From Spirit and Binding

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “We’re going to head out and meet him, huh?”

  “I don’t know that we have a choice,” Easton said.

  “No, we don’t,” Rhodes added. “We need to meet with my uncle. If we can’t plead with him to help us put the crystals together somehow and go up against The Gray, we can at least figure out what he plans to do with the Water territory.”

  “Are you the Lord of Water?” I asked bluntly.

  Rhodes just shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. It might go to Rosamond. Or even Eitri.”

  “I don’t think a Seer can be a lord or lady,” Rosamond said, looking off into the distance.

  “Why the hell not?” Emory asked.

  “Because, for centuries now, most people thought Seers were unstable and quite mad,” Justise put in dryly, and everyone looked at him, even as Rosamond smiled.

  Rosamond nodded. “He speaks true, don’t get mad at him. I’m not mad. Sometimes, I feel like it would be better if I were.”

  “So, it could be your cousin, then. The prince of the Lumière?”

  Rhodes nodded. “Yes. Although, he is the heir apparent to the throne. Not that my uncle will ever step down.”

  “Your uncle likes power, that’s sort of his thing.”

  “Your mother was much the same in some respects.”

  Rhodes winced then opened his mouth to say something, Easton stepped in. “No, you’re right. And that was because she didn’t trust anybody. And because Lore was in the background making sure that his needs were met and everyone else suffered for it. If my mother had been able to trust those under her, maybe we would have been able to put a stop to it beforehand. That’s not the way things rolled. And now I am the king, and I have to meet with the King of the Lumière. I must also present the Spirit Priestess.”

  “I cannot go as an emissary of the Obscurité Kingdom,” I said, trying to phrase my words correctly.

  “We never thought you were ours,” Easton said, and I ignored the hurt. Because I knew he meant that in more ways than one. So did everyone else.

  I raised my chin. “Good. Because the people of the Lumière can’t think that the Spirit Priestess works for the Obscurité. If that’s the case, then they won’t come when we need them.”

  “And we will need them,” Rosamond said softly. “If you are to defeat The Gray, you’ll need more than just those in this room and those who follow you now. The prophecy is only the beginning. You must do more.”

  The Seer sagged against Luken, who held Braelynn, and Emory was once again there with a glass of water that nobody took. Well, at least my ex was trying.

  I didn’t like the sound of Rosamond’s words. It wasn’t as if we could fight what they meant at the moment.

  “Okay, then. Who’s all going?”

  “I’m going,” Ridley said, surprising us all.

  “Are you sure, Uncle?” Easton asked.

  “You know I need to. For more reasons than just wanting to be by your side to make sure you’re okay. You’ll need a healer.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked before I meant to. The others just shook their heads, and I knew there were more secrets in play. There always were. That’s what happened when centuries of histories and misgivings were all tangled up into one. I didn’t have time for that, though.

  “Who else?”

  “I’ll go,” Luken said. “Plus, I guess he’s my king, so I should pay my respects,” he said dryly.

  Braelynn perked up in his arms, and I figured that meant she was going, as well. Well, wherever he went, she went. And I liked when she was around. I wanted to know more about what kind of powers she might have. Maybe, one day, we’d be able to bring her back.

  “And, of course, I’m going,” Rhodes said. “Rosamond?”

  She nodded, looking pale.

  “And since the king asked for the king, I suppose I’ll go, as well.”

  “You’re going to need someone by your side,” Teagan said.

  “I’ll stay behind,” Justise said, looking at all of us. “Emory shouldn’t go, not only because we don’t know what’s running through her veins, but because we don’t know what the King of Lumière will do.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll stay behind. Help you with Wyn, if that’s okay.”

  It was if she were a completely different person. Maybe almost dying and having her veins flooded with power had done that. She was trying, and I would try, as well. And, no, she wasn’t a completely different person. She reminded me of the girl I once thought I loved. And maybe that was okay. Perhaps she needed to figure out who she was as she had fought and lashed out along the way. I had buried myself, and she had done the exact opposite. We both ended up on similar paths regardless.

