19. Tearing of the Veil

19

Tearing of the Veil

Roman

A piercing scream jolted him awake. He shot up, his heart pounding as he turned to Merin, who was already scrambling out of bed.

"What the hell was that?" Roman asked, his voice rough with sleep and adrenaline.

Merin shook his head, his eyes wide and alert. "I don't know, but it sounded like Mira."

They quickly threw on some clothes and rushed out of the bedroom, their bare feet slapping against the hardwood floor. As they entered the living room, Roman's eyes widened at the sight before him.

Mira was standing in the middle of the room, her face pale and her eyes fixed on the massive, shimmering form of a unicorn. But not just any unicorn - it was Valen or Vale, Dominic's loyal companion who could shift between his canine and equine forms at will.

"Where's the fire, pretty boy?" Valen drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he eyed Merin up and down. "And put some pants on, will you? You're scaring the children."

Chrissy, who had been standing behind Valen, peeked out from behind his flank, her eyes wide with wonder and a hint of fear. "Is that…is that a real unicorn?" she whispered, her voice trembling with excitement.

Roman couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. "Yeah. That's Valen, Dominic's trusty steed. And a real pain in the ass, if you ask me."

Valen snorted, tossing his mane in indignation. "Watch it, bear boy. I'm here to save your sorry hides, not to be insulted by the likes of you."

Mira, who had been staring at Valen with a mix of shock and disbelief, finally found her voice. "Wait, hold up. Are you telling me that this…this talking horse is real? Like, not some kind of hallucination or fever dream?"

Valen rolled his eyes, his horn glinting in the early morning light. "I'm a unicorn, not a horse. And you're one to talk, little miss firebird. As if a phoenix is any less strange than a talking equine."

Roman held up his hands, his brow furrowing in concern. "Alright, enough with the banter. Valen, what's going on? Why are you here?"

Valen's expression turned serious, his eyes flashing with urgency. "It's Dominic. He needs you all at the manor, now. Something's happening, something big."

Roman felt a chill run down his spine, his stomach twisting with dread. He glanced at Merin, seeing the same fear and determination reflected in his mate's eyes.

"Alright," he said, his voice low and steady. "Let's go. Valen, can you carry us all?"

The unicorn nodded, lowering himself to the ground. "Hop on, everyone. And hold on tight. We don't have a moment to lose."

They quickly clambered onto Valen's back, Mira sandwiched between him and Merin. As soon as they were settled, Valen took off, his hooves thundering against the ground as he raced towards the manor.

As they approached the manor, Roman's eyes widened in horror. There, in the sky above the sprawling estate, was a massive tear, a jagged wound in the fabric of reality that pulsed and writhed with an eerie, sickening light.

"What the hell is that?" Mira breathed, her voice shaking with fear.

Roman swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "It's a tear in the veil," he said, his voice low and grim. "And if it's opening from the inside it can only mean one thing."

Merin turned to him, his eyes wide with realization. "Riordan. He's gained control of the Unseelie Court."

Roman nodded, his jaw clenching with barely contained rage. "If Riordan has the power of the Unseelie Court at his command there's no telling what he'll do, what kind of destruction he'll unleash."

Roman felt a chill run down his spine as he stared up at the pulsing, writhing tear in the sky. The power emanating from it was unlike anything he had ever felt before - dark, twisted, and filled with a malevolence that made his stomach churn and his heart race with fear.

He turned to Merin, his eyes searching his mate's face for any sign of hope, any glimmer of insight that might give them an edge in the battle to come. "Can you see anything? Any glimpse of the future that might help us understand what we're up against?"

Merin closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration as he reached out with his powers, trying to pierce the veil of time and space and catch a glimpse of what lay ahead. Roman watched, his heart in his throat, as his mate's eyes began to glow with an eerie, otherworldly light.

But after a long, tense moment, Merin shook his head, his eyes snapping open with a gasp of frustration and fear. "I can't see anything," he said, his voice shaking with disbelief. "It's like there's a wall around the future, a barrier that I can't break through no matter how hard I try."

