Emerge- The Betrayal

by Melissa A. Craven

  “Yeah,” Allie said. “Let’s go get our dad.”

  “Dad!” Allie and Livia darted across the Yard back in the underground. Navid stood with Alísun and Santi on the edge of the small underground lake near his cottage.

  “Give him a minute,” Santi cautioned them as they approached. “Let him see you first. After almost four months in Brecken’s prison world, he’s disoriented. Navid believes he is still captive in the dreamworld.”

  “What should we do?” Livia asked, her eyes glued to her father.

  “Stay calm and just talk to him like you normally would. Don’t try to touch him. Let him come to you.”

  “How long will it take him to recover?” Allie asked.

  “It’s different for everyone but he is in good hands and in a safe place with people who love him. He will recover in time.”

  “My girls?” Navid caught sight of them. “It’s not safe here.” It shattered Allie’s heart to watch him shuffle across the Yard like an old man. Allie and Livia walked slowly, trying not to startle him.

  “It’s okay, Dad,” Livia said. “You’re safe now.”

  “You can’t stay long, my girls.” Navid cast a nervous glance around him. “The landscape is always changing, but the lake is the constant. I stay here, waiting and watching, but I’m not sure why.” He grasped his daughter’s hands with a sense of urgency. “You have to go, please. Take care of each other.” He shoved them away, growing more and more agitated.

  “You’re okay, Navid,” Allie said. “We’ll go.” She took a step back, resisting the urge to fling herself into her father’s arms.

  “Run, girls. He’s coming. You don’t understand. He kills you every time.” Navid’s bloodshot eyes filled with tears. “After all the sacrifices we’ve made, it can’t come to this.” He stumbled to his knees. “You’re all I have left.”

  Allie and Livia both rushed to his side, helping him back to his feet. Livia threw her arms around him and whispered something in his ear.

  “We love you, Dad.” Allie wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling helpless.

  “Come now, my girls” Alísun said. “Gregg and Alexander are waiting for us.” Their grandmother draped her arms around Allie and Livia. “It’s okay my darlings, we will keep trying until Navid comes back to us.”

  Allie just wondered how long that might be.

  “How is Navid?” Gregg asked the moment Allie and Livia stepped into his office with their grandmother.

  “Not lucid yet.” Allie sighed, pausing to hug her grandfather. “But it’s good to have him home. I’m just so grateful Livia was able to get him out before she came for me.”

  “I’m grateful she was able to save you too, Allie-girl.” Alexander squeezed her shoulders.

  “I’m afraid we need to decide what to do with this traitor.” Liam gestured to Greyson sitting quietly in the corner. They had him restrained with magnetic cuffs around his wrists. He sat with a vacant stare, waiting for whatever came next.

  “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you where you sit,” Livia said, her voice cold and menacing. “You’ve conveniently brought your Complement along with you, it can be arranged.”

  Allie didn’t like seeing this version of her sister again. She didn’t like anything about this whole situation.

  “I would see him punished for this,” Gregg said, “but we will leave that to you and your family.” He couldn’t even look at his long time friend.

  “We cannot let this attempt on Alexis pass without severe punishment,” the queen agreed. “Perhaps when Navid is well again he can pass judgment for a sentence fitting the crime?”

  “Alísun, dear, we should let Allie decide his punishment,” Alexander said. “It’s her call to make.”

  Allie crossed the room to Greyson’s side, unable to fathom a punishment severe enough for what he’d done.

  “Look at me,” Allie demanded.

  His green eyes lifted, misery and shame etched across his face. “I am so sorry, Allie. I—”

  Allie’s fist slammed into his face before he could finish his sentence. Blood spurted from his crushed nose, giving her the sense of satisfaction she desperately needed in that moment.

  “You almost destroyed our chance to bring my father home. You were willing to trade not only me, but Navid as well. You would leave him to an eternity in a torture world?”

  “I wasn’t thinking clearly. I can’t ever—”

  I know.” She lifted her hand to stop another apology from tumbling from his mouth. “You were desperate. I can’t imagine what it must be like to live so long separated from your Complement.”

