“Wonderful. Sorry I asked.” Jonas fell back on Ellie’s bed and covered his face with his hands. “Lexa, can I borrow a few spells to aid me in the coming battle?”
“Of course, fair one.” Lexa’s grin was infectious, because Jonas lit up like a Christmas tree wreathed in smiles.
Ellie had the worried notion her friends looked forward to the fight. At least Arim didn’t seem as happy.
“You must understand,” Arim said, ignoring Lexa and Jonas, “when I take command of your body, my essence leaves my body and joins yours. That which makes you who you are will be thrust aside. You’ll still be in your body, so to speak, but you’ll be a virtual prisoner. My Light is very strong, and my presence within you will be painful.” He paused. “I could unwillingly kill you.”
She wondered what Cadmus, that great jackass who had not only rejected her once, but twice now, would want her to do. Recalling the many instances of his protection, she made up her mind. If he could protect her, then she could protect him. And damn it, she’d force the man to trust her.
As her anger grew, she realized she’d begun to burn in truth and calmed herself. She had to remain in control. She had no intention of dying to prove her loyalty. She’d make Cadmus eat his distrust, bite by bite—and Arim too—until they begged for her forgiveness. The fantasy had such a pleasant taste that she was smiling as she phased back into her normal self.
Arim stared at her with interest. “Try not to do that while you’re under my possession. I have no idea what that state might do to us, and we’ll need every bit of strength we possess to save Cadmus and Tanselm.” He glared at Lexa. “No more healing spells, Nurse Feel-Good.”
“I’ll show you ‘feel-good’,” Lexa muttered, rising from the bed. Jonas caught her arm and whispered something in her ear. She paused, and instead of confronting Arim, she turned to Ellie. “Let’s get you ready to rescue your Storm Lord. Arim, make sure the others know not to interfere. Especially Aerolus. Lately, he’s a little too pushy for my tastes.”
Arim narrowed his gaze and nodded. “A little too big for his britches, I know. Don’t worry. I have a feeling my nephews and their affai will be too busy trying to save their territories from the Netharat to aid us. Let’s prepare. I don’t think we have much time.”
“We don’t. I hear his taunts in my mind.” Lexa glared at no one in particular. “They’re crude but to the point. Jonas, take Ellie here.” She must have sent him a mental map, because he nodded and grabbed Ellie’s arm. Just as they shimmered away, Ellie heard Lexa say, “Arim, how do you feel about Dark-hide rope?”
Hidden in the dark corner at the far end of the rampart and under Lexa’s protective spell, Ellie watched, fascinated, at the heated interplay between her friend and Arim. They had been sparring for over twenty minutes now, and the raging wind and cracks of thunder continued to swell.
“You’re such a weakling,” Lexa taunted, blasting Arim with another shot of blue flame.
Ellie flinched, recalling the blue remnant of flame that had caused Ravyn’s wound. Arim waved aside Lexa’s attack and struck at her with a wave of pure Light.
“Bastard’s cheating,” Lexa gasped and rubbed her midsection. She glared at her opponent. Looking through the Dark energy within her, Ellie expected what she saw. Like before, both Arim and Lexa seemed to lean towards, rather than away from, each other. And for all that they were fighting, their energy clearly wanted to clash, to intertwine and touch.
“Look, Guardian of Storm, we all have our parts to play in the Universe, so stick to yours and succumb to the Dark.” Lexa’s emphasis on ‘parts’ had Arim’s eyes narrowing, but he apparently caught her gist for he fell to Lexa’s next attack, a blast through the shoulder. She quickly bound him with Dark-hide ropes that appeared with the snap of her finger. The magic ropes would suck at his energy, steadily depleting his strength.
Nervous, Ellie aimed a thought at Lexa with an urgency the woman had to feel. “Hurry up, before he becomes too weak to do the possession spell.”
“Relax. I know what I’m doing. He’s already on his way to you, which you can see if you look with your Djinn senses.”
Ellie gaped at the rainbow of color heading towards her at breakneck speed. Before she could utter a gasp, invasive pressure pushed through her body. Tears prickled her eyes and fell down her cheeks, mingling with the blood from her nose. She wiped her face clean and thought again how much Cadmus owed her for this. She wanted to rub away the tension gathered in her chest, but her limbs refused to obey her commands. Even her breathing slowed, the sorcerer within her stretching as he felt his way around her body.
“Just keep me in one piece,” she mentally shouted, not expecting to be heard.
“Easy, Ellie. Try to focus on yourself and relax. This will all be over soon. Just breathe and focus on your love for Cadmus.”
“Easy for you to say.” But she did as he suggested, and to her surprise, the pain within her faded, replaced by a floating sensation as she watched the world through her own eyes that were no longer hers. It was like watching a puppet perform. Her hand wiped another trickle of blood from her nose, and she stared at the vibrant red, taken with its richness.
A loud slap startled her.
In the moonlight, Lexa brutally struck Arim across the face. He showed no response. The Dark-hide rope bound him tightly, and he looked like he suffered on the brink of death. I sure hope she’s playacting. Ellie couldn’t help feeling a twinge of doubt as she watched satisfaction bloom on her friend’s face. Lexa obviously had issues to clear with Arim. Ellie only hoped she could be patient and deal with them later.
As if the director of this little scene had yelled ‘cue the villain’, Sin Garu suddenly appeared, wreathed in blackness and wearing a toothy grin.
“Sister mine, perhaps I was wrong about you.”
Lexa’s bright face turned as unreadable the clouds marring the moon’s illumination. “You’re late.”
“Ah, but I brought along some entertainment.” Sin Garu snapped and three wraintu appeared with a large sack between them. Ghastly creatures, they looked like something out of a horror movie. Large heads with bat-like ears, huge black eyes, no nose and sharp, spiky teeth looked over Arim’s body with clear hunger.
Ellie cringed, knowing what to expect, but still not prepared for it.
Sin Garu smiled. “Arim, wake up. I’d like you to watch as the Dark swallows what you prize most dear.” He gave the wraintu a small nod, and they opened the sack to yank out Cadmus, who lay bloodied and unconscious. They took him in their skeletal arms. Their claws held him steady, piercing his flesh, and Ellie screamed inside as Arim watched with her in silence.
“I said wake,” Sin Garu commanded, his voice deeper as he floated towards Arim.
