Aleia placed a hand on the door; I could see the glow of an aura, bloody and dark. “This is bad,” she said. “Alora’s power is behind it, but it doesn’t quite feel like her power.”
“How do we get in?” I asked.
“I can open it,” Aleia said. “But we have to move in quickly, and I’ll have to seal it behind us.”
We all exchanged looks; it would be dangerous, and there would be no way out. Eventually, we all silently agreed to proceed.
“Alright, here we go,” Aleia said, pushing her hands on the door.
Instantly, we were granted entrance. The door banged shut behind us, encompassing us in the atrium of Time’s castle.
“Gross,” I muttered as my boots sank into a stream of blackened ooze. “What is this stuff?”
Aleia gasped. “Alora!” she called, running forward.
When I came to see Alora before, she was this bright and shining beauty, with dark hair and the same crystal green eyes as Aleia.
I looked down at her on the floor of her home, her body still and her eyes closed. Her robes, once white, shined red with poured-out passion.
Before we could get to her, a menacing laughter called out. The shadows cleared, revealing Orpheus as he stood behind her, his once-white robes now covered in the same red and black substance surrounding us. I gripped my sword at the hilt.
“Alora!” Aleia cried out again.
“How nice of you to stop by,” Orpheus said. “I wondered if Lady Time had managed to contact you. She struggled quite a bit as we fought.”
“What did you do to her?” Raiya asked. “She’s not your enemy.”
“Time is more of an enemy than you realize,” Orpheus said, his voice hard. “She contains the power of death within her Star. I have been trying to convince her to give up, using the power of the Sinisters you have conveniently collected for me.”
He held up his hand to reveal the cache of jewels that had once been the sealed Sinisters. He pulled out the crystals of the five fallen Sinisters—the green one from Alcyonë, Maia’s blue one, the one holding Meropae glowed pink, and the purple one that housed Celaena.
“They need power to escape the jewels,” Orpheus said, “and I could freely give it to them. But I have been given a new task, one I am more suited to than babysitting a bunch of self-destructive, Time-cursed soul collectors.”
He glanced at me. “I see you have another one for me, too. Pity. I was hoping to take the full collection when you came here.”
“You’re crazy if you think I’m going to just give it to you,” I snapped.
He smirked. “You’re forgetting I have the upper hand here,” he said, gesturing down to Alora. A crackle of dark lightning settled into his palm.
I shifted uncomfortably.
“What is your new mission?” Raiya asked. “If it’s to win my love again, I can assure you that’s not going to happen.”
“You were always smart, Lady Justice,” Orpheus replied, his voice echoing all around us as he began to circle Alora, revealing a darkened hallway behind him. I recognized it immediately; it led to the time pool. “But your weakness is the same as all the rest of the Prince’s forces.”
“Love is not a weakness,” Raiya scoffed. “It is the greatest strength.”
“There’s no point in pontificating. I once understood what it meant to forsake all for love, including my values and my dignity. I’ve come to see, unfettered and divorced from its original context, that it has its drawbacks.”
I almost felt sorry for him as he said that. Almost.
“Now I know it serves as the perfect leverage.” He glanced over at Aleia. “And the perfect cover, too. Don’t you think so, Aletheia?”
Glancing over, I saw fresh tears running down Aleia’s cheeks. She was so happy to see Orpheus go to St. Brendan, willingly, in order that she might be granted a second chance with him.
And he’d lied to her. In “forsaking his values and dignity,” he abused and manipulated hers.
“Why?” I asked. “Why did you lie to us?”
“Don’t be a fool,” Orpheus said, his tone growing more scornful as he turned his attention to me. “I’ve freely admitted to you that I was in service to Alküzor. I’m here at his bidding. And if that takes some scheming and some lying, so be it.”
“You played us,” I said. “All of us.”
“It was easy. Aleia was the key. After she was adamant about my wish for mercy, getting Starry Knight to agree and managing to convince others of my sincerity along the way were all I had to do.” He laughed. “And as I said, it was easy to do it, all because of your weakness. Thanks to you, I have all I need to fulfill my bargain with Alküzor.”
