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“Know yourself and you will win all battles.”
–Sun Tzu–
Finn
Finding the Reapers is as easy as hunting down a rabbit. That’s to say, all we had to do was morph and get to the edge of the woods, and we ran into the first guards. Lucas takes care of one, while I force the other to tell us where they’re all gathering.
The crater, he says.
Convenient for us.
So we follow our fearless leader deep into the forest, but come upon Cade and his people a few miles away from said crater.
Less convenient, but do–able nonetheless.
Half of them are in human form, the rest in wolf. Cade himself is stretching like he’s about to go for a run.
“Finally,” he says when he notices us. “The zmeu left us a task to take care of. It’s about time you make it easy for me.”
Lucas glares, and I wait for him to give the signal. After his outburst at our strategy meeting, I know he’s planning no mercy for them. As a result, neither are we.
You know your orders, he reminds us. Kill.
Dani steps out of formation, morphing to human. Within moments, I hear the caw of ravens nearby. Tristan is in massive lobisomem form by her side, and looking like he’ll rip apart anyone that comes too near. Dominic moves to Lucas’ shoulder, taking his spot as the rightful beta, but I sense him edgy, as if waiting for something.
His eyes scan the surroundings, presumably searching for his mate. I don’t blame him for not wanting Lucrezia here – wherever she’s hidden.
To give the illusion we’re less powerful than we are, we all follow Lucas’ lead and morph to human, as well. On edge, we survey the Reapers, waiting for their first strike. This standoff was imminent, but even now, with Dani and her magic, I’m still not feeling this fight. Even more concerning, I'm wondering where the hell Declan is.
Then Tytus tilts his chin to the skies, eyes narrowed on the darkening clouds. “Welcome to the war you always wanted, brother,” he growls.
I throw him a look, and am surprised by the pity in his eyes as he says, “He's not alone.”
Cade chooses that moment to attack, his wolves jumping on us, and magic flying from everywhere. Tytus and Fiona are already heading to the side of the battle, trying to use the Reapers as camouflage so they can attack Declan unbidden. He’s still circling above, at least momentarily, while we defend ourselves – still in human form.
It's only when the black zmeu lands, making the entire meadow rumble, that I realize what Tytus meant. Declan roars once and the Reapers pull back, then he moves his head to the side and reveals the person perched on his neck.
“Elle!”
I take a step forward, prepared to drag her off Declan, if I have to. Lucas grabs my forearm in his strong grip, jerking me a stop. “Don’t be a fool!”
“Let me go, Lucas!” No amount of yanking will release his hold on me, so I settle for glaring at him. “You swore I’d have a chance to talk to her.”
“And I will keep my promise, Irish. But is that really your mate up there? Look closer.”
Clenching my jaw, I do as he says. I want to dispute his quick assessment, but the truth of the matter is Elle doesn't even acknowledge me. Instead, she’s petting Declan’s scales with a completely enamored expression.
“She... I... No, it’s not.” Lucas finally releases me. “But I can get through to her, I swear. Just let me try.”
“Not while she's atop that zmeu, you don't.”
“So let's match her.”
The suggestion comes from the witch. Taking advantage of the lull in the fight, her and Tytus shifted closer to us.
Lucas throws her a bored look. “Excuse me?”
“You have a zmeu at your disposal, alpha. Use him.”
Tytus snorts, and I taste his amusement at her audacity. “And what makes you think I'd let you ride me, witch?”
“Besides the fact you already did?”
“That was pure necessity.”
Her violet eyes glint menacingly. “It wasn’t me I was referring to.”
Tytus' eyes widen as he realizes she means Lucrezia. Since she’s off to the side with Dani, he glances to Dom for permission. “Well?”
To everyone's surprise, Dom nods. “Fine, but on one condition. Take Finn on as well.”
“Why me?”
Dom grabs my forearm with his. “Because you're right. You can get through to Elle, just like Luz did with me. And in the meantime, we'll have your back.”
There’s something smug in his tone of voice, an assurance I taste in the air. I don't understand his meaning and he steps away from the pack, facing the Reapers. Cade snorts. “You really have a death wish, now that your insect mate is dead?”
