Phoenix Page 5

The door opened, and Gregory stepped inside.

  “Who were they looking for?” she asked.

  His eyes widened in surprise, and he swallowed hard. “You.”

  “Me?”

  He nodded. “I told you that you were special. They want to stop you before you reach your full potential. You’re a threat.”

  “A threat to what?”

  “The Darkness.”

  “So, wait. You expect me to be able to defeat those things? It took seven grown men to take down four of them!”

  “You were given the tools you need to fulfill your destiny,” Gregory said easily.

  “Yeah, okay. And what tools are those exactly? The ability to take a beating?”

  Gregory’s jaw clenched. “Get dressed and meet me outside,” he said curtly and headed back out into the sun.

  “There are clothes in the dresser in your room,” Annabelle told her, then followed him out.

  Curious, Anastasia made her way into the bedroom and pulled on a pair of leather pants and a brown vest made from some kind of animal hide.

  After slipping into a pair of boots she found in the closet, she made her way out the front door.

  Tony and Gregory stood side by side, holding the reins to three horses.

  “Have you ever ridden before?”

  She shook her head.

  “We’ll go slowly.”

  Tony helped her onto the back of a dark brown horse, and Anastasia felt oddly comfortable in the soft saddle on its back. When the animal began to move, she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She’d always wanted to learn to ride, had begged her parents for lessons back when she’d been seven and naïve enough to think they might have let her.

  Tony and Gregory mounted their own horses and fell in line, Tony behind her and Gregory in front.

  The way the horse moved, muscles bunching and releasing below her, was more exhilarating than she could’ve imagined.

  “Where are we going?” Anastasia asked as Gregory led them down a path lined with trees.

  “To show you what’s at stake,” Gregory responded tightly.

  They moved slowly, something she was grateful for because making an ass out of herself by falling off the horse probably wouldn’t have been great for the morning.

  Especially not when those things were looking for her. “Should we be out here? Aren’t those Brutes or whatever looking for me?”

  “They will have retreated for now. Possible a larger grouping will be headed our way soon, but for now we should be safe,” Tony answered.

  “Should be safe, that’s great. Should be,” she mumbled, earning a chuckle from Tony.

  “I assure you, Anastasia, between Gregory and me we will make it back to the village in one piece.”

  She shot him a glance, and despite her nerves, smiled. “Thanks.”

  The trees surrounded them, casting a shadow over the path they traveled. Birds chirped overhead, singing various happy tunes, and a few times during their journey, a rabbit or deer crossed their path.

  Most of the animals here were similar to the ones back home, except—to her delight—the butterflies, which were the size of basketballs. She’d nearly screamed when one fluttered in front of her horse, inciting another laugh from Tony.

  He was getting a kick out of her, and it was only slightly annoying.

  The path opened into a clearing, and Anastasia saw the remnants of what had once been a village. She covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at the charred ground and burnt buildings.

  “What happened?” she asked as Tony helped her down from her horse and she stepped closer to the destruction. The homes that had once stood lay in a pile of soot and ash, and Anastasia could still smell the lingering scent from the fire.

  She toed over a board, revealing a child’s stuffed doll with bloodstains on its smiling face. She cried out and covered her mouth with her hands.

  “This”—Gregory gestured around them at the smoldering piles of ash—“is the remnants of a village that the Brutes destroyed three days ago. We buried seventeen people. Some men, some women, and a handful of children.”

  “But why? Why would anyone do this?”

  “Power.”

  Her eyes landed on Gregory’s. “What power comes from this?”

  He shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, Anastasia. But this is what will happen to the rest of our world, and if it still isn’t enough, possibly yours too.”

  Destruction. Blood. Death. Her nightmare couldn’t have been a warning, could it?

  She continued to walk, hot tears burning in her eyes. At the edge of the village, near the tree line, were mounds of dirt with crosses at the end. She counted them and, just as Gregory had said, there were seventeen graves.

  Seventeen innocent lives.

  Sadness swirled with fear and frustration, tightening a vise around her heart. She spun to face Gregory. “This still doesn’t explain what you want me to do about it. I’ve never even taken a self-defense class.” She gestured to her back that still ached from Mitch’s belt. “Obviously, I’m no good at fighting.”

  “Because you haven’t been trained, Anastasia.” Gregory took a step toward her. “There is much about you that you still need to learn. So much more than you could even imagine.”

  “I really doubt that.”

  Gregory shook his head sadly. “Then we are all doomed.”

  12

  Gregory

  Gregory chose to ride in the back on the way home. He needed some time to gather his thoughts and decide what to do next.

  Anastasia was finally here. While her presence elated him, the pain of what she’d left behind caused him great heartache. If only he’d found her sooner, perhaps it would have been less of a transition for her.

  Convincing her that she was worth something was going to take more time than he’d thought. His hands tightened on the reins; the man who had raised her had sure done a number on her mind, and broken down any confidence she would have had.

  The war was coming. Gregory glanced over at Anastasia; she was going to have to fight the biggest war of them all.

