I barely heard what he said. Out of nowhere, for no reason, pain slammed into my core and rage stabbed through me. I lunged forward in a blind attempt to react.
“Whoa! What’s going on, mate?” Phoenix said, looking at me like I was a fool.
My eyes moved in every direction as my mind tried to catch up. The anger faded just as fast as the pain. Willow’s image kept flashing in my mind, but that didn’t make any sense. She was safe in Chara, sound asleep when I left two hours ago.
I took in a deep breath, trying to understand where that came from, then all at once my soul settled.
“I thought something was wrong,” I muttered.
“Is it all right now?” he asked as his eyes moved all over me.
“I don’t know. I’m losing it, man.”
“You look downright starved to me. You and Willow all right?”
I tried to hide a wiseass smile, but he saw it and raised his brow, telling me to spill it.
“She still doesn’t have her insights back, and even when she did it wasn’t easy. Right when I got over Drake’s claims, Skylynn popped up—we’re as all right as we can be right now.”
“You need to fix that—like yesterday. What are you doing out buying sandwiches for some ghost? Did I teach you nothing? Buy your woman some flowers, take her on a quiet walk or something.”
“Tried all that. She’s still distant.”
“So your plan is to go all macho? Find a few fights?”
If anyone knew how to push my buttons and knew they could get away with it, it was him.
I clenched my jaw before I spoke. “I wasn’t asking to join your fight with the dead. I’m trying to figure out what is coming at us so I can stop it. I don’t trust Donalt to not sabotage a ceremony that I’m not entirely sure should occur in the first place.”
His eyes raced over me in disbelief. I may have had my memories back of when he and I were thick as thieves, when he was my brother, harbored the emotions to back up that time, but my childhood and life in Chara had altered me a bit and he didn’t care for that change, mainly because he didn’t understand it. It was hard for him to see me so loyal to family outside of the one we had, even harder for him to fathom their beliefs.
“How about you enjoy what you have while you have it?” he finally said.
“Oh, you’re one to talk,” I bit out, knowing what was going on with him and his newly found lover.
He raised his brow. “If anything, me and Genevieve know how to embrace every moment as if it’s our last, and when we do that we do not go out looking for fights or count heads like some mother hen. We love each other—like it’s the last time. Try that.”
I moved my head from side to side. “You guys are full of advice today, aren’t you?”
He tilted his head to question me.
“Drake told me to be honest, tell her about the blue eyes and stuff. You’re telling me to drown her in passion. What’s next? Is Draven going to pop in and tell me to write her a song?”
At that, he laughed. “Look, I get why you and her have learned to put your backs against one another and fight the hell around you, but seriously, you have to turn around once in a while. You have to close the doors, windows, shut everything out and take care of your woman.” He glanced to the barrier behind us. “Whatever this is will work itself out one way or another.”
“It would be easier if I knew how it would end.”
“Bloody hell—what’s the fun in that?”
I tried not to smile the way he wanted me to, but I did anyway.
“Long and the short. You have to learn to trust yourself—trust that all of this makes sense in the end.”
“I didn’t expect you to be so nonchalant about this.”
“I’m not. I just…this Chara thing can’t be as big of a deal as they are making it out to be in your life plan, if this seven sisters thing has any truth.”
We locked stares.
“Now you think it’s true. That Willow is one, like Charlie and Madison.”
More than once, he had wavered in his opinion on the matter. Seven sisters that were said to rise and take over the seven master Escorts that rule dark emotions. Back in the day, he thought Willow was one of the seven because we were without a doubt at war with Donalt. Phoenix changed his mind when he thought his Genevieve was a part of it. Well, not really changed it, but found ways to discredit the theory, then fell back on the idea, saying that for sure it had to be real. That we were in the middle of it. Basically, he didn’t want it to be true, but he had to consider it, just as I constantly did, in the back of my mind.
“And Genevieve.” He sighed. “I don’t know if I believe it or not. I just know that there are Master Escorts in place that have to be taken down. That we love the women that were chosen to do that. That’s bigger than some dimension’s myths. That tells me you’re going to rise past this.”
I narrowed my stare on him. “What happens to all the Escorts that are loyal to their masters? If we take down the evil God, then do they all fall? Or are we going to war with them next?”
He cleared his throat as he glanced away.
“Talk to me.”
“I’ve been doing a little digging. The crew with Genevieve, their memories are not as washed out as ours are after going through so many cycles on this side. Not to mention, when they came over to this reality they brought a freaking house with them, a house full of artifacts from that past you seem eager to ignore at times.”
He meant our life on the other side. Our true home. To him, this side was just one long nightmare.
“Seems that…well, it seems that the girls’ role is to become the God they take down. The new sovereign will restore the line, as well as add to it.”
“You’re telling me they’re going to for sure turn into Gods, or rather Goddesses? If that is true, I’ve got bigger issues than I thought. First of all, Willow is not a fan of having dark energy. Second of all, she can’t be a Goddess to Chara and lead a line of dark Escorts at the same time. And to top it all off, I’m not going to let a role that will divide us take place.”
