Origin (Eternal Sacrifice Saga Book 2) (39 page)

“Eli says it’s hidden somewhere in the Souls Vault, but I can’t find that either.”

“You’re joking, right?” I narrowed my eyes. “You cannot go in there.”

“I have to.”

“No. I won’t allow it,” I said, firm.

“We have to, Cade. It’s the only way.”

“Why do we need this dagger?”

She exhaled. “I can’t tell you yet.”

“No more secrets, Zoe.”

Not in the Sixth more than a minute, and the realm’s effects were already taking its toll on me. I could feel my anger brimming.

Zoe shook her head. “I’ll tell you everything as soon as we have Phoebe back, I promise, but please don’t fight me on this. I let you in, just help me find the dagger.”

I nodded and tried to relax. “Will you agree to rest first?”

“If we can’t find the vault soon, then yes.”

“Okay.”

“The vault is this way.” She began moving down the corridor, and I followed. “Somewhere around here, I feel like I’m walking in circles.” She braced her temples. “I’m losing my mind.”

“Yes, you would be. It’s the Sixth. How long have you been down here?”

“Too long,”
Elijah’s voice interjected from somewhere.

“Elijah?” I looked around. “Where is he?”

“He’s in the Fifth, helping me through this. We have to get Phoebe out of here. She’s not doing well at all. Focus.”

We roamed up and down dank, musty halls of the compound for an Eternity, discovering nothing but a never-ending circle.

Chilling screams echoed through the corridors as we moved closer to the vault, the scent of death alone was torturous.

“You’re close, Zoe. Just a few steps ahead,”
Elijah said.

We stopped, and Zoe searched over the walls. Blood seeped through pores in the cracks, staining into the rubble.

Staining Zoe’s hands.

“Here.” She pushed.

The stone entryway opened to reveal an enormous vault. A rancid stench rushed toward us, nearly knocking me off my feet.

Zoe covered her mouth and nose with the back of her arm, and in a second, she turned around and began coughing, spitting out dust and blood.

“Zoe, please. Let’s take a break.”

She shook her head, wiping her mouth as she stood.

“I’m okay. We’re here, I’m not stopping now.”

We entered the dark vault, too dark to see any of its details. A gust of frigid air whipped through as hushed voices began whispering incoherent words. The further we descended into the vault, the louder the whispers became, though they were still mostly unrecognizable, speaking in languages I didn’t understand.

The room grew light enough to see the vaults lying inside.

Rows and rows of black metal boxes lined the walls with runes and other ancient designs etched into them, likely spells to keep the vaults sealed shut, trapping the dark souls within them.

What was once an eerie silence grew to unbearable screams. Dark souls begged for forgiveness. For their release.

The odor of death and the screams of the lost souls called to us, and my mind began to fade.

We need to leave.

Zoe stopped a foot ahead of me, covering her ears, taking in a breath to steady her mind.

I set my hands on her shoulders. “Zoe. Please. You need to rest. Just for a minute. We can come back once...”

“No.” She stomped her foot. “Where is it, Eli? Where’s the goddamn dagger?”

“I’m not sure, check along the south wall. There’s a break in the vaults. A crack in the foundation. Ironic, huh?”
He laughed.
“Underneath is an empty vault, no soul. Most vaults are sealed shut, but you could probably open it if the soul is dark enough and wants out badly, so be careful not to open the wrong one.”

“Perfect.” Zoe stood straight. “How am I supposed to know which one is empty?”

“It’s got the seal of Genesis on it.”

“Infinity? Seriously?”

“Yeah, that’s it,”
Eli said.

“You look on that side.” She pointed. “I’ll search over here. If we don’t find it soon, we’ll release.”

Zoe dropped to her knees and crawled along the wall, searching through the small vaults.

Screams howled out, begging to be set free, making it impossible to focus. I was beginning to understand the dangers of this plane.

We needed to get out. Soon.

Zoe and I searched along the walls for the empty vault, and we soon met in the middle.

“It’s not here, Eli, where the hell is it?”

“Shit.”
Elijah’s voice etched through us.

