“Then how are we talking about him now? You clearly know I’m not an ally here.”
“I’ve conditioned myself to withstand certain amounts of pain,” he replied. “Speaking to you about him feels uncomfortable to say the least, like a kind of headache, but it’s nothing compared to what I’d go through if I tried to attack Azazel, for example. ‘Agony’ wouldn’t even begin to describe the sensation.”
“So what, the pain is graded based on the gravity of your actions?”
“Sort of, yes.” He nodded. “The bigger the crime against the master, the worse it feels. I’ve been fighting it for years, gradually getting myself accustomed to increasing levels of pain, chipping away at his spell. With Kyana now gone, I no longer fear Azazel. He has lost his leverage over me.”
I stood up from the windowsill, the chain on my ankle rattling and reminding me of my status there. It didn’t depress me; it merely poured gasoline on the fire already blazing through me.
“Nevertheless, please be careful going forward,” I told Patrik. “Azazel is extremely cunning and might already know about your plans.”
“He doesn’t, I can assure you of that.” He winked. “I’ve been at his side, one of his most powerful lieutenants, for a very long time. I’ve done and I continue doing horrible things for him, just to keep him under the illusion of total control.”
His gaze darkened as he looked away.
“I will never forgive myself for all the lives I’ve taken, but I take comfort in the fact that one day soon, I will get to watch his head roll on the floor,” he said, his voice low.
He then shook that gloomy state off and stood up, nodding at the food tray.
“Please eat. You need your strength,” he said. “And try not to do anything else to anger Azazel. He seemed cranky enough today.”
“Ah, that was definitely me,” I replied dryly, feeling the corner of my mouth pull into a satisfied smirk. “I told him the truth from my visions of the future. I told him he will die, and he flipped out, pointing at the snake pendant and telling me that’s impossible. But I saw it. So it can happen. He’s probably spinning around like a loose wheel right now, desperate to stop it from coming true.”
Patrik listened with interest, his brows furrowed, drawing a deep, dark vertical line above his nose.
“I’m becoming more convinced that the pendant may be the key to his undoing,” he mused.
“Think you can dig into it a little bit more?”
“I can try,” Patrik said. “In the meantime, I’m serious, Vita—stay out of trouble.”
I clicked my teeth with a wink as I took the food tray from the side table. My stomach was growling, and he was right: I would need my strength when Bijarki came to get me out of this hellhole.
Patrik left, locking the double doors behind him.
I felt like I could breathe easier after my conversation with Patrik. We were on the right track, and we were dealing a great blow to Azazel from the inside. I plowed through my food with surprising relish, swatting the negative thoughts away.
Whether it was because I was hopeful or just satisfied by a warm meal, I looked defiantly into the future, with the promise to find a way to keep my loved ones safe, and remove Azazel from this world.
Jovi
By the time the sun came down and the sky went dark, we were all caught up—Aida and the others were introduced to Zeriel, newly anointed King of the Tritones and loudmouth extraordinaire, as well as Thorn and Rebel, Bajang twins and rulers (albeit in secret) of Stonewall.
We spent the rest of the day in the archive hall, talking about forbidden Druid magic and ways to deprive Azazel of his primary energy sources. Anjani had left my side to sit with Hansa, and they spent several hours talking. Judging by the fleeting expressions on their faces, it didn’t go smoothly. On more than one occasion, Anjani moved to stand but Hansa held her down, her hand wrapped around her younger sister’s wrist.
There was a general feeling of gloom and dread floating through the hall, and it weighed heavy on our shoulders, whether we were willing to admit it or not. Draven had isolated himself in a corner by one of the windows, reading through a tome of forbidden Druid magic. He seemed more comfortable keeping his distance while he processed everything he’d been told regarding Asherak’s curse and his downfall. He and Serena exchanged glances once in a while, but it never led to anything, just sighs and unspoken thoughts. She seemed to have trouble focusing when he was in that state, but there wasn’t much she could do about it.
I felt sorry for him, but at the same time, my instinct to protect the ones I loved simmered beneath the surface. I found myself wondering whether I’d have the strength to kill him if it meant saving my sister, if it ever came to that. I didn’t have a clear answer, just an overall weariness that I hoped would pass.
Aida had just spoken with Vita again, through their unique Oracle connection. She looked at me warily, letting a long and torturous sigh deflate her. I was still scrambling through one of the Druid registries when I decided to drill her for news of Vita as a more interesting way of passing the time and keeping my mind off Anjani for the time being.
“What’s up?” I asked her.
“I got the full picture of Vita’s visions,” she muttered, unable to look me in the eyes.
Despite her attempt to downplay it, everyone turned their attention to her, including Draven from the far end of the hall. Serena straightened her back, her bluish green eyes twinkling with interest.
Aida looked around and saw everyone waiting for her to speak. She rolled her eyes and sighed, clearly displeased with having to share what I guessed would be more bad news.
She gave us the full account of all three of Vita’s visions, from Viola dying when Phoenix was killed, to Bijarki and Anjani agreeing to an arranged marriage after the world had basically ended. Vita and I had also died, and it all ended with Draven in Destroyer form presenting himself as the failed champion who had killed Azazel but ended up being overtaken by Asherak’s curse.
