The Gathering (86 page)

Brollen had made his way to the top of the stairs and was after them.
 
They ran to the edge of the trees.

Coeli could see the battle raging outside the castle.
 

"Running will only make it worse, Kiddies.
 
Gary's already pissed off!!"

Coeli turned back towards the woods and pushed her companions into the trees.

"Run!"

Anne Merganser had turned to look out the window at the precise moment to see Albion running off with the girls.
 
Her hands flew to the window.

"NO!
 
Albie!!"

The Shape turned to see what was happening.
 
He pushed her aside and saw her son running off with his virgins.

"NO!!
 
UURRGGHH!!"

He spun around and ran to his elixirs and potions.
 
He ran his fingers quickly over all the red vials and bottles until finally he found it, virgin blood.
 
He sighed.

"Stop him, My Lord!!
 
Stop him!!"

"You're lucky he still breathes.
 
Maybe now is the time to cut the cord, My Dear."

"How did that amulet fall off Alia Stark, My Lord?"

He narrowed his eyes, fully aware of the tone she was taking with him.

"Old magic, My Dear," he forced through gritted teeth.
 
"The kind of old magic most know nothing about.
 
Love… the kind of love that breeds self-sacrifice.
 
In that second, she would have gladly died to save all of them and with that she freed herself."

"Why did the bird take the amulet?"

He turned and looked at her.
 
He now saw the lines in her face and the traces of time etched in her eyes, beautiful, but haggard.
 
He had grown weary of her.
 
She no longer held him in her spell.

"Because it belongs to his mistress… I took it when she wasn't looking."

"You stole it from the goddess?"

He smiled and shrugged.
 
Anne shook her head and backed against the wall.

"You're insane."

"I've been called worse by better, My Dear.
 
And just in case you’ve forgotten, your offspring is fleeing…"

Then he turned and began to cast, oblivious to her tears.
 
She turned back to the window and watched in horror.

The children had taken off running, not knowing where they were going.
 
They became separated and Coeli and Albion were running together.

"Where did the girls go, Albie?"

"I don't know!
 
They were with us a minute ago!"

Brollen saw Coeli's black hair and rounded behind them, his powerful legs pushing him closer.
 
He smiled at the thought of getting to finish what he'd started in the hall.

Coeli didn't see the root until it was too late.
 
She felt her toes catch on the wood and she fell.
 
She hit the ground hard and felt the wind forced out of her.
 
She scrambled to get up but Brollen was on her.
 
She couldn't see, but she kicked and scratched.
 
She felt his skin give way under her nails and then the sting of his hand against her cheek.

She was dizzy and her head pounded.
 
She grabbed at the ground, hard and cold under her fingers and then she felt hands on her arms.
 
She struggled, but soon realized the fingers on her were small and thin.
 
Chelsea and Hannah were lifting her off the ground.
 
Her face ached but she had recovered her bearings.
 
She saw Albion trying to fight off Brollen.

"No, Albie!"

Albion had a dagger and he held it aloft in front of him, like a sword, occasionally stabbing at the air in an attempt to make Brollen back away.
 

Anne gripped the edge of the window.
 
She turned back towards the Shape.

"Please, My Lord… please help him."

The Shape ignored her and in that moment, she realized that he was through with her.
 
Anne turned back to the window and raised her hands to stop Brollen, but before she could complete the cast,
she was blinded by a sudden flash that came from the forest
.

Albion was terrified and Brollen could see it.
 
He took his dagger and moved it from hand to hand, lunging at the boy, attempting to force him to strike.
 
Albion countered each move, but the clanking of the metal made him jump each time the daggers connected.
 
His blood raced and he could feel his heart thumping in his chest.

Brollen was watching and waiting, and then he saw it, his chance.
 
He lunged at Albion who again countered and moved his dagger to block Brollen's, but Brollen had switched hands and when Albion had moved his arms up to stop what he thought was the hand with the dagger, Brollen brought the blade up and into Albion's side.
 

"No!"

The girls screamed.
 

"My son!!!"

Anne's vision had returned and she screamed and leaned out the window.
 
She saw the blood and collapsed against the windowsill, sliding down to the floor.
 
He was lost.
 
Her son was dead.
 
