Igniting Spirit (Gathering Water Book 3) (21 page)

“I guess it would.” We needed backup.

*Dad, please tell me you’re close.

I sent my father an updated image of what was happening now.

-Try and keep him occupied for another few minutes, Della. We’re close.

*I can’t let him hurt Ezra, Dad.

-I know. I love you, Della. We won’t let him take Ezra from you. Trust me.

*I do. I love you, too. Just hurry!

“What do you want with him?” I asked, desperate to keep him talking. Villains in the movies always like to monologue right before the hero flips the script and conquers evil. If ever there were a villain, it was Kaylus.

“Do I need an excuse to spend time with my son?” Kaylus laughed, his black hair — so similar to Ezra’s — was slightly disheveled for the first time I’d seen, then he instantly sobered and the look he gave me sent fear through my spine. “Actually, I realized while we were having that touching father-son sparring moment, that if you and he are truly mated, then you’re family too! And I couldn’t be prouder of my new daughter. It was why I gave Ezra a choice, you see. I knew how devastated he would be if something were to happen to you. It was rather easy to convince him to give up during our fight. Isn’t that right, son?”

Kaylus loosened his grip on Ezra’s hair, allowing him to meet my eyes for the first time, where I saw love and determination.

“He always was the romantic. He knew I wanted you to be the key to open the portal. All I had to do was mention he would work just as well, and he nearly begged me to let you go and take him instead.”

Ezra’s eyes were unapologetic, before they blanked in pain and he collapsed to the floor.

“Ezra!” I tried to go to him, before being pushed back with a force of Kaylus’ energy.

“I won’t tell you to stay there again, Della,” the A-Hole said, stepping over his son as if he were nothing but a piece of trash.

A scream burst from Ezra’s mouth, and Ezra never screamed — I’d seen him hurt plenty of times and never heard him so much as swear from it.

I fell to my knees, halfway convinced I could feel his pain in me. Kaylus walked closer. “What are you doing to him?”

“To him?” Kaylus looked over his shoulder at his son, then back at me. “Or to you?” He took another step closer, forcing me back to my feet else he would be standing above me. “You’re a bright girl, Della. I’m sure you realized that I fathered Ezra with a specific purpose in mind. What you might not realize is that he was always a back-up plan. I got sick of waiting. I knew what was necessary to open the portal, or at least
who
. Your family isn’t the only one to see the future, to prophesy what is to come. I waited, and watched, and still the key never came. So I decided to make one.” Kaylus walked around me, unconcerned with the sounds of screaming.

Tears were silently running down my cheeks — I really could feel Ezra’s agony, and there was nothing I could do. Attack Kaylus, and he would probably kill Ezra. I knew I could escape, but even that window was closing by the second. Kaylus’ people were eating through the Shield, and I wouldn’t leave Ezra. Kaylus knew that. I just hoped he didn’t know my father was closing in on us. I could feel him now in my mind, telling me to hang on. He had people with him, enough to fight Kaylus’ men. I kept my eyes forward, and tried not to look at Ezra struggling to push through the pain and get up — he’d almost make it to his knees when another surge of pain would echo through me and he would collapse to the fetal position.

“Ezra was certainly aware of the fact, which is why he volunteered to help me under the condition that you go free.”

I fought not to look at him behind me. I couldn't let him see that he was rattling me — if I turned, Kaylus would view that as weakness, and having that monster think he was getting to me was more than I could handle. I wanted to wipe that cocky tone right out of his voice.

Better yet, I wanted to wipe him off of this plane of existence.

“Now my dear son underestimated my drive for perfection, and you Della Doe Deare are perfect.” Kaylus whispered that in my ear, close enough that I felt the moisture of his breath on my skin. “You are what I was waiting millennia for before my impatience brought Ezra to be. Why should I take the knock-off when the original — the true key — is ripe for the taking? Why, you even left behind the amulet that infernal Ethan made. I was planning on taking you with me no matter what, but you’ve certainly made it easier.”

This time I did turn to face him. I just needed time, Derek would be here soon. “What makes you think I’ll go with you.”

I already knew what he was going to do next, and sent a silent apology to Ezra then braced myself for the shadow of his pain to run through me — as I steeled myself against his scream. As if Ezra’s cry was a signal, my Shield below was breached and Kaylus’ men were no longer held in its grasp.

“I suppose you’re going to say that you’ll let him go free if I agree to come with you?” I said, not knowing if I was bluffing or not, and praying my dad would get there before I had to find out.

“Della, no!” A look over my shoulder showed that Ezra had gotten himself to a kneel finally, and the way his back arched while he staggered to both feet proved how much pain he was in.

My dad was so close now that I was able to throw a sight Shield up around his party — thanks to the energy I had stored in his armlet, I was able to locate him instantly and protect him, as long as he was close enough. My father was traveling ahead of his people; I knew he was desperate to get to me. I’d been feeding what was happening through our gems this whole time, knowing that for a perfect attack, he would need to know everything that was happening.

