Horizon (31 page)

He couldn’t be evil.

But what other explanation was there? I’d envisioned seeing him again so many times, going over every scenario I could think of, yet somehow I’d missed this one.

Travis as the enemy was unacceptable. I didn’t care what Lambert did to him, he knew better than to cave to that man.

I yelled his name, my voice echoing through the trees. He flinched, but kept coming.

There had to be more than a thousand men dotting the landscape. Including the dark fae we had as many. Equally matched, or so it seemed. Too bad most of those fae no longer had power. They’d be depending on physical strength alone and compared to the Order army, they looked puny.

I glanced around, wondering who would move first. Not one of my people caved.

My whole body itched to spring forward, to fight. To suppress the urge I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood.

No matter what, we had to hold our ground. Luke had said the sanctuary perimeter was less than twenty feet away from where we waited. I still didn’t know if we could trust Luke or his weird machine, but so far my power worked and from where I was standing everyone else seemed to be at full throttle.

I braced myself for the onslaught that was about to crash into me. I’d never seen a sight so terrifying. Guns were bad enough, but swords somehow seemed personal.

I counted the seconds until they crossed the barrier. Three, two, one.

The mass of bodies halted, skidding to a stop at the edge. Travis stared at us, bloodlust clear in his black eyes.

Was this a ruse? Hate filled the air as I took in stares of the rather large men lining the forest.

My mind raced and my body tensed. What was happening here?

Travis took a single step further, but he didn’t continue. “We want the girl,” he said. “You may leave with your lives if you hand her over. She does not belong to you. She is of our world.”

Zach slid nearer, his body blocking half of mine. When I tried to sidle past him, he grabbed my upper arm. “Not another inch further,” he hissed at me.

Then he turned his attention to my brother. “She is my bondmate, and we have risked much to rescue
you
. Step forward, boy. We will protect you.”

Travis laughed, and the sound iced my insides. It was like Roger gave him lessons, but it had to be Lambert. My bones ached to squeeze the life out of that man for what he’d done to my family and my best friend.

“We will take her one way or another,” said Travis. “It makes no difference if you remain outside the barrier. Your powers will not work here.”

“He’s bluffing,” said Jett almost immediately.

I shook my head, not believing the words my brother spoke. “Travis,” I yelled. “Stop pretending and get over here. We don’t want to hurt anyone. We just want you home.”

His voice resounded through the trees. “I have no home, cousin. As well you know. The fae destroyed all I’ve ever loved.”

“Lambert’s lying to you.
He
destroyed Castlerock. The fae haven’t done anything the Order hasn’t sanctioned first.”

His hard expression faltered then solidified once again. “You’ve been tainted,” he said, sneering. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

I shook my head at him, tears pushing against my eyes. “This isn’t you. What happened to the kindhearted boy I grew up with?”

“I actually grew up,” he said.

That made me mad. “It’s a good thing your dad can’t see you right now. He’d be so disappointed. You caved, Travis.”

He flinched. I’d gotten through his hard outer shell, if only for a moment.

“You know nothing. You are being manipulated. All bonded Elementals are useless.”

“Not me,” I said. “I’ve withstood it all.”

“This is getting us nowhere,” said Heath. “He won’t come to us.”

I glanced at Heath, wondering what he would do if he were me. His face revealed no answers and he hadn’t sought a mental bond with me for so long, I missed his taunting.

Everyone seemed to wait for me to make a move. What did I know about warfare? All I knew was I had a brother not more than twenty feet in front of me that I couldn’t touch. He’d been indoctrinated into the Order completely. His hard gaze told me as much.

Travis seemed to consider my statement for a while, so I bounded forward with more information. “We’ve been trying to find you for months now. I’m sorry for what you’ve been through. I know it has been hard on you.”

“You know nothing,” he said.

“You’re right. I don’t know what horrible things you faced, but becoming the enemy is not exactly the best way to handle things. Travis, I have so much to tell you. I need to show you a few things too.”

“I won’t fall for your tricks,” he said. “Where are Mom and Dad?”

“Lambert has them,” I said without hesitation. “He told me he’d kill them if I didn’t come.”

