Chapter 38 #2
She’s scary as hell, Faelynn thought. Tarian had to agree. Daisy had always been in good company. This crew of magical humans seemed more feral than the rest. More unhinged, and a lot closer and more trusting with each other.
He liked them immediately. He could tell Faelynn did, as well.
“Keep…her…alive,” Alexis told Tarian.
“With pleasure, ma’am.” He jogged toward the hall, not putting Daisy down.
His Fallen had their weapons and were hacking at the dead bodies one of their crew had brought in.
A woman named…Bria was on the ground, with smoking items and bells, trying to control any spirits left in the bodies.
He was fascinated, but he didn’t have time to dally.
“Good to see you, Daisy,” a fierce-eyed woman said. Amber. Concentration and relief flowed over her face. Her gaze slid to Tarian. “Fuck you, fae.”
Fair.
“You won’t be a favorite for a while,” Daisy told him, trying to get out of his arms.
“You’re not well enough to fight.” He firmed up his hold. “How much can I trust your people to lead and look after my Fallen?”
“Tell them to follow Kieran’s lead to the letter. He won’t forsake them. He has his people well in hand when it comes to danger.”
Tarian didn’t need to be told twice. He trusted her, and if she trusted him, so be it. He walked forward, and his Fallen fell in behind him.
“Good to have you back,” Lennox told her.
Kayla winked.
“We’re fighting our way out of here,” Kieran called back as the Berserker transformed up in front of them. His body grew and bulged with muscle. In a moment, he gave a mighty roar before his feet thumped against the wooden floor, and he was off. Tarian stalled, never having seen anything like it.
It was then he could see the hallway stuffed with dead bodies animated with spirits. The magic Daisy had helped balance had killed those too far gone to recover. Nvran had used them for his army of the dead.
Cheating piece of shit, Daisy thought softly.
“We can get through this,” Tarian said, pushing past…Boman, Donovan, and Jack.
Knives flew through the air, many bouncing off the Berserker. They didn’t seem to stick. Bad throws? He bowled into the cadavers, knocking their lines askew and tearing limbs from bodies.
Holy shit, Lennox murmured. Tarian had to agree. He’d heard of those types of magical humans, but he’d never seen any in action. They were…something else. Fun to watch.
Alexis ran that way, her hands up. Bodies fell to the ground in front of her. Daisy had made mention of her ripping souls from bodies. It was more effective than Tarian had ever seen.
Fucking hell, Niall muttered, and Tarian had to agree with that as well.
Demigod Kieran lifted his hands, and a blast of air filled the hallway. Any bodies still standing were shoved backward, giving everyone more time.
That wasn’t all, though.
The ground shook. The walls trembled. Water burst in through the windows, flowed out through doors, and took on a life of its own. It gathered and tumbled, a growing wave controlled by Kieran. He was a Demigod of the sea, but…this was beyond what a human should be capable of. Wasn’t it?
“That…is not possible,” Tarian said softly.
“Ha!” Daisy pointed at his face. “Shoe is on the other foot now!”
Tarian squeezed her, glancing back at his Fallen with wide eyes.
Their surprise showed on their faces. He faced forward again and started jogging to keep up with those in front.
Zorn was there, ready with a machete, but the Berserker, Alexis, and Kieran were handling it, beating the bodies back.
Spirits didn’t have the power of the living, even here.
Kieran and Alexis showed they were plenty strong enough to deal with what the god of the afterlife had thrown at them.
“What’s the plan?” Kayla called up.
Tarian shook his head as they turned a corner up ahead. “Follow their lead to get out of here, regroup in the wylds, and choose our next steps.”
Daisy tightened her hold around his neck. “Your next steps better include me. I’m not leaving you.”
He looked at her. Love and adoration shone in her eyes.
In his eyes, he knew. “Your mom-type gave you the gift of rebirth. I will not ruin that for you. I will do what needs to be done, and you will go safely back to the human world. It’s been fortified.
You’ll be safe there. The rest of Faerie is up to me—”
He cut off as everything changed. As the yells and shouts of the Berserker, the rush of the water, and the clang of weapons all died away.
The castle halls disintegrated into a world of white marble.
Grand architecture reminiscent of an ancient temple rose up in columns and elegant details around them.
Statues and reliefs were visible throughout.
They stood on a large marble floor in the middle.
Daisy’s family and Tarian’s Fallen stood behind them, looking around warily.
The Berserker—Thane—had been returned to his normal state.
In front of them, a wide set of stairs led up to a raised platform framed by columns and domes.
Three large marble thrones each existed in their own alcove.
Then two more thrones each, on the right and left, seven in all.
The breath left Tarian slowly, and he hugged Daisy to his chest.
“Where are we?” someone asked behind them.
“The white walls of the Divine Collective,” someone answered in hushed tones. “The meeting place of the gods.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Daisy grumbled.