Roman's stomach dropped, a cold, creeping dread settling in his gut. If Merin couldn't see the future, if his powers were being blocked only means that Riordan was blocking them.

* * *

They arrived at the manor in record time, Valen's hooves pounding against the ground as he raced towards the sprawling estate. As they burst through the front doors, Roman's heart leapt into his throat at the sight of his family, his pack, gathered together in the kitchen with grim, frightened looks on their faces.

Peter and James were huddled together in a corner, their hands clasped tightly and their eyes filled with a quiet, aching fear. Dominic and Christian were standing by the stove, their shoulders tense and their jaws clenched with barely contained rage. Adrian and Benjamin were at the center of the room, baby Leo cradled protectively in Benjamin's arms while Adrian's hand rested on his mate's shoulder in a gesture of comfort and support.

And there, perched on the kitchen table with his tail twitching and his eyes gleaming with an uncanny, otherworldly intelligence was Jimmy,

"Ah, good. You're here," he said, her voice low and serious as he turned to face Roman and the others. "Come, sit. We have much to discuss, and very little time to waste."

As they took their seats around the table, Roman couldn't help but notice the way everyone's eyes kept darting to Mira, the fierce, sassy phoenix who had burst into their lives like a wildfire and changed everything in her wake.

"Who's the new girl?" Christian asked, his eyebrows raised in curiosity and a hint of suspicion.

Merin cleared his throat, his hand finding Mira's under the table and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "This is Mira," he said, his voice steady and sure. "She's a phoenix, and she's here to help us."

Margareth's eyes widened, a flicker of recognition and wonder passing over her face. "A phoenix," she breathed, her voice filled with awe. "I never thought I'd live to see one in the flesh. You are a rare and precious thing, my dear."

Mira ducked her head, a slight flush creeping up her neck at the praise. "Yeah, well… don't go getting all misty-eyed on me, lady. I'm just here to kick some ass and take some names, same as the rest of you."

Jimmy chuckled, his tail twitching with amusement. "I like her," she said, her eyes glinting with mischief. "She's got spirit, this one. A fire in her belly that will serve us well in the battles to come."

Roman nodded, his expression turning grim as he turned back to the others. "Speaking of battles… I'm afraid we have some bad news. The tear in the sky, it's possible that that it is Riordan's doing. He's must have gained control of the Unseelie Court, and he's using its power to tear apart the very fabric of our reality."

Adrian's eyes flashed with anger, his hand tightening on Benjamin's shoulder. "That bastard," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants, will he? Even if it means destroying everything and everyone in his path."

Dominic leaned forward, his eyes narrowed in thought. "How do we close a tear in the very fabric of our world, one that's being held open by the power of an entire fae court?"

Roman and Jimmy exchanged a glance, a silent communication passing between them. They both knew the answer, knew the terrible, impossible truth of what it would take to stop Riordan and save their world.

"We have to defeat him," Jimmy said, his voice low and grim. "We have to face him head-on, and to cut off the source of his power at its root."

Roman watched as Benjamin clutched baby Leo tighter, fear etched across his face. The room felt heavy with tension, the weight of their impossible task pressing down on all of them. He could see the worry in everyone's eyes.

Margareth and Merin exchanged a meaningful glance, their eyes beginning to glow with an otherworldly light. Roman had seen this before, but it never failed to send a shiver down his spine. The raw power emanating from the two seers was palpable, crackling in the air like static electricity.

"We may have a way," Margareth said, her voice barely above a whisper. She explained their plan to combine their abilities, to attempt to pierce the veil Riordan had placed around the future.

Roman held his breath as Margareth and Merin closed their eyes, their faces etched with concentration. The room grew eerily quiet, save for the soft cooing of baby Leo. He could see the strain on their faces, sweat beading on their brows as they pushed against the unseen barrier.

Seconds stretched into minutes, the tension in the room mounting with each passing moment. Roman's heart raced, hope and fear warring within him. If anyone could break through Riordan's defenses, it would be these two.

