Maddox is holding off Cormorants the size of bulldogs. Even from this distance it’s easy to see the radiant light shining under his feet like a sunbeam. Gray’s Current shines brightly too. The brothers battle Cormorants, dodging hits and slinging the Steel with synchronized ease. Gray fends off the creatures using two knives while Maddox isolates a smaller one, striking the black beast. Slaying monsters.
The ground rumbles with shuddering thunder. Louder. Closer. A buzzing Legion breaks from the hilltop and swoops into the valley, heading straight for Maddox. On impulse, I run, Steel in hand, chasing down the vile beast. The Legion torpedoes faster, spinning tighter as if controlled by something other than itself. Maddox’s back is turned. He won’t see it. Gray is too occupied to notice. No one else is around.
I pump my legs faster. I can’t reach him in time, but I can protect him with one word. The Legion rockets faster. Screeching louder.
I can’t hold back.
The cry explodes as I shout. “Maddox!”
Then I slap my hand over my mouth, stifling the overwhelming desire to command the Legion.
Maddox glances up, then ducks seconds before impact. He raises his Steel, piercing the beast. The creature explodes.
My knees sink into the mud.
Maddox lives.
But I’m painfully aware that I’ve given myself away, the same way I did on the streets of East Ridge. Because a smooth, melodic voice echoing from the woods confirms it.
It’s a voice I know all too well.
“I come no enemy.” The storm clouds churn and growl overhead as Sage’s voice, tinted with that light accent, creeps like a haunting shadow in the midnight woods. I hate how the strangled longing for my father leaps up as he quotes Milton. “But to set free / From out this dark and dismal house of pain . . . / To search, with wandering quest, a place foretold.”
My heart won’t slow down. I know he’s speaking to me as he quotes the archfiend’s speech luring his daughter, Sin, to unlock the gates of hell. But in the presence of the Well, his deceptively gentle words don’t wield the power on my heart the way they did at his place. I stay rooted in the mud, not twenty feet from the Well, as wisps of hope stir deep inside me.
Wearing his white linen suit, Sage is easy to find in the blackened woods. As I suspected, he enters from the northwest corner of the hill, walking through billowing smoke in his human form.
As soon as he steps onto the field, the ground shakes with a violent tremble. He releases an excruciating growl as a black cloud erupts, transforming his handsome features into those of the monstrous gorilla beast and no longer a man.
Lightning cracks across the sky for all to see his goat horns lying flat against his oblong head. Another flash reveals his oil-slick tail slithering behind him. His obsidian snake-like eyes shimmer in the tawny light of the forest fire. Fighting slows as the Awakened army takes in the gruesome sight at the top of the hill.
I’m seized by panic. Paralyzed. He’s much bigger than I imagined, even from my brief encounter in the woods.
Legions swell with pride. Cormorants, the fractured form of Ayala—Sage’s fiancé, beloved, or whatever twisted relationship they have—shriek and flock behind him, their wings pulsing like a cape adorning their king. The tiny white Cormorant, Ayala herself, is nothing but a tiny speck perched on his shoulder.
The Steel feels too small in my fist. This encounter is nothing like fighting the Legions on the streets of East Ridge. My once-confident plan to strike the Inner Wall suddenly feels grossly inadequate. But I have no choice. I have to stay strong and do my part. It might be the only chance the Alliance has to survive. But Albrecht has to get Sage close enough to the Well. And not kill me first.
She’s marching toward Sage with Silver Assassin and Suspenders at her side. I lower my head to stay disguised by the holographic fabric. I can’t strike the Inner Wall now; Sage is too far away for the blast to do any good. And someone needs to know of my plan. Maddox isn’t far from the oak tree. If he could turn around and catch my expression as I lift the Steel, maybe through the firelight, he’ll read me and know what I’m about to do. Or maybe he won’t.
When Albrecht stands her ground and faces Sage, undaunted, I move to find Maddox, dodging Blades as they sling swords and defend with dented shields.
Albrecht’s voice cuts through the clamor as she faces Sage. “The constellations this year seem unfavorable to rebels. It seems your true identity, and those of your army, cannot be hidden in this place.”
