Green shadow, p.27
Green Shadow, page 27
“So, break it,” Brooke said, a mulish expression on her face.
“No,” I growled. “I will not give Mackenzie up before she can choose. Before I have the chance to prove I deserve to be chosen.”
“How long do you have?” Brooke’s question was a good one.
I looked at Alec. His lips thinned in anger, but he answered the pair. “A month, maybe. More like three weeks before the organ damage will be beyond my healing.”
The anger dimmed in Connor’s eyes, but it didn’t entirely leave. He was right to be mad, and I only hoped I got the chance to apologize to Mackenzie for my actions. “Why do you want her now?”
Now that was a loaded question. But, one, I knew I had to answer honestly. After all, I’d spent months telling them I might forsake their sister.
Fondness shooed away some of the fatigue. Along with it came hunger. It was deep, visceral, and directed towards the woman I intended to claim in every way she would let me. “Because I’ve learned that despite her power, she is kind, compassionate, and values life.”
Connor snorted at my impassioned statement. “Dumbass.” The final dregs of his anger faded. “She is life. The Elemental of earth, of nurturing and of growing things. While death is a natural part of the cycle, it’s not a primary aspect of earth magic.”
I froze. The answer to my constant struggle for the last six months was in front of my face, and I’d missed it. As an earth elemental, she would have the natural inclination to nurture and protect. But instead, she was a child trapped in a place of horrors.
And what had she done while trapped, she sheltered children who were strangers to her, to the point she held them above her own welfare. That protective, caring nature, it’s what drew me to her in the first place. My gut dropped, and I cursed the fool I was.
After breakfast, we went into the living room. Two excited children came rushing in. “Uncle Connor, Auntie Brooke, Uncle Lucan.” They acted as if they hadn’t seen us in ages instead of only an hour ago. Their tandem screams were full of so much joy it was impossible not to smile.
Since showing up on Quinn and Alec’s porch, Grace and Keenan had filled out. They no longer looked like half-starved waifs they once were but instead glowed with health.
The children reached us, and Grace promptly climbed Connor like a tree, causing him to elicit a few grunts when her knees or elbows brushed sensitive areas.
“Hey Grace-face, how was school yesterday?” Connor swung the girl to his back with a lack of effort that belied his strength.
“It’s boring,” she whined. “Why would anyone want to sit in a room for hours when you can learn everything you need to know outside? Can we go outside?”
Connor didn’t even try to hide his laugh at the disgruntled look on her face.
Grace was not a girly girl. Her dark hair was pulled back into a braid. She preferred to steal her brother’s clothes than wear all the pretty dresses Quinn spoiled her with.
Not that she didn’t wear them. No, she meticulously wore everything Quinn or Alec bought her. Sometimes, it hurt my heart to know she was trying hard to be who Quinn wanted her to be, instead of who she chose to be. It reminded me of my niece, Skye, and I decided to talk with Quinn. For a gryphon, he could be blind to the truth, especially when he didn’t want to see it.
Alec walked into the room at that moment. “Alright, you two, leave your aunt and uncles alone.” There was no chastisement in Alec’s tone, only amusement. The twins giggled harder and clung to their choices.
I smiled. Quinn may see Grace as his little princess, but Alec saw them as they were. Maybe I wouldn’t have to remind Quinn that his princess would happily don her armor and fight the dragon. Men be damned.
Alec gave an exasperated sigh and waved. “Have a seat, guys. Alright, fiends, we need to talk about boring adult stuff. If you play quietly for a bit, I’ll take you outside when we finish.” The children scrambled down and ran to Alec. They each gave him a big hug, then rushed out of the room. Alec looked stunned. He still wasn’t used to the easy affection the kids gave so freely. It was amusing to watch as they continued to surprise the healer.
Tyr walked in at that moment and gave his twin a slight grin. Nodding to the fire mage, I started us off. “The tournament is set.” The light chatter faded as I drew the attention of everyone around the table. “Jonas has sent word to dozens of cities, and they’ve all agreed to hold regional games this week to find the best team to send. Then, next week, the main event will take place in Seaforth. It’s far enough away from here that the government shouldn’t be suspicious.” The others nodded.
