Forever Breathing (Just Breathe #3) (29 page)

Chapter 49

Ever

I couldn’t take it anymore. My brother and Alody were fending off Roman as best as they could but I wanted to get things moving along. We’ve done nothing but wait all day. If a battle is going to happen I’d just as soon get it over with. I know I’ve done a complete turn- around. Maybe call it a little confidence from this glowing thing in my hand or just the fact that I’m over it. Roman needs to be taught a lesson.

I swim up to James’ side and call out to Roman before my brother can answer him, “Roman, you still don’t get it do you? There is no option for a half-existence. Everyone here is a full mer-person. They deserve to be here as much as you do.”

He looks angry and his eyes start to glow that yellow shade, the same as James’ so long ago. He looks scarier and my heart skips a beat.

Then he hisses back to the people behind him, “Bring my brother here. I think we need a demonstration to show what we think of half-blooded people in the sea. These two are new around here so they should see first- hand.”

Jaspen? I thought Jaspen was holed up in the city. I look back at Jack who has just come up beside me. I whisper to him, “Why is Jaspen here?”

He shakes his head and looks ahead toward Roman. My eyes meet his when I look up and he is smiling like he knows a secret I don’t.

Jaspen swims up beside him and pleads, “Roman, brother, I told you I will serve you and your cause. I’ve changed my mind and realized these people,” and he gestures to us, “they don’t know what they’re up against. They shouldn’t be here. They should go back to the land where the inferior race lives.”

I watch in disbelief that Jaspen, my grandfather, whom I don’t particularly care for, begs for his life. He changes sides like changing channels on the T.V. It still kills me to watch because Roman is so scary.

Roman swims away from him shaking his head, “Brother? Huh, we aren’t brothers. He took pity on you because he loved your mother, and that just isn’t quite enough. He was weak when he found that your real father left you on land. You never were good enough for him. Unfortunately, you followed him here instead of staying where you belong. You should have made a different choice all those years ago. He would never have given the city to you. You were never good enough, half-blood.”

He turns to face Jaspen. A look of sheer hatred crosses Jaspen’s face. He swims forward towards Roman and calls out, “I was always the rightful heir. He raiseont size="d me as his own just like
you. You were always so volatile, never stable enough. Look at you…”Before he can finish, Roman takes a spear from a nearby fighter and throws it at Jaspen. It pierces him in the stomach. He falls to the sand holding it, in terrible pain.

My heart stops for a minute as a horror scene plays out in front of us. I want to go to him but before I can James swims forward a few feet but Roman looks up and glares at him shaking his head. This stops James dead in the water. Alody pulls him back to us. I can tell it is killing James not to be able to go and help Jaspen as awful as he’s been to us, he doesn’t deserve this.

Roman throws his hands up in the air, “See what you made me do…I went and killed my own brother.” He swims back over to Jaspen and removes the spear from his lifeless body.

Then he glares at us, “Let’s stop this right now. That is what will happen to each of you if you don’t surrender now. I might add, to sway your decision that we have already taken over the city. A shame that many had to die, but it is under our control right now.”

I lose every ounce of confidence I had a few minutes before. What we want to accomplish seems completely impossible now. There is no way if all the fighters in the city have already been defeated, that we will win. I swim to James and place my hand under his elbow. He leans down so that I can speak to him, never tearing his gaze away from Roman.

My voice sounds shaky to my own ears, “This is wrong. These are Alody’s people. We can’t do this to them. There is no way…”

He grabs my hand and squeezes in response.
What the hell was that?
Before I can plead with him anymore he calls to Roman, “We understand your point, but I’m sorry we won’t be able to make any deals today.”

He grabs my hand and Alody’s and swims back to the waiting Erebus pulling us behind him. I’m sure at this moment that James just wrote our death certificates. Maybe he hasn’t matured as much as I thought he had. Maybe this trident thing has gone to his head. True it is pretty powerful but it’s one weapon against thousands of people.

Once we are back with the rest of our people I look to Jack and ask, “Do you think my brother has gone off the deep end? Should I go back and take Roman’s deal?” I’m really starting to panic. If Roman attacks us right now, we’re done.

Jack places his arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer. He whispers in my ear, “Don’t worry. It will be alright. I promise.” And he kisses my forehead.

At that exact moment when his lips pull away from my head many things happen at the same time. First and foremost I hear Roman’s voice yell, “Attack.”

But right at that same moment my brother points the trident to the ground in between us and them. The stick glows
brightly and shoots a bright light across the sea to the sandy bottom. The water clouds, making it impossible to see the Lior, just a hundred feet away.

James yells, “Let’s go.” And everyone disperses in all directions. Jack pulls me back toward the front of the Erebus caves. I look around as we glide through the water; all the faces seem calm and determined. I was so sure we were putting these people up to something they wouldn’t want to do. weOnce we turn the corner we are greeted with a sight I never would have imagined. For as far as the eyes can see are more people, all wearing silver armor, more than I would ever want to count. Jack approaches a very large man, reminding me of the Hulk, and shakes hands.

