Piper

 

If Kesari hadn’t been there, I would have thrown myself at Frost. As it was, I saw Balt’s eyes flash and he tried to leap at her, but he then he fell.

“No,” I murmured and Kesari tightened her arm around my shoulders.

Suddenly I realized there was a voice in my ear. “All set, Piper.”

As I went to move, the fesootai on my wrist throbbed and went white-hot. For a second, I stood still, watching Balt press his wrist to his lips. And his voice was around me.

Piper, I love you. I should have told you every day since I realized it. I loved you with every breath and I’ll love you into whatever is beyond this life.

I love you. His words throbbed through me. I love you and I’m so sorry.

With a snarl, I shifted and leaped through the air, landing in front of him. Shifting back, I knelt by him, grabbed his face and snapped out in rough, ragged voice, “I know. And you should be.”

There were other sounds and other commotion in the room, but I wasn’t paying attention.

Balt’s eyes fluttered open and he struggled to focus on me. “Pipla? Of course, you’re here.” A small grin formed on his face. “Kick her ass.”

Kesari was next to me and she gave me a look. “I’ve got him.”

Anger and power were lighting up every nerve in my body as I got to my feet. In front of me, Frost was staring, lips parted and arms at her side. Fear chased through her eyes as she stared at me and I stalked forward.

Enele already had Ras pinned to the ground and bound. Kai was idly tying up Hunter, while Isla and Dez kept back. Other SoA agents were securing the room.

“I knew you wouldn’t be at the Erechtheion tonight, Frost,” I said and she stumbled back. “It was a pretty clever ruse, but you should have tried harder.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she spat, hands shaking. “I won. He’s going to die Piper and you’ll break.” She said this with a vicious savageness. “You’ll shatter. See, I didn’t have a Balt to watch after me when my mother was taken from me. I was all alone, with only the fragments of her dreams and great mind left.”

“No, Lilian,” I said. “I won. You’re going to rot in jail. You showed your hand too soon.”

With a snarl, she leaped at me and I had to dart back. Frost was swiping and kicking, her movements practiced with the weight of years. Fighting back, I went to shift when she suddenly seemed to become feral, her head tilting and eyes going opalescent. Shocked, I watched as fangs sprouted and she raked at me with claw-like hands.

It was monstrous and twisted, not like shifting at all. While the Kazans may have dabbled in the rites, whatever the Frosts had done was something else altogether. The instincts I usually buried or only used as a last resort were now singing through me and I regarded her with pity.

“What did your mother do to you, Frost?” I asked.

“Jealous?” Frost spat and I shivered.

As she went to take another swing, a voice rang through the room and we both stopped.

“Lilian,” the Parasite commanded. “We are leaving.” I looked at him. Next to him, Altair held Electra by the arm and she was snarling at him, kicking and squirming. “If any of you move, I will kill her.”

“You bastard, it’s always the same thing, isn’t it?” I snarled.

“Why fix what’s broken?” The masked face tilted sideways. “You don’t show it, Weslark, but you’ve got a bleeding heart. Now, focus on your few precious minutes left with Baltsaros.” He tapped a foot as Lilian came to stand by him, her features becoming human again. Nodding at Enele and Kai, he ordered, “Let those idiots go.” When neither of them moved, he snapped, “Now!”

White-faced, Enele and Kai did so. Hunter and Ras stalked away, heads hanging as they stood by the Parasite.

“Electra!” Angele was suddenly in the room and she let out a scream.

“Don’t worry, sister, I’ll look after her,” Altair said.

“Altair, how could you?” Angele asked, her voice wavering. “Please, no, take me…”

Suddenly, I saw a flash of gold out of the corner of my eye and gasped as a lioness knocked into the Parasite, swiped at Altair, knocking him over and then a blur of dark hair was carrying Electra forward. Isla had Electra in her arms and then she was behind Kai.

Enele recovered first, shifting and charging at the group of TLO members, who scattered. Other figures surged after them and while I wanted to, I turned and ran back to Balt and Kesari.

Balt was sitting up, breathing hard and Kesari was shaking her head. Mascara streaked her face and she shook her head in frustration. “I don’t know why this isn’t working!”

“It’s okay,” Balt said in a soft voice.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, falling to my knees by them.

“It’s slowed, but it won’t stop,” Kesari said, her voice high and broken. “I’m sorry, Piper. I need to analyze the toxins…”

“How long will that take?” I asked. Kesari shook her head and I pulled in a sharp breath. “Is there a healer?” I cried out. “Anyone?”

“I am! I tried, Piper,” Kesari said and my heart twisted in my chest.

“Piper.” Balt had grabbed my wrists and was staring at me. “Piper, listen to me.”

“No, I have to–” I gasped for air. “I-I have to do something.”

“You need to stay with me, please,” he said in a voice I’d never heard him use and I froze. My body went hot, then cold as I began to shake. “And forgive me.”

“Balty,” I said, tears tracing down my face. “No. I’m not letting you go. No.”

He pulled me to him and ran a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry, Piper. I had to. Those kids–”

“They’re safe,” I murmured into his shoulder, holding onto him and trying not to notice how cold he was to the touch. How weak.

“I know,” Balt said, letting out a gasp and I pulled back. Cradling him against me, I looked down at him and then stared around helplessly. “Piper, it’s not your fault.” His words were slurring and his eyes were falling shut. “I love you.”

“No, Balty, please, please hold on. I’ll think of something,” I said, desperately, pressing a hand to his cheek. He was so pale. “I’m not letting you go. I am not.” Balt let out a weak laugh and the fesootai began to burn on my wrist.

“I love you, Piper,” he murmured. “Always have.”

“No! Please,” I begged, as I began to shatter into pieces. “Please. I love you, Baltsaros Kazan.”

Closing my eyes, I held onto Balt and that feeling washed over me like a web of light. A pulse went through me and my breath caught. A shudder went through me as a familiar scent wafted over me and pressure, like two gentle hands, pressed down on my shoulders.

Mom.

Some voice inside of me was certain I’d lost my mind, but a stronger instinct had taken over. Her voice was a whisper, so low I could barely catch it, but I listened and then my eyes flew open.

Jaw set, I grabbed Balt’s wrist with the fesootai and linked our hands, then pressed them between our hearts. Swallowing hard, I focused and brought every ounce of energy I had to this one moment. It poured out of me, strong and swift. The shadows scattered and lights winked around me, flickering like falling stars.

Balt gasped and his eyes flew open. I grabbed his other wrist and let out a shaky breath as I saw the black mark swirl and grow gold. Vitality pulsed off of him and he stared at me as he sat up.

Suddenly Balt’s hands shot out and pulled my face to his, our lips meeting and his fingers knotting in my hair. I was laughing and crying, trying to kiss him back.

Somewhere, I thought I heard Kai let out a catcall and then an oof, as though Isla had punched him, but I wasn’t paying attention to anything but Balt in that moment.