16. Sybil

Chapter 16

Sybil

M y heart pounds as I sling my healing satchel onto my back, tuck Lemon into my front pocket and run.

Where were all these shadow beasts coming from?

"Nero, how many warriors does the village have?" My legs scream as I push them to go faster, my breath coming in ragged pants. We must reach the village before that creature does.

"Sybil, this is the rebel camp. It's mostly refugee families."

I made it to the rebel camp.

The thought is fleeting but my heart goes out to Kela. She should have been here with me.

The roars of the shadow beasts grow louder, echoing in the air. My veins flood with adrenaline, heart pounding so loudly in my ears that it urges me to push even harder.

As we reach the west border of the camp, smoke billows from the burning tents, making us all cough and cover our eyes. A group of water elementals channel streams of water toward the flames, whilst wind elementals keep the flames from leaping onto other tents. The shock of seeing more elementals here slows my steps, but there's no time to linger.

"That way," Nero points to the left. We weave and dodge falling debris, sprinting through the chaos and leaping over burning wreckage. The camp is in chaos; hundreds are injured but I keep going. My magic–whatever is left of it–can help take the beasts down. I have done it once; I can do it again.

Our steps falter as the ground starts trembling beneath us. The movement is so sudden, people around us fall like leaves to their feet and tents crash down into heaps.

"What was that?" I yell as we round the corner on careful steps.

At the center of what was supposedly the heart of the campsite, a chasm has opened in the ground, and from it, a towering basilisk made of shadows emerges. Its bifurcate tongue slithers over sharp teeth the length of my forearm as it takes in the helpless people beneath it running like ants.

"Oh, Goddess me," Nero gasps, his eyes following the length of the basilisk.

"Nope," Marcelene says at my side as she notches an arrow into her bow. "I can do spiders, chimera and giant birds, but basilisks are where I draw the line."

When its entire serpentine length has emerged from the depths of the earth, its scales dark and sharp, the basilisk swings its tail, slamming into the nearest building. More warriors, swords in hand, approach but their determination soon falters as the creature's scales are too thick for mortal weapons. Earth elementals send debris flying in its direction whilst Nero uses fire to sear its face, but that only seems to anger the basilisk further as it tries to snap warriors from the crowd. Tiger shifters and earth elementals challenge the creature but again, nothing seems to stop its rage nor cause harm. The snake emits a sinister hiss and swipes out its tail, knocking three men down into the chasm, their screams deafening.

"Sybil," Marcelene says, tugging my arm in the other direction where a dozen shadow wolves are attacking every tent, dragging out anyone hiding in it.

"Help them! I'll take care of the basilisk."

"Nero," I scream, trying to get his attention.

The echoes of arrows and the distant whimpers of canines serve as a comforting reminder that Marcelene is right behind me. I pull on my magic, hoping it will help Nero notice me, but I have exuded all my reserves.

"Nero! We have to get away from the buildings." The draken lands dangerously close to the creature with a thud and follows my gaze toward the main building who dangerously teeters, as if on the verge of collapse.

"We have to lead it away from here," I scream, pointing toward a path through the camp leading back to the woods.

He turns, flashing me a wide toothy grin before flaring out his wings and launching back into the sky. I take off running down the path, glancing over my shoulder.

Come on Nero, come on.

A fireball blasts from the sky above me, directly toward the serpentine beast. I instinctively cover my head and turn to watch. Nero shoots again, this time angling the basilisk in my direction. With a mighty swing, the beast falls and locks eyes with me, emitting an unholy screech before lunging toward me.

Oh.

My heart pounds in my chest as I take off running down the narrow road flanked by dilapidated houses. Cold sweat breaks out along my skin, mingling with the dirt and grime. Each gasp for air feels futile, as if my lungs have forgotten how to draw breath, but I shake my head to clear my vision and push on. After weeks spent in the library, my body is rebelling against the exertion.

Just a little bit further.

