Elder

  Everyone looked at Tate, who shrugged and touched the statue. “It’s real.”

  Zachariah considered this, then glanced at Ini-herit. “Think the medallion can help?”

  Removing it from around his neck, Ini-herit replied, “Anything’s possible. Back when I hid this scroll piece, we figured it would only be retrieved for one of two reasons: one, we identified someone we felt would fill the role of an elder, or two, we would be attempting to stop someone who was trying to use it for the wrong reasons. I’m sure I considered that, in either of those cases, we would have to identify the eight beings tied to the scroll.”

  They all backed up a few feet and stared at the medallion as Ini-herit held it up in front of the statue. Sunlight reflected off the medallion’s etched surface, the colorful beams touching the rock. Considering Ini-herit’s words, Zachariah looked at Tate. She nodded.

  Everyone else knew his thoughts, too. Clara Kate reached out and placed her hand on top of Ini-herit’s. Sophia and Quincy followed suit. Ariana and Tiege piled their hands on, then Tate and Zachariah.

  As soon as their hands were joined, the beams of light reflecting from the medallion no longer winked in and out of visibility. They remained strong and steady.

  Aim the beam at that glowing gap in the rock, Tate thought.

  When everyone sent her confused thoughts, she focused intently on what she saw with her second power, conveying it to everyone else. Zachariah moved his hand with the others until the light touched the spot she saw.

  A resounding crack resulted. Several of them jumped, making the medallion sway. They watched as a rectangular hole formed in the center of the Sphinx’s chest. The rock seemed to dissolve.

  “Cool,” Tate breathed.

  “All right,” Ini-herit said. “I’ve got the medallion and I hid the piece, so I’ll lead the way. Stick close and don’t veer from my path.”

  He stepped into the doorway and cast a light, looking around as he walked further into the dark interior. Zachariah decided to guard the rear, keeping Tate with him as the others approached the door first. He glanced to the side as Nyx perched on one of the statue’s paws.

  “You need to stay out here,” he said to the kragen. “The interior of this thing surely wasn’t designed for creatures your size.”

  She blinked at him. When she leaned down to rub her snout against his arm, he gave her a firm pat on the side of her neck. Then he sent her off to join Uriel before turning to follow the others into the statue.

  Tiege had remained near his twin. Ariana walked beside him. Clara Kate entered the statue after Ini-herit. Sophia followed her cousin, and Quincy went in next. When Tiege attempted to follow them, he struck a barrier. Zachariah stopped him from falling as he staggered back.

  “Son of a—” Tiege cut himself off as he rubbed his chest. “What the hell?”

  Frowning, Zachariah approached the open doorway and tried to put his hand inside it. He encountered an invisible barrier. When Quincy turned around to see what happened, he tried to reach out to them, but he encountered the same barrier on the other side. Tate and Ariana also tried to breach it without success. Ini-herit, Clara Kate and Sophia couldn’t get through, either.

  “We’re going to have to find another way inside,” Zachariah said to Ini-herit.

  The elder looked confused. His mouth moved as though he said something, but they couldn’t hear him. Zachariah then realized that he could hear the thoughts of Tiege, Ariana and Tate, but not those of their family inside the statue.

  “Something’s wrong,” he said with a frown.

  “Well, maybe it’s not,” Ariana responded. “We’re now split, four and four. Maybe it’s a part of this puzzle.”

  Before they could discuss it further, sand and rock spewed into the air not even twenty feet from them. The ground trembled. Pieces of the statue crumbled. Zachariah grabbed Tate and hauled her back as large rocks thudded to the ground just feet from them. Beside him, Tiege did the same with Ariana.

  When they looked again at the doorway, they realized it was halfway collapsed.

  “C.K.,” Tate gasped. “Sophia!”

  Zachariah looked around for signs of further threat, then approached the opening. He saw movement inside the structure, so he tried to calm Tate with that thought as he wondered what had caused the blast.

