Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“ E verything good?” Rose greeted Aaron and Darren a few hours later as they approached the willow tree inside the burning garden. Darren had a dazed look on his face, which, though Rose felt for him, she could only take as a good sign.

They’d agreed on their plan and split up to make final arrangements. It was now late afternoon as the Compass Points readied to cross beyond the veil again. Rose had been task-free after adjourning from the library, so she’d stopped by the bakery in Compass Lake Village to get everyone sustenance before their trip.

“All good,” Aaron said, squeezing Darren’s shoulder. “He’s still adjusting.”

Darren’s eyes flashed red, a traditional sign that Suden emotions were high. Rose handed out chocolate pastries with the best half-apology face she could muster. Darren was really only doing what was always meant to be his calling.

He nodded in thanks as he accepted the food.

“You’ll fit in fine,” she said, welcoming Darren. “Any questions before we go?”

“The plan is clear,” he said and took a bite. He swallowed. “All of the life choices that brought me to this point are in question, but the plan is clear.” He glanced at her and shrugged. “I doubt you can help me with that.”

Rose smiled. Working with Darren would be a pleasure.

“Here we go,” Rose said as Juliette and Carter arrived. She handed them each pastries as they walked toward the willow tree.

“Everyone good?” Carter asked, glancing around. A chorus of nods was their response. Carter finished his food in two bites and decided everyone else could eat as quickly as he had. He seemed eager to get beyond the veil, shifting into his veil cat form.

Darren took a step back from the Vesten Point. They’d told him what to expect, but seeing the large feline was a different experience than hearing about one. Carter’s growl sent the willow tree shaking. By now, Rose was familiar with how the dark tunnel opened, but her attention was on Darren, who, having just pulled his gaze from his first veil cat sighting, turned to see a giant willow tree split and open a tunnel into darkness. He rubbed the back of his neck, likely continuing to question his life choices.

Rose guided Darren and Juliette to Carter, showing them how best to hold onto each other or the scruff of Carter’s neck. He allowed them all a moment to position themselves, and then he was off.

This time, Rose counted. One, two, three. How long did it take them to pass through this void, even with Carter’s expertise? The space was vast—the darkness unending in all directions. Though Carter knew the way and easily led them, she could feel Juliette’s hand tighten in hers. Darren’s fingers accidentally bumped hers as he gripped a little more tightly onto Carter’s scruff. To these other fae with immense magic, this space was terrifying. Rose felt for her own magic. Whatever dampened the god’s power beyond the veil may or may not be at play here—she didn’t think it mattered. The overwhelming nothing of the void meant there wasn’t anything for their elements to manipulate. She loosed a breath. Gripping Carter’s fur a little tighter herself, she nodded. Their plan would work.

Rose hadn’t adequately prepared everyone for the plunge they took upon entering the realm beyond the veil. The river rushed around them as Darren shouted curses, and they all began swimming towards the shore. As Luc had teased her last time, Rose used her water magic to usher everyone across the river after the initial splash.

“A little warning might have helped,” Darren said as he pulled himself onto the bank.

“It only would have made you nervous,” Rose replied.

Darren glared as Juliette sent her wind rushing around them to dry their clothes. The city was before them in no time. Rose barely glanced at the familiar backdrop. What had first been the mysteries of the afterlife unfolding was now just another marker on her path to retrieve Luc and finally end this. The way to the drawbridge was familiar, and it was unsurprising that Cassandra leaned against the castle wall. They hadn’t sheltered their arrival. She waited with a host of veil cats prowling at her feet and her arms folded over her chest.

“Do you have a plan for this rogue god now?” Her cats paused their pacing, tilting their heads as if to listen for the Compass Points’ explanation.

Carter approached her, and she rolled her eyes. The cats growled. She unhooked her arms and began massaging her temples. She glared at Rose this time instead of Carter. “No matter how earnest the Vesten Point is in helping me, this realm isn’t a dumping ground. I won’t just hold Aterra here for you, and you can’t send him”—she pointed at Carter—“to plead your case.”

