Feel the Burn (43 page)

‘Yakov?!’

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Chapter Thirty Six

The bloody library was a maze. Ignatius stalked down an aisle and cursed aloud when he heard the sound of shifting. Coming to the end of the aisle, where it should have led to the left, now stood a wall of books. Each time he worked out the direction to the door the room changed, walls appearing and vanishing when he turned.

‘Damn you, witch!’

Feeling his head pound from the building frustration he took a moment to breathe and consider his options. How did you fight books?

An idea occurred and he pulled the crossbow off his back and dismantled it, separating the barrels, then twisting them together end to end. He reached back again, fingers groping for the flat blade tucked behind the rapthna plating. Pinching the blade with his fingertips he dragged it out and fixed it to the converted crossbow, then stood and gave the now battleaxe a couple of swings to check the blade held. Satisfied, he launched a heavy blow at the bookcase in his way. The axe sliced far too easily into the books and slipped from his grasp, vanishing from view. Astonished, Ignatius stood staring for a moment then reached out. The first touch felt like books, firm under his touch, but when he pushed further his hand vanished. Without hesitation he shoved through the illusion and found he stood before the door he’d sought, the mirrored back shattered, his axe lodged in the middle.

Frowning, Ignatius looked around, noticing the bits of mirror on the ground jammed into the bookcase that the door opened against. My axe didn’t break it, he realized, Cat must be just ahead. Wrenching the axe free from the door, Ignatius turned the handle and stepped into the stairwell.

Alek’s hand clamped on my wrist like a vise when I made to step forward and I stopped, mouth working while I tried to find words. Yakov looked fine, healthy, totally unharmed and my brain felt like it flat lined while I stared at him in bewilderment.

‘Wh-what? Yakov? What are… why are…?’

Adding to the bafflement occupying my mind was the hum of Alek’s energy. I didn’t realize until then that our link remained from our kiss and the absolute fury I could feel crackling through him didn’t make any sense. Yakov smiled, his blue eyes warm, and reached out a hand, walking toward us.

‘Cat, I’ve missed you.’

Alek growled in the back of his throat and wrenched me bodily back. I landed on my ass, back smacking into the wall and he stepped forward, body hunched into a defensive position, the chains linking his wrists clanking. In a voice of fury he snarled at the advisor.

‘Stay away from her!’

Yakov stopped in the middle of the room and cocked his head, studying Alek, both arms crossed behind his back.

‘You’re looking a lot healthier, Alek. It’s good to see you utilizing your gift so proficiently, Cat.’

For an instant it felt like we stood back at the castle, training, with that casual but genuine compliment. Now on my feet, I stepped out from behind Alek, watching Yakov while he studied me. Something about his scrutiny made me feel ill, though it could be the anguished vehemence Alek projected. I glanced back at Alek, considering his expression, then realized.

‘Oh hell.’

It hit hard and I couldn’t get any other words out. I just stared at Yakov, the sense of betrayal unlike anything I’d experienced before.

‘Ahh. The little princess with the glass face.’ His pleasant tone with the teasing edge gave nothing to suggest the depth of his treachery. The casualness felt beguiling and he smiled warmly at me, extending his hand again. Alek jerked me back and Yakov chuckled like it was all a good joke.

‘You know that won’t work.’

He delivered the conversational line with a simple flick of his fingers that sent a crackling ball of silver energy straight into Alek’s chest, flooring him and nearly flooring me when the pain crackled through our link. It felt like the time I’d unintentionally grabbed an electric fence as a kid; all my joints ached and my breaths came in short, stunned gasps. I dropped to my knees beside Alek, a hand on his chest where it had struck and I focused on the energy exchange, the pain dissolving while we synced.

‘Catherine.’

I rocked up onto my heels then stood, watching Yakov. Alek lay panting on the floor, catching his breath and I heard the metallic chink when he sat up. Yakov’s handsome aged face, with those caring, jovial blue eyes and slightly pointed chin, looked exactly the same as when he’d regarded me at the castle.

‘Why?’ I asked softly, unable to hide the hurt or push it over into anger.

He opened his arms, offering comfort that felt truly bizarre considering the situation, but it gave me an idea. When I stepped away I heard Alek’s hitched gasp and scooted forward when he lunged, just out of reach.

‘Cat, DON’T!’

Halfway between either man I twisted back, eyes intent, and winked while in a soothing voice, said, ‘Don’t worry.’

Listen to my energy, try to copy what I do.

He halted, half crouched and ready to run while those navy eyes bore into mine.

Don’t do this.

Ignoring his plea I continued toward Yakov, keeping my face calm though my heart raced. I knew I couldn’t use my energy externally but I also knew it worked fine internally, which in theory meant I should be able to shield internally, and if Yakov did what I suspected he’d try…

My hands shook, not that he could see it, while I walked across and I kept a soft, defenseless expression, remembering how Loi would manipulate her brothers with that look. Inwardly I worked my energy out as far as it would go.

