Chapter 38 AMBS
~ MELEK ~
I lay on the floor, trying to breath away the dizziness from Jann’s blow.
Through squinted eyes, I could see my brother put his arm around Gall’s shoulders and murmur in his ear.
Gall’s expression swung between fierce cold, and dazed confusion.
While they believed I was down, I reached out for my mate.
‘Melek!’ Yilan’s voice was frantic. Because she worried for me? Or because she was in danger?
‘I’m still here.’
‘Thank God. I brought the army. The humans are moving ahead of us, dousing all the lights—I can shroud when it’s dark.
I think something was blocking me earlier.
At least for now, there’s no barrier beyond weariness.
Pray there’s no more interference. Soon, we’ll be fighting, anyway. We’re coming. Just hold on.’
My lungs wanted to freeze, but I pushed the fear aside.
‘I’ll take care of Gall. You worry about what’s in front of you.
That was a lovely touch, taking out the guards here.
Lucifer’s on his way and raising the alarm—watch out for him, but don’t let him make you fear.
I think I’ve figured out how to best him. ’
‘What? How?’
As quickly and succinctly as I could, I showed her what I’d seen, and what I’d learned… and what that quiet voice kept insisting.
‘…He can’t kill us himself—have you noticed?
He whispers, and threatens, and causes pain, and tempts and seeds fear…
but he never touches any of us himself. He always presses someone else to do it.
Someone who fears him, or has been persuaded.
Think about it! The Prince of Lies—he has to convince others to destroy themselves, or someone else.
He is insidious and clever, and fucking evil…
but he can’t touch you, Yilan. He can make you feel pain, and that makes you believe he could steal your life.
But the threat to your flesh isn’t from him—it’s from those who listen to him.
And they’re only a threat as long as they’re listening.
That’s why we’re being told to resist. Don’t let him scare you, or draw your focus.
He can’t touch you… he only presses others to do it. ’
‘What about… what about Gall, and that awful power—’
‘It’s still Gall. Gall’s decision. Gall’s intent. Gall isn’t resisting… yet.’
‘Istral and the healing?’
I didn’t have an answer for that, but I knew it didn’t matter. ‘Whatever happened that night, I’m confident, Yilan. He can’t kill you or me. He can’t take our lives. He can only convince others to do so.’
There was a pause as she hesitated. When she spoke again, I felt both the hope and the fear in her.
‘What if the others are listening to his threats?’
‘Show them the truth. No matter what he knows, he can’t force them to do anything. Only scare them or tempt them into it.’
‘He’s so fucking persuasive and frightening…’
‘Which is why we have to resist. The others… You can show them while they still believe he has the power—convince them!’
‘I don’t know, Melek—’
‘I do. We know how to win this now, Love!’
‘I hope so, but…’ she faded out for a moment, the link growing weaker as she moved away.
I stretched for her in the bond. ‘Don’t lose heart—and keep yourself safe!’
‘The fuck I will,’ she muttered in return. ‘I’m not stopping until the rapists are all dead, and you’re free.’ She faded again, then rushed back in. ‘…We’re leading them on a chase. A good chunk of Neph are about to die at the hands of their former brothers.’
‘Go. I love you.’
It was as if her breath caught, though I couldn’t hear that through the bond. ‘Now you be safe,’ she finally sent. Then, with a rush of love, and wicked delight, she sent me the image of herself slipping up behind a Neph guard, standing at a corner, waiting in ambush.
The only sound he made in death was the thud of his body crumpling to the floor.
‘That’s my beautiful, frightening mate,’ I sent, praying she could feel my smile.
‘Be safe, Melek.’
‘Be safe, Yilan. I love you.’
‘I love you, too.’
It was so hard to let go of that link, but she moved beyond reach, sweeping through the dark palace, felling Nephilim as she went. Very soon, both forces would organize, and with Lucifer to coordinate them, the Neph would have the strength to overwhelm.
We’d discussed this, and agreed. If it came to fighting in the palace, the circumstances favored us, because the Neph needed more room to move than our Shadekin soldiers—and half our Neph were lowborn.
They knew the hidden servants and merchants routes between floors and wings—something the noble Neph would not.
We would have to use every ounce of our skill and knowledge to take out the palace Neph—and then face the population of Valgorath.
Armed with this knowledge—and with Yilan and Diadre out there showing them the truth, we’d find more allies along the way. I was certain of it.
We had to. Our numbers weren’t going to be great enough to take the entire city unless some of them submitted, or joined us.
I prayed as I groaned, drawing Gall’s attention again.
Jann ignored me. Bastard. He’d enjoyed smacking my head, I was sure I’d seen a smirk on his face.
Prick.
I’d be glad when this was all over, and we could insult each other with a smile again.
Gall tensed when I rolled onto all fours and began to crawl towards them, but Jann only stood at his side, one hand gripping his shoulder, murmuring at him to calm.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Gall,” I muttered through thick lips.
Without Lucifer there, Gall seemed more himself, though he still trembled, and his eyes were sharp. Still, I caught the uneasy glances he shot between me and Jann, and his grip on the spear tightening and loosening.
