Page 20

EILISH

Plains of Reckoning

“So, the day has come that we finally meet,” Abedon says as he runs a hand through his hair, mouth curling into a smile at the edges. He is handsome and there’s a confident swagger to his walk.

“I’m not interested in your conversation,” I spit at him.

He chuckles at me. “I have heard so much about you and yet I feel as if I know nothing at all.”

My steps are light, deliberate. Abedon watches me closely. I hear the familiar roar of the dragon that laid waste to The Veil Forest and Pyre’s home. Harpies circle above my head, no doubt drawing on the death and pain that thickens the air. “From what I gather, you and I aren’t so different.”

“I am no abomination.”

If he means to upset me, it doesn’t work. “Though we are both products of foretold prophecies, only one of us can rise as the new power.”

“You see yourself as my equal?” His laughter mingles with the thrashing bodies and explosions of magic that rage around us. “You’re a child, Eilish. These people may call you their queen, but you are a plague, a leech that will suck this world dry, if given the chance.”

“You’re wrong.”

Abedon shakes his head. “Morrigan was the same in her youth—headstrong and yet so naive.”

“Morrigan was a woman driven mad by love and fear, a woman who chose to betray the realms in her search for power rather than do what was right,” I hiss. “She had to die so we can build a future. Elioth had to die as well. Now, you are all that stands between the realms and peace.”

“A dragon, Harpies, spellcasters, and necromancers... you think you can beat me with your rebel army? You’re a fool, Eilish.

” Abedon swings his sword. I barely deflect the blow.

Vibrations shoot down my arms, causing me to cringe.

I grit my teeth and dig my heels into the dirt.

Abedon attempts to knock me off balance.

My blood-drenched hands slip on the dagger and my grip falters.

I bash my head against Abedon’s skull. He stumbles back and I fight against the throbbing in my temples.

My fingers curl tighter around the blade and, for a moment, I think it’s all that can protect me.

But that isn’t true. I’ve been given the power to protect myself—power to make sure that I, and those who are like me, never have to be victims of fate again.

I drop my dagger. It falls into a puddle of blood.

Abedon chuckles darkly. The condescending glint in his eyes makes me want to carve them out of his head.

I lash out with a stream of light. Abedon grabs ahold of it as though it’s a physical thing. I can see it burning his hands as he pulls me closer like the beam of light is some sort of mystical rope. I try to retract the spell. It doesn’t work. Abedon’s face contorts into a sneer.

“Your grace tastes so sweet.” He yanks me against his chest and licks a long trail along my neck. Then he spins me around, but his hold is bruising. Each time I try to wrestle free, he grinds his erection against me.

“I can be forgiving, Eilish. Join me and allow me to feed off your power. Be my queen and no one else has to die.”

He uses his hold on my power and lifts my arm as though I’m a puppet on a string. My fingers curl slightly and black bleeds into my lightness, tainting it with cold shadows. Rock begins to from the sky and as I look upwards, I realize my magic is ripping the gargoyles apart, one at a time.

“Stop!” I yell as tears stream down my face. Lightning flashes and the elemental dragon flies over the last sliver of light in the sky. Dragan releases a furious cry. My companions rush towards me, but are stopped by a vortex of power that surrounds Abedon.

“I will allow them to live,” Abedon says as he faces me with intent. “Only if you agree to be my queen, Eilish. Only if you agree to be my wife.”

“She will never agree to aid you!” Silvanus yells from behind me.

Abedon turns his corruption on Silvanus as the god approaches from behind.

Silvanus fights Abedon’s power—using his own magic as a stream of energy that pours out from his chest. But Abedon turns his darkness towards Silvanus.

And, little by little, he forces Silvanus’ energy back. Silvanus crumbles to his knees.

I open my mouth to scream once more, but something begins to unfurl inside me. I reach for it, summoning it to the surface. I see nothing... hear nothing... but I feel it, all the same.

I am power. And power flows up and through me.

Raw, unfiltered magic erupts from my body.

The untamed hunger of my succubus side fuels my lightness and I unleash the power of the angel and the succubus at the same time.

My wings wrap around Abedon and he pulls his attack from Silvanus, facing me instead.

His eyes go wide as he feels the power radiating from me.

I reach for his head.

“You can’t defeat the darkness!” he yells at me.

“I don’t want to defeat the darkness,” I reply, hardly able to recognize my own voice. “But the new world will have no place for beings like you.” I use my power to force Abedon onto his hands and knees.

He tries to fight the surge of magic flowing through me but it’s too strong, even for him. The lightness and darkness within me gush, each fueling the other until I feel as if I’ll explode if I don’t release the power immediately.

I face Abedon and hold my hands out towards him.

His eyes go even wider as I funnel everything within me into him.

As soon as the energy hits him, he clenches his eyes shut tight and then attempts to raise his hands to fight me.

