The Keepers: Archer (23 page)

“I have more where that came from, Sienna.” Warrick said, discarding what remained of the syringe. He lunged for her, grabbed her from behind, and wrapped an arm around her neck in a death grip. He turned her so that she could face the destruction of her beloved Keepers, an image he knew would devastate her.

“Look at them,” he breathed against her ear, his voice dripping with sick satisfaction. “Look while we slaughter them.”

“Warrick, this is between you and me!”

“But hurting them will destroy you. Just like the death of Sarah and your parents. After tonight, you will have no one, Sienna. No one.”

“And neither will you!” she cried, her voice cracking from the sting of his words.

“True, so while we’re on the subject of crippling truths, there’s something else you should know.” He tightened his grip on her, tugged her closer against him, and pressed his lips against her ears. “I killed your parents. My parents set it up, but when they lost the nerve and left, I was the one who lit the match.”

She gasped, but before she could reply, he threw her to the ground where she landed in a tumble of leafy vines and an anguished cry. As she got to her knees, Declan’s fierce roar had her head jerking back in their direction just in time to see the warriors closing in on them.

Sienna closed her eyes in disbelief, unable to bare witness to the destruction of her Keepers. She’d already lost so many people and losing her Keepers or her grandmother would be unbearable. They were all she had left in the world to call hers.

Sienna reached inside, searching for the one thing she knew would alter their fate.

And then everything changed. Suddenly, to her ears, despite the chaos around her, everything became still. Everything slowed down, became quieter, calmer, more controlled.

The will to survive and her fierce determination to protect her loved ones took over, and a slow movement of energy shifted through Sienna, sending her to a place she’d kept guarded for two years.

Rose’s elemental powers. Now her powers. All of them.

The surge of energy that came with the acceptance of her destiny was exhilarating, and she drew on it in a way she’d never done before.

Despite the resistance, the leafy ropes holding Sienna captive broke free, scattered to the ground, and withered away. She stepped forward, scanning the bloody battle as everything fell into place.

With several calm movements, she focused on her Keepers and everything evil surrounding them. Drawing her energy from the fire element, she sent bolts of fire across the warriors. Shouts mingled with the smell of burning flesh, and everyone scattered for cover. Several warriors charged toward her, and she sent several lashes of fire their way. The blaze engulfed them in a foul swoop of terror, and they tumbled back down the stairs, howling in pain.

Keeping the fire element flowing, Sienna drew on her second element. Water.

The nearby river provided plenty of ammunition, and she used it in a way she’d only ever seen Archer do. Torrents of water whipped across the warriors, plunging them to the ground. With quick precision, Sienna sent a second set of lashes across the frightened warriors. She raised her left arm, gathered several water balls that went hurtling through the air like bombs, the destruction just as deadly. Water exploded across the warriors with a force that sent them reeling.

Wind came next – cruel whirlwinds that tore apart the gathering of men, scattering bodies along its unrelenting path. Slashes of wind whipped across the frightened men, adding to the confusion and terror. Several of the men started running, despite their protection pendants, and Sienna set chase with blasts of fresh mini tornados.

Maintaining the chaos brought about by the elements of fire, water, and wind that crashed their brutal ambush, Sienna turned her attention on Warrick.

Hatred dripped from his expression, and sensing a challenge, he charged her again. In his right hand was another vile of Rose Thorn.

Sienna glared at him with all the strength she could muster and sent a thick ball of fire his way. Warrick dodged, rolled to the floor, the vile of Rose Thorn shattering within his palm. He retaliated in quick succession by sending a shower of lethal rocks her way, but with a quick swipe of the arm, Sienna diverted them. Using them as ammunition against Warrick’s own warriors, Sienna hurled them toward the warriors with such force that they dropped to the ground on impact.

“You can’t win, Sienna!” Warrick shouted at her, his voice barely audible above the noise around them. “No matter what you do to us, we’ll keep coming back. And I won’t rest until I’ve killed every witch and Keeper there is.”

It all came down to the protection spell, the niggling warning within the pit of the powerful fury that had been unleashed in Sienna.

Warrick was right. Despite the pain and power she unleashed upon their attackers, the protection spell would keep them safe. As long as Warrick was alive, the spell would hold. Their injuries would be brief and short-lived, as the protection spell would bring a zap of renewed energy, along with renewed determination to fight.

With a gut wrenching roar, Warrick faced her Keepers, focusing his full energy on the three weakening men. Several large rocks rose up from the ground and hurtled toward them.

“Ethan!” Sienna screamed, the high-pitched screech of warning immediately drawing his attention from the battle.

