Chapter Twenty-Three #4
She landed on top of Deuce, and a heavy thud sounded as they both crashed to the forest floor. I heard a slick sound and felt the pierce of her arrow sink into the earth beneath the weight of Deuce’s body.
And then… nothing.
Deuce remained unmoving in the dirt. Ava had stabbed the vampire straight through the heart with one of her arrows, claiming his life.
She rolled off of him, then spat on his corpse. “Good fucking night, asshole.”
“Ava!” I fell out of Marcus and Ez’s arms, crawling toward her. Kallie and Danny’s restraints fell away, and our friends ran forward to come to Ava’s aid. I dropped to her side, running my hands over her body in search of injuries.
“Did you really do it?” I choked through tears of relief. “Is he dead?”
Ava cupped my face in her hands. “It’s done, Charlie. You’re safe now. I took care of him.”
Tears cascaded from my eyes, raining upon the bloody ground. “You were so brave,” I rasped as I stroked her hair. “You came into this battle without magic, but you made it your strength.”
“Shh. It’s okay,” Ava pressed, trying to soothe me. “Deuce won’t hurt us anymore.”
Danny kicked Deuce’s head, which lulled in the dirt. “There’s only one way to make sure of that. We’re gonna have to rip apart this fucker’s body and burn the pieces.”
Marcus nearly gagged at the thought. “You’re welcome to do the honors.”
“My pleasure,” Danny said in a delighted tone. “I won’t let this arsehole come back and best me again.”
Danny was obviously butthurt he wasn’t the best vampire demigod around. But worse things had happened today.
“You might as well finish off Naya the same way,” I said. “Her body’s back there in the trees.”
Kallie was already on the move. “Let’s go dismember that bitch and make a bonfire. I’m done with both of them.”
Our friends went to deal with the corpses of the antidemigods, while Oberi cleared a spot in the dirt to make a fire. I heard a groan as Eddie roused from somewhere nearby.
“Did we get him?” Eddie asked faintly. “Is Charlie okay?”
Ez stumbled over to Eddie. “Charlie’s fine. Are you good?”
“He blasted back one of my illusion spells, but I’m fine now.” Eddie’s words were nearly a shudder as he rose to stand. “Cursed vampire. It’s a blessing he’s gone for good.”
Ava and I didn’t move. She fell into my arms while I clutched her close. My pulse began to slow, and that’s when I realized the sounds of battle had completely faded. I drew away from Ava and asked, “Did everyone else make it to the lake?”
“Yes, we’re the last ones. Most of The Mission is dead, and the rest of the cowards have fled.”
“Then we have to get moving so I can close that portal. We can’t risk another wave of Mission members showing up and following us through.”
“Not to mention Esther and Mad Dog haven’t shown up yet, but if they’re not here already, they’re on their way,” Ava seethed. “We need to get out of here before they arrive.”
We did, because I didn’t think with as battle worn as we all were, we could face two more antidemigods and survive today.
I struggled to get to my feet, but Oberi was there to catch me before I fell. He lifted me onto his back before he set Ava on in front of me. I didn’t think I could take another step even if I forced myself to.
Our friends had dragged the antidemigods’ bodies over.
Kallie threw Naya’s wings on the ground, while Marcus and Ez carried her body.
Danny worked quickly to tear the antidemigods’ limbs apart, tossing them all into a pile.
I heard the snap of Deuce’s neck as Danny ripped his head clean off his shoulders.
“Hang on,” Ava said. “Give me that. There’s something I need to do with it.”
Danny clicked a lighter. “Aw, but I was just about to light ‘er up.”
“We need to leave a message behind for the Warden.” Ava withdrew one of her throwing knives, and I heard skin tear open as she scrawled a bloody note onto Deuce’s skull. When she was done, she held the head out to the others by the hair. “Put this on a stake.”
“With pleasure.” Kallie’s voice was gleeful as she slammed a pike into the ground, then stuck Deuce’s head on the top of it. Oberi turned and began to walk away, our friends following his wake.
What did Ava write? I asked Oberi, wondering what the message could be.
Oberi’s bitter voice made a promise as he growled, You’re next.
Good. I hoped the Warden saw the message, and knew we were coming for him.
Eddie ran to pick up my grandfather’s sword, and the fire blazed at our backs as we left the battlefield and returned to the lake.
We passed through the portal I’d created, emerging onto the beach in Ilamanthe.
As soon as we stepped onto the sand, I closed the portal within the ocean.
I felt the magic wash away, and my shoulders fell once I was confident no one could follow us through.
Alana and her Toaqua battalion were waiting for us when we stepped through the hole in Ava’s shield and back into the safety of Ilamanthe. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the ancestors! We didn’t know how much longer we should wait before going back for you.”
“We had to take care of some things first,” Ava told her sister. “But we’re all alive, and that’s what matters.”
“We saved a lot of lives today,” Erica said. Marcus’ sister sounded confident as she added, “That’s one more Mission stronghold the Warden doesn't have. Today was a victory.”
Ava’s guard Eldin approached, wheeling Ava’s all-terrain chair through the sand. “We’ve retrieved your chair from the palace, princess.”
Ava slid off of Oberi’s back with Marcus’ help. I remained on my wyvern’s back, unable to go anywhere, really. I was struggling to keep my eyes open at the moment.