  “What was that?” Tiege asked, also looking around. “I’ve never seen or felt anything like it.”

  Ariana wasn’t focused on the doorway, Zachariah realized. She was frowning and looking back down the alley toward the distant horizon. When her frown eased and her eyes widened, he retrieved his tomahawk from its holster.

  “It’s Eirik, isn’t it?” he asked.

  Ariana swallowed and nodded. “I feel the pull to the other two scroll pieces. He’s here.”

  Zachariah watched as Tate and Tiege reached for their weapons. They wouldn’t last long if Eirik had many more weapons like the one he had just launched at them. Although they were all armed and wearing armor, they were no match for such destructive power. He didn’t bother mentioning that to the others. He figured they already knew.

  Just as they knew that the only two beings who could possibly heal them were now sealed inside the statue.

  Chapter 35

  Clara Kate never felt the chunk of stone that knocked her unconscious. She blinked back awake and watched the silver glow of Ini-herit’s healing power fade. Only when she saw his expression did she realize something serious had happened. A quick look around the chamber made everything clearer.

  “Did the statue collapse?” she asked, sitting up. She realized Quincy and Sophia stood a safe distance from the debris, brushing sand from their hair and armor.

  “We’re not sure,” Ini-herit replied as he helped her to her feet. “There was something like an explosion, but that doesn’t make sense. There aren’t guns or explosives on this plane.”

  “There weren’t,” Sophia said, “but maybe there are now. Estilorians have the ability to produce many things without the machines or special equipment that humans need.”

  “If Metis rummaged around in C.K.’s mind while she was unconscious, who knows what memories about humans she found and shared with Eirik?” Quincy added.

  Clara Kate felt lightheaded over the idea that she had somehow contributed to this. She rushed closer to the chunks of stone blocking the statue’s doorway. Jumping on top of one, she peered through the opening.

  “They’ve drawn their weapons,” she said.

  Her gaze moved to where Ariana pointed. A shadow gathered on the horizon beyond the nearby buildings. Sunlight glinted off rows of approaching beings bearing shields and weapons. She gripped the rock to keep from falling to her knees.

  “Oh, my God. Eirik’s coming. We have to get out there!”

  The others hurried up behind her and found gaps to look through. Clara Kate watched a contingent of Waresti led by Alexius run up the alley to her family. Her heart throttled into her throat as she watched them converse and gesture with their hands, mapping out a plan to defend themselves. Alexius glanced toward her. He caught her gaze.

  “Alexius,” she whispered.

  He must have read her lips, because he gave her a reassuring nod. Then he turned his attention back to the others. After a few more words, he waved some of the Waresti after him and started toward the approaching Mercesti at a run.

  She caught Ini-herit’s gaze. I should have blessed everyone’s weapons before we came in here, she thought.

  They’ve got no one to heal them, Quincy added.

  Then another explosion rocked them off their feet.

  Metis not only gave Eirik the idea for the high-impact weapons, she created them. It had been a challenge to make something like what she pulled from the Kynzesti’s mind without knowing exactly how it worked, but she did it by combining some of the Waresti and Scultresti traits she had managed to retain. Of course, she couldn’t be certain how many of the weapons would actually work, but she didn’t
care as long as they occupied Eirik.

  All that mattered was getting the scroll piece. If she was fortunate, someone would injure Eirik enough that she could get the two pieces he carried. For now, she had to focus on acquiring the third piece so she had some leverage.

  She did her best to mask her thoughts as they approached their goal. Even with that, she felt the presence of the Orculesti elder in her mind. She realized that Malukali was trying to reason with her. Even after all that Metis had done to the elder, she still thought she could redeem her. It was rather laughable.

  The chill in the air dissipated as the sun rose. Metis kept a cloth over her face to block the biting grains of sand whipped up by the wind. Eirik’s skin was protected by a form of energy generated by one of his followers. It was meant to deflect projectiles and weapons. She didn’t bother requesting the same type of protection for herself, knowing it wouldn’t be forthcoming.

