Rebellion (32 page)

How I wish I had the power to muster this ability that had developed in me. I desired to kill Bartholomew. To see my companions suffering at the hands of this tyrant infuriated me. A part of me did rejoice at the sight of Nephele’s suffering at the hands of the blood-drinkers. She was not worthy of life or mercy.

Nathan laid his body on the ground, crawling his way to us. He rose to his feet as he approached the house, resting his back against the wall. Mud dripped from his garments.

“Stay there,” he whispered between heavy breaths. “Save them. Do not come looking for me.”

Without warning, he dashed his body against the door, crushing it to pieces. Surprised, Bartholomew turned to him. At that moment, Nathan spread his wings, flinging his body against the blood-drinker.

Wings sprung out of Bartholomew’s back. He pushed Nathan against the wall, bringing most of it to the ground. Bartholomew let out a spiteful laugh as dust arose from the wall’s scattered fragments.

“Nathan!” Xylia’s eyes glistened.

Demetre took in heavy breaths as his eyes searched his surroundings. His face lit up once he saw Arundel and me through the clouded window.

“I thought you had left us,” Bartholomew said, wiping his mouth with his wrist. Nathan rose to his feet, unsheathing his sword.

“I had to return, Bartholomew. I could not leave a coward like you alive to roam these lands.”

“Coward?” The veins on Bartholomew’s neck protruded beneath his skin.

“And to think that you were a king of men once.” Nathan raised both of his eyebrows. “Look at you now, king of the vermin. You are doomed to live your days feasting on the blood of the innocent.”

“Hold your tongue, Underwarrior, or I will kill you.”

“Empty words from an empty soul.” Nathan let out a low laugh. “Do you even have a soul, Bartholomew?”

Bartholomew’s wings fluttered as he propelled his body against Nathan. While he hovered in the air, Nathan swung his blade, striking his forearm. They both darted toward the sky, disappearing amidst the rising smoke.

“This is our chance.” Arundel and I arose to our feet, running inside the house.

“Am I glad to see you, my friend,” Demetre said with a smile as he shook his head. Drops of water dripped down his wet hair.

“I thought you had both been killed,” Xylia wailed.

Arundel and I untied our companions. From the corner of my eye, I saw my enemy. Nephele had her head bowed, unconscious of everything that happened around her. It was strange seeing her in such a fragile state.

“Is she alive?” Arundel scowled at her while helping Xylia stand on her feet.

“She is.” Xylia darted Nephele a disdaining look. “I hope they kill her.”

Xylia rubbed her fingers over the bite marks on her wrist.

“Who did this to you?” I narrowed my eyes, trailing my hands over the scattered wounds. She withdrew her arm, hiding it behind her back.

“She was not the only one.” Demetre stretched out his arm, revealing the wounds on his hands and wrists. “Dahmian and Ashtar drank our blood. The moment you both left, we were attacked by three blood-drinkers. Their names were Dionisius, Daine, and Anwill. They pinned us to the ground and sank their fangs into our bodies. We fell unconscious and woke up here. They wanted to use as bait to lure the Nephilins into their trap. If they had you and Xylia, they knew the Nephilins would come looking for you. They need your books and the blood-drinkers want the Book of Letters.”

The blood-drinkers were much cleverer than I had given them credit for.

“Where is Nathan?” Xylia inquired, staring through the opening in the wall. A thick cloud of smoke dimmed our visibility.

“We have to help him,” Demetre said.

I tilted my face in his direction. “He told us not to come looking for him.”

“Are we to just leave him here?” Xylia walked to the gap in the wall. “He helped us. We cannot abandon him.”

“We must trust him,” Arundel retorted. “We must leave this place at once.” The markings on his skin continued to exude a soft glow.

“Arundel is right. We cannot linger.” I marched toward the door. The bellowing roars of the white dragon still thundered in the air.

Xylia’s face grew despondent. She knew we could not help him.

“Have you seen Sathees?” Her voice sounded as if it was caught in her throat.

“There is no sign of him,” I replied, standing beneath the doorpost. “We have to go now. Once we make it to the trees, we keep on running. Do not look back.” I bore my eyes into theirs.

“What about her?” Demetre cocked his head toward Nephele.

“Let her suffer at the hands of her hosts. I am sure she will enjoy her stay with them.” Though I desired to take her life, I knew the blood-drinkers would enjoy torturing this Nephilin. She deserved a slow and painful death.

We darted our way out of the house, running as fast as our legs allowed us. The rain poured like a deluge. Explosions and screams were a symphony reverberating around us. I attempted to ignore all the lifeless bodies that lay scattered—men, women, children, and Lessers.

My eyes gazed at the sky, hoping to spot Nathan, but he was nowhere in sight.

A loud roar came from behind me. I darted a quick look over my shoulder and saw the white dragon flying in our direction. It flapped its strong wings as it headed toward the ground.

Arundel came to a halt when he saw the markings on his body glowing with a bright, incandescent light. He frowned at the sight, confused.

“What is going on with you, Arundel?” Xylia widened her eyes.

“I am not sure.” He glanced at the approaching dragon.

The white dragon let out guttural sounds as its claws sank beneath the mud. It recoiled its wings and bowed its head.

“What does it want?” Demetre’s eyes trailed across the animal.

The white dragon clumped toward Arundel. He stumbled back, afraid that the animal might harm him. Standing only inches away, the white dragon screeched, lowering its thick neck to the ground.