“What?” Zoe sat up straight on her knees.

“You’re not going to like it,”
Elijah said.
“You’re partner in crime has an evil sense of humor.”

“Where is it?” Zoe’s voice grew heated.

I rose to my feet and pulled her up beside me, setting my hands on her shoulders to calm her.

“It’s not in those vaults,”
Elijah said.
“It’s in THE vault.”

“What?” Zoe glanced to me, eyes wide.

“No.” I stood straight.

Zoe pursed her lips.

“No.” I said firm. “Absolutely not.”

“Cade.” Zoe wrapped her arms around my waist. “I won’t leave her here.”

“You will not survive there for more than a few minutes. I won’t allow it.”

“I have to.”

She released her grip and stepped away, staring out toward the light of the corridor.

“I’m going to the Seventh to find that dagger. I can do it with you or without you. Either way, I’m going. I won’t let Phoebe die.”

I closed my eyes, drawing in a breath, taking in the disgust of the realm. I couldn’t argue with her motivations.

Zoe would risk her life for her family, and if she didn’t at least try, she would never live with herself.

I had to let her go, but I would not let her do this alone.

We had to be smart if we were to survive the Seventh.

“We must regenerate. Then materialize. Not just our souls.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“If you want to save Phoebe, it’s the only way I’ll allow it.”

She exhaled, nodding. “Okay.”

“We’re going home, Elijah,” Zoe said, wrapping her arms around me once more. “Meet us there.”

“Got it.”

I held her in my arms, and we closed our eyes.

In a heartbeat, our bodies and souls returned to Aravot.

Zoe inhaled a sharp breath as she returned.

In the light, it was clear what the stagnation of her mission had done to her body.

Lying dormant for too long, her form showed signs of extreme exhaustion. She had darkened swelling beneath her eyes, her skin was pale and clammy, and her heart was beating at an alarmingly strange pace.

She was run down. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. Sustaining her wits within the Sixth for so long had drained her, and I had doubts she could withstand any amount of time within the Seventh.

“Zoe, I demand you rest before another rescue attempt. You need to be at your best if we’re to save Phoebe.”

Zoe nodded, closing her eyes, resting her cheek against my chest.

“Thank you for coming, Cade. For knowing I needed you, even though I was too stubborn to ask for help.”

I tightened my grip. “We’re not meant to do these things alone. And I won’t allow it again. We’re in this together, love. Always.”

Zoe

Despite the immediacy of this mission, Cade was right. My body and soul had become exhausted. I fell into a deep sleep for what felt like ages, only to find it had only been hours.

It would have to be enough.

I woke to the pulse of Cade’s heart beating against my cheek. I took slow, deep breathes trying to relax.

His heartbeat made me feel like we were one soul, although we technically weren’t.

I didn’t want to move, but our time was running out.

Phoebe’s life was in jeopardy.

The Sixth plane of the dark realm would make any sane human mad within a short time.

It was evil.

But the Seventh? Scared the shit out of me.

The Origin of all evil resided there. Rumor was any more than a few minutes within the Seventh, and your soul would be lost forever.

How either of those crazy bitches managed to even put the dagger there was beyond me. I only hoped it was easily accessible, and I could slip in and out, both undetected and unscathed.

Yeah, I made a deal with the devil.

I had no choice.

My Gemini’s soul was in danger, and I would not lose my family.

When rumors spread that the Fallen and demon factions in the dark realm were planning to overtake Lilith, she came to me with a deal I couldn’t refuse.

Lahnie, a Fallen Angel from centuries before had been asking the Elder Council for her wings back since my second incarnation.

She’d lost them because she fell in love with the wrong person. As cupid of Genesis, I wouldn’t hold that against her. Honestly, I’d believed she should have been granted them back ages ago, but rumblings of this impending war had been looming just as long, and we needed to keep our players in check until the time was right.

Few people realized this whole thing had become a tactical game.

Moves and countermoves.

My gift of foresight was helpful in many ways, seeing our enemy’s moves before they were made, allowing Genesis to plan our counters before making them and having some foresight to see the outcome.