But my power is too much for him. It’s too much for me and all I know is I have to continue emptying it from myself and into him.

I have to fill him until his body can’t take anymore.

And that point comes quickly.

Abedon throws his head back and begins screaming as the lightness of my angel energy surrounds him and the darkness of my succubus shadows wrap around him, entering into his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

As I watch, blood begins pouring out of every hole in his body—from his mouth, nose, ears and eyes. Still, I don’t stop. I don’t let up. I have to free myself from this power. If I keep it inside me, I’m afraid it will burn me until I become nothing but flames.

And that’s exactly what happens to Abedon—he gets engulfed in an incendiary of power that burns through him.

***

BARON

Plains of Reckoning

I pound my fists against the barrier, even as it begins to eat away at the skin on my knuckles. Pyre syphons energy from the dead and uses it to slowly break through. We need to get to Eilish. I have to know she’s alright. “Theren, can you tear this down with blood magic?”

Though it goes against my natural instincts, the Unseelie’s magic might be the key. Theren hobbles over on unsteady legs and lifts the staff—the barrier breaks before the spell is ever uttered from his lips.

I run over to where Eilish and Abedon fought.

She stands tall with her head high, wings proudly on display, and she’s heaving in breaths, her chest rising and falling with the effort.

Abedon is no more. He’s now reduced to a pile of charred ash before her. Ash that lifts on the wind and is carried away. But my concern is no longer for Abedon and his army. It’s entirely devoted to Eilish.

Her eyes are different. Glowing orbs stare back at me as I make my way to her side. She doesn’t seem to notice me. I hover in front of her, wanting to hold her, but unsure of myself.

“Eilish,” I say but she continues to stare straight ahead as if she can’t hear or see me.

“Silvanus!” I call to the god, where he stands not far off. “What the fuck is wrong with her? Why isn’t she responding?”

“It’s time. We must restore the balance while Eilish is in this state,” Silvanus answers.

“If we don’t, the power inside her will continue to build until she destroys everything left in this world.

” He lifts her into his arms in a bridal hold.

Eilish’s eyes remain open, unblinking as she stares off into the distance.

“Can you and Pyre take us to the Tomb of The Gods?”

I look to Pyre. He nods as he faces Silvanus. “Baron will need to feed to resource his magic and energy, but we can do it.”

The dark army remains as the balance is still askew. Kolvar catches sight of us and shouts. “Go! Aima and I will fight off the soldiers. Myerdoth and Belroth are clearing the skies.”

The portal to The Veil remains open. It won’t be long before it consumes everything. We hang on a thin line with multiple threats on the verge of a cataclysmic event.

“You must feed before we can go any further,” Pyre says as he faces me.

I want to argue, because time is of the essence, but I know he’s right.

He reaches for me and I sink my fangs into his arm.

With the bond, we both pull strength from my feeding.

I taste his blood on my tongue and he taps into the power of The Veil inside me.

I break away from his wrist and help Pyre cast a portal. Silvanus and the others pass through first, cutting down demons as they go. Variant tosses his sword to Aima. She accepts it and uses the Sword of Eternal Flame to smite the Knights of Umbra.

Pyre and I make it through the portal at the same time. We land in the Cogost Mountains.

***

BARON

Cogost Mountains

This place isn’t right.

I can feel the souls that still linger. Remnants of a battle long ago still litter the ground. I can see the temple at the top of the mountain, but my feet won’t allow me to take another step. Silvanus carries Eilish in front of me, surrounded by the others.

“Why can’t I follow?” I insist as I glance down and find my feet stuck in place.

Pyre remains at my side. “Because we don’t belong here, Baron. We are soulless entities, Guardians of The Veil. Our presence isn’t welcome here.”

Part of me expected this.

Why would a vampire be welcome in a place like this? My instincts tell me to go after her, to be there when Eilish returns to herself, but I know the damned don’t dwell here. I must trust that the others will protect her as fiercely as I would.

And I know they will.

Theren slumps against a large crystal protruding from the ground. Cambion looks between his brother and Eilish. Theren shakes his head. “Go with her, Cambion. One of us should be there. I’ll only slow you down.”

The elf hurries after Silvanus as they trek up the mountain path. Pyre paces in a circle, marking the ground before gesturing me over. “We have to be ready in case Abedon still has demons or wraiths protecting the mountain. It’ll take all three of us, but we must do this for Eilish.”

“But Abedon is dead.”

“Yes, but there will be those who are still willing to fight for his cause as well as those who think they have no other choice but to fight.” He crouches down and draws symbols in the ash.

“Pyre, that’s…”

“I know,” he replies. “But if Silvanus fails and Abedon’s minions take the temple back, then we must be ready to destroy the mountain. Only Eilish will sit on that throne.”