THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT
40
- ALANIS -
W hile I wait for Malakai to finish his meeting with the king, I gather everyone in the parlor. The deep mahogany floors shine from a fresh coat of wax, the bitter chemical smell still hanging in the air. The double glass doors stand open, letting a fresh breeze blow through, and the sound of birds flitting about outside creates such a peaceful happy moment within the chaos that has become my life that I can almost forget what’s in store for me. Basking in the sunshine, I stand looking at my found family and a warmth flows through me that I’ve never felt before. Elion, Hannah, Malakai, and Kailu. All of them have been here through this entire journey, and I wouldn’t want anyone else with me at the end.
At last, Malakai and the king step out of the study, so after I relay the new information, Mal hurries to ready the horses. The king studies me for a moment before coming to stand before me.
“You’re going to do it, aren’t you?”
My eyes burn as I nod. “There is no other way.”
His throat works on a swallow. “I fear that losing you will also mean losing my son.”
Before I can reply, a cloaked figure strides through the front door, unannounced. The guards unsheathe their swords, prepared to attack, only for their knees to abruptly turn to liquid and they fall. My father removes his hood, and the king drops to his knee so fast that I worry he hurt himself.
“Gods’ sake, please stand up,” Viros says, stopping before him. I bite back my smile. My father glances at me and winks. “You have made the realm quite proud with how you lead. The Gods are very happy with you. I am also happy to see how much you care for my daughter.”
The king clears his throat as he gets to his feet. “I care for her like she is my own.”
“I see that.” Turning to me, he smiles. “I received your letter and did as you asked. I have no promises it will work, but they will come to wherever you want. I can’t promise the others will, though.”
“I understand,” I say. “I will take anything I can. Please tell them to meet me at the Hallowed Temple in exactly one day.”
Viros nods. I think he is going to leave, but instead steps forward, pulling me into a tight embrace.
He whispers into my ear so low I’m sure the king can’t hear: “I’m not sure what your plan is, but be careful. You can’t trust the Hell Gods.” Then he steps back, cradling my cheeks. A devious smile takes over his face. “I was told you gave your grandmother my best. I must say, I’m quite impressed. I wish I would have thought of drowning the old bat.”
I laugh. “Don’t worry, you might get your chance. Will you stand with us on the battlefield?”
He tilts his head, examining me as if I’m a particularly interesting butterfly who’s just alighted on his outstretched finger. “I will stand with you always. You are my daughter, whether I had the chance to raise you or not.”
More tears gather in my eyes. I swear I have cried more in the past few weeks than I have in the past year.
When Malakai returns, Viros leaves to relay my message, but I’m sure I will be seeing him again soon. With Iclas moving his army into battle positions, we don’t have time to make the week-long journey to the temple by horse. Ghoul attacks happen daily. The lives of the people of this realm are in more and more danger every second we wait.
We ride straight through the remainder of the day and arrive at the port around midnight. Kailu sent word to a ship captain who resides in Thornhill Meadow, who meets us on the docks, ensuring we will reach our destination by midmorning.
The crew wastes no time casting off, and before long we are bobbing on the Azian Sea on our way to the shipping dock that sits directly across from the Shivering Lake. Being back on a ship throws my thoughts back to the past, to the last time I was on one with Elion, escaping the Caselian Realm. That ship ride was one filled with the pain of losing our parents and the fear of the unknown; unfortunately, this one isn’t much different. Once we dock, it will only take a few hours to trek to the temple. Luckily, we were able to bring our horses onboard, so it shouldn’t be too hard to make it there before my guests.
Nerves rack my body, making me unable to sleep, no matter how warm I am with Malakai and Kailu at my side. They refuse to leave me, something I appreciate more than anything. Kailu’s arm is outstretched, my head resting in the crook of his shoulder while his fingertips brush lazily over the shaved sides of Malakai’s head. Malakai has one of my hands in his, our fingers aligned, moonlight painting our knuckles in silver. I’m content, and I know they are, too, no matter what we face with the dawn.
As the sun crests over the horizon, we can just barely make out the Isle of Rimoldi through the early morning mist. The Isle creates a frightening picture against the blood red sunrise. The dark silhouette of the castle spires protrudes into the sky, the mist from the ocean creating a fog like effect around the cursed Isle. The hair on my arms raises, as if the air awaits a lightning strike.