Alek could feel her heart hammering through their link and knew his pounded just as fast. But it was too late to get between them now. Yakov enfolded Cat into his arms and an angry harsh sound slipped out of Alek’s throat when the traitor gently cupped the back of her head, pressing a kiss to her temple. Once, watching the man he’d loved like a father embrace the woman he loved more than life itself, used to touch him. Now, knowing that man was directly responsible for the deaths of his parents and seeing Yakov stand beside that hellish sorceress—it made watching him cradle Cat a terrifying ordeal.

The tension between their linked energies told him that while Cat didn’t understand the full extent of what had happened, she knew not to trust Yakov. Now Alek could only watch and hope her idea worked.

‘I am sorry,’ he whispered in my ear while he held me and I couldn’t help the tears that slipped out. For so long I’d ached for Alek, or Yakov, or my Earth dad and their strong, safe embraces. It broke my heart to know that these arms and those words all had an ulterior intent that I couldn’t really fathom. The fear humming within Alek told me I stood in a dangerous position.

‘Why?’ I asked again, my voice breaking.

‘Oh little one, you sound just like your mother did.’ He tightened his hold, not aggressively but protectively, rocking me slightly. ‘It was never about you Thalians, blame the Mestarns for that. They had no right to drag your family into a fight that didn’t concern them. This is just returning the natural order of things. That’s all, little princess.’

Yakov pulled back, hands cupping my face and smiled, his eyes gentle.

‘I have adored you all. Your honorable father, beautiful mother, and little Catarine, such a tiny wee thing, screaming away when I held you that first time.’

He said the name like a doting uncle might, with such genuine affection and yet I could feel the weird energy humming to life within him. With my energy ready, pulsing as close to the surface as the strange crystals in this room would allow, I waited.

‘You and the girls, well you have something we want. It’s just an unfortunate truth. I promise, it won’t hurt. It’ll be over in a moment.’ He kissed my forehead again, his eyes now firm, and continued. ‘Say hello to your parents for me, Catarine, know I will always treasure my time with you.’ Then he hugged me tight.

Silver lightning erupted from within him, shrouding my body with a searing touch. I gasped when the heat scorched through the chainmail, singeing the top layer of skin off while in the same moment my energy held its ground within and healed my skin seconds later. It felt like I’d been dipped in boiling metal then ice, the pain and relief so close together my senses still screamed. Holding me tight, evidently expecting me to collapse, Yakov started to move, dragging me away.

‘That. Fucking. Smarts,’ I hissed the final word with as much venom as possible and Yakov froze. I, however, didn’t and punched him hard, wincing when my knuckles cracked against something hard beneath his shirt. Still, it did the job, knocking him back and seeing my energy wouldn’t work I pulled my sword from its scabbard.

A sharp intake from the end of the room made us both twist.

Alek felt a rush of delight when he saw Ignatius. The Lieutenant gaped first at Yakov and Cat, then at Alek, while he walked slowly into the room. About halfway along Ignatius appeared to brush against something and jerked away from one of the square floor tiles. A loud hum filled the air then a visible shimmer of dark energy rushed from the ceiling to floor, within the stone tile.

Yakov laughed and they all looked to him.

‘Not to worry, Iggy. It’s designed to absorb gifts and you are far from gifted.’

The advisor turned his attention to Cat, gathering a ball of silver flashing energy and moved toward her while she mirrored his steps in the opposite direction. Ignatius watched avidly for a second then started walking down the room toward Alek. Alek’s attention stayed locked on Cat, his palms itching for a sword and he twisted to look for the blade she’d dropped. He heard the zing when Yakov released the energy and felt the sudden heat on his side as Cat dodged it, then he heard Yakov yelp. Glancing up, he found Ignatius close to him, watching Yakov with a smirk. The advisor yanked one of Cat’s throwing blades from his arm then hissed in pain when Cat made the return motion, all five blades wrenching free from his body, shooting back to the sleeve.

‘She’s incredible,’ Ignatius commented, then turned to Alek and smiled coldly. ‘I’ll take good care of her.’

That was all the warning Alek got before the Lieutenant swung an axe over his shoulder, straight at Alek’s head. With a curse he threw his hands up, using the chain that held his wrists to shield the blade. It didn’t faze the Lieutenant who flicked the short sword in his grip to an underhand hold and attempted to run Alek through.

The sounds of steel striking steel made me twist and Yakov took the opportunity to hit me with another ball of sizzling energy. I shrieked in pain when it seared my brand new layer of skin off, repaired an instant later, but didn’t hesitate, sweeping the throwing blades up and I flicked them at him, not bothering to see where they struck before charging at Ignatius. Perhaps Kassie’s haka this morning inspired me, but I had the clear image of a rugby player in my mind when I lunged, arms outstretched and tackled Ignatius around the hips. He hit the floor hard and I caught a glimpse of Alek snatching the elendite blade and blocking Yakov’s path to me. Ignatius scrambled, trying to kick me off and grab a weapon.

‘What are you doing?’ I shouted, struggling to keep him on the ground.

‘I have my orders, Cat,’ he snarled through gritted teeth. ‘If Alek is still alive he poses a threat to you.’