Wicked War of Mine (Overworld Chronicles Book 9) (36 page)

"Why do they not have the crystal armor?" Daelissa asked.

"The Darklings were able to counter the way our crystal armor absorbs magic attacks," Kjoeriss said. "Though it looks like normal clothing, it repels magic and physical attacks, much like the Templar Nightingale armor."

The archangels were easily discernible from the infantry. They wore massive swords slung diagonally across their backs and red armor embroidered with symbols that reminded her of seals used by feudal lords to indicate their house affiliation. Such markings of nobility had died out on Seraphina long before Daelissa had been born. They had apparently seen a revival during her long absence.

Kjoeriss landed the carpet before a towering seraph in blue armor embroidered with the Sphere of Brilliance, the symbol Daelissa had adopted as her own when she'd established her rule. She felt a sense of satisfaction that it had survived the millennia.

The seraph knelt. "Primarion Arturo at your service, Divinity." His voice was deep and commanding, and his Cyrinthian was exceptionally crisp.

She could not help but smile at this magnificent being before her. "Stand, Arturo," she said in Cyrinthian.

He stood. "The First Battalion awaits your command."

Daelissa looked them over appraisingly. "Besides their large swords and decorated armor, what makes archangels different from the foot soldiers?"

Arturo straightened. "By your leave, I will demonstrate myself."

She waved her hand. "By all means."

The tall Primarion's eyes glowed white. Ethereal wings blazed into existence at his back. They unfolded until they were twice his height from tip to tip. Arturo leapt into the air with a thrust of his mighty wings. He soared high into the cavern and unsheathed his sword. Jagged bolts of white lightning danced around the blade. He swooped low and slashed at empty air, as if attacking an enemy. In one fluid move, he sheathed his sword, wings spread wide, and gracefully landed in front of her.

Daelissa felt a wide smile spread her lips. "I am impressed, Primarion." She could hardly wait to try her new toys against the enemy.

Arturo returned the smile. "From what I have been told of our opponents, we should defeat them handily."

"Indeed you shall." Eager though she was to destroy the rebels, she would not rush to battle this time. Instead, she would give her troops time to feed on human essence.

Serena appeared at her side. "Divinity, might I have a word?"

Daelissa tore her gaze from Arturo and looked down at the small woman. "What is it?"

"We have captured a large number of humans to feed the army." Serena looked at Arturo for a long moment. "I request that they not drain them to death. If we rotate the humans and give them time to recover, it should be possible to reuse them many times and give our troops the essence they need."

"Do not tell me you pity them," Daelissa said.

Serena shook her head. "It is nothing like that, Divinity." She shrugged. "With so many Seraphim to feed, this will optimize our operations."

"I think her reasoning is sound," Arturo said. "By your leave, Divinity, I will have my people ration the humans."

Such a grand specimen this seraph is.
She nodded. "You have my leave, Primarion."

He bowed. "As you command."

Daelissa felt her cheeks warm. It had been too long since someone worthy had gained her attention. She would have to invite him to dinner in her quarters at some point in the very near future. "Let us inspect the troops."

Arturo offered her his arm. Daelissa took it and let the handsome seraph guide her. The enemy had proven more resilient than she'd expected. Today marked a new beginning. This war was all but won.

Chapter 32

Nightliss held my hand as I stared at the casket with Elyssa's body. Tears blurred my vision.
I thought she could be healed!
"Why couldn't you save her?"

"I'm sorry, Justin." Nightliss sobbed and buried her face on my shoulder. "I failed you."

Thomas and Leia stood on the opposite side of the casket. They looked at me accusingly.

"You let her die," Thomas said in a cold voice. "You let her take the shot that was meant for you."

"You let her die." Leia's voice was harsh.

Michael came to stand behind them. "She died because of you."

"It's my fault," I said in a harsh whisper. I reached for Elyssa's fair cheek. Her eyes sprang open.

"You let me die!" she screamed.

I jerked awake with a shout. My body was drenched with sweat. Looking around, I realized I was on a cot next to other injured Templars.
It was just a dream.
But it might soon be a reality if Nightliss didn't do something. I threw off the covers and climbed to my feet. My body felt numb and the room seemed to sway. I found clothes at the foot of the cot and put them on.

