Evenstar (22 page)

Another wave of pain and terror washed through him.
 
His hand spasmed and he dropped the book.
 
He doubled over in pain and pulled out another few staples.
 
Blood soaked the bandages around his waist.
 
He cried out and bit through his lip.
 
He could feel her, but the pain and dread were no longer waking experiences.
 
Dahlia slid into sleep and dreams.
 

Furcas struggled to keep a connection with her.
 
He focused on their bond and clasped on to her thoughts and feelings.
 
He joined their consciousnesses and entered her mind.
 

Pure fear surged from his toes to the crown of his head.
 
Pain lit his nerves on fire as Dahlia fell into her nightmare memory.
 
Furcas did not pull back; he did not sever their connection.
 
He could not leave her alone to that torture.
 
He looked into the yawning darkness and put his own fear aside.
 
He would protect her anywhere, even here.
 

For the first time in eternity, Dahlia no longer suffered her prison alone.
 

***

Berith stopped the car.
 
It was dark out, past sundown in downtown Seattle, but the buildings around them were dark.
 
Streetlights and stoplights flickered in and out.
 
The waterfront peeked between buildings only a handful of blocks away, but wreckage and refuse obstructed the road ahead.
 

“Hold on.”
 
Berith hit the gas and slammed into the first car in their way, a plastic Smart Car; it rolled and bounced down the street.
 
He rammed another obstacle, a dumpster.
 
Berith backed up to ram it again.

Lucifer groaned with each jostling movement.

“Sorry.”
 
Berith tossed back.
 
He put the car in gear and ran them into a motorcycle.

Apple mopped Lucifer’s brow.
 
“What has happened here?”

“The riots are everywhere.”
 
The Chulyin looked back from the front seat.
 
“Solomon Soldiers have incited humans to attack Lilliam fleeing for the outposts.
 
They do not fear discovery of their organization, they are rabid and growing.”

“A
purge
.”
 
Apple tightened the bindings on Lucifer’s wound.
 
“Back to the Dark Ages we go.”

“I doubt the timing of this is coincidence.”
 
Berith looked grim.
 
The car bounced past Benaroya Hall.
 
Berith fought with the car for control.
 
Blood on the pavement made the car slide before it stopped in front of the Seattle Art Museum.
 
“Someone’s out there.”
 

The Chulyin jumped out as the car came to a rest.
 
Apple ran after him before Berith could grab her.
 
Both Lilliam knelt over the body.
 
The Chulyin rolled the figure over; her scaly skin punctured by iron bullets, her body cold and stiff.
 
The baby in her arms just as dead.
 
The smell of blood and offal tainted the air.

Apple and the Chulyin surveyed the area; the streets showed signs of a slaughter.
 
Blood painted the street in swirls of red, black, and opalescent green.
 
Bodies had been drug into the deep shadows of night, more adults and children.
 
Their corpses dumped without care for who might find them.
 
Apple’s eyes burned red.
 
“Find where these monsters have gone
now
.”

“Yes Princess!”
 
The Chulyin flew above her.
 
He called down, “They are near.
 
They attack the pier!”
 

Apple dashed back to the car and spoke to Berith, “The outpost is under attack.”
 
Her body shuddered, reformed.
 

Berith grabbed Apple’s quiver and bow and handed them to her.
 
Apple shook her head.
 
“Make sure Lucifer gets in.
 
Go inside the pier, the entrance will be obvious.”

Lucifer reached for her.
 
“Apple, get inside.”

Apple backed away from the car.
 
She looked at her people, the innocents butchered as they had tried to flee.
 
She tore off her shirt as black-webbed wings stretched and expanded from her shoulder blades.
 
Red horns shot out of her skull, and flames hovered over her head.
 
Black scales formed on her skin from feet to kneecaps.
 
Her toes lengthened into talons.
 
The terror of the unjustly killed surged through her blood, forcing her to do one thing.
 
Punish
.
 

Lucifer called to his progeny, “Appleadris!
 
You have been
forbidden
to do this anymore!
 
You have a duty to your people to live!”

Berith put a hand to Lucifer’s chest and held him at bay.
 
“She won’t listen now.
 
Not as a Fury.”
 

Apple leapt into the air with a blood-curdling screech.
 

Berith leaned forward in the seat.
 
Multiple flights of stairs and a few concrete decorative barriers separated them from the next street down.
 
He looked back at Lucifer.
 
“This is going to get very bumpy.”

***

In front of the pier, a knot of City Guard stood firm against an onslaught of humans.
 
They held open a narrow corridor for fleeing Lilliam refugees.
 
Beyond the Guard, the way inside the pier stood open, waiting.
 
Lilliam raced or flew across in small groups, knowing being left behind was far worse than a quick death at the hands of maddened humans.
 
But escape was not easy.
 
The passageway the Guard held shifted and moved as the favor of the battle went from one group to the next.
   

Solomon Soldiers had taken over the streets.
 
They used controlled humans: bar patrons, the homeless and runaways, and those unfortunate enough to get caught in the riots.
 
Unaffected humans hid in their condos and offices, terrified and confused.
 
