Chapter 62 #2
Leon’s eyes flare, his growing fury barely contained. “I’m going to enjoy killing you, Sin,” he starts in a low tone, before his feral stare shifts to me. “But I’m going to love hearing Vivian scream while I fuck her next to your useless corpse.”
He watches me like he’s expecting me to flinch or cower, and his eye twitches when I do neither.
Once, that look would have turned my stomach inside out. Now, all it does is remind me how small he really is.
Sin laughs, but it’s humorless, “As much as I would enjoy killing you, your death isn’t mine to claim.” He kisses the top of my head before continuing, “That right belongs to my mate.”
The moment he hears the word mate, Leon’s tattoos flare, and he takes a threatening step forward.
“Enough,” Need snaps, lifting a hand.
Leon immediately stills.
“As thrilling as this little reunion has been, I’m growing tired of your pathetic attempts at stalling for more time. You’re already outnumbered. But before you sentence so many to death, I’d like to give you a final chance to surrender,” Need delivers coolly, her white eyes fixed on me.
I raise a brow. “Not happening.”
She gives me a patronizing smile. “Yes, I assumed you might say that. As always, Vivian, your predictability is almost pitiful. A good leader surprises their opponent.”
Another pulse of unease fires through me, and Need gives me a knowing smile before continuing, “You see, I’ve come to realize that using Keepers is inefficient.
And once we learned that Lilanthara could create a mental leash strong enough to control you, I decided we should try for an even bigger conquest.”
Rosie’s indrawn breath cuts off, and my blood turns to ice. Sin’s hand flexes against mine as dread pulses through the bond. Because we’ve just realized why Rosie can sense Irena.
A tall woman steps out from the enemy’s shield. Her long black hair is pulled back from her face, and her vivid green eyes stand out against her bronze skin.
Rosie’s fingers interlace in mine, and I know she sees it too – a pink, glowing light over Irena’s collar.
Lilanthara’s power.
“Irena?” Rosie whispers, and my heart cracks at the raw hope in her voice.
Irena doesn’t bat an eye as she strides forward, not stopping until she reaches Leon’s side.
Rosie’s nails dig into my skin, and I let her squeeze as hard as she pleases. It’s the only thing I can offer her right now, as she watches the love of her life look right through her.
“Oh, she has no idea who you are,” Need tuts in a mocking tone. “She has a new Keeper now.”
“Impossible,” Rosie spits.
“Is it?” Need asks. “It’s interesting, the twin phenomenon.
I didn’t realize how deep the similarities ran until, of course, I had Nymara study genetics.
It was enough to pique my curiosity, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether a Keeper bond could be duplicated in a twin.
” She turns to Lilanthara. “Show them,” she orders.
A faint pink glow appears over Lilanthara’s wrist as she glides over to Irena, reaching for her neck.
A moment later, Irena’s collar disappears, but pink glowing threads linger.
Some dance around her neck, while others snake into her flesh, looking like parasitic tendrils.
Irena doesn’t react, continuing to stare blankly ahead.
My stomach sours. Two Destroyers against one. This is worse than I could have imagined.
“Is it a chain? Can you remove it?” Sin asks in a low tone, not taking his eyes off our two powerful opponents.
I swallow. “I’m not sure. I could try to–”
“Don’t you dare,” Rosie growls, and I know she’s worried I’ll lose control and hurt her mate.
Need’s twisted smile grows, and I know she isn’t finished. “I believe we’ve given you more than enough time to gather your army. Because I assure you, Vivian, whatever pathetic force you’ve mustered won’t be enough. Now, before I order a slaughter, I’m going to give you a chance to reconsider.”
“I’ll even show you what you’re up against, to ensure you make an educated decision,” she continues before commanding, “Remove the cloak.”
Leon’s power pulses, and Sin immediately stiffens, his own power flaring. But no attack comes. Instead, it looks like a mirage is dissipating as Need’s shields fall away.
My stomach lurches. We were supposed to be outnumbered twenty-to-one.
This isn’t twenty-to-one.
Behind us, I catch murmured curses from our own army, still invisible.
One of them sends a prayer to the Fates, and I can’t help but feel irritated. The Fates are the ones who got us into this mess.
Still, I understand the wish for divine intervention, because this… this isn’t good.
Thousands of soldiers stand in formation behind Need. It’s easy enough to differentiate between the different realms. The fae are wearing their typical chrome, Otherworld soldiers wear silver, and the angels are clad in brilliant white.
These angels are different from the few I’ve met. Massive, white, feathered wings extend from their backs.