“Quinn will head to Noxus with Sam.”
Sam was one of the Reapers at Catch and Release and an expert swordsman. When he’d gotten wind of our plans, he’d insisted on joining Quinn’s team. “Alec will go as their healer.” Each team would have one. Since we didn’t know what shape Mackenzie would be in when we rescued her, it seemed prudent to have one around.
Alec’s blue eyes sharpened, and he gave me a nod. “To be on the safe side, I’ll be disguised. Quinn’s also going to dye his hair. The government only got a glimpse of him from a distance, so it should be enough to keep them from recognizing him.”
“Good.” I turned to Tyr. “You, Saber, and I will go to Seaforth and enter. Tollas will accompany us.” I leaned back in my chair. “Chase has our accommodations and false IDs set up, and Ethyl’s cooking up disguises for the two of us.” Tyr had struggled with this part of the plan. He preferred to have Alec as our healer, to keep him close. But even Tyr knew better than to separate mates.
Tyr grunted in response, and Alec, Quinn, and I exchanged worried looks. Over the past couple of months, he’d become less verbose, and Guardian was riding him hard from the little he’d shared with his brother. Unfortunately, if we didn’t get Mackenzie back soon, it looked like I wasn’t the only one who would suffer.
My gut cramped painfully as if hearing my thoughts, and my body shuddered with the spasms. I put my coffee cup down and fisted my hands under the table until the fit passed. If the others noticed, they didn’t let it show.
Quinn took over while I got myself under control. “The prelims start in two days.
It’s a round-robin. You fight until you lose.“ He looked at me. “Liz and Chris are entering in Hayward as another failsafe.”
His smile showed more teeth than was friendly. Chris was eager to come out of retirement and test her skills. Knowing how much she still trained, I had no doubt the pair would make it far.
Brooke excused herself as the chatter quieted into thoughtful contemplation. A few minutes later, footsteps sounded in the hall, accompanied by giggles. I looked around the room. Everyone had a perplexed look on their face.
The giggling got louder. Then the room was plunged into darkness—the only light coming from the window along one wall. I pushed back, ready to leap and defend my family.
Then the singing started. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” Brooke and the twins entered, a giant cake blazing with candles held between them. “Happy birthday, Tyr and Alec. Happy birthday to you.” It was horribly off-key but real on a level only those who love you can achieve.
“Happy Birthday, Papa, Uncle Tyr.” The kids rush forward as Brooke set the cake on the table, thrusting colored pictures into their hands. Both talked over the other to explain the complexities of their art.
The birthday boys looked overwhelmed. I turned to Connor, “I didn’t know it was their birthday. I don’t know when any of your birthdays are.” Guilt washed through me. I am such a horrible guardian.
Connor shrugged. “No one felt like celebrating this year, but the kids found out and forced Brooke to make a cake.
“I think we needed tonight more than we knew.” I accepted a slice of cake from Tollas, who’d entered behind his grandchildren. “Sometimes, we need a reminder of what we are fighting for.”
The metal mage shoved half his slice in his mouth, his cheeks bulging as he chewed. He grabbed his glass of milk and gulped it down after he’d swallowed. “You’re probably right. Tomorrow, we fight. Tonight, we celebrate another year.” He winked at me. “You only turn twenty-one once you know.”
I laughed. The big sound started in my belly and echoed throughout the entire house. He was right. Tonight, we’d celebrate the coming of age of two extraordinary men. Tomorrow began the final countdown to getting my mate back.
I hope you’re ready, Annwyl. I finally know what I want and won’t stop until I get it.
Chapter 33
Mackenzie
Sand shifted beneath my feet, and the smell of sweat and blood assaulted my nose. Shadow had positioned himself to my left. Dressed in our uniforms of all-black cargo pants, long-sleeve shirts, and vests, we stood out against the taupe coloring of the gladiator pit. The only thing about me that drew the eye was the collar around my throat, and even then, only when it was activated, and the symbols glowed an eerie pale white.