“What do the Sinisters have to do with this?” I asked. “They’re sealed away. Asteropy’s the only one left.”
“Their shadows remain,” Orpheus said. “While Time and Memory have both cursed them, I couldn’t use them on earth to free Alküzor; but, even with one missing, I have enough power to free him from Time.”
Elysian roared angrily. “He’s trying to free the River Guardian’s skin.”
Orpheus looked surprised. “Yes,” he agreed. “Once it is free, I’ll be able to free Draco entirely from his mortal life, and he will be the one to set Alküzor free.”
Aleia spoke up. “You must not do it. You’ll pay for your crimes with your life.”
“I’m not worried about that,” Orpheus said. “After all, don’t you think some part of me, the eternal part of me, doesn’t want this part of my life to end?” His remaining eye went soft. “This is all I can do. So I will do it.”
Raiya frowned. “That’s hardly your only option.”
He glared at her. “Well, you would know,” he said, “because you’re in the same situation as me, aren’t you? Too proud to go crawling back to the Prince, at the mercy of your fallen condition, and too caught up in your former self to know there’s no hope for you in the end?”
I was about to join her in a counterattack at his rude remarks, but she made no response. Turning to her, I saw Raiya looked stricken. “Don’t let him get to you,” I said, wanting to protect her, wanting to comfort her. “There is always hope.”
“Enough talk,” Elysian snapped. “Let’s fight.”
“I don’t think so,” Orpheus said. “If you so much as move an inch, I’ll destroy Lady Time. Give me the crystal you have, and I’ll let her live. For now.”
“There’s no way to make sure you’ll hold up your end of the bargain,” I said. “We’d be stupid to trust you.”
“Stop.” Raiya stepped forward, making Orpheus leer at her. “If this is what you want, your word must bind you,” she told him. “Shake my hand, and we have a deal.”
“Agreed,” he said. He glanced at me, his gaze narrowed in hatred. “It would be my pleasure, my lady.”
“No!” Angry at his mocking words, I grabbed Raiya’s hand. “This is insane,” I said. “We can’t just give him what he wants.”
“We need to protect Alora,” she hissed back. “His word will bind him, same as it does you. If he does not follow through with his promise, I can destroy him with my power.”
“But—”
“Almeisan,” she whispered, surprising me with the use of my Star name. “You must trust me.”
So much of what was between us relied on a shaky foundation of trust. She’d deceived me before, and I had let her down.
But as I looked at her, in that moment—that still, everlasting moment, frozen by Time’s power—I knew I didn’t have to just trust in her. I had to believe in truth and justice and all the power they had.
“Alright,” I murmured. “But be careful.” I pulled out the orange-colored crystal from my armor and placed it gently in the palm of her hand.
Raiya marched forward with Elektra’s crystal. My breath caught in my throat as she reached out to shake Orpheus’ hand. He grasped her, and energy burned between them.
“It is done,” Raiya said. “There. I have
your word.” She handed him Elektra’s crystal.
He grinned down at it, a power-hungry look in his eye.
“This is it,” he said, his voice husky and low, as though consumed by his desire for power.
“Get back,” I called out to Raiya.
It took him less than a second to send out a shockwave of energy. A rainbow of power shot out from his palm, slamming Raiya against the far wall and sending the rest of us to the floor.
“Ugh,” I groaned, demanding my arms lift me up as Orpheus scrambled down the hall and out of sight.
“We should’ve added a ‘do not attack’ condition to the deal,” Elysian grumbled.
I almost laughed.
Aleia scurried over to Alora. “Alora,” she called, picking up her sister and carefully cradling her against her battle dress.
I felt a catch in my throat. “Is she … ?”
I didn’t want to say it.
“She’s weakened, but alive,” Aleia said. “We have to help her … ”
Raiya moaned behind me; seeing how Aleia was taking charge of Alora, I headed over to help Raiya up.
She rubbed her head as she stood up. “That hurt,” she muttered. “I knew he would do something like that.”