  “I was weak.” He cast his gaze back down to his hands resting in his lap. “It happened so fast and I just didn’t think it through.”

  “You know all my secrets, Greyson. All the dangerous things about my power, my family. Darius. The prophecy … you know it all. I was stupid to forget what your ability knows of me, but even if had remembered, I still would have trusted you with my life.”

  “I will never be able to atone for what I’ve done.” He shook his head, his eyes dazed and glassy like the last few hours didn’t feel real. “I deserve whatever punishment you decide. Just please don’t punish Ise for my mistakes? She’s so fragile. If … if you choose to end my life.” He glanced at Livia. “Or take my immortality, please take care of my wife and our daughter.” He sent a pleading look to Gregg. “You are Naomi’s only family. She will need you.”

  “I would never ask my sister to use her ability on anyone—for her sake,” Allie said. “And as angry as I am, as much as I might want to lash out at you right now, my judgment gift doesn’t thirst for your immortality.”

  “Well, that’s more than I deserve.” Greyson fumbled to wipe the blood trickling from his nose.

  “You took advantage of the situation. I trusted you to protect me in a vulnerable moment—didn’t even think twice about it, and you jumped at the chance to ruin me. I will choose to believe that is a decision you made in a moment of weakness.”

  “It was, Allie. Isebeau would never want this—I never wanted it this way. It was just a constant temptation I succumbed to in a moment of insanity.”

  Gregg slammed his fist against the wooden surface of his desk. “Then you should have talked to me about that temptation, Greyson. We would have dealt with it. But you didn’t because you knew you wanted to act on it and you wanted her there when you finally had the balls to do it.” Gregg’s voice was like acid, full of disappointment and regret. “I don’t know, maybe I should have seen it.” Gregg shook his head.

  “Where is Isebeau?” Allie looked to Liam.

  “Resting for now. It will be a long time before she’s ready to join the modern world. It will be far worse for her than it has been for Daniel. She’s spent the bulk of her life in captivity.”

  “Please just get on with your punishment,” Greyson said. “I’m ready.”

  “Punishment? You think I have any idea what to do with you? I’m heartbroken, Greyson. I’m angry. I want to strangle you with my bare hands, but even after all this, I still care about you. Isebeau needs you. She’s been through enough.”

  “I never deserved your friendship.” Greyson turned his head away, refusing to meet her eyes.

  “She is a wise young woman with a capacity to forgive that I will never understand,” Livia said. “If she isn’t ready to punish you, I am more than ready to accept the challenge.”

  “No, Livia. I won’t sit here and watch you revert to the woman you used to be. I will punish Greyson my way.” Allie looked to her grandparents for their approval. The queen nodded her consent.

  “You will take Isebeau to a safe place,” Allie said. “Somewhere far from society where she can recover in peace. And you will stay there in a prison of your own making.”

  “You’re letting me go?” Greyson asked, incredulous.

  Allie nodded. “And don’t ever come back. I won’t ever think of you again after tonight but my brother will moni
tor your movement.”

  “And I will,” Liam said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Though my sister is much too lenient.”

  “And what about our daughter?” Greyson’s voice shook with emotion. “Will you allow Naomi to visit us? Or will you ban her from her friends and family too?”

  “Naomi will always be welcome here among those who love her and she is free to visit her parents as much or as little as she wants. But if you ever betray my secrets again, Liam will find you and then Livia and I will come for you, and you won’t like what we’ll do to you and your Complement then.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Allie

  Cleveland, July

  “Wait how much were these chairs?” Allie gawked at her sister.

  “I think six thousand.” Livia shrugged, placing the beautiful white leather chairs at the center of the hayloft room.

  “Each?”

  “They’re Barcelona chairs,” Emma said, holding up paint samples against the finished walls.

  “Does that mean they lay golden eggs?”

