Page 27

Chapter 25

Aaliyah

E very broken piece of me that had been strung so tight for the last couple of days fell away, dissolving like the pressure in my head as Prince set me down in front of the little herb shop I'd once called home. I grabbed my wrist, holding the blank spaces that still ached. Sour thoughts gave voice to the scars I ran my fingers across, the pieces of my soul that hadn't quite mended unsteady.

Now that I was here, doubts began to creep into my mind.

I struggled to move, to make the decision to walk toward the door that seemed so daunting. Fear was an ugly thing, especially now that I'd had a moment to hope . Hope that this wasn't just a dream.

Prince was by my side.

Osiris had beaten Kri'Valta.

Eirik, Fallon, Adrian … were they really here? Alive ?

A soft hand settled on my arm, a brief hint of cold being washed away by the spark of Osiris's touch. I looked up as he cupped my cheek, and his thumb ran under my eye, wiping away a tear I hadn't realized had formed there.

The way he looked at me, with such sweet reverence, had my heart fluttering, and I didn't think before slowly wrapping him in a hug. There was a hint of hesitation evident in the shake of his hands as he held me close, but he didn't let me go.

I wasn't sure what started it, this need to have him touching me, to embrace the man that had once embodied my fears, but I couldn't stop now. Not when every time I pulled him close … he pulled me closer.

I fell into his rich dark coffee scent, soothed by the hints of mint it held. The worries slipped away, buried by the strength he gave me just standing by my side.

"Thank you," I whispered, needing to say it to him.

The press of Osiris's lips against the top of my head told me more than words could. He held on tightly for a second longer, lingering even as his arms unwound, his expression steady and calm like the tilt to his lips. "Go to them, lux mea ."

His words were barely out before I was being hauled into a warm set of arms, the characteristic sound of an off-tune bell my only inclination that the door had opened. All at once, the aching that had come from being separated from the other Vivas brothers stopped. My body knew before I did that I was home as Eirik's musky sea scent invaded my nose, and I found myself curled into him in an instant. I reached for his hair, running my fingers through the strands that weren't pulled into a braid, tearing a purr from his chest as his arms tightened around me. I skimmed his jaw, searching for his eyes, memorizing that open-sky blue that jolted to near black, before shifting clear again.

" Our brave , beautiful Valkyrja ," he whispered, a mix of him and his beast. His voice had always held a deep guttural tone, the vibrations of it knocking me off center. Now, there was vulnerability there, a crack as he held me close to him. He looked at me like I'd looked at the sun when I first crawled from my grave, with a mix of awe and elation, and an understanding that everything had been worth it.

Something came over me, something that pushed me to move as I leaned in, pressing my lips softly to his. We lingered, a heated breath accompanying a shiver that went through him, ending where his hands gripped my hips.

He was slow to set me on my feet, brushing his nose against mine as he did. No words were needed to explain why as cool hands reached for me, touching my sides, my hair … anywhere they could, as if making sure I was really here. I pulled away enough to see Adrian and Fallon, flinching at the darkness in their eyes and the shaking hands they tried to play off as exhaustion. They looked like hell, covered in the same shadowy lines that I'd seen on Osiris's hand in the game room the night Eirik had gone missing. Only they didn't stop at a wrist, instead extending over every inch of skin I could see.

I knew torture, had been faced with it for years …

Rage built in my stomach, becoming an anger so fierce that the power inside of me came crashing forward as if to answer the call. The space behind my ear stung, a reminder of the spell that had locked my powers down, that now screamed when my thoughts spiraled. All this pain, this hurt, was because of him , because of a man who should have protected me. Who should have loved me when my father died, not resorted to locking me up and allowing his doctors to play.

He should have loved them. The men he'd Turned.

"I'm sorry," I choked out, my throat aching as I held back tears. I let Fallon and Adrian guide me, encouraging them to show me how they needed me with soft brushes against their cold skin. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt them … or trigger them. "I'm so sorry?—"

"None of that, Ali." Adrian's voice cracked, cutting me off as he grabbed my hand, lifting it so he could kiss my wrist. His eyes were shadowed and marked by deep sunken pits underneath them, red rims lining the copper hue I loved so much. "We're safe; we're here."

They didn't hesitate to pull me in, wrapping me in a hug between the two of them. Relief stripped away the panic, the cold it brought making me realize how tired I was. I'd been moving, terrified, and in a state of survival for days. Now, it felt like I could finally breathe.