“Greeting me with the words spoken by your family long ago? Quite charming, Borgia.” Sage shifts his volcanic eyes in my direction. I lower my head further. I must be blending in with the fire, because Sage doesn’t call me out. Instead he focuses on Albrecht. “I believe my patience has rewarded me a success beyond a simple skirmish at the gate. Your forefather’s death was delectably essential in bringing me one step closer. I look forward to what hidden treasures you will share with me after you die.”
“Words can deceive. But eyes we should trust.” Albrecht stands firm.
I crouch down as a group of Blades fights off the beasts, staying away from the spreading fire. A Legion hisses behind me. I lift my Steel and cut the air. Claire is suddenly beside me and does the same. Both weapons catch the beast, exploding it into red cinder.
“Sweet hit.” She smiles at me for the first time. But I don’t smile back.
I could have cut her. They might not have a fear of striking one another with their weapons, but I do. I’m the only one able to break the Current in the Paradise Steel. She has no idea what danger she was in.
I nod at her and back away, working hard to reach Maddox and stick to my plan. As I get closer to the Well, the frigid air turns warmer and tastes of nectar, feeding my determination. I race around the growing fire.
Even from this distance, it’s not hard to see Sage’s jagged grin as he circles Albrecht on the side of the hill. “It is quite charming how you trust in the words of your ancestor Cesare. A man who could not defend the gate, who so tragically trusted a Blight—the very thing you swore in your heart you would never do. Yet, look how much lower you have fallen.”
Sage’s words break her. No longer poised, she launches at the monster with unbridled fury.
This is my chance. I run blind through the smell of burnt sugar and charcoal. I’m listening to the sounds of war, hissing Legions, and whirling Steel. A fat raindrop splatters on my head. I dodge, duck, and make my way across the lawn, determined to find Maddox.
I leap over a fallen body. The stench of blood and burnt hair trails behind me. I’m trying not to cry when I plow right into him. My palms land hard on his chest as he takes me by the shoulders. His intense eyes are terrified and relieved all at once. His face is covered in soot, his blond hair muddy and tangled. “What are you doing here? Go.”
“This is our chance to change things, Maddox.” Raindrops tap my head, my face. My hands won’t stop shaking. “We can’t rely on Sage to strike the Wall, or even believe that we could deflect his power from a shield to do enough damage. But I can do it. If I strike the Inner Wall when Sage is close enough.” I gesture with the Steel. He quickly takes me away from a swarm of Cormorants. “But you have to warn the Awakened,” I say, catching my breath as I scan the sky for creatures. Another raindrop catches my eyelashes. Stings my eyes. “Spread the word of what I’m about to do. When someone sees me about to strike, tell them to shout the command word: rise. They’ll know to lift their shields and stay safe from the blast.”
“Cera, don’t.” Light from the raging fire flickers shadows across Maddox’s face. “Leave before—”
A Legion whirls in our direction. Maddox whips me behind him and cuts the air, exploding the beast. The rain falls faster.
“I’m not leaving,” I tell him as we stand back to back. “This is our one chance to change the world. Together.”
Maddox spins me around, ready to protest, when a streak of red lightning and the stringent scent of sul
fur heats the air. The bolt lands not far from where I was standing. Sage fired a blast at the admiral but missed. And that shot nearly disintegrated me.
But Albrecht is pushing Sage closer to the Inner Wall. No time like the present to execute the plan. I risk my heart and do the one thing I’ve never dared. I throw my arms around Maddox’s neck and bring him close. I kiss him in the steady rain. A kiss so bold and deep my feet leave the ground. No visions flash between us, only the wrenching ache of goodbye.
Our kiss breaks as Maddox is yanked back. Gray drags him away through the wispy smoke as a Legion swoops down. But I don’t move fast enough, and the beast slams into my chest.
The Steel flies from my hand. I sail through the air and land hard on my back. Rocks dig into my spine. The sky spins. Rain pelts my face. My whole body radiates with searing pain. I lie in the mud as the battle swirls around me. I taste blood and ash. Feel heat from the creeping fire. I need to move. Run. Find the Steel. But I can’t. I can barely breathe.
