Bloodrose

  “That was incredible.” She looked down at her healed arm, flexing her fingers.

  Connor swooped her into his arms. “Damn it, girl.” He kissed her, curling his body around hers. “What kind of crazy stunt was that? Don’t ever try to save me again.”

  “You were about to sacrifice yourself to protect me.” She smiled up at him. “There was no way I was going to let you get out of our relationship that easily.”

  TWENTY

  WAVES LAPPED THE SHORELINE a few yards from where we lounged on the rocks. We’d been staring at the Elemental Cross for several minutes, catching our breath, trying to believe we’d succeeded in our impossible task.

  “I’m itching to make a clever remark like ‘I thought they would be shinier,’” Mason said, clamping his hand over the wound on his arm that he’d opened to give Ren blood. “But I have to admit they seem to be the perfect shininess.”

  Shay laughed, flipping the blades in the air and catching them effortlessly. I didn’t know if it was indeed the shininess, but something about the two swords was perfect, complete.

  It was the first time I’d seen Eydis, having been taken out of the fight in Mexico ahead of schedule. Of all the pieces of the cross, I thought it might be the most beautiful. The hilt of Shay’s second sword was the same size and shape as Haldis, but where the earth hilt gleamed with the rust of clay and depth of fertile soil, the water hilt boasted shimmering azure and sea green. The colors shifted constantly on its surface, giving it the appearance of containing moving waters within.

  The blade rising out of Eydis made me shudder. Its surface leapt with flames that seemed alive, like the burning flesh of the Lyulf. Shay swore that he couldn’t feel the heat of the flames, but whenever any of the rest of us came near Pyralis, its intense fire prevented close inspection.

  While we rested, taking in the enormity of what happened, Shay practiced using the blades in concert. Though I’d already watched him fight with the Elemental Cross against the Lyulf, its power still mesmerized me. When Shay moved, the swords became extensions of his body. He flowed with the sweep of blades. And the sound. The sound was unlike anything I’d heard before. With each strike, each movement, came the rush of wind, the crash of waves, the roar of fire—all balanced by the stillness of the earth. The power running up and down the blades, grounding in the strength of each hilt, was palpable, making my skin tingle. But it wasn’t just the swords, it was Shay himself. Grace, strength, and unwavering focus came from him, working in concert with the Elemental Cross. Wielding the swords, he was beautiful . . . and terrible.

  I shivered as I watched him, a part of me wondering if he could be this thing—this force that was the Scion—and still be the boy I loved.

  I glanced at Ren, who sat between Mason and me. His eyes followed Shay’s every movement, narrowed in concentration. He looked pensive as he tracked the Scion. He gaze struck me as odd. I could have sworn his dark eyes were sad, almost regretful.

  “We should get back,” Adne said. “Anika needs us.”

  “You’re right,” Connor said. He was stretched lazily across the ground with Adne leaning against him. His pose was deceptively casual, but I’d been watching the way he had one arm curved around her, holding her close to his body as though he never intended to let her go, while his other hand stroked her hair. “We took our victory lap. Time to return to battle.”

  Adne kissed the underside of Connor’s jaw before hopping to her feet.

  A bittersweet sensation climbed up my spine as she wove the door that would return us to the Academy. We’d accomplished our goal, but this brief celebration meant the stakes had just been raised. In a matter of hours we’d be making a full assault on the Keepers. Everything about my world had been turned inside out. The masters I’d once served had become my enemies, and I was about to go into battle in the hopes of destroying them.

  “You ready for this?” Ren asked. When I met his eyes, I knew his thoughts were similar to mine.

  I flexed my fingers and stood up. “I have to be. We all do.”

  “History awaits you,” Connor said to Shay as he gestured to the shimmering portal.

  “Just because you’re trying to keep notes for Silas doesn’t mean you have to sound like him,” Adne said.

  Connor grimaced. “Point taken.”

