Riven (The Illumine Series) Read online

  It seemed like Ebony was about to disperse, leaving me to pretend nothing had happened, when Zeevna’s eyes fluttered open. Cradled in Kayden’s arms, her body trembled, the effects of the soul drain starting to set in. But that didn’t stop her from looking directly at Ebony, to me, and back at Ebony. Her eyes widened in horror, a scream pouring from her throat.

  “Sweet sacrifice, it is happening. Labe, you are labe,” she half-screamed, her eyes rolling into the back of her head before she went limp in Kayden’s arms. Both he and Ari stared wildly at the spot where Ebony lingered, unseeing.

  Ebony turned around, facing me. Gracefully she knelt down into the swaying sea-grass, her playful smile out of place with her bloodlust gaze.

  “Hope you liked the swim earlier, pretty vessel,” she crooned, sickeningly sweet. Her fingers gently brushed over my cheek, stinging where she touched. No sooner had her fingers left my cheek, she vanished, spreading into the misty air, leaving only words to linger. “We’ll have to do it again sometime soon.”

  Raising a quivering hand to my face, I pressed my hand where Ebony’s fingers had touched my face. Warm liquid coated my fingers, and I knew it was blood before I had even seen it. I turned my head to find Ari, locking my shell-shocked gaze with his disturbed, frightened blue eyed stare. Neither one of us knew what had just happened.

  Against my better judgement, I managed to ask the only question burning on my tongue. “What... what does labe mean?”

  Ari shook his head, clueless as I felt. It was Kayden who said told me, the answer resonating with the feeling in my gut.

  “Labe means taint. It means, you are corrupted.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  NEVER CLOSE OUR EYES

  If the world could break in a single pause of breath, we would have shattered to nothing.

  Flashes of the last couple hours, from capture to freedom, passed before my eyes as I fought to stay awake. Yet the last thing I wanted to do was keep my eyes open. Part of me felt like if I did, this out-of-control nightmare would continue. The other half of me wondered if the real nightmare would begin if I closed my eyes.

  I could feel everything slipping out of my hands. Jayson, my grandparents, Leo, Ursula, it all started to sink in. They were tied to me, both big and small, and out of that short list only one remained alive, assuming Abigail had been keeping him safe. Assuming he needed protection.

  A dark laugh echoed in my head. Of course he needed protection; associating with me had a negative tag, death being the biggest and generally used method of torturing me.

  Flood gates of grief, sadness, and despair ached to pour from my heart. The need to grieve, even if only for a second, was too much.

  “Essallie?”

  Ari. I blinked my eyes profusely, his scraggly and dirty blonde hair blurry behind the wall of tears. He had remained crouched on the ground beside me, what few shreds that was left of his black shirt clinging to his drenched, battered and bruised body.

  Cautiously, he leaned closer, his hands cupping my face. The second he touched me, I heard the sob rip from my chest, and flung myself into him. Tender, warm, loving arms wrapped around me, his voice soothing and calming in my ear as he kissed my cheek.

  Seconds that felt like hours passed, and somewhere in the middle of my tears, I pulled away from his embrace. My eyes found his, body shaking as the words were barely whispered.

  “I-I think I’m falling apart, Ari. Nothing, none of this makes sense,” I hiccuped tearfully, taking shallow breaths between every word. The truth came out faster than I could register what I was saying. “I hear voices, hundreds of them. And-and hallu-hallucinations, oh my God, Ari I’m going insane. I can’t do this, I can’t keep playing warrior. Lucretia was right-”

  Her voice played in my head, like a funny little memory you could never erase.

  “Or did you think to consider that perhaps I was telling you the truth? Tell me, how have your experiences with the rest of our world faired?”

  Bile splashed behind my lips again, and this time I couldn’t swallow it back. I pushed Ari aside, scrambling to my feet barely in time to step to the side and heaved, my stomach compressing itself until it was sure nothing was left. My hands shook as if little earthquakes rumbled through my flesh, vibrant flashes of the castle, of Ursula and how it was my fault, all my fau-

  Grief welled in my chest, the heaves harder. In one careless action, I had put us all on a path that could spell our end. I collapsed back onto the ground and covered my ears, feeling empty, save for the voices that continued to whisper little temptations in my head. Desperate to will the voices away, I screamed. “Get out my head, dammit, get out.”