“No, of course not.” Kaylus answered, then smiled. His people created a half circle between Ezra and myself. From his body a cloud of blackness emerged, denser than any I’d seen, and I knew what he intended to do with it.

He was about to kill his son, and even though Ezra had the Thanatos abilities like his father, it was so very clear that Kaylus had been honing his gifts for such a long time that it looked like magic even to those of us who knew better. There was no way I’d make it to Ezra in time for us to connect, so there was only one thing for me to do. I lunged at Kaylus, ignoring the shiver of death as I passed through it. It wasn’t after me, but if I killed Kaylus before his attack landed, there was a chance that it would dissipate.

I wasn’t fast enough, though. I felt the Death land. I felt a connection deep within my soul shrivel up and die.

I turned around, shocked. Images of Leoht soldiers fighting Kaylus’ men around me barely registered. The world was moving in slow motion and only the thumping sound of my heart reached my ears amid the fight and the swirl of elements pouring into my Well and storming around me. Kaylus’ aim had been true — it had killed the person standing where he’d directed it. Only Ezra wasn’t who’d been standing there.

My father was.

I’d known he was close, and thanks to me, he had known exactly where to go to save Ezra’s life at the last possible moment — exactly where to go to push him out of the way. Even as I watched, Ezra realized what had happened and crawled towards Derek, looking up at me with horror etched across his face when our eyes met through the battle taking place around us.

I started running towards them, unconcerned that Kaylus was still behind me. If I joined with Ezra, maybe we could — but Ezra was being dragged away. Kaylus still had his inexplicable hold on him, but Ezra fought through the pain. His screams formed my name, fueling whatever power was growing inside of me. I needed to reach him. I would reach him. I used every ounce of my being to get to him, but Kaylus’ men attacked me as one. They were like puppets, completely oblivious to the Leoht attacking them, still pulsing with the dark auras that Kaylus had infected them with. That darkness was stronger now, because obviously the Leoht had no idea that injuring their enemies would actually strengthen them. I was swallowed by Kaylus’ dark soldiers, covered so completely that their bodies pushed me against my Shield-made floor, which their auras were eating through. I couldn’t let that happen. As long as my Shield stayed in place, Ezra couldn’t leave. That was all I could think of. The only way to keep Kaylus’ men off of my Shield was to give them something else to stand on. Before I even finished the thought, the air vibrated and through the depths of the sea land pulled up towards me. It pushed up against my Shield, pushing the entire bubbled battle up to sea level. I let the earth push through my Shield until my hands were pressed against wet rock and sand.

Grief-fueled rage helped me gain my feet. It helped me yank my enemies from my person by Bending the water in their blood away from me so quickly that a mist of red burst from their skin and covered the close Shield I erected as soon as they were off of me. It was hard to see through the blood covering the barrier protecting me, but my True Sight was all I needed. I kept making my way towards Ezra. He’d stopped his screaming, and for a moment I thought his still form was a sign that I’d lost him, too. But I still felt that place in my heart which was linked to his and knew he was only unconscious. Kaylus was with him now, standing and looking ever so calmly at me. He placed one hand against my Shield and it dissipated completely. With a last look back at me, he leapt off my little island, taking his son with him.

Journal,

I don’t even know where to start. Only a week has passed since the last time I saw Derek, and already everything in my life has changed.

Everything.

I’m basically a walking cliche. Irresponsible party girl falls in love, gets pregnant, then gets dumped.

Yeah, that’s right. I’m pregnant.

I found out last week after I was with Derek. Alexander talking about “repercussions” if we’d “consummated” wouldn’t leave my mind. What repercussions? What did that even mean?

It means A FREAKING BABY. Yeah. And being the organized and responsible person I am, I had no clue when my last period was. And Derek and I definitely did NOT use protection the first two times we were together, and only sporadically after that (it was interesting introducing him to condoms, apparently the Elfennol don’t have them.) What did I think was going to happen? I wasn’t thinking, that’s the point. It took two days for me to pluck up the courage and actually buy the test. Of course, I had to drive to Va. Beach to get one, since I didn’t want anyone here to know. And before the shocking test results had a chance to fully sink in, I got dumped by the guy who knocked me up.

Okay, that isn’t exactly fair to Derek. It still hurts, but I wasn’t surprised. When I saw his armlet resting on my bed, I knew what the piece of paper underneath would say.

I knew it was goodbye, and I can’t be mad at him for it. Not when our being together would probably mean my death.

Not when it would mean our child’s death. Even though Derek doesn’t know it, he’s already protecting the baby growing inside of me. I was still a little unsure, still confused, still sobbing hysterically with the armlet clutched in my hands when dad walked in.

