she raised the dagger. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, and I braced for her to run me through. I wouldn’t stop her. No matter what I told myself before, I wouldn’t kill her.
But the dagger sailed past my face and thudded home somewhere behind me.
I heard the gasp of air leaving lungs and slowly turned to find Tori staring in disbelief at her own chest. She staggered back, glaring at Gabriella.
“You… you… how…” she rasped, barely clinging to life.
“I tucked away some memories for a rainy day,” Gabby replied. “He’s right, our love cannot be destroyed by your bitterness, or your hate.” She reached for my hand, and I took it, holding it securely. “Your time is over, mother.”
“No,” she argued and reached up to remove the dagger from her chest. “I will have my revenge!”
She jerked the blade out and she thrust her hand high. The blood from the dagger dripped and scattered onto the mirrors scattered about.
Gabby bent over double as I attempted to hold her up. She cried out, the light back in her eyes.
Tori laughed darkly as power seeped from Gabby’s body toward the mirrors she hadn’t touched yet.
“No! Gabby, how do I stop her,” I begged. “Tell me.”
“I don’t—I don’t know.” She clutched at my arms as I watched the light pour from her eyes like tears. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t say that! We’re getting out of this. I will not lose you!”
A heavy hand fell on my shoulder.
I reached for my dagger ready to attack, but it was only Josef, and from the anger in his eyes, he was back to himself. “Sire, your orders?”
“Get Alric out of here.”
He nodded and hurried to the god—who in my opinion did not deserve to be saved. As Josef set about freeing him, Tori screeched and lunged toward them.
Gabby was faster. I hadn’t even seen her move, until she tackled her mother to the ground. They rolled, fighting over the dagger as the power continued to seep from her. She was growing weaker by the second…
The mirrors. With no way of knowing if it would hurt or help, I went to the nearest one and shattered it.
Tori and Gabby both cried out.
I hesitated, unsure if I should proceed.
“Just do it!” Gabriella yelled. “Destroy them!”
I moved from one mirror to the next. Each time one was destroyed, I feared I would look over to find I’d killed Gabriella.
Tori was crawling across the ground, blood seeping from the gaping chest wound. “No… stop, you bastard! I will kill you! I will kill you all!”
I was at the final mirror.
I cocked my arm, ready to smash it. “Go to hell,” I growled and brought my fist crashing into the glass.
It shattered, and Tori’s body exploded with a bright, white flash of power that sent us all flying into the trees.
Gabby cried out.
I shook out my head, waiting for my eyes to readjust after the flash, crawling blindly forward, reaching out to her.
Finally her hand closed around mine.
“Holden,” she whispered roughly.
“Right here, love, right here.” I pulled her into my arms, checking her head for more wounds even as I watched the last of the violet magic slip from her fingertips and eyes. “Your magic…”
She blinked, and the last of it faded away. “It’s alright… I don’t need it, not anymore. She’s gone.”
“We thought that once b
efore.”
“No, she’s gone. I can’t feel her anymore. The air, it’s lighter, can’t you tell?”
I was going to agree with her when the sound of furious screeching reached my ears. “More witches? We can’t fight them all.”
“You won’t have to,” Jaspen growled furiously.
My stepfather and his entire personal guard were armed to the teeth and ready for war. “If you wish to fight, then by all means, come forth! I will kill you all!” he bellowed.
The screeching grew louder, but nothing burst forward to attack.
“Go back to your shadows and stay there! Do not think you will win a war against the gods!”
Gabby and I sagged in relief at the same time.
“Jaspen, I thought you said I had a day,” I muttered.
“We felt a disturbance of power. I assumed you failed and the war had begun again.” He knelt beside us, looking to Gabby. “It appears I was wrong. I am sorry, my dear.”
She stared at him confused. “For what, exactly?”
“Ah, yes well, when you took Alric captive, I may have assumed you were trying to restart the war he began. As I said, I was terribly wrong. Can you forgive a fool?”
“I believe I can.” She leaned back against my chest. “Tori’s finally dead.”
“That she is, love. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you in time.”
“You did. Before I lost my life or killed Alric.”
Alric ranted as he drew nearer.
I longed to disappear with Gabby before he reached us.
“Where is she? Where is that treacherous daughter of mine! What were you doing with Tori?”
“I did not choose to be with her, if you hadn’t noticed,” Gabby snapped.
I helped her to her feet so she could face her father, but I was more than ready to place myself between them.
She touched my arm, and I paused. “You know, none of this would have happened if you had treated her with respect.” She glared at her father.
“Respect? What for?”
“She gave you a child,” Jaspen snapped before Gabby could say anything. “A precious life you seem to think is worthless. You will be happy to know that I, however, understand how important every life is. Every single life,” he added, his gaze resting on me for a second. “You don’t deserve your daughters, Alric. Not even close.”
He sputtered furiously. “How dare you speak to me that way! I want Gabriella punished!”
“For what? Treating you the way you treated me?” Gabby shook her head. “You knew Tori abandoned me to the wilds and you left me to die! What do I owe you? What?”
“You owe me your life!”
“She owes you nothing,” I growled, unable to keep my mouth shut any longer. “If you ever try to speak to her again or contact her in any way, I’ll set the hellhounds on you. Understood?”
“Take him back to his home!” Jaspen ordered.
His guards moved in, surrounding the fallen god.
Alric was still yelling and shouting when they dragged him away into the night.
Jaspen turned to us. “Can you manage to get yourselves home?”
“We’ll make it,” I assured him. “And thank you.”
“You are welcome. Though I hope you know I will always come to the defense of those under my care. Family by blood, or not.” He started to turn away.
I called his name, and he paused.
