Page 17

BARON

Oronrel

“Someone is calling to us,” Pyre says.

I watch as he helps a soul through the portal. Once the spirit disappears, he follows close behind, keeping up with my pace using the sound of my voice. I stop beside the Echoing Spire.

I can feel something—a tugging, nagging feeling from deep within me. It’s the feeling that someone is in trouble. Someone close to me.

Pyre’s body goes rigid and I suddenly know. “It’s Cambion, isn’t it? He’s in trouble,” I say. “I can feel it too.”

“Cambion is dying.” Pyre claps his hands and pulls them apart as if he’s manipulating the molecules in the air to form a portal. Though I’ve trained with Pyre for months, I know my power is nowhere near his. I wonder if it ever will be.

As the ethers begin to swirl, I feel breathless with the nerves that start tugging at my composure. I thought I felt nothing for Cambion, but perhaps I sympathize with him more than I allowed myself to believe. My power reaches out for the signal as Pyre and I slip through the opening.

We appear in the throne room in Theren’s palace. A strange creature huddles over Cambion’s flailing body as he struggles to draw breath, and Morrigan stands above him, clutching the dagger… that killed me.

Flashes of my old life and the things I’ve lost begin to assault my consciousness, threatening to pull me under until Pyre breaks the spell when he hurls a shadow charm at Morrigan that sends her crashing into the wall. The creature, a kelpie, hisses and attacks Pyre, but I use my power to trap her in the pool of water spreading across the floor.

Morrigan recovers from her fall and lunging, she uses the ice dagger to slice at Pyre. She twirls and slashes the blade with impressive skill I can’t help but admire. But Pyre jabs his palm into the side of her arm, sending the blade clattering across the glistening obsidian floor. He lunges for the Midnight Queen, but Morrigan runs. Pyre blasts her with a second burst of magic, knocking her down. I send out my own shadow feelers and realize she’s unconscious.

The kelpie breaks free. Water begins to float around her as droplets defy gravity, vibrating until they form into a stream of water that shoots right toward me. She attempts to use her magic to drown me, as she’s done to Cambion. But, in doing so, she frees Cambion from her spell.

The elf is too weak to stand. I walk toward the kelpie and fist my hands in her hair. “Your power only works on someone with a soul, sweetheart. Better luck next time.”

I use my dagger to slice her throat, bathing myself in thick, black blood that covers my neck and face. I need to feed, it’s true. So I take a few swallows of the kelpie’s blood but the taste is too sour so I drop her dying body a moment later.

Cambion struggles to pull himself upright but he’s barely even breathing. Had we arrived any later, he’d be dead. Not that I think he deserves to live…

I shove my shoulder beneath his and stand, bearing his weight. Pyre runs toward Morrigan with deadly intent gleaming in his eyes. It’s then that I realize Morrigan’s body is surrounded by a river maybe two feet high. The kelpie, in her last moments, must have ensured Morrigan’s protection.

Touching.

“Pyre!” I yell.

He stops in his tracks. “She needs to be killed, Baron.”

“I won’t argue that, but think about Aima. She’s here somewhere and we need to find her. Cambion is barely hanging on as it is,” I reply as Pyre faces the elf and sees the wretched state he’s in. “Aima’s life is more important right now,” I continue. “We can fight Morrigan another day.”

“No,” he starts.

“You stopped me from hunting her in the Veil... this is no different.” I glance at the river swirling around her. “Besides, that river is going to be a bitch and a half to cross. It’s kelpie magic.”

“Fuck,” Pyre says and I watch his resolve break, but I don’t feel victorious. I turn to face the elf who leans against me and still struggles to breathe. I tap Cambion’s face, trying to get him to look at me. “Hey. Open your eyes. Where’s Aima?”

“She…” His eyes close again and he starts to lean on me more than before.

I smack his face this time. “Hey, Forest Fuck, stay with me! We need to hurry before Theren comes back and Morrigan wakes up.” I pause for a moment to make sure he’s still awake. “Aima…”

“Dungeon… Tortured…”

Crouching low, I summon my vampire power and lift the elf above my shoulders. He won’t be able to walk so I’m going to have to bear his weight. Then I follow Pyre through the palace, instructing the blind necromancer where to go using the memories of the last time I rescued someone from the dredges of this fucked up place.

