by Angel Lawson
I look back at the falcon. “You don’t mean the ones on the ground, do you?”
He flexes his wings, spreading them wide. The fight below has turned into a blood bath. Five of my soldiers now against three of theirs.
“Get ready, the battle is coming for you. Make sure you’re as strong and as prepared as they are.” He launches from the ledge, soaring into the night. I look back down just in time to see Hildi run her sword through the gut of her victim. Turning for the falcon, I search for him. I have more questions. More thoughts. But my feathers start to fall, gloss black into the night. With the sound of the arena still in my ears I wake, arms spread across my bed, the coppery scent of blood in my nostrils.
My army is coming.
17
Morgan
Dressed in another ridiculous gown, I await an escort to take me to dinner. Well, the word “dinner” downplays the scene in the grand hall. Really it’s a formal banquet, everyone dressed in their finest, including Anita, who looks like a beacon in a blood red dress.
“Where do all these people live?” I ask Nevis as we enter the room.
“The Queen has surrounded herself with a court of loyal citizens. They stay on the castle grounds, under the protection of the Queen’s magic.”
“What’s it like out there? Beyond the walls?” Anita asks. I’m surprised at her interest.
“Cold, dark, and dangerous. There are some small villages on the outskirts of the kingdom. Wild areas that the castle does trade and barter with. But no one has traveled further than the Queen’s territory in many years. Beasts roam the hillsides, thieves and dark magic lurks in caves and the barren fields.”
Anita shivers and I suppress one as well. It’s hard the shake the chill of the castle. Some of it real, other parts psychological—like a dark depression. I know now though that some of this is the actual Darkness. The power wielded by the Morrigan. The one I had a faint taste of back at the Nead, the one my guardians helped quell with their love and affection. But even after my moment with Bunny earlier today, I feel the desire for a taste of her power. It’s the one thing that makes me know, she and I are one. And from the dark circles under Anita’s eyes and the red scratch marks on her arms, I know she’s jonesing for another hit too.
“How was your afternoon?” I ask. I’m carrying the weird dream I know the Shaman sent me deep in my chest. “Do anything interesting?”
“I spent time in the royal antiquity room. Jewels and artifacts from throughout history.” She leans in. “Did you know the Hope diamond is actually a fossilized dragon’s eye? The Morrigan has a matching one that she uses to control the beasts.”
I wait a beat for Anita to laugh and tell me that was a joke, but no, she’s serious.
“Wow. No, I didn’t know that.” I do notice that she sways a little and I reach to hold her steady. “You feeling okay?”
She stabilizes herself and replies in a low voice, “I’ve been a little rocky since that power blast earlier today. Like, I was never into drugs and stuff. Okay well, maybe a little bit of OxyContin back in college. A little boost to get through exams, and obviously Xavier dabbled, but I never knew what real cravings felt like. Not until today.”
I don’t reply right away but Nevis discreetly presses her heel against my toe. The pain is sharp but I bite it back. I should have the same cravings as Anita and the only reason I don’t is Bunny helping me out. I can’t let her or the Morrigan know I have an outlet. More than ever, she needs to think I hate him.
With the warring feelings in my heart, that won’t be so hard to do.
“Yeah, I felt shitty all day. I had to take a huge nap.”
She nods. “One more day and all that delicious darkness will be ours, all the time.”
Instead of arguing, I lift my skirts to walk down the aisle, but Nevis holds me back.
“Tonight you’ll follow the Queen down the carpet in royal formation.”
“What?” I glace at Anita. She’s smoothing her hair and adjusting her bodice to reveal more cleavage. Obviously she knew about this.
“It’s just a formality,” the servant says. “Just follow behind her. Smile and nod.” Nevis narrows her eyes at me. “You can do that, can’t you?”
I have no idea when I got the reputation of being uncooperative. I’m about to ask when the hallway falls silent and the Morrigan is ushered in by her protective unit.
Led by Casteel.
My instant reaction of rage and anger answers that question. These people made me uncooperative. They made me the woman I am today, one who is vengeful and determined.
The Morrigan once again wears her signature black, in a dress made of slick leather that molds to the curves of her body. It’s interesting that she has me and Anita dress in such formality while she looks like a demon from the sex realm, but whatever. I guess that’s her style.
“Dears,” she says when she sees us, and my first reaction to her isn’t hate. It’s desire. Desire for her power and the dark energy that lurks in her every move. “You look outstanding. Perfect little princesses for the court to love and adore.”
Anita doesn’t even hide her desperation, moving quickly to touch, taste, and smell the queen. Casteel holds her back, blocking her with his arm that no longer has a hand attached. There’s nothing but a wrapped stump.
“Let her pass,” the Morrigan says with a stern voice. There’s little doubt she dislikes Casteel’s interference. Her eyes flick over me as well. “Let them both come to me. I know they need a little bump to get through the night.”
I don’t want to. I don’t want that garbage in my system, but Nevis nudges me forward and I know I have no choice. The instant I’m in range, black tendrils of smoke swirl off her body—the kind I saw in the ring when she fought Dylan. The kind from the photos Sam took moments before he was captured. The Darkness, the Morrigan’s essence, is alive and I watch helplessly as it wraps around my wrist like a manacle, injecting me with the cold, hard power my body is eager to taste.
