23. Free

23

FREE

A s a hurricane of power explodes in the night, Quinn wastes no time. Seizing the last two Dark Fae in our circle, he thrusts his wrists to their mouths as he hammers them with a command to bite; both do, as the scariest power I’ve ever encountered seethes from Arturos.

As a shimmering, gold-black leviathan of power raises Arturos up high over the field, killing everything it touches and making us all stagger back, I hear Arturos roar in a terrible agony. He’s caught by the Gold Eyes’ Bloodsigns, fighting to stay inside him; Quinn is quick as he kisses and bites the lips of both remaining Dark Fae, his seal of power is complete; a furious rush of magic goes roaring through our group, together at last.

And then Quinn fixes his gaze high above—hurling the entire Dark Haven of Florence’s re-bonded magic up at the churning, blazing thing that is Arturos.

Dark rainbows, seething Night, and bright Summer Fae magic are hurled into the night sky along with Quinn’s intent; we’re joined by Luliana’s watery coils, roaring up to re-seize Arturos and regain control of their ceremony as she struggles to get him back in her grip.

As the Dark Haven of Florence battles the Gold Eyes’ screaming energy devouring the field, my parents, Alleno, and Bello hold the perimeter around this violent, careening magic. Even I see it as the containment sigils on the dome they’ve got locked around us begin to blaze and blister out, though. We’re no match for the tremendous horror that is the Gold Eyes’ power, even wielded from afar.

As we give our all now to stop what’s happening, Quinn wields the entirety of our power through his masterful dominance. But even as he roars with his intense concentration and the diamond-hard focus of his masterful will, I feel how he’s beginning to despair, battling this.

Because no matter how cleverly or hard our power drives into the Gold Eyes’ terrible Bloodsigns, searing Arturos and blazing into him high above, nothing can stop the tirade of diabolical energy pouring out of him. Far above, I see it eat him up; Arturos is desiccated as the battle of magic lights him up in the night sky, brittle and frail like a wraith.

The Gold Eyes’ power devours him as it uses him for fodder; it will not let him go and I feel Quinn understand that, even as I despair and feel fury come from Lucca.

It’s then I feel Quinn open his heart. It’s not just Quinn, but Lucca and me also—everyone from the Dark Haven of Florence who had always known Arturos as a friend.

Because the fact is, Arturos had been a true friend to us, prior to being seduced by the Gold Eyes. As Lucca’s heart blazes for a good warrior to not be taken down by such a fiend, and my soul screams for Arturos’, since he’d always been so kind to me before he made the deal that undid him, others around us echo it.

Curio’s winter winds roar for Arturos to be released, as he fixes his blue-white eyes high above and white auric wings unfurl from his spine in a tirade. The other Dark Fae feel similarly; Arturos saved or rescued many of them in recent battles, helping to heal nearly all of them in the past few days.

Even Devi’s stone-cold heart thaws as Arturos’ wretched thing shrieks far above. I feel her thought, no one should suffer like that , as she gives her all to Quinn now, her crimson-dark aura blazing around her like lances of blood.

But it’s Quinn’s beating heart that yokes us together for the same purpose. As his living Dark Fae blood roars for his brother, I feel Quinn become released from his wrath at Arturos.

Quinn’s heart beats pure and strong now, as forgiveness floods him for the Vampire-Siren. As that forgiveness inundates us, a massive sound thunders through our group in the night.

The Music of the Spheres—roaring as it forms a towering Ascendant Sigil in the air.

That sigil swallows the field as it blasts from the Dark Haven, up into Arturos. His shrieks are cut off as that sound rings the terrible bonds that consume him like a mighty bell—and then they are falling out, raining down to the field like deadly mambas of gold-black flame.

The Music descends, clanging with a terrible sound as it snuffs them all out. That white sigil shines through all worlds now, as an understanding of what it says tunes through my very soul.

Mercy , that sigil reads from the Ascendants. Mercy for the one who was lost.

As the Gold Eyes’ terrible Bloodsigns are finally removed from Arturos, he comes crashing to the earth. Quinn is there to catch him; seizing him in his powerful arms and auric wings, bolstered a thousandfold by our Dark Haven and the Ascendant Sigil still blazing with the Music, Quinn lays Arturos carefully down upon the ground.

As I kneel beside them with Lucca, horror takes me. Because what was once a beautiful, strong man has become reduced to so much bone and sinew; like a mummy, all iota of life has been drained from Arturos as glazed-over cobalt eyes look like dark raisins inside his jutting skull.

It’s beyond awful, as I gaze upon what a Vampire starved for centuries must look like. As Quinn puts his still-bleeding left wrist to Arturos’ mummified lips, I hear the quiet command that rolls all through him.

“I forgive you, my friend. Please, drink… and become one with your real family, at last.”