She had nothing.
 
She sobbed.

Back on the ground, Brollen smiled and pulled the knife out of Albion's side and grabbed him around the throat.
 
Then he lifted him up slightly and turned the blade in his hand so that it pointed downward.

"Sorry, Kid, guess I'll see you in hell."

Albion grabbed Brollen's hand and struggled against him, but Brollen was too strong.
 
He pulled his hand away from Albion's and began to bring the knife down but before it could connect, something slammed into Brollen and he was thrown off balance and knocked to the ground.
 
He dropped Albion, who grabbed his side and scrambled out of the way.

Brollen looked around to see what had hit him as he scrambled to his feet.
 
Coeli smiled.

“Schepta!”

Standing in front of Albion was Schepta, her long silver mane flowing against her white fur.
 
The once-soft blue eyes were now blazing with red and orange.

Coeli and the girls ran to Albion and pulled him away.
 
Brollen looked at the creature in front of him and laughed.

"You?
 
How the hell did you get out here?"

Schepta snarled, showing white fangs and began to circle him, moving her head in a way that mimicked the way he had been teasing Albion with the dagger.
 
Her horn was glistening in the last remnants of the dusky sun.
 

"You know, you look like that big one we killed.
 
Was that your daddy?
 
Guess you're gonna join him!!"

“You first!!”

Coeli's eyes blazed as she felt Schepta's rage, fortified by her own.
 
Brollen lunged at Schepta and she countered, her horn flashing against the steel in Brollen's hand.
 
She kept pace with him and point to counter point they danced a chilling reel.
 
Brollen lurched at her and missed as Schepta reared back, her front hooves connecting with his face.

He grabbed his face and yelled as blood poured from a gash on his already scarred cheek.
 
He held his hand to his face and found his knife.
 

"You've gotten better, but it's not gonna help you.
 
You're dead!"

“You killed my father and you will die!”

Schepta waited and when he lunged again, she moved to her right and bit down on his arm, the fangs sinking deeply in to his flesh.

“Arrgghh!!”

She released him and he grabbed his injured arm, then grabbed the dagger from the ground and lunged at the unicorn.

She knocked his arm away and reared on her hind legs as she lowered her head.
 
Then driving forward with all her strength, she plunged her horn into Brollen's chest.

He gasped and struggled for air as the knife fell from his hand.
 
Schepta pulled back and as she freed her horn from his chest, he fell to his knees and looked at his blood in awe.
 
He turned and smiled at Coeli.

"At least you'll never forget what we did to you and your family.
 
You'll always remember me."

Coeli frowned and started to walk towards him, shaking Hannah and Chelsea's hands from her arms.
 
She stopped and picked up the dagger Albion had been using to fight.
 
She looked at it and then continued to walk towards Brollen.
 
She stopped right before him and kicked away his knife then knelt before him, holding the blade at her side.

"You raped me.
 
You helped kill my father and my brothers and sisters.
 
You beat and tortured my mother, my brother and my boyfriend.
 
You hurt my friends.
 
You even killed Ferage… so I'll never forget you…"

Brollen smiled through bloodstained teeth knowing, his torment would cause her pain for the remainder of her life.
 
He thought about how Blaylock would be proud of him, and then he laughed.
 
Coeli looked down at the knife and then at Brollen and sighed.

"But mostly, I'll remember how you died."

Still surging with her rage and that of Schepta, she plunged the knife into Brollen's throat.
 
She couldn't believe how calm she felt as she pulled the knife out and watched the blood flow down his chest.
 
Then he fell back and laid still.
 
She wanted to laugh at the shocked expression on his face, but she somehow couldn't move.

Chelsea walked over to Coeli and helped her up.

"C'mon, Shay…we have to go.
 
The fighting is moving this way."

Coeli looked around and nodded.
 
She and Chelsea and Hannah lifted Albion on to Schepta's back and they followed her into the trees.

131

Alia could see the Black Horde beginning to get the upper hand.
 
She struck and fought her way to the front of the battle and engaged as many soldiers as she could, but their small team had sustained serious losses.

Alia was using her magic to throw the Hordesmen back, but there were too many.
 
As she tried to decide what to do, she heard a voice in her head.