"And we're not going anywhere, Ali," Fallon chimed in, clinging to me just as tightly, the sound of their hearts beating sporadically in their chests soothing.

Adrian and Fallon were right … they were alive. They were safe.

That was all that mattered in the end.

No one else moved, and I appreciated the space … the moment to breathe. Even Red had been primarily quiet, his listless emotions in the air dulled. The silence, normally a bane, helped to calm me.

"What happened here, love?" Adrian murmured, his hand brushing against the bloodied expanse of my neck, though now dried and peeling from my skin. He moved to my cheek over my ear, stumbling on the small scar that now resided there, frowning when I flinched at the abrupt sting.

I reached up, instinctually searching for comfort in the lavender gem that used to sit around my neck, only to find an empty chain.

The following conversation was … harrowing.

I told them about Ascension and the man that Sebek had killed with my blood, skimming over the way Sebek had forced me inside. I talked about his safe house and the crazed way he'd spoken, his manic thoughts on my father. I told them about Kri'Valta's, and the mistake that I'd almost made, flinching when I looked at Osiris, knowing how close I'd come to hurting him. That was the part I struggled with most, the reminder of the dark voice that still lingered in the back of my mind, tempting me with whispered words. I told them of Azer, the Imperial we'd met in the Void, the one that had saved us from Sebek by pulling us away from the Gala.

I skimmed what I could, leaving out the bits that would haunt me to save them from it, but it didn't stop the wounded looks on their faces, the pain that mingled with dark lines against pale skin. The pain that sat in eyes that had already held enough weight.

"I'm going to fucking kill him ." Was all Eirik could manage, running his hands through his hair, unraveling the braids one strand at a time. The veins on his arms popped like the crack of his teeth as he ground them together.

I was used to seeing his beast come forward, but the others still warily looked on as Eirik's eyes flushed a deep blue. A crack echoed as his head snapped to the side, the shift starting in his jaw as he began to pace. I watched him quietly, fiddling with my hands as I struggled with what to do.

I wasn't scared of him, not anymore, but the stress in the air made me sick, and I had no idea how to deal with it. Minutes drew on, until I shivered, and that was enough to break the tension. Eirik sighed, his shoulders dropping before his warm hand was at my back.

He ushered us inside, covering me with his body to try and keep me warm. He held me with a love I felt in every gentle touch that was given with hands I knew would always protect me.

I glanced around the room, quickly, making sure that all of us had made it inside, needing to check that we were all accounted for. Even Red, as he bounced about, lingering on each of the Vivas brothers that had been at Archon's as if checking them, too. His last stop was Prince, who scrunched his face and tried to brush away the feeling, unaware of the amusement that flooded the air as Red danced in the strands of his hair.

I'd seen Prince in this room more times than I could count, standing by the window where he liked to watch the setting sun … now was no different. His leg was perched up, his foot against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. That soft look in his eyes was there now as he glanced at Eirik and I, but I didn't have to guess what color they were anymore. Silver . He flashed that crooked grin when I didn't look away, giving me the same wave of his hand that he'd done to get my attention before, to refocus me back on Grigen as he'd tried to guess which hand I'd had chocolate in.

"You've made us whole again," Eirik whispered, his breath skimming against my neck as he pulled me tightly to him, my back to his chest. I knew his eyes were on Prince when I watched my knight in astral armor tip his head in our direction. " Elskan , it's a debt we'll never be able to repay."

"I don't know how I did it—" I started, stumbling over the words as I dropped my chin.

Soft fingers directed me to look up, and I found myself staring into those silver eyes. "The how doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that you did, Aaliyah. You brought me back."

Someone scoffed, the sound lingering in the room like the echo of broken glass as one of the herb jars hit the ground. "She brought trouble , just like wet brings the mold," a voice chimed, disgusted and cracked. "You Vivas are so prone to decay. I recommend ground blue puya."

Magelav stepped into the light from where they'd been by the wall, directly over the glass they'd just shattered across it. Each step echoed with a crunch, but when they lifted their feet, the glass was gone , the jar they'd broken piecing itself back together on the shelf. Their eyes, a shallow swirling gray, landed on me. "Or consider less dying."

Magelav moved like they hadn't thrown the rest of us into a panic, constantly mumbling, hunching in a way that didn't match the seemingly young physique they had. The hairs on my arms stood on end, and my body prepared itself to run as my heart sped up in my chest, my focus narrowing on the threat.