  “Brother.” The voice filled Gregory’s mind, and his body went rigid. He turned slowly, knowing he wouldn’t see the owner of the voice, but he still wanted to confirm that they were still truly alone in their journey.

  “You have some nerve to show up here, Vincent,” he whispered.

  “Not really there, Gregory,” Vincent reminded him.

  “Might as well be. What do you want?” Gregory’s back was straight, his body tense. He waited for an attack he knew wouldn’t come, but wished it would. At least then they could finally put an end to everything.

  “A man can’t pop in to see how his brother is doing?” Vincent’s tone was dry, but Gregory knew there was heat behind it.

  “You are no brother of mine.”

  “And whose fault is that?” The anger in the voice sent chills down Gregory’s spine.

  “You tore my family apart, Vincent.”

  “I tried to bring us together!” he yelled into Gregory’s mind.

  “You lost me the moment you started delving into the dark arts.” Gregory did his best to keep himself calm. It would do him no good to get riled up.

  “We could have been great together, Gregory. We would have ruled, and you would have been able to raise your daughter from infancy knowing that she would be safe from everything. It’s your fault I was able to take her, and your fault that she was beaten by the man who raised her. What will she think of you when she learns that, I wonder?”

  Anger rose in Gregory’s chest, and his attempts to beat it back down were beginning to fail.

  “I was not going to sell my soul and the souls of my family. You knew that, and you took her from me anyway.”

  “You could have found her, had you used even half of the magic inside of you. But instead, you use it to bless potions that your wife makes.” He spat the word wife out as if it left a bad taste on his tongue. />
  “You will not speak of Annabelle or of Anastasia.”

  “I will take her again, Gregory, only this time I will not leave her alive. She won’t stand a chance against me. That seer was foolish.”

  “You won’t touch her, Vincent, or so help me God, you will regret the moment you were born.”

  “You think I fear you, brother?” Vincent laughed mockingly. “You are afraid of the power inside of you, whereas I fully embrace it. I do not fear you.”

  Gregory’s heart began to pound, blood thundering through his veins, the flame inside of him building, and he thought of Annabelle. She was his light, and the only center he had for not losing control. “If you are truly unafraid, then why are you not here, Vincent?”

  “Other business to attend to. This is your last chance, Gregory. If you begin her training, I will tear everything you love apart. You will lose her again, and there will be no rescuing the girl this time.”

  Vincent’s voice faded away, and Gregory’s fists tightened on the reins again. He closed his eyes and choked back the anger. He couldn’t let anything show on his face; he didn’t want to risk scaring Anastasia, as he could see in her eyes she was finally getting somewhat comfortable around him.

  He would wait to talk to Annabelle, although he knew that she would tell him to ignore Vincent’s warning. She believed Anastasia was the only hope any of them had at defeating his brother, but dammit, did it have to come at the cost of his only child? If he trained her, Vincent would go after her. Again. But if he didn’t, then at some point, Vincent would come for them all.

  He would never leave them alone, not as long as Gregory continued to refuse the dark magic.

  So, train her or don’t train her, it seemed the outcome would be the same. He looked up at her as she watched in bewilderment as another Terrenian butterfly crossed her path.

  He was going to lose her either way.

  13

  Anastasia

  “Are you hungry?” Annabelle asked when Gregory and Anastasia stepped into the cottage that night.

  “Starving, thank you.” The trip had taken nearly all day, and the sun was just beginning its descent when they arrived at the stables to turn the horses in for the night. Gregory had brought along some bread and water, but it had been just enough to prevent a stomach ache from the hunger, not enough to actually fill her up.

  “You are more than welcome.” Annabelle set the book she’d been reading aside and stood to greet Gregory.

  Anastasia witnessed the look of love that passed between them. The only other place she’d seen such emotion was when she had been near Dakota’s parents. She’d always hoped to find love like them, had actually believed it might have been with Dakota someday.

  “Well, isn’t this a sight to come home to.” Gregory pulled his wife in for an embrace and kissed her deeply.

  “Hold on a second, dear, we have company.” She giggled, and Anastasia blushed.

  “I know we have company, but I still love you. Even more after each and every day.”

  “And I, you.” She looked up through her lashes at him, and Anastasia looked away.

  “How about you help me cut up some vegetables for this soup?” She heard Annabelle ask and turned back to see him follow her into the kitchen.

  Anastasia watched, perplexed. She had never seen her father even step foot into the kitchen, let alone assist her mother with dinner. Monica had always brought him what he needed to the table—his coffee, meals, and after-dinner drinks. Everything had always been served to him.

  As she watched, Gregory and Annabelle worked together as a team, helping each other and laughing as they did so. Something about this house and this couple made Anastasia feel as if she had finally arrived home.

  Immediately, a twinge of guilt pinched her chest. Dakota had felt like home to her, too. She’d never been able to even imagine her world without him in it, yet she had just left him behind without so much as a note.

  She’d had to leave, though, hadn’t she? Mitch would have killed her if she’d stayed, and at least this way she stood a chance of seeing Dakota again. Maybe someday, anyway. If she completed whatever her so-called destiny was, maybe she could find a way back to him. Pushing the thought aside, Anastasia made her way over to the table. She was just going to have to get used to not having her best friend with her.