I told him everything. I expected a fight, I think I hoped he would yell at me. Hoped he would give me something else to focus on other than the overwhelming fear and pain I was feeling. But he didn’t.

He sat there on my bed and rubbed my shoulders. When my tears subsided enough to look at him, his face was etched in worry — not disappointment — and his cheeks were wet from his own tears.

My father, the ever stoic Toby Neale was crying, and the sight of it was enough for me to swallow the last of my tears.

“It’s going to be okay though, Dad. It doesn’t change anything. We’ll just keep it a secret, no big deal. Derek… he doesn’t have to know, and no one else needs to find out the truth. Being a single mom is totally in style now.”

Dad hugged me then.

And told me something I didn’t want to hear, but kinda already knew.

“The Elfennol will know, Gabriella. They don’t need a paternity test to know the child will be half theirs. Once you’re further along, they’ll be able to see the child’s aura. They will take you, and kill you both. If you were Elfennol, they would at least let you live…”

“What am I going to do? I can’t… I’m not getting rid of the baby.” It would be easy, just a quick hop to a clinic, and the problem would be solved. But… I can’t even entertain the thought.
Life
is growing inside of me, something made from love. Derek’s and my love for each other.

Dad looked into my eyes and kissed my forehead. “I understand, honey. But what you’re going to have to do will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. You are going to disappear, and there’s only so much I can do to help you.”

So that’s what we’ve been doing the past several days. Lining everything up for me to disappear. It won’t be forever, only until the child inside of me is old enough to go through Testing and prove themselves a true ally to the Elfennol. I will raise my child alone, without the support of my family and community. Without our home and without Derek. We will have each other, though, and that will have to be enough.

Even my father won’t know my final destination. It might be overly paranoid, but Dad says we should not underestimate the Elfennol’s fear. Fear will drive them to hunt me down, should they find out. But my fear for my child is greater. They will not find us. They will never find us.

*****

“Ezra!” I screamed, rushing towards them. But Kaylus had left the majority of his people behind, and they all moved as if they had one goal in mind — to prevent me from following. I was buried again, and this time I could actually feel the Death in their auras creep in and steal my energy. I could feel it eating my life. I started Gathering Spirit to replenish what was taken, Gathering it from all around me, unconcerned with the possible consequences while I went to work on the dark soldiers of Kaylus. I yanked the blood from their bodies, happy with how quickly that got them away from me before. But it was only somewhat successful because each one that I killed stayed moving, fueled by a much more demanding master than Life. They were also significantly grosser, since having your blood ripped from your body leaves a lot of room for aesthetic improvement.

A scream of frustration poured from my mouth. Hurting them wouldn’t stop them. In fact, it made their Death energy stronger, more infectious. My energy was being drained faster, and I pulled more from the sources around me to keep me strong.

These guys had to be completely destroyed if I were to survive long enough to find Ezra.

I created a flame and fed it with air until it was a swirling mass around me. Bigger and bigger, bending air to knock my adversaries into the growing pyre, where their bodies were burnt into nothingness within seconds. I could see and hear nothing past the roaring of the fire. Once I was certain every hint of death was turned to ash, I let the fire die and staggered a few steps forward. There was no way to catch up with Kaylus and Ezra now. I knew Kaylus would keep him alive, at least until it was time to open the portal. Sunset had already happened where the portal was, and sunrise was still several hours away. I needed to regroup and make a plan. I was weak, but I wouldn’t be for long. I just needed more Spirit energy, and then...

I looked around and saw the fallen bodies. Not Kaylus’ soldiers, but my father’s men. They had been my source of energy when I had Gathered Spirit. They could have stopped my draw of their energy — protected themselves from it — but they didn’t. They offered themselves up for me, sacrificed themselves for me.

I fell to my knees with a sob caught in my throat. Some of the Leoht there were still alive, but some of them... some of them had given too much. I had taken too much, and knowing that left me hollow inside.

I felt people behind me, bright sources of life — the brightest my small island contained.

I turned to see who had joined me, and saw Etta standing behind me. The people who had joined her were going to the survivors of my drain and giving them energy to replace what I had stolen.

I couldn’t make myself stand up. Couldn’t even make myself keep looking at her. Instead, my eyes latched onto one too-familiar face a few feet away. I crawled over to my father and buried my face in his chest, finally succumbing to the tears.

After a few minutes my sobs started to quiet down. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“I am afraid we must get back to the Clade city, Lady Leoht,” Etta said, the compassion in her voice evident. “You must call a meeting and decide on what our next step is to be before Kaylus has time to open the portal.”

I turned and looked at her, not bothering to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

“Your grief is warranted, Lady. Lord Derek was one of the most beloved rulers the Elfennol… the Ethnos were ever graced with. But you are your father’s daughter. We need you to lead us, as your father knew you could. As you’ve been doing in some way or another since you came to us.”