  “Okay, good. When?” I said.

  “Now works,” Easton said, looking over at all of us. We’d each showered or at least bathed and changed into different leathers. I didn’t own much in this realm, so I figured this was as good as I was going to get. My long, blond hair was coming down in waves since it had dried naturally, and I hadn’t bothered to pull it back into a braid. I didn’t look like a princess, didn’t look like what a Priestess might, a least based on what I imagined in my head. I looked like me. And that was just fine.

  “Okay, hold the fort,” Easton said to Justise, and his uncle smiled even though it didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Always. We’ll take care of Wyn and your court. And we’ll do what we must.”

  I took a step back as Easton and Justise discussed the logistics of what needed to be done while he was gone and looked down at my hands, wishing that the power within my veins would calm down just a little bit. It rose to a crescendo every once in a while, and I found it hard to hear and harder to breathe when it did. As if all five were fighting for dominance and hadn’t really figured out who was going to win.

  I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do about it because it wasn’t like someone could train me. Oh, people were trying to teach me how to Wield each of the elements, but no one was around to help with Spirit. No one even knew what it did, exactly.

  All I knew was that I couldn’t bring my parents back from the dead.

  I couldn’t touch the Spirit Wielding. I knew it was there, in my pores, around my heart, within my veins. It was everywhere and nowhere, and yet I didn’t really know what to do with it.

  I only knew that the two people I had loved for my entire life were gone, sacrificed so I could have it.

  I would never forgive myself for that.

  I would never forgive The Gray.

  I’d never forgive Garrik.

  He would die by my hands, and for once, maybe I wouldn’t mourn the loss or abhor who I was when I did so.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Rosamond said, standing by the crystal now. I nodded, pulling down my leather tunic so it looked somewhat straight and not as if I had too hastily gotten ready.

  I was exhausted, covered in the blood of those who had been hurt because of the crystal, and even though a lot of it had washed away, the stains of what had happened and what it meant still remained. I would always know that the stains were there for a reason. Because I wouldn’t forget. I couldn’t forget how Wyn had looked. I couldn’t forget Arwin’s face. Couldn’t forget that lone soldier who had died on the battlefield.

  I couldn’t push away the looks of distress and fear on the faces of those who had thought that I wouldn’t be able to hold or control my power. After all, they had been right.

  Easton grabbed my hand, and I followed him around the room. Rhodes stood on my other side as always, and we circled the crystal. Everyone turned to me as if they thought I knew what I was supposed to do.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  I felt like I needed to get that tattooed on my body somewhere.

  “Just look at the crystal and let yourself imagine it opening up and pulling us towards the next place.”

  “We’ll do the chanting for you,” Rhodes said, making clear the laughter in his voice.r />
  “Good. And if someone could actually teach me that chant at some point, that would be great. Because I really hate feeling behind.”

  “You’re doing just fine, pet,” Easton muttered under his breath, and I blushed, hating myself for it. I focused my gaze on the crystal, and then I dug deep inside for that warmth.

  Magic seeped into me, tangling in my veins and wrapping around my heart. And then the dark crystal glowed, and the others’ chanting filled my ears. And then, it felt as if something tugged on me, pulling me. I had used transportation like this before, but this felt different. It was as if the crystal were moving through me as I moved through it. There was a shout, though. I looked to my right. Ridley was there for a moment and then gone the next. I tried to reach for him, but it was too late. He was gone, and then it was just Teagan, Luken, Braelynn, Rhodes, Easton, Rosamond, and me.

  Ridley wasn’t with us anymore.

  We all landed in the courtyard, this one far different than anything I’d ever seen. Even as I tried to take everything in, I looked around, searching for Ridley. He wasn’t here.

  I met Easton’s gaze, and he gave a tight shake of his head.