  Ari’s hands found me, pulling me back into his arms as I kicked and screamed. I felt like I had been thrown onto a surgery board, head spliced open and poked at for fun. Nothing in my mind felt private, nothing felt like my own. In the same breath, I heard one voice speak to kill Ari, and another to kiss him. My head was a goddamn battlefield, and I was in the middle of it, going clinically insane.

  “Shhhh, it’s okay, you’re going to be okay,” Ari said soothingly, repeating it over and over like a withering, futile lullaby. “I don’t know what’s going on, Essallie, but we’re going to fix it.”

  Across the way, Kayden’s cold, detached voice broke through the haze obscuring my thoughts. “It’s the blood, the Queen’s blood is forcing her to hallucinate. Get her up, now.” His tone took on a hint of fear, gnawing at his normally calm, collected demeanor. “We have to get her help, before it kills her.”

  Heat boiled under my skin as I listened uselessly to their exchange. Hands lifted me up, sweeping me off my feet and cradled against a chest. Cold metal touched my cheek, and I pulled back just enough to make out the wire-wrapped shape of a key hanging around Ari’s neck.

  “Help her how?”

  “That’s why we’re here, Nephilim. The pool is a transport to the Siren’s cove.”

  White fire flashed in my dimming sight, brighter than direct sunlight. “Then stop explaining and start helping. Lead the damn way, I don’t know where to go from here.”

  Kayden’s voice dropped to barely a whisper, speaking in a tongue I didn’t understand. A fierce, churning wind picked up off the tiny body of water, gusting around us and whipping droplets of the sand and stilled-water into my mouth and eyes. In seconds, the serene weather had turned malevolent, spirals of sharp winds rushing off the water towards the heavens, twirling above us as we sat in the eye of a devil cyclone. Panic seized my chest as water covered above my knees, thighs, and hips, a tiny scream strangling from my throat just before we became submerged underwater. Keeping our hands locked, Ari wrapped his fingers tighter with mine, squeezing in a final dash of comfort as we swirled underwater.

  We gained speed, rotating with the cyclone as it extended far below the surface of the small pool. Ari and I clutched another as we road the twists, keeping my hand wrapped tightly in his. Internally, my mind screamed as me, telling me repeatedly not to let go. I didn’t dare open my eyes, fear for what I’d see as we lashed around in the water.

  Pressure pounded at my temples, squeezing at my limbs as we descended further down the spiral. Faster and faster we spun, until I heard the final pop of my eardrums, and a shake of the ground opening on the floor under us. Suction yanked us swiftly under, and I felt the ocean floor scrape at my elbows and face before collapsing out of Ari’s arms and onto warm, solid ground.

  Lifting my head off the ground and opening my eyes, I froze. If the island we had initially landed on could have been labeled a paradise, this had to have been one step from heaven. Warm, white and honey-colored marble stone pathways ran as far as the eye could see, twisting and turning into different directions. It was the only walkway, I noticed; beneath the streaked marble stone laid a small body of water, no more than six inches deep, sporting lily pods and clusters of tiny, off-white flowers. Each building had been crafted out of decadent, pristine crystal, thin curling bars of gold designing mes
merizing patterns along the walls. Tiki torches, burning bright with purple flame on their gold posts, stood outside each house, creating a touch of warmth and home. Only the dome above, showing the ocean from every angle in all its mysterious, underwater beauty, gave hint to where we really were.

  Beside me, Ari rolled over, grunting as he stumbled to his feet. The journey had whipped his hair into a single batch of curls, sleek and damp, piled above his ears. Kayden stood behind him, completely unharmed, not even a speck of water on his clothes. Zeevna was still curled in his grasp, hair fanned around her face, beads tangled in a heap on her breasts.

  I scrambled to my legs, ignoring the wobbling sensation in my knees, when Ari held up a hand. Fire instantly sparked to life on his palm and fingers. “Someone’s coming.”

  Sure enough, a pair of footsteps sounded nearby, and were quickly approaching. The scent of seaweed, fish, and salt wrinkled my nose, tempting my gag reflex. Well, at least my distaste for fish hadn’t changed.

  The fishy scent nearly became overwhelming as the pair of Sirens came closer to rounding the corner, sounds of their laughter and jostling growing louder.