We dock by noon, slightly later than originally anticipated. We still have plenty of time, though. I quickly double check that my satchel has everything I may need on the journey: a canteen of water, the remedy for ghoul poison, a few food provisions, and of course flint and steel and an extra dagger. We saddle up our horses and take off at a steady canter, unwilling to miss the one chance we have. I need to set Leena free before anyone else arrives.
When Malakai slows, the rest of us follow his lead. Rising up out of the ground before us is an old gray, stone temple. Ivy adorns large pillars, weaving up and around the front of the grand structure. The stairs are cracked and in need of some tender love and care, but other than that, it looks to be in good condition, save for the knee-high grass around it. I climb the stone steps and pause at the threshold where I can feel something lingering in the air, so I reach out toward a shimmer. My finger graze over some type of barrier, nearly invisible.
No doubt a spell.
My heart thunders in my chest. For all I know, passing through this barrier may let Iclas know my location. I inhale deeply and turn to face Malakai and Kailu. They look at me with eyes so full of love that I struggle with the words I need to say.
“I know what you plan to do. I don’t know if it’s both of you, or just Mal…”
He quirks his eyebrow at me. Kailu stares between us, solidifying what I know.
I grab Mal’s face, kissing him fiercely. “I know, Malakai,” I whisper, laying my forehead against his.
His fingers press into the back of my neck, his warm breath cascading over me. “I will not live in this world without you.”
I look at him through tear-blurred eyes. “And you must know that I will not let you die.”
Kailu’s sad expression breaks my heart. “Mal…”
Malakai turns to him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think of it the second the matriarch told us the other way would take too long. Don’t tell me you can stand to live in this Godsforsaken world without her.”
Kailu swallows hard, tears brimming in his eyes, but Mal continues. “If she dies and the mating bond breaks, the pain will be unbearable.”
“But survivable,” I whisper.
Kailu looks down. “A broken mating bond by death is painful and final, Alanis. Please don’t do this. The pain of the bond breaking is just the start; he will feel hollow and empty, a piece of him always missing.”
I look between these two males I love. “But he will survive, will he not?”
Kailu hesitantly nods.
“And he will have you,” I whisper as I quickly step back through the barrier. Under my breath I chant the spell I found in the castle records. The one that keeps others from entering save for those I allow. Malakai goes to follow, but the shield snaps into place.
His wide silver eyes and Kailu’s deep green ones stare at me in horror. “Alanis, what have you done?” Kailu whispers.
“I will free Leena,” I declare. “It is the least I can do before I fulfill this prophecy. Completing the prophecy should weaken Iclas’s magic, which will give you all time to end him once and for all.”
Malakai pales. His fear palpable in the space between us. “Alanis…”
Tears scorch down my cheeks. “I know you wanted to find another way, but don’t you see? There isn’t one. The only way for you all to stand any type of chance is for me to break the curse. I will not let you die. I will not watch as more people I love perish. Please forgive me.”
Before anyone can try to change my mind, I turn and run, racing the sun. I need to find Leena’s bones and free her. I sprint down the hall that should lead to the room I saw on the blueprints. The stone floor is cracked in certain places, weeds sprouting up between them. I hear Malakai scream my name, agony shooting down the bond, almost causing me to crumble.
Gritting my teeth, I keep going until I can see the archway. There in the corner sits the dais. The only thing in the entire room. I have to swallow the bile that threatens to work its way up my throat. Bones are scattered everywhere. My foot crunches on what I can only assume is a centuries-old femur. I tiptoe through the room, cautious of the skeletons littering the floor, doing my best to leave the dead undisturbed. At last I reach the dais, littered with bones.
The sun shines through the window, glinting off something in the dark. I round it to peek into the alcove to the right of the dais. A beautiful crown of diamonds and gold sits atop a pile of bones. The crown is delicate, the intricate design like a swirl of golden branches with diamond flowers intertwined. I gently pick it up, placing it in the bag that carries everything I need.
Without disturbing the bones, I quickly scatter oil over them, not trusting my powers alone with such a time-sensitive job. Sending a quick prayer to the Gods, I dig deep into my emotions and summon every ounce of frustration I can. Flames light up my fingertips, just enough for me to make the bones catch fire.
A sudden scream rips me out of my trance. I race to the closest window of the temple. The king’s army is here, but so are an endless sea of ghouls. I knew the king’s army wasn’t far behind us, since he made sure we would have extra support just in case. The soldiers took a bit longer to prepare for battle, so Malakai said they planned for a unit to follow on a ship that left shortly after our own, while the few soldiers stationed in the nearby villages rode on horseback to the temple. Glancing at the ensuing battle, I glimpse a field of sunflowers, bobbing in a gentle breeze just beyond them.
