The Kingdom Journals Complete Series Box Set

by Tricia Copeland

  I followed Alena up the stairs into the plane and took a seat beside her. My back hit the cushion, and I noted the absence of the lance, the one that’d been at my side for a month. It felt odd, like a piece of me was missing. I wrapped my arm around my middle.

  “Are you okay? Does your side hurt?” Alena laid her hand on my thigh.

  I lifted my shirt to reveal the pink skin surrounded by deepening purple bruises. “Yeah, it’s healing though. Just feels weird to not have the lance on me.”

  “Should I even mention how insane it was to impale yourself with a thousand-year-old bone knife?”

  “No.” I wrapped my hand around hers. “I just need to sleep now.”

  I woke to the dinging of a bell and jumped when I saw Will beside me. “Hi, man. We landing?” Stretching my legs, I ran my hands down my pants.

  “Twenty minutes. ‘Hi, man.’ That’s all you’re going to say to me?”

  “Thank you for healing me, having my back?”

  “The curse is broken.”

  “What? Yeah, I think I got that when all those glowing souls rose through the ceiling, to Heaven, I guess. It’s still a little blurry in my head.”

  He shook his head and patted his chest. “That’s not it. I feel different.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It took a bit to realize it. I mean, I’ve always cared about Alena and protecting her, like she was my own child, but all those kidnapped vampires, even the coven witches, I feel more connected to them. I couldn’t place it at first. I thought it was empathy or compassion, but it’s more. I think vampires were granted souls when you broke the curse. Aaron, Dimitri, and Jacob said they have the same sensation, of being connected to something more, something outside ourselves.”

  “Well, that’s a good thing, right?”

  “Yes, you did a good thing. Stupid, but good.”

  “Yeah, I guess everyone’s pretty frustrated with me running off the handle that way, risking all those soldiers, when the answer was there from the beginning.”

  “You did what you had to do to keep your loved ones safe.”

  I leaned my head against the seat and peered out the window to the sun rising. “I hope we’re safe now.”

  “You’re thinking of your father and your brother? Losing a family member is hard no matter what relationship you have with them.”

  “At first I thought it was the lance being gone.” I patted my side where the lance used to sit. “I haven’t seen my father, or talked to him, in so long. Not that he even was ever good to me. But, my brother. Alena believed there was some good in him. He seemed so messed up. How could you not be with a father and grandmother like ours?”

  “You’ve got a lot to work out. Take a few days to grieve.”

  Will got up, and Alena slid in beside me. “How are you? Get a good rest?”

  “Yeah. How about you?”

  “Yeah, all good, just you know, planning my apologies.” Her face lit up. “DJ is meeting us at the airport.”

  “What about my mom?”

  “My mom thought the team would need some time to debrief. Chalondra and Orm, as well as DJ and Tyler will meet us at the airport.”

  I tapped my fingers on the arm rest. “I bet Tyler isn’t happy about being left behind.”

  “Or the fact that I put him in a choke hold till he passed out.”

  A laugh escaped before I could stop it. Alena slapped me. “It’s not funny.”

  “It is sort of. My girlfriend is bad ass.”

  She smiled and took my hand. “I like that. Being called your girlfriend.”

  When the plane landed, it taxied into Anne’s private hangar. The first one off, I jogged down the stairs to DJ.

  “DJ? Is it really you?”

  “It’s me.” He closed the space between us and wrapped his arms around me.

  I recoiled from the pressure on my side. “Sorry, man. I’m so happy to see you. But this is a little tender still.”

  “No worries. I can’t believe I wasn’t there. The whole point to this was to help you out, be a power-brother duo.”

  “Don’t even think that. It’s my fault your soul got hijacked. How are you feeling? Completely okay?”

  “Yeah, I mean.” He kicked at the concrete floor. “My body is a little soft. I need a lot of conditioning, but I feel like me. It’s odd. I don’t remember anything from the past two months. I went to sleep, and then nothing till yesterday. Tyler filled me in on everything I missed.”