“Maybe.” Dom growls low. “Or maybe not.” Then he throws his head back and lets loose a howl so loud, the hairs at the back of my neck raise.
“Sonofabitch!” Tristan mutters.
Even Dani's at a loss, but no more than me. What we’re staring at is not one, but dozens of creatures stepping out of the shadows. Golden eyes rimmed with gold, wolf bodies larger than ours, claws leaving marks in the ground, I recognize them immediately – they’re vrykolakas.
In muted disbelief, I turn to Lucas. The anger in his eyes tells me had no idea this was coming.
“Leave it for later,” I whisper. “We're already outnumbered, and whether you like it or not, you know we need them.”
He throws me a dark glare, but nods and faces the Reapers.
Cade stops dead in his tracks, staring. I catch his stupefaction in the air, and finish off the wolf in my path, then look around. Lucrezia has stepped in the midst of the battle, Dominic by her side, and they’re surrounded by a few vrykolakas.
Not even the coward leader of the Reapers can mask his surprise. How is this possible?
Lucrezia grins and lifts a hand. The clouds above darken, drawing Declan’s gaze, too. A shot of lightning strikes one wolf, then moves through the others like an arrow. When it’s done, Luz grins and looks in my direction.
“You were right. This is fun.”
She’s close enough I can hear the amusement in her voice. Rolling my eyes, I motion for her to follow, and take off with Tytus in the direction of the woods. Lucrezia meets us halfway, eyes wide. “What's going on?”
“You're going to ride me, Solomonar.”
“I.... what?” She looks up at the sky, her eyes wide. “That’s not a good idea.”
“My brother has managed to enchant Elisandra’s alter side to take over, and I cannot kill him and save her. Finn can interject with her, but not protect me while she attacks, so you have no choice. Hop on.”
Luz clears her throat, shifting from foot to foot. “What about training? You promised me training, and a five minute breakdown of how to reach for this magic is not training.”
“You seemed to be doing just fine back there. Besides, no time like the present. Ever heard of trial by fire?” Tytus grins, and morphs into his zmeu form. Flames engulf him, and then he’s standing in front of us in all his true power, burgundy scales glinting, wings spread, head thrown back and roaring.
Shaking himself as though to stretch out his muscles, he then bends lower to the ground and extends a paw towards us. Still stunned, Lucrezia climbs over the extended limb, and I follow at his signal.
Let’s hope we don’t regret this.
Elisandra
Flying is amazing. If only I could actually enjoy it. She’s at the forefront again, and somehow knows more than I do about the magic in my veins. Not that Declan minds.
His entire speech about me being so much better, and needing training, was obviously fluff. It was my alter he wanted all along – her energy he answered to. And whether I want to admit it or not, they make a great team.
We circle above another battleground, oddly reminiscent of last time. Lucas and the pack are facing off against Reapers. In the distance, I see Tytus, the rest of the pack, and Finn. My heart clenches.
So you’re still here, are you? Her acknowledgment of me takes me by surprise. I thought she couldn’t feel me anymore.
She snorts at my thoughts. You’re like one of those pests I can’t get rid of. A sigh, then, Just try not to get in the way, would you? We've got a battle to fight.
Don't hurt Finn! Don't hurt any of them!
As if you could stop me.
She's right. There's nothing I can do, not when she's fully taken over like this. My chance to assert authority over my own body was a while back, and I failed at it. Had I listened to Finn, to Tytus...
We lose altitude pretty fast, and it’s then I realize Declan is about to land next to his wolves. That stops any thoughts of regret, as I focus on the fight. If there’s even a small chance I could take my body back, I’ll have to take it when it comes.
The Reapers pull back from attacking Lucas – and a new pack that seems to be helping him, though they look....odd. I’ve never seen wolves their size, with eyes the color of blood and gold combined.
Declan lowers his head to Cade, and his thought runs through both of us. They have something I need you to retrieve for me – a necklace.
Cade smirks. “I’ll get it for you. Soon as you help us barbeque them.”
Rage runs through Declan, but before he can say – or do – anything, a blast of fire hits his left flank. It sends him stumbling away, and he growls, turning his head to the side of the battlefield, where Tytus and Fiona are moving about.