But as he watched, he saw their faces contort with frustration. After what felt like an eternity, they both gasped, their eyes snapping open in defeat.

"We can't see anything," Merin said, his voice rough with exhaustion. "Riordan's power is too strong, too deeply entrenched."

Roman's heart sank, a cold dread settling in his gut. If even Margareth and Merin couldn't pierce the veil, what hope did they have?

But then, movement caught his eye. A small figure stepped forward from the shadows, her face set with a determination that belied her young age. Chrissy, the girl who had already lost so much, stood before them with a quiet courage that took Roman's breath away.

"Can I try?" she asked, her voice small but filled with unwavering conviction.

Adrian kneeled down to her. "Chrissy, honey… are you sure? This kind of magic, this kind of power… it's not something to be taken lightly. It could be dangerous, could put a strain on you that you're not ready for."

Chrissy shook her head, her eyes blazing with determination. "I can do it, Uncle Adrian. I promise."

Margareth and Merin exchanged a glance before nodding.

"Okay, Chrissy," Margareth said gently. "We'll help you. But if it gets too scary or hard, you tell us right away. Pinky promise?"

"I pinky promise," Chrissy said solemnly, linking her little finger with Margareth's.

Chrissy closed her eyes, her small hands balled into fists. The room fell silent, everyone holding their breath.

Slowly, a soft light began to glow around Chrissy, growing brighter by the second. Margareth and Merin placed their hands on her shoulders, lending their strength.

Suddenly, Chrissy gasped, her eyes flying open. "I… I see scary things," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Big monsters are fighting people in shiny clothes. Like knights in the storybooks."

Roman's heart sank. The Unseelie Court's army attacking the mortal realm - it was worse than he'd feared.

Noticing Chrissy's exhaustion, Adrian stepped forward. "That's enough, sweetheart. You did so good. Time for a nap now, okay?"

Chrissy nodded sleepily, collapsing into Adrian's arms.

"I'll put her to bed," Benjamin said softly, pride shining in his eyes.

Mira offered, "I'll take her and Leo. You stay and plan."

As Mira disappeared down the hallway with the children, a heavy silence settled over the room. Roman could feel the tension, the fear, the unspoken questions that hung in the air like a suffocating fog.

It was Christian who finally broke the silence, his voice low and concerned. "I don't understand," he said, his brow furrowed in confusion. "How is it that Chrissy was able to see something when Merin and Margareth couldn't? Aren't they supposed to be the most powerful seers in the realm?"

Jimmy shifted on the table, her tail twitching with a knowing, almost smug air. "Chrissy is a child," she said, her voice calm and matter-of-fact. "Her magic is still pure, untainted by the darkness and corruption that can seep into even the most powerful of adult minds. It's that innocence, that clarity of purpose, that allows her to see what others cannot."

"We need to talk about what Chrissy saw," Roman said, his voice low and urgent. "The creatures attacking the knights and soldiers… I think they're coming for the Seelie Court. Riordan knows that the Seelie are the biggest threat to his power, the only ones who can stand against him and his armies."

Merin turned to Peter, his eyes searching the other man's face for any sign of hope, any glimmer of good news. "What about Wyatt?" he asked, his voice tight with barely contained desperation. "Have you made any progress on that front? Do you think he'll help us?"

Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration and uncertainty. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice low and tired. "Wyatt's a wild card, a loose cannon. He's loyal to his sister, but he's also got a strong sense of right and wrong."

He trailed off, shaking his head. "But it's a big if, Merin. A really big if. And we don't have a lot of time to work with."

Roman's jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He knew Peter was right, knew that they were racing against the clock to find a way to stop Riordan and close the tear before it was too late.

But he also knew that they couldn't afford to put all their eggs in one basket, couldn't pin all their hopes on the slim chance that Wyatt would turn against his own flesh and blood.

"We need a plan B," he said, his voice low and determined. "Something we can fall back on if Wyatt doesn't come through for us."