At first, the mummy does nothing. For a tense moment, I think he must be truly dead; but then Arturos’ blue eyes blaze with a dark, watery power, alive to the blood dripping in through his desiccated lips.

Arturos’ mummified form bites down hard into Quinn’s bleeding wrist; it drinks a long time as Lucca steadies Quinn by the shoulders and I hold his other hand. Arturos drains Quinn hard; as he reels, lightheaded from all the blood loss and power drain we used tonight, I give him my own wrist to drink from.

The Music still sings between us, the Ascendant Sigil bright as it blazes like a beautiful jewel far above. Condensing now as Quinn brings Arturos back to life, it sinks down from the sky, into Arturos’ body.

He gasps; I feel it as his life comes flooding back. As the terrible mummy fills out, flooded with mercy from his entire family tonight, Arturos is suddenly whole, returned to his glorious, beautiful form and face.

As I watch, his full, high cheekbones and kissable lips return, along with his lustrous dark hair and drowning cobalt eyes. As Quinn feeds him and he drinks, the Music revives him completely. When he finally breaks away, Quinn strokes his face and Arturos traps Quinn’s hand to his heart.

Beating now—with life.

“Quindici DaPonti…!” Arturos stares wide-eyed at Quinn as his heart beats steadily beneath Quinn’s hand. “What have you done to me?”

“I do not know…” Quinn’s lips twitch into a smile, even as Lucca and I both support him from falling over now; he’s given so much. “Made you Dark Fae, perhaps?”

“I’m not Fae.” Arturos blinks up at Quinn as they share an amazed moment in the night. Luliana Ouros is slow as she comes into our group. Setting a quiet hand to Arturos’ chest, she spirals deep within for a long moment. At last, she opens her eyes .

The most beautiful smile haunting her, as she leans down and gently kisses Arturos’ lips.

“Congratulations,” she says in her wave-and-wind voice as she beams at him. “The Gold Eyes’ Bloodsigns inside you are no more. His power has been pulled out of you, completely. And a further congratulations… for being returned to life. Your Vampire nature is gone; only the Siren remains.”

“I… what?” Arturos blinks at her, then at Quinn. “I’m alive? But I feel Quinn’s bond to the Dark Haven of Florence, pouring all through me.”

As he speaks, I realize I can feel Arturos’ power inside mine, also, through the Dark Haven’s Kiss. And not just from our previous connection anymore, but through Quinn and Lucca now, and the entire Dark Haven of Florence recovering around us.

Somehow, Arturos has become bonded to Quinn by what we’ve done tonight, and to the entire Dark Haven. Though no one can deny the very alive flush in his face, and the even flow of his breath.

And the strong, normal beat of his heart.

“How…?” Arturos asks again, as he looks at Luliana.

She shrugs. “The Music can do many things. When it is wielded from the heart, as was done just now, the Ascendant Sigils are chosen by the true love that manifests from the wielders. It is not a conscious thing. Perhaps your dark Master and this entire Dark Haven simply wished for you to find true release. For you… that means not being Vampire anymore but alive, able to swim the seas and rejoin your kin. Your true family will always be here, with those you are bonded to. But you would not be so alone anymore, with what they have wished for you. It is a gift, to swim beneath the sun among your original people once more. Treasure it.”

As Luliana speaks, I know she’s right. Something about not just Quinn’s but all our true hearts blazing for Arturos created that massive Ascendant Sigil, which gave him such magnificent release.

Because I understand now how deeply tortured Arturos has been. As his own emotions flow through mine via this new bond, I feel from Arturos how terribly alone and in despair he’s been, ever since the Wanderer Sired him.

That despair has been replaced by a beautiful song in his heart now as he sits up, and Quinn, Lucca, and I help him rise. Devi helps too, surprise, surprise, along with Curio, shoring him up under both arms now because Quinn actually needs Lucca and me to do the same for him.

As the Dark Haven crowds close, with smiles and sudden laughs at everything we’ve achieved tonight, my parents, Alleno, and Bello come into our group with Altenni. As Lucca’s owl preens his hair and Alleno laughs and slaps his back, my parents hug me and kiss my cheeks, setting their foreheads against mine. Arturos is turned over to Luliana so Devi and Curio can hold Quinn; I’m released to hug my parents.

I do—grateful everyone has survived this night.

Quinn reaches out then, taking my hand even as I’m sandwiched between my parents. His gaze is deep and loving, as gratefulness beams from every part of him that we’ve stood together tonight. Freeing himself from Alleno, Altenni, and Bello, Lucca comes to us as well, surprising everyone as he sinks to one knee before me.

Fixing me with his bright blue gaze in the night.