He only had one hand on it.
My heart ached.
I continued crawling, slowly, shaking my head—the dizziness was real, but it would pass. Jann’s blow had only been glancing, in case anyone watched from the shadows.
“Stop!” Gall instructed me, taking a step back. “Stop moving!”
“I can’t. I have to show you—”
“You don’t have to show me anything—’
“Yes, I do Gall. There’s so much I have to show you. I just wish I’d known sooner.” When I was barely two paces from him, I pushed to my feet, groaning.
Gall stepped forward, but Jann caught him, cursing. “Don’t let him taunt you—”
“I’m not taunting, and I won’t let Gall kill me—we’re going to talk.”
Gall sucked in and brought the spear up, but Jann grabbed his shirt and stepped between us. “Leave this to me.”
I gave him a glare. “That isn’t what I meant. I just need you both to listen. I’ve figured out Lucifer’s weak point.”
“He doesn’t have one!” Gall insisted.
“Yes, he does. And I’ll teach you how to exploit it.”
When Gall turned to look at him, opening his mouth to argue, I whipped to his side, twisted the spear out of his grip and turned, bringing it up.
Gall swore, but I backed away as Jann hissed, shoving him behind and sank down in his stance, drawing his own spear forward, eyes furious and the razor-edge of his spear gleaming.
“I’m sorry, Gall,” I said softly, never looking away from Jann. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“You’re going to die,” Gall muttered.
“No. I’m not. And you’re both going to listen to me. We could be in this together.”
Gall, teeth gritted and hands in fists, tried to press forward, but Jann blocked his way with a shoulder, never leaving his defensive stance, and never taking his eyes off of me. “Let me handle this, Sire,” he muttered.
I shook my head. “That isn’t necessary—”
“If I don’t kill you, Grandfather will hurt Istral! I can’t let that happen!” Gall said, his voice a strange mingling of pleading and fury.
“No one is getting killed today—except—”
“Are you certain, Melek?” Jann’s voice was dark. He’d leveled the spear at me and stood between me and Gall, jaw tense. Hands gripping the spear. And body poised.
Was there a watcher I was unaware of? Or—
But I had no time to finish the question in my mind as Jann flowed forward, his spear flashing.
~ YILAN ~
I slipped away from yet another patrolling guard, who I’d dropped in the middle of a dark hallway.
A phalanx of our allies darted past the moment I materialized, and motioned them forward.
As they trotted up the thickly carpeted corridor, I kicked the twitching Neph on the ground, considering whether to pull him to the side, so he couldn’t be seen so easily from the intersections.
But I smiled and walked on. He would be a sign to any of the Neph who stumbled on him in the dark, that the Fetch walked again, and they were the ones being hunted tonight.
Our legions circled the palace, seeping into corners and down halls behind me, Diadre, Jhonas, and a handful of other skilled shadow walkers who could be trusted to assess and infiltrate.
Every file and troop were tucked together tightly, following us in lines.
Waiting in the shadows that we walked until we called them forward.
Assassins at the front, in case there were too many Neph for the Fetch to address alone.
Now, after speaking with Melek, we weren’t only killing. We tried to reach as many minds as we could to coordinate our allies, but also in an attempt to convince some of the Gall-loyalists to join us.
So far, there was little success, though Jhonas claimed to have picked up a handful of useful, strong stablehands, and we’d all had green-eyed servants and commonborn Neph surrender the moment they saw us coming.
A few even called for Melek to rise.
I wasn’t sure whether to embrace those men, or slit their throats.
They were being ushered back to some of the stronger Neph allies for assessment.
But I couldn’t give attention to those thoughts now.
We approached the center of the palace, and while most of the highborn and stronger Neph were out on the hunt, those who’d remained in the palace would be in these wings.
I’d already passed the royal chambers once, looking for Istral—instead finding Melek and killing the guards to distract Lucifer.
Now, I’d sent Diadre on a loop to check in, and make certain they had Gall safe. Then I’d circle back—
‘They’re going to kill each other!’
Diadre’s voice rang in my head. I stopped dead in the center of that dark hallway.
‘What? Who? What are you—’
The corridor in front of me with its plush tapestries, thick carpet, and oiled wood disappeared. In its place I saw what Diadre saw—our mates, both armed, and in the royal suite, fighting.
What the actual—
I blinked. ‘This can’t be… Diadre, Melek said Jann’s actions were part of the plan—’
‘Melek’s bleeding. He just cut Jann—and they’re both trying. Yilan, I’m terrified Jann has—’
I cursed, and shook her off that train of thought. Even if she was right, she needed to be confident and clear on her course. The men obviously hadn’t sensed her watching, and I wanted it to stay that way.
‘Stay there. Wait for me. Make sure Gall doesn’t get involved.’
‘But—’
‘Stupid fucking alpha males, and their fucking bullshit. They have to turn everything into a battle, Diadre—and leave us to pick up the pieces. I’ll be there in minutes. But I have to clear these halls for the fighters. Just… don’t move!’