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The closer they got to Simon, the less they had to fight the current. And that scared Zach, because it meant Elias knew they were here. When the water level started dropping, he was sure of it. He took Alex’s hand and pulled her in, so he could whisper.
“Stay behind me. If I tell you to run—”
“I get it. Do you—feel him? It’s like hot spiders walking over my skin.” She sounded scared.
“I can, but it’s different for me. If those spiders start biting, let me know.”
A weak version of her smile appeared. “Okay. Thanks, Zach.”
“Thanks for not giving up on me. How far?”
She did a quick move with the flashlight, revealing a rectangular opening cut into the stone wall. Water lapped at the threshold. “That’s really the only inhabitable space down here.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Alex switched off the flashlight, took his hand. He moved forward, keeping himself between her and the doorway ahead of them—and for the first time since Simon had disappeared, Zach felt him.
His tattoo started to throb, and he pushed the sleeve of his shirt down to help cover the glow. It still spread over the water, a blue beacon that all but announced their approach.
The room—cell—holding Simon was above the water level. Zach had been pushing that ugly scenario out of his mind since the water first started rising. He stepped up, pulling Alex after him. Walking through the dark tunnel had adjusted his eyes, and he spotted Simon right away. Alex gasped behind him just as he saw the chains.
He limped forward. “Simon—”
“Don’t get near me, Zach. There’s a binding on the chains.”
Zach ignored him, and knelt next to his head, Alex beside him.
She reached out, her hand just over Simon’s cheek. “Are you okay?”
His eyes widened. “Alex? Why the hell did you bring her—”
“He needed a guide,” she said. “And this ain’t my first rodeo, boys, so stop treating me like a newbie.”
Zach pulled up his sleeve, using his tattoo as a light source. In the blue glow, Simon looked as horrible as he sounded. “Have you—seen him?”
“My captor?” Simon closed his eyes. “Only once. But he’s excellent at making his presence known.”
Dread gnawed at Zach. “How?” When Simon didn’t answer, Zach leaned over him, careful not to make contact. “How, Simon?”
“Pain,” he whispered. “He used it to trap me.”
“I’m getting you out of here.” He touched the shackle on Simon’s wrist, and his tattoo flared. “Damn it. What kind of binding is that?”
“He bound my ability to see power.” He continued when Zach frowned at him. “He bound me to the chains, not the chains to me. Breaking the spell is the only way to free me.”
Zach rubbed his face, then looked over at Alex. She shook her head.
“Sorry,” she said. “Magic hasn’t even been on my radar. Too busy with Fenris Wolves, and renovations.”
“Yeah.” He wished now that he’d accepted Mom’s offer to learn simple spells. “I don’t know how to do this, Simon.”
“I do, but I can’t release myself. And we don’t have all the ingredients necessary to break—”
“Wait.” Hope burst through Zach, the first he’d felt in quite a while. “I do know one. Diana used an unbinding spell on the fire elemental.”
Alex stared at him, eyes wide. “I read about elementals in the guide. They’re on the ‘never let them near the haven’ list. You saw one?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you all about it—after we get Simon out of here.” He had devoted months to blocking this memory, when a crazy woman with just enough power to be dangerous released a fire elemental from its confinement. And now he was about to relive part of it. “I can—”
“I want you to go, Zach, before he traps you here.”
“I’m not leaving without you, Simon. Let me try—”
“I said go. Get Alex out of here. You can’t help me.”
Zach knew that voice. He’d heard Simon use it with Mom, before they learned to trust again. “Not a chance.”
“Zachariah.”
“Using my full name won’t change my mind.” He flashed Simon a smile. “Just piss me off.”
Alex crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed. “We’re not leaving without you, Simon, so get over it.”
Simon shook his head, and let out a sigh. “You remember the unbinding?”
“Like I heard it yesterday.”
“Fine. Give it a shot. I’ll try to keep from saying I told you so.”
“And I’ll try to keep from gloating. Alex, I need you to back out of arm’s reach—just in case.”
Zach waited until she was a safe distance, then focused, spreading his hands over the shackles on Simon’s wrists. He closed his eyes, the words Diana had chanted flashing in his mind.
“By air and earth, by water and fire,
So be you unbound, as I desire.
Your power is found, your power I unbind.
By moon and sun, my will be done.
Sky and sea keep harm from me.