  “He’s fine, I can still feel him.”

  I didn’t realize that Easton could do that.

  “He’s my uncle. It’s family. He didn’t make it through, though. I have a feeling the king didn’t want a healer here.”

  Before I could question that, the others surrounded me, and people in dark silver and gold robes moved towards us.

  Some were in battle leathers, others in court attire as if they hadn’t a care in the world other than looking their best.

  And maybe they didn’t. Maybe the Lumière Kingdom was safe because their crystal wasn’t as fragmented as the Obscurité’s crystal. Or maybe I was just seeing into things that weren’t really there.

  It was as if we were at the mirror image of the Obscurité Court. Everything was white and silver and shined under the bright sun. The castle in front of us had turrets and large, open spaces where people could gather to make merry and do everything that I would imagine doing at a Renaissance Faire.

  Everything had gold plates and diamonds and resembled much of the Water Estate, not so much the Air Estate. After all, the King of Lumière and the late Lord of Water were siblings.

  People milled about, smiling and laughing just as I had seen in the Obscurité Court.

  Everybody looked different here, though, as if their happiness hung on something I didn’t quite understand.

  I didn’t have time to think about that because the king was coming. Only the King of Lumière would be dressed in gold and diamonds. Would be seated upon a white horse as if it were his prized stallion. Though it wasn’t actually a horse, it was one of the beasts that I had seen in the northern Spirit territory.

  Brokk slid off, his arms outstretched, a wide smile on his face, his teeth straight and white and perfect.

  Everything about him was perfect. From the chiseled jaw to the smoothness of his skin. All the way to the way his hair curled just right on his forehead.

  He looked as if he’d been carved from stone. Rhodes and Luken took a step forward, as did Rosamond, a mere step behind the two men. Braelynn had jumped into Teagan’s arms as if she didn’t want to follow Luken towards the King of Lumière. I didn’t blame her. Teagan took possession of the cat in stride and lifted her to his shoulder so she could watch. It was what she liked, and it kept his hands free in case there was a fight. For some reason, I had a feeling if this didn’t end perfectly, we were going to be fighting our way out.

  “Hello, well met. Welcome to the court of the Lumière. I’m honored that you listened to my emissary and have joined us in my court, in my kingdom.”

  He sounded just like his brother; I knew this was a mistake.

  “Uncle,” Rhodes whispered.

  “Ah, Rhodes. My dear brother’s son. It is good to see you are alive. The last I heard, you had fallen from a cliff and rose again as if a phoenix from the ashes. Or rather, from the water. For you are Lumière. I know that Water and Air run through your veins.

  “And you have your trusty warrior beside you. Luken, it’s good to see you.” There were murmurs among those who watched, and I stiffened at Easton’s side.

  “I would ask about your family. Alas, you don’t know who that is, do you?”

  And there it was. I wanted to kill him already. I had the urge to kill him just for the way he put that tightness in Luken’s shoulders. The way Braelynn’s back arched as she held in a hiss.

  I needed to end him.

  I knew that part of that compulsion was the elements of Wielding within me, trying to push themselves out. The dark seduction of my power. However, if I didn’t kill him, I at least wanted to smack that smug look off his face.

  “And my darling Seer. You are a true beacon. Beautiful light. You look frail. Are they not taking care of you over there?” He growled out the last words, and I noticed that he did not say her name. She was “Seer” to him. Not even his niece, or her given name.

  I didn’t like it. I didn’t like much of any of this.

  “Now, let us meet the rest. As I’m sure you know, I am Brokk, King of Lumière. You’ve met my family.” He pointed to the man near him. “This is Eitri, my prized son, prince of the Lumière, heir to the realm and to my throne.”

  To the realm. Not to the kingdom. That was telling.

  I knew Easton had caught it, as well.