Shit. Blood will be spilled on a field of gold . I thought the psychic was talking about the Golden Vale, but the field in the distance shines golden in the sun.
I’ve essentially led my family straight into a war zone. I look around, Iclas nowhere to be found, but my eyes lock on Orion who stands just a handful of feet from the temple, slicing his sword across any King’s Guard in his way.
Fucking traitor.
Another scream pierces the air. All heads whip to the Banshee, whose entire body is engulfed in flames. Elion cries out her name, Kailu scrambling to hold him back. I set her free, but at what cost? She stands near the bottom of the steps to the temple, her eyes locking on mine, and I realize she isn’t screaming in pain. Her eyes are clear. A beautiful smile graces her face.
A bright white light descends from the sky, blinding me for a moment. When my vision clears, all that remains where the princess once stood is a pile of ash.
Elion’s scream of agony rips my heart out.
The enemy converges on them again, Malakai doing his best to fight off not only a handful of ghouls but also a few possessed human soldiers. I throw my powers out, taking out as many as possible, but am thrown backwards when Orion tackles me from the side. I slam my elbow into his head and scramble to my feet, sword drawn.
“ I love you ,” I say through the bond, and then focus on killing this bastard.
He slashes out, his sword barely missing me. I focus on my emotions, letting them boil over. I shoot out a dagger of ice, slicing Orion across the face.
“You’re going to regret that,” he growls, coming at me with all his Fae strength. I dodge just in time, but he still manages to slice across my arm.
“ Alanis, please tell me you’re all right. ”
Malakai’s voice is desperate. I quickly put him at ease. I need him focused on his fight. Fire is still my weakest power, so I try for water. I tap into every feeling and throw a ball of water at Orion, just as I did with my grandmother. He fights against it, his brute strength making it hard to hold.
The sounds outside grow louder. Flames erupt on the battlefield. Perhaps my grandmother has arrived. And seconds later, a horn blares in the distance, announcing the arrival of the king himself with his inner circle of soldiers that he personally trained when he first took over the throne.
I try to harness my ice, attempting to freeze Orion, but all that manages to do is take my focus off my water and my power sputters out.
Orion drops to his hands and knees, vomiting up water. I won’t give him time to gather himself, so I raise my blade.
“Did you ever question why Elion became so interested in your prophecy?” He gives me a twisted smile. He knows I have him trapped. He’s just trying to buy time.
But damn it, I pause anyway.
“No one would suspect the quiet human. Iclas knew what he was doing. The minute he knew you entered this realm, he placed his second agent into your life so seamlessly. It would have worked out much easier if you hadn’t gone to his house that day, but oh well. Here we are.”
My brain races. A second traitor. One I never would have assumed.
“Levi.”
His teeth are coated in blood. “Levi just had to make Elion question those little tugs, and Elion did the rest. Found exactly what Iclas was looking for. Then we just needed him to remain hidden, so the ghouls took him as well, just to be safe. And now he knows all your plans. Your inner workings…” He breaks off, laughing.
“ Levi is a traitor ,” I say to Malakai. “ He is working against us. ”
“Why?” I ask Orion. “Why would Levi help Iclas?”
Orion smiles. “He’s his son, of course. Iclas had me bring him a lovely little treat from a brothel. I thought he just wanted some fresh blood instead of the stored shit he had. Turns out he had another need to satisfy first. He used her for months, and then found out she was pregnant. Keep in mind, he also had Paliri at the time. Iclas always did have quite the appetite. Selfish, too.”
I feel sick. I don’t have much longer before his strength returns. I have to end it now.
Gods forgive me.
I slash clean through his throat. His blood sprays across the room, bathing the white stone in crimson. He drops, eyes vacant, his face forever etched in a sinister smile.
A golden light flares behind me. Viros casually walks up the stone steps of the temple, splattered with blood but uninjured. My spell is apparently unable to keep a God out.
Seconds later, a black glow emanates from the far wall of the temple. Two figures emerge, their presence instantly cooling the space around us.
Hell has arrived.
“What is the meaning of this?” screeches Caselia, Goddess of Law and Life.
The dark figure now leaning against the back wall flicks his sharp nails, looking bored with the entire scene before him. “It seems as if this human has summoned us. How very brave to bring us all together like this. How very stupid, too.”