He raised his hands to tell me to take a breath. I was tense leaning toward him, looking as if I would strike at any moment. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I shook my head in vague dismay and stepped back, nodding for him to go on.
“I agree with that last line, you know that,” he said. “There is not a list of rules or facts, but the crew I’m listening to thinks the seven is actually fourteen, that each soul is made of light and dark, that you, my friend, are going to become a Master Escort. I’m sure your Daddy Dearest in this life is going to love that one.”
I raised my brow at that, too confused to smile or comment. I loved Chara, I truly did. But I’m a greedy bastard. If I had a choice of protecting and teaching one dimension not to let fear overtake them or relinquishing the binding hell of that emotion from mankind, there would be no doubt what I would choose. I craved the latter path, could downright taste it. That deep-seated desire was confusing at its core. Chara taught me to listen to that call, to be loyal to my inner voice, but at the same time Chara expected me to ascend and rule them, teach them to be who they were designed to be. In all truth, I cannot do both; if I ignore my own call, how can I teach them to listen to theirs?
Phoenix shifted his weight, glanced around the Veil of death we were standing in, then met my stare once more. “It all comes down to ending the current Master in place. From all accounts, you only have Donalt left to take down. You took down his First and the other three lines of power in your first life. The spell of eight beyond the sun and the moon was what Donalt used to stop you from your final blow. To ultimately defeat Donalt, you have to complete the remainder of this spell of eight beyond the sun and the moon. The rest of us are at different points on our paths.”
“You’re serious?” I finally managed to say.
“Very.”
The victories he was saying Willow and I had were nothing less than mind bl
owing, the kind of tales that old legends were made of.
“Phoenix, we have crossed the power of Master Escorts in The Realm, when they’re not in corporeal from. We have crossed their First. I may have gained use of my energy, you may have mastered the power of a Phoenix, but we are nowhere near that level of raw power those souls put off. Are you trying to tell me that power will just flood us when we take them down? If you are, we have issues. Willow didn’t fare well when she was given the power to move the atmosphere, and quite frankly I acted like an ass when I found the power of a Phoenix once more.”
He raised his brow at me and tried to hide a grin. “An ass, eh?” He shook his head. “From what I understand, as we approach this victory, as we gain understanding and acceptance, the power will come easily. I thought that line was B.S. myself, but then I figured out that I can sense your boy Drake, as well as Draven, just as well as I can sense you. I don’t know how to explain it, but I know if they’re in trouble or what emotion is dominating them.”
He stared at me, waiting for me to confess the same. “I can’t tell you that I do or do not. I’ve relied on my insights for too long. I kinda see what you are saying.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see how that works out. The thing is, we’re still bound by these spells and you are still bound by your curse of eight beyond the sun and the moon. My point is that we just don’t need to get too serious or attached to this plane of existence. Keep that in mind when you’re going through whatever Chara has in store for you. Know that it cannot be the end you think it is because we are called to something more.”
Every member of my family flashed through my mind, every soul I knew in Chara. Phoenix was acting as if I should have no question or fear of the path before me, but he didn’t realize I would be letting people down that I loved. He didn’t realize that even with his theories or what have you, there were no promises. One way or another, very soon, the man I am will no longer exist. What form I will be in was the mystery at hand.
“That doesn’t mean there is no risk. If anything, there is decidedly more.”
“You’re overlooking the point. You and your woman are meant for something more. You and her. Not you, her, and Chara; not you, her, and Esterious. You and her. Get your head out of this conflict and get her ready for this reign.”
I wasn’t even going to argue that Willow, in no shape or form, wanted to rule anything. “Get her ready—explain this. Explain what I don’t understand.”
“No. Get her ready, meaning get her soul out here with the rest of ours. Blue eyes. Make them rise. Get her out of that cage.”
Silence.
“Talk to me,” he said, moving forward.
“Nothing to say, man,” I said, glancing away.
“Spill it. Now. Or I will go to Sunshine myself and tell her to get her act together.”
I glared in response.
“I let her down. We had eternity to be together, and I spent it at war. Now I’m staring at two fates: one says that I will be the king of Chara, ascend into some kind of God; the other says I will become a Master Escort, become what I have fought my entire life path. Both state that in order to become either, the girl I share my soul with must be at my side, that we will see every dark corner of each other’s souls. I don’t want her to see mine. I’m not sure I can handle seeing hers. But I know I would do anything to ensure we became one.” I glanced away. “It’s going to take something catastrophic, some kind of divine intervention to get her out of her shell. I need time. I need power. And I have neither.”
I felt his stare demanding I meet his, and I did, only to prove I was not afraid to stare anything or anyone down—not even the truth I could see in his eyes.
“Then don’t waste the last few pages of this chapter of life on war. Lock everyone else out, consume her with all that you are. We’ll figure out this spell, any threat you need to be prepared for.”
