by Angel Lawson
“This is really what you want?” I ask her. She had a life. A family.
“More than anything.” She gives me a curious look. “I know you’ve been brainwashed by those roommates of yours to fight against this, but you have no idea what awaits on the other side.”
Heavy footsteps echo off the ground. I look toward the castle and see Casteel walking down the center path. He’s escorting the Morrigan personally. She glides across the stones toward the small platform in the middle of the field. The audience, I’m assuming the most loyal of her court, watches in silence as she takes her place. Her dress is black, made of a shiny, tight fabric that looks like wet paint. Her hair is back and she wears a headdress made of glossy feathers. A crown of glittering black jewels sits on top.
There’s no sense of betrayal on Casteel’s face. Nothing but stone-cold loyalty. The priest from earlier in the day steps on the platform and nods at the Morrigan.
It’s time.
My Guardians are not here.
The priest says something in a language I do not understand, but a wide smile appears on Anita’s lips. There’s a nudge at my back. The blonde woman next to me links her arm with mine and we leave our spot in the shadows and enter the ring of fire. At the edge of the platform Anita leans in and whispers, “I forgive you for what you did to me back home. Today we start new. As one. I’m thankful you’re my sister.”
The priest doesn’t smile when he sees us. Neither does the Morrigan. Her eyes are closed as if in prayer. With the help of assistants, we take our positions, each on the side of the Queen. I feel the Darkness ebbing off of her but it’s different. It’s like the energy bounces off. I have a shield of protection.
“We shall now begin the ceremony,” the priest says, now in English. Or maybe, I think, watching his lips, I can just understand what he’s saying? The shape of his mouth doesn’t match the words and they echo in my head.
“At the beginning of time, a child of the gods was born, blessed with three souls. Macha, Nemain, and Anand. These three cultivated and protected land and agriculture, fertility, and the art of war. Together they were equals. United, they held magnificent power. Betrayal and deceit split them apart and only one remained to protect and fortify these lands.” Every eye watches the priest as he spins his tale.
“Anand, the goddess of war, has ruled the Otherside since that time. But her true glory is to leave this realm and conquer others. And to do that she must unite again with her sisters.”
At the back of the circle is a flat stone table, or altar, and the priest turns toward it. “We start with a sacrifice of one of the gods’ chosen. His blood will act as a conduit to bring these three together.”
A sacrifice? Seriously, where is Dylan? Clinton? Right about now would be a good time to come in and shut this nightmare down. But there is no cavalry. No heroic entrance, just the sound of a man being dragged from the back of the gardens toward the altar.
It’s Anita’s gasp followed by a gleeful laugh that forces me to look up at the man gagged at the mouth and bound at the ankles. I stare into those deep copper eyes and choke back on my emotions.
The Queen plans to sacrifice Bunny.
31
Dylan
Light greets us at the end of the tunnel, along with the sharpened tips of blades. Nevis is at the front, and they wear mismatched clothes but clearly want to be seen as a united force.
“Why the blades?” I ask, stepping into the humid cavern. I have my hand on the handle of the coiled whip at my side.
Nevis looks over my shoulder, sees the men pushing out of the tunnel. Whatever she’s thinking, I hope it’s not some sort of attack. Her people look strong but not Legion of Immortals strong.
“We’ve decided to join your fight, but Morgan has changed the terms of our agreement. She no longer wants to kill the Morrigan.”
“What? Why?” Damien asks, moving next to me.
“The Commander made a deal with her. He bought her time. Allowed her to be with the last of her mates. She’s at full strength.”
“We’re aware,” Clinton says. “What are the terms of her agreement with Casteel?”
“Morgan spares the Queen and leaves, closing the gate forever.” Her eyes grow tight. “This leaves us with a problem. There’s no assurance we will not continue to be the Kingdom’s slaves.”
“Morgan won’t betray you,” I say, but I don’t know that. I don’t know how having so much power will change her. I don’t even understand why she’d give Casteel a chance.
Nevis nods. “I hope not, but we’re willing to reveal our numbers to the Kingdom. Risk our peaceful society for a chance at the future.” She grips the handle of her sword. “We’ll lead you to the battle and fight by your side, and if Morgan fails we will kill the Queen ourselves.”
It’s a bold move. Most likely suicide, but I understand. Being under the control of a sadist makes it worth taking the chance to end it when you have it. And this may be the only one they get.
“Casteel…he wants to save Morgan and see the gate closed?”
“Yes.”
We’re walking across the cavern to one of the pipes that leads to the castle above. I wave my soldiers through and they are followed by the people of the underground, some who will surely never see this place or their loved ones again.
“Why is he doing this?” I ask, trying to wrap my mind around the change.
Nevis stops and looks up at me. She’s so small but also incredibly strong. In the heart and mind, if not physically. “He loves her.”
“Morgan?”
“No, Anand, his true love from the days before. She’s his mate.”
Those are words I understand. Feelings I can comprehend. I nod and move toward the pipe to follow the others to the battle above. We’ve all done foolish things for love, I’m doing my own now.
32
Morgan
“I told you to kill him.”
