Immortal Essence Box Set: Aligned, Exiled, Beguiled (46 page)

Michael rubbernecked his gaze between Ramien and me. I knew the word Michael wanted to say. I knew what he believed. Just like the night in the cave, the night he declared his love, the night I became immortal. He believed I was his.

Ramien completed Michael’s sentence. “Yours. Is that the word you are too cowardly to say?” Ramien seethed. His skin rippled, fading in and out. “What a disgrace to your heritage.
Your birthright.
A true ferether doesn’t have emotion except those he creates by causing souls to suffer. How can you be my son if you retain feelings for her?” He spat out the words, shoving a finger into Michael’s chest as he spoke.

“I won’t let you touch her again.” Michael leaned into Ramien’s assault. Fury radiated from him. Nervous, I stepped away from them. The air hissed with their heated energy.

“You’re weak,” Ramien continued, his voice lowered, more menacing. “You possess unlimited power, but you don’t know how to use it. I wanted to be your teacher, train you, but alas . . . a teacher must have a willing student.” He paused a moment. Then spitting in Michael’s face, he went on, “You may think you can stop me, but—”

Michael suddenly had a gun. It just appeared in his hand from out of nowhere. Before I blinked, he shot Ramien in the face. Pieces of Ramien went everywhere, like paint spattering across a canvas. My stomach turned. White lights spotted my vision. Michael grabbed my hand and said, “Run!”

My head spinning, I took off after him. “Where did you get a gun? Is he dead?”

He answered my questions quickly and succinctly. “Out of thin air. Not even close.” Michael gave me a quick smile. “We’re getting out of here.”

“
Fabu
,” I said as I ran alongside him. He saved me again. Well, at least he was trying. And I did want to be saved, but the Room of Souls crept into my mind. My parents’ souls, possibly even my sister’s were trapped below. I had to help.

All the information I gathered from Palmo indicated my parents died because of me. It was my fault. Some among the Chans even spoke of rumors that a rebel faction wanted Alayeah. To get it, they accused me of inexcusable crimes. My family suffered the consequences. If Michael and I got out of here, I would go to Zaren. He would help us get the souls out. As reigning royalty in Alayeah, if I decreed it, I could dispatch an army into Helker. First, we needed to escape. 

When we reached the double doors at the end of the room, Michael pulled it opened, and we ran through. The gilded hallway extended in both directions way past what I was able to see. “Which way?”

“Left,” he said pulling me along. 

I followed since I had no idea where we were or how we got here. Everything was turned around. If I could find the door Michael and I entered Helker from, I would be able to use Britorent and get us home.

“Do you know where we’re going?” I finally asked.

He grunted in response.

After running for what seemed like hours, we still hadn’t come to the end of the hall.  Finally I pulled on Michael’s arm. “Stop.”

“No, we can’t. You don’t understand.” Dread oozed from Michael.

“We have to. Running isn’t doing us any good.” For emphasis, I pointed at the long hallway, still without an end on both sides.

“It is. It is.” He let out a strangled cry. “There has to be a point to all of this.”

I stopped, and pulled on his hand, making him stop with me.

Michael.”

“
Arghhhh
!” He started pacing. “Frank was bad enough, but Ramien is worse.” Michael was agitated, talking fast, rambling really. He fisted his hands in his hair. “At first I thought it was cool. I mean when Ramien showed up at Ith and Aetha’s, I was excited. The gods let me go with him as long as I promised . . .” He trailed off, shaking his head. “I mean you’ve seen him. Ramien can morph. He can change reality. Alter the way others look, the way he looks. And to taste a soul.” He let out a gravelly moan. “It’s like the most amazing feeling ever.” His jaws clenched. “Ramien showed me how to do all of it. My new powers made me feel awesome.
Like a superhero or something.
And I thought I’d be able to, I don’t know, use them help people . . . help you . . . but no, it’s like everything else in my life. Ramien is shit. What . . . god did I piss off—?”