One unsteady step after another, I made my way outside of the room. Leviathan dragons slumbered in the middle of a huge cavern.
I'm in El Dorado.

Next to the dragons, the aether pods glowed as they worked to revive more Darklings. Nightliss stood with Mom and Fjoeruss. My legs ached as I walked across the cavern toward them.

Cinder walked from between the dragons and saw me coming. "Justin, should you be out of bed?"

Mom and the others turned toward me. Before I knew it, Nightliss and Mom stood on each side of me.

"You're in no condition to be up and about," Nightliss said.

Mom pressed a hand to my forehead. "I think you have a mild fever." She pulled her hand away. "You overextended yourself at Thunder Rock and then did it again at the Ranch, without resting."

"I'm fine," I said just as my legs tried to make me do the limbo.

Nightliss caught me. "Obviously, you are in prime condition." Her eyes grew sad. "Elyssa's condition is very grave. While I am somewhat skilled at healing injures, I do not think I could repair her heart quickly enough to keep her alive."

Fear gripped my heart. "What do you mean you can't?"

"If her heart does not start beating several seconds after I release her from the preservation spell, she will suffer irreversible brain damage." Nightliss looked away. "I am not that fast."

"What about Joss or Otaleon?" I asked.

"I asked them, but neither of them expressed confidence in their healing abilities." She turned her pleading eyes back on me. "I promise I will find a way."

I hardly dared ask the next question. "How long will that preservation spell keep Elyssa alive?"

"Perhaps two or three weeks." She swung her gaze toward the aether pods. "If only we had more time, I'm sure there are many skilled Darkling healers awaiting rebirth."

My stomach knotted. "I can't rely on that sort of hope." There was only one place I could find a Darkling with the healing abilities I required. "I'm going to Seraphina."

Mom's eyes flared with alarm. "You have no idea what kind of reception you'll get there, Justin."

"I was planning to go as an emissary," Nightliss said. "It would be safer if you remain."

I shook my head. "No. As soon as I eat and recover, I'm going."

"Well if it ain't the next best thing to battery-operated underwear," Shelton said from behind me.

I turned unsteadily and saw Shelton and Bella walking from the direction of the control room, big grins on their faces.

"Are you guys staying here?" I asked.

Shelton shook his head. "We came from the new base of operations in Queens Gate."

I blinked at him. "Queens Gate? I thought Thomas said the new location would be secret. Why in the world would we go back there?"

"It's the last place they'd think to look for us," Bella said.

"Exactly." Shelton poked me in the chest. "We actually came by to see if you were up to taking a little trip."

"He's in no condition for travelling," Mom said.

Shelton widened and blinked his eyes at her as if trying to convey a secret message via brain waves. "This is the one trip that would do him some good."

Nightliss touched Mom's arm. "Alysea, I think Shelton is right."

"Fine, but I'm going along to make sure he doesn't get overexcited." Mom took my hand as if I were a little kid who needed guiding.

"Overexcited?" I couldn't hide the disdain in my voice. "It's not like I'm going to wet my pants."

"Justin, I think you should come over here," Cinder said before Mom could reply.

I turned and saw the aether pods springing open. Fjoeruss and Cinder were staring at one in particular. "On my way." I released Mom's hand and hobbled over with the others close on my heels.

The sound of wailing babies filled the air. A group of human volunteers emerged from between the dragons and comforted the newly revived cupids.

Fjoeruss reached into the first pod and removed an infant. When he held up the cupid, the gender was obviously female.

His sister.

With everything else going on, I'd completely forgotten about that part of our deal. I was about to ask if he was certain the baby was his sibling when she began to cry. Her mouth stretched opened inhumanly wide and the fuzzy hair on her head seemed to writhe. Her crying sounded more like singing than the wailing of a baby.

Ice cold shock knifed into my chest. "That's no Seraphim child."

Fjoeruss calmly took a blanket offered by one of the human volunteers and swaddled her. "Indeed. She is of the race that I believe built the arches."