“You lie!” hissed Travis, glaring at me as if I was fae.

At any moment this could turn into a bloodbath. I had to do everything I could to keep that from happening. I glanced at Zach, sending him a mental telegram.

Let me handle this.

He shook his head, and I glared at him.

It’s not your decision. It’s mine.
I said more forcefully.

I will not trade him for you, love. Find another way.

Travis looked edgy, like he was stalling too. What was he waiting for? What had Lambert told him? Where were Aunt Grace and Uncle John? Had Lambert even told the truth?

I huffed then splayed my hands in front of me. “Uncle John was tortured because he wouldn’t join Lambert. Did you know that?”

“Shut up,” said Travis, his expression hardening. “I can’t believe anything you say. If my family is here, they are fine.”

“Think about it. I know you’ve gone through something terrible. I can see it in your eyes. You are not an Order member. You belong to a family that loves you.”

“A family that lied to me,” he spat back.

“I know,” I said. “They lied to me too. Travis, you and I have a lot more in common than you could know. We need to talk…alone.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“Well, I can’t say the same. Stop being so stubborn. You’ve always been too hardheaded.”

“Me?” he said, his dark eyes widening. “Look who’s talking. I wasn’t the one that ditched the whole family to go to a stupid school.”

“You’re right,” I said. “I was stupid, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to be stupid now.”

His expression shifted as he glanced at his comrades, solidifying into a frown. “It’s not gonna work, Cuz. I’m in deep here.”

“I don’t care how deep you think you’ve gone. You’re my brother and I won’t let Lambert have you!”

“Brother?” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve never called me that before.”

Big mistake. I shouldn’t have let that slip. It was a private matter. “Travis, there’s so much you don’t know.”

“What a touching scene,” said Nigel Lambert from the sidelines. He stood there surrounded by his goon-squad smug as a new politician on election day.

Frack was one of them. He eyed me with open contempt. This time I couldn’t blame him. I had killed his partner in crime.

“Mr. Lambert,” I said. “I don’t want to have to fight you.”

He laughed. “I’m sure you don’t, Rayla. This whole situation is most unfortunate.”

At any moment he was going to give the order to have Aunt Grace or Uncle John pulled forward at gunpoint or knifepoint or some other sinister object at their necks. I just knew it.

“Power like yours is unnatural,” he continued. “Come to us and your friends will be spared.”

“Right,” I said. “You’re just so diplomatic. Why ever didn’t you run for congress?”

He smirked at me. “There are better ways to affect world happenings, my child. We needn’t waste time on useless banter. I have your aunt and uncle.”

Travis stared unbelieving at Lambert. Another figure stepped out of the shadows, more menacing than any human could ever be. Valen cocked his head at Lambert. “Don’t you mean
I
have her aunt and uncle?”

Lambert flinched. “Technicalities, my dear man, the result is the same. Rayla has a choice to make.”

I couldn’t breathe. Valen and Lambert were collaborating. “So once again you betray your race by working with the enemy,” I spat, glaring at Lambert.

He laughed. “I betray nothing. When we are finished, the world will be a much better place…where all can reside peaceably. We needn’t fear the fae anymore, Rayla.”

I already didn’t fear the fae. Only one fae terrified me to the core. The rest I cared for. The rest I considered my family. How could I betray one family for another?

Valen stepped forward, extending his hand toward me. “He was right, you know. Your power is unnatural. It will be my utmost pleasure to relieve you of the burden.”

Four men stepped in front of me, each carrying the posture of royalty. Luke was the first to speak up. “Only a coward would use humans as a shield.”

A dark chuckle erupted from Valen. “I’ve already beat you on the battlefield, Luthais. Now you come for more humiliation?”

“Not this time,” spat Luke. “You stripped my power without offering me a chance to fight for it.”

“We both know who would have won. History has shown which of us is stronger.”

Luke’s shoulders stiffened, his hair shifting in the breeze. He motioned Valen forward. “Come for me then, coward.”