“You are a god. At least you’re half of one. And you’ll do well to control your anger. It seems I need to teach you a lesson. One you won’t soon forget.” Ramien was unexpectedly next to me. I should’ve known by the sickly sweet smell filling the hall. His face was back to normal. Like Michael never shot him.

I hadn’t had a chance to asked Michael about his ‘out of thin air’ comment with the gun, but I guessed it must’ve been part of his new ferether abilities. Michael said ferethers could alter time, reality. I figured that included objects as well. More significant right now was Ramien’s comment about Michael. “What do you mean Michael’s half god? I thought you said he was like you.”

Ramien’s mouth twisted into a sinister smile. “Stiel is the planet of the gods. They are called Eternals. It’s where Ith and Aetha are from—more or less. Millennia ago, my kind were Eternals, until we were banished. Exiled for crimes we didn’t commit. I believe you might know a little something about such atrocious errors.” Ramien squeezed my chin with a hand.

“Answer me.” He squeezed harder.

“Yes, I do,” I said sharply.

“Such fervor in you. I like it. You’ll serve me well.”

“Let go.” I tried to wrench from his grasp. As a kelvieri I was stronger than most creatures. But Ramien was stronger still. His face turned steely, and I felt an energy press into my mind, my limbs.

“You opposed me. I believe it’s time to have some fun.” My body walked, without my permission, over to Michael. “You’re going to make my boy writhe in pain.”

I watched in horror as my hands came up to Michael’s face. His eyes widened, but he didn’t move, and I wondered if he couldn’t. My thumbs moved toward Michael’s eyes and continued until I pushed them from their sockets. Michael screamed. With all the energy of my soul, I tried to stop, but my thumbs buried themselves. Liquid, and blood oozed from where his eyes used to be.

I heard Ramien clap gleefully.

Ramien forced me away from Michael, and toward him. “Shall I take her while you lie there and listen, son?” Ramien’s words permeated the thick air.

Michael didn’t respond. I didn’t know if he even could. He fell to the ground writhing like snakes were in his veins. But he didn’t make a sound. As though he held in his cries of agony for my benefit. He clutched his stomach, pulled in his knees. He looked the way I felt.

As I walked, my bloody fingers untied my blouse, exposing the black unisa underneath. Oh, no. Please no. I turned in on myself, my only thought getting away from Ramien. When I stood in front of him, he placed a hand on my breast.

“Ramien,” Michael rasped.

“What is it, boy?” Ramien fondled me over my shirt. I couldn’t move.

“Leave her alone, and I-I’ll do whatever you ask.”

I wanted to help Michael. I really wanted to kill Ramien. My body wouldn’t let me do anything. Ramien was in complete control.

“Agreed,” Ramien said simply, and the power he had over my body slipped away.

I swung at Ramien, desperate to knock some of his smug pride off his face, but he caught my wrist. “
You
need to understand I won’t tolerate insolence. If Michael defies me, he suffers. You defy me, you suffer.”

“What more do you think you can do to me?” I asked, exhaling and inhaling my words between panted breaths. “My parents are already dead,” I said, glaring. But inside I shook with fear. I knew of many, many terrors he could inflict upon me, or those I loved. What if he knew where Amberlee was? What if he hurt Zaren?

“You’ll see.” He stepped so close our chests touched. “Sleep, little Princess. When you wake, all will be revealed.

7. Who Will Save Your Soul

When I was ten I would sneak away from the music teacher and run through the flower mazes in our family’s gardens. Inevitably I’d get lost, but I never worried.
Because, I knew.
Knew. Zaren would rescue me.

When I came to, and as the gloomy weightiness of sleep fell away from my mind like cobwebs, Zaren was my first thought.

He would find me.

And then what, I wondered. I agreed to Ramien’s terms. My parents’ souls would be freed if I married him. The thought terrified me. I’d been promised to Palmo for many years. Growing up I became more aware of what the prospect meant. While I wasn’t thrilled, I didn’t mind either. It was the way things were done in our world.
Our way of life.
The marriage would promote continued allegiance between the country of
Canaru
and Alayeah. Of course, in light of recent revelations, all of them involving Palmo and his supposed plan to usurp Alayeah’s throne, Palmo had been placed him in the first degree of Helker, while he awaited his trial.