It feels like a tiny prick—or dozens of them, really—sinking into my flesh. It feels good; the rush of absolute power. It hadn’t been this way back home. As quickly as the smoke arrived it vanishes again, flickering back into her body.
“Just a bit, dears, to tide you over until the ceremony. I need you strong but not doped up on a level of power you can’t understand.”
“Thank you,” Anita says, licking her lips. The rings have vanished under her eyes and she looks more alive now than before. I touch my cheeks, wondering if they have the same glow.
The Morrigan looks at me expectantly and I nod. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
She smiles and walks past us, getting into position to lead our procession. Casteel passes me and says, “You look ravishing tonight, Morgan. Not as good as you did wet and naked, but still, removing all that fabric is half the challenge.”
A jolt shocks through me and I grab Casteel by his lame arm and jerk it behind his back in a quick move. He falls to the ground on his knees, whimpering when a bone cracks. The soldiers around us pull their weapons, and I feel the steel point of at least six blades at my neck and back. The strength running through me isn’t my own, and when the Morrigan turns to see the commotion there’s no denying the glint in her eye.
“Stand down, Casteel,” she says, her lips curved in a nasty grin. “Only you would be foolish enough to push your vendetta against a woman filled with the Dark spirit. If she kills you right now, I’ll do nothing but watch.”
I drop him, pushing him forward. He grunts as he falls, cradling his already weak arm. I straighten and Anita smirks at me as I line up next to her. The Darkness rolls and expands inside of me, reacting to the feel of me using it.
The Morrigan turns and says, “Are you ready, girls?”
“Yes,” I declare, holding my chin high.
Because yes, I think I am.
18
Dylan
Unbelievably, in a haze of blood and sweat, the fight comes to an en
d. My brothers, Hildi, and I stand over the slain bodies. The roar of the crowd is both as astonished as I am and ecstatic at the results. I hardly remember it at all. Not the kills, not how we came out on top. But we did, and I’m not one to argue with the fates, so when that final buzzer rings I raise my arms like a champion and accept the win.
Now to take our prize.
“Go clean up,” the Shaman says. He’s not as angry as I expect. “I’ll have the Legion and the paperwork prepared for transfer.”
“That’s it?” Clinton asks, never one to trust the Shaman. I understand. There’s usually a catch, but as we walk back down the tunnel that is already shifting back to normal with a magical haze, and enter the training room, I realize that for once there isn’t.
“I wish you luck,” the man says, although I’m not sure he believes in such a thing. “Believe it or not, I’m on your side. The Morrigan’s ways…they aren’t my own. I like the balance of the realms as they are.”
“Because you profit from it?” Hildi asks, the large cut on her cheek already starting to fade.
“Because it took many centuries for me to settle in. Establish my ways.” He smiles. “Plus, I like the comforts of this world. Coffee. Pizza. The internet. An apocalypse isn’t in my favor any more than it is in yours.”
There’s honesty in his words. And truth.
“And the Legion,” I ask. “How will they feel about it?”
“The stories of the Legion are complex and not always as they seem. But they’ve waited a long time to put a god or goddess of war to an end. They’ll be useful allies. I understand why you’ve chosen them.”
Clinton pulls his shirt over his head, there’s a nasty bruise on his side, but it too is disappearing. He jerks his chin at the Shaman. “Any suggestions on how to handle them?”
“They’re soldiers. Warriors like yourself. Tell them what the mission is and they’ll fight accordingly.”
The Shaman spreads his right hand and waves his other across his palm. There’s a ripple in the air and a roll of thick paper appears. It’s old and the magic holding it together is strong enough to smell. Sulfur is the primary odor.
“Once we sign these, they’re yours.”
“And when the battle is over? What do we do with them then?”
The Shaman shrugs and unfurls the papers. “That’s up to you.”
He cuts his finger with a sharp blade and places a drop at the bottom. He passes it to me and I scan it over. I see no tricks. No manipulations. Once we sign, the Legion will belong to us. And their contract as well as our own with the Shaman are now void.
I take the blade and slice into my own skin. Blood beads at the tip of my finger and with a look at the others I seal the contract between us.
Now we’re the owners of an army.
19
Morgan
There’s little time for food, and I’m definitely holding back on the drink tonight as the affair seems to be more about dancing and socializing than anything else. I still can’t exactly figure out what and who the members of the Queen’s court are, why they’re here, but at least three handsome men line up and ask me to dance.
“Thank you,” I say to the most recent one. He’s blonde with brilliant green eyes. I smile sympathetically. “But, no. I really can’t.”
Seriously. I have no idea how to dance—at least not in the style of the Otherside.
Anita has no problem saying yes and once they walk away from me they rotate over. Her red dress flares as she spins, completely fluent in the movements of this world. Her hand lingers flirtatiously over the shoulder of the blond courtesan that I’d just rejected. He doesn’t seem to mind. Why would he? Anita is at home in this world. The way she has acclimated to the kingdom brings about a million questions, and without realizing it, I scan the room for the one person that can answer them.