I held out my hand. “Family indeed.”
He smiled softly and took it firmly. Then he waved and left with his guard.
“So,” Josef announced as he joined Gabby and me. “I say this calls for a few days of drinking in the hall, yes?”
“I owe you an ass kicking,” I muttered, the pain from my wounds smarting.
I faltered, but between Gabby and Josef, I stayed upright, and the three of us made our slow descent back to the village.
“Who taught you to fight?” I asked Gabby.
“Meris,” she replied. “She’ll be happy to know I turned out to be a good student.”
“Good is an understatement,” I grumbled.
“Oh, quit your whining, I’ll see to your wounds when we get home.”
“Home,” I repeated and leaned over to kiss her. “It truly is home now.”
She clung to me, kissing me back fiercely until Josef cleared his throat.
I glanced at him. “What?”
“Can you save this for when we return, and I am not helping to support you?”
Gabby laughed.
I sighed. “You are the most demanding demon I know,” I told him. “Truly.”
“I’ll let Hattie know you said so.”
We bantered all the way down the hill to the village, returning to Disgrace with a new outlook on the future and all it would hold.
Gabby’s magic was gone, but she laughed and smiled without a care in the world, content with the knowledge that Tori was gone for good this time.
I held her close as we made ready to pass through the mirror together. Kissing her, I ignored the calls and whistles of those around us. I cared not what they thought. I had the woman I loved, once again safe in my arms.
How could life get any more perfect?
17
Gabriella
Holden tugged me against his chest as morning broke over Disgrace.
I rolled over, kissing him until his eyes opened.
“Why are you so cheery this morning?” he asked suspiciously as I played with his beard.
“I have plans for today. Come on! Time to get up!”
He grimaced. “It’s too early, and I’m still healing.”
“Oh, no. You’re not. Your wounds are perfectly fine.”
“I’m sore and tired.”
“The fight was days ago,” I reminded him as I climbed out of bed.
“Must I get up?”
“You must. Please, trust me?”
He grumbled about crazy wives, but did as I asked, stealing another kiss until I grabbed up his clothes and threw them at him. “What are we doing?”
“No hints.”
“I sense payback for my hiding the workshop from you.”
I shrugged, and he rolled his eyes. After he was finally ready, we left our chambers to find Hattie waiting for us by the front doors, holding out two travel packs. She grinned as she handed them over.
Holden raised a brow. “How long are we going to be gone?”
“A few days, perhaps longer. Josef is in charge of the hounds, and the castle is in good hands. Right, Hattie?”
“Yes, as always. Now go, you’ll want to get started if you wish to reach your destination.”
“Destination?” Holden’s eyes narrowed as he cornered me. “Where are we going, Gabriella?”
I stood on my toes and gave him a peck on the cheek before ducking under his arm and raced outside. “Think of it as hunting for a particular type of prey. Think you can keep up?” I bounded across the grounds and into the woods.
After we returned from destroying Tori, I’d reached out to Irina and Ezra for help in tracking down a demon. Instead of wasting time trying to scour the valleys for where he might be, Ezra took a leap of faith and asked Jaspen right out if he knew. I could have strangled my brother-in-law, but a message arrived a few hours later from Jaspen saying he did know, and he too felt it was time Holden knew where he came from.
Holden kept up easily as I darted in and out of the trees, staying just out of his reach. We stopped at the hot springs for a quick bite to eat, then I was pulling him along again. We walked for hours until the sun was making ready to set in the Underworld.
“Should we make camp?” he asked. “I don’t want us traveling in the dark like this.”
“Almost there,” I promised, taking a peek at the map.
Holden attempted to snatch it from me, but I moved out of his reach. He was nearing the end of his patience for games, but we were just around the bend, quite literally. “Gabriella.”
“Oh, full name, huh? D
on’t worry, in a few more steps, you’ll be thanking me.”
“For dragging me out to the middle of nowhere?”
We kept on walking, him cursing and muttering under his breath, but I was focused on the path that appeared beneath our feet he hadn’t seemed to notice. It led us up a small hill where smoke rose from a small fire someone had built. I smelt meat cooking and my mouth watered as my stomach growled with hunger.
“Are we meeting someone out here?” he asked, catching my hand.
“Don’t worry, we’re expected.”
Then we were at the top of the hill and before us sat a small cabin big enough for two people. A fire crackled, with several wooden chairs around it.
Holden was just asking me who was supposed to be here when the cabin door swung open and a demon emerged. He was older, his hair greying slightly, but the remaining red hair surrounded rust-colored horns.
Holden fell silent beside me as the demon lifted his eyes and seemed to be waiting.
“You made it,” the demon said, finally breaking the silence.
“We did. The walk was long, but well worth it. Holden?”
“You,” he whispered. “You’re… you can’t be… can you?”
The demon bowed his head. “I am Brendle. I was the queen’s personal guard. And I am your father.”
“Father,” Holden whispered. “You—you’re my father?”
I wasn’t sure what to expect and waited for him to be furious with me, but then he dropped the pack from his body and covered the distance to his father in a blink.
They embraced, holding each other close as I wiped a tear from my eye at the sight. They were already talking away, and I went to sit beside the fire, warming my hands and enjoying the sounds of their laughter. Holden’s ecstatic gaze slipped to mine, and he cursed.
“Brendle—Father—this is my wife, Gabriella. I’m sorry, I just… I’m taken aback. Thank you for this, truly,” he rambled, reaching for my hand.
“I thought it was time, so did Jaspen.”
“What? He did?” Holden asked, surprised.
Brendle grinned, his smile matching that of his son. “I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for us both, Gabriella. I can never repay you for this.”
“You don’t have to.”
Disgrace Page 21