  On the other side of the portal we were greeted by a roar from the assembled Searchers. Haldis Tactical had never been intended to hold all the Searchers at once. They’d crowded into the room, pushing up against the walls and spilling out the doorway into the hall.

  When Shay appeared, the crowded hushed, waiting. When he lifted the Elemental Cross, the room erupted into cheers. Anika strode up to Shay and bowed. When she raised her face, her cheeks glistened with tears.

  She lifted her arms and the noise settled into a low buzz.

  “We only have a few hours. You know your assignments. Be prepared to move at six a.m.”

  The room emptied in a few minutes. A handful of Searchers lingered, gazing at the swords and murmuring their thanks to Shay, but soon only our group plus Anika remained.

  “You’re all well?” the Arrow asked. “No need of the Elixirs?”

  Connor slid his arm around Adne. “A close call, but we have ready-made healers in our wolf friends.”

  Anika glanced at Connor’s tight grip on Adne. A smile flickered across her mouth and then vanished.

  “Yes,” she said, turning her gaze on the wolves. “We’re grateful for that gift.”

  “What time is it anyway?” Mason yawned.

  “Four o’clock,” Anika said.

  “Two hours,” Ren said.

  “I’m afraid I need to make it only one,” Anika said. “The teams are fully debriefed, but I need to get you up to speed. Take a bit of rest and meet me back here.”

  “Any word from Vail?” I asked. Our mission had been vital, but it wasn’t the only one in play. The stakes were high on all fronts.

  “Nothing,” she said. “Though we’ll see if that’s changed when we alert them that we’ve retrieved the Cross.”

  I bit my lip, wondering if Sabine had been able to find my father. What had Nev and Ethan been doing? Was Nev risking himself by trying to find other wolves on patrol? Could he bring them over to our side?

  So much depended on each piece falling into its place. With only one missing, we’d fail.

  Connor had leaned over to whisper to Adne. She nodded and he cleared his throat, speaking to the rest of us.

  “If you’ll excuse us, we’ll be taking that rest. See you in an hour.”

  As they left, I heard a quiet growl and turned to see Ren starting after them.

  I grabbed his arm. “Don’t you dare.”

  “He’s taking advantage.” Ren was bristling, ready to attack.

  “No, he isn’t.” I tugged Ren backward. “Trust me.”

  He shot me a suspicious look but stopped trying to pull away from me.

  “What are you going to do?” he asked. “Rest?”

  “There’s no way,” I said, feeling the rush of my own heartbeat. “But I am going to change. I’ve been in these clothes for two days. Maybe a shower—”

  He grinned and my cheeks flamed.

  “Never mind.” I let go of his arms, backing up a few steps as images of Ren clad only in a towel flashed in my mind.

  He laughed softly. “I’ll see you in an hour, Lily.”

  I hated that I was still blushing, so I settled for growling at him. It only made him laugh harder.

  “Am I the only one who’s hungry?” Mason rubbed his belly.

  “You’ll find your friends Bryn and Ansel in the kitchen,” Anika said. “Tess should be with them.”

  “In the kitchen?” Shay frowned. “Why?”

  “After that incident with Logan we thought it best to keep him in one place.”

  “So kitchen duty?” I asked.

  “Washing dishes is punishment enough for someone who has been through what your brother has,
” Anika said with a sad smile. “He can’t behave that way and be free here. But any one of us might have felt justified in such an attack if we’d been in his place.”

  “I’m glad you see it that way.”

  “The kitchen should keep him out of mischief,” Anika said.

  “That’s where I’ll be, then,” Mason said. When he passed me, he leaned in, whispering, “Doesn’t she realize how many knives An could steal from the kitchen?”

  I glanced over my shoulder to see Anika engrossed in conversation with Shay as he held out the blades for her inspection.

  “I’ll walk out with you,” I said, taking Mason’s arm. I managed to keep myself from meeting Ren’s eyes again. I didn’t know what I’d find there and I wasn’t sure I was in any state of mind to handle it. Too many thoughts about our chances, the risks, and all the losses that had already happened were racing through my mind. The sort of thoughts that led to impulsive, irrational decisions. I needed to be steadier than that before this battle.

