Chapter 43 Too Much
~ MELEK ~
I trembled like a newborn kitten, and clung to Yilan who sobbed, her face buried in my neck. I blinked rapidly, assessing myself. A soldier knew—adrenaline, thrill, fear… it could all mask pain. Convince a body it was safe when it wasn’t.
But I’d felt it. Felt myself fading. Dying. I’d felt the pain of that mortal blow, and I’d been unable to fight the slow chill that dragged me into oblivion.
Then I remembered Istral’s whispered voice, so tremulous and afraid. “…the greatest power in the world is love. Gall loves you. Yilan loves you. I love you. Don’t let us go. Please… Resist…”
I blinked again, and my mind cleared.
Lucifer. Jann. Gall.
With a muttered curse, I leaped to my feet, still holding Yilan to me, and whirled, searching frantically for a weapon.
Lucifer chuckled at my shock, and opened his mouth to say something—just as Gall bellowed from the next room. The Fallen looked aside and cursed, then stormed towards the bedchamber.
‘What happened? Where did you go?’ Yilan sent.
‘I don’t know. But Istral was right—I’m healed. I’m safe—I promise.’
We both tensed as Lucifer appeared again, dragging Istral out of the bedchamber by her arm, Gall hurrying in his wake, bellowing and shouting, hands in his hair.
I stepped forward as Lucifer turned on Gall. “Silence.”
Gall froze like he’d been turned to stone.
Then Lucifer turned to Istral, reached for her chin and cupped her face. “I knew you could do it.”
Istral’s expression was horrified, and Yilan tensed. I reached for her in the bond. ‘It’s a lie. What she did… it didn’t come from this dark fuck. Don’t believe him, Yilan. He’s still scrambling for control. Resist. Remember?’
There was a hanging silence in the room, as Lucifer stroked Istral’s hair in an awful parody of comfort, and looked like he had more to say—but then the sound of a melee rose nearby.
Outside the chambers, in the nearby halls, the clash of weapons and shouts of men in battle echoed. Lucifer’s face went hard.
Here in the room, Jann sprawled on his hands and knees, shaking, Diadre hovering over him, weeping. I couldn’t tell if she held him, or shook him.
Gall came back to life, jaw tight and fingers clawing into his own hair, his eyes wild—he had reached his limit.
Through it all, my mate stood at my side, clinging, the jangle of her fear reaching me in the bond, yet except for her unwillingness to move away from me, she gave no outward sign.
“Can no one in this realm finish a fucking a job? Must it always be me?” Lucifer snarled, and dropped one hand from Istral’s face.
She gave a little gasp as he tugged her behind him, storming through the room.
“Gall, while I take care of the idiots outside, you will finish your so-called father, and take his head to the balcony over the courtyard so the entire fucking world hears of his demise.”
Gall’s eyes drew so wide the whites showed all the way around. “But—”
“Do it. Or she’s mine.”
Then he blinked out of sight… taking Istral with him.
Gall froze, then fisted both hands at his stomach as he roared with such force, his face went purple and he trembled.
“Gall, just breathe,” I said quietly. “We’re here to help. You don’t have to—”
“He does.” Jann choked, pushing to his feet, but staggering towards me. “He has to at least make it appear—”
“We are not out-lying the Prince of Lies. We’ll figure something out. But, if we could agree to stop trying to kill each other now, that would be ideal,” I drawled with far more confidence than I felt.
“No. No. Nononononono.” Gall shook his hands, then shook his head, then turned a circle, then stopped… and his eyes locked on mine.
I shook my head. “Son… think this through.”
Gall’s jaw tightened, but his eyes began to dart around the room—looking for a weapon? I slowly nudged Yilan behind me and sank once more into a defensive stance.
Jann spluttered. “Melek—I’m… I’m so sorry. It wasn’t supposed to… I didn’t… I had to make certain Lucifer saw nothing that made him suspic—”
I didn’t respond, because Gall launched himself at me.
~ YILAN ~
I almost screamed when I felt the sing of pain through the bond, and Melek grunted.
Then, at the sight of Jann rushing forward, I did yowl and throw myself after him—but Diadre caught me, still crying, her voice high and shrill.
‘He’s not going to hurt him, Yilan. He’s horrified with himself. Shamed. Sick. He’s…’ She stopped, wrestling with me to keep me from going after the men, forcing me to watch and see how Jann positioned himself to assist Melek, and continued to talk Gall down.
Except Gall was losing his shit.
“He has my Izzy! I can’t let you stay!” Gall screamed, frantic, weeping, but every ounce of his strength coming to bear, as he tried to reach Melek, who continued to dance out of his way, and Jann, who kept placing himself to block, hands up in surrender, begging Gall to listen.
So, reluctantly, wincing, with one eye on Jann, Diadre and I stepped in too, all four of us working to herd Gall away from Melek, and attempt to break through.