  Dinner was terrific, and they spent the rest of the evening laughing. Anastasia listened to stories of how Gregory and Annabelle met, and the different adventures they had been on together. He told her of his time exploring his magic, trying to learn as much as he could. She sat in awe as he spoke of the different worlds he had visited while trying to find her.

  “Before we end the night, I have something for you.” Annabelle got to her feet and pulled open one of the cabinets in the kitchen. She returned to the table carrying a small Bundt cake with clear glaze over the top.

  Anastasia’s eyes filled. Her own parents never celebrated her birthday. Monica would sneak a small gift up after dinner, but she’d leave it on Anastasia’s bed and never mention it again.

  She’d only ever celebrated with Dakota and his family.

  “We’re sorry it’s not more,” Gregory said, eyeing her. “We don’t have the tools available to us here that you would have had in Seattle.”

  “It’s absolutely perfect.” Anastasia wiped her cheeks. “How did you know today was my birthday?”

  “We know quite a lot, my dear,” Annabelle said, setting the cake in front of Anastasia. “I hope you love it.”

  “I know I will.” Anastasia grinned.

  They cut into the cake, and Anastasia savored every single bite.

  When she began yawning, Annabelle smiled at her. “That’s enough for tonight. The poor girl is about to fall asleep in her chair. Besides, don’t you need to go check in with Tony?”

  “Oh, yes. I had completely forgotten.” Gregory smiled and stood to lightly kiss Annabelle on top of her head. “Anastasia, may I speak with you?”

  She nodded and stood. Annabelle offered her a kind, but guarded smile, and Anastasia stepped onto the porch with Gregory.

  He sighed. “It’s a beautiful night tonight.”

  Anastasia nodded in agreement and looked up at the bright stars.

  “I understand that you didn’t want this responsibility,” he acknowledged. “While I would need to create more portal vials, I can see about getting you back to Seattle if that is what you choose.”

  “You could send me back?” Hope fluttered in her chest at the idea of seeing Dakota again, but it was quickly dampened when images of the graves from earlier popped into her head.

  “It would take me some time to make another portal vial, but I can do it.”

  “What will happen to you all here?”

  He shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll manage. This isn’t your world, Anastasia, and I understand that. So if you truly do not want to stay, I will not hold it against you.” Without letting her respond, he stepped off the porch. “Goodnight,” he said, then disappeared into the dark.

  She could go home! She could see Dakota. They could finally have the relationship she’d dreamt about since she’d been a teenager.

  The only cost was the destruction of possibly an entire world.

  Gee, that wasn’t a steep cost.

  Deciding to sleep on it, Anastasia made her way inside.

  Annabelle had cleared their dishes and had stacked them neatly on the counter near the washbasin. “Everything all right?” she asked, drying her hands on her apron.

  Anastasia nodded. “I’m just pretty beat.”

  “I can imagine. Let’s put some more salve on your back and you can head to bed.”

  She took a seat near the fire that had died down to embers. Annabelle began to apply the healing ointment, and the contact with her broken skin had Anastasia wincing.

  “These are nearly healed, but I was right before; they will scar. I’m sorry, dear.”

  Now she would have physi
cal scars to match the mental scars left on her after growing up in a home where she was afraid to so much as breathe wrong.

  “You’re all done.” Annabelle stood, and Anastasia pulled her shirt down.

  “Goodnight,” Anastasia said softly.

  “Goodnight, honey.”

  Just before she got to her door, Anastasia turned. Annabelle stood at the sink, staring out the window. “Annabelle?”

  The woman turned. “Yes, dear?”

  “Thank you so much.” She moved across the room to Annabelle and wrapped her arms around her in a gesture she had never given to either of her real parents.

  “Oh, honey, you are welcome.” Annabelle hugged her back, and Anastasia closed her eyes tightly. “You sleep well tonight, Anastasia.” She squeezed her one last time, then released her, and Anastasia crossed the space and stepped into her own room.

  Anastasia changed into the nightgown Annabelle had set out for her and crawled onto the mattress, surprised at how soft it was. She must’ve been too exhausted to notice last night. She pulled the blankets up over herself and held onto her last memory of Dakota. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of the times they’d spent together.

  She said a prayer that he wouldn’t hate her, that on some level he would understand why she left, and hoped that one day she could explain to him why she didn’t come back. She knew what she had to do. Even if she didn’t fully believe she was capable of defeating this Darkness or whatever it was that was coming to Terrenia, she had to try. People were counting on her, and she couldn’t stand the thought of Annabelle, Gregory, Tony, or anyone else she’d met being the next to be buried.

  With her last thought, she wished that Dakota would have a happy life, and then fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  14

  Terrenia

  Gregory

  When Gregory came home, Annabelle stood in the kitchen staring out the window into the night. She is so beautiful. How could she continue to captivate him even after all this time? He watched her a moment and then moved to where she stood.