He whipped out a warning to his brothers and held up a hand to divert the shower of dangerous rocks.

Unrelenting, Warrick sent several fresh rock showers their way, distracting them from the ground warriors that rushed toward them.

A warrior rushed up behind Ethan, shoving a sharp knife deep into his back. Ethan yelled, his eyes rounded in disbelief, and he dropped to his knees with a loud growl. Ethan’s shield against the rock missiles momentarily disabled, the onslaught of rocks, and stones rained down upon them.

Arms up to shield themselves, her Keepers scrambled together, their worry heightened as they realized that Ethan was badly injured. More rocks followed, delivering a brutal blow to Declan.

Sensing their weakness, more warriors charged, engulfing her Keepers.

“NO!” Sienna screamed, as everything began to fall apart. She felt the weakening of her powers, a brief hitch in her energy source as horror came crashing down around her.

She screamed their names, her fear etched in the snapped words. She flung around to face Warrick, turning her entire focus on the warlock, on everything that he was, everything he stood for.

All this madness came down to him.

Remember Sarah.

Sienna gasped as the meaning behind her grandmother’s words washed over her, triggering a wave of renewed hope. Remember Sarah.

Everything became clear, vanquishing the rollercoaster of fear and emotions. With fresh determination, Sienna turned toward the battle on the ground below her.

Drawing her energy from the earth, a power she hadn’t yet used because of the tortured memories that came with it, Sienna sent out a batch of her own leafy ropes slithering along the ground. They worked their way around several pairs of ankles, pulling tightly, and hoisting the unsuspecting victims into the air. Suspended mid air, their shouts fell on deaf ears.

Her other elemental powers subsided, and she focused on the one elemental power that would set them free.

Earth.

The ground shook as several creepers, trees and plants roared to life around Warrick and his men, slithering along the ground with frightening speed, and attacking with brutal force. A soft rumble of earth had them all staring in horror as the ground shifted and broke apart to reveal a gaping hole in the middle of the war that immediately sucked in a handful of men.

A sand storm rose up, engulfing them in a thick spray of dust that muffled their vision and clouded them in confusion.

Stone, rock, sand, plants, trees, shrubs – all earth elements that Sienna drew on with such fierce determination that she began to tremble.

A shower of stones came next, targeting the warriors with brutal impact.

The sky grew murkier, the air thick with the sandy storm she’d created, and just as she thought everything would explode around her, she felt the hitch of energy inside her.

Knowing she’d reached her limit didn’t deter her. Instead, she lashed out more power, drawing more energy from the earth, driving it home with a force that had everyone around her diving for cover.

Through the cloudy madness, Archer struggled toward her. “Sienna, stop!” he yelled, holding an arm across his face to shield himself from the ruthless sand storm and the shower of stones. “Sienna!”

She ignored him, kept her focus on Warrick who had started to weaken. Wind whipped across her face, the sand stinging her skin. Warning bells flared within her, blood poured from her nose, and everything inside her rumbled in pain. Instead of backing down, Sienna glared at Warrick, digging deeper, reaching further than she’d ever reached.

It was the only way to destroy him.

“Sienna, you’re going to kill yourself!” Archer shouted, trying to reach her through the treacherous sand storm. “Sienna!”

Warrick stumbled, swayed, and coughed. Gasping for air, he clutched his chest, and whirled toward Sienna as horror set home.

She’d tapped into his energy source, threatening to drain the very essence out of him. He’d killed Sarah and used her powers for his evil means, but with the transfer of powers, came the same connection to Sienna as her other Keepers. A connection that Sienna could use to destroy him.

“Sienna!” Warrick bellowed, staggering toward her. Weak and exhausted, he collapsed at her feet with a twisted gasp of sandy air. “Stop. You’re going to kill me.”

Sienna closed her eyes, her body saturated. Everything inside her demanded she stop, but she couldn’t. He’d hurt them all, hurt others, destroyed lives. He’d ripped away her beautiful, kind, and loving parents in one flick of a match. Beautiful Sarah, gone in a flash of his hatred. He was a threat to everything they believed in, the man who threatened to unsettle the balance of nature they fought so hard to maintain.

“Sienna, stop!” Warrick begged, softer this time. He reached for her, drained. “Harper will kill Rose if I don’t return.”

Sienna’s head snapped back as a sharp pain tore through her. She cried out, breaking the connection she had to the earth.

Everything collapsed around them, became still, quiet, a complete contrast to the craziness she’d bestowed upon them.

Sensing her weakness, Warrick hurled toward her as she opened her eyes, a dagger clasped in his right hand.