  “No, silly. It means they’re as comfortable as they are beautiful. Try them out,” Emma said. “I’ll never make it back up from those things with this twelve month pregnant belly.”

  “It’s nine months, isn’t it?” Livia frowned.

  “She’s being factious. She’s only eight months along.” Allie sat opposite her sister, and she suddenly found herself looking up at the new skylight, watching the rain come down in torrents. Her feet dangled a good four inches from the floor. “Comfortable you said?” Allie struggled to sit up straight.

  “We’ll get you a little stool to put your feet on,” Emma offered.

  “This leather does feel like butter.” Allie smoothed her hand over the divine material. “But what’s with the dead cow on the floor?” she asked as thunder and lighting boomed and crashed outside.

  “It’s a leather rug,” Livia said.

  “It still has its hair.” She wrinkled her nose. “How much did that cost?”

  “Don’t ask.” Livia rolled her eyes.

  “Who’s paying for all this? I thought we’d just pick up some used furniture at a yard sale or something. It’s a barn, guys. A barn that’s now a gym. It doesn’t need to be fancy.”

  “Uh, yes it does,” Livia said. “And don’t worry about the cost. Consider it a lifetime of birthday presents and a special something extra for your twentieth birthday in a few months.” She sat in the chair opposite Allie, somehow making the chair look like the perfect throne.

  “You did this? The twelve grand on two chairs was your idea?”

  “You don’t like it?” Livia’s face fell.

  “It’s beautiful, but it’s awfully grand for a place where we’re all going to sweat and bleed … a lot.”

  “It’s my gift to you. Just don’t bleed on the furniture.”

  Allie turned around in her seat, draping her legs over the back, her hair brushing the floor. “Are we rich, Liv?”

  “I am. I don’t know about you.” Livia smirked. “But that mortal mother of yours downstairs hanging the artwork has likely taken care of your future already. At least your immediate future. And Liam will spoil you rotten for the rest of your life.”

  “People do tend to just buy things for me. I used to complain about it a lot. But I never won those arguments, so I stopped trying.”

  “You have such a weird life, kid.” Livia laughed.

  “Tell me about it.” A loud splatter hit the floor, and Allie stared up at the ceiling. “I think we have a leak. We’ll have to get Liam in here to fix it. I don’t want my new leather stuff to get ruined.”

  “That wasn’t a roof leak.” Emma stood by the door, frozen like a statue. “Was that my water breaking?” She peered down at the puddle between her feet. “You have another month. You stay in there little girl.” She stroked her stomach.

  “No, no, no.” Livia stood up, a look of utter terror on her face. “She’s supposed to have another month.” She shot an accusing glare at Allie.

  “Babies come early sometimes.” Allie shrugged. “Maybe I was off by a few weeks.”

  “A few weeks? Allie, I’m not ready for this.” Emma’s voice went up a few octaves.

  “Hold your legs together, woman.” Livia’s eyes widened in terror. “We are not equipped to handle this. We need an adult.”

  “It doesn’t work like that, Liv.” Allie rolled her eyes and slid out of her chair.

  “It’s the storm of the century out there.” Livia turned wide eyes on Allie. “And it’s just us and Lily here with her.” She stuck her finger out at Emma like she was a bomb about to explode. “And Lily is probably going to notice weird things about this birth.”

  “We’ll just call an ambulance,” Allie said. “These things take time, and she’s just gone into labor. It’ll be hours, plenty of time for help to arrive.”

  “Nope.” Emma shook her head. “I am Immortal. I will just hold this baby inside until the storm passes. We’ll just reschedule it.” Emma clamped her legs together, rubbing her belly like she could stop the labor pains.

  “Allie, we can’t call an ambulance!” Livia’s voice barely concealed her panic. “They’re going to notice she heals.”

  “What? Heals?” Allie started to panic with her sister. “What’s to heal? It’s a baby, not a knife wound.”

  “I think things tear. Down there,” Livia said.

  “Tear?” Emma’s eyes widened. “Nobody said anything about tearing.”

