Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5) (18 page)

Elder Farrar just raised a hand, a beam of gold shooting from his palm, and Tristan was floating in the air inside a gold bubble…until Elder Farrar flicked his hand. The bubble slammed to the ground, cracking, and knocked Tristan unconscious.

I bent over Tristan’s limp form as I glowed white, hearing all of the supposed spirit Elementals shouting when their power wouldn’t work. I chose a diamond dagger from my secret cache…and knifed Tristan with my glowing blade.

He awoke from the vicious stab, a wild noise erupting from his mouth. White ash poured from the wound, and abruptly he was no longer there. Except for a pile of tiger bones, a diamond collar, and a mist of pure white floating to the heavens.

“Holy shit,” King Zeller shouted over some of the few still battling, disgusted and shocked at the same time. He kept a hand on an unconscious Reese, staring wide-eyed at the bones then back to Reese. “They’re fucking zombies, or some shit?”

Close enough.

Not saying a word, I quickly raced toward him before Reese woke. Pulling the stars’ fire down through the blade of my dagger, I stabbed him in the arm King Zeller held out for me. Like Tristan, white ash poured from the wound before Reese instantly became a pile of bones and clothes, a white mist rising into the air and disappearing.

This was how I worked, taking care of Roselle next.

Then Mr and Mrs Damon.

I saved the worst for last. I walked around the table with the shell-shocked Kings and Elders behind me, where Elder Merrick had Leric on his stomach in a complicated position so the Elemental couldn’t move at all. I motioned for the Elder to lift Leric’s head as I squatted in front of them. Elder Merrick grabbed a handful of Leric’s hair, yanking his bloody face up while keeping a firm grip on him.

My smile was cruel as I stared down into silver eyes. “Whoever you are, you will die for this little game you played.”

A disgusting sneer lifted his lips. “I’m surprised you figured it out, you stupid bitch.”

I hummed lightly, twirling my dagger. “It definitely took me longer than it should have. But you’ll still die in the end.” My lips curved even further. “Especially when I tell the One what you’ve been up to.”

He laughed, one bloody eyebrow lifting. “You mean, like fucking you?”

My chuckle was breathless, and I spoke in a high-pitched, fake sympathetic voice. “Whatever do you mean?” I lifted my dagger straight. “We didn’t fuck because you couldn’t, what was that again?” I let the dagger point downward. “Oh yeah. You couldn’t get it up.” An innocent expression. “Or don’t you remember?”

His eyes narrowed instantly. “That was this body’s fault.”

I didn’t need Brann snorting to tell me that was a
lie
. The first one told by this ‘mind’ that was caught.

“Somehow, I doubt that, since the real Leric Damon has many women who just love to talk around the Temple about his prowess.” I shook my head, my eyes guiltless. “I do believe that problem belongs to the mind behind that body.” I faked a gasp, throwing a hand over my mouth, before I flicked a finger at his face. “That would be…you.”

I smiled, then I pulled out my silver knife from under my jacket. “I just want to test a quick theory.” I twirled the silver knife through my fingers before I stabbed his right hand.

He grunted, shaking the barest bit.

“Oh, God. I’m right.” I smiled happily, seriously thrilled with this aspect. Many cruel thoughts ran rapidly inside my mind with the proof he could feel pain.

“Fuck you, bitch. You were more than happy with everything I gave and said to you.”

“Mostly. When you didn’t have to mind-spell it.” I lifted the silver knife, running the blade up his arm slowly, cutting him in a very fine line. “You played the perfect role, getting into not only my psyche, but the others’. Which only makes me wonder why you wanted to be ‘in’ so badly. Why you wanted everyone to trust you. Why you wanted everyone indebted to you.” I sighed, enjoying watching him shiver in pain, his teeth grinding. “But, I know what you’re doing right now.” I glanced into his silver eyes. “Stalling as you are. It won’t work.” I wiped my silver knife on his shirt, the red blood smearing grotesquely against the white cotton. “It’s time for you to go away.”

I arced my dagger of stars’ fire viciously into his head, stabbing him right through the temple. White ash poured out around my blade before his body disappeared. Elder Merrick quickly adjusted when only bones and clothes appeared under him.

The white mist lifted and disappeared, heading back to its true owner.