I tilt my chin up. “I am the child they talked about in the prophecy. My mother was Odessa Grim, my father is one of you. My blood is the only way this curse shall end. The only way to end Iclas. You cursed those who were breaking the ethics and laws of your land, but Iclas forged a deal with hell. He never died; his army is fighting ours as we speak. He has sacrificed, kidnapped, tortured, and possessed countless creatures—Fae, Elves, Witches, and human alike. But you knew that already. What you don’t know is he is playing God, and gaining more power as we speak.”
They continue to stare at me, but I turn my attention to the two who wear all black. The God of Hell and Shadow stands taller than even Malakai or Kailu, his ebony hair slicked back, his jawline sharp. His eyes a ruby red that seem to track my every move. The Goddess of Vengeance and Death has her lips pursed. Her soft, heart-shaped face makes her seem softer than she truly is. Her eyes are the color of charcoal and make her look almost catlike as she squints at me. Her hair is black, but when the light hits it just right, it could almost be dark blue. “You all love chaos and corruption, but I’m sure you didn’t account for Iclas gaining so much that he could beat you. He wants it all. Before long he will try to take you on. There’s no other way. He wants free reign. He no longer wants to be bound by anything. He believes he can obtain everything he’s ever wanted by joining with me and then drinking my blood, but that’s not going to fully free him, is it?”
Ryta scoffs. “He stands no chance against us.”
Shaking my head, I continue. “He may be free of the Isle, but you will all still have the debts he owes to you. He is not a man who likes to be controlled, and you have all but enslaved him. He will use the power he unlocks to try and end you all. You’ve made him immortal. If he gets ahold of my magic, it won’t be chaos. It will be the end of this world.”
I look at each of them in turn, holding eye contact as I go. “I came to this realm for peace, only to be thrown into another war. And this time, I’ve been informed I must die to save everyone. I have found the ones my soul calls to, but must give them up in order to do this. The pain of that sacrifice alone feels like death itself. I do not fear death; I fear never seeing my loved ones again. I fear not getting to know my father. I fear that my mates will try to follow me into death. But I know what must be done.”
Caselia the Goddess of Law and Life, and Ryta the Goddess of Vengeance and Death, step forward. Their physical similarities are striking, save for their eyes: Ryta’s eyes are almost black where Caselia’s are a light golden-brown.
“You’re sisters,” I blurt.
They both smile. “Two sides of the same coin,” Ryta whispers.
The God of Hell snorts. His tattoos depict Hell itself. Flames lick up his throat towards his face, which remains untouched by ink. His arms are roped in skeletons seemingly crawling from the depths of Hell, with a sword surrounded by flame in the center. The other arm is decorated with a serpent, whose fangs bite into a red fruit. The tattoo looks so real that the juice dripping from the fruit almost resembles blood.
“Ames, God of Hell, I presume?”
He smiles. “Smart daughter you have there, Viros.” His voice is gravelly and frightening, like a strange, far-off sound that makes you double-check you’ve locked your doors at night.
“You do know that the last time all of us were together was the beginning of this realm,” Viros says.
I hear my name. I whirl, finding Malakai slamming his fists against the barrier. The fighting still rages on, but it seems as if we are winning.
“Please, Alanis don’t!” Tears stream down his face. The king comes up behind him, restraining his arms, trying to avoid self-injury. Kailu is fighting off every ghoul that tries to get to Malakai while his back is turned, but every time one is felled he glances my way before another rears up. He needs to focus, they all do.
“I love you. Through this life and the next. Tell Kailu for me, will you?” I say, loud enough I know he heard me. His eyes stay locked on mine, his heart cracking open in his chest. The pain mirrors in my own.
I look to my father, his face an unreadable mask. “You’re the one who took Matilda’s journal from the campsite, aren’t you? You brought it back here and made sure it ended up somewhere that would lead back to me.”
My father nods. “You deserved to know the truth.”
I smile and take a deep breath. “I’m ready. This needs to end.”
Ames looks between me and Malakai. “A mating bond is a sacred thing. Even us in Hell honor the bonds the Fates have tied.”
My gaze lingers on him, trying to decipher what he’s trying to communicate with me. “The Fates have tied me to my mate but also to a prophecy that rips me from him. It doesn’t seem fair, so I have no hope in the Fates any longer. They can go straight to Hell for all I care.” I grimace. “No offense, of course.”
Ames chuckles. The deep sound reverberates off the walls of the temple. “None taken. It’s an interesting thing, this prophecy.”
