Chapter 65
Chapter
Sixty-Five
A gony rips through every fiber of my being. As my clone’s eyes shut, Sydney vanishes from my sight. Panic claws at my insides, threatening to tear me apart.
The sounds of battle crescendo above, a cacophony of shouts and clashing magic. Through my fading clone, I hear Mathias’s taunting voice: “I’ve already killed your friend. So glad you’ll be next, Rion.”
The fight resumes with renewed ferocity. As my clone’s consciousness slips away, a strong hand lands on his chest. Lucan. My brother’s presence washes over me, a bittersweet reminder of the bond we’ve forged through tragedy. Regret pierces me that I won’t see what tomorrow might have brought us.
I drift, pain receding as peaceful oblivion beckons.
“Thank fuck you came to your senses and mated.” Lucan’s voice cuts into my haze. “The others are keeping Mathias busy. Quick! Kiss him, Sydney.”
Soft lips brush against mine, a phantom sensation through our connection. A spark ignites, feeble but there.
“Fight, damn it!” Lucan growls. “Take energy from your mate.”
Sydney’s kisses grow desperate, frantic. “Don’t. Leave. Me.” Each word punctuated by her lips on mine. “I love you. Stay with me!”
“Can’t. In the cell,” I manage, my voice a mere whisper.
“What the hell is he talking about?” Lucan demands.
“I-I…” Sydney falters, then gasps. “You cloned yourself?”
“Hmm…” I can’t find the energy to answer when my life force ebbs more with each passing second.
“Take me to him,” Sydney commands. “This is a copy. The real Caden is downstairs. Bring the body.”
“Go,” I protest, but I’m too weak to be heard.
Lucan lifts my clone. Every move brings a fresh wave of torment. Sweat drenches me as I cling to consciousness, focusing on the promise of Sydney’s touch.
The descent to my holding cell is an eternity of agony. A crash signals our arrival—Lucan blasting open the cell door. Suddenly, Sydney skids to a stop beside me, her lips pressing to mine.
Energy trickles in, then surges as our connection flares to life. I deepen the kiss, drinking in her essence. Vitality floods my system as Sydney pours everything she has into me. The Doomsday Diary pulses between us, but it’s her touch that truly revives me.
Reluctantly, I break away. “Better, firecracker. Thank you.”
With renewed strength, I focus on reabsorbing my clone. A violent jolt, a sickening sucking sensation, and the two of us are one again.
The room spins as I adjust to being whole. But there’s no time to recover. Above us, the battle rages on. Sydney’s hand in mine grounds me, her eyes blazing with determination.
“Ready?” she asks, clutching the Doomsday Diary to her chest.
I nod, drawing on our shared strength. “Let’s end this.”
Together, we rise to face whatever comes next. The war isn’t over, but with Sydney by my side, we have a fighting chance.
“You can clone yourself?” Lucan smiles. “Impressive, little brother. Mum was right.”
She’d predicted I’d be a once-in-a-lifetime hero. I’m not—yet.
“The others?”
“Holding their own against Mathias and the Anarki.”
“Take Sydney and the book back to Bram’s for me. I have unfinished business.”
Lucan frowns. “You have little experience in these battles, and I?—”
“I have energy.” I grip Sydney’s hand. “And the means to get more, if need be. Until you win Anka back or find someone to fuse with, you’ll be weak. Take her and the book to safety. For me.”
“Come with us,” Sydney pleads. “Don’t risk yourself.”
I swallow. “Bram raced here to help me fight for you, even after he dismissed me from the Doomsday Brethren. He’s risking his life. I can’t desert him and the others.”
Lucan’s smile tilts with pride. “Go. We’ll be waiting.”
The three of us exit the cell and make our way up the stairs, me to join the battle, Lucan and Sydney to leave Mathias’s premises and teleport.
Shock stands at the top of the flight, blocking our entrance. “Do you have the book?”
Sydney clutches it to her chest. “You’re not taking it from us.”
