5. Five

Five

I barreled into a tiny brunette as I stepped out of the Aether into the Qaanir palace gardens. The sun was still rising over the city skyline, casting its glow on the flowers in full bloom.

“Syn?” Em blinked up at me. “Why is your hair blue?”

“Long story.” I hauled Em to her feet and inspected her for injuries. “What are you doing out here? You never go outside.”

Em pointed over her shoulder at a green-haired elemental wrist-deep in the dirt. “The gardener offered to show me how she uses charcoal from the kitchen to increase air and nutrient diffusion into the soil.” She cleared her throat, and a blush crept up her cheeks. “Anyway, I thought you were supposed to be launching an assault on Valeria’s estate for the next couple of days.”

“I left early. There was no one there. No one alive, anyway.” I wrinkled my nose. “But I did find a globe marked with hunter compounds and stumbled upon Sebastian and corrupt hunters wiping out the Titus compound in Oregon. There was a kid that escaped. He was kind of annoying, but endearing, so I brought him to Sabrina. She’s going to take care of him, but he’ll probably end up spying on that one daeva guy that lives in the Copper District. You know, the one that’s bothered Sabrina for years because she can’t sense past his wards? Anyway, when Cyrus and the other guys get back, I’m going to try and convince them to come to Earth with me to hunt down Sebastian and Valeria and find Enoch.”

I took a deep breath to continue, but Em held up a finger.

“Wait. I’m processing all that information.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Cyrus just let you leave them?”

“That’s the part you focus on?”

Em tilted her head and pouted. “Did you guys get into another fight?”

“No. We don’t fight, we just ... disagree loudly. And sometimes violently.”

“You know, if you’re gonna make it work with all the guys, you have to learn to compromise. You guys still arguing about the vampire bat thing?”

I crossed my arms. “We already settled that. If Felix gives me a bat spirit I’ll glamour my teeth into fangs for Halloween and terrorize the neighbors.”

“You’re so mature.” Em rolled her eyes. “But if it’s not that, then what is it?”

“We need to be on Earth.” I sat in the thick grass and plucked a blade. Em cringed and looked over her shoulder at the gardener, who was still busy planting something with red leaves. “But Cyrus is afraid to teleport.”

“He’s still holding out? Usually, your charm is irresistible.”

I snorted. “He’s afraid of the mana drought. Something about getting stuck in a never-ending void while teleporting between the fabric of the worlds, blah blah blah.”

“Yeah,” Em deadpanned, “how ridiculous.”

I frowned. “It doesn’t matter. We have no choice now. Sebastian’s attacking hunter compounds and infecting hunters with corruption, plus Enoch’s still out there somewhere. We need to be on Earth.”

“I take it the search for Enoch isn’t going well?”

I sighed. “I’ve visited a dozen compounds, and I haven’t felt a thing. Not even a tingle. I got excited at the compound in Japan, because my foot prickled, but I’d just been sitting on it, and it fell asleep.”

“There are hundreds of hunter compounds, Syn,” Em said. “It’ll take time.”

“You’re right.” I raised my arm and sniffed. “I should get going. I need a bath. Stress sweat is serious business.”

I left Em in the garden as I jogged up to my room. I passed a few surprised servants, but otherwise, the palace was quiet. Just the break I needed. I loved having the guys around, but now I had the rest of the day to myself.

I basically had a swimming pool in my bathroom, and it was by far my favorite part of the Qaanir palace. I turned a spigot, and water began pouring into the deep tub. Steam filled the marble tiled room as I stripped and carefully lowered myself into the scalding water. It lapped at my shoulders. I relaxed against the smooth stone and let the heat release the tension in my muscles. My eyes drifted closed as the sound of pouring water filled my ears.

There had to be a way to ensure the guys could teleport safely to Earth. A way that made sure they passed through the Aether quickly and didn’t get trapped in the wells ...

I smiled. That was it. I could empower the wells briefly, allowing them to get through. That’s how I’d been teleporting, after all.

I just had to convince Cyrus. He was an Aegis captain. I had to emphasize bringing balance to the worlds. The Aegis loved that kind of stuff. And there was no bigger threat to the worlds than Sebastian.

A chill crept across my heart, making me shiver despite the heat of the bath. Corruption. My eyes flew open, but I was alone.

Weird.

Oh shit. I was alone. Normally, I’d reach for one of my guys. Their magic eased the corruption. It helped me regain the upper hand.

I sucked in a breath as shivers racked my body. I ran my fingers over the braided choker around my neck. The bloodforged iron responded, warming against my skin and strengthening my barriers.

But the corruption slid through the cracks, gripping my chest and forcing the air from my lungs. I coughed as it filled my throat and crept up my face.

My heart beat frantically as I struggled to push the corruption down. My mana surged in response to my panic, but it was a weak ripple against the wave of darkness.

Ari! I reached for his mind. He was never far away. His consciousness slid against my barriers, and I pulled his mind closer, sending him my fear, the cold, the darkness.

Shadows congealed in front of me as Ari materialized in my bath. Wide purple eyes took me in.

“Help,” I squeaked before corruption seized my vocal cords.

Ari reached for me. Leather gloves gripped my arms beneath the water. His aura brushed against me, but it wasn’t enough. I needed to feel his power. I needed ...

Touch me, I sent to him as darkness clouded my vision.

His hands dropped, and splashing filled the room before he was in the water again, facing me, his strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me flush against him. My breasts pressed against his chest, and his raised scars brushed my sensitive skin.

His magic filled me. The spicy scent of gingerbread overpowered my senses and pushed the corruption down. His fingers slid through my hair against my scalp as he cupped my face in his hands. He tilted my head back until our eyes met.

He still wore his mask over his mouth, but his wavy brown hair framed his face. He was beautiful. My dark angel.

I inhaled his aura, his magic, as the corruption released its hold on me, retreating into my stomach. Its empty, gnawing hunger was a familiar presence, but it was contained again. For now.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

His rough voice filled my mind. Powerful mana can douse the corruption. Temporarily.

“That’s why you’ve always been with me.” Of course. Ari had known about my corruption from the beginning. He’d told Quillon, but the others didn’t know. “Every time I go to Earth, you’re there. Whenever I’m apart from the others, you’re right at my back.”

His gaze traveled down my neck to my choker. Corruption is hard to restrain.

“Your magic did the trick.” His power still flowed into me. Heat chased the residual chill of the corruption from my body. My lips parted, and I pressed closer.

It will try to take control. Ari closed his eyes and turned away from me. Deep scars crisscrossed the corded muscle of his back. You can’t let it.

His sudden coldness made me bristle. What was with him?

I folded my arms over my breasts. “I don’t plan to.”

You must stop using it. No matter how tempting it is.

“You already said that.” I scoffed. “If I wanted a lecture, I’d go to Cyrus.”

Shadows surged around him like the arms of an angry octopus. I won’t mention it again.

The shadows engulfed him, and he was gone. His wet cloak and discarded shirt still lay in a heap on the tile. The room was silent except for the water lapping at the edge of the tub.

I was alone again.