Chapter Seventeen

Emerging from my room at the Manor a week later, overly tired from night after night of nightmares—my subconscious was
screaming
at me—I went down to breakfast. I had been holed up in my room since we returned to New York. The only time I left my room was to send Sin one spelled letter. But I was done with my girlish crying jags and self-pity, and done trying to mentally work through the betrayal and the fury of being deceived so badly. The complete mortification. Those gripping emotions had me in the corner at times, my body trembling.

But I understood now. I had been a victim. There was no blaming myself anymore.

Revenge…that was a different story. I was game for revenge.

Hell yes, I was.

There was a journey I needed to first take to understand the mind behind the Walkers. It was a mission I had been thinking back and forth about as I sat in my bedroom, the green and white walls at times feeling like they were swallowing me. This was step one to catching the bastard who had done this.

When I entered the Elemental kitchen during breakfast, everyone stopped eating, their eyes going to me. All of their expressions quickly altered. Careful. Neutral. I muttered, “I’m not going to break. I’m done with that, so don’t you dare pity me.” I moved toward the food, my black boots at odds with the colorful tiles. “You were all screwed over too, so don’t pretend like you’re fine for my sake.”

King Collins cleared his throat. “We are angry. But it’s not the same for us.”

I grabbed a plate, maybe a bit too forcefully. “Yes, I know this. You don’t need to remind me. My point is, I wasn’t the only one hurt in this.” I scooped oatmeal on my plate, and a few pieces of toast, and claimed my empty seat at the silent table. I hung my black purse with the hot pink skull on the back of my chair, my attention on King Collins. “I know everyone’s been discussing what happened and ways to keep it from happening again. And I know you’re still working on the issue of Philip Masterson, but I need to do what I said that night. I thought everyone could compile a list of pertinent questions to ask when I go.”

King Collins stared at me for a long moment. “You’re going to the Temple.”

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. “Yes.”

“To speak with the real Leric Damon?”

I nodded once, eating a large spoonful of oatmeal. “I don’t want to.” I shook my head, glancing down at my plate. “But I have to.” I ran a hand through my hair before peering back up to him. “Plus, he may be able to answer questions for us.”

Queen Cooper placed her folded hands on the table, asking in a soothing voice, “Are you sure this is the best route?”
For you
, her golden gaze said.

My head dropped backward on my chair, and I stared blindly at the ceiling. “It’s my only option. We’re up against a powerful Mystical. And the One will know them all. With the right questions, we may be able to track down this fucker before he attacks us again.” I tilted my head to King Collins. “You all understand that a Mystical was the orchestrator behind both attacks, correct?” I still couldn’t say too much, as no secrets were revealed outside the Temple.

“You mean the Shadows?” My King’s blue eyebrows rose. “Yes, we’ve deduced that much. It was too coincidental.” He smirked, slow and steady. “The Mystical was also the orchestrator behind the…Walkers.”

I blinked at him. “You should probably tuck away whatever book you’ve been reading, because if I came across it…you would no longer have it.”

King Collins’s head jerked to Queen Ruckler. She nodded once for my
truth
. He muttered, “Well, hell. I’ll have to hide the damn thing then.” He scowled at me a moment. “That would have been nice to know beforehand.”

“I’ve learned to talk in code now.” I took a few bites of my oatmeal. “Anyway, I’ll want that list of questions as soon as possible.”

Elder Farrar cleared his throat, and we all peered to him as he lifted a yellow pad of paper off the breakfast table, handing it and a pencil to me. “I took notes during the meetings, writing down our most important questions, but you may want to add a few of your own.” I held the pad of paper and pencil in one hand, gaping. He merely tapped his temple before shrugging his shoulders. “I knew you were going.”

“Right.” I stared at the pad of paper and pencil in my hand. Seeing the scribbled list made it that much more real. “Thank you.”

“You’ll do fine,” Elder Farrar murmured in a gentle voice. My wide, slightly scared eyes lifted to him. “Just be yourself, tell the truth.” He tilted his head. “Or the truth you need to tell. But ask questions. You won’t faint or throw up or cry or do anything else when you’re in front of him that you’re afraid of.” Slow words. “Even though I can’t
see
it, I know you’ll be fine.”

Air rushed past my lips, my chest heaving. “I’m not scared.”

His smile was tender. “Anyone would be in your situation.”