  “You’re back early, Zeevna,” one of the Sirens, a male by his tone, jeered. The second Siren snickered. “What’s the matter, too lazy to mingle with the royals on dry land?”

  They rounded the corner, revealing two male Sirens, each at least seven feet tall. Both men sported long, violet hair tied with strips of seaweed, different colored beads woven into their parted locks. Strips of purple cloth, perfectly matching the shade of their hair, had been tied around their muscular torsos, spreading to a kilt-style bottom stitched with even more beads. Each Siren carried a spear, a single rod of pure gold carved with various symbols, shaped into a razor-sharp point at the tip.

  Their laughter came to a dry end and they stopped joking, zeroing in on Kayden, Ari, and I as we stood there. One of the Sirens dropped their spear, the clang of it hitting the marble the only noise spared between us.

  “Mother of the Wave,” said the Siren who dropped his spear in a strangled whisper. “We’ve been infiltrated.”

  Kayden started to speak, charm in full swing. He gave the frightened Siren a subtle, tempting wink. “Aronel, you’ve certainly grown since I last saw you.”

  The second Siren would have none of his antics. He snapped into position, crouching low and letting out a wild call that reminded me of dolphins at sea. “Fetch Arielle!” He barked at the other, Aronel. “The demon has returned!”

  “Don’t forget, I’ve taken your gilly-gifted princess hostage, too,” he motioned at the limp sea-foam colored being in his arms with a small shake. A cheery smile graced his lips. “Nothing personal.”

  Aronel let out a little squeak, sprinting barefoot the way he’d came. The second Siren kept his spear trained on all three of us, alternating between which one to point it at. Stepping in front of me, Ari used a free hand to push me slightly behind him, looking to Kayden and giving him a short nod in the same move. Kayden’s eyes flashed, the cheerful smile turning dark, hungry.

  In a flash, Ari had moved behind the Siren, wrapping his arms through the Siren’s limbs and clasping his hands behind his head. He gave a jerk upward, the Siren crying out in pain, his shoulder giving a audible pop before dropping his golden spear to the floor. I snatched up the spear, holding it tight, keeping it poised over the Siren’s heart.

  “I take it this is what you meant by ‘sort of’ being friends?” Ari said with mock skepticism.

  “Not at all,” Kayden beamed, the smile reminding me of a squirrel on speed. “It gets much, much worse.”

  I rolled my eyes before I could help myself. “Kayden, lead us to the center of this place,” I growled, eyes locked on the green creature in front of me with distaste. “So we can get this over with.”

  “Gladly, m’dear,” he said with flourish, tipping himself forward in a bow with Zeevna still in his arms. Leading the way, I kept close behind him, Ari bringing up the rear. His fire had reassembled to the makeshift, blazing armor around his chest and arms. I clutched the golden spear tighter in my hands, paused, then unleashed my own inner fire. It exploded from my hands, swirling up and long the spear. Interestingly, it didn’t melt the weapon, but only made it deadlier for me to use. Absolutely, freaking awesome.

  We took several turns, Kayden practically skipping ahead of us, as if the unconscious girl in his arms weighed nothing. Bystanders, both young and old, stopped to stare, some yanking their young inside, screaming in fright as they saw Kayden. Apparently, he’d done more than stop by for tea and biscuits the last time he had come around.

  The short turns widened to an opening ahead, houses turning scarce before finally vanishing altogether. Honey-swirled marble spaced out to a series of steps, ascending nearly as high as the glass dome above. Golden torches blazed their purple flames, lining the stairs like double-sided bannisters. Sirens of all shapes and sizes slowly gathered, leering behind us, but whether it was fear of Kayden, or of all three of us, I wasn’t sure.

  “Let me guess,” I offered when no one made to move further. I gave the spear a jab skyward. “She’s up there.”

  “No, she is coming,” someone said from the crowd. Their voice acted like a switch; a rush of voices collided in my ears, the effect like multiple cascading waterfalls, washing out all other sound. It was a language I didn’t know, guttural and lyrical in the same breath, like a melody of harsh chanting on repeat. Within seconds it swelled to a loud roar, pounding against my head with a force strong enough to nearly knock me unconscious.