“There might be runes on the doors—” A flash of Pyre’s magic interrupts my words as he uses his power to shatter the door like glass. We move quickly through the dungeon, searching every room until we find a blood-soaked chamber with a large copper tub at the center.

My gut sinks as Pyre reaches inside and lifts Aima out of the slimy liquid. Quickly, he casts a portal as soldiers begin to race down the corridor.

Once on the other side, the four of us collapse onto the ground. Cambion lands beside me as Pyre uses his body to cushion Aima’s fall. Noni and Flumph appear right before the portal closes. The small fae creatures look exhausted.

“Bout time you fuckers showed up!” Flumph yells. “I was nearly skinned alive an’ sold for my parts on the market!”

Noni shakes her head and limps over to Aima. “Noni do her best to keep Aima alive, but she cannot heal her no more. She is too tired, Master.”

Pyre tucks the house brownie into his pocket without saying a word and carries Aima into the Echoing Spire. I lift Cambion’s unconscious body and follow Pyre. When we reach the Sentinels, they take Aima and Cambion from our arms and disappear into the darkness.

“You should not have stopped me,” Pyre says.

“I know.”

“But you did the right thing.”

“This another one of your weird riddles? Because I’m not in the mood right now.” I walk over to my bedroll in the corner and flop down on the blanket. My back and side protest the movement because I’m exhausted. I lay down as I face the stars above us. “Morrigan can ride a kelpie. That means there’s very little light left in the Midnight Queen.”

“The kelpie isn’t dead, Baron. It will regenerate and when it does, it will hunt you.”

“Perhaps,” I suppose. “But, for once, I feel like my life is no more valuable than anyone else’s.” It’s true. Though I’m pissed at Cambion for his stupidity, I have to trust that whatever his reasons for doing what he did, he has good ones. If we’re going to end this, I can’t keep thinking of my allies as enemies.

Pyre looks at me and nods as if to say he agrees with my thoughts. “Cambion has made mistakes,” he starts.

“We all have,” I interrupt him. “And it’s time I start acknowledging my own before I pass judgment.”

Pyre nods. “I believe the Cambion who awakens here will not be same.”

***

CAMBION

Echoing Spire

The familiar thrum of the Veil’s power is the first thing I notice as I fight toward consciousness. Power is stronger here, but not as strong as the guilt I feel for leading Theren and his army through the portal. No matter what punishment befalls me in the hands of my allies, it’s well deserved. Even now, as my body feels bloated and waterlogged, I don’t think it’s enough. They should have let the kelpie have her way with me and allowed me to be lost to the abyss.

My eyes open and I see Baron kneeling over me. I scramble back on my hands, reaching for weapons, but the fight quickly leaves me.

“I’m not going to fucking attack you, dickhead,” the vampire says on a breath. “Jesus, I just fucking brought you back to life.”

I collapse against the ground. I’m exhausted and I can’t put up a fight even if I wanted to.

“Thank you,” I mutter as I squeeze my eyes tight. Part of me wishes Baron would just kill me, like I’m sure he wants to. It would be poetic, really, that the one who hates me the most would be the one to finally end it all. Would I remain here in the Veil once dead? Or would my soul return to the places that haunt me the most?

People tend to think spirits haunt them, but it’s the other way around.

When I open my eyes once more, Baron’s perplexed expression only fuels my own confusion. “I won’t make excuses for myself. I should never have stolen the mirror from Pyre’s secret room, and I shouldn’t have crossed into Oronrel without telling the rest of you.”

“Okay, that’s a good start,” Baron says.

I take a deep breath. As the minutes pass, I start to feel better and better. “Even though it wasn’t my intention to lead Theren back here, I had a part to play and for that, I apologize.”

Baron glares at me. “You think we’ll just accept your apology and forget the devastation you’ve brought on us?”