“Are you going to fight, or what?” Cade sniggers.
Declan’s massive head turns its full ferocity to the Reaper leader. Smooth like a cat, he draws back, arching his neck as if to stretch, but I know better. I watch from afar as realization of his fate dawns on Cade – a second too late.
With one reach of his sharp talons, Declan swipes at Cade’s throat, ripping it out. Trembling hands reach out to stop the flow of blood, but already he’s falling to his knees, staring up in shock.
Bile rises to my throat, made all the worse when Declan snorts and throws a ball of fire on him, effectively erasing him from existence. The smell of charred flesh makes my skin crawl.
Oh, grow up!
Unaware of my presence, Declan glances to the side of the forest, where flames envelop Tytus as he morphs into his zmeu form. “Brother... Finally showing your true face.”
Only, he doesn't see what I do. As Tytus pushes off the ground, I notice a flash of red hair above him – Lucrezia. And behind her...
Finn!
Declan takes off with a powerful push of his back legs, leaving the wolves to fight amongst themselves. I feel her intention – to warn him about me – and I do my best to force her to be quiet. When it works, I hold hope that maybe all is not lost for me.
Finn
Flying is bloody awful. I feel sick to my stomach, but I'm sure Tytus wouldn't appreciate me throwing up all over his shiny scales. I try to focus on what matters. Elle.
“You have to get through to her somehow,” Luz whispers. She clenches onto Tytus, but there's a thrill I taste in the air I recognize as all hers.
Ready for this? Tytus asks. Another great zmeu ability – to reach into our minds without permission.
While I clench my teeth, Luz nods. Then she lifts her hand to the skies, and the darkening clouds that had been at bay rush over our heads. Soon, rain's pouring down, but it's not what Luz is after. She's calling lightning.
You're a natural, Red.
Before she can strike, Declan swoops up and opens his jaws wide. Not going to lie, seeing those massive canines headed for us, I’m pretty sure we’re nearing the end of our lives. Then Tytus moves his massive body with surprising agility out of the way, and picks up speed.
I glance behind us. “He’s on us!”
Good. Now we just need him to follow us back to the crater.
Elle, on Declan’s back, is grinning madly – I’m hoping there’s some way to get through to her, that Dom was right. Luz also glances backwards, and bites her lip.
“Tytus, we’re going to need more speed.” When he doesn’t immediately listen, she peers around his side and gasps. I see what she does then, too. A massive gash on the end of his wing has reopened from the earlier elusive manoeuvre, and it’s slowing him down.
“How badly does it hurt?”
One eye rolls towards us, as if to say, Seriously?
A bump underneath sends us catapulting in the clouds, and Luz bends over him, me over her, desperately trying to hold on to an incoming train wreck. Spinning in midair, knowing the ground is nowhere close, has a way of straightening one’s priorities.
By the time Tytus rights himself up, my mind is spinning with ideas. Declan is here for something, Tytus was right.
“Do you have the necklace?” I whisper to Luz.
She nods, frowning at the skies below and trying to find Declan’s trace.
“We can lure Declan with it, if he knows we have it. He’ll be more focused in trying to get to us, than destabilizing Tytus.” I pause, another thought occurring. “You can keep us safe, right?”
Luz grins and holds out her palm, the necklace dangling. I grasp it, and let it swing in the air. “Oy, Declan! Looking for this?”
It’s like playing catch with a very large shark. Looming out of dark clouds, Declan makes his appearance, Elle’s eyes narrowed on us. Only this time, rather than try to hit from underneath – where Tytus is already sensitive – they go for above.
I push Luz over Tytus, and bend down just in time before feeling talons graze the top of my head. We straighten ourselves up, and I say, “Alrighty then. Some speed would be nice, Red.”
Luz holds out her palm to gather air, and blows it under Tytus’ wings. As he picks up speed, I see her do something else – catch lightning, and take aim. I’ve no idea how she’s doing it, but her focus and the intent, I have no trouble tasting.
When the bolt releases and heads towards Declan, I can't help my shout. “Elle, watch out!”
