Out Of The Darkness (27 page)

Nalik looked at the symbol over his own house vault. A vine wrapped around the Dardaptoan symbol for time. Around the outer edges of the circle, the vine turned into two snakes that represented light and dark.

His was the most sinister looking of the family symbols.
His
was one of the oldest Dardaptoan lines, and with that came a great responsibility. The Dhar wasn’t the only one who had pieces of thousands of souls. Should his be returned, as well? As Equan of the House of Black it was his ultimate duty to guard what lay in that vault at that very moment. He was not ready for it to be returned. Not yet.

Returned, and then his responsibility to those souls would return to the goddess, as well. That sat ill with him, feeling as he did about her.

He reached down and made doubly certain his lock was secured. Made certain that he still had the key around his neck. He had never lost it, save for those days in Taniss’s lab, and he’d retrieved it as soon as he’d been able. “Shall these remain here, during this war?” He slipped his key into the intricate lock. It would require Rydere’s in addition to open. He would check, just see for himself if it was safe.

As soon as the words left his mouth he was thrown to the stone floor. Rydere and Aodhan were tossed even harder than he.

Nalik could not move, a great force pushing him down to the ground. And sucking the very air from his lungs.

Chapter 4
9

A booted foot kicked the cheek that still bore Taniss’s scars. Nalik felt the pain, but could not respond. Could not turn his head.

But he recognized the scent and the voice. Uruses. First brother to the
Equan
of the Woald House. “Nalik Black, as I live and breathe. Helping Rydere steal the
dharanlji
of souls.”

Nalik gathered every ounce of the power he possessed. He forced himself to sit up despite his muscles screaming as he broke the force hold the male had hit him with. It was a plant-based magic and one he
’d encountered before. In the demon lands. “Uruses, what does you now?”

“Followed you back from Relaklonos. Think you not I do not know what you are doing? I have been waiting months for Dhar Rydere to seek the
dharanlji
.”

“And now he has. What do you plan to do with it?” Surely Uruses realized that there was nothing a Dardaptoan
could
do with it? They were just caretakers.

“Sell it to the highest bidder. There
’s a human scientist out there willing to pay a great deal for anything of Dardaptoan power. Told him about this, and he’s been waiting for it.”

A
human
wanted the
dharanlji
? For what purpose?

It didn
’t matter. This male was not leaving this chamber alive. Nalik knew that Aodhan and Rydere felt the same.

Nalik stood, though he could feel the hold still upon him. Rydere and Aodhan were still completely immobile.

“What are you doing? I was guaranteed that mix would work on Dardaptoans.”

“I
’m not a Dardaptoan any longer, Uruses. Haven’t you heard the rumors? I am no longer Dardaptoan.” Nalik grabbed the bag from Uruses’ hands. “You are not to have this. Only the
dhar
can touch the
dharanlji
. To even think you were worthy is the ultimate betrayal of your people. And for what? A few coin?”

Nalik wasn
’t worthy of holding the bag, either. He could feel the weight of hundreds of thousands of souls in his hands, and the responsibility was crushing him. He placed the bag in Rydere’s hands and immediately began breathing again. The other male was starting to throw off the hold on him. Nalik nodded at the question in Rydere’s eyes.

He
would handle Uruses. Rydere would protect the souls. “You betrayed our people, Uruses. Was this the first time?”

“I betrayed no one who didn
’t deserve it.” Uruses wasn’t a fool; arrogant, but not a fool. He saw Nalik’s intent and he ran out of the main lobby.

Nalik followed. He doubted Uruses was the sorcerer responsible for the fire—the symbols burned in ash were too ancient for a male of less than three hundred years like Uruses—but the male was capable of massive destruction if left loose. Nalik jumped, landing directly in the man
’s path. “You cannot run. You’ll face Sebastos, as soon as I return you to the demon world.” Theo’s family was charged with ensuring justice to all Dardanos Dardaptoans, and Theo ruled his court well. “For this and any other crimes you have wrought.”

It took little time to subdue Uruses and Nalik dragged him back to the main lobby. They met the Taniss males on the
way. Jason threw Nalik a questioning look. “Who’s this?”

“Head gardener. Found him trying to loot the
dhar’s
valuables.” Nalik shook Uruses when he balked. Many Dardaptoans were leery in the Taniss Lupoiux’s presence. Even though he was smaller than many of them. “Taking him back to Theo.”

Aodhan and Rydere were back on their feet, though Aodhan looked a little shaken. Anything that could knock an Adrastos down would leave the warrior a bit nauseated when recuperating. Nalik understood—even the strongest fighter had weaknesses. Aodhan was no exception to that.

It was a matter of checks and balances.

Nalik knocked Uruses to the ground with a simple blow. The male landed in the center of the etched symbols of each House. “Let us return. I have much to do this eve. Our females await.”

The building around them shook. The runes in ash along the far wall began to shift, to shake and distort. Fire flew from them, straight toward where the men stood. Toward Rydere.

Nalik grabbed the
dhar
and threw him to the ground. Then grabbed Cassandra’s father and put him behind his own body. He got a shield around them just in time. He held it, not knowing where the reserve of energy came from.

The sorcerer
’s flames battered at the dome Nalik had somehow created, and he felt himself weakening. He looked at Rydere. “Portkeys. I cannot hold this off forever.”

Rydere nodded and pulled the key out of his pocket. It would take a few moments to grow the port; hopefully Nalik could hold back the flames until then.

