Read Sacrifice Online

Authors: Mayandree Michel

Sacrifice (3 page)

BOOK: Sacrifice
12.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

“Are you so desperate that you’ve resorted to eavesdropping?” The tension in Evan’s voice was understandable, yet thick enough to halt buck shots. Clearly, he hated that Victor lived with me. I guess I couldn’t blame him since Victor was his competition for my heart and my betrothed. Also, it was obvious that Victor wasn’t going to allow Evan to forget that.

“Actually, I’m here doing Sun Paw a favor. Your breakfast is prepared and awaits you in the sunroom, Cordelia,” Victor said, in his most business - like voice.

“Thank you Victor,” I said equally stuffy. He winked at me and turned to leave the parlor, but not before his eyes paused on Evan as a sneer crept along the edge of his lips.

“Will you be joining me?” I turned and faced Evan, pretending to not hear him growl under his breath.

“It seems like you already have a date.” Evan rolled his eyes.

“Oh, Evan, come on. You don’t need to feel jealous.” I stroked his cheek.

“I’m not.” He took my hand and brought it down to my side, smoldering on the inside. “I would love to join you but I’m needed at the office. I do so enjoy overseeing the haul of silver from the mines.” Evan hated running the mines, but since his parents were no longer around to manage them, the responsibility was his now.

Evan rested his head against mine and stared into my eyes. I hooked my arms around his neck again, and he pulled me closer. I wished that my dress and his tailored suit weren’t in the way of us being closer. Lately, I’ve been wanting so much more from him. We sat together for a while in silence on the large mahogany-framed, velvet sofa. Both of our thoughts ran wild with perplexing notions. His were of us together, the way I hoped we’d graduate too soon, and mine were of Victor. What he told me a little while ago nagged at me incessantly. I decided to tell Evan what I’d been told.

“I need to tell you something.” The goose bumps rose on my arms. I quickly fingered my medallion and allowed its icy temperature to keep me calm.

“What is it, Delia? Your hand just turned as cold as ice.” Evan said looking down at the hand he still held.

I hadn’t realized that I was projecting my emotions and fears. I was a jumble of nerves and just decided to spit it out.

“Evan, he knows.” I said, quivering.

“Who knows what?”

“Hades.” I had to catch my breath. “He knows that I killed the vampire queen.”

“H – How do you know that he knows?”

“Hermes told Ares, and he told Victor.”

“Victor?” He scowled and narrowed his piercing blue eyes. “I knew that it was only a matter of time. What’s he up to now?”

“I don’t doubt him, Evan.”

“And Hermes?” Evan asked with a raised eyebrow. “You know how he likes to spin stories. I don’t believe it. Matthias would never betray you. That vampire knows the consequences.”

“I thought about that too. Just hear me out,” I said and Evan nodded. “According to Ares, Hades sent Zeus a message – he plans to make me his bride.”

“It’s probably just one of Hades’ threats.” Evan shrugged.

I jumped to my feet. “No, Evan. I’ve dreamt it.”

“You have?” Evan asked, getting up from the sofa and following me over to the marble fireplace.

“I’ve seen it – the wedding, everything.”

“The
wedding
? You actually see yourself marrying Hades?”

“Yes,” I whispered as I watched Evan allow all this information to sink in. His skin blanched and it made me feel as if the dream had been real. It was as if I’d betrayed him by marrying the evil younger brother of both of our fathers.

“Does he kill you?” Evan said, breathlessly.

“No, but he takes my bolt.” Evan’s face tightened, especially around his mouth.

“Have you consulted the council?”

“No. Victor just told me about this just now.” I said.

“I think you should consult them, Delia.”

“No.”

“Why not?” Evan asked, throwing up his arms.

“Because… I need to know more.”

“Alright, fine. Maybe you should speak with Zeus,” He suggested, and then shook his head. “No, you should talk to Athena,” he said. “Zeus is upset about our union and won’t interfere either way. Athena may be able to get more details out of her brother. Ares could never elude her for long.”

“You’re right. I’ll talk to her.”

“Good,” Evan said and smiled.

“On another note, are you ready to set the plans concerning your parents into motion?”

“Yes,” I sighed. “I want to know where they’re buried. I need to know.”

“Alright. Let’s get everyone together.” We were stunned by high-pitched screams that seemed to originate from outside.

