Chapter 23

In the form of a fox, Chance’s eyesight wasn’t great, but it was good enough to make out a dark passage curling downward. It was narrow, like the area they’d just come from, but its ceilings seemed high enough to walk through.

Ahead of him, Mac shifted into a man and continued on foot, crouching as he moved. Chance followed his lead, changing back to human form. The darkness in the passage was nearly complete, so he modified his eyes before stumbling on.

The lower they descended, the cooler the air became. They traveled a good twenty feet from the doorway when Mac slowed down, stopped and stared at the wall on their left. His fingers traced along a dark pattern on the sandstone.

“What did you find?” Chance asked.

Mac continued to look at the rock. “Just something my host finds interesting. It seems Daemon wasn’t the only one to use this location before. Pictographs were left by the natives. I wonder how old they are.”

“Great, let’s get going. On the way back, maybe you can check it out more?” Chance clapped his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Mac groaned. “The impatience of youth.”

While they continued on, the passage grew rockier and lost its smoothness. Chance didn’t recognize anything. All he remembered seeing in the memory was Daemon going through the doorway into darkness and then coming out into the grotto where he kept his treasure. There had been no visual of the travels between.

After turning a bend in the path, the tunnel broke off in two directions. One veered to the left and the contours of the walls were bathed in soft, white light. The other could only be perceived as a crack into oblivion, continuing down to the right. The stale air had an injection of fresh oxygen and Chance breathed deep.

Although he hadn’t seen any details of the path to Daemon’s chamber, he knew he’d only seen darkness. His instincts told him to keep to the shadows.

“Let’s stick to the right,” Chance said over Mac’s shoulder.

Without warning, Mac stopped at the Y in the path. His body went rigid; his shoulders lifted and pulled back. His voice’s cadence was different, slow and rhythmic when he said, “The blue star kachina is painted on these sacred walls. I wish to see our future.”

Mac placed his hands on either side of the passage that led into the light. A series of figures were drawn on one of the well-lit rocky panels. When he took a step forward, Chance asked, “Istaqa? Is that you? Can you let Mac come back for a minute real quick?”

With a shake of the head, Mac continued ahead and answered, “He will rejoin you after I look at the record my people left. You may wait or not. It is your choice. Mine has been made.”

Chance dropped his head back in frustration and clenched his fists. Well, he didn’t need Mac to help him find his way. “Fine, I’m going ahead. When you’re done, come find me.”

He turned into the dark tunnel, let his eyes readjust to the gloom and climbed over a piece of stone that was angled across his path. The crevasse sloped down as the way was hidden from view. Every few feet he went, the steeper it was. After moving across a ragged section, the floor smoothed out. Without caution, he put his foot down heavy upon the ground. Not noticing the loose gravel until it was too late, his feet slipped out from under him, sending him rapidly around a turn.

It is uncanny how many things go through your head in the moments leading up to disaster. All at once, Chance observed the drop-off he was inches away from and the good seven foot distance across to the opposite side of the tunnel where it continued. Pain erupted in his feet and thigh as his flesh scraped on the ground. A few choice swear words rang out in his thoughts and the fear he’d made his last, bad choice.

Instinct set in. Without truly thinking about it, light blue mapping filled his mind. His flailing arms turned into wings and his heavy body lifted up. The tips of his feathers brushed against the walls of the tunnel while he bobbed back and forth, trying to steady himself. With effort, he flew to the other side of the chasm and felt his talons touch down on the rocky ground.

His bird heart sped so fast, it sounded like a singular tone instead of a beat. He held open his beak, desperate for oxygen.

After he calmed himself enough, and deciding it was safe to shift back, he returned to his human form. His hands grasped either side of the walls, holding fast in the dark. Before he could adjust his eyes, he smelled something that struck fear in his heart.

He’d know that smell anywhere. Ana.

If she had to imagine what her honeymoon would be like, Ana never would have guessed she’d be without her husband and huddling, wet and cold, in the center of a subterranean cavern. Water surrounded the makeshift island on which she stood. Radiance glowed from her skin and the narrow openings in the ceiling. It reflected off the reflective surface of the pool enough so she could make out the various treasures piled below her. Gold coins and jewels laid the foundation, although they weren’t the more interesting finds. Wooden sculptures, tapestries and paintings from ancient cultures were layered among the mass. Tattered books and scrolls written in different languages grew wet under her feet.

Her body was wrapped with one of the more pliable tapestries. If she had been alone she would have opted not to be covered, because the heat radiating from her torso and chest was painful to the touch. Each breath she took burned.