A power surge pushes against the temple, magic thrashing against the barrier. Just beyond the entrance. Beyond where Malakai and Kailu now kneel, I can see my grandmother.
The Gods and Goddesses all stare with a sense of wonder as the entire Shadow Vale Coven links hands, creating a half-circle around the temple, and begin chanting something I can’t understand. The barrier flickers.
The remaining enemies inside their spell collapse, bodies writhing in pain.
Their chanting increases as they work as one unit. Their bodies seem to glow, creating a shape as their chants reach a crescendo.
A crescent moon.
A growl shudders the temple’s foundations, causing rocks and stones to fall around our little circle. Malakai is hunched over in pain, his body contorting at an odd angle. I lunge towards him but slam into an invisible wall. The damn Gods and Goddesses have trapped me in here.
“Malakai!” I scream his name, his eyes whipping towards me. Liquid silver eyes that I love more than anything. His skin changes, shiny black and silver coursing down his body. The earth shudders again, so strongly that my body tumbles back, crashing to the temple floor. When I look back, Malakai is gone, and in his place rises a black dragon with silver flecks on its scales, almost as large as the temple itself. It huffs a breath, smoke pouring from its nostrils. The creature’s eyes meet mine and I can feel our bond.
Malakai.
Malakai’s dragon is part of the prophecy, not Leena. Malakai and my grandmother.
“‘For under the crescent moon the powers will come alive.’ I was wondering what dragon would be set free,” Ames muses.
“The Shadow Vale Witches have not been unified since Odessa left,” Ryta murmurs. “This is the first time that their power has risen up and come together. Dragons have long since vanished, but I never thought about a Fae shifting into a dragon. Just as well, it still works.”
I swallow down the pain, knowing if this is in fact part of the prophecy, my sacrifice is next.
I give them a nod, and with a few muttered words, a glowing golden ring forms around us. One by one, each God and Goddess mutters a chant, a golden line of light shooting from them to me. I feel each thread as if it’s physically tied to my heart. A tight, pulling sensation emanates from my chest, like the tug and pull of a corset drawing tied.
I feel the bond between me and Malakai, deeper than I have ever felt it before. But another dull tug pulls at my chest. I just can’t pinpoint what it is. Malakai roars, breathing flame over every enemy that still remains. I’m not sure where Iclas has been through all of this. With my sacrifice, he will be so severely weakened that he can easily be killed. He will be nothing but mortal, and that alone grants me a sense of peace.
“ I love you more than anything in this world. Tell Kailu how much I love him. I’m sorry we didn’t have more time. Forgive me. Kill Levi. Kill Iclas. Save this land. ”
With my final words to Malakai, I focus everything on death. Ryta is chanting, the final Goddess to tie her bond to me. We have finally reached the end.
The ground shakes so hard I swear the temple may crack in half.
“ALANIS!” Malakai screams my name. My gaze latches on his, back in his human form. Kailu is fighting to get through the cracks in my spell using his powers, sword, and even fists, but by the time he does it will be too late.
Ryta connects to me, the golden thread tying to my chest. My body seizes. Instead of falling, my body is lifted from the ground. Pain radiates in every part of me. I’m unsure what is my pain and what is Mal’s, but I can hear him screaming my name even as it grows distant.
The deities’ murmurs grow until it becomes so loud it is just a hum in my ears. Stones crash from the ceiling. My father steps into the golden circle, placing a hand on my chest, right over my heart. His hand glows. Each deity steps forward one at a time, creating a cocoon around my body. When Ryta touches me, everything instantly fades to black.
No pain, no light.
Malakai’s screams fade. Kailu’s frantic shouts of my name go silent.
I no longer feel Mal.
I no longer feel fear.
A sense of peace washes over me.
- KAILU -
My body doesn’t feel like my own. I watch as Alanis is lifted into the air, golden tethers connecting her to the Gods and Goddesses.
My heart splinters in my chest. I try everything I can to get the shield she has over the temple to drop, but my efforts are in vain. No matter what I do, the thing won’t dissolve.
A pang resonates in my chest, this deep pull that ends with a sharp tug. I turn horror-filled eyes to Alanis.
No…
I felt it. It was only an instant, but I felt it. This tug pulling me towards her.
A mating bond.
I roar, doubling my efforts to get through the shield.
Malakai is lost in his grief, but she isn’t gone yet. We can still save her.
The tug disappears and fear slithers up my spine. Malakai is screaming and I can no longer hold myself up. I fall to my knees.