Dovetailed (20 page)

A drop leaked into the pendant and mixed with the others. It was the final component. Michael watched as it changed to a color so light and so bright he couldn’t look at it. After a few seconds the light died and the Illeyse went black.

His chest had already healed. There were fresh pink scars, but nothing else.

“Find Venus. You are needed immediately, Xenien.”

The lion had vanished and so had the Universe. He was standing in front of the caves where he’d first met Ith and Aetha.

Seth, Hamel, and Venus loaded the swords onto the cart. It took them a while. When they finished, Venus pulled Hamel aside.

“Thank you for the work you did. The King of Alayeah would be proud. I know it was difficult to—”

The room shook as though there was an earthquake. Glass from the solar panels fell like rain from the ceiling. The swords hanging on the walls clanged to the floor. Hamel and Seth grabbed hold of the cart, keeping it steady.

The first tentacle entered slowly from the ceiling. It snaked along as though tasting the air and then meandered down. It was milky white and covered in sharp claws. Venus knew those claws were tipped with poison.

Three more massive tentacles came through the ceiling and then Venus saw the Leviathan’s head, its giant eye and enormous mouth full of teeth. She flinched at the sight of the monster.

Fear for Seth, Hamel, and Edith hacked through her. Her heart ached knowing what these creatures being unleashed on her world would mean to its inhabitants. How could they survive without the Illeyse? It was her job to protect this world, whatever it took. She hoped Michael would come back soon, but if he didn’t, then what? What other options were there?

The net that Ramien placed over Kelari when he took over was gone. Now, when a Kelvieri died, it would immediately move on. Venus had no way to combine their bodies and souls again.

What would happen if she failed to protect?

Another Leviathan peered through the roof. Darkness and the smell of the Leviathans’ putrefied flesh radiated throughout the room.

“Get downstairs!” Venus shouted at Seth, Hamel, and Edith.

The sound of tearing metal grated against Venus’s ears as the Leviathans tore through the roof and made their way inside.

Venus picked up a sword and ran in front of the Kelvieri. She slashed at two tentacles, hacking off the ends. The stench grew stronger as blood spurted from their wounds, but they quickly healed as though Venus hadn’t just cut them off.

One tentacle wrapped around her waist. The claws were like suction cups, clinging to her skin, cutting and shredding at her clothes. It worked to squeeze the life out of her—but she wasn’t Kelvieri, she was a goddess, and this stinking monster could not take her out. She may not be able to kill it, but it couldn’t kill her either, and she would continue to fight until the damned monster went back to its planet where it belonged.

She twisted the sword and brought it down on the tentacle, slicing through it. The severed appendage fell away and turned to golden sand. Another took its place and then two more wrapped around her, binding her arms and covering her face. The smell was dreadful, and if she could’ve gagged she would have.

Using her great strength she turned the sword and cut through the tentacles. As they fell to the ground she threw up her hands, trying to freeze the Leviathans the way she had the Kelvieri in the tunnels.

It worked momentarily. They didn’t move, which gave her a chance to make sure Seth, Hamel, and Edith weren’t still upstairs.

It saddened her to see Edith had been caught. She wasn’t screaming; her body was lifeless, her eyes milky white. It was obvious the girl was dead. Venus was forced to watch as Leviathan brought the girl to its mouth and tossed her inside.

A wealth of rage rose up inside her. In that moment she witnessed what would happen to every Kelarian on the planet. “No!” She ran toward the Leviathan, jumped, and grabbed hold of the tentacle that’d just tossed Edith in its mouth. She threw her body against the teeth and ran the sword from its mouth down to the end of its body.

Blood squirted from the Leviathan and soaked Venus in its stink. She dropped to the floor, hoping she’d incapacitated the monster.

She hadn’t.

The Leviathan healed within seconds and turned its gaze on her. It gnashed its teeth together and leaned down, its one eye the same size as her whole body.

There was laughing in her head and then it spoke
You can’t kill us. We are indestructible.

In response, Venus thrust the sword directly in its eye. It reared back, taking Venus with it and shaking her until she went flying with the sword in her hand. She smacked against the wall and tumbled to the ground.

“You can’t hurt me either, Leviathan!” she shouted, running at it again.

Maybe not, the voice said, filling up her head, but we can hurt everyone else on this planet and we won’t stop until every last creature is dead and this land is laid to waste.