Nero keeps throwing fireballs from above, guiding the basilisk in my direction. His rough scales dig through the snow and ground. The sound of tents and huts breaking in its wake makes my heart clench. This is all these people have left of their homes, and it's all going up in flames.

As I reach a snow covered clearing outside the camp's border, I stop and turn toward the basilisk. The creature is only a handful of feet away and I pray to the Goddess this will work.

I roll my sleeves and drop my satchel before pulling on my magic reserve. This time, the light does not rush toward me as it did for the chimera. I have to scrape for it, find the last dregs. It feels like imploding. Everything hurts, I can feel my muscles straining, my throat closing. Tears stream down my cheeks, but I keep breathing, opening myself to the magic flowing in my veins.

One last push, Sybil.

Light explodes and I charge toward the basilisk, hands extended in its direction. I see warriors and shifters who have gathered at the edge of the clearing in aid covering their eyes, even Nero turns away from me. I channel everything toward the beast, screaming until I feel the ground beneath my feet shift. My body burns as if I am a star about to be born. The light seeps from my skin and my hair is so bright it blinds even me, until the basilisk is nothing more than wisps of shadows and heaps of ash.

My knees buckle, exhaustion taking over. Before I reach the ground, large hands grab me.

"Sybil."

A weak smile paints my lips. What a gift to hear Aramis' voice as I'm about to die.

"My love." A calloused hand cups my cheek, but I am so, so tired and my eyes refuse to open. Magic isn't limitless , I hear Cassara chide in my head, and she is right.

I hear murmurs and wings clapping so close to me I can feel their breeze on my cheeks.

"This makes no sense. The wards on the borders of the camp are supposed to hide us. I... I don't understand," someone says.

Strong arms lift me. They cradle me as my head perfectly nests in the nook between their shoulder and neck.

And I finally feel at home.

I have often come close to death, and it has always been a frightening experience.

There have been moments where I have felt only a step away from the veil and held onto life with my bare teeth wanting to survive. Yet, when I faced the basilisk, when my own magic had started to consume me, I was at peace. Content to sacrifice my life to save others. Now, as I stand on that edge, ready to cross into the next world and see my parents again, something tugs me back.

Come back to me, a gentle voice whispers in my ear, and I nod. I close my eyes and let myself fall backward into the silver lake to follow the golden strand calling to me.

I sit up, clutching my neck with both hands, coughing and panting. Confusion clouds my mind, golden light makes it hard for me to open my eyes and my heart beats erratically. Then, comes the pain. The stiffness in my body hits me and I struggle to breath, grieving the peace I had felt just a moment ago.

"Easy," someone says, sitting next to me. He takes my hand in his and squeezes gently. "Breathe, Sybil."

And I do as he says.

Slowly, he guides me down again until I'm lying on what feels like a hay mattress. His finger follows the edges of my face, and I linger in his touch.

Please, let it be him. I pray, not knowing what I'll do if I find out Aramis has not survived the attack.

My eyelashes flutter, eyes adjusting to the light and I weep. Tears stream down my face as I meet his piercing blue eyes. Silvery golden strands–longer than I remember–frame his hollow cheeks, graced with more stubble than I have ever seen on him. He holds a breath, his bottom lip quivering.

"You're alive," I whisper.

"You're alive," he echoes, and with the little strength I have left in me, I pull him closer with desperation. Our lips meet in a kiss that holds more words than either of us are able to proffer. I fist his tunic, one hand around his neck. Goddess, how can I ever live without this? Without him.

But is this the mating bond or my true feelings?

Aramis senses the change and unlocks the hold I have on him. He stands and I fight the urge to cover my mouth. His ripped pants are stained with blood and his tunic is slashed, revealing cuts and dried blood on his chest. There are cuffs on his wrists, ones I am familiar with. Aramis follows my gaze and shakes his head.

"The irony is not lost on me," he chuckles. I attempt to join but the pain in my side turns laughter into jolts of pain.

