Chapter Twenty-Nine
Blood blossomed from Conemar’s body and mixed in the muddy water rushing down the cracks in the ground. All noises were muffled. Dazed, I felt like an outsider to the battle still going on around me.
Across the field, Royston fought the Tetrad, his claws swiping across the Lion Man’s face, blackish-red blood spilling down the lion’s cheek.
Arik grabbed my shoulders. “Gia, are you hurt?”
I shook my head. He pulled me into a hug. But I didn’t hug him back. My arms were like dead weights at my side.
“Bastien needs you,” he said against my ear.
And that snapped me out of my stupor. I pulled away from Arik and dashed to Bastien. His eyes still closed, he chanted under his breath.
I grasped both sides of his head. “Bastien, stop. Nick’s gone. Conemar is dead. You have to stop.”
He kept chanting.
“Bastien, stop!” I slapped his face hard.
The chanting stopped, and his eyes flew open. “Gia.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we dropped to our knees. “Oh Bastien. You’re okay. I love you. I love you so much. I was so scared. You’re okay.”
His arms went around me and he pulled me closer. “I love you, mon amour.”
Deidre and Emily untied Pop, Nana, Afton, and the others.
Pop rushed to us. “Let me check him out.”
I released Bastien and stood. “We’re not done here. I have to help Royston.”
Deidre held Afton, who sobbed on her shoulder. I forgot she had seen Nick go over the cliff. I couldn’t go to her. We could comfort each other when all this was done.
The Red’s men, along with the Writhes that hadn’t been changed by Conemar, rounded up the possessed Writhes with bimcord ropes. They didn’t kill them. I knew what The Red was doing. He wanted to find a way to return them to their original states.
I sprinted across the field toward Royston and the Tetrad.
The Lion Man fell forward, and Royston grabbed his throat in his claws. His father’s corpse had been used to make the Lion Man. It was son against father.
The Tetrad spun, and Royston lost his hold on the Lion Man. The Horned Man came around and rammed his horns into Royston’s side. Royston’s heavy feet thundered as he stumbled back. This time the Lizard Man whipped him with his tail. Royston smacked against the ground.
The Boar Man stomped his hoofs against Royston’s beast-like chest. Cadby flew above the beast and swooped down, his boot connecting to the Boar Man’s face. The impact barely made him sway on his feet. I threw an ice globe at the creature, freezing his leg to stop it from pounding Royston again. But the freeze didn’t last long, and the Boar Man continued hitting Royston’s chest.
When the Boar Man stopped pounding Royston, the Tetrad turned and charged at us.
I sprinted in the opposite direction with the others on either side of me. The Mystiks and Conemar’s guards on the field scattered.
Royston scrambled to his feet, throwing his head back and roaring. It was an earsplitting roar that stopped the Tetrad. Joined together, the Tetrad marched around until it faced Royston, the Lion Man in the lead, and it stormed toward Royston.
I remembered something I had learned while visiting Athela’s past. The Tetrad was four beings with one soul. The lion was the heart. Remove him and the others would die.
I took off after the Tetrad—I had to get closer. My feet pounded against the mud. When I was close enough for him to hear me, I yelled, “Royston! Take down the lion and the others will fall!”
A beautiful beast with a fierce stare, Royston braced himself. The Tetrad neared. Royston’s clawed hands rose at his sides. The Lion Man reached him first.
Royston’s right claw cut across the Lion Man’s chest. He swung his left and his nails cut the lion’s throat. The lion dropped to the ground, disconnecting from the other three. The Boar Man and Horned Man collapsed beside him. The Lizard Man spun, his tail whipping around, knocking down those in his path. Heading for me.
I darted out of his way.
Nana took measured steps forward, her hands at her sides and her eyes red and focused on the lizard.
“Move back,” I yelled at her. “Nana, stop.”
Nana kept going, ignoring my pleas. When I got closer to her, I could hear her mumbling some sort of charm. She was in a trance.
The sound of the lizard’s thundering steps stopped. An earsplitting wail came from behind me.
I whirled on my heel. The Lizard Man clawed at his skin, his painful cries rising in intensity. Fire shot out of his eyes, mouth, and nose. Flames crackled over his skin, consuming him until he collapsed—a burning pile of flesh.
Royston buckled to his knees and fell to his side.
I ran over and bent down beside him. His body contorted and snapped until it returned to its normal state.
Cadby knelt at his head, his wings flapping nervously on his back.
“Royston?”
He opened his eyes. “Gia. Did we win the battle?”
“We did.”
“I am thirsty,” he said.
I glanced up at Arik. “Water. Get him some water, please.”
Deidre dropped down on the other side of Royston. “You’re alive,” she said, tears slipping from her eyes.
“Not for long, my beautiful Deidre.” He turned his head and watched my eyes. “You did well, Gianna.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “You won. You’ve made it.”
Royston turned his head back, his breaths growing shallow. “I have always known this would be my end. The potion is poisonous.”
Deidre leaned over and hugged him. “No, please stay with me.”
“I have heard of a place where loved ones meet again after death.” He coughed, his voice strained. “If it truly exists, I will meet you there.”
His eyes closed, and Deidre laid her head on his chest and cried.