“Do you like my collection of shapeshifter memorabilia and wealth? It’s impressive, isn’t it?” Ryan’s voice echoed through the grotto.

She didn’t feel like looking at him anymore. It made her too sad. The friend she’d grown to care about was being desecrated, or his body was. Everything that came out of his mouth sounded like him, but she knew better.

“I won’t need it when I become a god,” he said. “For decades, I’ve gathered every record left by shapeshifters so one day I could destroy it all. If our secrets die with my awakening, then I will never have an equal and will be unrivaled.” He stopped talking and walked in front of her. “So, you’re not talking anymore? I don’t care if you do or not, but I’d appreciate it if you could ignite sooner rather than later. I’d hoped that by using your powers to fly in here it would have triggered it.”

“Sorry I can’t be of more help,” Ana muttered.

Ryan rubbed his chin while he looked her up and down. “Actually, I think you can be of more help. If you absorb more energy or use your powers it should do it. I want to see one hundred percent cooperation from you or I will kill your friends and family one by one, starting with your boyfriend.”

She knew Daemon was capable of it and was relieved that at least Chance wasn’t there. If she was going to blow, she didn’t want him around. She hoped he was already on his way back to Lifen’s house, safe and sound.

“What about Ryan?” Ana asked in anger. Normally she might have held her tongue, but right now, with the end of her life in sight, she felt oddly courageous. “He’s just another life used in your selfish quest? You don’t know anything about being godly. You don’t know love.”

Ryan smirked at her. “Oh, I know love. Tolstoy said that in order to hold and obtain power you must love it. He was right.”

She knew the being inhabiting her friend’s body wasn’t to be trusted. He was also very dangerous and not to be underestimated.

“But I can’t trust you. How do I know you’ll leave everyone alone if I help you?” Ana asked and kicked aside a book which was pressing into her foot.

Any amusement in Ryan’s demeanor evaporated. “You can believe me when I tell you that you won’t leave this cavern alive. Maybe you can’t trust me, but if I were you, I’d do whatever I could not to piss me off when I’m threatening the lives of your loved ones.”

Jordan’s limp body thrown against the wall came to mind and she held back tears. Daemon seemed incapable of human emotion. He’d been disconnected from that part of himself (if he ever had been) for so long that he appeared to think humanity was merely there for his amusement. He had no connection to the world anymore. That made him extremely dangerous.

Ana had to stop him in some way. She couldn’t let him get what he wanted. All of the lives he’d destroyed couldn’t pave the way to his rise to power. But she didn’t know how to stop him. She couldn’t bear to think about her mother, Eva, Chance or anyone else suffering.

Her flesh burned from the inside out like she’d swallowed the sun. Flying to this place in bird form from the road had stoked the fire that was smoldering away at her core. Her energy had only grown since last night. She imagined a black hole at her center, consuming energy hungrily. Ana took a shaky breath and opened herself up to the power around her.

The light that emitted from her body grew in intensity. Her skin began to blister and a low moan broke from her lips. Ryan smiled from his place, only a few feet away from her. Not wanting to see his pleasure, she pinched her eyes shut and hoped the end would come painlessly and quick.

Chance’s face graced her thoughts and she even imagined she could smell his scent. Her only solace was that he wasn’t there.

The anger and fear that gripped Chance’s heart also clouded his mind. At no point in his journey did he ever consider events falling apart like this. From the darkness of the passage, he peered into the watery cavern where Ana stood.

Blind with fury, he wanted to tear Daemon apart, limb from limb, piece by piece until he no longer existed, until his light went out and he couldn’t touch this world ever again. Not only had this soul tortured Chance, making him a prisoner in his own body, he’d killed Balam and his wife, Niyol’s father, brother and ultimately, Niyol. Plus, he’d destroyed Nastas’s and Markus’s lives, and caused a rift between Batukhan and Lifen for hundreds of years. With a résumé like that, he knew that was just the tip of the iceberg. But now Ana was at the center of Daemon’s plan. He desired her life. Hadn’t he taken enough?

Chance’s breath caught in his throat as he watched Ana’s glow brighten. She needed the talisman more than ever now. It had to be there, somewhere in the cavern. He knew he couldn’t stop Daemon. Not really. But there was someone that could help him.

He stepped out of his hiding place and into the grotto. His feet dipped down into the water, sending out ripples. He knew it was stupid moving forward without Mac, but he couldn’t leave her.

He’d only gone a few steps when Ryan turned his head and said in wonder, “What are you doing here?”

