Chapter 19 #4
“Fortunately, you have been found to be naturally immune to the effects of it.”
“Unfortunately, though, it’s not something you can replicate. The death magic running through my veins won’t allow that.”
Before he could answer, this time his phone buzzed.
He pulled it out and swiped it open, then I saw him frowning.
Then a smile spread over his face.
He stowed it away and told me, “Remnant has just contacted me. He’s raided the location of Victor Halrow’s hybrid army and turned them all over to the Guardian Movement.”
“That’s his version of a peace offering to you.”
“Yes. And it’s a powerful one.” He stepped up to me and laid his hand on my shoulder. “I need to head back now. You get to your loves. Keep me posted and I’ll do the same.”
“I will.”
“This must be done as a joint effort for us to succeed, Sylas.”
“I know,” I admitted. “I’m not planning any wild unilateral moves. Too much is at stake.”
He nodded, then led me out of his home flanked by a forest.
In the next moment, he teleported out.
I was about to do the same, when I realized I needed to take a beat before heading to Solumira.
Decisions would need to be made and they would be met with a lot of heat and worry that I’d have to allay. Kind of hard to do when I was worried myself.
Things were different now.
It wasn’t just about me.
It wasn’t just about saving unknown people to me either.
This was my family.
Our unborn child.
Before I knew it, I’d walked a good two hundred feet into the forest.
I pulled out my phone and sent a text back to Velra and Cassius, then one to Kai.
And then I called Lazriel.
It rang and rang, but he didn’t pick up.
Yeah, it had been a long shot, because I knew he was in deep talks with his mom, Jaxon, and Vorzyr right now. And when Jaxon was leading those sorts of meetings with the Shifter Stabilization Unit he didn’t like any external distractions.
I went to put my phone away, but rustling through the trees caught my attention, pulling me up short.
It wasn’t windy.
The rustling wasn’t… normal.
I spun around, peering through the gaps in the trees, which was easy to do given that it was still daytime.
There was nothing.
The rustling intensified.
I moved to employ Soul Track, which would enable me to lock onto any living souls in the immediate area.
I was hoping it was Ambrose finally making contact and just doing so in a dramatic way.
Something slammed into my back and I stumbled forward.
Before I could turn around, another slam assaulted me from the side.
Another and another, until I hit the grass on my back.
I called my power instinctively and even used it to burst back to my feet as my crimson flames flared on either palm.
Rushes of movement swirled around me faster than I could discern.
And then it all stilled and I found myself surrounded.
What. The. Fuck?
I never forgot a face.
“Necromancer,” one of them seethed at me.
One of many.
All from that Puritas cell that Cassius and I had taken care of—all those he’d obliterated before I’d been able to lift a finger with the same intent.
Another whirl of movement had me looking over my shoulder to see more figures had materialized.
The Dark Fae contingent that I’d murdered at the CRS facility that Morien had been using.
I couldn’t… feel them, though.
They were… they weren’t alive.
But they also weren’t dead.
With a burst, one of them slammed into me, making me stagger back.
They were corporeal, then.
No doubt about that.
A gray film covered them and they all had a gaunt appearance.
The Valley of the Dead!
The damage had worsened.
That was how they were here now standing before me.
I readied myself as they moved in.
But then a blast of gray power ripped through the trees, downing several of them and making those surrounding me hiss and spin around in fury.
It was enough for me to thrust my palm out and blast back those behind me, breaking the circle they’d formed. I captured them in Undead Domination in the next moment, lifting them off the ground and holding dozens of them immobile.
My reaction was compromised as I took a few seconds to call the baby rattle forth, then send it away to the closest one of my loves to my current location. I couldn’t risk falling and having it locked away with my magic and our baby missing an energy feed.
The moment I’d discreetly completed the task, I then turned to deal with the Puritas contingent and trap them in Undead Domination as well to give myself time to determine a solution to this unique problem.
But it was too late then, as I felt a burst of power behind me a moment before a hand wrapped around my throat.
“Apologies, distorted revenants, but your vengeance will have to wait. Not to worry, he will be joining you in the Valley of the Dead rather quickly.”
“Father,” I strained against his constricting grip.
Before I could move to strike him, a familiar form of a toned guy in a silver cape teleported right in front of me. The Light Fae with the staff topped with a glowing peach orb, the one who’d led the attack on my home.
The one we now knew to be Gregor Varsellis.
Leader of Puritas.
He blew a whole lot of glimmering power in my face.
No.
My father holding me in a body lock prevented me from turning my head to avoid inhaling it.
And then it was infusing me, burning through my lungs, and forcing a head-spinning weakness in mere seconds.
Light Fae dust infused with Celestial…
My thoughts tapered off.
I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
The forest faded away.
And then… it was all gone.