I couldn’t keep meeting her eyes, so I looked around. My gaze caught on the number of people still lying there. The people who would never stand up again.

“It was a willing sacrifice. Every person on this island knew what would happen if they stayed. The rest of us went off a distance and Rune-protected the area. I believe we were able to stave off the worst of the effects from the creation of this island.” I could feel Etta’s eyes bore into me.

I wanted to yell at her, at the men stupid enough to offer themselves to me when I hadn’t taken a split second to consider where the energy I’d been Gathering had come from.

When their sacrifice seemed like it was for nothing, since I failed to protect Ezra from being taken.

I took my father’s hand and looked at his armlets — the power gems in them cracked now that he was gone — because I was unable to look at his face. How many people that I cared about would be hurt because of me?

All of them.

At least, all of them would be if I didn’t save Ezra and stop Kaylus from opening the portal.

“Etta,” I held my chin up and tried to bury the pain I was in. “My father was under the impression that you would make a good ally; that you were planning to join us even if that meant your House would be cast out from their home.”

She bowed her head. “The Strang House no longer holds the name of ‘Elfennol.’ We are Ethnos, and will follow the chosen leader wherever she takes us. I know you will live up to your father’s hopes.”

I nodded my head to her. “Please, bring the remaining soldiers back to the Clade city. Send word to the base that all soldiers not necessary for protecting my family are to head to the portal. It will take them longer to reach it, and I want all the backup we can get in case the worst happens. Once we get back to the city, I will direct a contingent to meet them halfway with enough Ambrose to keep them at full power.”

Once I was done talking, Etta made the guardian symbol, just as the Clades had done before. It glowed brightly in the air, followed by more from the other soldiers on the island.

I turned to leave, then paused. “I was never told what the Ethnos do with the… with those who are gone.” I had never seen a graveyard, or experienced any type of funeral during my time with them.

“The first Runes are placed on all but your father. Watch, and see how we celebrate our dead. Learn, so that you may honor your father in the same way once he is surrounded again by his people,” Etta said.

She walked a few steps away from me. All the Ethnos on the island had stopped what they were doing, and the silence was thick. I felt more people gathering around us, remembered that Alexander was supposed to bring more people to us. I felt my old body-guard, my friend and lieutenant, stand beside me.

“Etta sent word of what has happened,” he said quietly. Then we both watched as Etta created a Rune in the air. When it appeared, the same Rune hovered over each of the fallen except my father, then the rich glow of the symbol dispersed and was absorbed by the body.

“Honor,” Alexander said, and I knew he was explaining what the Rune meant. The bodies started to glow a warm honey color. Another Rune appeared.

“Love.” When this Rune disappeared, each of the bodies rose off the ground a few inches, glowing brighter than before.

“Remembrance.” After Etta made this Rune, everyone else did the same. I looked at Alexander, and once he saw that I was looking his way, he created the Rune himself slowly enough that I could imitate him. I would remember these people; even if I never knew their names, I would remember. And I would never again forget what my thoughtlessness could do — would never again permit another to sacrifice themselves for me. It was my job to do the sacrificing.

My father’s daughter could do no less.

Finally, the remembrance Rune dissolved, too. The glowing bodies had turned into a light so bright that they each looked like muted suns until, one by one, they each dissipated into a cloud of energy and floated away like beautiful motes of light.

“What happens to them now?” I asked Alexander.

“Their energy will go where it’s needed to heal this world — to become part of this world. This way, our energy lives on. This way, our loss has value. Even in death, we protect life.”

It was a beautiful thought... the idea of our death being used to help heal the world. I looked at my father, lying so peacefully still.

“We’ll take him to his people. They need to pay their respects to a leader who was much loved,” Alexander said, his voice thick with an emotion that didn’t show on his face. A party of men who had come with Alexander lifted my father with their abilities, acting as pallbearers and honor guard to their late ruler and solemnly taking him in the water back home. Everyone stood and watched until they disappeared from sight.

“He died saving Ezra,” I told Alexander while the other people around us started to leave. Etta stopped for just a moment, saluting me with her eyes. I knew she would be waiting in the Clade city for me.

“I know, Della. You don’t need to ask why, do you?” His face stayed forward, and I knew he was watching my father's procession just as I was.

“No, I suppose I don’t.” He’d done it because he loved me, and he knew what Ezra meant to me. He’d done it because he loved his people, and he knew what Ezra could mean for them, too. I wouldn’t cheapen his act by questioning it, even while the pain was so deep I knew I was scarred from it. I took a deep breath. “It’s time to go, Alex. We have a world to save.”

I led Alexander to the water’s edge, and waited to make sure we were the last to leave.

Alexander walked a single step behind me as I plunged into the cool water, and swam by my side while I created a large Shield to protect the area while I resubmerged the small island I had created. I’d done enough damage that day.