My ribs twinged as I shifted my weight, a not-so-gentle reminder of the consequences of failure. Nevertheless, the threat hadn’t been necessary. Knowing Evie was here and that she would take whatever punishment I’d earned was more than enough motivation to succeed.
Glancing up into the stands, I noted the child sitting between Suit and Dr. Smith. She bounced slightly in her chair, and for once, her grumpy cat wasn’t in her arms. Instead, he was on the floor and used his freedom to sniff his neighbors.
Evie noticed me looking and waved enthusiastically, her eyes bright. It’s incredible how chipper that kid is in this messed up place. She didn’t let anything phase her.
A rustle of fabric drew my attention to one side of the arena. Today we were fighting in a sunken pit. Ten-foot walls topped with bleachers gave spectators a three-sixty-degree view. People sat shoulder to shoulder in the stands, and there wasn’t a free space in sight.
I snorted. Hey honey, what do you want to do Monday night? Let’s watch strangers beat the shit out of each other. Sounds great, babe!
In the background, the announcer’s voice rose above the crowd’s noise.
“Welcome all to the most exciting event of the year, The Trinity duel. In an awe-inspiring display, teams of two from all over the east will compete for fame, glory, and the chance to win the coveted grand prize…The Phoenix Gem! This priceless red ruby has been infused with raw magical energy and coded with an activation phrase. That’s right, folks! Even if you don’t possess a drop of magical blood, you can rise above. Be reborn.”
By the Old God, what fool decided that was a good idea. Terror surged through me at the thought of all the havoc someone could cause with such untamed power.
“In addition, the Championship team will be featured in newspapers from coast to coast. For the first time in decades, the nation will read about their amazing exploits.”
“These events are a round-robin competition. The winners will move on to the next bracket, and the losers will go home, their tails tucked between their legs. If they survive, that is….”
The crowd roared, clapped their hands, and stomped their feet. Their energy filled the place and had my heart racing in anticipation. I touched the empty sheath at my side. Suit had decided my first bout would have a greater impact if I beat my opponent with my bare hands.
The commentator paused to allow the crowd a chance to scream and shout. A spike of resentment went through me—blood-thirsty lot.
“Over the next week, we will see who rises to become the best of the best. The finalists from over a dozen cities will converge in Seaforth, where the final six rounds will determine who will emerge victorious.
“Now, to our first contestants in this ground-breaking, winner-take-all tournament.”
I tuned him out. I didn’t know what bullshit Dr. Smith and Suit had put in our bios, from the boos and waving of fists, they hadn’t kept my name a secret.
Our opponents entered the arena. One of the men was tall and lean, his eyes a crystal-clear tangerine flecked with onyx—a drake. Hmm, a Dracos shifter would be stronger than his body type suggested. Of course, Mythos shifters didn’t have their Terran cousin’s enhanced physical attributes, but they were still stronger than regular humans of equal size.
I would call him Pumpkin in honor of his eyes.
A wicked smile curved the drake’s lips as he strut forward. Palms up, he played up to the crowd. Aw, he thought he had this fight in the bag—poor baby.
After sizing him up, I turned to his partner. At half Pumpkin’s height and twice his width, I fought the urge to quip at Shadow. The mage beside me, however, severely lacked a sense of humor. He wouldn’t appreciate the joke.
I’ll call the short guy Squash. Squash’s assessment posed a problem. Muddy brown eyes ruled out a Mythos shifter, but not necessarily a Terran. Rolling my eyes, I mused. The day a Terran shifter and a Mythos shifter willingly teamed up was when the world ended for the second time. Too much animosity existed between the two Clans.
Squash could be a mage. They didn’t have the same tell-tales as shifters. Magic users could hide in plain sight until we used our magic, then our eyes glowed the color representing the source of our power.
A sword lay sheathed on Squash’s hip. An unusual choice for a mage. Most tended to rely on their powers and forget about their physical strengths. Exceptions existed, like Sam, one of the Reapers at Catch and Release. Technically he had metal-based magic. His passive ability allowed him to know the composition of the alloy in any blade, and his active ability allowed him to sharpen any edged metal.