But that isn’t what shocks me.
There’s an entire other army with them, with almost as many soldiers as the fae. Except they aren’t living – they’re ghosts.
Line upon line of transparent spirits stand between us and the corporeal army. Every one of them has a collar around their neck, and the metal glows a sickly pink.
I recognize them instantly – they’re the same collars we saw in the Underworld. Any relief I feel about finally confirming who’s behind the ghost disappearances vanishes when I spot the old woman from the Beast Realm, the Harvester, standing on the border of the ghost army.
That can’t be good.
Still, I manage to keep my face neutral when I turn back to Need. “Is this supposed to be a threat? Leon already told me that only broken souls can harm the living,” I note, feigning nonchalance.
One day, I might learn to stop walking into set-ups.
But the moment I catch the joy light up in Need’s eyes, I realize today is not that day.
She snaps her fingers, and immediately, two Otherworld soldiers drag someone out from the cover of the trees.
The captive kicks and screams as the guards drag her to the front lines, and I freeze as I take in her bleached-blonde hair. Even though it’s tousled and covering her face, I’d recognize her anywhere.
My mother.
Time feels as though it slows as Need snaps her fingers again. This time, it’s a ghost who steps forward, and before I can process what’s about to happen, he lifts his blade and stabs my mother in the heart.
There’s no pause for dramatic effect or bargaining. Her screams cut off, and she crumples to the ground in a lifeless heap.
I don’t scream.
I don’t rush forward to catch her.
I don’t do anything.
All I can feel is the deafening thrum of blood pulsing through my ears as her unseeing eyes remain open, as if even in death, she’s judging us.
“You see? Isn’t it remarkable what can be done with Creator power when you have certain… enhancements?” Need asks, smugly, but her voice feels like it’s coming from underwater.
I barely hear her, as my mind tries to catch up to the fact that my mother is dead.
All those years of abuse, the bruises she never apologized for, the nights I spent wishing she would stop.
And now, she has.
I expect to feel some kind of guilt or perverse satisfaction, but instead, I just feel empty.
Maybe the woman who birthed me already stole all the grief I was capable of giving her.
Or maybe, my soul has been repaired enough to quiet the dark urges that would’ve rejoiced at her death.
Whatever the reason, I only feel numb.
“Kitten,” Sin coaxes, “I’m so sor–”
“Don’t be. She wasn’t a good person,” I manage to grit back.
My instinct to retreat into my mind and dissociate pulls at me, but I shove it away.
My friends, my realms, my homes.
It takes a concentrated effort to force my expression into one of horror.
‘Don’t show your cards until the last moment!’ Cassandra’s memories yell out.
“I agree with her,” Sin notes in my mind, before giving an exaggerated sigh and addressing Need. “That was too quick a death for that monster,” he drawls.
But Need ignores him, evidently finished with waiting. “Well? I showed you mine. Do show me yours.”
When no one brings down the shields, she narrows her eyes and orders, “Remove it.”
Leon’s powers flare, only to be met by a surge of Sin’s energy as he blocks the attack on Morgana’s shield.
I’m too slow to realize it isn’t the only attack.
A bright green glow lights up the fog, and in less than a blink, the shield cloaking our army falls away.
I glance back and find only a few hundred soldiers behind us.
My stomach drops as I realize that could easily have been the death of our entire army.
Sin sends warmth through the bond, and I hold onto it for dear life.
Need grins triumphantly. “Well, isn’t this an adorable effort. Kill anyone without power. Capture the others,” she orders before apparating behind her soldiers, entourage in tow.
In the next heartbeat, the murderous spirits begin marching in our direction. The ground trembles from thousands of synchronized steps, and whispered static fills the air as the ghosts close in.
“Ready, kitten?” Sin asks, gently releasing my hand.
“You’ve got this, Vivi,” Rosie encourages, her gaze not leaving Irena.
They already know what I’m about to do.
My pulse slows as I watch them advance, and a sense of calm washes over me.
Because this is something I know I can do.
We hold our position until the last moment, buying our army as much time as possible.
I wait until they’re almost on top of us before finally lifting my gaze to find Need. The moment our stares meet, I let the horror fall from my face and smile.
Reaper energy flares over my skin, and it feels as easy as breathing to amplify it using my Creator powers. There’s no slipping or struggle for control as the golden light curls around silver threads, magnifying them, rather than combining.
Need frowns, unsure of what’s happening, until recognition dawns on her face.
She knows what I am.
But it’s too late. Silver light explodes over the spirits as I reap every last one of them.
In a single blast, the ghost army disappears.