34. Oria

34

ORIA

I was back right where I started. She walked ahead of me as if she wasn't worried about me leaving. She had me right where she wanted me and anything I did could jeopardize the guys. My stomach soured that she had gone so far as to infect them with Kark, it made me wonder why she was using Kark as a weapon.

She opened a door leading into a room that looked quite similar to my old workshop, but double the size. It was the same wood, with shelves that looked similar, and I saw the bowls and other items I used to make Oria with. This was it. This is what the rest of my life was going to look like. Tears gathered in my eyes as I clenched my jaw to keep from crying.

"We will do a session and then you will make vials until I come back for you." She walked up to a table, getting on to lay down. "I expect you to make up for lost time and I will not tolerate any complaints."

I nodded, not trusting myself.

That's when I noticed the bigger differences. She had started to age. Lines had deepened across her forehead, along her eyes, and her skin was losing its glow.

"I don't have all day," she snapped at me.

She glared at me before closing her eyes. I took a deep breath laying my hands on her before a thought crossed my mind. What if I pushed too much healing magic in her, would it kill her?

I whispered my incantation, and I pushed my magic into her. The door to the room flew open and a man with dark hair and light blue eyes walked in. Laima sat up looking at the door.

"Merrick, why the hell?—"

A burst of fire flew at us. Laima pushed me aside, blocking the magic easily.

"Give her to me, Laima," he said, as more men came into the room.

She laughed as the air crackled with power. "I should have known you would get greedy. Or did Taylin put you up to this?"

"You should have known; I'm a pirate after all." He smirked at her.

"Taylin?" she growled.

He shrugged. "Does it matter? She will be coming with me and that's all that matters."

"Oh, I think it does, especially when I'm holding the Fae hostage," she laughed.

"My family? Taylin and Maxton's family?" I snapped.

"Oh, little light, she's taken almost all the Fae and imprisoned them?—"

She looked back at me before hurling magic at Merrick who easily dodged it. Men raced towards her, dodging her magic, but some weren't so lucky.

My family might be alive.

I stood there dumbfounded, thinking Taylin might not be the bad guy. Was she holding his family hostage? I closed my eyes, hating all this deception. Laima was casting magic left and right, but I was done, I'd rather take my chances with Taylin.

We are coming for you, Sunshine. Gray said, giving me the push I needed.

I slipped two gems off my necklace and whispered the incantation. Merrick met my eyes for a moment. I slammed it on the floor while activating the second gem and the entire room exploded. A shield protected me as I saw Merrick use his own shield. Laima was thrown to the side as my gem blew out the wall and ceiling.

I ran to Merrick, dropping another gem to hold off Laima with a barrier. He held out his hand and pulled me towards him when she blasted through the spell. He threw up a shield that crumbled with her power giving me enough time to put an invisibility spell and shield on us.

"Damn, little light, what else have you got on that necklace?" he smirked, he was a handsome fellow.

"Not enough to hold her off," I said, pulling him with me. "I need to get a bag from the car Taylin brought me in. I have something that might just give us a chance."

"As you wish, Princess," Merrick said, grabbing my hand.

We only ran a few steps before we were hit with electricity.

My body lit up with pain as I screamed. Merrick yelled next to me. The pain intensified so much that I panicked. I couldn't die now. No!

I forced my body to pull off a gem when the pain stopped. I fell on the ground, along with Merrick.

He groaned getting up. "Come on, little light, let's go."

Every part of my body hurt as he helped me up. I grabbed my gem, igniting the spell, looking over my shoulder to see Ryder pushing magic against Laima. I threw the gem behind her, and it exploded, throwing her concentration off.

"Wait." I tugged on Merrick. "My mates."

"Little light, we don't have time, we have to leave." He tugged me back. "They will catch up, I promise."

"No, I won't leave without them," I snapped, pulling back.

"Taylin will get them outta here," he said, but that didn't make me feel better.