“I can’t just shut it off. It’s a built-in instinct. I can’t hide away with her and not know what threat is lurking.”
“Simple. I tell you what I know, you can advise or whatever, but your focus is on that girl. Break through that anger, find the soul that stole your heart before all of this even began.” His deep gray stare shifted over me. “Guardian, losing her is the only defeat you really have to worry about. We both know that.”
Yeah. We did. “Let me advise you, then. When is your spell with the dead supposed to go down? Wait, let me guess—the new moon.”
He raised his brow.
“That is when my ceremony takes place. When Chara will be in limbo.”
“All the more reason for you to trust me to deal with this.”
“What is this, exactly? What is the point of the spell you are unwinding?”
“It’s complicated. Basically, Genevieve is going to take her claim to be one of the seven sisters, as the Queen of the Veil. To do that, we have to release a lot of dead, move their energy. In that mix of spells, she’s to raise a fallen supernatural soul. There are two Genevieve is focused on: Skylynn is one; a ghost lingering around Draven is the other.”
“Who?”
He glanced away, clenching his jaw.
“Who, Phoenix?”
“You know him. I don’t know how clearly you remember him, but he was one of The Selected. He trained with you.”
My time on the other side of The Fall was like a dream in my memories, hard to grasp. I felt more than I saw.
“Cashton,” Phoenix said when he saw me still struggling. He knew it only took a word or so to fire off new memories in my mind.
I nodded once. Remembering him. I remembered Aden trying to protect us both and make sure we not only made it to this world, but back again. I guess we were still working on that.
“Aden knows about this? You know they flooded his mind with memories not long ago.”
“Not the memories of the other side. We can’t tell him because it harbors too closely to telling him about Skylynn. Draven is keeping his distance from him.”
“And you are keeping yours from me because of my past with Skylynn.”
He glanced away. “I’m telling you that right now your job is to take care of your woman. Draven and I will figure out this spell…hopefully getting us all closer to this influx of power that seems to be promised to us.”
“Tell me what you see right now, how this spell is lining up with everyone involved. Willow always wants to know the risk. Give me an answer to give her.”
He rushed his hands through his auburn hair and cursed under his breath, hating that I would not just take this at face value. “For Genevieve to take her reign, she must make a vast movement, release a lot of dead. Draven, or at least his girl, has a similar issue. So my theory is that we are sitting in a nice little square. You and Drake with your issues with the living, me and Draven with the dead. Simple as that.”
“I’m not sure I care for how it’s lining up this go around,” I mused.
“You and Drake have living, breathing kingdoms to appease. We have dead ones. The question is how our evil little counterparts are going to distract us from this new moon.”
That was a good question. “I’m sure they will put Drake’s life at risk and we will all charge in to defend him.”
“Did he ask you to defend him?” Phoenix asked, raising one brow.
“No. Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I would think that the two of you had a little pow wow. He basically told me that we needed to stay in our respective corners.”
“Then he’s sensing this deal with the seven souls rising. He may be near the end of this curse with you and Willow, but from what I understand he is just starting his path to take down the Master Escort he’s aimed at.”
That was what my gut was telling me, too.
“Donalt will invoke the living to cause strife,” I warned.
“Not if you and Drake give them what they want.”
“I don’t know what Drake’s court or people want; only what mine want.”
> “That’s all you need to worry about.”
“Easier said than done.” I glanced to the distance, to where I knew the borders of Chara were. “Where will this spell you and Draven are going to have to face occur?”
“Here, round about. I assume, anyway. Not entirely sure I will be side by side with Draven. I just know where the scent of the Escort that I vow to end is.”
“With the energy Willow and I will put off, we will cause a ripple here. Drake’s world is on the other side. If what he has to contend with happens at the same time, which is what our current streak of luck promises—there will be nothing left of this place.”
“This is the Veil. You will be on the Earthly plane.”
“You don’t understand the power that will be released.”
“Yes, I do. As well as the fact that I understand that whatever you are fighting is well aware of the caution you will exercise. That is why you will exercise none because you trust me.”
I gave a weak grin. “That, I do.” I glanced around and told myself he was right about where I needed to be, then looked back at him. “I’m going to head home. Willow should be waking up soon. You keep me updated on this conflict. I have to know that all of you are all right.”
“Will do.”
Chapter Six
~ Willow ~
The intoxicated couple behind the wall next to us became silent, and when my imagination kicked in my skin began to crawl. I have been through hell and back again over the last few months, but I have never once had a freak out. That was about to change. I could not breathe. I could feel my heart racing. I was hot. There was no air. I was sure of it.
I was lost in a mental spiral descent when a husky man’s voice from the other side of the curtain slammed into my thoughts.
“That prince will fall before the week is out, so will his little green-eyed girl. I packed the explosives myself.”
Wide-eyed, I moved my stare to Justus, who was listening intently to the conversation that was occurring a few feet from our enclosure. He raised his finger to his lips in an effort to tell me to be quiet, but my freak out was instantly replaced with rage. I knew the voice of the man that was responding to that man.