Legions circle wildly overhead, shrieking with joy. Stupid beasts are calling me out. I push to my knees. Barely get to my feet. When I rise, Sage claps. Slow. Mocking. Terrifying.
“Well done, ma belle.” Despite his beastly form, that longing ache rises again in response to my father’s essence. “I knew you were here. For, ‘I feel thy power / Within me clear’.” I grit my teeth, hating how he claims Milton as his own. With him less than thirty feet away, it’s easy to see how his charred skin shines with a glossy scurf, and slithers with the screams of souls trapped inside. Perhaps my father is one of them. My stomach roils. Noxious vapors flow from the black smoke surrounding him.
The ache in me snuffs out.
Through my ringing ears, I hear Albrecht command my termination. Sage shakes his horned head with dissatisfaction. He whips his tail, keeping Albrecht and her team away. “Queen of this universe,” Sage says to me. His voice is too gentle with Milton’s words. Too kind. Too clear in my head. “Do not believe / Those rigid threats of death.”
He raises a hideous arm, commanding a wall of hissing Legions ten feet thick to surround Albrecht and her troupe, blocking any path to me. They’re trapped on the north part of the field, caught in the swarm.
“Ye shall not die.” Sage descends the hill. Carefully. Slowly. “How should ye?”
My feet twitch, begging me to run and slam the Steel into the Inner Wall. But a Legion beats me to it. The beast sails past me, aiming for the spot between the trees. It disappears right as a bright light explodes from behind the screen. The projected image blips, then blinks back. But it was enough for Sage to notice. He contorts his giant head. His gruesome tongue licks the air. He’s searching for a scent.
I drop to my knees, scouring the ground, looking for the Steel as rain bullets down. Threads of the honey-colored light pour out from the Well and flow through the grass to fuel the Awakened. But even with the soft glow, the smolder and the thick haze make seeing anything on the ground four feet beyond me impossible.
Sage has figured out what we’ve done with the projections in a matter of seconds. He hurls his red current to the ground again and again and again, shaking the earth, splitting the field wide open, taking down the reflective images, and cutting out the soundtrack disorienting the beasts, destroying any advantage we had in the fight.
The incessant thrumming turns quiet, but there’s still a lingering hum in my head. Smoke dances in front of the warping Inner Wall, highlighting exactly where the Well hides. Whatever confidence the Awakened army had suddenly evaporates. I don’t stop searching through the grass for the weapon. Searching for anything to stop Sage.
Anything but the words from my mouth.
At the thought, my body suddenly shakes, as that insatiable, greedy power churns, restlessly demanding release.
Legions shriek. Cormorants take to the sky, ready for final victory.
Sage is too strong. His army, never-ending.
It’s clear that our plans to defeat him will be next to impossible to carry out.
Sage glides through as if immune to the war, floating over the smolder of rigid spears . . . and shields. Unstoppable. The glowing threads from the Current pulse through the field and up the sloping terrain like lines of a fallen constellation.
Thunder crashes across the sky. The steady rain battles the growing fires. All while Sage picks off anyone who dares attack him. He tosses his current at a girl with a flower headband, sending her limp body tumbling into the Inner Wall. A bright spark kicks back, disintegrating her on contact. But the blast wasn’t even strong enough to damage a nearby Legion who scurries out of the way.
And here I stand, weaponless.
Useless.
Soaked by freezing rain.
“How many, ma belle?” Sage remains at the base of the hill, a good distance away from me and the Inner Wall. The small bird, Ayala, drifts from his shoulder, fluttering between raindrops and dodging the flames. “How many have to die before you join me?”
Sage casts his red current at Grumpy the Blade, who is fighting off a Legion with all his might, almost victorious, until his body is struck. Grumpy wails in agony. His Steel falls from his hand as he collapses. The Legion swoops down, engulfing him. The caramel stream of light once puddled beneath Grumpy’s body is smothered by the Legion as it greedily drinks the Current.
I feel sick. An uncontrollable tremble rises in me, spreading through every nerve. Every fiber. Every sinew of my being.
I will not let Sage win.
Ever.
Lighting flashes. The rain falls stronger, wrestling the flames.