Few jobs required such a specific skill set, so Sam learned the art of swordplay. He was the reigning champion in GreenRiver and several surrounding townships.
Squash could also be human and, like Chris, be badass. Only time will tell.
The noise died. Shadow and I stood completely still. It was an excellent tactic to un-nerve our opponents. It worked. Pumpkin started to shift his weight almost immediately, his drake not liking the challenge our locked gazes represented. Squash held his cool a little longer, but even he started to fidget before long.
I cringed as the darker part of my nature, the one encouraged in the fire of my childhood, the one that reveled in the pain and suffering of others, smiled. Ruthlessly, I stuffed her back down. I didn’t want to be that depraved creature, and I sure as hell didn’t want to delight in the distress of others. I tried to nurture and help things grow, but life constantly reminded me that evil lurked in everyone, and it was a daily battle to stay in the light.
”Now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you have been waiting for—a battle for the ages. The human coalition champions vs. the supernatural powerhouses, let’s get readyyyy…” the announcer’s voice was low and slow, building suspense. “Fight!”
Shadow wrapped his magic around himself and all but disappeared. Having learned what to look for over the months, I could see him. But the bewildered look on Squash’s face said loud and clear that he hadn’t followed. Not waiting to see how their battle went, I dug my toes into the sand and made an explosive move toward the drake.
Pumpkin shifted one of his legs back. The poor fool expected me to hit him straight on. Do you think I’m that stupid? When I was only a few feet away, he raised his forearms, creating an opaque shield. Crouched behind it, the oval covered him from head to waist. It would have been a great move if I intended to hit him head-on; however, it had one major drawback. He couldn’t see through it.
Dodging to the right, I aimed for Pumpkin’s left side. He’d pushed off a bit stronger with his left foot while fidgeting, meaning he was right-handed, and his left hand would be slower and more awkward when reacting.
Using all the momentum I’d stored up. I hammered a punch to his ribs. The blow caught him unaware. A snapping sound echoed throughout the ring as his ribs collapsed and shattered. It was a debilitating hit but not a fatal one. Shifters had incredible regenerative abilities, and this guy would be good as new in a couple of days. That didn’t mean it hurt any less right now.
Pumpkin roared, and his eyes glowed with a neon orange light as the beast fought to come forward. Too bad it took Mythos shifters such a long time to transform, or else the crowd could have gotten a real show.
Pumpkin threw a sloppy punch, wincing as his arms extended. You used almost every muscle in your body when you punched. With his ribs broken, even something simple as breathing, caused excruciating pain.
Dodging a few more swipes, I purposefully stumbled. Suit wanted me to make it look like a struggle, then take out the opposition permanently. Order number one was manageable. Number two was going to be trickier. I had to figure out a way to take the kid down and make it seem like he was dead while keeping him alive. Shadow and I had multiple plans for such an occasion. It was simply a matter of choosing which one worked best.
I weighed my options as I drew out the battle. Shadow had already taken down Squash by piercing the man’s chest with his own sword. He stood beside his downed opponent, arms crossed in front, watching my match with disinterest.
Our eyes met. With his left hand, Shadow crossed his index and middle finger. Perfect.
Done toying with the drake, I laid into him in earnest. Shadow planned to put them into suspended animation. I needed to have him stay down for at least fifteen seconds for Shadow’s magic to take hold. Drakes were tough bastards and needed a lot of encouragement to stay down.
Pumpkin staggered, his hip bleeding, his eyes swelling shut, and he had a definite limp in his right leg. With how he swayed, a strike to the heart would drop him. Feinting to one side, I made Pumpkin overreach his defense, leaving his chest wide open. Balling my hand into a fist, I struck his heart.
Pumpkin dropped like a puppet with his strings cut. I started counting in my head, praying it was enough. Gray tendrils crept across the sand. They made it to Pumpkin, absorbed into his skin, and with a whooshed breath, the downed drake’s chest went still.