He’s gone. Tears puddled my eyes, and a sadness bubbled up in my chest. It wasn’t fair. He was still young and never really got to live, except for the five months he spent with us. I hated Athela, then. Hated her for sacrificing Royston.
Cadby lowered his head. I couldn’t see his face, but his wings shuddering on his back was a sign he was crying.
I stood, swiping my tears away with muddy hands. Emily brought me a long strip of cloth, and I wiped my face with it.
Nana came over, grasped my chin, and kissed my cheek. “You’re safe. I was so frightened for you.”
I wrapped my arms around her and cried against her shoulder.
A sharp pain stabbed my chest. We had to recover Nick’s body. But I would wait. Because if I waited, I could pretend he was alive for a little longer.
I released Nana and searched the field for Bastien. Sabine and Bastien covered Odil’s body. Nearby them, Father Peter prayed over Uncle Philip. Every bit of me wanted to go over there, but I’d have to wait until Father Peter finished. Saying goodbye to Uncle Philip would tear me apart, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to do it. I wiped the tears from my eyes.
In the middle of the field, Galach’s arm was around Briony as she wiped the mud from Buach’s peaceful face. The Red carried Edgar’s lifeless body to a place under a large shade tree where others were taking their dead. A man lay Pia’s body beside the other Santaran fallen.
Doylis nodded at me before following his men back up the hill. Shyna stood at the top of the hill searching the field below. Her eyes found Demos, and she smiled, then turned to join her people gathering their dead.
I pulled my eyes from them and combed the field. Pop held a sobbing Afton, while Kayla rubbed her back.
Nana hobbled across the field in their direction.
Jaran wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I don’t think so. You?”
“Surprisingly not.”
Demos sat in the mud beside us. “I’m knackered. I have never seen so much blood in my life.”
Lei came to my other side and slipped her arm around my waist. “You did good, ducky.”
“Help!” A faint cry came from the cliffs. “Can someone give me hand? Or a rope would be good.”
Nick?
Another faint cry: “Help.”
“Nick!” The sound of his voice replaced the darkness shadowing my heart with the light of hope. He was alive. Alive!
I ran so hard to the cliff my thighs burned. After dropping to my stomach, I scooted out to the edge and peered over. Thick bramble covered the entire side of the mountain. Lying on his back, Nick balanced on the prickly branches.
Arik skidded to a stop and glanced over. “I’ll find a rope.” He hurried off.
“What are you doing?” I said, which was probably the most ridiculous question to ask in this situation.
“Oh, just hanging around.” Nick gave me that annoyed look that used to drive me crazy but totally lifted my heart right then.
He was alive.
Afton dropped down beside me. “Nick, you’re alive! I’m going to give you the biggest kiss when you get up here.”
“Deal.” He looked down, shaking the bramble, and he grabbed the branches. A frightened look crossed his face.
“Don’t move,” Afton said.
“Good idea,” he said.
The shadow of a large bird passed over us. Cadby sailed through the air and dove, scooping Nick into his arms.
“Oh my God,” Afton squealed. “I love that bird guy.”
Cadby lowered Nick to the ground, and I pushed past Afton, not caring that she wanted to kiss him or whatever. Not caring about anything but Nick. I almost tackled him in a hug and cried.
“Oh Nick. You were dead.” I took a breath. “I thought you were dead.”
“Gia,” he whispered. “I’m here. We’re okay. But can we make a deal, though?”
I pulled back and nodded. “What is it?”
“Let’s stay in our own world for a while, okay?”
I laughed. I laughed hard. Nick was alive. We were alive.
“Um, do you think…?” Afton bit her lip. “I mean, can I get a hug, at least?”
Nick snaked an arm around Afton’s waist and tugged her to us. We held each other so tightly I could hardly breathe. Over Nick’s shoulder, I spotted Bastien heading our way. I kissed Nick’s cheek, and then Afton’s, before untangling myself from their arms.
Shortening the distance between us, I met Bastien almost in the middle. He cupped my face in his strong hands and kissed my lips. He kissed them as if he’d never kissed them before, urgent and frightened. My hands, dirty from battle, gently touched his cheeks.
“Bastien,” I whispered around his kisses. “I love you.”
“You could never love me as much as I do you.” His warm breath tickled my lips.
I smiled against his mouth. “Says you.”
Uncle Philip.
“There’s something I need to do,” I said.
He followed me as I made my way to Uncle Philip. Father Peter was making the sign of the cross over Uncle Philip’s lifeless body as I approached. He stood and nodded at me.
I dropped to my knees beside my uncle. “We did it,” I said, lowering my head and resting my forehead against his chest. “I’m going to miss you bad. You’ve been the best uncle a girl could ask for. Say hello to my mom for me when you get to wherever you’re going. She’d be proud of you for taking such good care of me. I couldn’t have survived this without you.” I lifted my head and kissed his cold cheek, tears dropping from my eyes and falling on his skin. “I love you and will carry you with me for the rest of my life.”
My legs shook as I stood. Two men waited with a makeshift stretcher to take Uncle Philip’s body. A cry tore from my mouth, and I covered my face with my hands. Bastien’s arms went around me, and I bawled against his chest. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore, so he held me instead.
“I’m here,” he said.
We had lost so much, but gained even more. There had been so much pain, so much suffering, but the sun was coming up, and a new Mystik world was dawning.