  “I’m glad you’re back. And I still need your help. There’s a coven in Mexico that needs a leader. I’m thinking you’re just the witch for the job.”

  “What me? No, man.” He took a step back.

  “Yeah, it has to be. I don’t have my magic anymore. I’m just a mundane human again.”

  Orm approached. “You still have your family’s blood coursing through your veins.”

  I offered my hand and pulled him into a hug. “Thanks, Orm. I never could have done this without you.”

  “You can tell us everything after a good meal and a shower.”

  We piled into a small bus. Alena, Camille, and I described everything that happened: me commanding the other witches and impaling myself with the Lance of Longinus; Lucifer snatching Sonia, Thanatos, and Theron and disappearing into the abyss; the souls disappearing through the cave roof; and how we’d helped get all the vampires back home and put Michael’s coven on a plane to the compound in Mexico.

  Orm’s brow furrowed and I exhaled a long breath praying I hadn’t screwed up too bad. “Why don’t you look relieved?”

  “I am grateful for your sacrifice, proud that you had the courage to stand up to this great evil.”

  “But . . .” I prompted.

  He grabbed my hand and yanked my wrist over. “See this mark? It’s not linked to the coven. Nor is DJ’s.”

  “So?” I snatched my arm away, frustrated I was missing some key element and had made a grave mistake in handling Michael’s coven.

  Jude leaned forward. “The mark is a spiritual connection. As long as the coven leader’s spirit persists, he can control the coven.”

  “Just tell us what you mean?” Alena shouted.

  “My father can still lead as long as his soul is intact?” My legs bounced as I processed the implications.

  “And it would be even if they crossed into Sheol,” Chalondra added.

  Orm rocked in his seat. “You shouldn’t have sent them away without a new leader. You have to go to Mexico and make yourself the head of the coven.”

  “But I have no powers.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You have the mark. You must take the position if they won’t grant it to you. It’s the only way to prevent—” Orm shook his head.

  “Prevent what?” Alena shook his shoulders. “Just say what you mean.”

  “Thanatos could use Michael’s coven to get to you. You must go there and soon. If Thanatos connects with them, they will find a way to escape the compound.”

  Alena rested her head in her hands. “What about the crystals? The walls are embedded. Won’t that block the connection?”

  Jude pounded his fist on the door. “Not this one.”

  “Couldn’t you just have said, ‘Good job. We’re proud of you,’ and left it at that? He needs a day—we need a day—to rest, appreciate what we achieved for two seconds.” Alena stomped to the back of the bus.

  Following her, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “It’ll be okay. DJ and I will go tomorrow. We’ll make sure nothing happens.”

  Will approached us. “I’ll contact Anne and make sure they have extra precautions in place.”

  “We’ll be home soon anyway.” Alena wriggled from my embrace and retook her seat beside Camille.

  “She’s tired, upset about her father. She’ll settle down.” Will’s hand landed on my shoulder.

  “We all need rest.” I took a seat as the bus slowed and traveled down an exit ramp.

  My head swum with the new
information. I’d thought we were done, could go back to leading normal human lives. But we were right back where we started, dealing with my evil father. Surveying Alena, Camille, DJ, Jude, and Tyler, their glossy stares frustrated me. We should be celebrating. Alena was right. We deserved, and even more needed, a day to take a victory lap. I would make that happen for my team.

  I stood as we entered the garage under Anne’s building. “We’re going to the beach today. We’re going to take a picnic, Frisbee, volleyball, blankets, and towels, and we’re going to lie in the sun and make a campfire and have fun.” I pointed at Will. “You have someone get all those things and get a car for us, okay?”

  Alena laced her fingers in mine. “No, that’s cheating. Normal teens don’t have cars and people to do things for them. We’re going to pack bags and take the bus and spend the whole day wherever we want. No magic or vampires or adults allowed.”

  “Perfect.” Wrapping my hand around her neck, I kissed her lips.

  Mom shifted her weight between her feet as we filed off the bus and grabbed me as soon as my feet hit the pavement. “What happened? Are you okay? Anne said there was an incident.”

