Authors: Amy Miles
Chapter 29
Roseline launches high into the air in a whirlwind of bronze and silver.
She arcs and spins back to the ground.
Her swords, held tightly to her waist, slash through bone and muscle as she decapitates three of her opponents who were foolish enough to remain standing.
“Get her.”
She is not sure from whom the order comes as she plants her feet and dives sword first into the gut of a green-skinned thing opposite her.
Blood appears to drain from his eyes, leaving lifeless white orbs behind.
Wrenching her swords from his abdomen, Roseline whips a blade behind her.
A guttural scream is followed by a thud.
She does not stop to watch the monster die.
Instead, she yanks her swords free and cartwheels into the center of the faltering ring.
With a high kick to the side, the spike heel of her boot jabs up under the chin of a stout warrior.
Blood gurgles from his mouth as she retracts her foot.
A blade sings past her face, slicing the first layer of skin open on her forehead.
Snarling, Roseline crouches and leaps over the thing’s head, burying her sword in his side.
She spins and kicks the handle, slicing it’s torso in two.
Blood gushes from the wound, slickening the ground.
Pinpricks of pain scroll up her spine as needle daggers burrow through her leather corset.
Roseline grimaces.
She runs up the wall, snatches the pole of a floodlight and snaps it in half.
The instant her feet touch the ground, she whips around to bury the four-inch pipe into a scaly beast’s chest.
He falls backward, his face a mask of surprise.
Nine dead within a span of a minute.
Breathing heavily, Roseline turns to face her lone opponent.
“If you tell me where to find Gabriel, I might let you live.”
The man sneers at her.
“It is not my life I would be worried about right now.”
His face distorts around the edges.
Roseline blinks, shaking her head.
A strange heaviness tugs her swords from her hands.
Her knees buckle.
Something cold and sinister floods her veins.
“What have you done to me?” Her fingers reach to pry the needles from her back but fall short.
A leering smile stretches across his elongated face.
“The same that we will do to your boyfriend.”
“Roseline!”
Fane’s faint cry sounds hollow in her ears.
The sound of rushing waves crashes over her, tumbling her into a sea of delirium.
She falls onto the ground, curling into a ball.
The man hovers over her.
“You can’t save him.”
Darkness takes her.
***
The sound of running water makes the pressure in her head nearly unbearable.
Roseline groans.
The effort it takes to open her eyes nearly plunges her back into darkness.
“She’s awake.”
Fane’s hand gently cradles her as he brushes aside the sweat-drenched hair from her forehead.
“Hey, how do you feel?”
“Dreadful.”
She blinks, focusing on the people hovering over her.
Warm light creates a halo around the three faces.
“Where am I?”
“My house,” Malachi speaks up. “You are safe.”
Safe.
This word resonates with her soul, but it does not settle.
“What happened?”
“I can answer that.”
A small man, with golden rectangular glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, pokes his way into her view.
She can make out a crooked nose just below severe slate gray eyes.
“You, my dear, nearly took a trip to the afterlife.
It was touch and go for several days.”
“Days?” she gasps, struggling to rise.
Fane and Nicolae rush to ease her into a sitting position.
She tucks herself into Fane’s embrace as he sinks onto the bed beside her.
The doctor frowns.
“I’ve given strict instructions not to let you get over excited. You need rest and lots of it.”
Nicolae casts a worried glance in her direction as Malachi pulls the doctor away.
Roseline watches as the doctor collects several vials of sickly yellow goo.
“What is that stuff?”
“You really don’t want to know,” Nicolae grunts, shifting so Roseline cannot see anything else.
“All that matters is you are alive,” Fane soothes, twining his fingers through hers.
Her head falls back against the headboard.
“Is
he
alive?”
No one has to ask of whom she speaks.
Fane sighs.
“No.
Malachi saw to that.”
Roseline winces, curling within herself.
Her chance of finding Gabriel has slipped from her fingers.
If only she had been awake to torture the man herself.
She has certainly learned a trick or two from Davros over the years.
Nicolae clears his throat, inching forward.
Fane shakes his head, drawing her attention.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Fane replies, kicking at Nicolae.
He darts out of the way, glaring.
“She needs to know.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Fane hisses.
“I’m right here, guys,” Roseline snaps.
The door closes, interrupting their argument.
Fane stiffens as Malachi marches up to the bedside.
“What Fane is trying to forgo telling you is that we have a clue,” Malachi announces.
Roseline frowns.
“A clue?”
“Yes,” he nods enthusiastically.
“Although we were unable to drag out any information from that fiend at the cave, I was able to find something among the papers I took from the secret room.”
She perks up on that one.
“I didn’t realize you had found anything.”
“He shoved it down his pants.”
Fane rolls his eyes.
“Well I couldn’t risk getting it bloody, now could I?” Malachi retorts.
Roseline sits up fully.
“I’m dying over here, guys.
Fill me in.”
Malachi’s eyes twinkle as he turns to look at her.
“There are two halves to the Elder’s copy of the prophecy and I believe they can be found in Dublin.”
“Why Ireland?” she asks.
Nicolae answers this time.
“It was a sister club.
Less popular of course, but still a perfect location for hiding secret texts.”
She likes the idea.