  Allie crossed the little soundproofed room to open the door, slamming it shut behind her. “MOM!” Allie shouted. “Emma’s in labor.” She rushed down the steps to where Lily was hanging the artwork on the lower level. Allie told her Immortal family that her mother thought this was just a run-of-the-mill workout gymnasium, and that Lily wanted to help decorate the space.

  “Can you pretend this is a normal thing?” Allie whispered. “We can’t really call an ambulance.”

  “Allie, it’s the most normal thing in the world.” Lily laughed. “No sense in freaking out. “

  “Do you know what to do? We are the stupidest group of women ever when it comes to this stuff.”

  “I delivered you.” Lily laughed. “And your mother was just as freaked out as Emma probably is.”

  “You did?” Allie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

  “I was there from the moment you took your first breath. And I’ll tell you a big secret,” she said, lowering her voice. “I delivered Graham, too, and now I get to deliver his little brother or sister.”

  “Graham? What? How?” Allie stood, completely thunderstruck.

  ”Oh, come on, Allie. You’ve seen Kahlynn with Vince and Kayla. Haven’t you figured it out yet? Your niece looks just like Kayla, and she’s got Vince’s nose and smile.”

  ”But … Graham isn’t a natural born.” Allie shook her head in confusion.

  ”Did you think the stork brought him?” Lily teased. “Of course, he was born the old fashioned way. You all were.”

  “But who was his—”

  ”Birth mom? Your sister, Josceline. You never noticed how much he looks like her?”

  ”Wait, when did that happen?” Graham is my nephew? Sort of? I’m so confused.” Allie hadn’t seen her mortal sister in ages, but she thought she would have remembered if Josceline had ever had a baby—even it happened when Allie was just a kid.

  ”You look exactly like you did the first time I told you where babies come from.”

  ”Mom.” Allie groaned, following her mother back up the stairs to the loft. “We’re talking about this later,” she hissed. “I’m going to need you to explain everything you just said. In detail.”

  “Oh, come on, we have a baby to deliver. I’ll play the dumb mortal. I’ve been doing that for most of my life.”

  “I love you, Ma.” Allie rushed into the room behind her.

  “Deep breaths, Emma,” Lily crooned. “We’ll get through this together. I’m afrai
d the storm has us stranded here. But I’ve done this before, believe it or not.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Emma said, still rubbing her belly. “I’ve read all the books, but I hadn’t ever planned to do this, you know. And I’m not a young woman,” she rambled. “So I don’t know how prepared I am for this.”

  “When did the pain start?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been a walrus for months. Everything aches all the time.”

  “Little cramps all day maybe?” Lily asked. “Like a back ache but a bit stronger.”

  “Well, yes. All afternoon actually, but I thought labor pains would be more obvious.”

  “Not always. It can sneak up on you. When was the last pain?”

  “Maybe about five minutes ago. But it wasn’t bad.”

  “All right, I think this is going to be a long night. Let’s get you in the house and more comfortable.”

  “Comfortable is good.” Emma nodded. “And I’m a barge, I can just float us there.”

  “That sense of humor is going to come in handy.” Lily laughed. “Livia and I are going to get you downstairs and if you need to rest at all, just tell us.”

  “Got it.” Emma grabbed Lily’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “I’ve got you.” Lily smiled. “Allie, run ahead to the house and call Daniel. Tell him Emma is fine, but she’s gone into labor. He is not to try to get here in this storm. Got it?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Allie rushed down the steps ahead of them. A loud pop sounded, and sparks flew from the power lines between the house and the barn. The lights went out a second later. “Trees are down in the yard, but we can still get to the house if we hurry.” Allie peered out the windows, worried about getting Emma to a safe dry place.

  “Go, Allie. Call Daniel and then clean off your bed down to the sheets and gather up all your clean towels.”

  “My bed?” Allie wrinkled her nose.

  “Go!” All three women yelled at her. Allie darted through the downpour. Her hair was plastered to her head by the time she made it through the back door of the cottage. They were going to need lots of towels.