I watched as several men stood and broke away from the group. Four went around to the back of the statue base and came back with a long, wooden ramp. They placed it against the statue before going up. Grasping Bokor’s chair, two on either side, they carried it, and him, down the ramp. My assumption that he was so grotesquely bloated because of the energy he was taking into his body was confirmed. His body was so massive that it should have taken twice as many men to carry him.
A sudden, terrible thought assailed me. If the spirit energies were still moving within him, were they conscious? Did they know what was happening to them? If so, Rangel was in there, floating around in that disgusting, vile body. The thought made me grind my teeth. If there was such thing as pure evil, Bokor was the embodiment of it.
A low, wooden altar was brought in next, and placed a few feet in front of Bokor. As soon as it was in place, the kneeling, hooded men began to chant.
“We praise the glory of Bokor.
Bokor alone is worthy of worship.
Bokor is the remover of all sin and evil.
Bokor will rain destruction upon the unworthy.
Bless us, Bokor, that we shall be worthy of your glory.”
They repeated the verse in creepy singsong voices as five women were herded in. Despite the dim lighting, I immediately recognized Millie. Her clothes and face were dirty and her hair was wild, as if she’d been sleeping in filth. From the looks of the place, that was exactly the situation. But other than being grimy, she looked in decent health. Not so for the half-starved girl with stringy blond hair next to her. I couldn’t be positive, as her face was much thinner than the sketches I’d seen of her, but I was pretty sure it was Farah Purcell. Millie had her arm around the girl’s waist, helping her stay upright as they shuffled in and were pushed down to their knees in front of the altar.
As they turned, I saw the faces of the two men that had brought the women in. Sparks of recognition burned in my mind. One was the rickshaw driver that had stopped and asked if I wanted a ride. The other I’d seen many more times than that. He was a vendor at the market. He sold leather goods or something. I finally knew how Bokor had been getting the mages in and out of the city without a trace—how no one had seen or heard a struggle. No one paid attention to rickshaws or the drivers unless they wanted to hire one.
The loud chanting was reduced to a low murmur. Amos stepped up beside the altar, facing Bokor. “My Lord, Bokor, please accept these offerings of our faith and loyalty.”
The chanting grew louder and louder as the kneeling worshipers stretched their arms out over their heads and brought their hands and foreheads to the ground in front of them, before rising back up and doing it again.
One of the gray figures stood and began chanting something that was different from his comrades, but I couldn’t tell what he said over the noise and the sound of my own blood thundering in my ears. Suddenly, everything that was happening was very clear. Bokor intended to suck the life out of those girls, and then me.
Panic rose within me as the voices got louder, as if building up to some crescendo. I knew that once they reached it, the entertainment portion of this little show would be over and then it would all be over. I struggled against my bonds, but it was no use. Trussed up as I was, there was no way I could save those girls, or myself.
A lump welled up in my throat, but I refused to let it go. I couldn’t believe this was the way it was going to end, the way I was going to go out. A wave of regret washed over me. I would never see my sisters or Pinky again. I had snuck out, violating a pinky-swear, and hadn’t even told them I loved them. Love. Ian. My stomach cramped. I was going to die with Ian thinking I didn’t love him. I had been such an idiot. Of course, I loved him. Nothing, not even my reluctance to open my heart to him, could change that fact. He was a part of me I would never get rid of, never be able to shake off. And I suddenly realized that I didn’t want to. I wanted him to be a part of my life, a part of me, always. But now my life was about to be over, and I never told him how I really felt. I couldn’t help the tears that rolled down my cheeks.
I was so engrossed in my little internal pity party that I didn’t notice movement behind me until a strong hand cupped over my mouth. “Shhh,” a low voice hissed in my ear as I stifled a squeak of surprise.
The hand moved from my mouth, and I gasped. “Ian?”
“No, Jarrett,” replied the very familiar voice behind me.
Though a tiny spark of hope that I’d make it out alive burst to life, my heart sank. Ian hadn’t come.
Jarrett continued, “Ian is on the other side, getting into position.”
My heart soared. Ian had come to rescue me after all! Then, after having that thought, I mentally slapped myself. I wasn’t some helpless princess from the stories Carly told my sisters and me when we were little. Though, admittedly, I did need a tiny bit of rescuing right now.
“Get me the fuck out of these chains,” I vehemently whispered back to Jarrett.
“No can do, Fee. Not without making a ton of noise. We just wanted you to know we were here. Sam and a whole team are behind us, but it’s going to be a bit before they get here. We need you to be cool and stall as long as you can.”
“Be cool? Are you off your fucking rocker? Shit. Okay, can you at least get this crystal off me?” I hissed.
“Sure thing.” He reached around and gave the crystal a sharp tug. I bit my lip to hold back a gasp of pain as the cord bit into my neck and then broke. “Hang on,” he said. After a few minutes, the cord went back around my neck with something else tied to the end. I couldn’t see what it was, and he quickly tucked it into my shirt so there was an obvious bulge.