"Careful, Sybil. Your body is still recovering." In the little wooden hut we're in, there's only the bed I am lying on and the chair Aramis pulls closer to sit.

"Recovering?" I glance at my body then meet his gaze. "How long have I been out?" I strain my neck slightly to peek out the glassless window behind him, but the bed sits too low on the ground. Aramis leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"What you did in the clearing the other day... you saved us but... you almost burned yourself up." He rakes a hand through his hair, a telltale signal for when anxiety is creeping up on him. I extend a hand and rest it on his knee. "You've been out nearly a full day."

"I only have vague memories," I admit.

"I was battling a shadow beast, on the west border." He shakes his head in disbelief. "It was chaos, Sybil. Men, women, even children have died before my eyes. And then I see this woman running through camp with a basilisk following her, and I think to myself, she must be utterly insane." I scoff, but Aramis' eyes look at me with so much apprehension it makes my heart burst. He catches a tear with the back of his hand and sits up straight.

"Imagine my surprise when that woman faced the basilisk, and I realize she was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The woman I love."

Tears stream down my face again but I can't move. Real or not real?

"I have never run so quickly in my entire life, Sybil. When I saw you heading to the clearing, I ignored everything else. I was not going to see you die right in front of my eyes. And then..." He rakes his hand through his hair again. "You lit up like a star in the night sky. You became the beacon of hope these people have been waiting for. But all I could see was your magic consuming you. I... I thought I'd lost you." He kneels at the bed and buries his face next to my stomach.

"I am alive," I whisper, caressing his hair. "I am here." Quiet sobs make his body jump.

We stay like that as the sun completes his descent, and when the stars litter the sky, Aramis goes to get us some food and wood for a fire. I fight the urge to jump out of bed and look for the thief. Is he even still here after the attack? Is he alive?

There's so much I have to tell Aramis, Nero, and the rebels about my discoveries, so much we have to prepare. But even though my spirit is high, my body is a broken shell.

Time heals all wounds , my mother's voice lulls in my head, but time is a luxury I don't have.

"Everyone is safe," Aramis tells me upon his return. "Nero is taking care of your friend, the witch..."

"Marcelene, and I am not surprised. I had sensed a certain interest from Nero, but I don't think he'll have it easy with her." Aramis hands me a steaming cup of tea and helps me sit up in the bed. The fire casts shadows over his face, his eyebrows are furrowed, and I can sense there's something he is struggling to share.

"Tell me," I say, tilting my head.

He swallows and goes to adjust a log in the small hearth in the corner of the hut, turning his back to me.

"The Council wants to see you tomorrow. I have tried to give you some more time, but they've been waiting for you and the situation is bad." His large shoulders raise and fall with each breath, and I notice how much weight he has lost. What has transpired in the time we have been apart?

"The rebels had systems in place to help refugees, to bring food to those close to the castle, I even helped them plan a strategy to secretly enter the citadel and save the shifters in the dungeons. And now it's all gone."

"And you're carrying the guilt of it on your shoulders."

Aramis freezes and after a moment, he whispers, "I should have stopped her when I had the chance."

I rest my mug on the floor and slowly move my legs over the edge of the bed. They feel stiff and achy, but I welcome the cold floorboards underneath my feet. One wiggling step after the other, I reach Aramis and tug him up from where he crouches. When my eyes lay on his beautiful face as he towers over me, the bond in my core tugs me closer. Real or not real?

"I don't know what these people have put you through, but I see you, Aramis. We have all made mistakes in our pasts, but it's how we own up to them and try to do better that matters." I caress his cheek and wish he could see himself as I see him. "You are here, with me, with us, fighting. That means something. We will avenge those that have lost their lives and end Tricella's reign of terror. Trust me."

He takes my hand and kisses the back of it.

"I told you once, Sybil Vandeleur. I will follow you until the end of time itself, if you'll have me."