We stared out the window and saw the huge black mass swallow several mortals before dissolving into a virtual hole in the ground. Millionaire’s Row was vacant due to another smothering by the grotesque smog of Apolluon shadows. We both turned and looked at each other, thinking the exact same thought. It was time to consult the elders. It had been a month since the incident in town involving Heracio and since then the attacks from the Apolluon had tripled.

“I think we had better inform the elders of what happened a few weeks ago in town and of my plan to dispatch the warriors,” I said.

Instinctively, we looked up, although it wasn’t the patterned ceiling that we saw. The elders were summoning us. They wanted a council, immediately. Every member of the Ischero Empire had to be present within a minute and accounted for. There were no exceptions.

“It looks as though the elders may have the same idea,” Evan said. “I’ll get
him
.” He motioned with his chin to the rear of the house. Victor had no way of teleporting to the meeting without an Ischero escort.

“No. You go on ahead. I’ll bring him,” I said, dashing to the sunroom and leaving Evan no room to argue.

“Lover boy doesn’t let you eat?” Victor asked when I appeared in the sunroom. The corners of his lips curled up slightly and to my surprise, my heart lurched against my chest. He sat at the table with an enormous banquet, prepared by Sun Paw, spread out before him. Unfortunately, it would go ignored.

“There’s no time to eat. Our presence is needed elsewhere,” I said.

As the blinding and crackling bolts ignited from within me, I took his hand.

 

             

             

 

Three - Cordelia

Hostile

 

Victor and I stood before a little over a hundred members of my empire. I released Victor’s hand and he roused immediately, blinking rapidly as if he woke suddenly from a deep sleep. As a true mortal, he would be ashes right now. However, since he was still a deity, he never felt the lightning bolts scorch through him, just the temporary blindness by the light.

The disciples eyed Victor cautiously. The members hadn’t seen Victor since the Masquerade Ball and seeing him amongst them now made them a little uncomfortable. There wasn’t a trace of malice in their thoughts, as I read them all. Victor seemed nervous in such close proximity to my other disciples. 

“Are you alright?” I asked telepathically.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Victor whispered. He stroked the ivory silk fabric of his Ischero robe. Everyone watched him, cloaked in their customary ivory robe – trimmed with a sash in a shade of violet or garnet. My sash was gold and glimmered in the flickering light of the oil lamps hanging on the wooden beams along the Tieron mine walls.

Victor had only been in contact with whoever lived or worked for me in my house and Evan when he paid me a visit. Normally, the list would include my best friend Bethany, but she has been avoiding my house, Victor, and me lately. However, she couldn’t avoid me now. Not here.

Bethany stood across from me and beside her betrothed Nikolas, in the vast dungeon-like space, smoothing the loose golden tendrils into her taut bun. Her icy blue eyes swept across the room, but darted downward as they passed me. She looked past me to her brother, who guarded my right. Bethany wouldn’t make any eye contact with me. She smiled briefly at her brother and didn’t allow her eyes to swing towards me, and never permitted a glance at Victor, standing at my left.

“Empress Tieron, we call this council to attention,” Lucien Viniturin, the highest ranking elder and descendant of Aphrodite, said. His words thundered, grabbing everyone’s attention. He strode toward me and bowed. It was times like these – watching a man hundreds of years older than me bow to
me
, which made me feel most uncomfortable as an empress of an ancient empire. I gulped, nodded, nodded, and gave him the clearance he needed to proceed with the meeting.

“This council is called due to another attack by the Apolluon. They are multiplying.”

“Why are they multiplying so quickly?” I asked Lucien.

“Hades is no longer waiting for the mortal
sinners
to die nor are the Apolluon waiting for a display of power to attract their attention. They are smothering mortals at random. Hades is utilizing
every
death, those of the innocent and evil, to extend his army of undead souls.”

“Hades is going for quantity and not quality evil doers,” Nikolas said and chuckled. Leave it to Nikolas to make light of our imminent peril. Lucien sent him a look that clearly intended to scold.

“What do you suppose we do, Lucien?” Evan asked.

“Move to another space in time,” Lucien answered as a sea of faces nodded.

“Run and hide?” My voice shook with shock.

“It will be fairly difficult for the Apolluon to find us in a different place in time,” Lucien said, in an even tone. “Also, I feel that the mortals here are beginning to sense that we are…different.”

“The mortals are not a threat,” I said, easily finding Heracio within the crowd before me. Our secret would have to stay hidden a little while longer.