Neither Zaren nor I believed Palmo acted alone. But, for some reason, the young prince felt obligated to protect the real offender. It was preposterous! The boy was sniveling.
Barely past fourteen.
He didn’t have a sinister bone in his body, let alone the wherewithal to come up with and execute a plan to have my irrihunter killed, me exiled to Earth, and my parents and sister taken. But the King of
Canaru
, Palmo’s own father, testified against him, which made me highly suspicious. I figured Palmo was the scapegoat. Taking the fall for the real villain, but I couldn’t prove it. Not yet. If the King would sacrifice his only son, allow him to die . . . I shuddered to think what might come next. Palmo wasn’t talking either. He seemed satisfied to suffer in his prison cell in Helker.

A scraping sound, like claws across concrete, brought me out of my reverie. I took the opportunity to examine my sparse surroundings. It certainly wasn’t luxurious, like the dining hall, or the bedroom. Peering through the darkness I searched for the owner of the noise. And let out a cry. “Sadraden.”

A small roar answered, followed by heavy breathing. Jumping up, I ran over. “Sadraden!” My irrihunter. My best friend since I was little. I hesitated to touch her. The syrupy smell I was beginning to associate with Ramien emanated from her. “Where are we?” I whispered. Then added with a desperate sob, “You’re dead, aren’t you?”

Hush, child. You know I am.
Her voice scraped through my mind the way her claws scratched along the solid floor.

I swallowed another sob. “I’m so sorry.” A tear trickled down my cheek. I brushed it away; astounded I heard her thoughts. “Were you always able to do this?” I mumbled.

What? Speak into your mind?
She gave a rattled roar, shaking her dull black mane.
Of course.
But you weren’t able to hear me.
Her legs shook from the weight of her body. She fell forward, onto her knees. With a sigh, she rested her head on her paws, licking them.

“Let me get you something to drink.” I scanned the room for some water. Our room was nothing more than an earthen container. A death box, I thought, momentarily terrified.

It’s no use. Water will do nothing to refresh me. My soul is imprisoned in this body just as we are confined within the dirt
. Ramien has a message he wants me to deliver. She took a ragged breath.

“If this body isn’t part of you, why are you in so much pain?” I asked, rushing over to her, leaning my head against her jaw, the way I used to. I stroked her behind the ears, noticing her once soft fur was scruffy, and felt wiry beneath my fingertips.

Ramien feeds off a soul’s agony.
Don’t worry yourself
,
it’s temporary
.
Sadraden closed her eyes.

She said Ramien had a message. “What does Ramien want you to tell me?” I had a feeling it had to do with my comment about him not being able to hurt me. Knowing my irrihunter was in pain twisted my guts. If I didn’t do what I promised he would also make my parents souls’ suffer.

Sadraden let out a strangled growl.
Don’t give in to him. I sense he’s afraid of you, which is why he wants to control you.

Her body came apart in chunks. Head. Body. One of her wings fell off, striking me in the shoulder before it vanished. As each piece disappeared, so did my sadness, my fear, and my guilt, as though Sadraden took them with her. One emotion remained. Anger.

I needed a plan.

One where I kept those I loved from any more agony.

I didn’t know what part Michael played in his father’s plan. It still baffled me he was the same as Ramien. And what was his mother, Catherine? Was she human or something else? Ramien was right about one thing. I’d been naïve. I wouldn’t be again. And if Michael came against me, I wouldn’t hold back. I was done being the victim. It was time I became a destroyer. Annihilate those who killed my parents and anyone who came against those I cared about.

A secret part of my mind lamented all the crap happening in my life. I shoved those thoughts away, knowing it was out of my power. Accepted it, even. With acceptance came a deeper resolve. I would control how I responded to the bad. No longer as a cowering kitten. I’d be like the fearless irrihunter.