“Why didn’t you stop him then?” I asked.
“My momentary pain is a small price to pay for her life,” Raiya told me. She rubbed her eyes clear. “I expected him to attack, and I knew if he did he would feel like he had the upper hand. I didn’t expect it to be such a big attack, though.”
“We have to go after Orpheus. We can’t let him free Draco.” Elysian paced impatiently behind us. “Let’s get him, the slime ball.”
“Go,” I said. “You and Starry Knight can go and slow him down. I’m going to help Alora, and then I’ll be out to help you.”
“Right,” Raiya said as I helped her up.
I squeezed her hand reassuringly as I sent her onward. “See you in a bit.”
“Come on, Elysian,” she called. “Let’s go.”
They flew down the hall and out of sight.
I turned to Aleia. “What do we need to do for Alora?”
“If we can get her into the time pool,” Aleia said, “she might be able to rejuvenate. It is the central hub of her power.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” I said. “I know her time pool is just down there.” I gestured toward the hallway that Raiya and Elysian had just passed through. “Here, let me help you carry her—”
Aleia shook her head, cutting me off. “No, I’ve got her,” she said as she reached down and pulled her sister up, leaning Alora against her chest and gripping onto her.
Sometimes, as I worked at the superhero business, I felt more like I was just playing around. For me, it’s kind of like being an adult. It seemed like this great thing as a kid, but as an adult, I feel more like I am just winging it.
I felt unworthy of my power at times such as this one, when I’ve been transported to Time’s star and I’m fighting against an enemy bent on chaos and destruction. It was true I was surprised by my own strength at times, but I was more often surprised by the strength of my co-defenders.
“I’ll help you,” I said, taking hold of Alora’s other arm.
“I’ve got her, Aleia repeated. “Go and help Starry Knight and Elysian. Your sword is the best weapon we have for defeating him.”
“I have a brother,” I reminded her. “And I don’t know if I would be able to do this kind of thing by myself.”
Aleia smiled kindly at me as she began walking down the hall. “Sometimes, we don’t know we are capable of doing something until we have to.”
“That’s the truth,” I snorted.
“Please,” Aleia said. “Please, go and help Starry Knight and Elysian. I’m sure Alora will be fine.”
“And if she’s not?” I asked. “What then?”
“Everything will be alright,” Aleia said, the conviction in her voice enough to condemn me for my doubt.
“Okay,” I finally replied. “If you’re sure.”
“Yes, I am. You must stop him before he releases Draco. While he is not here himself, his dragon skin is determined to have power and reunite with its master.”
“Got it,” I said. “Take care.”
I was still hesitant to leave them, but I shrugged it off. Aleia was right, after all. I knew we had to stop Orpheus.
My wings beat furiously as they took flight, hurrying to catch up after the rest of my crew.
It didn’t take me long to find them. I found them in the Gardens of Time, which reminded me of the ones near Aleia’s church where we would go and see her. It was such a shame to see it getting torn up as Elysian and Raiya managed to corner Orpheus.
As I made my way over, Raiya slashed upward with her bow, barely managing to miss Orpheus as he careened out of her path. Elysian came down from above, but Orpheus twisted, lashing out and grabbing onto Raiya’s arm.
I called out, but my greeting was cut short by Elysian; he roared as he went skidding across the once-flawless gardens.
Orpheus tightened his grip on Raiya. “This is all your fault!” Orpheus cried, his voice sad and angry and desperate all at once. “If you had only chosen me, none of this would have happened.”
Raiya buckled at his accusation; she faltered long enough that he managed to land a heavy blow to her torso.
“Raiya!” I yelled again. “Don’t listen to him.”
Charging forward, angry beyond words, I took careful aim and plunged forward.
The light of the Sinister’s crystals burst free as Orpheus easily blocked me. He jerked Raiya closer to him and laughed at her pain as I ricocheted off his shield of power.
I managed to tuck and roll, finding my feet easily once I landed. “Let her go,” I called.
“She should’ve been mine,” Orpheus said. “I’ve got her now.”