Cord be unwound, power be unbound,
Light revealed, now be unsealed—”
Simon’s agonized cry snapped his head up.
The iron was smoking.
“Simon—I didn’t—this shouldn’t be—”
“You are not to blame, Zachariah. Only your attempt to free him.”
Zach clenched his fists and stood, stepping in front of Alex. “Stop hurting him and show yourself, Elias.”
A wavering figure appeared just inside the doorway. “Hello, old friend. It is good to see my deterrents did not—deter you. And you brought a companion. How delightful.”
It sounded like Elias’s voice was in his head. Alex could obviously hear him as well; she jerked at his last comment. And Elias wouldn’t solidify. Or couldn’t.
“What happened, Elias?”
“You know already, Zachariah.”
“I suspect. That’s different from knowing.” Zach did know, but he had to hear it, had to find out how it went wrong. “Tell me.”
“I tried to fall, Zachariah. But Uriel interfered in an attempt to stop me, and—something happened.” Heat burst across the room, straight at him. Zach dropped to the ground, and it splashed over the wall instead of slamming into his chest. Alex grabbed his arm, started to lift him. “I was supposed to gain my humanity! Instead, I was trapped, here, between mortal and immortal.” He floated across the room, hovered over Simon. “But now I have a vessel. Now, I will have the life I deserve.”
“Elias!” Zach pulled free and pushed to his feet. “Simon didn’t give you his permission.” Elias retreated, enough that Zach could breathe again. “What makes you think he’ll allow you to take over his consciousness.”
“It is the greatest honor we can bestow on a simple human.”
“I’m a simple human. Why not take me instead?”
“No.” Simon’s shock slapped Zach. He fought through it, aware that his proximity to—whatever Elias had become—was affecting what little ability he still had to block emotion. “Zach—”
“I don’t think Elias understands our connection. I’m going to enlighten him.”
“This connection. It is how you tracked him?”
“Exactly.” There was enough truth to it that Elias would believe him. “I’m a fallen angel, and I have a spirit attached to me. Now connect the dots.”
It took a few seconds, but Elias got it—and shot across the room, knocking Zach off his feet.
“Zach!” Alex’s scream filtered through the pain that burned down the scars tracing his spine. Scars where he had once had wings.
“Don’t move, Alex—”
Elias pressed him to the floor. “You are a seeker?”
Long tendrils of light wrapped around Zach’s shoulders. Every touch branded him with agony—and when the light slid into him he screamed, arching off the floor.
“Let him go!”
A small fury slammed into Elias.
He was solid enough that Alex knocked him off Zach. Both of them tumbled across the floor until Alex hit the far wall. She sprawled on the floor, stunned from the impact.
With the last of his strength Zach pushed up. “Elias!”
The angel halted, his now visible hand inches from Alex’s heart. “Her life, her soul—they empower me. I want more.”
“Then take mine.” Zach forced down the panic threatening to choke him. It wouldn’t help Alex. “I have more power than she can ever give you. I’m mortal, but I brought some of my gifts with me.” He held out his hands. “I’m the one you want, Elias.”
“Zach—no—” Her pained whisper only strengthened his determination to protect.
“It’s my fault you’re here, Elias. Let me help you. Free Simon, let my friend go, and I’ll help—”
“They stay. I trust no one, Zachariah.” Elias floated up and across the floor, until he hovered in front of Zach. His face solidified, enough for Zach to see the rage in his clear blue eyes. Cold, ugly rage. “You forget yourself, who you were. You and I both have seen the worst humanity can offer. We tried to redeem, and they fought us at every step. I grew weary of the battles, Zachariah. Weary of fighting. As did you. Why do you think I chose to fall? You wanted so badly to be free, to feel what we could not, to live as a mortal. Your desire became mine.”
The rage slipped away, revealed the angel Zach remembered. The angel who had become his friend, who understood his need to be free of the eternity that shackled him. Zach always thought falling had been what Elias wanted for himself—not because of Zach’s desire.
“You picked the wrong way to escape that, my friend.” Zach sighed. There was one path left open to him. The path part of him knew he’d have to choose from the second Elias showed himself. “Being human is one long struggle. I was warned—but I didn’t believe, and I didn’t care. I’m sorry.” He stepped back, drawing Elias away from Alex, and braced himself for his next move. “I really am sorry.”
Zach whispered a prayer and launched himself at Elias.
Alex’s scream drove through him right before they collided.
Then, only agony existed.