It took all of a beat for Adrian to force a smile, chipping in to ease the tension, stepping quickly between Magelav and I as the Sorceri fiddled with another container of herbs on a low shelf in the middle of the room. "My, such an interesting character. Someone mind introducing us?"

Prince grumbled, rubbing his temples as he looked at the person who had helped bring him here. There was respect in his eyes, and no small amount of annoyance. "I guess I should do a little explaining myself. After I woke up in the crypt in Rome—and had a little midnight snack—I ended up running face first into a skillet. The person holding it happened to be this completely stable and not at all bat-shit crazy … uh, friend of mine?"

He scrunched his nose, the sight making me smile. It was an expression I had seen so often it almost took my breath away to see it now. It was cute, in a way, the way he grunted when Mags clapped him on the back.

"Mags. Just Mags. Always Mags. Magelav … " Mags trailed off, like they were contemplating something, crossing their hands over their chest with a huff. The air in the room pulsed, almost like it was standing still for them. " Magelav is also fine."

Then they stopped talking, leaving the room in silence again as Prince groaned.

Magelav gave off a feral energy that didn't mesh with the power they held. So much so that even Red kept his distance, sticking close to me, the little red cloth that I'd snuck into the bra I was wearing heating against my skin.

Time seemed like something that was about control, and Magelav toed that boundary with every step they took. I wasn't sure what to think of them, not in any way I could vocalize, but I didn't get violence from them.

"Damn, shit really did go to hell while we were gone, huh? At least that ticks the Bog Sorceri off our list, right?" Adrian asked, whistling for but a moment before Mags was suddenly by his side. Tension exploded in the room as everyone watched on in horror.

The move was so fast no one had seen it until they were already there, the scent of rotten mulch flooding the air, mixing with an acidic hint of burned sand. They flicked Adrian in the forehead, catching him and me off guard as a shiver shot down my spine, pairing with the rising of that voice in my head.

Remove them.

" Mags ," they chided, wagging their finger as they clicked their tongue. " Just Mags. Do you need a lesson to remember it?"

They waited patiently for Adrian to answer, huffing when he paled but nodded. "Noted. No, I don't believe I prefer that. Sorry, Mags."

They ambled away, going back to that shelf they'd found, picking up one of the shells I hadn't realized had been tucked away on it. Everyone let out a collective breath, and I forced the voice down as it tried to surge forward again. Fallon, still rubbing his arms, broke the silence with a cough that he hid behind a closed hand. He wobbled before stabilizing himself against the wall.

"What's the plan, Osiris?" he asked, glaring as Adrian moved to help him. The black lines that traced them made my stomach lurch.

Eirik's growl started low, and Osiris ignored it as he contemplated the question.

"With Kri'Valta out of the way, we've fulfilled our part in the contract with Drakon. Only the Eternium is left," he said.

"And now we even have some aces on our side. After all, who would expect a Vampire that can walk in the sun and a long-lost Gladiator baddie?" Adrian joked, snorting as he shook his head in obvious disbelief, one I shared as I jolted to look up at Eirik from where he still stood at my back. "Eirik here pulled quite the party trick to get us off that roof."

His chest vibrated against me, his cheek running across the top of my head. I almost didn't believe it. Eirik wasn't covered in the streaking black veins that lined Adrian and Fallon, and I had assumed that he hadn't burned with them. He was healthy and seemingly stable.

"How?" Osiris pressed as his eyes drew tightly together.

Eirik grunted, shrugging his shoulders. "I think it was Aaliyah's blood, the Hallen Bond ."

"Do you think it's permanent?" Prince asked this time.

Eirik looked to the open windows that now were flooded with the soft light of the moon. Longing was an easy emotion to read as he tipped his head to the side. "No idea. I'd like to test it, though."

Soft puffs of breath tickled my temple with the promise of something I hadn't expected. I might get to see the sun with him someday.

"There is one other elephant we should probably address … as we're going to need some good press," Prince added, sharing a quick glance with Osiris. Something passed between them that didn't need words, and Prince only continued when Osiris nodded. "Kali got Sebek through the wards, thinking he'd kill Aaliyah. Osiris took offense to that and turned Kali into a pile of goop."

"Wait, as in the boiler of blood, Kali?" Adrian asked, blinking several times, and leaning in as if to hear it again.