From atop the mound of treasure, Ana’s eyes flicked open. Her expression turned from surprise to sadness. In a whisper, she said his name, “Chance.”

Ryan pivoted in place to face Chance. Annoyed by the interruption, he said through gritted teeth, “I will not be stopped. You are just a pathetic fly buzzing around my head. If you’d chosen to stay away you might have lived.”

Chance took two slow steps forward, trying to remain calm. His eyes traced over Ana. Thin ribbons of orange light glowed like cracks on her skin. The fabric wrapped around her muffled the bright luminescence radiating from her flesh. Her cheeks burned crimson, and her half-covered chest glimmered like the embers of a fire.

Barely able to tear his eyes away from her celestial appearance, he noticed for the first time the mound of unique items under her feet. Gold coins shone like stars under the surface of water. Minerals and gemstones encrusted the altar. Books, parchment, carved wooden panels and figures jutted out amongst the wealth.

The golden box has to be in there somewhere, he thought to himself. But where?

Movement caught Chance’s attention and he realized he’d remained silent for too long. Ryan took three steps forward and stopped. “There’s quite a lot, isn’t there? There’s record of creatures the world hasn’t seen for centuries and will never see again after Ana destroys it all.”

As casually as he could, Chance looked past Ryan’s penetrating stares to try to spot the golden box he’d seen in the memory, but he couldn’t find it. With the amount piled up below Ana, it could have been buried at the bottom, or moved to some other location. Plus, Daemon wouldn’t just stand by and let him dig around while Ana was so close to igniting. With no hint of where it was, Chance decided to try his only other option.

Chance lifted his gaze to Ana, who was silently weeping. “I’d do anything for her . . . and I know you would too.”

Ryan chuckled. “Of course, I would—she’s a star maiden. No other vessel can channel that much energy all at once. She’s precious.”

Jaw clenched tight, Chance shook his head. “No, Daemon. I wasn’t talking to you. Just because you’ve taken control of his body, it doesn’t mean Ryan’s not there. I know what it’s like, trapped in your own body, your thoughts hijacked and played with. You feel powerless, but you’re not. You hear me, Ryan?”

Chance leaned forward and locked eyes with him. Inner strength flooded his soul. Daemon was unstoppable. He knew that. But there was some kind of crazy security in knowing the odds were against him. Somehow, it made him fearless in the face of his demon.

In that moment, his opponent seemed to sense it too. Ryan’s guise darkened, his brows furrowed and he growled, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m talking to Ryan. You and I both know he’s in there and if he knew your plans for Ana, he’d fight for her. And he’s listening right now. Daemon’s been telling you lies—he never had any intention of saving her.” Chance pointed at Ana, whose complexion was continuing to brighten and glow. “I know you care about her. The only chance she has of survival is becoming the phoenix and to do that she needs the mapping from a talisman. Daemon has one—a necklace with a glass stone at its center. It was in a golden box—I’ve seen it, here somewhere, sometime in the past. You have access to his mind and can help. Daemon doesn’t want to save her—he wants her to burn so he can become even more powerful. We can’t let him do that. We can’t let Ana die. Please, Ryan—”

Before he could finish, Ryan screamed, his bellow echoing off the walls and launched at Chance. His fist landed squarely on Chance’s jaw, sending his head back and knocking him off balance. Pain spider-webbed through his head; ringing filled his ears.

“I never,” Ryan said and shoved him backward, “liked you. Even when you were helping me. Now you’ve really pissed me off. I’m going to make her watch me kill you now. That image can burn into her head before she crumbles into ash.”

“No!” Chance screamed as loud as he could and crouched lower to the ground, ready for a fight. He didn’t have much experience with boxing, but that was the only thing he’d enjoyed in PE senior year of high school.

Ryan’s laughter echoed off the walls of the cavern and he said, “I have lived for thousands of years and fought in so many wars, invasions and conflicts it would make your head spin. I’m going to lay you open. That pretty face she loves so much will be unrecognizable before I’m finished—”

Chance didn’t wait, he threw the first punch, clocking Ryan directly on the nose. His eyes widened as he stared at Chance in surprise, but only momentarily. The element of surprise was over and Chance lifted his fists in front of his chest.

A rivulet of blood trickled from Ryan’s nose. He wiped it away and simply said, “Okay.”

With Ryan’s attention on Ana, he hooked his knuckles low, toward Chance’s abdomen. Chance tried to turn out of the way, but it connected with the bottom of his ribs. The pain that radiated through him was disorienting and nearly took his breath away. Coughing uncontrollably, it wasn’t until he saw Ryan’s foot inches from his face that he realized just how fast the fight was over.