I didn’t know everything, wasn’t blessed with total omniscience, and with my memories being gone too long, two of my strategically planned moves just blew up in my face.

I completely underestimated Lahnie’s resolve to regain her wings and Lilith’s determination to keep Samael out of her life.

I wouldn’t make those mistakes twice.

But those were problems I’d have to save for later. Right now, today, all that mattered was saving Phoebe’s life.

I wanted to tell Cade everything. Keeping this plan from him broke my heart and damaged my soul, but I had no choice.

When I tried telling Cade the darkness was coming before all this began, he blew me off. I realized then, the Evanescence Prophecy had been realized. He was losing his faith. In me, and maybe even us.

If I didn’t act quickly, Adam and I would fall, ushering in the darkness.

And only I could stop it all.

While humanity was always in the background of my motives, my Gemini was my first priority.

I could not—would not spend Eternity without Cade.

Genesis began and ended with us. If the foundation was broken, our house would fall. Cade and I were its foundation.

When we didn’t work, neither did Genesis. Or humanity.

The world would fall apart.

Hundreds of years were spent searching for answers, putting together the pieces of the puzzle, of the prophecies set to tear us apart.

Spies all around the realms were in on it.

Eli was my most helpful ally until he was reborn and Lailah hushed his memories.

And although her motives were self-serving, I had Lilith. For some strange reason, she and I shared many gifts. Her mind was safe from intrusion, like mine.

Perhaps she ate from the Tree of Wisdom too?

Our greatest threat was the Fallen. Their ability to breach Eternal minds. If they knew our plan, we’d lose control of it. Lose our upper hand.

We had to keep our secrets, even from Genesis. No Eternal mind was safe from Fallen intrusion.

None except mine.

So Lailah, the Angel of Secrets, hushed my memories well. Almost too well, as we were so close to blowing it all this incarnation.

On more than one occasion.

The only thing holding it all together was my undying love for Cade.

From the beginning of time, protecting my family was the goal. My reason for sacrificing everything. Not because I was forced into this by anyone, but because I believed love was worth preserving.

Worth fighting for.

Dying for.

I chose the Gemini Doctrine.

Because Adam taught me how to love.

The second I saw him. The moment my eyes opened, and I took my first breath, Adam was there.

His soul was pure. His heart was kind. Selfless. Gentle and patient. Everything was about his Eve. His life, his motivations.

Adam loved me.

And when humanity began to fall, there was only one solution.

Continue the legacy of love that all started with us.

The accident by design.

Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. Things others won’t like. What I had done, what I was about to do, would piss everyone off to the highest degree, but it was necessary. The only way to ensure our Genesis legacy survived.

So yeah, I made a deal with the devil to restore balance to a world that was losing it faster than we could catch our breath. I only hoped in the end, my family and my Gemini would forgive me for the things I’d done.

I took a deep breath, knowing well what lay ahead of us. I could very well go into the Seventh and never return. It was a chance I was willing to take.

Phoebe was worth it.

Humanity was worth it.

Cade was worth it.

“Okay, babe. You ready for this?” I pursed my lips. “Because I’m not.”

Cade laid his hands against my cheeks.

“You are the bravest, strongest, most beautiful soul I’ve ever had the honor to know. I believe in you,” he said. “I believe in us.”

I nodded, a tear slipping down my cheek. I was scared as hell of what was coming but knowing I had Cade alongside me made it just a little easier.

“And I forgive you, Chayah. For everything you haven’t told me, for everything you’re about to do. Because I know it all comes from love.”

“Thank you. I promise after today, it’s us, together. No more secrets, no more hiding. I’m all in.”

He nodded and smiled, trying to reassure me it was all going to be okay. “I’ll be by your side, and we’ll conquer the darkness together. One Origin, united.”

“I love you, blue eyes.” I laid my hands over his. “My life was so empty without you the past twenty-one years, I couldn’t bear to spend Eternity without you.”

“You never will.”

“Seriously though.” I took a slow breath, blinking then refocusing on Cade’s amazing eyes. “If something happens to me—”