Chapter 47
“Larkin,” I cry.
I see him blink slowly as he snaps back into his body.
From the shadows, a figure moves toward Larkin so quickly my eyes can barely register it. The towering figure tackles the creature and the talon just misses Larkin’s head and instead strikes his left arm.
Cyrus Pierce fights the resurrected, driving his sword into the creature’s throat.
I glance in all directions, watching concealed Wielders rush down all alleyways, like a deadly curse to their enemies.
I hear footsteps in the distance, and relief floods me—the rebels.
I slash down the creature before me and sprint toward Larkin, who clutches his arm in pain.
Blood pours from the back of his arm, yet he’s alive.
He will survive this. The creature he knows still stands before him, stalking closer with every passing second. I reach Larkin and position myself between the creature and his injured body.
“I’m so sorry,” he winces.
“It’s okay.” I throw a look over my shoulder.
He doesn’t respond.
“I have to kill this creature,” I say, focusing back on the threat. “Alright?”
Silence.
It crawls closer, and I widen my stance, gripping both axes so tightly my knuckles turn white.
I glance past the creature and see Silas and Oak relentlessly fighting, steadily reducing the number of creatures surrounding us.
Cyrus stands and whistles into the night sky.
Rebels fill the alleyways, taking down creatures one by one.
They fight as one—a united force that runs deep and true.
We need them for what’s coming, and I can only pray that Cyrus didn’t settle any debts by saving Larkin’s life.
“Larkin,” I respond again. “It has to die.”
He staggers forward, grimacing from the movement, and steps in between me and the creature.
“Let me do it.”
He steps forward, and I extend my hand, offering him one of my golden axes. His gaze finds mine, and determination and sadness settle behind his dark eyes.
The creature growls and lowers its head, preparing to lunge. Within a second, Larkin moves forward and they collide. Screams from the beast rattle my ears as I watch in awe and terror.
Larkin slices the blade across the creature’s chest, stumbling backward, before driving it straight into the creature’s thick neck.
The creature pauses, and death paints its horrific face.
It thuds to the ground, and the axe crashes along with it.
Larkin’s chest heaves, and I race to his side, wrapping my arms around his waist.
“Can you keep moving?” I ask.
He nods.
I lean down, grab my axe, and push us forward away from the chaos in time for Silas and Oak to finish off their creatures. The area around us is a pool of blood, bodies lining every available space.
“Are you two alright?” Silas asks, wiping the blood from his forehead.
“His arm is bad,” I respond. “He’ll be okay if we can get him to the house.”
Silas looks ahead. “We need to hurry.”
“What about Cyrus and the rebels?” I ask.
“They will be perfectly fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” Silas replies.
I keep a tight grip around Larkin, barely able to pull his large body forward, but our steps begin again as we head down the last alleyway toward the open space of the outskirts of the Andorwood. Our steps become soundless on the soft blades of grass as we cross the last street.
“We need to be fast but aware,” Silas shouts over his shoulder. “Oak, get behind Briar and Larkin.”
“Keep going,” Larkin says. “I’m fine.”
“I have to get to Fen.” Silas’s voice is harsh, but worry paints his expression.
I nod. “I know. Go.”
The wide-open sky shines around us, and even in the darkness of the night, I can see that dawn will grace us soon. We head up the hill leading us back to Silas’s house, and even though we’ve made it from the kingdom, I fear what lies ahead.
I glance back toward the town. Screams rise from the center, like smoke filling the air. I can make out small figures as they fight. With the rebels joining, Andorwood has a great chance of emerging victorious.
Larkin flinches with every step, yet continues forward as though the pain is a distant thought. I glance up at him, suppressing the urge to ask the question I desperately want answered.
He casts a look down at me, and such sadness fills his eyes.
“My father,” he says.
“What?”
“It was my father.”
I stay silent, knowing my words are futile.
“I didn’t even know he died,” Larkin manages to get out.
“I’m so sorry.” I pull him closer and encourage us to hurry up the hill. We can talk once this is behind us. We have to keep moving, even though I know his sorrows threaten to take his legs out from under him.
“You saw Barlowe like that,” Larkin says.
My heart flips as I think back to my brother’s face, the anger…the animal he had become.
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I froze,” I respond. “Maines had to kill him.”
He stares at me.
“I couldn’t do it.”
Larkin limps next to me. “I killed him. I disappointed him my entire life, and I killed him.”
I take in a deep breath. “He was already gone, Larkin.”