A brief flash of recognition collided with the brutal memory of the day he’d stabbed Sarah. Sienna screamed at the sight of the dagger charging toward her, her body too weak to move out of its way.

Archer charged, throwing himself against Warrick. The two men tumbled to the ground in a pile of fists, warlike growls, and ruthless punching. The dagger scattered to the ground, slid across the rocky floor, and crashed against the door of the tunnel.

Declan was there in a flash and without hesitation, he swiped the blade off the ground and tossed it to Archer. “Archer, the dagger!”

Archer’s head snapped up as he flung out an arm, his fingers snatching the dagger midair. With a thunderous roar, Archer twisted his body and plunged the dagger into Warrick’s heart.

Warrick’s jaw dropped, his eyes widened, and he slumped to the ground in shocked silence.

Everything became a blur for Sienna as her legs gave way beneath her. She heard the shouts of the warriors in the distance as they scattered, heard her Keepers yelling her name.

As she slipped into the blackness that beckoned, there was only one thought that tumbled through her mind.

It was finally over.

Archer shoved Warrick’s limp body off him and scrambled toward Sienna. “Sienna!” He cradled her head, checking for a pulse, and gulped air when he found one. “Sienna, open your damn eyes!”

Her head rolled back, and she murmured softly, but her eyes remained closed. Her red hair and pale face was streaked with blood from her violent nosebleed, her body saturated with perspiration. And she was so cold.

Declan appeared on the stone steps, helping Ethan to rest beside Sienna. They were panting, bloody, and battered. “How is she?”

“She’s weak. Dammit, she refused to stop. She knew that weakening Warrick would weaken her.”

“It shouldn’t kill her, Archer. She’s too strong for that.” Declan dropped beside them, quickly scanning Sienna for any injuries. “She’s weak, but she should be okay.”

Archer nodded, knowing his brother was right, but the sight of his woman in such a weakened state tore at him. He flicked a glance at Ethan. “You okay, brother?”

“I’m fine. Declan removed the knife.” Ethan moved toward them, a mass of ripped and bloody flesh, and grimaced. “This has got to go down as the worst damn day in the history of my life as a Keeper.”

“You and me both, brother.” Archer put two fingers to Sienna’s pulse again. His stomach lurched, and he hoisted himself to his feet. “Her pulse has weakened. Help me, Declan.”

Declan swiped Sienna into his arms, hers falling open as though she were a limp rag doll. Declan cradled her, and headed toward the entrance of the tunnel. “Let’s get her into the tomb. Rose can help.”

“Harper –”

“Hauled ass the moment Warrick went down. And by the terrified look on his face, Rose had started spewing some sort of witchy crap on him.”

“Rose.” Archer pushed open the heavy stone door, not waiting for an answer. Although he was hurt and exhausted, the bleeding to his arrow wound had stopped. The painkillers Sienna had given him and the surge of adrenaline had long destroyed any signs of pain. Spurred on by anger and worry, he led the way through the tunnel toward the small clearing outside the tomb.

The tunnel was dark but he trudged on, unperturbed. His senses were on high alert, driving him ahead like a silent captain. A soft glow of light at the end of the tunnel marked the place of the tomb, and he headed toward it, ready for what he might find.

Rose sat against the stone wall on the far side of the room, weak but awake. Her head snapped up the moment they entered the small, stuffy room outside the tomb.

“Is it over?” she asked, her voice hoarse and etched with worry. “Did she weaken Warrick?”

“Yes,” Archer replied, going to her. “He’s dead.”

“Dead?”

“He attacked her.” Archer left it at that and helped the older woman to her feet. She was pale, her breathing shallow, and her damp hair clung to the sides of her face from the heat of the tomb. “Sienna’s weak, Rose. She needs your help.”

Declan arrived, carrying Sienna, and placed the unconscious woman on the sandy ground. They towered around her in mutual tension, panic, and worry.

They all loved her, were all bound to her, and seeing her like this ripped them apart.

Rose dragged in air and slowly leaned over her granddaughter. “What happened? She’s completely drained, depleted.”

Archer quickly filled her in, hating the way Rose’s worry intensified with each passing moment. The witch was supposed to fix this, to help Sienna, but the look on Rose’s face wasn’t hopeful. “She’ll be okay, won’t she?”

Rose didn’t reply as she placed a finger against Sienna’s pulse. She leaned over Sienna, a sob escaping her.

“Rose, what’s wrong?” Archer asked, unable to keep the panic out of his tone. “What the hell’s wrong with her?”