Jack tells him, “Amos, so glad you all could make it.”

The man smiles and replies in a deep voice, “This is a fight worth fighting, we wouldn’t miss it. Nice to see you on the right side, for once.”

He adds, “I heard some rumors spreading around about a certain weapon and some new, very important, Erebus.”

Jack laughs and glances over at me, “You heard right. I think this might be the last battle we’ll have to fight.”

Andrew looks over to me and bows his head. I look over to Jack with a questioning look wondering what this is. Who are all of these people?

He looks up and calls back raising his spear, “It’s time. Let’s win this for good.”

Jack pulls me out of the way as they storm through the water around the caves toward Roman and his people. I watch as every face that passes me has that same determined look I just saw on Alody’s people. Almost a year ago, I came here with the intent of being with someone who I thought was meant for me. Now I realize it’s so much more than that. It’s belonging and believing in something.

Jack tells me, “Those are the Erebus from all around the sea. Your brother has been pretty busy.”

I laugh, “You think so?”

He leans down and kisses me quickly asking, “Are you ready?”

I smile and ready my bow, following him into the fight for our lives.

Chapter 50

James

When I shot the trident between the Lior and us, I was hoping it would give everyone a chance to escape until our reinforcements came. Luckily, they were around the corner at the front of the caves. Alody and I swam to the side of the caves and waited.

We watch as hordes of people pass us. The sheer number of Erebus that are here hits me. I am suddenly feeling pretty confident about my decision to fight. I was second guessing myself for a little while. They said they would be here;I just wasn’t one hundred percent sure.

Alody pulls me toward the battle once the gold meshes with the silver, reminding me of the battle fought near here so recently. I’m glad we are able to keep it out of the city this time.

I follow her into the slew of moving bodies using the trident to scare the Lior but I don’t blow anyone up with it. That is just cruel and against what I believe in. It seems as though the Lior are scared when I get near. They shy away when they spot the glowing stick in my hand and swim in the opposite direction. I guess I might be afraid of it too, knowing what it’s capable of.

Alody continues firing arrows into the sea of bodies hitting anyone fighting with an Erebus from her home. She hits her mark almost every time. She is watching over her people and I admire her so much for it.

Suddenly, I hear a voice behind me and my skin starts to crawl.

“James?”

In one swift movement I grab Alody, turn around to the voice and angle so that I am blocking her. My eyes meet those turquoise ones I know so well.

Sara states, “I just wanted to say thank you for what you did.”

I frown at her but nod.

She continues, “I think for a long time, I’ve been floundering. I didn’t know where I was supposed to be. I…”

She looks down and back up at me, “I’m sorry for everything. I know I don’t belong here. But I don’t belong with them either.”

I feel movement behind me and it registers that Alody is moving around me. I grab her arm and tell her, “No, get back behind me.”

She frowns and turns to face me, “James, we aren’t this.  Remember what we are fighting for, acceptance for everyone. I know she hurt you and Ever and I know you don’t feel anything for her, I’m not worried. She should have a place with us.”

I shake my head out of frustration and stare at Sara as Alody turns to face her.

“Sara, you do belong here. Anyone that wants to be here, deserves to be here.”

Sara looks over Alody’s head at me with a questioning look. I give a curt nod and search for my sister. She’s really going to love this. I have to accept it though. Alody is so good and pure hearted. She believes in and sees the good in everyone. If she can see past Sara’s past and trust me as well, I will support her in anything she chooses.

I finally see Ever and Jack across the field. She has taken up a spot on a jutting rock at the top of the caves. She is shooting at any Lior getting close to Jack. I look back to Alody placing my hand on her shoulder, “Hey, we need to go and help…out.”

“Go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

I turn to go, knowing she can take care of herself but then I remember the last time I turned away in a battle with Sara nearby. Quickly I spin back to find Sara pulling a knife out from behind her back. As if in slow motion, my hands move to their own accord. The trident brightens and a small spark shoots out the middle. It strikes Sara in the shoulder and she’s thrown backward. I scurry over to a shocked Alody.

“What, What, did you just do, James?” She looks so hurt.

“Alody, she was about to stab you. I know it’s hard to believe. I just… I don’t think she can be saved.”

Alody rushes to her side anyway. She grasps Sara’s head and shouldert thins cradling her in her arms and pleads, “James, give her your blood.”

All of my energy leaves me at that moment. Alody just can’t see.

She yells at me, “James, help…help her.”

I shake my head, “I can’t.”

Before I know what is happening, as I look at Alody sadly, the trident is taken from my hand. I turn quickly to come face to face with Roman.

He growls pointing the now dull trident at me, “James my boy, you might want to do as she says. My daughter is dying because of you. I told you there wasn’t a chance you could win this.”

I turn back to Alody and Sara has the knife at Alody’s throat smiling. The moment slams into me when I realize that my life, my everything, is in danger.