“I didn’t think you were such a monster, letting so many die.” Shadows from the fire dance across Sage’s gruesome face as he flicks his red current once again, picking off another Blade. But through the streaming rain, I can’t tell who it is. “How much death and destruction will you allow before connecting the realms?”
Sage strikes again. This time it’s Lance, as he and Maddox fend off Moloch. Lance crumples. I throw my hand over my mouth to stifle a cry as tears blur my eyes. I can’t stand here and do nothing. But without a weapon, what can I do?
Lightning fractures the murky dark. Black fog seeps through the woods at the top of the hill. As soon as the rolling wave reaches the lawn, the Legions form. Ten times more than were at the gate.
Thunder breaks open the sky. Angry rain pelts my head and runs down my spine.
There’s no way we will all survive. Albrecht and her team are swallowed, fighting off Legions. Who knows if they’re even alive? Maddox is battling Moloch with the help of Gray and Devon, but now Belial and several other Cormorants join the fight. There’s no way the remaining Awakened army can defeat this next wave of Legions.
And Sage knows it. He bows his head. “Empress, the way is ready.”
My temples throb. I want to shout at Sage to stop quoting Milton. Stop reciting the archfiend’s lines to a pre-fallen Eve, asking her to lead him to the forbidden tree. But for all I know, those words might be considered a dissenting command, giving Sage exactly what he wants.
What I need is a weapon. Something I can drive deep into his stony heart. I know it won’t kill him. I know he’ll eventually heal, but at least he’ll feel the wrenching pain.
I run toward a group fighting uphill, trying to stand their ground against the swarming mass of Legions that descend. A Steel glistens in the dirt. My boots sink into the mud as I try to run and reach it. I’m less than five feet away when Sage strikes the weapon, blasting the Steel somewhere out of my sight.
I’m shouting through the rain, begging for someone to give me a weapon, but Sage commands Belial and a pack of stocky Cormorants to keep everyone at bay.
He wants me isolated.
Alone.
“My sweet, Lonicera,” he says, as I stand near the base of the field. Biting rain drenches my clothes but doesn’t snuff out the fires near me. “Let’s not play games. This is what you want; this is everything you’ve ever wanted.” Sage pr
owls near me. A few daring Blades attempt to reach us but Sage knocks them away with his ghastly tail. This close, and in the russet firelight, I notice for the first time his tail is covered with millions of eyes.
Sage whips his tail out of my sight. “Together, we can harness the power of the Empyrean Well, and there will be no more running or hiding. You will have a life without visions, a life worthy of love, where you can be beautiful and wanted. One simple act is all it takes and you shall resurrect as a queen. For you can change . . . everything.”
A knife feels lodged in my throat. But I wish it were his throat so I could cut out the words he’s stolen from Maddox. The words Maddox believes so much about me. About us. About changing the world, together.
“You will join me, will you not?” Sage narrows his sickly eyes. “I’m sure you will. For I believe you will do anything for love.”
How could Sage ever believe I would join him?
But then he does the one thing he knows will bring me to my knees. He raises one long finger. Red sparks lick the tips of his talons as he aims them at Maddox. Maddox, who is fighting Moloch in the rain—alone. A strong light billows around him. But with his back turned, he won’t see the blast until it’s too late. Gray and Devon are too busy battling their own monsters to intervene. Maddox will die.
Sage follows the path of my stare. “Say the word and the boy shall live.”
Lightning forks the sky. Maddox hits the ground, rolling to avoid a cut from Moloch’s talon. His blond hair turns muddy, the same way it appeared in my vision.
The acrid stench of sulfur burns my nose, tastes rancid in my mouth. I shout through the rain, sloshing in the mud, racing toward Maddox, searching for a clear path away from Sage. But the vile demon blocks me. I don’t give up. I launch at him. Kicking. Punching. Fighting with my useless bare hands to get away. My desperate fight does nothing but exhaust me. And now I’m trapped in a ring of fire with Sage blocking my way out. His tail swishes as he looks at me with those flickering obsidian eyes and something that resembles pity. The rain slows its fight.
Realms of Light (The Colliding Line Book 2) Page 26