  Finally, they neared their destination. Metis looked at Eirik as he came to a stop.

  “Dampeners, use your abilities to prohibit flight,” he said. “For our primary weapons to work, our opponents must be on the ground. Stay as far from the battlefield as possible.” His gaze moved to another group. “Incapacitate the Orculesti and Wymzesti elders with the darts. We do not want their interference, but they may be needed to activate the artifact.”

  A handful of males broke away from the main group to fulfill the command. They carried weapons that shot poisoned darts across distances. Metis had learned that the dart guns had been modified to travel farther and more accurately than traditional ones.

  Eirik issued several other orders before his gaze turned to her. “I have a number of mentally talented Mercesti using their abilities to prevent mental intrusions. You need to do the same.”

  She nodded and applied her mind to the task. These Mercesti were the key to achieving her goal. She would do whatever it took to protect them for the time being.

  Eirik once again started moving, so everyone else followed. As they reached the top of a sand dune, Metis saw what awaited them. Massive pyramids, temples, statues and other stone structures filled the landscape. Waresti soldiers covered much of the area in regimented patrols. Metis spotted the kragen walking among them. Fortunately, thanks to the traitorous Mercesti informant, the creature’s survival wasn’t a surprise.

  “Do not let the kragen score you with its tail or you will not rise again,” Eirik said loud enough for everyone to hear. He turned to several males beside him. “Launch the first weapon.”

  They did. The resulting noise and wave of energy had the sand shifting beneath Metis’ feet.

  “Get your shields ready,” Friedrich called out a moment later. “Their archers are taking aim.”

  Metis looked around the active battleground and tried to determine where the third scroll piece was hidden. She switched from using her abilities to guard their thoughts and instead tried to pick up the thoughts of the Waresti. After a moment, she realized there was a barrier in place. She frowned. Sparks of lavender light flared around the battleground, several from behind buildings. Eirik noted them with narrowed eyes.

  “Sebastian has generated shields,” he announced. “The darts will not reach their targets until those shields are destroyed. Find anyone shielded and attack them first.”

  A contingent of Mercesti charged, deflecting arrows as they ran. Metis debated what to do. Without her mental abilities, she was defenseless and unable to find the scroll piece.

  “Prepare more of the explosive projectiles,” Eirik told the group of males carrying them. “Aim at the pyramids and larger statues. The artifact is most likely in one of those locations.”

  There was no getting around it, she decided, watching the Waresti approach. She was going to have to change forms. It was just a matter of deciding which one to assume.

  “Fire,” Eirik ordered.

  Ariana saw the second volley of destructive weapons hit the air only seconds after Alexius and his Waresti hurried away to engage Eirik’s Mercesti. Even though she hadn’t seen the first attack or the weapons used in it, she knew that the glowing, red balls headed in their direction weren’t just arrows or crossbow bolts.

  Alexius had stopped to tell them that archigos Sebastian would provide them shields as soon as he could. In the meantime, the Waresti second commander intended to set up a perimeter to protect them. He told them to stay near the statue in case Clara Kate and the others needed them.

  She realized that he spotted the aerial weapons headed toward the statue just as the rest of them did. As he reached the end of the alley, he turned to issue orders to the soldiers standing near him. She watched as the warriors lifted their un-empowered shields just as one of the glowing weapons hit the ground of the alley only feet from Alexius.

  Only yards from her family.

  She didn’t have time to think. Even as Tiege knocked her to the ground and Zachariah threw himself on top of Tate, Ariana brought forth all of her Lekwuesti energy and pushed it out with a silent and desperate plea.

  The explosion deafened her. She couldn’t breathe. Darkness ringed her vision, but she dared not lose consciousness. Around them, sand and debris settled to the ground without touching her.