Jimmy nodded, his eyes gleaming with a fierce, unwavering resolve. "Roman's right. We can't afford to wait around and hope for the best. We need to take action, and we need to do it now." Jimmy turned to Roman, his gaze sharp and assessing. "You should go back to the fae realm," he said, his voice brooking no argument. "The Seelie Court will need your strength, your leadership, if they're going to have any chance of standing against Riordan's armies."

Christian, Adrian, and James all nodded, their faces set with grim determination. "We'll go with you," Christian said, his voice ringing with conviction. "You'll need all the help you can get, and we're not about to let you face this alone."

Merin's eyes widened, a flicker of fear and concern passing over his face. "I'm coming too," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I can't just sit here and do nothing while the people I love are out there risking their lives."

But Roman shook his head, his heart clenching at the thought of Merin in harm's way, of the man he loved more than life itself facing down the armies of darkness and despair.

"No," he said, his voice low and firm. "You're needed here, Merin. The town, the people they'll be looking to you for guidance, for protection. And if the worst should happen, if Riordan's armies break through the Seelie defenses and make it to the mortal realm."

He swallowed hard, his throat suddenly tight with fear and emotion. "You'll be our last line of defense, Merin. The only thing standing between Riordan and the innocent lives he wants to destroy."

Merin's eyes flashed with anger, with a fierce, stubborn determination that Roman knew all too well. "I can't just let you go off and face this alone, Roman. I can't sit here and wait and wonder if you're ever coming back to me."

But Jimmy cut him off, his voice sharp and unyielding. "I know it's hard, Merin. I know it feels like you're being left behind, like you're not doing enough. But trust me when I say that your role in this fight is just as important, just as vital, as anything Roman and the others will be doing in the fae realm."

Merin was silent for a long moment, his jaw clenched and his eyes bright with unshed tears. But finally, slowly, he nodded, his shoulders slumping with a quiet, aching resignation.

"Alright," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, I'll stay. But promise me, Roman. Promise me you'll come back to me, that you won't do anything stupid or reckless or brave."

Roman felt a lump rising in his throat, his heart aching with the depth and the breadth and the sheer, overwhelming force of the love he felt for this man, for the fierce, stubborn, unfailingly loyal seer who had stolen his heart and given him a reason to fight, to hope, to believe in a future beyond the darkness and the pain.

"I promise," he said, his voice rough with emotion as he stepped forward, as he took Merin's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together in a gesture of comfort, of reassurance, of the bond that tied them together across time and space and the very fabric of the universe itself.

"I promise, Merin. I won't do anything stupid or reckless or brave. I'll come back to you, no matter what it takes. Because you… you're my home, my heart, my everything. And I will never, ever leave you behind."

Merin nodded, a single tear slipping down his cheek as he leaned in, as he captured Roman's lips in a fierce, desperate kiss that stole the breath from his lungs and the thoughts from his mind.

Eventually, and inevitably, the moment had to end. Roman pulled back, his heart aching with the effort of tearing himself away from Merin's warmth, from the comfort and the strength and the sheer, unshakable rightness of being in his arms.

"I have to go," he said, his voice low and rough with regret. "The others are waiting, and we don't have much time."

Merin nodded, his jaw clenching with a quiet, steely determination. "I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know, Roman. Just… be careful, alright? Come back to me in one piece, or I swear to all the gods and goddesses in the universe, I will find a way to bring you back just so I can kick your ass myself."

Roman laughed, a watery, broken sound that was half sob and half relief. "I don't doubt it, Mer. I really, really don't."

And with that, he turned away, his heart heavy and his mind racing as he made his way over to where Christian, Adrian, and James were waiting, their faces set with grim determination and a quiet, unwavering resolve.

"Alright," he said, his voice low and steady as he raised his hand, as he gathered his power and his will and his sheer, unbreakable determination to see this through, to fight for the people and the world he loved more than life itself.

"Let's do this. Let's go save the fucking world."