  With one last firm squeeze, I slid from the embrace and shot her my best smile. “Yeah, all is good. We broke the curse.”

  “Really?” She wrapped her arm around my middle and turned to the door. “That’s great. I’m so proud of you.”

  Wincing, I backed away.

  “What’s wrong?” She slid my shirt up, exposing my scar. “What happened? Hunter, where did this come from?”

  I tugged my shirt from her grasp. “Nothing, it’s—”

  “He impaled himself with a thousand-year-old bone knife to break the curse. The knife is still inside. Will and I gave him our blood. That’s why it healed so well.” Alena smiled like a cat who’d eaten the canary.

  “What?” Mom’s voice rose an octave.

  “I—” I stopped mid-step and caught Alena’s arm. “Why did you do that?”

  She smiled and skipped away. “Payback for leaving me behind.”

  Mom grabbed my shoulders and forced me to the elevator. “We’re going upstairs and getting you an X-ray, an ultrasound, and an MRI. You probably need antibiotics. What were you thinking?”

  “Mom, it’s fine. It barely hurts. We’re going to the beach.”

  On the elevator, I talked her down from the ultrasound and MRI. She insisted on the X-ray, and I didn’t fight her. I wanted to know where that bone ended up too.

  “Do you all have to come?” I asked as the whole party followed us to the medical ward.

  “After getting knocked out by the girl I was supposed to protect, the least I should get is to witness you being a freak of nature.” Tyler glared at Alena and then me.

  “We could probably use you and Grady in Mexico.” I lifted my shirt over my head and lay on the table.

  “Okay, everyone out.” Mom waved them out of the X-ray room.

  She positioned the beam over my chest and walked behind a glass wall. After a buzz, she let out a yelp. The others crashed into the room.

  “What’s going on?” I pushed off from the table and slid on my shirt.

  “I think I’m going to be sick.” DJ backed away from the crowd packed around the monitor.

  “What is it?” I weaved through them to my mom.

  She pointed to the screen. That knife attached to your sternum. You have an extra rib.

  Adam, I thought. The blade’s true master will be restored. The bone of the knife came from Adam’s rib. My stomach turned at the thought of having someone else’s bone in my body, but there was nothing to be done about it.

  “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for some beach time.” I pointed to the door behind me.

  “You may need to see a psychologist. I think you have some major denial going on, dude.” DJ slapped my back.

  I didn’t care. I already had the plan in my head.

  “Hunter, at least get some antibiotics,” Mom called as I took Alena’s hand.

  “I think my vampire blood covered that.” I heard Will’s voice as we darted down the hall.

  Fifteen minutes later, we gathered in Anne’s foyer dressed in shorts and toting all the staples: water, snacks, Frisbee, ball, and sunscreen.

  “Are you sure you should be out? Orm is worried about Michael’s coven. We have a great rooftop pool.” Anne wrung her hands as we exited their condo.

  Alena’s hand went to her hip. “Mom, no offense, but the roof just doesn’t feel like an escape. With all of us together, we’ll be fine. You have surveillance at the compound, right? Everything looks good, right?”

  “I guess, but . . . Hey, where’d you go? Alena—” Anne spun in a circle.

  Giggling broke out, and I realized we were cloaked. Slipping into the stairwell, Alena, Camille, Jude, and Tyler jumped from floor to floor.

  I jogged to keep up, favoring my healing side. “Hey, guys, umm, human again, remember?”

  They waited on the street level and resumed teenager pace. Finding the correct route, we took a bus to the Santa Monica pier.

  “It’s almost like we’re normal kids.” Alena swung our arms between us.

  “Except Hunter has an extra rib.” Tyler joked.

  “Okay, enough with the bone jokes.” I pushed him away.

  DJ laughed. “What, did someone steal your bone?”

  “You got a bone to pick with Tyler?” Jude asked.

  “Not finding this humerus?” Camille teased.

  Alena poked me in the ribs. “Cutting too close to the bone?”

  “Ha, ha, race ya to the water!” I shed my shirt, flung it on the sand, and took off.