  “You wanna come see Ansel and Bryn?” Mason asked, pausing by the staircase.

  “I’ll be there soon,” I said. “But I really do need to get out of these clothes.”

  “Yeah, you do.” Mason nodded. “I was just too polite to bring it up.”

  “Thanks.” I punched him on the arm.

  “See ya!” He pecked me on the cheek and bounded down the steps.

  Weariness settled deep in my bones as I slipped into my room, letting the door close quietly behind me. I forced myself to change first, though the bed was calling my name. If I lay down, I might not get up before it was time to go. I used my shirt to rub as much grime and soot from my skin as I could. A shower would have been ideal, but I was too worried about time and a possible Ren ambush to return to the baths.

  I’d just finished buckling my belt when a quiet knock sounded at the door.

  “Who is it?” I called.

  “Shay.”

  A knot formed low in my belly. I’d been worried about Ren, but the sound of Shay’s voice drove all other thoughts away. His life was so focused on the fight to come. He was the key. He was the Scion. And now he had the Elemental Cross.

  But he was knocking on my door, and he was still the boy I loved . . . wasn’t he?

  “Come in.”

  He came into the room, keeping his distance. “Can we talk?”

  The knot in my stomach petrified, becoming a painful lump, heavy in my gut.

  I nodded.

  “I don’t mean to go all emo on you,” he said, “but I want you to know that you’re going to be okay. No matter what happens tonight.”

  The rock-like sensation dissolved into surprise. “What?”

  “You won’t be alone.” He walked toward me.

  I stared at him, utterly perplexed. “I won’t be alone?”

  “No.” He took my hands in his. “Ren and I . . .”

  I snatched my hands away with a hiss. “Ren and you?”

  “Uh . . . we—”

  “You what?” I snarled.

  “Well . . .” He swallowed, backing off as he saw my teeth sharpen. “We had a chance to talk.”

  “Talk about what?”

  “You. . . . We thought that—”

  “When were you and Ren talking about me?”

  “They had us tied up together for a while.” He grabbed an armchair, shoving it between us like a fortification. “Mason took a nap . . . that was after he bit me.”

  I strolled toward him, kneeling on the chair cushion while my fingers wrapped around its frame. “I’m listening.”

  “After we stopped trying to get out of the rope, we argued for a while.”

  “That’s a shocker.”

  “Arguing about you led to talking.” He took another step back when my fingers pierced the chair’s upholstery.

  “Go on.”

  His eyes were wild. “Maybe I should just go—”

  “Tell me, Shay.” It was more of a growl than a sentence.

  “Listen, don’t be mad,” he said. “I hate to say it, but I think I may have been wrong about Ren.”

  “Wrong how?”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “I still don’t like him, but I didn’t get how he felt about you.”

  The fire of my rage was in danger of being outpaced by the fear that drove my pulse. How much had they talked about? What right did they have to talk about me at all?

  “He’s been in love with you for . . . well, pretty much forever.”

  “You believe he means that?” I lowered my gaze, blood thundering in my ears. I knew it was true, but for Shay to believe it and for him to be talking about it . . . I couldn’t understand where this was leading.

  “I wish I didn’t,” he said quietly. “But yeah. He’s for real.”

  We didn’t speak. Silence hovered around us thick as fog. Finally he sighed. “But I’m willing to accept that it’s a good thing for all of us.”

  I looked at him sharply. “Why would you say that?”

  “Because when I’m gone”—he took a deep breath—“I know he’ll be here to take care of you. He promised me that.”

  “When you’re gone?!” I glared at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Calm down, Calla,” he said. “This is probably our last chance to talk. I don’t want to fight with you.”

  “Oh, we’re going to fight.” I sprang out of the chair, shifting midair and slamming him. As we slid across the floor, he shifted forms, leaving two snarling wolves to crash into the wall.

  What the hell? He growled, rolling onto his feet.