She lifted a tearful gaze to meet his and slowly shook her head. “She’s too weak, Archer. Tapping into all the elements at once and then pushing herself to weaken Warrick has drained her.”

“But she’s strong, she’s powerful. She should be able to handle this.”

Rose shook her head again, tears pouring down her cheeks. “When the transfer of powers took place, Sienna’s essence became linked to her powers. Four elemental powers of nature. She also became linked to each of you. With each broken link, she grows weak. Under normal circumstances, she should be fine, but she hasn’t yet learnt her limits and has pushed herself too far.”

Archer stroked Sienna’s hair, willing her to wake up. “Warrick was connected to her because of Sarah’s powers. Now he’s dead –”

“She no longer has the access to that element of nature. It’s weakened her. As have you.”

Archer’s head whipped up to look at Rose. “Me?” Before Rose could explain, her meaning struck him with a vicious blow to the gut. “The Circle’s curse. My elemental power.”

“Stripping you of your elemental power had little effect on Sienna when tapping into the water element because you’re still alive. But her essence is still tied to the four elements. With your powers bound, she’d still be able to access the water element but there’d still be a weak link. The kind of magic and power you saw tonight would take a toll on the strongest witch, Archer. Added to that, are Warrick’s death and the binding of your powers. It’s simply too much for her. In this state, she can handle the loss of one elemental power, but two …”

“What are you saying, Rose?” Declan asked, his voice unlevel and shaky.

“She’s too weak. She might not find her way back to us.”

“NO!” Archer yelled, his voice thundering across the stone room. He held Sienna’s face in his hands, everything inside him rebelling at the idea of losing this beautiful woman. “There’s no way in hell! We have to do something.” He whirled toward Rose. “Do something, dammit!”

“There’s only one thing I can try.”

“Will it work?”

“It’s risky.”

“For Sienna?”

“No.”

“Rose …”

“You have to trust me.” Rose lifted her gaze to meet Archer’s. “This shouldn’t be happening, Archer. She has a greater purpose and we need her alive. The world needs her alive. Archer, listen to me. We don’t have much time.” Rose struggled to her feet, holding out a shaky hand for Declan to help her. “Sienna was carrying her Grimoire and the stones in her bag. Bring them to me.”

“You can help her?” Declan asked.

“If we hurry.”

Declan took Rose by her shoulders, scanning her face. “Rose. You’re not strong enough for this.”

Scowling, she swatted him away. “I can do this. I have to do this.”

“But the –”

“Declan, we have no choice!” she snapped, pushing against his chest.

Declan hesitated, but then nodded and disappeared in a flash to locate the abandoned bag.

“What are you doing, Rose?’ Archer asked, watching as the old witch quickly cast a circle in the centre of the room. She reached for one of the lanterns, used the flame of the burning candle to start a small fire in the middle of the circle. When Declan appeared with the bag, she placed the stones around the circle and opened the Grimoire.

“She’s going to hate me for this.” Rose reached down, lifted a rusty nail from the ground, and straightened. She looked ill, withered, and had aged ten years since the day before. “Neither of you will understand what I’m about to do, but you all have to trust me.”

Declan stepped forward. “Rose, what the hell’s happening?”

Rose placed the Grimoire on the ground beside her, opened on a spell that made no sense to them, and turned to face them. “I have loved you three like you were my own. Thank you for protecting my family the way that you have.”

“What is this, Rose?” Archer asked, her words striking a fresh round of unease within him.

“I’m going to help Sienna.”

“How?”

“By breaking the spell that binds the curse on you and Sienna. If I can break it, it should automatically destroy the bind on your powers.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes. She’ll still be without the earth element, but without the bind on your elemental power her essence would stand a better chance at survival.”

Archer nodded, pulling Sienna in his arms so that her head rested on his lap. He stroked her hair, holding onto everything that mattered to him. “What do we need to do?”

“Don’t interrupt me. If she wakes up, don’t let her come to me. No matter what happens, you let me finish.”

The three brothers nodded, watching as Rose took the nail and slashed the palm of her hand.

“Rose!” Ethan snapped, stepping forward, but Rose held out a hand to stop him.

“I have to do this, Ethan. She’s meant for great things and we need her. You have to trust me.” Without waiting for a reply, Rose stepped into the circle she’d cast and closed her eyes.

A gentle whispered chant filled the silence of the room, growing louder and louder as she gathered more energy. Fuelled by the renewed energy, the flames burning in the several lanterns in the room exploded into more light, burning brighter and stronger.

The sound of the blaze mingled along with Rose’s chants, and the three brothers looked on in awe.

