Chapter 21 Archer
Chapter twenty-one
Archer
Looking down at her, I could see the fear in her eyes, and my shadows writhed in glee. They longed to taste her soul, to revel in the permanence of its submission to my power and hold her to her promise.
Behind me, Nathaniel wailed, falling to his knees in horror at the reality of what his beloved niece was doing.
“Persephone, no! Not like this. I never meant for it to be like this.”
“Then you should have made better choices,” I snarled, shooting out one hand, my power pinning Nathaniel against the far wall and holding him there. “You will not interfere.”
I watched as shadows began to climb Persephone’s body, wrapping her in ropes of darkness and holding her in place.
She started to smile, no doubt remembering the last time I’d held her in place like this.
But one flick of my wrist tightened the bindings, and her smile fell, the realization that this was going to be an entirely different experience.
“Persephone Emerson,” I said, holding up my hand, the ring on my finger now glowing red hot. “Do you enter this agreement of your own free will?”
She swallowed, not looking at all sure of herself. Against the wall, Nathaniel thrashed, fighting against my binding, but it was no use; he was held fast.
“I do.” Her words were shaky, but she met my gaze. “I know exactly what I want.”
“Well then, state your terms.”
She licked her lips, looking over my shoulder at her uncle, then at the others who stood by, watching us. I could see the moment her gaze landed on Delilah, because her lip curled in disdain.
“I’ll take you to the Key. I’ll submit to your punishment.
” She smiled coyly when she said it, but I didn’t react.
Realizing I wasn’t having any of her bullshit, she sighed and continued.
“I’ll even willingly accept my death if that’s what you think is right.
I only ask that you spare my uncle. Allow him to live, and I’ll bear the full burden of his actions. ”
“Archer, no. Please.” Nathaniel was full on sobbing now, his words barely decipherable as he cried. “You can’t. You care for her. I know you do. Don’t do this. Kill me. Punish me. Please.”
I stared at her, turning her terms over in my mind. On the surface, it seemed completely selfless. An act of sacrifice for the man who had done so much for her.
But I knew Persephone better than she thought I did. She never did anything if there wasn’t something in it for her.
“And how many years do you want?” Every deal came with an end date.
A time when the contract expired and the person who had made the bargain submitted for the final time, their soul landing in the Pit along with all the others.
Scores of mortals who thought they could be content if only they could have their deepest desires fulfilled.
Fools, the lot of them.
Happiness didn’t come from the superficial bullshit they all coveted.
But young mortals rarely understood the truth of that. Persephone, though, was far from young. Did she know better than all those hopeful souls that thought they could gain joy by making a deal with a devil?
“I only ask for the life that was owed to me. Release me from my immortality and allow me to live out the rest of my days naturally. However many that may be.”
“That’s an exceptionally narcissistic answer.”
“How?” she snapped, once again straining against the shadow ropes that bound her.
“I only want what every other mortal on the planet has; a fucking life.” Looking at Nathaniel, she continued, “I never asked for this! I never wanted to become this thing. Existing year after year. Never changing. Never growing. Trapped in a body that can’t ever do what it was meant to do.
” Looking around the room, her eyes pleaded with the others to understand.
“I wanted a family. I wanted to watch my children and grandchildren grow. To have a man who would love me, grow old together.” A single tear trailed down her cheek, all her false bravado gone as she bared her soul.
“I just want to live, Archer. Can’t you understand that? ”
I could. Not that Persephone would ever know it, but our stories weren’t that different. We’d both been promised a life that had been ripped away from us without our consent. And while I was always meant to be immortal, I’d never quite imagined that this would be how I’d spend my eternity.
But there was no changing it now.
Narrowing my eyes, I considered her request. It was not completely unreasonable, the problem was I didn’t have the power to grant it.
At least not yet.
Once we had assembled the pieces of the Fallen Key, I could undo the deal that had been made, but not before.
She didn’t need to know that, however.
“Alright, Persephone,” I finally relented, and the relief on her face was immediate. “I’ll agree to the deal. Your immortality for your uncle’s life. You’ll be free to live out your remaining years as you wish, aging like any other mortal until your time comes and you cross through the veil.”
“Balance,” Nathaniel murmured. “The final balance.”
“In return, I’ll spare your uncle’s life.
He’ll come to no harm by my hand. His purpose will continue as the Dark Lord intended when they struck their original bargain.
” I watched her turn my words over in her mind, looking for any loopholes and appearing satisfied.
When she nodded, I held out my hand. “Do we have an accord?”
Releasing her right arm from the shadows, I waited, ignoring Nathaniel’s continued muttering. Finally, with much hesitation, Persephone extended her hand for me to shake.
The second I grabbed it, she screamed, the power of the ring searing through her arm as the deal was forged on her very soul.
“What’s happening?” Delilah shouted, pushing forward in an attempt to come to Persephone’s aid, but Vine stopped her, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her back.
“Old magic,” he said, reverent. “As old as the Fall itself. You shouldn’t interfere, bestie. Just watch.”
“Persephone Emerson. By crossroad dirt and depths below, I bind you to me. By Hell’s holy fire I hold your mortal soul, freely given, to the covenant now struck.
” Raising my other hand, I formed a blade out of shadow, the edge honed to perfection.
When I pressed the blade to her arm, she tried to pull back, but I refused to let her go.
“You asked for this, Percy, so shut up and take it.” Holding Persephone tightly, I drew the blade across her forearm, opening a cut and releasing a thin line of blood, snarling when she let out a whimper.