I glance up at him, and he averts his gaze, nodding.
“Bury it for now,” I say, as I try to pull him back, cupping his face. “We need to focus. We can talk about this later, for as long as you need.”
A tear rolls down his cheek, and he wipes it away with the back of his hand. Larkin stands taller, another burst of energy making our steps quicker as his hand wraps around mine with a gentle squeeze.
Up ahead, the wards stand strong against the chaos.
I’m immediately impressed by Warrick’s warding ability.
If you didn’t know this house was here, it would seem to vanish, save for the dim shimmer that dances in the moonlight if you look just right.
The cliff is silent, and from the chaos below, it appears as if nothing has transpired here.
Silas slows his pace as we near the grounds. He motions for us to follow his lead, and Larkin almost groans in relief from the slower pace. I release his waist, making sure he’s stable, and move toward Silas.
Oak hangs back, making sure Larkin is okay, and pushes him through the ward. They quickly disappear into the house so the healer can work on his mangled arm.
Silas shoots me a glance as I stand beside him.
The moon hangs low, and an eerie silence swirls around us.
The clouds move swiftly across the night sky, and the familiar sea breeze hits my face and nose.
My senses flare, and I know Silas feels the same as he steps forward toward the cliff.
He moves wide around the house, not wanting to draw attention to the cloaked home, and I follow his lead.
We round the house, and at the edge of the cliff stands a figure cloaked in darkness.
Silas freezes, and I narrow my eyes, trying to process who stands before us. Silas glares ahead, clenching his fists, and his shadows begin to pulse in a deafening defense.
Everything within me knows who stands before us, and I want to take a moment to pray that I’m wrong, but the time is up.
We step forward with Silas always slightly ahead of me. As we close the distance, I see him— familiar blonde hair moving in the wind—and as he turns, my heart shatters again.
He slowly turns to face us, and the moon shines off his dark eyes, like thousands of brilliant black diamonds.
Rohhit Harte, now Carobon, stands before us at the cliff’s edge.
His long cloak billows in the wind, and a ringing fills my ears, causing me to flinch as Kalix screams deep within my mind.
“KILL HIM,” she screams at me. “Do it while you can. Let me forward and…”
I block out her vicious, desperate taunts.
Silas rages and acts as if he’s going to lunge for him. “Step back, Briar.”
I grab his arm, preventing him from stepping forward, and he snaps his gaze to mine.
“No.” I stop Silas. “Do not go near him.”
A deep laugh reverberates through the air, and Carobon steps forward. The light that surrounds him is oddly dark and exudes a power that no one should ever possess.
“You know what I want,” Carobon speaks, and his voice snakes into the open air like a deadly virus.
Silas laughs. “You are insane if you think you are leaving this island with her.” He steps forward, and his shadows billow around him in an attempt to drown out any light—Carobon’s light.
“Good thing I am insane,” Carobon says with a smile, and my stomach twists.
“What do you want in return?” I step forward, and Silas reaches for me, but I slip out of his grip. “What can I give you instead?”
Carobon studies me, his gaze raking over my body. “I want nothing from you, Briar Blackbyrne. At least, not yet,” he rasps.
“Name your fucking price,” I bite back.
“There will come a time when you offer me this again, and I’m patient. I will wait for that moment, because what I will have…”
He pauses, and a wicked laugh leaves his throat as he shakes his head, as if trying to fight off something we can’t see.
“He’s strong,” Carobon whispers.
I angle my head. “Who?”
The moon dips lower in the sky, and a dim light begins to fill the air with a red, eerie glow.
Carobon closes his eyes and delves into his magic, as if calling something or someone forward.
A change happens, and Carobon sucks in a deep breath, his shoulders caving forward before he jerks upright, sending a chill down my spine.
I remain still, and my eyes widen as I watch intently.
His hair moves gently in the wind, and my mind struggles to process this. Rohhit stands before me.
“Rohhit?” I step forward.
A heavy exhale leaves his throat, and Rohhit claws against his own temples, as if in miserable pain.
“Gods,” I exclaim, and I attempt to rush forward, but Silas stops me.
“Let go.” I pull from his hold. “It’s him.”
Rohhit slowly finds my gaze, and sheer terror sits behind his eyes.
“Briar, listen,” Rohhit’s voice becomes clear. “I have no idea how long I have. Don’t listen to him. Don’t give Carobon anything. He doesn’t have the stone of Eddris. Yet.”