Once Ava was back in her chair, she turned to address Eldin. “I need a report. Where is everyone else?”
“The Firebirds escorted the fae refugees to a beach on the other side of the island,” Eldin explained. “It’s the only place large enough to set up a camp that can house that many people. We are awaiting your orders.”
“Of course,” Ava stated diplomatically. “We’ll make our way there immediately.”
“I want to help,” I offered weakly. I cringed as one of my hands jumped up to hold my side without me meaning to. Speaking, breathing, thinking— everything hurt right now. Staying awake was a tremendous effort, and even though I wanted to, I wasn’t sure I could help myself, let alone anyone else.
“Charlie, you need to go back home,” Ava said, the order gentle, but insistent. “You’re barely conscious. You need rest.”
“I won’t leave you,” I muttered, refusing to part from her side.
“You will if I ask,” Ava replied, with what I hoped was all the love she had left for me. “I can handle things, and so can the rest of us. I have enough help, but I won’t be able to focus if I’m worried about you. I’ll come to you when I’m done.”
I had to honor her request, because my body wasn’t giving me any other choice. I wasn’t well enough to fly, so the guys helped me off of Oberi and into a royal van. I couldn’t sit up, so I was laid on a stretcher in the back.
“Oberi, go with him,” Ava commanded. Oberi transformed into a husky to hop into the back.
After a moment’s pause, I heard Ava add, “Eddie, you better go, too.”
“Absolutely, princess.” Eddie didn’t fail to follow her order, jumping into the van beside me.
Every bump in the road made my stomach lurch, and the weaving of the car made me dizzy. I let out an involuntary moan at the jarring of the van.
Surprise dashed through me when I felt a rough and callused hand hold my own.
“I’m here, sire.” Eddie squeezed my fingers tightly. “I’m not going anywhere. I never will.”
Though my mouth was dry, I managed to rasp, “I know.”
There were tons of medical staff waiting once we got back to the palace. I was rushed to the hospital, where a multitude of healers started working on fixing me and mending my back.
It took a while, but eventually, I recovered from the worst of my blood loss and was able to stand on my own. I was still exhausted, but the flesh on my back was completely clean, like I’d been remade brand-new.
I was thanking every god in the Blessed Haven for the miracle that was magic. Without it, I’d definitely be dead. I was sad I didn’t get to be with my grandfather… but happier I’d made it through, because I got to stay here with Ava, and my son.
Eddie didn’t part from me for a second. He stayed with me constantly, and helped me back to my quarters once the healing was done.
He helped me change out of my bloody, ragged clothes and into new ones, aiding me into bed.
I laid down against the pillows, and finally, the world managed to right itself again.
Sprigs jumped onto my chest. He emitted a tiny wail, then threw his twiggy arms around my chin in a little plant hug. He couldn’t understand what had happened out there, but he seemed happy to have me back.
Eddie sat at my bedside. “Are you truly sure you’re all right, sire?”
Through my cracked lips, I gasped, “I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for you. You bought me time. You saved me.”
Eddie sniffed. “Well, sire, it was simply what I had to do. I heard you cry out, and I knew it was for me. I couldn’t resist your screams. They cut into the core of my soul. So I came.”
I unsurfaced the one thing I’d been wanting to say to him for months. “I’m so sorry, Eddie. For everything.”
“I’m sorry, too.” Eddie cried at the simplest of circumstances, but his tears were justified now. “I never wanted to be apart from you. Our bond breaking was a bitter division that I regret with the fullest of my being now.”
“I regret it, too. I wish I hadn’t done it. It was a hasty decision.” I tasted salt as a bead of water dripped against my mouth. “I was blinded by rage when Alistair escaped. I couldn’t understand that you didn’t have any part in it.”
Eddie cleared his throat. “I am upset with Alistair as well, but I cannot ask him why he did what was done. That is in the past. We must move forward now.”
“You didn’t have to come to my defense, because we’re not bonded anymore, but you did. You didn’t give up on me even after everything I did to you.”
“Of course I did. I cared for you through everything, and I care even now,” Eddie insisted. “I could never be truly angry at you for what you did. I was devastated that you had lost your way, but you seem to have found it again.”
“I hope so. I… I want to make things right with everyone. Especially her.”
“She will forgive you, as I have,” Eddie promised. “Our magical bond may be severed, but no one can break the bonds of friendship. I have learned the valuable lesson that the magical bonds one is born with are not nearly as important as the emotional bonds one cultivates through life.”
I nodded slowly. “They’re not. I thought I was alone, and that I didn’t have anybody to help me get through this world, but I was wrong. I have great brothers that keep taking care of me, no matter how much shit I put them through. Chancey. Marcus. Ez. And you.”
Eddie’s voice wavered, on the precipice of great loss, and rediscovery of what we’d once left behind. “Magical bond or not, you will always be my brother.”
Eddie threw his arms around me, squeezing me to him.
I hugged him back and knew he was right about the brotherhood we shared.
I hated not having Eddie around, but his intentions were clear.
He didn’t serve me because he had been obligated to, and never had.
He’d been here for me because he wanted to be.
And to be honest, that was all I wanted in the first place.
“Brothers for life,” I promised. “And even beyond.”