Beguiled (Book 2 Immortal Essence series) (16 page)

I turned away from Ramien and stared at Michael. He’d been through so much. His mother never really loved him. His Earth father—Frank—belonged to ALT, the alien life tracker unit that specialized in hunting down and studying any alien they discovered. I wondered if
Frank knew
Michael wasn’t human.
When Michael was a child, before Frank left, the man
would cut Michael, torture him.
He
never loved his son. Now it made more sense. Frank wasn’t Michael’s father, real or otherwise. His real father was worse.

Ramien continued, “When Catherine arrived at Ith and Aetha’s, they searched her thoughts, like they do all kels, and finding her innocent, allowed her to become kelvieri. Problem was, when they bestowed the gift upon Catherine, it went into Michael instead of her.”

He chuckled and I felt sick. So Michael was like me—a kelvieri.

“When the gods realized what had happened, they sent Catherine
to Earth
, hoping to protect her, hoping to protect her child. It worked, of course, for a while.” He sought out my eyes, and held them. “I was beyond frustrated. But, in the end
their simple strategies
didn’t matter. I found something much better than half a ferether.” He stepped closer. “I discovered you, my pretty little goddess.”

I was still trying to wrap my thoughts around what he’d said about Michael’s mom. “But
if
Michael didn’t know. If he
is half
kelvieri, how did his father—Frank hurt him?”

“Excellent questions. I’m not sure, but I believe it has something to do with the ferether in him.” He sneered. “The sad thing is, you’re so arrogant and blissfully naive, you still aren’t asking the right questions.”

“What do you mean?” A strange worry began to work its way through my veins.

“Well, obviously you have no idea who you
really
are.
Your parents, the real and pretend one’s, lied to your pretty little face all these years. And these are the people you trusted. So sad.” He shook his head in mock melancholy. “
I’ll tell you on our wedding day. We’ll do a big reveal. It’ll be amazing. And a
side from
your pedigree
, Michael believes you are his soul mate. He’s made it clear he’ll do ever
ything in his power to stop me.”
Ramien paused, and searched my face.

I winced.
His words
were hypnotic
.
Michael
had agreed to do all Ramien commanded.
I was there when Michael promised.
“Does
Michael even have a choice?
”

“
No. Michael
will do as I say. The decision is no longer his, but
his strongest desire is to save you.”

I huffed, frustrated. I didn’t want Michael killed, but I couldn’t allow him to kill my sister either.
“It doesn’t matter, Ramien. No matter what you tell me
, I’ll still choose my sister. She’s family.”
The
barrier holding back my tears rose. They
pressed heavily against
it. Just a splinter and I’d be a blubbering mess
. Why did I
even
have
to
choose? Why were the gods allowing this?

“I sense you believe what you say, but I’ll give you some time. Allow those whose lives are on the line a chance to spe
ak.”
Amidst a twirl of mist, he evaporated.

I breathed a sigh of relief.
I didn’t like it when
Ramien
was around.

“Amberlee,” I
barked
.
It was strange seeing her altered into a ferrikat. The bottom half of her a f
ish while the top half remained
normal
. Questions about why she
’d been changed filled my mind and
weighed down my tongue with the need to ask. And I would, once this mess was over. 

She shivered at the sound of h
er name. “Venus,” she responded with a sneer.

I waited for her to say something. Like
,
I’m sorry for poisoning you. I’m sorry I had a part in your being
exiled to Earth. I’m sorry for . . .
“Did you kill my irrihunter, Sadraden?” I asked.

She sighed. “Are you
sure you want me to answer
?”

It was strange watching her lips move w
hen the rest of her hung
suspended and immobile, like a colorful
painting of an
angel with fins instead of wings. “Yes, I do.”

Amberlee sigh
ed again. “Fine. Yes, my part in the plan was to poison you and kill your irrihunter.
Both of which I did.
Happy now?”

By the gods, she was as much a brat as ever. “No, I’m not happy. Why
kill her
? What did they promise you in return for murdering an innocent creature?”
The dam cracked
behind my eyes, tears prick
l
ed, but I blinked them back.

“You don’t understand anything. You were never meant to rule Alayeah. Y
ou aren’t even my sister. You are
an imposter. A fraud. And once I
learned the truth
,
I had no problem doing whatever it took to get you
out of Alayeah. The fact that you ended up on Earth was a mistake.” Her eyes fluttered, like she fought tears. “Palmo doesn’t know how it happened. You weren’t supposed to become immortal. But we can still save Alayeah. Once I’m freed, and you’re married to Ramien, a true Carania, one who understands what The Order has planned
,
will rule. And in case you were wondering, t
he
Carania
I speak of
would be me. Not you. There isn’t an
ounce of Carania blood in your
body.
”
She spit out the words like they were bad food. Fiery anger seared her eyes. She believed what she said to be true, but she was wrong.