Rose wanted to laugh but knew Carter needed space to speak with Cassandra directly again. “He’s not pleading my case,” Rose said. “He’s the one who wanted to work with you. I suggest you talk to him about our plan.”

Cassandra’s brow rose—intrigued. The veil cat on her left sat back on its haunches, its tail flicking back and forth, keeping time as the seconds passed.

“You’re right. We do need your help,” Carter said. He wasn’t saying anything Cassandra didn’t already know, but his words seemed to soften something in Cassandra’s stance. “But we don’t want to dump the responsibility on you. We want a partnership. Help us hold him. Let us save our continent.”

“What does that entail?” she asked. “If not here, where will you put—” Her words were cut off as Carter took another step forward. The clowder of veil cats were in attack positions within seconds—hackles raised, and a rumbling chorus of growls echoed across the bridge. “They sense what you are,” she said as her arms unfolded and scratched the head of the animal closest to her.

“It’s not a secret here.” Carter smirked, taking another step forward. “We want to hold him in the space between realms.”

“That is questionable at best,” Cassandra said. None of the animals took their eyes off the Vesten Point, nor did they move to attack. It was clear they were waiting for some kind of signal from Cassandra. “What about the balance?”

“We’ve got that taken care of,” Rose said. Cassandra’s gaze raked over Juliette and Darren, likely sensing the strength in them both. She already knew what Luc was. She could put together the pieces of their plan as quickly as they had.

“It might work…” she started, “but there’s no guarantee.” She hesitated.

Carter held her gaze and pressed. “Help us do this. I know you haven’t asked, but think of it as insurance that I’ll do more than shepherd spirits. I’ll help you save your realm.”

Cassandra’s eyes hadn’t left Carter. She almost seemed like she hadn’t quite heard what he’d said. Or, possibly, she’d heard it but hadn’t fully processed the words.

“You don’t know what you’re offering,” she whispered.

“I know enough,” Carter said. “You cared more for your realm sooner than the gods of the continent. This realm didn’t have to be yours—it could have fallen after Celeste’s actions. You took responsibility anyway.” He sighed. “I can feel it—what you did.”

“That’s enough,” Cassandra said, cutting him off.

Rose opened and closed her mouth, unsure what she was witnessing.

Carter glared at her in an odd standoff. He didn’t continue whatever he was going to say, and he didn’t shift so they could have a more private conversation. “I’d bet it’s why Aterra could even attempt what he just did,” Carter hissed through gritted teeth.

Rose knew what he was doing. He was respecting whatever boundary she’d put in place. He wasn’t saying anything more of what he knew about her magic, but he’d use an example they all knew about—Aterra’s attempted escape—to prove his point.

“I know the balance here needs to be corrected as much as that of the continent,” he said. “What you did was risky!” The volume of his voice rose, and he shook his head.

Cassandra, still standing behind him, sucked in a breath. “It was necessary.”

He sighed deeply. “I don’t doubt it,” he replied. “I just want to help you fix it.”

“But you require payment?” She lifted a brow skeptically. “You will only help me if I help you?”

Carter sighed. “That’s not what I mean.” He held up a hand to stop her retort. “Though I know it’s how it sounded.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Our problem is the same. The continent’s imbalance affects this realm. We’ve been through this. We’re trying to clean up the mess left for us, but we can’t do it alone.” He gestured to her. “Neither can you clean up the mess the gods’ and Celeste’s actions wrought on your land.” His gaze finally met hers, and Rose saw the hint of a smile. “Think of it as us helping each other.”

Cassandra pushed off the wall. “Fine. I’ll do it. But you must know I can’t do it alone.” She eyed Carter skeptically.

Rose didn’t miss Carter’s smirk. One she was sure she’d never seen from him before. It was all charm and aimed directly at the Lady of the Veil. “I am at your service,” he said.

Cassandra couldn’t know what she was getting herself into but replied again anyway. “Fine.” She nodded, and though Rose didn’t understand the bargain that had just been struck, the light in Carter’s eyes told her that he did—and he had won.

