Chapter 39 #2
Her nose curled as she snarled, “What—do—you—want?” Her voice was raised, keeping her thoughts to herself, trying not to overthink and bring up things that had transpired beyond leaving the Kingdom. Keeping everything a secret would be difficult, especially if she wanted to break free from this.
“You need to come back for your justice for what you did in Sunfall and now in Itotaki.” He stepped towards her, “That commander of the King’s, I knew he was incompetent.”
“You think,” she cut in, “We were leaving today. The Commander convinced me to plead my innocence, especially after Itotaki.”
Jaakobai laughed, a full, throaty sound. “Oh yeah? How convenient. I know you haven’t left Ilkiz. Do not play me as a fool.”
“I said we were leaving until you started playing this game of yours.”
His nose twitched, “Months in Itotaki… and the day I come for you…”
“Ever heard of a coincidence?” Her tone mocking.
He took another step toward her, his hand reaching for her. Even though she knew this was in their mind, the connection between the winnox, she spat, “If you would like to keep your hand attached to your body, I would not touch me.”
He must have felt the threat because he hesitated, “You are different.” His voice was low, lacking remorse as he grabbed at her throat. “Still weak and unworthy of the powers gifted to you. Your threats are flimsy, at best.”
You have no idea, she grinned.
“Jaakobai,” she said, her voice hoarse as he squeezed, “You cannot kill me here.”
“I like watching this,” She tried to swallow, feeling the air being ripped from her lungs. “This is my realm. You think you know Magic, but you don’t. It will kill you, and I will enjoy watching it.”
Taking her hand up, she grabbed onto his wrist and was ready to squeeze when she stopped, remembering he couldn’t know. Feeling the lightheadedness of the loss of oxygen, she felt her knees give out, and her skin heat.
She needed to be weak, one last time.
“Please—” She choked out.
She needed to find out why.
“Beg.” His voice raw with destruction.
“Please—”Her body was trembling beyond this place, and she couldn’t stop it. “Jaak—obai…”
As his grip loosened, she sucked in a breath of air, gulping it down as if it were water after walking through the desert. “Good, princess. Now listen. Tell that Commander to hurry up. A portal will be waiting for you in Itotaki.”
Her hand was at her throat, rubbing at it, feeling the divots where his fingers had gripped. “Where is Illyan?”
He smiled, “Smart; it’s incredible. How you can understand why I’m here yet be so stupid as to play into my son’s lies. Though, I’m not surprised since you allowed the Commander to seduce you into coming back here.”
Narrowing her eyes, she slowly stepped away from him, “Where is Illyan? I won’t ask again.”
“Here, with me.”
Goosebumps rolled down her neck, all the way to her toes.
“Along with your dead Elf,” she felt anger rise, “and that big woman, the one that bargained with the Yuul and killed many of my people.”
“You don’t care about your people.”
“Don’t I?” He seethed. “They are the reason I do this. We’re kept isolated from the world due to the hate and fear that people have towards us.”
She had no sympathy for them. They had done that to themselves, and in the end, hated everyone else for their isolation. Helio was the best Elder they had, and it had taken a long time to mend the bonds, and here Jaakobai was, ready to tear them right back down.
“Why did you take them?” Her voice was low.
He walked around her, and while she followed him to the edge of her vision, she didn’t turn to keep sight of him.
“To hurry and get you back here. I don’t believe the Commander got through to you, and honestly, you probably seduced him and brought him to your side.
Dirty little whore,” she felt his body mere inches behind her, “lucky the King favors him, or he—”
“Choose your words mighty carefully, Jaakobai.” Her voice boomed in the room, as if she were speaking through Ilkiz herself. His hand rested at the crook of her neck, squeezing, “I also told you not to touch me.”
“You have a lot of resilience in the winnox, princess. I cannot wait to watch you break when you arrive.” The resemblance in his voice to Goddrick’s made her stomach churn.
“You have fifteen days to get to Itotaki, or I will kill Illyan, the Vaeragi, and remove that seal around your lover boy, releasing his soul—quick enough it obliterates.”
Every part of her vibrated, and she was losing her will to hold back.
“You should have come with me when you had the chance,” His hand moved up her neck and turned her to look at him, “Now you will be ash in the wind when I create the new world.” He jerked her away, but she didn’t stumble.
“Such a waste of a good body. Hopefully, you are reincarnated into a more willing host.”
She laughed, “I can’t wait to watch you beg for me to let you live.”
Their obsession with slapping her was getting old, and when the contact hit, she stepped to the side.
She once again laughed, “But not before I rip your wings from your back.” The anger radiating off of him fueled her, and she grinned through the casted shadow over her eyes, “I will enjoy killing you while he watches.”
The force with which he threw her out of the winnox made her back nearly snap. She gasped, her body feeling foreign, and her eyes so dry she couldn’t blink.
She found sunny eyes, those that brought life into this world, staring down at her. They were familiar, and she wondered if she had snapped her back and died once more.
“Death,” she felt her throat clear, and when she was able to blink, she could see that they were shrouded in darkness. However, it wasn’t from being pulled to Purgatory, or by Death’s cloak. Instead, raven wings sprawled across them, a very angry Jayce at the epicenter.
Anastasia spoke, “He may have grabbed your mind, but I was not going to allow him to rip you from here.” They had come for her, “He tried, and failed.” She looked down at her shoulder, seeing the porcelain skin of her love, Death.
“Your Fae here allowed for it by shielding me from your mortal family’s eyes. ”
She looked at Jayce, his eyes were closed, teeth clenched.
Feeling her body returning to itself, she stood slowly, with the assistance of Anastasia. Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around Death and was reciprocated with one. “Thank you.” The persistent hum of bees in her head pricked at all the wrong nerves.
“I am yours to summon; remember that, but be cautious, those that lay their eyes upon me will not see who you do. Fear is a terrible thing, and ultimately, may lead them to death.” Anastasia leaned down and kissed her cheek, “Until I see you, my Light, and…” It looked at Jayce, “I find if I had a heart, it would beat anew with that one.”
When Death disappeared, she charged at Jayce, her arms wrapped around his waist and he gripped tightly around her shoulders. His head tucked between the crook of her neck and kissed at her skin.
They took a moment, embracing one another with no words.
When he pulled away, which felt far too soon, he looked over her.
His amethyst eyes were glowing, and it lit the space around them.
Soon, his fingers were brushing against her neck, and she hissed, feeling a slight tinge of pain.
When his hand came to her cheek, it burned.
“Which hand was it?” His voice hissed with rage.
“Right.” She looked up at him, her anger laced between the unfriendly down curve of her lips. “I warned him.”
“I know,” his hand was glowing, and she felt the pressure at her throat release, and the warmth in her cheek dissolve. “I heard everything and will be taking his tongue for the things he said to you.”
Her nostrils twitched, “I had to be weak one last time.”
Jayce leaned his forehead against hers, “You exuded nothing but strength in there, and you got everything you needed for it.” He took a deep breath, “We need to go, and honestly,” he pulled his wings around, curving them behind his back, “I have some explaining to do.”
Xol was behind her, putting her arms around her waist and pulling her into a hug. She could feel her trembling, and if it weren’t for her own physical strength, she may have just cut her in half with how hard she was holding her.
Beyond her and Jayce, stood the entire crew, eyes widened and staring. They would have to make a choice then, which would be theirs to make.