Throughout it all, Melek spoke to his son in low, even tones, his deep voice soothing and reassuring…
“…he needs you to believe that you can’t resist him, Gall. But he’s a liar.”
“He has Izzy!”
“We’ll get her back. He can’t kill her, Gall—”
“He’ll hurt her! He’ll kill the baby! He’ll—” Gall’s words broke off into a terrifying, trembling roar as he stopped in his tracks, screwed his eyes shut, and began hitting himself with both fists—first in the stomach, then clawing at his head.
We all rushed forward, but it was Melek who roared for us to stay back. He leaped on Gall, grabbing his hands and wrestling with him, pleading with him to stop, to listen, to breathe.
When Gall finally ceased hurting himself, Melek blew out a breath, then began issuing orders.
“It’s time for all of us to be free of this,” he muttered. Then he looked over his shoulder at Jann, whose expression grew haggard, but he nodded. Melek’s eyes were sharp on his friend.
‘You can’t trust him!’ I insisted.
Melek’s jaw flexed. ‘There’s no greater ally, than the one who knows he’s been forgiven. He didn’t want me dead. He’s afraid—’
‘He’s still scared. If you let him—’
Shouts and pounding feet rattled through the hallway outside, and we all jerked. Gall groaned, and Melek had to soothe him again. Then he reached for me in the bond.
‘We have no choice. We need him. Pray his change of heart is real, and will withstand. There’s no more time.’
I sent a wash of the fear and disgust I felt when I looked at Jann, but also a thread of hope that was there. Diadre rarely took her eyes off Jann, but there was hope in her eyes now, too.
“Jann… keep Lucifer distracted,” Melek muttered. “Yilan, you and Diadre need to get out there and create as much havoc as you can—and reach any mind that’s open. Show them that Lucifer can’t touch them directly. That is, if you’re certain yourselves. Do we all see it now?”
I nodded, but none of us spoke. He turned his head to scan all three of us. “Do you?!”
Jann nodded first, then dropped to one knee and clasped his fist to his chest. “Yes. I see it,” he croaked.
Diadre made a tiny noise when he did it, but she stepped forward to put a hand to his shoulder and nodded at Melek too. “I can see it.”
Melek looked at me and I knew he felt my conviction—but also my fear. We both nodded.
“Then go,” Melek muttered. “Go give that prick as many battles and fires to fight as possible. Show anyone who’s open what we all missed. Make sure any of the Fetch who are capable know, and are informing, too.”
“They are,” I said confidently. “Jhonas made sure.”
Melek nodded.
“What about Gall?” Jann asked warily.
We all looked back at the poor, sweet boy who’d been so used and manipulated, and who now stood, shoulders hunched, face red, and twitching.
“Gall and I are going to… talk,” Melek said grimly.
Jann was the first to move, jerking into a bow, muttering something to Melek I didn’t catch, then turning and freezing in front of Diadre.
Stepping past them, I went straight to Melek, finding myself very, very reluctant to leave his side.
He whispered to Gall, who had his chin down almost on his chest, but his hands still fisted at his sides.
When I put a hand to Melek’s back, he murmured one last word, then slowly let go of Gall’s wrists and turned to me.
‘I don’t want to leave you,’ I sent, because it was the plain truth.
He tensed, but took my face in his hands and kissed me, then didn’t pull away, but whispered against my lips. “You’re my love. That won’t change. I’m still here. We have to do this—it’s the only way to be free.”
I knew he was right, but I still despised it.
Behind me, Jann rushed out first, Diadre running shakily in his wake. When he pulled the door open, she took one look back at me, then disappeared into the shadow next to it.
Melek caught my eye again.
I sighed. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you, too. Give them hell, beautiful.’
His hands dragged down my body as he let me go, but we both stepped away. As he turned back to Gall, I stepped back, never turning, watching his broad shoulders, his careful movements, drinking in the sight of him alive, and vital, and breathing.
Then I stepped into the shadows, and into the fray, praying that Gall would finally hear him, and that somehow we’d all live through this night.
It was time. We needed to end this. All of it.
As I stepped through the wall and into the corridor outside, the ring of steel and shouts of Neph warriors washed over me.
I balked. Hesitated for just a moment, scanning the chaos that extended well beyond this corridor—a centaur galloped across the intersection of hallways further down, chasing a screaming Neph whose hair was on fire.
I didn’t know whether to be thrilled, or terrified. I decided on both.
Letting my fear fall aside, because it could only hinder me, I darted into the fray, reaching for every accessible mind—and I might have smiled.
My mate had too much grace for these brutes, in my opinion. Luckily, he wasn’t here, I was. Perhaps I’d let these poor, misguided souls see the light.
Or maybe I’d just terrify them.
Either way… chaos would reign.
And then Melek.