“What is that?” I asked.
“A piece of bone. It’ll look like the crystal slipped inside your shirt. Now, I’ve got to go before I’m seen. Just hang tight, Fee, we’ll get you.” Then, a gray-robed figure walked from behind the pillar I was tied to, joining the other worshipers.
Very clever. They were blending in and biding their time. I scanned the praying worshipers as well as the few figures still walking around, but they all had hoods hiding their faces. I couldn’t tell which one was Ian.
The chanting came to an abrupt halt. I pulled my attention away from trying to find Ian and back to the strange proceedings. Amos heaved Farah to her feet and pushed her across the altar.
“My Lord, our first offering.”
“No,” I screamed, before I could help myself.
Millie looked up, saw me, and her eyes went wide. “Fiona!” she shrieked and was immediately on her feet, running toward me. One of the worshipers easily grabbed her and pulled her back to the altar by her hair, Millie kicking and screaming the whole time.
“Stop it. Leave her alone,” I ineffectually ordered.
“Silence, child,” Amos said, standing over Millie threateningly. Millie immediately hushed, and I wondered at the abuse she’d already suffered at the hands of these monsters.
“Bokor, let them go. Take me instead. You don’t need them.” I began pulling in tiny amounts of energy, hoping he wouldn’t notice.
Bokor’s laugh grated against my nerves. “You have no idea, my sweet Fiona, what you ask. Oh, do not worry; I will take you. I will consume every last drop of your energy and feel you inside me. But, first, I must prepare. You underestimate your own power. I must be strong enough to take you and keep you. You are the main course. They are just the before-dinner snack.”
My stomach lurched. “Oh, come on,” I taunted. “Are you saying you aren’t man enough to handle me?”
“Enough,” Bokor thundered. “This is a sacred ceremony; you will not interrupt it again. Remember, my sweet Fiona, you do not have to be conscious for this,” he threatened.
He turned his attentions to Farah. “Now, where were we?”
Millie jerked up again. “No, take me first. I’m stronger. She’s half dead. I’m as good as two of these girls. Leave them and take me.”
I didn’t
know whether to cheer or scream. Surely, she knew that she couldn’t save Farah or anyone else. Bokor would still do what he wanted. Then, as I saw her eyes flit around, I realized what she was doing. She was trying to buy time. She thought that if I were there, help must not be too far behind. Millie was stronger than Farah, so she would buy her and the other girls time with her own life. The girl was ridiculously courageous and incredibly stupid. She reminded me of me.
“Very well,” Bokor crooned. “Bring her forward.”
Farah was pulled from the altar and shoved, unceremoniously, into a whimpering heap on the floor. Millie was pushed onto the altar in her place. I opened my senses just a bit. It was strange. There was a void of blackness around Bokor. I couldn’t see any energy around him, though I knew he was filled with it. When Bokor began drawing energy off Millie, a thin stream of light began flowing off her into the blackness around him, making it darken and pulse.
I couldn’t let this happen. I said a quick spell and tried my bonds. Nothing. I tried again—still no use. I didn’t have anything to focus my energy with, so I would just have to do my best. I opened my senses as wide as they would go, sucking in energy and then pushing out as hard as I could, widening my bound hands and motioning towards the altar.
Gray-robed men went flying as the wave of magic hit them. The stream of light between Millie and Bokor stopped temporarily as he focused his attention on me. “Get her,” he screamed, and all hell broke loose.
“Way to hang tight,” Jarrett yelled as he swung his sword at my manacles.
I fell forward, my hands and knees hitting the grubby floor. I was free. I pulled myself up, my knees still weak from the effects of whatever drug Bokor had used on me. I started towards Millie and the other girls but was brought up short.
Bokor’s eyes went wide and black, and his minions started pulling themselves up, their eyes were wide and dark as well. “Oh, fuck,” I breathed. Now, this was like what I’d read. Somehow, Bokor was mind controlling his followers. The slow-moving horde coming at Jarrett and me were not just angry worshipers protecting their so-called God. They were full-blown zombies, doing their master’s bidding even if it meant death.
All at once, they were on us. Jarrett started swinging his sword, and I started kicking and punching. As minion after minion came at me, I frantically searched for Ian. I thought I saw him once, but before I could be sure, a blow to the stomach sent me sprawling. I was back on my feet quickly, using every bit of my fighting skills to push back the men. But every time I made progress, two more popped up. I looked towards where the girls were. They were all huddled together at the base of a column in the far corner, all except Millie. She laid on the altar, unconscious, her life energy streaming out of her and into Bokor, fueling his attack.