Aodhan was the first through, and he grabbed his father-in-law and yanked him with him. Rydere went next, taking Cassandra’s father. Then it was Jason.

The wolf looked at him. “As soon as I am through. I will catch you on the other side if needed. The traitor?”

Nalik hadn’t given Uruses another thought once the flames started. He looked to where the male had last been. Uruses was still there, writhing from the flames that were eating at his hands and legs. “Go. I will bring him.”

“Don
’t die trying. Bastard isn’t worth it.”

No, he wasn
’t. But it would be wrong of Nalik if he didn’t at least try. “Go!”

He could feel the shield around him weakening. Cassandra
’s uncle stepped into the ether and was gone in an instant.

Nalik lowered the shield and dove toward Uruses. He grabbed the male
’s ankle then jumped toward the portkey as the flames burned through the last vestige of the shield.

Nalik rolled them both into the portkey just as the fire started eating the edges of the mist. An unnatural fire that as soon as it touched his skin had him freezing inside.

So cold he would never be warm again.

So cold he could not move.

Chapter 50

Nalik knew when he’d arrived back at the damned demon castle, but he still could not shake the paralysis that held him in its grip.

At least Aodhan and Rydere were gentle when they carted him in. His father-in-law walked at his side, and though Nalik
’s eyes were closed, he had no difficulty sensing the man’s confusion.

He
’d done a piss poor job of explaining things to the man, he had to admit that. But Rydere would stand in his stead. Especially if Nalik never awoke from this whatever he was in.

Rydere would care for Cassandra. Nalik would have to be content with that. The grief that filled him at the thought of her, and what she would be greeted with when news reached her of what had happened to him.

Damn the goddess for fucking him over once again. If this paralysis turned permanent, what would happen to her?

He tried to move his arm but couldn
’t. He couldn’t even damned blink.

They lowered him to the floor, and Nalik could hear people running.

Something had happened, but were they running
to
them, or was something else going on?

Someone screamed and Rydere cursed next to him. Taniss yelled his daughter
’s name. The
dahn
was the one screaming, wasn’t she? Nalik tried to force his eyes open. No matter what he tried, it was impossible. Was he damned to this darkness forever, now?

Just when he
’d found his
Rajni
, had a hope for a future, this shit happened. He should have expected it.

“You will gain yourself when the time comes.”

The voice behind him was female and sounded like silk. Like a thousand such voices, equally as soft and luxuriant. He wanted to turn toward it.

It hurt so much.

“Do not try to join the world around you. There are more things under the sun that cannot be understood. Tell me, Nalik Arus Black, would you come with me? Or are you tied to this world?”

Tied to this world? Three hells, no. There was only one thing in all of the worlds that he was tied to, one being.
Cassandra.

“Tell me, Nalik Arus Black, if I told you that
she
waited for you, would you come with me?”

In a heartbeat. He
’d leave everything in any world behind to go to her.

“Then come with me. I shall take you to her.”

Chapter 51

“Cassandra, come.”

There was a woman standing just behind the light. At first she thought it was Eaudne, but then she realized it was Aureliana.

But not the Aureliana Cass knew.  This one was dressed far differently, in clothing that looked like golden cotton. Not just yellow in color, but actual gold metal threaded through the fabric. And the cut of the outfit was very simple, more so even then the Dardaptoan
pardus
and
vestis
Aureliana usually wore. This outfit was special for some reason.

Cass took the hand Aureliana held out to her. “Am I dead?”

“I do not think so.” Aureliana hugged her tightly. “At least, I know I am not. And you are here next to me.”

“Where is here? And where are Ren and Eaudne?”

Aureliana waved a hand. “I wasn’t sure at first, but then this occurred to me.” The area in front of Aureliana’s hands shimmered, the light shifting outward, to form an opening. Cass peered through. “Your spirit is here with me in this
other
world. The nineteenth layer no one talks about. Your body is with Eaudne. She is carrying you.”

Cass watched as exactly that happened. Eaudne held her like a child while Ren carried his wife. Neither seemed overly worried, but once they entered the main hall of Rathan
’s castle, people came running.

Screaming. Her sister was screaming. Running toward Eaudne. Rydere caught Emily halfway to them. And another man ran past them.

Her father. What was he doing there? And who was behind him? There—that was Aodhan speaking quickly with Ren.

“They
’re back? Where’s Nalik? Why isn’t he with Rydere and Aodhan?”

“He is. He was wounded.”

“How bad? Can Kindara help him? What about Jushua or Eaudne? Kennera.” Cass tried to wave the opening larger. She couldn’t. Why couldn’t she see him and why wasn’t anyone trying to help
him
instead of trying to take her from Eaudne?

“He will be well, I think.”

“So why are
we
here?” Cass finally took a look around that
here.
It wasn’t dark like she’d first thought. They were somewhere, and it was outside. She could smell the grass and the earth, even the wind.

“I
’m not sure. I think we have to take a little walk to get to where we need to go.” She kept hold of Cass’s hand, and Cass appreciated the contact. The comfort.

“Can I see Nalik, you think?” She needed to look at him, didn
’t she? “We…”

“I know exactly what you did.” Aureliana laughed and squeezed Cass
’s hand. “And I’m very pleased with my little-cousin-to-be you created.”

It took a moment for
that
to sink in. They couldn’t have…she was much too young to even think of
that.
“We were careful.”