The Morrigan’s words cut into my mind like a razor. I don’t need to look away from Bunny lying flat on the altar to know she has a smile on her face.
“You think I didn’t know you were going to him? That you’d forgiven him? Your weakness brought us to this moment, Nemain.”
I finally look at her. I’m not the only one; Anita, the audience, Casteel, and even the priest is clinging to her every word.
“What are you talking about?”
“You think I don’t want you at your peak strength before we bond? That I don’t want your raw power? You’re both alive because I need it that way.” She glances at Bunny and sneers. “Or did.”
The power she speaks of crackles in my fingers; if the Morrigan feels it, she doesn’t care. She nods at the priest. “Kill him and begin the ceremony.”
He walks to the altar and pulls out a sharpened blade on a small shelf beneath. Three goblets sit beneath Bunny’s head, a slanted piece of wood falling toward each one. The goblets are to be filled with blood. Bunny’s blood.
Although I feel my guardians in this world, they are not here. My eyes connect with Bunny’s. There isn’t an ounce of fear in his eyes. He’s always known it would come to this. Sacrifice is his role. His destiny.
Not if I can fucking help it.
The Morrigan, too caught up in her dramatics, turns her back to watch the priest work. I do what I came here to do. Channeling my lessons and training, I go for the weakest point, lunging for Anita and gripping her by her stupid, perfect hair.
“Ahh! Morgan!” she shrikes. I close a hand around her throat and the sound becomes more guttural. The Morrigan spins, anger twisting her lips. She doesn’t even have time to speak before I whisper in Anita’s ear and wrench her neck to the side, severing her spine in one snap.
Her body drops to the ground with a thud.
My strength surprises me. Clinton and Dylan taught me that move, but I’d never had the power to pull it off. But just then I knew I possessed it. I used it, and just as quickly I tear the slinky white dress at the collar down
to my feet and step out of the shell of insanity in my fighting suit.
“I don’t need her,” the Morrigan says. She flicks out her hand and whatever light—whatever energy Anita possessed--lifts from her body in a swirl and slams into the Queen. She licks her lips in pleasure. “She was rendered weak during the original split. She was nothing but a pawn and her duty is fulfilled. But you…you’re magnificent, Nemain. So much rage. So much anger. Don’t pretend you don’t feel the dark power surging in you. I can taste it from here.”
“But I don’t. That’s what you don’t understand, Your Highness,” I take a step forward. Casteel and his men haven’t made the slightest move. On her call or his, I do not know. “The Darkness is gone. Banished by the love of that man right there.” I point to Bunny. His eyebrow lifts at the word love. “You can kill him but you can’t take away what he’s given me. What we have together.”
A commotion rises at the edge of the field. I smile.
“What we all have together,” I amend. I pull my sword from my back, the one that works well in my world but is a force in this one. The jewels sparkle on the hilt. “Say goodbye to tyranny!” I shout to all of the Otherside.
And we begin to fight.
33
Bunny
Chaos explodes when Morgan raises her sword. Casteel’s men scatter to the edges of the field. The priest drops his knife and runs. Two queens face one another mere feet away.
I wriggle my feet and wrist against the tight rope.
Morgan, never taking her eyes off the queen, lifts her hand toward me. Warm air blasts in my direction and I squint against the draft. The ropes twist and slither apart, alive with whatever power she blasted my way. The instant they are free I jump from the altar and pick up the priest’s discarded weapon. It’s ceremonial, I see, flipping it in my hand, but it will do.
I don’t know what Morgan’s plan is or how she wants to end this, but I know the Queen is hers to take. I hop off the platform and search the field for my brothers. It’s not hard to find them. A sea of scuffles move along the edge.
I move to join my brothers when a massive hand grips me on the shoulder. I look back and see Casteel. I tighten my hold on the blade.
“Weapon down,” he says, jaw tight. “Your true Queen has a handle on this. Your fellow Guardians will fall in line. You’re needed for something else.”
I frown, confused by his words. “What is that?”
“You painted the mural. You’ve seen the prophecy. Only you can close the gate for good.”
“You want the Morrigan locked in?”
He nods. “I’ll clear you a path.”
I don’t understand what’s happening here but if he’s willing to betray the Morrigan, I’m willing to follow his lead. I step into his shadow and we push through the sea of kingdom soldiers fighting for their lives. I spot Damien breaking a man in two. I see Sam clashing with a man twice his size. There are others, faces I don’t recognize, but they’re wearing our uniform and as Casteel leads me away from battle I pray to the gods I will see them all once more.
34
Clinton
Morgan is too far away for me to see but I feel her—sense her. She’s claimed her power. It’s possible she didn’t need us after all.
The kingdom’s soldiers swarm, hundreds of men charging toward us with a taste of blood on their tongues. We’ve been asked by the people underground not to kill the queen—that Morgan has a bigger plan. I have to trust this is true but we were not asked to take it lightly on her army, and I plan to slash and slay my way to the platform.