My nostrils flared. I tapped my own temple. “Can you tell me why that goddamn mother-fucker targeted me specifically?”

He shook his head slowly.

I sucked in a shaky breath. “All right.” I stared down at the notes, not even seeing the words. “No time like the present, it appears.” A glance to King Collins. “I’ll be back in a while.”

“If you need me, just…” King Collins’s brows pinched. “Hell, I don’t know where the Temple is, but if you need me, and you have a way to contact me spirit-style, do so. I’ll be there for you.”

Quiet words. “Thank you.” I glanced at Brann. “Do you still have my swords?”

His head shook, amber eyes shining in the morning light. “Actually, I handed it over to Elder Merrick. He requested it…and I agreed.”

I blinked slowly at his wording. My eyes flicked to Elder Merrick. And held.

My problems had escalated to an Elder’s special touch. Wonderful.

Endless navy blue eyes held my gaze unflinchingly. He said not a word.

My lips lifted sardonically, the smile of the fucked and jaded. But I did trust this Elder. After all, he had nailed the Walker Leric for me and held him immobile until I could end the bastard. “I’ll be back for them.”

A black brow lifted. “They’ll be waiting like they have been.”

I stared. “Damn, you can speak.”

He eyed me. No expression. Grunted.

“Or maybe not.” My lips twitched as I grabbed my purse off the back of my chair, stuffing the pad of paper and pencil in it. I glanced at Brann and stood to my feet. “I’ll see you later, Herculean.”

“Later, Felon.”

I flashed bright white, opening my Core. The galaxies were my vision, my very being, as I floated into the pureness. I whispered to the stars, “
Temple, give me access.”

Abruptly, my boots were firmly planted on white sand, a blue ocean behind me.

Ten male Guardians stood in a row to the left of me, and ten more male Guardians stood in a row to my right. All of them were dressed in white silk from their waists to their knees, platinum polished spears in their hands, the deadly ends made of pure diamond. They stared out at the ocean. The sun was just beginning to set over it, casting a magnificent shine on the white Temple in front of me. It still reminded me of Arabian architecture, except it was enormous…and just a front for anyone entering. I inhaled heavily and jerked at the scent.

I had forgotten the smell of this majestic place.

Jasmine floated on a breeze of its own.

It was pure peace on the air.

The guards tried to ignore me—after seeing I was indeed a spirit that had come by way of the cosmos—but their eyes continued to flick toward me, all of them appraising my attire.

I realized too late my clothes were a bit eye-catching here. I was wearing my black leather pants, layered hot pink and white tank tops, and a trendy short black leather jacket. Plus my purse and hot pink streaked hair. I shrugged off their curiosity and moved toward the closest Guardian. “Do you know where the One is today? Or even possibly how I can request an audience with him?”

He thought about it a moment while ogling my attire more blatantly since I was talking with him. “The One is meeting upper house members’ requests today in the Royal Hall.” He glanced at the setting sun. “If you hurry, you could probably seek him out there.”

I bit my lip, glancing up the steps to the Temple. “I don’t remember how to get there.”

“Just go straight.” He stated evenly, but his lips twitched. “And please, stop back by here before you leave.” His eyes wandered to my clothes again. “Let me know how your conversation went.”

Dry words. “Thank you.”

As I walked up the stairs, he added, “You really should run if you want to catch him.”

“Perfect,” I muttered. I booked it up the stairs, breathing in jasmine as I raced through the arched white sanded walls of the Temple’s open entrance. I most definitely ignored the glances I got all around from the spirits literally stopping to gawk. I raced over the white and silver tiling, threading through the oglers at certain points and dodging fountain after fountain through the long main chambers. I kept to the center hallway, going straight as the Guardian had stated. But I still pointed straight ahead with my finger, asking a shocked spirit as I raced past her, “This way to the Royal Hall?”

She nodded distractedly, so I kept moving forward, running through many open sitting areas, more white sanded hallways, and lots of gawking spirit Elementals. I asked the occasional one if I was heading in the right direction, and Lord have fucking mercy, after fifteen minutes of straight running I finally came to a stop before enormous, white double doors. Two Guardians were on either side, one letting a well-appointed, regal spirit in before shutting the doors. I bent over, sucking in air directly in front of one of them. With my hands on my knees, I gasped, “Tell me that’s the Royal Hall.”