She swings Declan away in time, then grins up at me. “Thanks, sweetums!”
Her alter's fully in charge. Shite!
“You have to let us bring them down,” Luz says over her shoulder. “Then you can talk to Elle.”
One glance below confirms we’re above the crater area now. And I still need to somehow get Elle’s blood. My hand goes to my hip, where the dagger is sheathed.
I glance at the distance between us and Declan, and a crazy idea pops in my head. “I've got a better plan. Fly over Declan.”
Tytus’ one eye glances at me, then he swoops down. When he’s parallel to Declan, I hop off – and land, hard, behind Elle. Gripping her waist for leverage, I almost drag her down with me when I slip, but she holds on.
“What the hell are you doing?” She shouts, turning to me. Her hair's plastered to her face, and her eyes are more grey than usual. Not that it stops me from reaching for her neck, and smashing my lips against hers.
Elle tries to push me off, but I hold strong – enough that she risks throwing both of us off Declan if she doesn’t stop wriggling about. Intensifying the kiss, I move the hand on her nape to her waist, and the other interlaces our fingers.
Instead of tasting the air around her, I focus on everywhere I’m touching her. Essence of the Elle I know flutters in the air, like a shy butterfly. A whisp of kindness, a faint trace of light, a shimmer of laughter – my attention turns to it.
My grip on her helps to target my abilities, and thus pull her out of her shell, and into the open. Much like I did with Tytus, only instead of absorbing her anger – or any emotion – it’s my mate I try to release.
When her body melts against mine, and she starting kissing back, I know I've got my Elle back.
There’s only one way that makes sense to cement this, and it has to be done now. My wolf pushes me to it, encouraging the crazy idea forming in my head.
Pulling back, I cup her cheek instead and whisper, “I need you to trust me, mo grá.”
Her wide eyes latch on to me. “Okay.”
I pull out the dagger, and prick her index quickly. A few drops pour over the blade, gathering near the hilt. I sheathe the thing again and glance above. “Oy!”
Luz flies Tytus nearby, and I toss the dagger her way. One perfectly placed wind gust, and it lands safely in her palm. Satisfied I’ve done my piece for this fight, I focus back on my mate.
“Thank you. Now, I absolutely need you to not fight off your magic.”
Declan chooses that moment to veer to the side, evidently not liking what I’m doing with the one he chose as pawn. Too feckin’ bad, she’s mine.
Refusing to let him take us away from the battle, I grab Elle’s waist tighter, pulling her flush against me. Elle thinks I’m about to kiss her again, as she leans forward. And I do – how could I resist those lips?
But when she’s fully invested in it, I let myself fall backwards, dragging her with me and into the abyss below.
Declan's all yours, I tell Tytus.
“Finn!” Elle breaks the kiss and screams in my ear, and we're falling, falling...
I cup her cheek despite the wind all around us, and the promise of death we’re plummeting towards. “Don't fight your magic, love.” Elle’s panic fills the air, and I will her to focus. “I believe in you – only you.”
She closes her eyes – we've got only a split few seconds left.
Her lips are moving – the ground is getting closer.
Her eyes snap open – and we stop, midair.
A woosh of air goes around us, holding us up and blowing into both our faces. Elle looks around. We're suspended among fog, completely hidden, only us. She peeks below, to the battle taking place underneath us.
Finally, she sets her gaze on me. “How am I doing this?”
“It only stands to reason that with Declan and Tytus being able to fly, you'd have some of that in your blood. Nothing else has worked to get you to accept your true nature, so I figured the chance of imminent death might do it.” I squeeze her hands, and smile. “You may not have wings, love, but you've underestimated yourself.”
“And...am I...”
“She's gone.” I knew it the moment we leaped, and searching her eyes only confirms it. “Do you feel it?”
I do. There's no more dual essence about my Elle. Her alter is truly gone, all trace erased, except for one thing – her eyes are no longer hazel, but rather hazel with a clear grey outline. That part, I don’t tell her just yet.
“How do we get down, then?”
I squeeze the hand in mine. “Up to you.”