I was a true Carania. My mother and father trained me to become the next leader from the first moment I could remembe
r. The tutors, the Chans,
they all treated me like I was their next ruler. Didn’t they? 

“Have you lost it? I
am
your sister, Amberlee.” My immortal heart began to beat rapidly.

“
See
. Amberlee isn’t even family,” Ramien’s voice echoed through
the stifling, dark sky
.

“Shut up!” I ran to the other side of the bridge. “Michael.”

His eyes opened. A smile curved his features. “Hi.”

My body relaxed. “
Can you move
?”

He suddenly appeared
next to me on the bridge
.

A
scream caught in
my thro
at. Maybe it really was a trap? “
How did you get up here so quickly
?”

“One of the new
tricks
I’ve
learned
.
” He brushed some hair off my face. Then he leaned down
as though to kiss my cheek, but whispered in my ear instead.
“
Ramien can’t keep m
e hostage. He can’t even really hurt me.”
As he spoke he wrapped his hands around the medallion, and yanked it from his neck. “May I?”
he asked, nodding toward my neck
.

“You want me to wear it?”
A
strange rightness seep
ed
into my heart.

“Yes, please.”

“Okay.” I turned. He tied it
so the medallion settled between my collarbones.
His fingers brushed against my back, causing shivers to radiate along my spine.

Again,
he whispered, “Ramien can’t see it. Only you and I can. Don’t let him know you have it.”

I
faced
him. “I won’t, Michael.”

He pressed m
e to his chest, and I reveled
in
his
warmth.

“I’m not sure what to do. What should I do?” I
said
.

“Choose Amberlee. Everything will work—” He didn’t finish, and the weight of his body fell into me.

“Michael,” I asked, holding him up. When he didn’t respond, I pushed away. A maroon substance made a circle on
the front of
his shirt
, under his ribs
. Tentative, I touched it. Sticky, and warm, I knew it was his blood. “Michael,” I shouted.

“You
may
be half a god, but you can still die, you foolish boy.” Ramien stood behind him, a sharp object in his hand.

“
What have you done
?
”
I held Michael in my arms. His eyes were closed and I felt the emptiness of his absence.
Frantic, I shook Michael. “Wake up. Michael. Please. Wake up.
Don’t go. Don’t leave me. Please. Michael.
”

Ramien
chuckled. “
He’s only half ferether and not even the good half. Michael
told you to choose your
pretend
sister. I went ahead and made it easy on you.”

I
lay Michael
down on the floor of the bridge
, and dove at Ramien,
clawing
my nails
into his
face
. “But
I hadn’t really chosen yet
. Those were the rules.”
I had chosen. No matter what, I had to pick Amberlee, but that didn’t make seeing Michael lying in a pool of blood any easier.

Ramien pushed me away, and I fell
, tripping over Michael’s
unmoving
legs
.

“It’s my game. My rules. Besides, I’ve grown tired
of the frivolity
.” He
picked up Michael’s body, and an emotion, one that reminded me of
sorrow
, crossed his face. Lifting Michael over his head, I realized too late what Ramien
intended
to do. Ramien threw Michael
off
the bridge. I ran to the
edge
, and watched as Michael’s body hit the lava with a thick splash.

“Michael. No.
”
The words barely escaped, like I’d been punched in the gut.

Michael’s body erupted in fire and was consumed.

“By the gods,
I will destroy you.
Somehow,
I swear it,
”
I hollered, clutching my stomach.
The barrier behind my eyes broke in a gush. With it
came
a mournful cry. Within a short space of time I lost Zaren, and now Michael. I had to save my parents.

An angry determination rode Ramien’s features. “
No more games. Time to
get dressed. You’ve a wedding to attend.”

I nodded bli
ndly
, hoping I could do it alone
.

16.
Loser

Ramien used his . . . whatever (I had no idea what) . . .
mojo, and we were back in the bedroom
where
I first
met
Angela. She
was there again,
back
together, and cowering
in the corner.
“What’ll happen to Amberlee?” I asked
, hoping to somehow slow down the events about to unfold. I didn’t want to marry Ramien.

“After
she’s
paid her debt to me, she’ll be free.
”

“What debt? W
hat do you mean?”

Ramien grabbed me by the arm, and shook me hard. “Shut up and get dressed. No more stall
ing.”

Angela let out a squeak.
“
Keep quiet, Angela. Or
more
pain
will be
in your future.” He laughed.

The girl
nodded, mutely.

I tried another tactic
, pulling my arm from his grasp
. “Won’t marrying me go against the law of the Universe?”

“Ah, you’re finally beginning to think. No, technically it won’t.”

“But I’m not a ferether. I can’t do the things you can do. It’s only been six weeks since I became a kelvieri.”
What was he saying? I was kelarian. Born and raised. Kelari was my home.
Yet he implied
our species were similar
. Or did he mean ferether’s and kelvieri were somehow related.