Her chanting became more powerful, with added determination. Rose held out her bleeding hand above the fire, her blood dripping into the glowing flames. They flickered, splattered, sizzled. They burned brighter, hissing as it consumed her blood. Her words whipped through the room, resonating against the stonewalls, filling the tiny space with a power so strong that the Keepers were unable to move.

Sienna moved in Archer’s arms, groaning softly. Her eyes fluttered opened, and she blinked several times to clear her murky head. “Archer?”

“I’m here,” he grunted, his words sounding more like a growl of relief at the renewed strength he sensed in her. Whatever Rose was doing seemed to be helping. “You’re okay, Sienna.”

Her head turned and she looked at Rose in the centre of the room. “What is she doing?”

“Ssh, she’s fine. She’s doing what she needs to do.”

Sienna listened, connecting to the magic that filled the room. Her eyes widened, and she struggled from Archer’s grip. “No.”

Archer kept his arms around her, her shoulders against his chest. He felt her resistance, the urge to rush to Rose and put a stop to whatever she was doing. Although Rose’s ceremony seemed to bring more life into Sienna, his uneasiness intensified.

“Gran!” Sienna called, trying to sit up again.

Rose didn’t answer, didn’t even register that she’d heard her granddaughter. She continued with her chanting, louder and with added vigour. Her clear voice echoed across the walls, her chants and her blood fuelling the burning flames that hissed loudly like a snake zeroing in on its prey.

“Stop her, Archer!” Sienna shouted. “She can’t do this.”

“Sienna, she’s performing a spell to break the curse on us. Without it, you’ll die. She knows what she’s doing.” The urge to stop Rose grew stronger, but he knew the witch had an insight into their world that they didn’t. She knew what needed to happen, and he had to trust her.

“It’s not a spell, Archer, it’s a sacrifice!” Sienna yelled, breaking away. She tried to rush to Rose, but Archer held her back, her words washing over him with a bite of reality.

A sacrifice?

Archer’s gaze zeroed in on Rose, took in the blood pouring from her nose, a sign that their witch was weakening, the powers and magic having drained the very essence of her. The reality of what Rose was doing kicked in, triggering his age-old protective instincts, and he quickly slid out from beneath Sienna. He raced across the room, growling loudly when he hit the invisible barrier around the circle. “Rose! Rose, STOP!”

“Stop her, Archer!” Sienna screamed.

“I can’t get to her. She’s spelled the circle shut. Rose!”

“No! Gran, no!” Sienna started wailing, hysteria taking a firm grip when Rose collapsed to the ground.

The intensity of the flames lessened, signalling the end to the ritual.

Archer charged, dropping to his knees beside Rose. He quickly felt for a pulse, struck by devastation when there was none. “Rose!” he growled fiercely, shaking the older witch in his arms. “Don’t you dare do this, Rose. Rose!”

“Gran!” Sienna screamed and scrambled across the sandy ground until she reached her grandmother. Sienna grabbed the lifeless woman. “Oh, my God. Archer! Archer, she’s not breathing!”

Ethan and Declan sank to their knees beside them, struck by the tragedy, the reality, of what had just happened.

“NO!” Archer yelled and leaned forward, placing his hands across Rose’s chest. He covered her mouth with his and breathed air into her lungs whilst his hands pumped rapid compressions against her heart.

It was only when Declan grabbed him by the shoulders a while later, snapping his name, that Archer stopped.

It was over.

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” he ground out, stroking the older woman’s face. “I’m so damn sorry.”

“She was poisoned,” Declan said, kneeling beside them. His words grabbed their attention and they both turned to look at him. “The arrow that wounded Rose last night was poisoned.”

“Are you sure?” Sienna asked in a strangled voice. “When I left her, she seemed fine.”

“She would have died anyway, Sienna. The symptoms started shortly after we got home last night and she knew immediately.”

“Rose was dying?”

Declan nodded. “She knew which poison they’d used and she knew there was no hope. Ethan went to look for you but you were gone.”

Sienna started crying, her shoulders racked with quiet sobs as she reached for Rose’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Gran. I should never have left you.”

“Sienna, in the end, it was your magic, your strength, and your powers that saved us.”

“But I couldn’t save her,” Sienna wailed softly as the sobs came.

“No,” Declan said, shaking his head. “And she knew there was no saving her which is why she sacrificed herself to save you.”

Still holding Rose in one arm, Archer reached for Sienna as she sobbed uncontrollably over her grandmother’s body. He shifted his gaze to Rose, the woman who’d spent her life protecting the good, protecting them. A woman who’d sacrificed her own life in order to save her granddaughter’s. She was like a grandmother to them all, and they loved her dearly.