Elisandra
It’s surreal, feeling my head empty of anything but me. And seeing us suspended in midair, I almost expect us to drop – but no, we have a full view of the battle from up here. Lucas and Dominic are working on two sides of it, but they’re at least working towards the same goal.
Above us, Declan and Tytus go back at it – only this time, Tytus has the upper hand. He’s lunging, Lucrezia providing backup with lightning and air, wrapping Declan into a cocoon. Then the massive black zmeu topples out of the sky, spinning on his way down – and hits it with all the force of an asteroid.
The ground shakes, wolves go flying, and I’m thankful we’re up in midair. Finn is still holding onto me strongly, and I sense his heart beating fast. He’s worried for his friends, worried for what will happen.
Then Tytus flies over us, and lands gracefully next to Declan. It’s the exact opposite of the previous fight, and I almost feel bad for Declan. He’s right back in the crater.
Lucrezia slips off Tytus straight into Dominic’s expecting arms, and I can’t hover midair anymore. I need to see this concluded to the end. Figuring out how to get there, however, is another thing.
I try to think in practical terms – how do birds fly, and land? The air around me feels lighter, as though sensing my need to get back to the ground. Next thing I know, we’re landing softly.
By the time I run over to Tytus, Finn hot on my heels, he’s back in human form. Declan is still in his zmeu shape, breathing heavily, one visible eye trained on all of us. Dani and Tristan, Luz and Dom, Fiona and Tytus, me and Finn – we’ve made a circle, blocking all exits.
Fiona speaks first. “You tied me to you for too long, zmeu.”
You wanted it, witch.
It’s loud enough for all of us to hear. Fiona inhales sharply and lifts one hand, drawing a rune in the air. Tytus grabs her wrist, locking eyes with her, and shakes his head. “No. His fate is mine, and I have already decided it.”
Declan’s body is surrounded by flames again, and he shifts back to human. One sweep of his hand, and he’s clothed, though muddy from the crater. Still he stands, lifting his chin in the air. “Is that so, brother? And what have you prepared for me this time, more eons of imprisonment?”
Tytus only stares at him for a long moment, before he says, “No, brother.”
Declan snorts. “You are so weak, aligning yourself with these fools. You don’t even know our home is still standing, its power ready to be basked in.” There’s a mad glint in his eyes, and not for the first time, I wonder what else happened while I was away from my body.
Tytus shakes his head. “You have lost your wits. Then again, I should not be surprised.”
“I am not lying!” Declan bares his teeth, taking a step forward, but Tytus raises his hand in warning with magic. “So that’s it, then? You plan to kill me?” He spreads open his palms. “Have at it, then.”
“It is not killing I have in mind,” Tytus whispers, “but something else.”
From behind Declan, Ileana glides out. He freezes, sniffing the air, then turns slightly to glance over a shoulder. His entire body goes taut with tension as he sees her nearing. “What are you doing here, immortal?” Then he laughs, a cold, bitter sound that raises the hair at the back of my neck. “You think you can imprison me? Only one problem – you lack the power to do so.”
“She is not alone.”
The voice is deep, grave like two rocks rubbing against each other. From behind the woods Ileana appeared through comes another man. His blonde hair is long to his shoulders, wavy and catching the light of the stars. His eyes are the color of the moon, and his features are of a beauty that hurts to look at.
In contrast to Ileana’s flowing, vintage dress, he is wearing a modern day suit. His eyes narrow on Declan as he joins Ileana, and interlaces their fingers. “Together, iubirea mea?”
“Together,” she whispers back.
Declan stumbles a few steps, as if afraid. A light as blinding as the sunrise envelops the two immortals, then drips into the ground, making its way to Declan. It shines brighter than anything I’ve ever seen, and we all have to look away.
There’s a sound like an explosion, and pressure builds in my head – then silence.
I look back at the crater, to find it empty. No Declan, no Ileana, and no...whoever that other guy was. Finn wraps his arm around my waist then, and I sense his kiss on my temple. “It’s over, a stór.”
“What does that mean?” I whisper sleepily against his chest, drained by the day’s events.
Finn picks me up in his arms and whispers, “My treasure.” That’s the last thing I hear before everything fades to black.