A claw tightened around my heart. I’d heard about my own death before, but I’d never considered that my demise would push Anjani into someone else’s arms, for whatever purpose. It just didn’t feel right. I didn’t want to leave her.
I glanced around the hall and found Anjani staring at me, grief glazing her eyes with tears, and she pressed her lips together to stop them from pouring down her cheeks. She blinked several times, then looked away.
“I’m sorry, Jovi,” Aida said with a trembling voice. “I didn’t want to tell you, to be honest. You keep dying in these visions, and I think you’ve heard enough of it already…”
“It’s okay, Sis,” I quipped, pushing my own despair as deep inside as I could, for the time being. “It’s just a possible future, like Serena said. We can change it.”
“Most possible future,” Jax interjected again.
“Seriously?!” Serena hissed.
“Just being accurate,” the Lord of Maras replied with a shrug. “We can’t just brush these visions aside, nor diminish their chances of coming true. I understand where you’re coming from, but we will gain nothing if we tiptoe around one another’s feelings. This is war, Serena. We have no time for fear and doubt. We have the data, and we know what to do with it. Period.”
Jax had a point. We’d been going through this for quite some time now. The prospect of death. Of losing our loved ones. It hurt every time, but it only had one purpose—to get us to stop it from happening.
It was better to focus on the solution rather than let the problem eat away at us. We’d heard it all before at GASP, but experiencing it ourselves was something else entirely. Nevertheless, I was ready.
“He’s right, Serena,” I added. “It’s okay. We know what’s most likely to happen, and yes, we need to have it bright and red and painfully in our faces, so we understand the gravity of our situation, should we fail going forward.”
I glanced at the Druid, who continued to stare out the window, one elbow
resting on his elevated knee. He nodded slowly, taking deep breaths as he listened to our conversation. Hansa found it difficult to see incubi and succubi coming together, after so many centuries apart and in a general state of animosity.
“Things would have to be truly dire for us to reach such a consensus,” she muttered, looking at Anjani, who kept quiet and stared at the floor.
I stood, eager to walk away from it all for a few moments. My brain was close to frying itself, and my stomach turned and twisted at the thought of losing my life and never seeing Anjani again. I needed a break.
“I’m going to hit the shower,” I said with a half-smile that took what was left of my energy to put on my face.
“Our waifs are outside. They will escort you to your room,” Rebel replied from the side, a massive registry book resting in her lap.
“Are you okay?” Aida asked, visibly worried.
“You heard Jax.” I held my stance. “Less problem, more solution. Right now, my only solution is a shower.”
I winked and walked out, immediately greeted by a teenage Bajang in feline form. The creature purred as it rubbed itself against my leg, nearly knocking me down. It was already the size of a lion, even at such a young age.
It stopped in front of a door, looking at me with big yellow eyes.
“Thanks, kitty,” I said slowly. “Thought you guys weren’t fans of us wolf-people.”
The feline shifted in front of me, turning into a beautiful young girl with beige fur and rich, sand-colored hair, like a mane. She gave me a shy smile and bowed respectfully.
“Most of us don’t, but I think you’re sweet,” she said. “And funny.”
“And you’ve just made my day. Thank you!” I couldn’t help but chuckle.
She bowed again then walked away. I entered my room and leaned against the door for a second. When I closed my eyes, the image of Anjani formed in the darkness, her emerald-gold gaze drilling into my very soul.
My heart ached. My bones felt heavier than usual. My breathing was labored.
I turned on the water faucet, delighted to see they had installed water pipes and basic plumbing systems in Stonewall. I stepped into the large copper tub and let the cold stream wash over me, chilling my every nerve ending until I felt nothing.
I cleaned myself up and wrapped a towel tight around my waist before I walked into my room.
My feet froze in the doorway at the sight of Anjani sitting on the edge of my bed. There was a lot of pain in her eyes as she looked at me, her lower lip trembling and her shoulders hunched. Knots began pulling inside me, tugging at invisible strings in my heart.
I didn’t even know what to say to her. I’d hoped my solution-not-problem bravado would fix how I felt, but all it took was one look at Anjani to feel myself come undone.
“I’m having a hard time dealing with Vita’s vision,” she said after we’d stared at each other for a while. “I shouldn’t, because I’m a succubus and I shouldn’t care, but here I am. Weak. Unraveled. Unwilling to face such a future.”
“Anjani…”
Her name was all I could manage.
“I can’t… I wouldn’t marry Bijarki. I… Honestly, it’s unfathomable,” she continued, her voice raw and husky. “Jovi… I would never. I don’t want to. It won’t happen. I will not allow that to happen. You will live, and you will be mine, do you understand me?”
I nodded like a mindless simpleton, while my body succumbed to the incandescent sweetness of all the emotions she stirred in me.
She stood, her chin high, and bit her lower lip.
It sent my senses into a frenzy, but I held onto consciousness for dear life, as she wasn’t done talking and I wasn’t done listening.
“I spoke to Hansa about the conversation the two of you had,” she added. “About me and you.”
“Oh,” I croaked.