"A siren." Cinder stared at her with open fascination. "She is not your sister."

"Not by blood. I did, however, adopt her as my own." Fjoeruss looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter, Mr. Slade?"

I tried to keep my voice calm. "You lied."

"Actually, I was quite truthful." He ran a finger through the baby's writhing peach fuzz. "I adopted her as my sister. The contract did not specify how she was related to me."

"Is she really the one who caused the desecration?" My voice was a hoarse whisper.

He nodded. "She said the way the Seraphim used the arches was an abomination. Everything happened as I said."

Mom hissed out a breath. "Now I know why I couldn't remember you having a sister."

Fjoeruss simply offered her a smug smile.

"Do sirens feed on Murk and Brilliance?" I asked.

"I don't know." Fjoeruss handed the baby to the human volunteer. "I do know she requires food." He watched as the volunteer walked away with her.

I felt my forehead wrinkle. "You're just leaving her here?"

Fjoeruss turned to me. "A deal is a deal, Mr. Slade. I do not believe you will try to keep me from her or you will be in violation of the contract."

A part of me felt tricked by him. Another part of me didn't really give a damn. The sirens were an enigma. I'd seen them building arches with my own two eyes, but that didn't mean they were the masters of the universe. For all I knew, they might just be the hired help. If I played nice with Fjoeruss, maybe we could get some information out of this deal. "How is it you adopted this siren, but you don't know if she requires soul essence? How is it she registered as gray with the affinity sphere?"

"I have no idea." He smiled. "It's exciting, is it not?" Fjoeruss watched as the volunteer with his adopted sister vanished between the dragons. "So much we don't know. So many mysteries to uncover."

"So many ways to trick people," Mom said.

Shelton entered the group. "I know you ladies love babies, but can we get outta here? All this crying is giving me a headache."

I narrowed my eyes at Fjoeruss and wondered if he had any more tricks up his sleeve.

He seemed to sense what I was thinking. "The contract holds, Mr. Slade."

I nodded. "Good." We'd beaten Daelissa soundly today, but the war wasn't over yet. I wondered if adding a siren to our alliance would help, or if she'd try to pull another Desecration on us.

"Until next time." Fjoeruss turned and began talking to Cinder about the care his sister would receive.

I rotated back to Shelton. "All right, let's go." I gave him a suspicious look. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there." He grinned. "I think you'll like it."

"Definitely," Bella said.

"Lead the way." I motioned with my hand and started walking while Mom and Nightliss helped me. "I'm not an old man."

"Sure are walking like one," Shelton said. "Looks like you're clenching a marble between your butt cheeks."

"Ha, ha." The more I walked, the more it felt like my butt was on fire. We went into the control room and through a portal, ending up in a room that looked vaguely familiar. I spotted a stove against one wall. "Are we in a kitchen?"

"Sharp as a tack." Shelton took out a blindfold.

I raised both eyebrows. "What's that for?"

"Just let me put it on."

I crossed my arms. "This isn't something kinky is it?"

Shelton gave me a blank stare. "Don't make me knock you out."

I laughed, took the blindfold, and slipped it over my eyes. "Lead the way."

I heard a nervous giggle from one of the females as they guided me across what sounded like a wooden floor. I heard a thudding noise and smelled fresh wood and mortar. Someone turned me around. The blindfold lifted.

My next breath caught in my throat at the sight before me. Cheers erupted. I almost fell over backwards with surprise and the inability of my legs to keep up with my reflexes. Templars, Daemos, Lycans, Felycans, Blue Cloaks, and a host of others stood around me. Thomas and the other Templar commanders stood with Captain Takei, Colin McCloud, and the other leaders in front of a huge house under construction.

It was far more than a house. It was a reproduction of the mansion. The only out-of-place part was the surroundings. We were in a large perfectly rectangular chamber carved into the rock. Large construction golems lumbered about doing stonework and fitting huge beams into the structure. An Arcane motioned with his wand and the golems stopped where they were.

I felt my eyes mist. My heart leapt with joy, though sadness still tugged at it. I wished with all my heart Elyssa could be here to see this.