  The ice-cold surf hit my skin, and I dove underneath. Even with the chilling temperature, it felt good to be surrounded by nothing but physical stimuli, no extra voices, no tingling of magic energy, just cutting through the water, arms slicing the waves, legs kicking against the current, my lungs sucking in and releasing air. When my muscles tired, I looked to the beach realizing the people on the shore looked like ants. Floating for a few minutes, I cut in and over, making my way to the shore.

  Alena met me with a towel. “I thought I was going to have to come rescue you. You’re blue. Here.” She wrapped the warm fabric around me.

  We sat on the sand, soaking up the warmth of the sun, and then found a food truck for lunch. Back on the beach, we started a volleyball game and tossed the Frisbee around. Next, we rented bikes and rode along the path, up and down the coast. When it started to get dark, we found a campfire spot.

  “Today was perfect.” Alena snuggled into my chest.

  “Yes, it was.” I kissed her head.

  “Hey, none of that.” Camille pointed a finger.

  “Oh, yeah, like you and Jude haven’t been stealing kisses all day.” Alena stuck out her tongue. “Speaking of which . . .” She spun to face me. “I haven’t properly railed you for leaving me behind.”

  “Camille didn’t veto the decision.” I attempted to deflect her anger. “It was a unanimous decision. It had to be done.”

  Alena addressed the group. “Why?”

  Tears formed in her eyes, and Camille reached out and took Alena’s hand. “Because we had to make sure you were safe. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you, to any of you.”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to any of us. We’re safe now. Tomorrow, DJ and I will go to Mexico and—”

  “Nope.” Alena clamped her hand over my mouth. “No talk of tomorrow.”

  “Alena.” A male voice called out, and I looked up to see Lucas in khakis and a button-down shirt, standing there like a normal person, no wings, no glowing form, just a man.

  I jumped to my feet. “Lucas, I mean Uriel, sir.”

  “Hunter, I believe I owe you a huge thank you.” He reached out his hand.

  I gripped his forearm. “It was my privilege, sir.”

  “Dad?” Alena stepped around me and wrapped her arms around Lucas.
“It was you helping me all along. You on the beach, on the water in Italy.”

  “I tried to be there when you needed me.” He patted her back.

  She released him. “Does this mean the curse is broken and you can be with us anytime?”

  “Well, not anytime, but when I’m free of other responsibilities, yes. Come, let’s walk and talk.” He guided her away from the group.

  “Is she okay alone with him?” Tyler asked.

  “He’s an angel, one of the archangels. I think it’s okay.” I plopped down on the sand.

  It had worked. Breaking the curse freed the souls from Sheol, allowed Lucas to see his family, and granted vampires souls. The only outstanding question remained whether we were free from the condition of establishing a permanent residence.

  “I’m not sure I’m ever going to get used to this whole witch thing.” DJ’s comment brought me out of my thoughts.

  “Better get used to it and fast.” Jude poked at the dying fire. “You’re about to go into a coven of crazy.”

  I threw another stick onto the glowing logs. “They can’t all be that bad. But you probably need to brief us on who we’re dealing with before we leave tomorrow.”

  “Hey.” Camille waved her arms in the air. “No work talk. Beach rules. This is our day off.”

  My phone buzzed. As I slid it from my pocket, I heard all the others’ devices sound their alarms. Motion caught my attention, and I spied Alena and Lucas running towards us.

  “We’ve got to go.” I started kicking dirt on the hot logs.

  A black SUV sped towards us. When it stopped, Aaron and Dimitri jumped out. “Come on. We’ve got to get you all back to headquarters.”

  “What’s going on?” Alena’s head spun one way then the other as three guards exited the vehicle and surrounded her.

  “We need to get you back to your mother.” Aaron approached Lucas. “Who are you?”

  “That’s my dad.”

  “Perfect timing. Get in, all of you.” Aaron held a door open.

  Scanning the area for threats, I snatched our backpacks and towels from the sand and hopped in the car behind Alena. Once we were all in, the SUV sped over the sand dunes to the road. This was the scenario I needed magic for, to protect those I cared about.