I'd seen how Osiris was after Kali had shown up the first time. Frozen with fear. Even with all his strength, he'd been broken down by her. It was a feeling I remembered as I thought about looking at Castillion's skull.

Hunting for his ghost like it might jump out to bite me.

"Yes. It was a moment of weakness," Osiris whispered, and stepped out of Eirik's arms, moving toward me.

I expected the numb to be back, lingering in his eyes like I'd seen so many times before, but there was something else there now. A determination that had me smiling as I reached out and took his hand.

"Oh, no, weakness it was not. Deranged , I'd give you that, but that conniving bitch had it coming," Prince said, snorting as he crossed his arms. "If you hadn't, then I would have. She nearly got Aaliyah killed."

"Still, it could hinder things on our front. I don't know how much it will affect our chances with the Exilium vote," Osiris whispered, and the others scoffed.

"We'll deal with it when we get there," I said, unable to find any remorse in me for the woman who'd hurt him. I didn't care if it was cruel, or that it made the dark voice purr. I was glad she was gone. "I'm proud of you, Osiris. She's had you by the throat for too long."

His eyes grew clouded, and he brought his hand up to cup his branded wrist. "With her out of the way, Darius will be destabilized. He'll look for Retaliation, but his allies will look for alternatives. We might be able to use that."

Eirik grunted, shaking his head.

"How very Kingslayer of you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say—" His words were cut off by the sound of a door slamming open, hitting the wall with a resounding thud.

A man I didn't recognize came barreling down the stairs two at a time. His brown hair was wet, fresh from a shower, his green eyes homing in on Prince. "Holy fuck? "

I tensed, not sure what the stranger was going to do. Prince did the same, squinting at the man as he strode toward us, and before I could even question whom he was … he slammed his lips down onto Prince's, claiming a kiss that looked like fire. Stunned to silence, I watched with my own mouth open, blushing red as Prince's eyes went wide. The man pulled back, tears falling freely down his cheeks, still cupping Prince's face.

"Yep, that's Nero all right. Guess I owe you that drink after all, Eirik," he said with a wet laugh before he pulled Prince into a hug that had him grunting at the force of it.

There was more commotion, and the sound of a sigh from the staircase. "Milo, want to tell the class why you've decided to kiss a random man in the middle of Eliza's living room?" A woman asked, stepping down from the stairs with another man by her side, moving with a grace that caught me immediately. She smiled adoringly, flicking rich brown hair over her shoulder, and the first man, Milo, gave her a sheepish one back.

"Sorry," she said softly, taking my hands in hers with the gentleness of a sister. "He gets excited."

At the same time, the man by her side grunted. "We're working on house training him."

I recalled the name Eirik had told me of before … Milo. Nero's, or Prince's, closest friend. The man who'd stayed by their side through the last hundred years. He felt different, like some Naturals did, giving them away before they could flash teeth or wicked words. I knew before he'd even stepped down to this floor that he hadn't been human. He oozed a power that felt like the ocean, raw and unyielding, yet endlessly patient.

With a beast behind his eyes that watched every single person in the room, as if sizing up the threats.

"Only Nero can kiss like that. I had to be sure it was him," Milo joked, tipping his head as he flashed a brilliant smile. He turned back fully to Prince, throwing an arm over his shoulder. "Jesus, next time you plan to fake your death, at least let me in on the joke. I thought you were dead."

Prince huffed a laugh, falling into an easy comradery as he laid his arm over Milo's shoulders in the same way. They stood about the same height, eye level, and he beamed. "Oh, I was dead. I just got better."

He looked Milo up and down, a spark of recognition buried in the confusion in his eyes. It only took that one look for Milo to balk before he staggered back, suddenly losing his smile.

"Milo?" Prince pressed carefully, and Milo stepped back like he'd been struck.

"Who the fuck else would I be? Don't tell me you forgot about me? I'd like to think I'm more memorable than that," Milo said, playing it like a joke, but I saw the way his hands trembled, the pain that had seized his voice as it cracked. "I'm offended. You don't forget your best friend, ever . Pretty sure that's a rule somewhere."

The woman was suddenly by his side, taking Milo's hand. He squeezed it carefully, looking at her like I did at my guys. The love in his eyes helped to break up the grief that had crawled back over him.

"It's not his fault. Dying messes with your memories. He's still getting them back," I whispered.

Milo's smile cracked, his expression falling as he looked to the ground with conflicted anguish, covering his face with his hands.