“I think it wants you to ride it, Arundel.” Xylia leaned her head forward, looking at the eyes of the dragon.

“And you just might have to,” I said with an edge to my voice, watching as two blood-drinkers flew at great speed, heading in our direction. “Xylia and Demetre, ride with him.”

With fearful eyes, they gave me a nod of agreement.

“Head to the mountaintop. We can hide there,” I said.

Arundel crawled onto the wings of the white dragon. The light that shone from the markings on his skin grew stronger once he mounted the beast. Xylia and Demetre followed him, sitting closer to the dragon’s tale.

The white dragon raised its head, squawking as it flailed its wings. Arundel clung to one of the dragon’s dorsal spikes as the animal rose from the ground.

I was surprised when it turned its head toward our incoming enemies. Smoke rose from its snout. It widened its massive jaws, casting fire upon them.

They halted in mid-air. The flames enveloped their bodies as they released loud screams. They thudded to the ground, rolling in desperation; their wings melted like ice. An immediate putrid stench filled the air. One of them stretched out his arm, his fingers twitching as he attempted to crawl in our direction. My companions watched them burn as the dragon flapped its wings, soaring into the sky.

I followed them, darting one last look at my enemies. I knew the flames would only delay them. I did not know how long it would take, but their bodies would heal from their wounds.

The wind picked up. The temperature dropped. The rain ceased. My body ached due to the strenuous effort of moving my wings in such inclement weather.

My eyes glistened with tears as the vivid images of recent events haunted my mind. My parents. My companions. I feared the uncertainty of the future now that the Nephilins had three of Lucifer’s books. So much had taken place in such a short amount of time. My heart was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow.

For a while, silence lingered while we hovered in the air. The Weeping Mountains were right below us.

The white dragon released a pain-filled screech. My eyes trailed along the animal’s body. Blood trickled down the gashes and wounds spread across its legs and chest. Its eyes were deep and tired. The animal needed to rest.

I gestured with my hand, pointing toward the ground. Arundel nodded his head and raised his hand, showing me that he had understood my signal.

My wings retracted into my back as I dove to the ground. The white dragon followed. I hovered over the forest of pine trees that emerged from the lingering mist. The drips of water on my face turned to icicles as the frigid wind blew against my skin.

There was a valley in the cleft of the mountain with a frozen river that snaked all the way into the forest, disappearing amidst the trees.

I made my way down. The rain had melted all the snow away, creating a vast bog. When I landed, my feet were submerged under the mud-covered soil. The white dragon flurried its wings, landing beside me. The animal’s breathing was heavy and shallow.

Arundel and the others alighted from the weary animal. I watched their despondent faces as their feet touched the ground. They were tired.

We were startled by the whooshing sound of the white dragon’s wings. It flew away, heading in the direction of the river.

“It must be hungry.” Xylia trudged her way to a rock. She sat down, her elbows resting on her knees. She bowed her head, trailing her hands through her red hair.

“Are you alright?” Demetre asked, resting one of his hands on my shoulder.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “I am more than alright, my friend. You are alive. When they told me they had you and Xylia…” I shuddered at the thought that the blood-drinkers could have taken their lives. My breathing faltered when my eyes absorbed the bite marks on his wrist.

He withdrew his hand, trailing the tip of his fingers across the wounds.

“Don’t worry.” A thin smile brushed his lips. “I was strong.”

“I am sure you were,” I said, gnawing on the right side of my chapped lips.

Arundel gazed at the horizon, looking at the white dragon as it hovered over the river.

“It is hunting.” His hands rested on his hips. “It dove inside the river three times already.” He turned his face to me. “I have never felt this way before. I feel power rushing through my veins. It is as if my heart now beats at a different pace.” He shook his head, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t know how I was able to tame that dragon—to ride it through the air.”

“There are many questions that need answering, Arundel.” Demetre’s teeth chattered as he rubbed his hands against his arms. “It is futile to seek these answers on our own. We must believe that all of this is happening for a greater purpose.”

“We should get a fire going.” Xylia’s hands hung between her legs and her elbows rested on her knees. “It will be dark soon.”

XX

The four of us sat around the fire with our hands extended over the flames. Without Devin’s hunting abilities, we had to be content with the meat of a few rabbits and two crows. Arundel had skewered the meat on a few branches, placing them over the fire. The white dragon had wandered into the forest to find a resting place.

In the silence that lingered, I pondered the uncertainty of our future. We could go after the Nephilins in search of our companions, but their numbers were far too great—not to mention that they now had a Fallen Ruler on their side. Dark creatures had infiltrated the mountains and forests. The number of Shadows grew at a rapid pace.

Xylia raised her head, bearing her eyes into mine. “I am yet to discover the purpose of all this suffering and pain.” She cleared her throat. “All this death…and betrayal. I feel like I am a sheep being hunted by starving wolves.” She lowered her eyes, fixing them on her hands. “The tormenting thought that my life could slip through my fingers like water…”

“I know how you feel,” I whispered, feeling the warmth of the flames against my hands.

She shook her head from one side to the other. “No, you don’t, Isaac. You can fly. You have this sudden spur of power that allows you to enter someone’s mind and kill them, if you wish.”

“I would not wish such power upon any of you.” I rubbed my hands together, trying to stay warm.