  I looked over at Eitri, who looked like a much smaller version of Brokk. He had a pointed nose and an even pointier chin with weak shoulders and a narrow waist. He didn’t look like a warrior or a future king. Maybe he would grow into that role. After all, I knew he was younger than Rhodes and Rosamond. Maybe he still had time. From the sneer on his face and the heated look in his eyes, though, I had a feeling his weakness had nothing to do with his body and everything to do with his soul.

  How did I know that? How did I feel as if I could see inside the person and find the truth of the man?

  My Wielding burst inside me just a bit, and I suddenly knew. It was the Spirit Wielding. Could I tell the state of a soul just by looking at a person? Maybe. Or perhaps I just really didn’t like Eitri.

  “And, my wife, my darling Delphine, the queen of the Lumière, mother of the future. She is beautiful, is she not?”

  And she was. She looked so much like Rhodes, it was startling. She was gorgeous, a stunning queen with a regalness to the tilt of her chin, the way she held her shoulders, everything. Even the way she breathed and moved. I knew that she was a true queen. But she didn’t have any power here. No, that was all Brokk, king of the Lumière Kingdom.

  I was worried.

  “I’m glad you’re here. For we must discuss what has happened.”

  He had introduced himself but didn’t seem to want to know who we were. Well, that’s nice. Though maybe he already knew.

  “King, we’re here as you requested, what exactly was it you wished to discuss?” Easton asked, sounding bored as usual. I liked that because I really didn’t like Brokk.

  “Ah, pup, you’re here.” Brokk sneered.

  I squared my shoulders. I really wanted to say something, but Easton took a small step forward, blocking me. I wasn’t sure anyone else saw the move except for our group.

  “I’m King of Obscurité. Thank you for welcoming me peacefully into your court so we can discuss the important matters at hand.”

  “Ah, yes, Easton. Welcome. You know we must discuss things having to do with our court first, though, of course. After all, my brother is gone. Killed.” He looked at me then, and he didn’t say anything. I could feel the death in his eyes and knew that if he had a chance, he would break my neck. Use his Water Wielding to pour down my throat and kill me. Fracture me into a thousand pieces.

  I wasn’t about to let that happen.

  “My brother is dead, as is his wife. We must discuss who the new Lord and Lady of Water are. Could it be Rosamond? Can
a Seer rule? That is the question.”

  So he did know her name.

  “Or is it Rhodes? Well, it’s a very troubling time indeed when I see that the lines of our courts are starting to blend so much. Those are all things we will discuss. In time. First, let us mourn and rejoice in the reclaiming of our children as they come into this court. For I have missed my blood, the power within my veins that holds true within those in front of me. And I know we are here together because of the one, the one of light that’s in front of me, as well. Welcome, Spirit Priestess. You are our savior, are you not?”

  He called me a light. I was not. I was of both kingdoms and yet none at all. Light and darkness. That was something others needed to know.

  “Yes, let’s discuss our Priestess first and how we’ll bring our kingdoms through these new hard times. It seems as if the Fall is upon us once again.”

  Before I could say anything, before anyone could do anything, a cloud of green smoke slid around Luken. He coughed, clutching at his throat.

  He fell to his knees and then onto his back as the others started shouting. I threw my hands out to the sides, ready for battle. Braelynn had flown over to Luken’s prone body, arching her back once again, hissing and spitting fire as she did.

  Someone had just attacked us, and they would pay.

  The problem was, I had no idea where that green smoke had come from. Or if it was coming back.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Lyric

  * * *

  “What have you done?” Rhodes growled, and I moved forward with Easton, trying to get near Luken. The warrior was so still, I was afraid he was dead, and I couldn’t get closer to Braelynn, couldn’t help her. I had no idea what to do.

  “How dare you claim I would do this!” King Brokk shouted, spittle flying from his lips. He no longer looked like the golden god and king that he had tried to show us. Instead, shadows crept around him and entered his eyes. I didn’t see any light, I didn’t see the Lumière king.

  Instead, I saw who he worked for, who controlled him.