Go! Max yelled in head. We will find you.

I noticed him with the vial I had made. Ryder was using his newfound magic against Laima while Soren and Gray fought off her right-hand man behind them. Each one of them holding a scythe.

Throw it and get out of there. I said to Max, when Merrick picked me up.

Max threw it, but Laima exploded it with power. The force knocked Merrick and I back. The sting of her magic tingled all over my body as debris flew everywhere. Merrick's big body covered mine, saving me from anything falling down.

"Gods," Merrick coughed, as dirt surrounded us. "Come on, we need to?—"

A knife protruded out of his chest. His eyes grew wide when the knife retracted and blood poured out of his wound over me.

Laima pushed him out of the way. She looked feral, disheveled and worst of all she was pissed.

Merrick growled once, sending up fire around me. "Run." He coughed, wincing as blood stained his mouth.

I got up, slipping on some of his blood when a hand reached out to grab my hair. Laima yanked me back when I heard a roar.

Run, Heaven. Ryder said.

Merrick. I said, not wanting to leave him.

I hesitated, looking back, seeing a wolf and a lion coming at Laima.

Go! Soren's voice entered my head. We got him.

I slipped off a small gem that I tried to infuse a canceling spell on. It wasn't strong, but I hoped it was enough for all of us to leave.

She threw Ryder and Max off of her quickly as Soren and Gray came with their scythes. She stopped them midair and I slapped the gem on her back. She glanced at me before she launched them away from her.

"If he didn't need you, I would have killed you by now," Laima snarled, reaching for me, but I rolled away. "You're more trouble than you are worth."

She lunged for me as I pulled another gem, activating it as a gust of wind pushed her back. I looked over at Merrick, his heart was slowing and I had to save him. My bond felt tight when I looked around for the guys, but couldn't see them. The sound of fighting worried me. I didn't know how many people Laima had that were loyal to her. If the size of her army a few days ago was any indication, then I prayed to the gods and goddesses my mates would keep fighting. I used the gem again, ready to slide to him when she held me in her magic. She tightened her hold on me, walking towards me with disdain in her eyes.

"This time you will know what it's like to be someone's prisoner," she snarled. "I will leave you in a dark room, alone, with nothing but four walls and when our need for you ends, I will take pleasure in ending your life."

A sharp pain coursed through my body making me scream. I thrashed against the pain, praying for her to stop. That's when it magnified, the bond felt like it was on fire, and I felt their pain. I looked around for them frantically, but I couldn't see them. No. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.

She only wins if she has you.

I didn't know where the voice came from. I almost thought I had made it up until the pain stopped.

She only wins if she has you.

My body shook with the aftershocks of the pain. The voice was familiar and felt powerful. I shivered as I felt a caress of power, dulling the pain and then I remembered what Addie said.

If she gets her back, she is the catalyst that will start the war, and she needs to be hidden.

It always came back to me. I was the catalyst to the war, and I knew what I had to do. The pain subsided immediately as I took a full breath. The bond was silent, I felt for it over and over again, but nothing. Had they died? Oh gods, I looked up at her.

She didn't look like the same woman as my anger snapped.

"You will obey," Laima snarled, getting closer.

"Fuck you," I yelled.

I looked around seeing Merrick. I took out an invisibility gem, running as I activated it. She hurled magic at me, narrowly missing me, when I saw Merrick's knife. I slid by him, taking the knife off his belt, when she hit me with her power again.

My body seized up from the pain, but this time I whispered my enchantment and my body glowed as I touched Merrick. The pain dulled to the point where I barely felt anything, staying for a few seconds, hoping that would help him and then I ran to her. Her eyes opened wide when she hurled something else at me, brushing off me easily, until she used her telekinesis to grab me by the neck. I gasped for air, struggling against her power that immediately made my power subside.

"I can't wait for the day when I get to kill you," she snarled.

I'm sorry. I love you in every lifetime. I said to my mates