"You really don't remember me," he whispered, the emotion in his voice a volley of raw grief. He shook his head, and just as quickly, he looked up with a stare that bled determination. He stepped forward, like he wasn't sure if he could, before he wrapped an arm around Prince's shoulder again. "Well, that just means I can recycle some of our best pranks. Fallon's going to love it."

I'd never seen Fallon afraid before, but I would have sworn he grew pale. There was something to be said about that when Prince snickered, and Fallon snarled at them both. "Don't you fucking?—"

They paid him no mind as Milo moved to stand in front of me. He smiled, an almost goofy air about him as he extended his hand out for me to shake. "And you must be the lovely Aaliyah. I've heard a lot about you, you know. These boys wouldn't stop talking about you."

I reached out and carefully took his hand, shaking it. He exuded warmth that put me at ease. "Likewise, Milo."

"Only the best parts I hope?" he asked, and I smiled.

"You're a great friend to them. That's all I need to know," I said, smiling as a light blush dusted his cheeks.

With a sheepish grin, he rubbed the back of his neck, before he wrapped his arms around the two people at his sides, lovingly kissing the tops of their heads. The woman smiled, leaning into him, while the man blushed as red as an apple and tried to look away.

"Well, these are my motley crew. My mates, the stunning Rose and dashing Will," Milo said with no small amount of pride. Even as Will grumbled next to him, hunching as he tried to brush Milo away. He reminded me of Fallon, grumpy in a way. "Ignore Will. He's got a stick firmly lodged up his ass, like a certain Aussie?—"

He didn't get a chance to finish, as Fallon clapped him on the shoulder, standing behind him with a smoldering rage in his eyes that made Milo smirk.

" Thank you , Milo. You're always a joy to be around," Fallon snarled, pulling Milo backward, taking Rose and Will with him.

"Only for you, Fally," Milo joked with a bow. "Well, this has been quite a shock, and right before the Eternium, too. Of course, I'll back you, you know that. Just say the word and I'll fuck up whoever you send my way."

Osiris nodded. "Thank you, Milo."

Milo's eyes softened, tears brimming in them again as he looked between those of the Vivas house. " Always . You're my family. It's the least I could do."

He shook his head, wiping his face with the palm of his hand. "But enough about that. We're already late, and I stood up our plans longer than I should have to try and see if Eirik was hallucinating. We need to go meet Eternal Ilenia and get to Eternium grounds."

A somber tone took over the room, and the exhaustion suddenly felt all too real. Adrian and Fallon were still clutching wounds, physical and otherwise, and the others looked around with wary hesitance.

Kri'Valta was gone, our part of the deal was finished, and now all that was left was the Eternium. It was a daunting thought that, after all this time, it was finally happening.

"Yes, we should," Osiris agreed, and Magelav came hobbling out into the middle of us.

As usual, their presence came with a soft wave, one that had faded into the background of the conversation. They tilted their head before slowly pressing their hands together. Pressure filled the air with the scent of boggy water, and their magic grew. It started off invisible, their fingers weaving a spell I couldn't see before it shifted into a gold arch that looked like flowing sand. It swirled around their hands.

"Now that Mags can help with," they whispered, showing their palms that suddenly leaked a black ooze. "The Eternium awaits."

Nero groaned to my right. "I think I'm sick of teleporting."

He didn't hesitate to slide his hand in mine before reaching for Osiris. The touch was electric, a reminder that we were alive. That we were so close to freedom.

One by one, we laced our fingers together. Magelav stepped forward and reached out to me. "Come. Best not to linger."

I looked at everyone, my family. Adrian. Fallon. Osiris. Eirik. Prince. Even Red, who swirled softly around the room, his presence settling over my chest like a part of my heart. His scarf burned in my pocket.

Milo, Rose and Will gave one final wave, and I let out a breath as we were left completely alone in the herb shop.

"We're ready," I said, hesitating for only a moment.

The room grew quiet, everyone taking a moment to settle themselves. My mind was abuzz with worry, with the fear of what could go wrong. I stared at Magelav's extended hand.

"Forever, Aaliyah?" Prince asked, squeezing my hand, the gentle question enough to bring me out of my own head.

I memorized the soft lines of his face, the twist to his lips that I would fight to the death to keep this time. I smiled, squeezing his hand back, as I set my other in Magelav's open palm.

The power was immediate, the flush of teleportation magic making my stomach cramp.

"Always, Prince," I whispered as the room around us disappeared.