“It’s fascinating, isn’t it?” Bunny says, from behind me, like he knew I was searching for him. “How you and Anita are so different.”
“Why is that?” I ask him, feeling our bond stretch with him so close. The Morrigan’s Darkness tickles at the back of my throat. I’d give anything for Bunny to douse the fire with his mouth.
“She didn’t have five guardians watching over her from the day she was born.”
I glance over, unsure if us speaking is a good idea. There are no runes to protect us from the Morrigan’s careful eye—other than the one Bunny etched on my skin. Somehow I doubt that’s enough.
Yet Bunny grazes his fingers on my waist and offers me his hand. “May I have this dance?”
“I’ll tell you what I haven’t told the others…I can’t dance.”
“I’m sure we’ll manage.” He gives me a crooked smile and a strand of his copper hair falls in his eyes. He’s wearing formal attire; black pants and a gray tunic. Add in his glasses and he looks quite distinguished.
I don’t hesitate. I want his touch. I crave the way he soothes the dark power surging inside of me. My body trembles in relief when his hand takes mine and I fight to keep my knees from shaking as we walk across the marble floor. He leads me gracefully, the warmth of his hand easing into the dip of my back. There’s no lack of confidence as he guides me with only one hand, but he does stand close,, using his full body to lead. Without missing a beat we fall in step with the music.
“Why are you shaking?” he asks in a low voice. People are watching, including the Queen.
“She keeps pushing her magic on me. Anita, too.” I look at our connected hands. “I think she’s testing me, seeing how I handle such an influx of dark power.”
“So that’s why you came to me before.”
I nod, not feeling the slightest bit of guilt. “I can’t do the job I need to if I’m drunk on dark magic, Bunny.”
“You know you can come to me whenever you need to. I don’t judge.” He spins me around and my skirt flares like a flower. When I come back to him, he pulls me closer, dropping his hand behind my back. I don’t miss the way his eyes graze over my breasts or the gentle but possessive feel of his hand. “Believe it or not, we have the same goal.”
It is hard for me to believe that. But I think about my dream earlier in the day. My guardians are sacrificing themselves for this fight. Hildi has joined in at the risk of everything. And the Shaman, what had he said?
“I never underestimate your Ravens.”
I knew at that moment he didn’t just mean the ones in the fight below, but the one in front of me, too. I open my mouth to tell him everything, about the directions I gave Clinton. The dream and the warriors the guardians went up against. How I’m doing all of this to save my world, my family, and how I want to save him, too.
Our eyes meet and I feel walls crumbling between us. We’re bigger than this. Bonded. Mated in all ways except one.
Before I can speak, the music changes and Bunny twirls me to the edge of the dance floor, slipping through a crowd of people until we’re behind a large stone pillar near one of the roaring fireplaces.
It’s against that pillar, hidden from the eyes of the court that Bunny kisses me, deliciously hard. He takes the Darkness building up inside and gives me something I’d been missing since arriving in this cold, barren kingdom.
Hope.
20
Bunny
Gods, her mouth. Her lips and the way her breasts look in that antique gown. I love Morgan in all ways: fighting in the ring, modeling for a painting, laughing on the rooftop garden; but here, in this dress, her image burns into my mind as one of my favorites.
She’s fought me for days, angry and hurt. I understand it, I do. Betrayal cuts deep, but I’d hoped she see the bigger plan. That once we were both here, free to roam and plant the seeds of a rebellion, we would have one another. Together, with the help of the Guardians, we would become whole.
She’s close—nudged by the need to rid herself of the Morrigan’s poison. A side effect I don’t think the queen anticipated.
“She’ll see,” she breathes.
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“She may.” I peer around the pillar and find the queen involved in conversation with her courtesans. “But I’ve blocked her from your emotions. When we’re together, she can no longer sense our bond and the strength that ties us together.”
“It’s still there, isn’t it? The bond?”
“Only one thing will tear that apart.”
Another glance tells me someone else is looking—someone dangerous. I release my hold on Morgan.
“What?” she asks. I know her worry isn’t about herself. It’s about the plan and time slipping away before the Raven Guard arrives. There’s little time for a mistake.
“Casteel. He’s watching. And waiting.”
“For what?” She slips away and the coil between us ebbs.
“For an opportunity, I’m sure. To what end, I don’t know. I’m sure the queen has made it clear you’re off limits.”
“I’ve made that clear, too.”
I smile. “I’m sure you have.”
“One day,” she says, rounding the pillar to rejoin the party. “That’s all we have to survive. One final day and this will be over.”
I watch her vanish around the marble column and hope she realizes we will have to do more than survive for the next twenty-four hours. And if she isn’t willing, then the fate of us all may succumb to the Queen and her darkness.
21
Damien
The Nead, the spacious mansion that has provided the Raven Guard shelter, suddenly feels small.
I stand in the foyer and watch as Sue and Davis jump to work, figuring out places for these men—these warriors--to sleep and prepare,until we embark on our journey to the Otherside.