He was in the water before he could take a breath. On his back and trying to keep his head up to avoid breathing in a lungful of water, he tried to get back on his feet. Outside of the laughing coming from Ryan and the sputtering coming from himself, another sound rose above theirs: Ana’s wailing.

“Nooooo!! Stop, please!!”

Ryan grabbed a handful of Chance’s hair and yanked him toward the treasure-laden altar Ana stood upon. His feet stumbled forward, unable to resist his opponent’s strength. He landed a few weak punches into Ryan’s side, but after a quick jerk and tug, Chance had to hold onto his assailant’s arm for support.

Something shiny was lifted into the air and came down on Chance’s temple. He couldn’t get away from the shockwave sent through his head; the agony made his thoughts slow and fragmented. Again, it hit him.

He couldn’t see. Water bathed his eyes, but it was too dark to be water. After one more blow, he wasn’t concerned with it any longer. A blanket of nothingness consumed him and he went limp.

Panic ridden, Ana sobbed each time Ryan pummeled Chance with the heavily jeweled golden egg. The blood turned her stomach. She had to do something. Shapeshifting didn’t seem like the best option. She was no fighter. Ryan could kill her in a heartbeat.

But he wouldn’t want me to die just yet, Ana argued with herself.

That was it. She searched the array of valuables below her and found what she needed. The tip of a dagger’s hilt stuck out beneath a wooden carving of a man with wings. With shaking hands, she pulled it out, took a deep breath and let the tapestry slip from her shoulders.

Ryan dropped Chance onto the mound of loot a few feet away from her. His body was unmoving, his eyes blank. Blood flowed openly from the wounds on his head. She didn’t have long. She couldn’t let him die.

Point first, she rested the blade against her sternum and screamed, “Stop! Stop, or you’ll never become the god you want to be! I’ll kill myself before you get what you want!”

Ryan’s eyes lifted, the bloodied decorative egg raised above his head, ready to bring down upon Chance’s skull yet again. He dropped it into the water and held his empty hands out to Ana. “No, you wouldn’t. I’ve been waiting so long—”

“I would,” Ana hissed, tears sizzling down her cheeks, “and I don’t care how long you’ve waited. You’re going to let me heal him and you won’t touch a hair on his head ever again.”

When he nodded in compliance, his long blond locks fell into his eyes. Ana watched him as he backed away from her husband. She let go of the dagger with one hand and continued to hold it in place with the other.

It had been so long since she’d allowed herself to use her powers to heal. She didn’t even have to think about it. The abundance of energy surging through her was moving like a superhighway. She called to her yellow core and it raged in answer.

Afraid of the amount of power that waited hungrily for direction, she tried to harness it, frightened it could hurt Chance if she wasn’t careful. Unaccustomed to controlling that immense amount of raw energy, she strained to hold it back while she studied his injuries. Then, bracing herself, she allowed a stream to flow out to his lifeless body. When she connected to him, the pull was imperceptible, so she paid very close attention to when it was time to disengage.

The wounds on his forehead began to stitch together and she breathed a sigh of relief. She realized the draw on her power had stopped, so she withdrew the fingerling of energy from him.

Almost as soon as she’d stopped, a surge of heat rushed through her body that rivaled the burning she’d been experiencing previously. A moan escaped her lips and she nearly collapsed to the ground.

Blisters began to form on her arms. Light, too bright for her to see, flared, destroying her eyesight. She no longer saw in color, shades and hues, but a world built of light and energy. Similar to when she meditated, motes of power swirled all around them, but now she could see the energy in everything around her.

Ryan stood three strides away from her, but he looked different now. She couldn’t perceive the blond shade of his hair, the blue of his eyes or the shapes tattooed on his skin, only the light pattern and energy mapping of his body. A green glow emitted from his core.

“This worked out nicely,” Ryan said.

A paper, touching her foot, began to singe and smoke. Ana returned her attention to Chance, who was healed, but was now in danger from her. She didn’t think she could touch him without hurting him. But she didn’t have any other choice. She couldn’t let him remain and incinerate with her.

The smell of burning hair filled the air, which would have turned her stomach if it wasn’t already busy roiling with heat. She stepped free of the tapestry and threw it aside. Where her hands had touched, it erupted in flame but hissed when it fell into the water.

Tears fell from her eyes and hissed as they traveled down her cheeks, evaporating as they went. Oh, God, no, Ana thought. Not Chance too . . .