Abandoned police cars were on their sides, occupants converted to the cause.
 
A fire truck was similarly empty and used as cover.
 

The moon hung in the sky overhead and the shadows cast by the tall skyscrapers were thick with wandering humans and wreckage.
 
The Solomon Soldiers had overrun the buildings and spaces on either side of the pier.
 
Their ranged weapon bearers camped out and took aim at anything that swam or flew by.

The mind-controlled humans crashed against the Guard in waves.
 
They were armed with rudimentary iron weapons and under the direction to kill anything that was not them.
 
Against the Guard, the humans fell easily, but more were ready to replace them.
 

A Molotov cocktail sailed over the heads of the Guard, smashing a glass window of the pier.
 
Fire splashed and spread over the front of the building.
 
A fleeing naiad blasted the spot with seawater, putting the flame out instantly.
 
An iron bolt pierced him in the spine; he went down with a cry.
 

An armored ogre grabbed the fallen Lilliam and handed him off to other refugees.
 
The ogre turned and plowed into the dazed humans.
 
His blows knocked them into the street or into the water.
 
His hide was peppered with arrows and bullets, but the thick blood of an ogre was not easy to poison.
 

A group of gossamer winged fairies used the distraction to take their chance; they crossed from the buildings across the street.
 
They soared, gunning for the Guard.
 
Iron bolts flew up at them.
 
Four of the eight fell, three children among the bodies to hit the concrete.
 
A cheer went up from the Solomon Soldiers.
 

Apple dropped a taxicab on the celebrating humans.  She slid the car along the street, leaving a streak of red and moans of pain.
 
She screamed and launched the vehicle down the street.
 
The car soared over the burnt out hulls of cruise liners and into a gift shop turned arsenal in Pier 54.
 
The explosion and fire that followed sent armed men into the street and water below.
 

Humans jumped at her.
 
Her wings sliced through men like razors, throwing body parts into the throng.
 
The Chulyin soldier dropped down beside her and drew his twin blades.
 
He stabbed and pierced anything she missed.
 

Her eyes caught on the men that attacked the City Guard.
 
She snarled and leapt at them.

The Lilliam recognized their Princess.
 
One of the Guard blew a horn.
 
Lilliam stopped and cocked their heads.
 
A chorus of hopeful voices rose up from the alleys and pilings.
 

Nodin leapt outside and saw his older sister.
 
He grinned and ripped a door off its hinges.
 
He jumped the line of the Guard and slapped humans back.
 
He amplified his voice, “Lilliam come now!”

Lilliam that clung to buildings, flew overhead, or hid in the water surged forward.
 

Solomon Soldiers searched for targets as the night came alive with them.
 

Fire raced over Apple’s body and along the ground.
 
She pulled a fire whip off the concrete and whirled in a blur of light.
 
Humans were thrown back, bodies on fire, clothes and skin torn open.
 
They hit buildings and went through glass and concrete.
 
Apple flew into the air and snapped the whip in a blur, shooting fireballs at any humans in sight.
 
In turn, the Solomon Soldiers took aim at the Fury, but their iron weapons were useless against her.
 

Berith’s car hit the street, nearly totaled from their ride down.
 
He plowed the beat-up vehicle into the backs of the attackers.
 
He kicked his door out and pulled Lucifer from the back seat.
 

Lucifer tried to take in what was going on, but his vision doubled and sweat poured into his eyes.
 
His fever spiked and his words slurred, “Where are we going?
 
Why are we here?”

Berith wrapped Lucifer up in a blanket and ran straight for Pier 57.
 
“We’re going to Dahlia.”

Lucifer pulled the blanket away from his face.
 
“She will be in there?”

Berith nodded.
 
“She’ll be waiting for you in the City.”
 
He ran through humans like a linebacker.
 
A Lilliam child ran away from the fight blindly.
 
Berith grabbed her with his free hand and pulled her with them.
 

The City Guard saw him coming and redoubled their efforts to keep the corridor open.
 
Berith dashed through unscathed.
 
Nodin followed them inside as his sister lit the street on fire.
 
“The passage is open, go!”

Berith shook his head.
 
“I must stay to help!”

Nodin pushed him back.
 
“No, this passage will
not
stay open long.
 
There are more Solomon Soldiers on the way.
 
We have no time!”

“I will not leave Appleadris!”

Nodin grimaced.
 
“She would not want you to stay.
 
Leave
, Berith!”

Around them streams of Lilliam rushed past.
 
They had one destination.
 
Past the shops, near the arcade, the ground opened up.
 
Instead of more building or water, the hole opened to a faint blue glow.
 
Lilliam leapt into it and disappeared.
 
Berith could see the light from where he stood.
 
He turned back to Nodin.
 
“We still have time, I will wait for her.”

Nodin scowled, but said nothing more.
 
He ran back outside.
 
He pushed the air currents and tossed himself to the roof.
 
Lilliam crossed the water or raced through the city.
 
Speedboats and cars followed both groups.
 
“Appleadris!
 
They come in boats!
 
We will get the cars!”