“Summer Fae First Spear Illyria Amati; Tempest of the Darkwatch Adicus Briarwick,” Lucca says, as his gaze moves from me to my parents. “I have never had a chance to thank you for everything you have done for us these past few days, and for the Dark Fae over the centuries. Even more than that, I wish to thank you for saving Ariana as an infant when the Gold Eyes came to claim her. For you have saved a woman so formidable, so dedicated, and so deeply truthful in her heart, that I believe she has the power to save us all. If it wasn’t for her, Quinn and I would still be estranged, hating each other to our marrow, and this trio, this bond, this night never would have happened. Because of you, hearts are healing, souls are singing, and minds are sharpening on our true intent; of saving all our people from those who would harm them, exploit them, or hold them down. We owe you both everything for that. But even more… I hope you ca n one day give us your approval, to be life-mated in the way that we are. It would mean everything to me, not as your former Prince but as a man, to have your blessing to be with Ariana. And call her mine… for the rest of my days.”

“Call her ours .” Quinn jumps in as he sinks to one knee beside Lucca, Devi helping him down since he’s still so unsteady on his feet. “I join with Lucca in saying that everything I am, everything I aspire to be, sings when I am around your daughter. For though she is Dark Fae, she is a true light in the world; a cunning mind, a beautiful heart, and an indomitable soul. She is the very best of what I could ever hope or aspire to be. She’s shown me my flaws and faults, but also my beauty. I am a better man, each and every day I am with her. I echo Lucca when I say that I hope we can someday have your blessing. To be as we are; a true trio, together… in love.”

As I stand shocked at Quinn’s and Lucca’s sudden outpouring of love, my parents go quiet in the night. I feel my father churn with a slow thoughtfulness deep inside, as my mother thinks through a thousand ramifications for what we’ve just heard tonight.

But as my father at last makes a rumbling sound in his chest and my mother sighs, I feel them both ease. With a slow chuckle, my father takes my hand and places it in Lucca’s.

As my mother places my other hand in Quinn’s.

“They are good for you, figlia mia .” My mother turns, smiling at me now with a blaze in her aura. She pets a lock of my red hair back from my face, as something incredible shines from her. “We love you, cara mia ; ever since we became your parents, that night your family was attacked, we have only wanted what’s best for you. These men, these true Princes of the Summer Fae turned Dark… they are what’s best for you. Though I once knew them as hotheaded young ruffians, of which they still most certainly are, they have grown, matured… and become good men. They will be dedicated life-mates. And I approve of your joining. ”

“ Mamma …!” Tears fill my eyes as my mother reaches up, brushing them away with her thumb as she smiles.

But then my father grips my shoulder and I gaze up into his calm, grey-green eyes.

“Though you came to this world in darkness, we knew darkness would never be your path, Ariana,” my father says now, as tears shine in his eyes and he smiles. “These two men you have found… what I have always seen in them is so very bright. Their hearts shine with love; even back when they were young rascals, they always did. I feel honored to have raised a daughter who has found such honorable life-mates. Though I had nothing to do with it; your calm spirit, your loving heart, and your true dedication have always been entirely yours. Be with them; love them to the end and they will love you, I know it. Else, I will come for them. They know that, too.”

“We do.” Lucca laughs as Quinn solemnly nods.

And then I’m kissing my father’s cheeks, my heart beaming as both he and my mother embrace me. They turn me over to Quinn and Lucca as both rise; standing between them, I hold them as they hold me, blissful with my family’s approval.

As everyone celebrates in the night, I feel one person who is sad, however. Even as Quinn and Lucca hug and hold me close, kissing me in front of my parents, my gaze strays; Arturos sits in the grass, staring at me as Luliana heals him the rest of the way from his ordeals.

As her watery bonds smooth over Arturos, helping him fully recover, he holds my gaze, pinning me with his dark blue eyes in the night. I wish I could be yours, I hear clearly now, not through the Dark Haven’s bond to him, but through the one he and I previously shared, as his voice rings in my blood.

We’re not meant to be. I say almost sadly, because I know how much I feel with him, and he feels with me. But some men aren’t meant to be life-mates; they’re meant to be set free, to roam the world and find their own way .

As a sad but sweet song fills my heart, I hear the Music chime all through me. Quinn startles as Lucca inhales, to hear that song cascade from me alone now, without them. As it does, it flows to Arturos, pulling the smallest, most beautiful Ascendant Sigil right out of the air and placing it sweetly inside his heart.

Free , that sigil writes, as something I can’t control inside me summons it. Be free of sorrow—and live your life.

As that sigil blossoms inside Arturos’ heart, I hear him gasp. His hand flies to his heart, as tears brim in his eyes. For the first time, his eyes blaze a bright, beautiful blue beneath the stars. The darkness in them is banished, as hope lights him up for the very first time.

And he is beyond beautiful.

Though he was never meant to be mine.