With a growl, Lucan reaches for his wand, then stops. “I want to do this with my bare hands.”
Then he punches Shock in the jaw. The leather-clad wizard recoils, stumbling until his backside hits the concrete. Then Lucan draws out his wand. Shock freezes instantly, as if his arms and legs have been bound tightly. I worry that Lucan has already drained too much of his energy, but I understand his need to hurt the bastard who took his mate.
“I hope you enjoyed your cheap shot,” Shock growls. “It’s the only one you’ll get.”
“If I had more energy, I’d kill you. This isn’t over.”
“Anka is with me.” Shock manages to look menacing, even immobilized.
“For now,” Lucan concedes. “Not forever.”
Then he takes Sydney by the hand, leads her past Shock, up the stairs, and into the coming morning.
I race toward the sounds of battle, rounding the corner to find chaos unleashed. Marrok and Tynan are carving through a dozen Anarki zombies, their blades flashing. My heart clenches as I think of Brian, my fallen friend. I swear silently that I’ll destroy Mathias’s cursed sphere, whatever it takes.
Duke and Ice grapple with robed wizards near the stairs, while Bram and Mathias face off by the fireplace.
“You’re outnumbered,” Mathias sneers.
Bram’s reply is cool and unruffled. “We’re better trained.”
I creep up behind Mathias, catching Bram’s imperceptible nod. The element of surprise is ours.
“Even Merlin’s famed grandson is no match for me,” Mathias snarls, whipping out his wand. A cloud of black smoke erupts between them, hurtling toward Bram.
I spring into action, driving my foot into the back of Mathias’s knees. He crashes forward, wand clattering away. Rage fuels me as I grab his hair, slamming his face into the tile. The crack is sickening but satisfying. I channel my newfound magic, conjuring invisible bonds to secure him.
Mathias’s eyes, rimmed with blood, burn with hatred. “You should be dead.”
“Surprise,” I snarl, dropping to my knees to search him. My fingers close around the glass sphere in his pocket. “This won’t be ripping out another soul.”
“If you destroy it, there won’t be a hell deep enough for you to hide in,” Mathias warns.
“If you keep turning my friends into Anarki, I’ll rip your stones out through your nostrils.” Then I smash the sphere against the tile, relishing its destruction.
“I’m going to kill your pretty little mate slowly and make you watch,” he vows.
I refuse to show him that his threat rattles me.
“Right now, you’re going to die,” I growl, ready to end this once and for all.
Before I can deliver what I hope will be the killing blow, Bram’s scream pierces the air. Black smoke engulfs him as Mathias’s witch, Rhea, charges toward us, wand raised. Tynan tackles her and takes her down, but Anarki swarm in our direction.
I whirl to face them, only to find Mathias gone.
“Fuck!” Ice’s shout echoes my frustration.
The battle that follows is a blur of fists and magic. I dispatch zombies left and right, their black blood spattering the floor. Disappointment burns in my gut. I wanted to be the one to end Mathias, for Bram, for Brian, for Sydney’s safety.
Finally, we defeat the last of the Anarki, and an eerie calm descends. I rush to Bram’s side, clutching him as he writhes against the choking black cloud around him.
Duke appears, looking battle worn. “Bloody hell. He needs help. Now!”
I nod, fear clawing at my throat. “What is this black cloud?”
“Never seen anything like it. But if it came from Mathias, it’s something very bad, I fear. Are Sydney, Lucan, and the book safe?”
“Yes. And that damn sphere is destroyed,” I confirm. “Mission accomplished.”
Or at least that objective. But as I look at Bram’s contorted face, one question haunts me: at what price?
The victory feels hollow with Mathias still at large. As I try to stabilize Bram, I can’t shake the feeling that this is just the beginning. Sydney is safe for now, but the war is far from over. And I’m done running from it. Whatever comes next, I’ll face it head-on—for Sydney, for my newfound family, and for the magical world I’ve finally accepted as my own.