“She didn’t like what I had to say, but I think she finally accepted it. Should we survive this, we will find a way to be together, Jovi. I don’t want to live in a world you’re not in. You make me want to fight harder than ever. New world. New rules.”
Several seconds passed during which neither of us said anything.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but I took a step forward and captured it in a kiss, the kind that set my heart on fire and made my blood simmer. Her lips were soft and perfect, and I’d missed the taste of her so much.
Her voice echoed inside me, her soft chest against mine as my hands ran up and down her spine. I gently grazed her lower lip before I paused to look at her. Her eyes were hooded, her skin glowing. Her breath hitched when my thumb brushed over her ribs, nudging the curve of her breast. I lowered my head and hid my face in her rich black hair, the scent of her skin intoxicating me.
“I’ve missed you, Anjani,” I whispered, pouring all my emotions into that one simple sentence.
“I fight harder just to be with you,” she replied, and took a deep breath. “I slashed and carved my way to Stonewall. Nothing can stand in my way, not Destroyers, not incubi, not Azazel, or old tribal traditions…”
“I’m in too deep, Anjani. I love you too much to let you go, even with death knocking on my door.” I raised my head to see her expression.
She was soft, and as smitten as I was. We were soon lost in kisses, consuming each other with a feverish need that hadn’t been satisfied in days. Feeling her so close to me chased away everything that had hammered me minutes before. I abandoned myself in her warmth as she coiled her arms around my neck and pulled me even closer, until I could feel her heart beating next to mine.
Whatever the future held, I was ready to trump it.
For the moment, however, I had the creature of my dreams in my arms. We had each other, and it was enough.
Serena
Later that night, when the others had retired to their rooms, exhausted and sore from the fighting, I had a brief exchange with Wren before she went to check on her sisters.
“I’m glad to see you’ve changed your mind,” I told her.
“I kind of had to, since your friends brought all those Destroyers to me,” she replied, her lips pursed bitterly. “We’ll start work on one of the ships tomorrow. Thorn said at least one of the vessels in the harbor below can be restored to sail across the ocean. I’ll be sending our mothers-to-be to Marton, while the rest of us will stay here and join your alliance.”
“You’re making the right choice, Wren. I cannot express how thankful I am that you were there when my brother and his group passed through.” I smiled gently.
We agreed to continue the conversation in the morning, once we’d all rested and were past today’s traumatic events. She gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder and walked out.
It was just me and Draven left in the archive hall, and I could feel the silence grow heavier with every minute that went by. I could feel him looking at me from his distant window seat. I turned around, and he buried his head in the forbidden Druid magic book, his jaw clenched as he flipped through the pages.
I walked toward him, slowly and quietly, watching his expression change as I shortened the distance between us. He turned a couple more pages, then tossed the book away. It landed on the floor with a thud, but I ignored it and took a few more steps.
He looked up, his eyes hooded and flickering black. The closer I got, the more of his torment became visible. His chest expanded with every breath, his eyebrows pulled into a frown, and tension kept his shoulders straight and his face hard. His gaze settled on my face as I reached him.
“I’m guessing no luck with a concealment spell for the Oracles so far?” I asked.
“Nothing. Just a dozen ways to cause pain and suffering and death,” he growled.
He didn’t close himself off this time. I could feel the ribbons of red, simmering rage flowing from him. I figured he was letting it all out so I could sense it and keep my distance, but it wasn’t going to work. I refused to let him deal with this on his own, blame himself for atrocities that had ye
t to happen and that could ultimately be prevented.
“We’ll find something, Draven,” I replied gently. “Today wasn’t the best of days, that’s all. Why don’t you sleep, rest a little, and start fresh in the morning?”
“How can I sleep, when Vita’s trapped in Azazel’s clutches, the Daughter has been taken away by her psychotic sisters, and there’s the possibility that I will turn into something worse than Azazel, killing all those I wish to protect and keeping you in a cage for my own twisted emotional support?”
His tone was sharp and could cut deep, but I wouldn’t be deterred anymore. We’d been through this before, in different circumstances, and we’d gotten past it. We’d pushed forward and strengthened the alliance against Azazel in the process. There was no way I was losing him now.
“You have to, otherwise you’ll burn yourself out,” I insisted.
He shot to his feet and walked past me, his face a stony mask as he headed for the exit.
“Draven—”
“I need to be alone, Serena.” He stopped without turning to look at me. “I need to be on my own and find my resolve here. I’m afraid my nerves are too stretched right now, and I don’t want to lash out and say something I’ll come to regret. I don’t wish to hurt you…”
It was then that I felt him slowly closing himself off. I could no longer sense his emotions. It alarmed me—I’d gotten so used to living with his soul so close to mine that I didn’t want it to stop. It was selfish of me, but it was also the best way to read him when there weren’t any words between us. I didn’t want to be left in the dark again.
“I understand that,” I replied gently. “But please consider this one thing: you’re taking these visions as absolute truth, when they can still be prevented. We’ve done it before, though I honestly don’t know how we’ve made it so far, since we’ve been winging it like crazy. But we’ve been through this before. And we’ll get out of this in one piece. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I will stop at nothing to protect you and the people I love.”