Valen’s jaw tightened, but he stayed put. “Why battle at all, brother? We have the chance to save our race. The humans have insured our victory.” His eyes grew bright with Caribbean fire. “Come, join me!”

Luke took a single step forward then faltered, shaking his head groggily. “Compulsion? You really are a coward.”

To my surprise Valen crossed the invisible barrier. His voice thundered through the trees, seeming to shake the foundations of the forest. “If it is a battle you desire, a battle you shall have.” Crackling sounded beneath us as the grass froze under our feet. Before I could even process what was happening, a vine of frost rose up Luke’s legs toward his torso. Luke’s expression shifted with urgency as he fought to control the water threatening to entomb him.

When I cried out and moved toward him the other lords stood as a shield between me and the evil creature in the distance. These men were my champions. I couldn’t let a single one of them fall to this man.

They would give all for me, but this was my fight, my problem. They’d told me Valen would win a battle of elements anyway, which was pretty apparent since Luke, although weakened recently, was useless against the attack.

Something inside me couldn’t handle the thought of any of the lords being harmed for my sake, including Luke. “Stop this!” I shouted.

Valen’s response was detached, if not bored. “Then come to me. I will not harm him or any other member of your party if you come to me.”

From what I could see between Heath and Jett’s heads, Lambert fidgeted uncomfortably until he said, “That wasn’t part of our bargain.”

Valen’s face snapped toward Lambert. “You will be silent!”

Lambert retreated behind his goon squad, who all eyed each other warily. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they beat it at any second.

“You will do no such thing,” his Zach. “You stay where you are. Let us handle this.”

Whatever happened to working together?

Heath spoke up. “Listen to your bondmate. Trust us.”

Conflicting thoughts warred inside me. I should really listen to these men sworn to protect me, but who would protect them against this evil? Whatever happened I had to be ready.

One by one, Valen occupied my protectors with more immediate concerns. A fiery vortex encircled Heath, then Zach’s form turned transparent as if Valen was trying to drift him to another location. Much like Luke, Jett was attacked from the ground.

I sought inward, pulling every ounce of power within me to the surface. The air charged with electricity calling thunderheads to witness the calamity that was about to explode.

The men in front of me turned in unison toward me. I took in their horrified expressions, expressions of love and impending loss.

Before any of them could stop me I drifted to Valen’s side, sending a bolt of lightning at his chest.

He pulled his robes around him in a blinding flourish of blue light, disappearing on the wind, the lightning bolt splitting the tree behind him in two.

Laughter hovered around me. “So the little Elemental has learned some skills?”

He appeared in front of me, his now beautiful face twisting in suppressed hostility. His blue eyes homed in on mine, capturing me where I stood. “Good,” he said. “I’ve been aching to teach you a lesson.”

A thunderous cry pierced my senses before the wall of Order hybrids rushed forward, no longer waiting at the barrier, Travis leading the charge.

I gaped in horror as metal crashed against metal. The air shifted again, gaining intensity, swirling around me, threatening to twist me into a lump of human flesh.

Valen was toying with me, using lesser powers to make me vulnerable. I refused to be his plaything.

The ground shifted underneath me as I formed a barrier of earth and stone between the two of us. A grunt sounded outside my shield moments before it cracked, crumbling to dust at my feet.

All my training fled my mind. Thought transformed to instinct as Valen shot his own lightning bolt at my head.

I flipped sideways, narrowly escaping the blast. He pushed me onward as if herding me into his territory. I kept careful calculations of where I was, blocking his attacks as best I could.

The clouds above us darkened, letting loose a cacophony of thunder song. A part of me wanted to hunker down until it passed, but I had to keep moving. I drifted again, calling on every ounce of strength I had inside me.

Moving away from the sanctuary barrier, I tried to draw Valen more firmly into the mortal realm.

His laughter echoed around me until it sounded right by my ear. I crouched, somersaulting forward. But no matter what way I shifted, he was there, taunting me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a grey mist swirl like a vortex of doom. A band of steel and bone entombed my arms at my sides and something sinister attacked the barriers of my mind, calling my name over and over again in different tones and volumes. I concentrated, determined to drift before he could pin me completely.