“No,” I reply. “I don’t expect you to accept anything I have to say. What I expect is punishment of the highest degree.” I turn to face Pyre. “My actions destroyed your home and they wounded the Veil. Innocent lives were lost, and I will never be free of the guilt.”

“Don’t forget that Morrigan escaped,” Baron adds.

I nod but don’t shift my gaze from Pyre. Baron can suck a cock at the moment. It’s Pyre I need to make amends with—or at least apologize to. “The torture I received at the hands of the Unseelie was... unforgettable, but it didn’t cleanse me of my guilt.” I take a breath. “I can only ask that you allow my soul to take dormitory here, in the Veil, upon my death.” I pause. “If you would be so kind.”

“Shut your fucking mouth, Cambion,” Baron says. “We aren’t going to fucking kill you, asshole.”

“You’re not?” I ask, shocked.

“Did you not hear me when I told you we just brought you back to life, dipshit?” Baron demands.

“I thought you brought me back to life so you had the full satisfaction of killing me again.”

“Fuck,” Baron grumbles. “You are even dumber than you fucking look.” He glares at me. “And you look pretty fucking dumb.”

Pyre lowers his head and glares in my direction. “You have much to atone for, Cambion, but you won’t die by our hands. As for your guilt and the torture you sustained, I see them as punishment enough. My fight is with Morrigan and her disciples, not you.”

The bitterness and the anger I once felt for my companions is no longer there. “Thank you. I will do whatever is asked of me so I may once again earn your trust. My lessons have been learned and, no matter how long it takes, I will never stop trying to right the wrongs I’ve committed.”

Baron stands and offers his hand. With his assistance, I pull myself to my feet and sway for a moment. He stares into my eyes and doesn’t release his hold. I feel something probing at me, something searching within me. It’s his power.

“He isn’t under her influence,” the vampire announces. Pyre releases a long exhale and both of them look relieved at the revelation. “Now, tell me what you learned while you were in Oronrel. We know someone has infiltrated the courts, and supposedly Morrigan has your brother under some sort of spell,” Baron says.

“The Midnight Queen does indeed have Theren hidden beneath a thick barrier of magic, trapped in his own mind.”

“Though not fully,” Pyre says. I look at him and nod.

“His interactions with Eilish on the battlefield cracked the barrier enough for him to pull through temporarily. And the things he revealed to me are quite disturbing.”

“Do you know who infiltrated the Unseelie Court?” Pyre asks.

I shake my head. “No, but whoever it was, they aren’t one of Morrigan’s followers. Aima sensed the magic signature and she believes this person was a changeling. Learning its true form may be impossible.”

I quickly look at Pyre. “Aima?” I start.

He nods. “She’s healing and in the hands of the Sentinels at the moment.”

I nod as Baron grabs my attention.

“What else?” he demands.

“There’s a ritual that Morrigan and Variant are trying to complete. Tantric magic that must be performed by a necromancer and a woman without magic abilities, but a woman who comes from arcane lineage. Aima’s sister was very magically powerful, but Aima has no magical talents of her own. I think she’s compatible with the ritual, and it’s simply a matter of time before Morrigan realizes the same for herself.”

Baron whirls around, chest heaving as his anger seems to boil over. He shoves Pyre’s shoulder and gets in the necromancer’s face. “Is this what the prophecies say? Is that how you die?”

I step between them. “The prophecy must be completed willingly by the two participants.”

Baron appears to calm down. He steps away from Pyre and faces me. “What happens if the ritual is completed?” he demands.

“I’m not sure about the details, but Morrigan seemed convinced it would tear open the Veil so she could bring an army over to secure the Echoing Spire for herself.”

“Why does she want to come here?” Baron asks.

“She needs the power here to defeat Silvanus, but she and Variant are still struggling to locate him.”

Baron finally backs off, and Pyre’s gaze seems troubled as he faces Baron. The two of them hold one another’s attention in a way that it appears they’re communicating. I step away and pull the mirror from my pocket. “I was lucky they didn’t find it on me. But I always intended to return it, Pyre.”

He snatches the mirror and, with a flutter of his cloak, he disappears into the spire.

Baron scrubs a hand over his face. “This talk isn’t over, Cambion. But rest now. You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”