It’s eleven against hundreds, but we still have the edge. I slam my foot into the chest of the nearest soldier. I plunge my blade into his throat. I do it again. Jabbing elbows, kicking in kneecaps. I break necks. Shatter spines. Blood coats my hands. My face. The air fills with blood and screams. Glancing to my right I spot Agis rip the arm off a foe. I’m pleased to see he doesn’t smile. That the act takes him to a deeper place. I’ve been there. I am there.
War is fucking hell.
Miya cleans up my mess, taking down swaths of charging men with his double-edged sword, and slowly we creep toward the middle, stepping over the slain on our way to the beckoning light.
We need our mate and then we need to get the fuck out of this gods-forsaken hellhole for good.
35
Hildi
Inch by inch we creep toward the center of the batshit crazy atrium. Nothing about this place makes sense, especially the crazy-as-hell woman up on the platform. We’ve cleared enough distance that I can finally see her—my friend—Morgan and my enemy—the Goddess of gods-damned War.
A body slams into me and I stumble. I’d let myself get distracted and now I’m on my back with a blade plunging toward my face. A pair of hands grips my shoulders and pulls me to my feet. Another figure moves like a wall of thunder, pummeling the soldier into dust.
“Thanks,” I say to Armin. His blue eyes make me unnerved. I nod at Dylan, who pulled me away. He stares at me with judgment.
“Stay focused,” he says.
“I am.” I prove this by knifing a soldier running at us.
“This is not about revenge. We promised Nevis.”
“You promised her,” I reply, already stepping into the fray. “I joined this army on my own terms, Dylan.”
“This is bigger than you,” he argues, but there are too many soldiers to fight and too little time to get to his precious queen on the platform. I don’t care about some lame request by a bastard commander. I care about what that bitch took from me. I promised to make her pay.
I unsheathe another sword, this one ancient and filled with the wrath of Freya. I always keep my promises.
36
Dylan
Keeping one eye on Hildi and the other on the blood-thirsty soldiers, I let my heart guide me to Morgan. It seemed impossible when we first entered the field—the platform too far away—but now a sea of black uniforms covers the ground and my Queen is in reach.
I’m not a fan of this plan, allowing the Morrigan to live. Casteel isn’t to be trusted and I doubt the gate can truly be closed. Nevis obviously agrees, which is why she waited for us at the tunnel entrance.
But what none of us understood then and what I’m barely grasping now is the immense power Morgan yields now that she is complete. She’s an entity of glorious energy, equal to if not dwarfing the Morrigan next to her. I’m not sure she’s even aware. When she moves, the earth trembles under my feet. My heart clenches with love. And my body aches to be possessed by her.
She is the true goddess…almost. There is one final move.
“Kill her,” I say under my breath. “Take her life. Claim the throne.”
Her ebony eyes connect with mine.
The blades of the soldiers still fighting drop to the ground. They fall to their knees and the Morrigan’s face freezes, her expression caught in that moment.
The ten other members of my army stand ready. Even the Immortals feel her power. We wait to see where she leads us.
“Your army has fallen,” Morgan says, walking across the platform and facing the Darkness. “Your court has abandoned. You have nothing now.”
“Nothing?” The platform shudders. The grass shrivels under my feet. “I will eat you alive.”
“No,” Morgan says. “You will submit.”
“Never.”
“Submit and I’ll spare your life.” The sword hangs in her fingertips.
The Morrigan smiles—no, laughs. “Little girl, you’re nothing in this world. A speck. Once the heady glow of your mates wears off, you’ll understand. Once they leave and betray you as I’ve been betrayed.”
Morgan points her blade at the Queen’s heaving chest. Black smoke swirls at the Queen’s feet. Morgan raises her other hand and white light shoots to the glass rooftop.
The Guardians and Immortals are now surrounding the stage. Rupert stands next to me, watching the scene unfold. Hildi is between me and Armin. Rage vibrate
s off her body. I don’t know about the others, but I feel the immense, conflicting power churning in the two goddesses above.
“Do you see this light? This power?” Morgan says, drawing it back to her and cradling it in her hand like a pliable ball. “It didn’t come from the Darkness, it came from a well of hope. Of love.” She glances down at us, making eye contact with each of her guardians.
“Love is for fools.”
“Turning your back on it is even more foolish,” Morgan replies. “I know what you did. You tell the story of your betrayal, but what about your own? How you scorched me and Macha into the ground. How you rallied an army to destroy everything before you.” She moves inches away from the queen and I take a step forward protectively. Morgan holds her hand up, telling me to stand down. “You had love, Anand. You had it all around you and you gave it up for a bastard demi-god who wanted nothing more than to use you.”
“Cu was my everything.”
Morgan shakes her head. “Gods that is sad. Pathetic. As much as I hate Casteel, you really don’t deserve him.”
The queen frowns. “Casteel?”
“Are you truly unaware of his dedication to you? His loyalty?”
“Of course I am.” She’s barely holding on to her rage but Morgan has kept her interest. The words of truth will do that.
“He loves you, you know, but if you do this—continue this desperate crusade and cross realms, you’ll lose him forever.”
Footsteps sound on the stairs to the platform and Casteel emerges from the field of bodies. I tighten my grip on my sword. One false move and I’ll end them both.