I had to get to her. Another minion came at me, punching at my head. I ducked, catching him in the stomach with my knee, but he grabbed my ankle and I went crashing down in a tumble with him. We rolled around, struggling, and I finally got my elbow up high enough to land a blow across his nose. I felt a crack, and he stopped moving. I pulled myself from him, but before I could regain my feet, I noticed little wisps of energy floating across the ceiling. They were bright white, life energy. I followed the stream back to the source and I finally saw Ian standing at the back of the room, his face red with fury. He had his sword out, fighting minions as they crowded him. Tiny wisps of energy were flying off him like sparks. I watched as one of the wisps sought out a skeleton on one of the columns. It flew into it, and the skeleton, a tiny bright light glowing within, pulled itself off where it was hanging and jumped into the fray, fighting Bokor’s minions. Within seconds, there were dozens of skeletons punching and hacking at the worshipers alongside Jarrett.
I pulled myself to my feet and began fighting, but was soon knocked on my ass again. I was getting too weak and making little progress. My mind whirled, and I tried to tamp down the rising terror. After all this, we were still going to die if something didn’t happen. But what? There was no way to know when Sam would show up with the cavalry. Or, if he even would.
Bokor had to be stopped. He had too much power. As long as he controlled his disciples, we’d never get close, not with just three of us fighting, even with the extra help Ian was lending, which was both terrifying and amazing. If we both got out of this alive, I was going to tell him how awesome I thought necromancers were.
I looked where Millie lay unconscious on the altar. I didn’t even have to open my senses to see the life force streaming from her body and into Bokor. It was getting thinner, weaker. Soon, there would be nothing left. He would have her entire life force absorbed, and Millie would become a dry, dusty corpse.
I kicked a child of about ten in the shoulder as she slashed at me with a knife. She fell back, her head hitting the stone statue hard. She lay there still for a long moment, and I felt sick. I had been reduced to hurting, possibly even killing, children. My rage intensified. But then her eyes opened and she blinked, as if coming out of a trance. She looked around, terrified, then hopped up and ran out. She must have been unconscious for just a moment.
“Knock them out,” I screamed, but it came out in a hoarse croak. They couldn’t hear me, and I didn’t have the energy to make myself heard. I stumbled forward. The residual effects of the drugs Bokor had used on me had me weak, and the energies Ian and Bokor were using were churning up the atmosphere, making the magical energy fluctuate in a way that made it impossible for me to draw any energy from around me.
Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. I knew how to save Ian, Millie, everyone. It was dangerous, might even kill me. I knew Ian wouldn’t let me do it. I looked over to where he and Jarrett fought the horde of zombified minions. They were surrounded. They slashed and hacked at the mindless men, but were losing ground as more and more people—women and children included—streamed into the cavernous room and began attacking. Even with Ian controlling the skeletons, they couldn’t last much longer. His strength was waning; I could see it in his face. Soon, he would have to pull all of his energy back from the fighting skeletons just to be able to continue fighting himself.
I couldn’t keep fighting, but I was sure I had enough energy to do what I needed to do. I took off towards Bokor. I tried to run but I was so weak it was more of a clumsy stagger, ducking blows from minions and getting out of the way of skeletons as I moved. I was only steps from the altar when I heard Ian scream, “Fiona! No!”
But it was too late. I pushed myself forward the last few feet, and then stumbled. I put my hand out as I fell, using Bokor’s soft, fleshy mass to steady myself. The moment my hand touched his grey, slimy flesh, I opened my senses full force and began to draw in energy.
I heard both Ian and Bokor scream, “No!” in unison before a great thundering overtook me. White-hot energy filled me, seeping in through my hand and coursing through my entire body. I suddenly felt more powerful than I had ever felt in my life. I expected it to stop, but it didn’t. It kept flowing in. It filled every cell of my being.
I could sense, rather than hear, Bokor’s screams of pain and rage, but I ignored him and kept drawing in energy. Then I realized the thundering in my head wasn’t thunder. It was voices. Minds. Spirits. I could feel the pain and confusion of every being from which Bokor had sucked the life essence. It was deafening. The sense of overwhelming power I had turned into immense pain. My body shook, I was being ripped apart, yet the energy, the spirits, kept flowing into me. I couldn’t hold it. But I couldn’t stop. If I stopped, their energy would stream back into Bokor, along with my own. He would be just as strong as before, stronger even. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to make sure Ian had a fighting chance.
So I kept drawing the energy in. The feeling of power was completely gone and I was feeling weak, weaker than I ever had. I couldn’t take much more. So I did the one thing I could think of. I clenched Bokor’s spongy flesh with my right hand and focused harder on pulling energy out of him. Putting my left hand into the air
and with the last bit of my strength, I opened myself up, letting all the energy built up inside me and flowing into me through Bokor, out. As the spirits inside me realized I was freeing them, I felt a sudden burst of elation when the energy burst forth. Not just from my hand but my entire body.
Every bit of me thrummed and vibrated, and I had the sense of a brilliant light surrounding me before darkness started closing in around me. I had done it. I’d saved Millie and Jarrett, and most importantly, Ian. As my body got weaker and weaker and the darkness moved in, I had a sharp pang of regret. My sweet, sexy, wonderful Ian. I would never see him again. But he was safe. I knew I had weakened Bokor enough that Ian and Jarrett could kill him. Ian would live. That was enough for me. That was my last thought before everything went black.