The other monster moved toward the entry to the stairs and began tearing away the wall.

Venus ran and slid underneath, moving to stand in front of it. She threw up her hands, again trying to freeze it. The Leviathan stopped, but only for a second.

Your powers mean nothing to us. We were created by the same beings that created you.

Venus let out a frustrated yell and started slashing at them again. A tentacle picked her up and threw her in the air while another smashed against her, sending her body into a wall, the sword flying out of her hand.

When she hit the ground she picked up another sword and ran toward the opening. The two Leviathans had shredded the wall and were working on pulling apart the floor. It was only a matter of seconds before they reached Seth and Hamel and the swords.

If Michael didn’t get here soon, this war would be over before it really began. And maybe Michael was dead. She didn’t know. Her immortal heart hurt at the thought. She loved him more than she’d loved anyone, and right now she needed him desperately.

“Having fun?”

She heard his voice and thought she was dreaming. It couldn’t be. Turning, she saw him standing in the doorway, his hair hanging in his face, a smirk dancing on his lips.

“It’s about time,” she said, her voice cracking in sobs.

Zaren took the group of Kelarians who’d agreed to fight into another room within the tunnels. He and Palamina wanted to give them some basic instruction on how best to wield a sword. More than three hundred kels stood in haphazard rows stretching so far back he couldn’t see, and each kel had a sword. Some held them correctly, but most held them like the blades would bite them.

“Let’s do this,” Palamina whispered.

“Yeah.”

“We need something to stand on,” he said to Palamina, looking around.

“Agreed. Hang on, I’ll be right back.” She ran from the room and came back a few seconds later carrying a large wooden table.

It was bigger than she was and she used both hands to move it, her Ostwallow sword strapped to her back. He watched her set the table down and turn it so the long edge faced the group.

Zaren thought Palamina was the most beautiful woman in the world. Losing her had been the lowest point in his life. He hadn’t wanted to destroy her, but his King had commanded him to, though he had never given Zaren an explanation other than that she was a traitor. As much as it pained Zaren, he hadn’t had a choice. He’d made a commitment to serve the house of Carania. It’d been a huge regret in his life. Every day after her death he wished he could take it back. Whether it was the haunted look on her face or the pained expression when he sent his sword through her neck, something told him the king had made a mistake.

Palamina noticed him watching her. She smiled, blowing a piece of flyaway hair out of her face. She’d braided her red hair, but some of the smaller locks had fallen out and framed her creamy face.

“You’re amazing,” he said, moving over to her.

Palamina bumped her hip into his. “I know, Zar.” Her features softened and she got serious. “But don’t ever stop telling me, okay?”

Zaren brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I won’t.”

“Good.” She playfully punched him in the arm. “You better get up there. The sooner they know what they’re doing, the better.”

Zaren chuckled as he climbed on top of the table and then held out his hand. He glanced down, meeting Palamina’s gaze. “This will go a whole lot faster with two of us.”

She smiled in response, took his hand, and ascended to stand next to him.

Zaren leaned in a kissed her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, Mina.”

“Me too.” She kissed him back, her smile big.

“Okay.” Zaren turned his attention to the crowd, clapping his hands together to get their attention. “Let’s go. Everyone stand with your feet shoulder width apart, like so.” He took the stance.

Three hundred people moved into position.

“Excellent,” he shouted when everyone stilled. “The way you stand, move, and hold your sword will determine control and speed. Understand?”

The group nodded and spoke their responses.

“Now, take your leading foot—that’s the foot that is the same as the hand you’ll hold the sword in—and bring it slightly forward.” He waited until everyone got into position. “Find your center and move your body weight so that you are on the balls of your feet.” As they moved, he continued. “Bend your knees slightly. It should feel like you could pounce on your opponent.”

“You’re good at this,” Palamina said, leaning into his shoulder.

“I just hope Venus gets here soon, otherwise this will all be for nothing.”

“Agreed,” Palamina said.

To the group, he went on. “Don’t grip your sword tightly. It should be held between the thumb and first two fingers. The rest of the fingers should loosely grip the hilt.” As he spoke he demonstrated when he meant.

Palamina jumped off the table. “I’m going to walk through the group and help out.”

“Great idea,” he said to her. To the crowd, he said, “Palamina will be coming around to assist you.”