“You’ll be able to cross back to the continent from the cell,” Cassandra said as they walked down to the castle’s lower level. “Once you secure him for movement, I’ll open the wards momentarily.”

Carter nodded as they walked. This instruction was mostly for him anyway. Their ability to cross back to the continent from within the castle had been restricted. This, too, was something Cassandra controlled. No matter what Carter hinted about her magic failing and letting Aterra slip from his cell, Cassandra was still a formidable ruler.

That was a problem for another day. She glanced at Carter and Cassandra, who were still speaking softly as they walked briskly through the castle. The way things were going, it would be Carter’s problem to solve.

The tunnel leading to the cells was still collapsed. She guessed that was a good sign since the ones most qualified to move it were on the other side. Rose glared at the mess. It held the biggest problem they needed to solve but also separated her from Luc.

“I can move it. We just need to be ready when I do,” Luc said through the bond when she asked him.

She looked at the others before giving Luc the go-ahead to clear the way. They were ready to act quickly once it was done. Aterra was already getting desperate. His brute force attempt to break free of Cassandra’s cell was evidence of that. This would be his last chance to try something if they were successful. Luc was already on edge—he suspected his father had more tricks up his sleeve.

Rose tended to agree with him. Aterra had plotted for hundreds of years. His son disagreeing with his plan and not participating willingly was something he would have anticipated. She agreed with Luc’s caution, and glancing at Darren, she knew they’d done everything they could to prepare for Aterra’s strike.

“Ready when you are,” Rose said to Luc.

The collapsed tunnel that blocked their way started to shake and break apart. Luc wasn’t just moving the rock. He was decimating it. Anything he didn’t know where to put, he crumbled into dust.

The hallway opened. Rose could see Aterra in a cell, with Luc sitting against the wall on the other side. Luc stood as he poured more magic into removing the collapsed tunnel barrier. Aterra’s magic flared as the rock shook. The god hadn’t had much time to recuperate, but rocks rumbled and fell as his magic overtook the space, trying to interrupt Luc’s work. He might be unable to tunnel out of the castle, but that didn’t mean his magic was useless here.

Cassandra glanced at Carter, and he nodded. Whatever their communication, Aterra sprang free from his cell afterward.

Now freed, he cracked the ground and sent waves of stone toward the hall they’d entered through. Pieces of earth slid from beneath them and lifted as he attempted to disrupt the incoming party. Juliette’s wind pushed to break the stone down into smaller pieces. Rose let her work without calling on their joined power. She kept her gaze locked on Aterra.

“Rose, look out!” Luc sent through the bond.

Only as Luc feared for Rose did his attention slip from his father. The Suden god must have been waiting for it. The group had barely dealt with the rock onslaught when Aterra revealed his true attack. Rose noticed too late the familiar glint of onyx and gold on Aterra’s finger.

Luc rolled his eyes at his own stupidity, but he was already in Aterra’s grasp. The pointed tip of the ring struck Luc’s neck before his magic could react.

“LUC!” Rose couldn’t stop the scream that ripped through her as the needle pierced his skin.

Luc gave her a lazy smile as if Aterra’s trying to overwrite his will and make him compliant wasn’t a problem. With the needle sunk into Luc’s neck, Aterra had everything he needed.

Aterra’s grin was all teeth as the Suden magic of the ring lashed out into Luc.

Rose tried to tell herself they’d done everything they could. They’d prepared for every outcome. Luc had survived being struck by this once before. Aterra had survived when Luc struck him with the same magic.

The breath left Rose’s lungs as Luc’s body shook, absorbing the power. He took another step to get away from his father but crumpled to the ground.

“This place has its own magic—more than the continent,” Aterra said. “I have the artifact and the Suden Point’s blood and…” They all watched as Luc stood again. A blank sheen covered his dark brown eyes, making Rose deeply uncomfortable as Aterra finished speaking. “Now I have his will.”

Luc nodded and said, “Take what you need, Father.”