“The people of Nickel City may very well be a danger if they band together. They out number us a hundred to one and can make living here and remaining hidden impossible,” Lucien explained.

“Well I don’t see that being an immediate problem.” I said.

“Empress, if I may interrupt?” Hedea asked. “I’ve noticed some… aversion to us in town lately.”

“So have I.” Nearly every Ischero admitted in unison.

“I’ve been gawked at by most of the town’s folk. Those stupid mortals think I don’t see them pointing at me or hear them whispering.” Hedea added.

“Maybe it’s your choice of dresses.” Julius winked at his sister as she rolled her eyes.

“Is there anything else, Hedea?” I asked, ignoring Julius. I wanted to know just what had been going on in town for the past month.

“I overheard Rhett Clarkson whisper to his wife that I was a demon and that the deadly shadows, devouring the ‘fine folk of this town’, were after
me
and my
evil kind
.” Hedea’s eyes blazed.

Rhett Clarkson was the proprietor of the dry good mercantile and practically ran this small town. He considered himself a man with high morals. He was always shouting out the mouth about how he will only be associated with ‘fine town folk’. The last thing the empire needed, besides a full Apolluon attack, was Rhett Clarkson’s attention. If he had been in town and saw Heracio and me then he would definitely suspect we weren’t ‘fine town folk’. In no time, he would have the whole town turned vigilante. I knew that the town’s folk could really be a problem, since the day of the shootout, but I don’t see any reason to run and hide.

“What so funny, Hedea?” Her laughter irritated me.

Hedea stopped giggling and stared down at her feet before saying, “I just couldn’t believe that any of these mortals actually have a brain, that’s all. I don’t think that it’s funny, just surprising.”

“Well, never underestimate anyone – mortal or immortal.” I said, clearing my throat. “I still feel that the Apolluon are our greatest threat and they will search for us to no end. It’s only a matter of time before they find us all again. I just don’t feel that it makes any sense to flee. Ischeros don’t hide. Besides, I plan to dispatch the first warrior teams tomorrow to search for my parents’ bodies,” I informed.

The silence was deafening. Every pair of eyes, but one, turned away from me.

“I understand your passion, Empress, but we are in a perilous situation and defenseless without our children to safeguard us,” Lucien said, stepping forward.

The other members stood almost motionless, listening intently. They all seemed to agree with him. It was obvious that the elders had discussed this without my presence. I was up against a wall – a wall of elders.

The earth, water, and sky teams were the children of many powerless elders whose auras could be sniffed out by the Apolluon faster than the younger member’s auras could be. It was no secret that they needed their children’s protection. Nevertheless, I needed my parents, and the only way to find them was with the teams. They were the strongest, and most powerful amongst the descendants. Their sight, intuition, and strengths were keen.

“I understand,” I nodded. “I will dispatch the teams and every elder will be safeguarded.”

“How? Our children are the only members who can sense when we are in distress?” Lucien’s words spilled out in a shocked tempo. I looked over at Evan. He nodded, adding some reassurance.

“I guarantee your safety. All of you,” Evan promised the elders. He would stay behind to guard them.

“For how long?” Lucien asked, looking away from Evan and glaring at me. The look of anxiety on the elder’s faces proved that they didn’t trust me.

“I can’t answer that,” I said, solemnly. However, my mind was made up.

“Lord Evander, forgive me if I offend you in anyway, as it is not my intention. I speak for all my fellow elders when I say that we do trust that your objective is to keep us safe. We have no doubts. However, we feel that your response may not be as swift as our children’s.” Lucien stared at me. “Suppose your parents aren’t found?” He asked, as his voice trembled slightly.

“They
will
be found,” I declared. The high pitch of my voice rang in my ears. I felt Evan’s eyes piercing through my profile. I didn’t want to appear angered by the member’s lack of support in locating their former leaders my parents or the fact that they didn’t trust me. Their objections were out of fear. “My father was your Emperor. He deserves the most thorough search. The warriors will be dispatched at sunrise.”

BOOK: Sacrifice
12.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Hello Loved Ones by Tammy Letherer
Zoey (I Dare You Book 2) by Jennifer Labelle
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Curse of the Immune by Levi Doone
A Cold-Blooded Business by Dana Stabenow
This Scepter'd Isle by Mercedes Lackey, Roberta Gellis