  I barked, crouching to leap again. I will show you how much I need to be taken care of.

  His nails scraped against the floor as he backed away. Stop.

  There was no way in hell I was stopping. I couldn’t remember a time when fury had shrieked through my veins like this. Without hesitation I lunged at him. We rolled across the floor, teeth snapping as we each struggled to gain an advantage. He almost had me pinned, but I squared a solid kick with my hind legs into his belly, which sent him careening across the room. Scrambling up, I chased him around the bed.

  I do not need to be protected. I threw my shout at him as I ran. And if I choose to be alone, I will be.

  That wasn’t what I meant. He jumped away from my bite and onto the bed. I just want you to be happy.

  Then don’t make decisions for me. Ever.

  He bent down, grabbed the coverlet in his jaws, and leapt off the bed. A net of opaque cotton captured me.

  Hey! I struggled, blinded by the blankets that covered me. Not fair.

  Innovation isn’t fair?

  We were evenly matched, neither of us giving ground nor gaining a lasting advantage. I had years of fighting as a wolf on my side, but Shay was less inhibited by his wolf instincts. He made choices in the fight that never would have occurred to me.

  I was ready for him when he tackled me. I bucked up immediately, tossing, keeping him off balance. Frustration won out and I simply shredded the blanket rather than trying to find my way out of it.

  Shay was snarling, circling behind me. I whirled around, bracing myself for his attack.

  He pawed the ground, agitated.

  Come on. I threw the challenge at him as I growled. I was about to throw myself on him again when he shifted forms, holding his hands up.

  “Wait, Cal. Not that this isn’t fun, but I’m not here to fight you. I was just trying to make a point.”

  I snarled as I shifted forms. “A point about giving up?”

  “I’m not giving up. I’m being realistic,” Shay said. “How likely is it that I’ll come out of this battle alive?”

  “As likely as any of the rest of us,” I said. Though admittedly that wasn’t too likely either.

  “No,” he said. “Not considering what I have to do.”

  “What?” I said. “So you’re the hero, which automatically means you die in the end?”

  “Probably. And that’s w
hy I made Ren promise to take care of you,” he said. “Even Harry Potter died. Well, for a few minutes.”

  I ignored his joke, baring my teeth at him. “Why would you bring Ren into this? You hate him.”

  “I hate him because he’s your mate.... You two are the perfect match.” He broke his gaze from mine with a shrug. Suddenly he laughed, shaking his head. “If I thought things would turn out differently, I swear I’d fight him until we were both ripped to shreds. I’d fight for you forever, Calla. I don’t give a damn how much he loves you. But like I said, we talked and I can live with what we decided.”

  “If you both are making decisions for me, why isn’t he here too?” I asked, still throwing knives at him with my eyes. “Now that you’ve become such good friends.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. It’s more of an understanding,” Shay said. “I think he feels a little bad for me.”

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “Why?”

  “After we all heard what I have to do to finish this, I think he’s pretty sure I’m dead too.”

  “You mean facing Bosque?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I have to kill the only relative I’ve ever known. Plus he’s an über-demon and all.”

  “He’s not your blood kin. Not really,” I said. “You know that. And if this works, you’ll have your parents.”

  “I guess.” He sighed.

  I took his face in my hands, holding his gaze. “You’re not going to die.”

  “You sound pretty sure.” He smiled, but his moss green eyes were sad—like he’d already lost me.

  My hands dropped to my sides. “You’re not going to die, because I will always save you,” I said. “That’s what I do.”

  “Not this time,” he said. “This is different. This is the end. I know it.”

  I growled and then I slapped him.

  “Hey!” His hand pressed to his cheek.

  “You always say that when I slap you,” I said.

  “I think it’s a problem that you know what I say when you slap me,” he said. “That’s not the kind of intimacy I’m looking for.”

  “You’re not looking for intimacy at all!” My hands balled into fists so tight the blood drained from my knuckles. “You’re running away from it! You’re running away from me!”