“Vesta is equally fearsome,” I said to Caleb. “All this time, and she hasn’t once complained about wanting to go home or missing her parents. Nothing of the sort. This is her first military field mission, and I have to admit, babe, I’m in awe of her. She’s already had it rough as a kid, hunted by daemons and Exiled Maras alike, raised on a foreign planet, but now she’s dealing with the end of the world, basically. She’s holding it together well, considering.”
“She hasn’t killed Zeriel yet, either,” Caleb replied.
“Oh, honey, they’re a pair now.”
A second passed before Caleb burst into hysterical laughter. He hadn’t seen it coming, for some reason. Then again, he hadn’t spent all this time with Vesta and Zeriel, observing them as the days went by. He couldn’t have seen this coming, like I had.
“I can’t believe it. In the midst of all that chaos and violence and death, the Tritone king still managed to fall in love.” Caleb sighed.
“Hey, remember how we got started. You were serving an evil witch,” I retorted, then moved my attention to Kailani. I worried about her the most, because I knew the others had control over themselves and over their abilities. They knew their limits. Kailani didn’t. “How’s Arwen doing?” I asked. “Has she spoken to Kale recently?”
“Yeah. She’s worried. She knows about the Word incidents,” Caleb said. “I think she regrets supporting Kale’s decision to start the apprenticeship.”
I shook my head. “It’s just bad timing. Kale’s a fantastic swamp witch, for what it’s worth. She’s got a tremendous amount of power that she hasn’t tapped into yet, but everything she can do, for the time being, is exquisite,” I explained. “Normally, the apprenticeship would take place in a controlled environment, but, out here, we’re busy running for our lives.”
“Rose, she killed four Draenir,” Caleb replied. “I love that girl as much as you do, but… come on, let’s face it, she’s a bit of a risk.”
I had to admit it. Caleb was right. Without full control over her abilities, we didn’t know if or when she’d black out again and release another devastating pulse. What was really impressive and scary at the same time was that the pulse had been powerful enough to permanently kill Perfects, too.
“If we could get her to control this connection of hers to the Word, Kale alone would be enough to rein the Perfects in,” I said. “But we can’t exactly rely on her, like this. Hunter is with her at all times, whether she likes it or not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Eh, they must’ve argued about something. Not sure what, but Kale has tried to keep some distance. I insisted that he keep an eye on her, nonetheless. After all, he did a good job of snapping her out of her last blackout… Still, I worry.”
“I get it. Let’s see how she pulls through the captivity, then,” Caleb muttered. “Aren’t you worried Ta’Zan will want her swamp witch knowledge?”
I smirked. “It’s beyond his reach. Ta’Zan will want to study her genetic material, but he’ll only see what he’s probably gotten from Corrine, already. Swamp witch magic isn’t genetic. And Kale would never tell him anything, anyway. Her oath binds her for life.”
“And Ben? How’s he holding up?”
“He’s in here, somewhere, probably talking to River.”
“That sounds so damn gloomy. Like we’ll never speak again, or something,” he grumbled.
I breathed out, emptying my ribcage of all the angst and fears that had been piling up over the past couple of weeks. This whole mission had taken its toll on me, and I knew I needed a clear mind and heart in order to survive everything that came next.
For that, of course, I needed my husband to be calm and ready for anything that might happen.
“It most likely isn’t, baby, but you know how hazard works,” I said softly. “We’re all doing the best we can to survive this battle, and we need to talk to the people we love the most. Ben and I are a lot alike, and only amazing creatures like you and River are capable of boosting our morale.”
“Oh, now you’re trying to tickle my ego, aren’t you?”
I giggled like a little schoolgirl. “Is it working?”
“Yes. As long as you come back to me, Rose. Hazel and Benedict are both looking forward to holding their mother again, you know.”
My heart twisted itself up in a most painful pretzel as I thought about my daughter and my son. They were both big and strong enough to go on without me if something terrible happened, but I still had a hard time imagining a reality in which I wasn’t by their side.
Caleb, Hazel, Benedict, and their children were the most important people in my life. My parents, too. And this was a war I was fighting in order to save and protect them all. Sure, the rest of the universe was on the line, too, but this was extremely personal to me. I’d never been away from Caleb for so long, and it took a toll on my already-frayed nerves. This whole thing had evolved into a let’s-just-get-this-over-with-so-I-can-get-back-to-my-husband type of mission. Ta’Zan’s ideals of superiority were tiresome, to say the least.
I took another deep breath and got ready to end my conversation with Caleb. Judging by the pile of pulverizer pellets and explosive charges rising on the floor, we were getting close to the next stage of our mission.
“I’ll see you all again soon enough, Caleb.”
I meant it. I had every intention of getting out of this place alive. Sure, the odds weren’t exactly in my favor, but I was a Novak, dammit. And Novaks go to hell and back if they have to, for the sake of freedom and love.
Sofia
Knowing that I could die in a few hours didn’t exactly boost my morale in any way.
But I didn’t want Rose and Ben to surrender. My life was worthless if Ta’Zan won. I was hoping I’d get out of here, sooner rather than later, so I’d be with my husband again. So we could fly away to some other world and get the vacation we actually deserved—one that didn’t involve a mad scientist looking to kill everybody who wasn’t a Perfect.
If the universe wanted me to die instead, I had to find the courage to accept such a fate. No one runs toward death, not even as a sacrifice. It takes great courage to die.
Something gnawed at my stomach—most likely the prospect of dying and never seeing my beloved Derek, my Ben and Rose, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren ever again. My father. Kailyn. Corrine and Ibrahim. Abby and Erik, not to mention Amelia… All the people who meant something to me. My friends and allies.
I’d never stare at the moon for hours on end. I’d never dip my feet in the ocean, the crisp water tickling my skin. I’d never wonder when Serena and Draven would have a child of their own. I’d miss out on Harper and Caspian’s endeavor, too, though Harper would have to first turn human in order to conceive. All curious and scary and wonderful things I’d never get to witness as they unfolded.
Tears came up, threatening to roll down my cheeks and make it impossible for me to hold it together. Self-pity was lurking around, ready to sneak in and make everything worse. I shook my head, rejecting its poison, and focused on something I could still do.
So far, Ta’Zan had yet to find out about Isda. She was always ready to pass a message to Derek for me, if needed. And I knew Ta’Zan would come around again to gloat and to torment me. He’d taken great pleasure in telling me that my life was over unless my kids surrendered.
“I’ll kill you myself,” he’d said.
The double doors to his private quarters slid open, and, as if summoned by my very thoughts, Ta’Zan came in. He didn’t look as confident as before, though. Something was different. His head was slightly bowed, which was a rare occurrence for a creature who’d always held his chin up, looking down on everyone like he was a friggin’ god.
My blood boiled. Had it not been for the shock collar around my neck and this stupid glass box, I would’ve already torn him to shreds. I would’ve pulled him apart like a gingerbread man, one limb at a time. Imagining just that made it easier for me to watch him walk toward me. It was therapeutic. By the time he reached me, I’d already hung his entrails all over the walls.