  Turning around, I stared in confusion. Every Siren in the crowd was chanting, mouthing the words, their voices chanting in the same haunting, shatteringly grim tone. The ground began to shake around us, sprouts of seaweed shooting through the ground near the base of the stairs. It fashioned into what first looked like a chair, a weak throne at best.

  Jewels, some as big as my fist, pushed out from the seaweed, creating a gleaming outline of the makeshift seat. Gold began to bubble from the cracks, spreading over the green like an artist drawing a fresh paintbrush over a nude canvas. The gold hardened within seconds, creating a rough throne of jeweled glory shaped like an open clamshell.

  At once, the room hushed, heads swinging up to the tip of the stairs. A figure descended, slithering down on a tail that reminded me more of a serpent than a fish.

  She was tall, standing higher than any Siren in the room. Long, blood orange hair fell freely down her shoulders and past her hips, a startling contrast to her pale green skin, reminding me of a coral flower in wild bloom. Strands of beads both large and small decorated her seashell covered chest, creating a colorful corset that stopped at the ends of her voluptuous and fish-tail lower half. Equal parts fragile and strong, fish and human, she embodied the race of Siren with majesty higher than kings and queens portrayed in the movies on the big screen.

  Large, purple eyes studied me, measuring me from head to toe before turning back to the demon holding her child. A vibrant glow illuminated her from within, and I was almost tempted to ask if she swallowed a box of lightbulbs.

  “You dare show your face here?” She spat with venom, coming to a halt at the base of the stairs. In one hand she carried a staff, gnarled and twisted gold interwoven with what looked like obsidian, an open gap at the top perfectly designed for the flawless diamond resting within.

  The shrug Kayden gave her was fluid, graceful. “Oh Arielle, you always were an addict for dramatics. At least extend me some credit, I did bring your daughter back, after all.”

  “Release her, wretched spawn,” her screech filled the dome, loud enough to reverberate. “And submit to the punishment you so rightfully deserve.”

  He seemed to think about it for all of half a second, lips pursed and eyebrows bunched together. “I always have been a glutton for punishment, so perhaps I’ll have to take you up on that offer,” he started to say, only to pause dramatically. A Cheshire grin widened his mouth, spreading it
disproportionately from ear to ear. “But not quite yet.”

  Splotches of red colored Arielle’s face, her entire body quaking. Straightening, she forced a face of disinterest, turning her back and snapping her fingers. “Kill them.”

  Guards, ones much like the one still held hostage in Ari’s locked grasp, pushed to the front of the crowds, spears drawn. Ari and I exchanged a glance, our thoughts mirrored in our stare; this was going to get messy, fast.

  Kayden turned his head just enough to see Ari. “Now, this is what I meant by ‘of sorts.’”

  Slack-jawed, I took a quick look around the room, counting the guards. There had to be at least two dozen, maybe more. We had to stall, or try and get through to her, though I had no idea what Kayden had planned.

  “And your daughter?” I challenged with a stun, whirling back to face the the nearly eight foot tall woman. “Does she mean so little that you’d consider killing her in the process, simply for revenge?”

  She turned her gaze to me, narrowing her eyes in revulsion as she ran her eyes over me, settling on the weapon still in my hands. It reminded me of how my Mother used to look at me; like I was a bug waiting to meet death under a shoe. “I am simply taking back what is mine, little mortal. Don’t presume to know what has transpired here in the past. If losing my child to gain the death of this, this vile and obscene creature, so be it.”

  My legs started to shake, and I willed them to hold. “You could always enlighten me.”

  She gave her head a little shake, a harsh and jagged laugh leaving her lips. “What is your name?”

  “Essallie.”

  “Essallie,” Arielle said, drawing on the syllables as if testing them on her tongue. “Lovely name. Different. Well, Essallie,” her fingers wrapped tighter around her staff, revealing long red nails nearly as long as each fingers, tiny gems pressed and glittering on the tips. “Perhaps you can ask Kayden why he felt the need to brutally slaughter over seventy of my females, stripping them of their gills, before he vanished into the night.” Heat from her stare beat on my face, as if she had stuck my head in an oven. Slowly, she turned her burning gaze to Kayden. “Well? Was it worth it? Slaughtering all those souls, our own family, all for your precious Juliet?”