“No,” Raiya said quietly, “I’ve got you.”
A bright line of light shimmered, and she unleashed an arrow, burying it deep into his heart.
Orpheus went rigid with shock and pain. He fell over, and I felt the strange compulsion to stay still.
“Watch out,” Elysian said to Raiya. Elysian swooshed over, nudging her onto his back while we watched Orpheus collapse.
A shadow of power slid out from him a moment later, forming a pair of slithering eyes decorated by a familiar scaly pattern.
“What is that?” I asked.
“Remember the poison from Aleia’s memory bubble?” Elysian asked. “It was Draco’s power. Orpheus used Draco’s power to hide away from Alora.”
“He had it in his soul?” Raiya asked. “How could we not see it?”
“Draco’s an expert at hiding, I well imagine,” I said. “He’s been doing it for a long time. Alora told before she couldn’t see him.”
“I guess that makes sense.” Something about the way she said it made me wary.
But we had other things to worry about at the time. I nodded toward the remnant. “So, what should we do with it?” I asked, as the little ball of shadow continued to hover over Orpheus.
“Seal it away,” Elysian answered.
“Won’t that be dangerous?” I asked. “Grandpa Odd told me before not to seal away the time bubble because it was too risky.”
“Well, he was wrong,” Elysian said. “You can seal it away.”
“Alright, if you’re sure.” I pulled out my sword.
Before I could bring it down on the shadowy half-creature, the eyes gleamed, shining out a brighter red than I had ever seen.
“Augh!” I grimaced at the sharp light, squeezing my eyes shut at its demonic brightness.
In the second I faltered, I heard what was left of Orpheus begin to laugh.
“The time has come for my end,” he said, his voice a perfect blend of calm and crazy.
“No.” Raiya gasped, as he headed toward Draco’s skin.
But it was too late.
There was a burst of power thrusted down in
to the ground all around us, as Orpheus’ essence, along with the Sinisters’ crystals, broke through Time’s barrier, only to be absorbed into the mouth of the dragon’s skin.
“Look out,” Elysian shouted, curling around us as a burst of power crackled down from above. I threw my arms around Raiya, wrapping my wings around us; Elysian roared, sending out a beam of his celestial fire as we momentarily lost our sense of direction.
After the debris cleared some, there was a loud chain of explosions as the white, floaty dragon skin of Elysian’s brother broke free from his prison.
☼18☼
Time and Memory
We watched, silent and unmoving, as the dragon skin’s vacant eyes gleamed with a rainbow-colored spectrum and began to push out of its gauzy barrier.
There was a cracking sound, slow and creeping, as the dragon skin broke free from Time’s power; I heard it and felt as though the foundation of the world was suddenly compromised.
Which, I reminded myself, it probably was. Draco was free, and that meant he would be able to free Alküzor, and that meant that the world was doomed.
Unless we stop him.
Draco’s skin thrashed about, sending different parts of Time’s clear, golden castle into rubbled shards. Elysian sent a stream of fire toward Draco, but the body, empty of its master’s conscience, still had the good sense to duck.
“Stop,” I called, moving to block it.
Raiya fell into step behind me. “See if you can hit it with your power,” she said. “Aim for the eyes.”
We both tried to stop it, but it bowled us over as it sped past, affecting our aim, as it remained unaffected by our power.
Draco’s ghostly skin gave one final roar as it whirled its way out of the sky, heading under the horizon.
I winced at the sound; while Elysian’s rumbles were loud and low, Draco’s were scratchy and sullen.
Elysian snarled. “We need to follow him,” he said. “He’ll be headed down to the earth.”
“That’s where the rest of him is,” I remarked.
“We need to make sure Aleia and Alora are alright first,” Raiya said.
“We need to stop him,” Elysian argued. “And as soon as possible. There’s a reason that he was trapped up here and kept under Alora’s watch. He’s clever—very, very clever—and he’s focused. He is nothing like the Sinisters. They were convinced to defect; he had no such qualms when it came to leaving.”