  It could have been seconds or minutes later when she next became aware of what was happening. Tiege lifted her. He was talking to her, but she heard only a dull ringing sound. Beside her, an uninjured Zachariah held Tate by the waist so she wouldn’t run from him. She strained against him, screaming something as her eyes shone with tears. Ariana turned to see what had so upset her.

  When she shifted her eyes, she saw death.

  Ini-herit couldn’t remember the blocking enchantment placed on the entrance to the statue, but he knew it had saved their lives.

  The concussion of the boom had all of them staggering back. When Clara Kate lost her footing, he reached out and grabbed her before she fell to the ground. He lifted her and carried her away from the crumbling rock at the entrance, joining Quincy and Sophia further inside the chamber. He wanted to get Clara Kate away from danger, but he was only too aware of the fact that their friends and family were outside where the blast occurred.

  I’ll check it out, Quincy thought, catching Ini-herit’s gaze. Ini-herit nodded.

  “What happened?” Clara Kate asked, sounding dazed.

  When Ini-herit looked at her face, he realized a rock had managed to strike her. Blood dripped from a wound along her temple.

  “There was another explosion,” he replied, healing her with a surge of his power.

  “Oh, no,” she said.

  Her wide eyes moved to Quincy, who stood and looked through the only opening left by the rockslide. Sophia stood near him, her face pale and her hands clenched together. Ini-herit lowered Clara Kate to her feet, but kept an arm around her.

  When Quincy turned away from the opening, they all saw the emotion on his face. They felt his horror and his despair. Ini-herit’s grip on Clara Kate tightened as she sagged against him.

  “Our family is okay,” Quincy said in a quiet voice as Sophia hurried up to him. “Somehow, the blast didn’t affect them.” His gaze moved to Clara Kate. “But a number of Waresti were killed.”

  Ini-herit experienced his avowed’s flash of fear and disbelief. He heard her stop breathing. They both watched Quincy collect himself before he delivered the blow.

  “Alexius was among them.”

  Chapter 36

  It took Zachariah precious minutes to calm Tate down when she saw the results of the explosion. The Waresti remains were scattered everywhere. Alexius’ sword had embedded itself in the stone only a few feet away. For some reason, Tate seemed to think that she could do something to change the outcome of Eirik’s attack. She was trying to get to the place where they last saw the Waresti second commander.

  “Tate,” he said, finally grabbing her and shoving her against the statue so he could hold her in place. “Look at me.” She continued fighting for her release, shouting Al
exius’ name. Grabbing her by her jaw and forcing her to face him, he repeated, “Look. At. Me.”

  Finally, she focused on him. Her beautiful eyes dripped tears. He felt every bit of her shock. Every bit of her pain.

  “No,” she whispered. Her breath hitched and she shook her head. “No, Sparky. He was trying to protect us.”

  “I know. Now we have to protect ourselves. Don’t let Alexius die in vain.”

  He watched her process this, watched the shock ease. Anger took its place. Wiping her cheeks with brisk strokes of her hands, she nodded. Then she shoved away from him and checked to make sure her weapons were still intact and ready for use.

  Was it any wonder that he loved her so much?

  He looked on as the surviving Waresti regrouped and positioned themselves to hold their defensive perimeter. Turning to Ariana, he gauged her status. Although she leaned heavily against Tiege’s side and had lost much of her color, she appeared steady enough.

  “You shielded us against that weapon,” he said as he approached her.

  “Yes.”

  “Can you do it again?”

  “I’m doing it now,” she replied.

  He walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Once, she would have cowered from him. Now, she just held his gaze.

  “When we survive this, Lekwuesti, it will be because of you,” he said. Tightening his grip, he added, “Don’t ever think of yourself as weak or inferior again.”

  Her mouth opened, but she didn’t speak. Tiege nodded at him, communicating what they both felt without words.

  “All right,” Zachariah said, looking from Tate to the others. “Since we all share these damned emotions now, I know you’re afraid. I know you’re upset. But we’re the last line of defense between Eirik and this scroll piece. Between him and our family.

  “We will not bloody fail.”