I could feel my demon form rising, pressing through my human flesh, and Persephone’s eyes widened in horror when she looked at my face.
“By your life’s blood do you swear to uphold this pact?
” She stood before me, trembling in fear, her mouth moving but no sound came out. “Swear it!”
My roar startled her into action, and she stuttered out her agreement.
“Yes. Y-yes, Archer. I s-swear it.”
“Then by your agreement and my possession, the deal is made.”
With those words, the magic of the ring flared again.
For a moment, all the light was sucked out of the room as the binding power of the contract was finalized.
Persephone screamed again, her knees giving out as she collapsed to the floor, and this time, I let her go.
Smoothing my jacket, I took a deep breath, the demon power within me receding once again as I licked my lips, savoring the long-forgotten taste of a deal completed.
“What—what did you do?” Percy sobbed, her hands clawing at the neckline of her shirt.
She pulled it away, revealing the round image of my personal sigil, the same one on the ring, now burned into her flesh directly over her heart.
She gaped at the mark, staring in horror at the puckered emblem bearing my name.
One she’d wear for the rest of the life she’d bargained for. “Archer, what the fuck did you do?”
“I did what you asked,” I said dismissively. “You wanted a deal? You got one. And trust me, Persephone. You’ll get exactly what you bargained for.”
Turning away, I stepped up to Nathaniel, still hanging against the wall.
“Final,” he whispered between sobs. “So very final. You must find the balance, Archer. Before All Hallows Eve. The Veil must be unbroken by then, or all will be lost.” Glancing over my shoulder, Nathanial set his eyes on Delilah, and I had the insane urge to step in front of her.
To shield her from his gaze, but I held fast. “She is the Key. The Key to it all. Don’t let your nature rule your heart.
” He looked at me again, sadness and understanding in his eyes. “Find the balance, Archer. You must.”
“I will, my friend,” I said, unsure what I was agreeing to, but knowing he needed to hear it. “Thank you for everything.” Stepping closer, I lowered my voice so that only he could hear it. “I’m sorry it has to be this way, Nathaniel. But the laws must be upheld.”
Blowing out a breath, he only nodded. “I understand.” Casting another forlorn look at Percy where she still sobbed on the floor, her hand gently poking at the burned skin on her chest, Nathaniel added.
“Thank you for freeing her. I had the best of intentions when I made my deal, but sometimes our best intentions can have the most dire consequences.”
Wasn’t that the fucking truth?
“Where is it, Nathaniel?” I asked. “If you told them we were here they won’t be long. Tell me where it is so that I can do what I must.”
Lower lip still trembling, Nathaniel closed his eyes. “The steeple. It’s in the steeple. Persephone has the key. She knows the way.” Opening his eyes, his gaze flicked past me, landing on Delilah where Vine still held her. “The blood lock will answer her call.”
When he returned his gaze to me, eyes red, I could see a million regrets swirling in their sorrowful depths. “I truly am sorry, my friend,” I offered one last time.
He nodded, his face full of sorrow. “So am I.”
Clapping him on the shoulder, I released him from my hold, the shadows fleeing as he slumped to the floor. Percy crawled to him, and he wrapped her in his arms, rocking her gently. I let them have their moment, my own shriveled heart seeming to rouse at the tender, sorrowful exchange.
But then it hardened again, in a way that only years of service to the Brotherhood could manage.
“It’s time. Vine? Corson?”
The guys knew exactly what to do. Releasing Delilah, Vine moved over to Percy, pulling her away from her uncle and holding her tight. Corson, sighed, standing over Nathaniel and looking dejected.
I understood. We had already lost one Guardian; I, too, was loath to loose another.
But betrayal was betrayal, no matter how friendly the villain.
“Your work is done,” Corson began, and Percy let out a gasp.
“Archer, no!”
“Return to Grace,” Vine continued, his voice joining Corson’s as Percy thrashed against his hold.
Stepping forward, Mal lowered his eyes and joined them for the next line. “We shall now stand.”
“In your place.” I finished the incantation, my eyes never leaving Nathaniel’s as he knelt, accepting his fate.
“What are you doing?” Percy wailed, tears falling freely now. “You promised, Archer. We had a deal!”
“A deal I fully intend to keep, Persephone. I swore to you that your uncle would come to no harm by my hand.” I watched as realization struck, the blood draining from her face as she finally understood what she’d agreed to.
“Corson,” she whispered. “Corson, please. Don’t do this.”
“It has to be done.” He looked at her, his face full of compassion. “The law is the law, Persephone.”
“There has to be another way,” Delilah blurted, rushing to stand next to Nathaniel, her hand on his shoulder. “This can’t be the only option here.”
“You were told not to interfere,” I spat, glaring at her. Even in her sack of a dress, she stood tall, hands on her hips as she stared me down, the shadow collar at her throat dancing in agitation. “I suggest you step away now.”
“I won’t.”
“Fine.” Flicking my wrist, I sent a trail of shadows toward her, pining her arms against her body as they held her in place.
“No!” she shrieked, thrashing against their hold. “You bastard! That’s not fair.”
“I think you’ll find that not much in life is fair, witch.”
She continued to hurl insults at me, and between her snarling and Percy’s sobbing, I was ready to be done with the whole business.
“Corson.” I shared one last look with Nathaniel, hoping that he understood the depths of my regret for how things had played out. “Make it quick.”
Corson may have worked fast, but Persephone’s scream was never ending.