It has been over a hundred years since she visited the Emerald Isle.
“So when do we leave?”
Fane and Nicolae exchange a meaningful glance.
“You don’t,” Malachi responds.
“Doctor’s orders.”
“What?
You agreed to this?” Roseline spits, glaring at her friends.
Neither one are willing to meet her gaze.
“I have to go.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that,” Malachi informs her, shifting to perch on her bedside table.
“It is unclear to what extent this poison damaged your system.
I cannot allow you to leave until we know you are healthy again.”
“But-”
“No,” Fane says, squeezing her hand, “he’s right.
It is not safe.
Those darts carried a poison that we do not understand.
Malachi’s doctor said it held dark enchantments.
You are lucky to be alive.
If Malachi had not reacted so quickly…” he lets his words fall off as he offers Malachi a tight nod of approval.
Fane turns to look back at Nicolae.
“The boy and I will go to Dublin.
Malachi will remain behind with you to administer the final antidote serums.”
Roseline glances from face to face.
All hold remorse but none appear the least bit willing to budge on this idea.
She sighs, slumping in bed.
“Fine.
Go, but you’d better call every hour with a progress report.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Nicolae grins, rising from the end of her bed.
Fane and Malachi follow suit.
“I will be downstairs if you need me.
There is a pull cord next to the bed you can use to alert me,” Malachi informs before slipping from the room.
Fane looks back one last time, a tight smile on his face.
“Just don’t do anything stupid while we are gone.”
“No promises.”
She grins weakly.
Her head spins as the doctor’s newest dose of medicines kick in.
She shifts down into the mound of pillows, enveloped in cottony goodness.
Nicolae pauses before closing the door.
“Hey, Roseline?”
“Yeah?” She opens her eyes, fighting the urge to let sleep take her away again.
Nicolae smiles.
“You were right.
You are totally badass.”
He slips from the room as Roseline’s smirk lets down and sleep steals her away.
Chapter 30
Elias and Seneh huddle together not far away.
Their rapid speech draws Gabriel’s attention.
Not that it would take much.
He is desperate for a break.
After nearly three days of constant practicing, he has yet to hover more than an inch from the ground.
And his blisters…truly disgusting.
“What’s going on?” he asks, his parched throat croaks as he struggles to his feet.
Tingling needles poke at his calves.
His feet are numb all the way up to his ankles.
Elias was gone far longer than he had originally planned.
He barely even acknowledged Gabriel when he arrived.
Gabriel hopes they are discussing a new training location.
He is beyond done with the desert.
He doubts his cracked lips will ever heal properly.
“We are leaving.”
Elias rises.
Seneh swiftly follows, his hand automatically gripping his sword as he searches the skies.
Gabriel pumps his fists in the air, but pauses when he notices his mentor’s grim face.
“Wait.
What’s going on?”
“There was a raid.”
His gaze drops to the steaming sand.
“Some of the monks did not make it.”
“That’s not possible.”
His throat clenches.
Gabriel stares blankly back at Elias.
“I thought they were leaving shortly after us.”
Elias nods.
“As did I.
Something delayed them.”
Gabriel’s stomach twists painfully.
“What happened?”
“Enael and Ordin were captured,” Elias says, his sorrowful eyes latch onto him.
“Sias did his best to free them before he fell.
I am sorry.”
Foamy bile rises in his throat as the acid burns deep into his flesh.
Gabriel doubles over, holding his stomach.
“I can’t believe he’s gone.”
A strong hand comes to rest on his shoulder.
“Sias was a brave warrior.
He would not have wanted his death to come any other way.”
“But what about Enael and Ordin?” Gabriel asks, twisting his head to look up at Elias.
The sparse contents of his stomach churn like a volatile cyclone.
If he had not just suffered through an entire day without nourishment - Seneh’s crazy idea of training- Gabriel is sure he would have thrown up by now.
“Taken.
We are not sure of their exact location.”
Elias steps back as Gabriel rises.
He drops to one knee, meeting Gabriel at eye level.
“There is nothing we could have done.
If we had stayed, we would be dead too.”
Gabriel shakes his head, backing away.
“No.
This is not right.
It’s my fault they were captured.
We have to find them.”
“No,” Elias’ booming voice scatters across the dunes, “you are not ready yet.”
Gabriel’s expression hardens.
“They were my friends.”
Inhaling deeply, Elias rises to his full height.
“Do you think you care more for them than I do?
I have known Sias since his childhood.
The other monks have given their lives for this cause, one that I have been heavily involved with since long before you were born.
Do not assume that you lay sole claim to remorse, young one.”
Gabriel turns away, stomping at the ever-shifting sand.
It piles over his sandals, searing his feet, but he welcomes the pain.
It reminds him that he is alive.
That he can avenge Sias’ death.
He turns back, determination engraved on his face.
“What must I do?”
Elias and Seneh exchange a glance.
The look that passes between them is loaded with concern but also with grim admiration.
Seneh nods.
Elias returns his gaze to Gabriel.
“Prepare for the trials.
None of this will stop until you succeed. Your friends believed in you enough to risk their lives.
Honor them now by fulfilling your destiny.”
Gabriel nods, rolling his shoulders back.
“For Sias.”