Chapter 739: Prophecy
Was it wrong I felt suddenly stunned, as though someone hit me on the head again?
"Is it time, then?" I met Iepa's eyes, stunned to think this could be over very soon. Which meant rescuing Quaid and the Zornovs would have to wait.
But every minute ticking by with them in Belaisle's hands could mean their death. Maybe not Trill and her brothers, not if he thought he needed them. But Quaid was a liability.
Yes, I worried about him. A lot. Sue me for still caring.
The quick shake of Iepa's head, her glance sideways at Trinol, unclenched the knot in my gut a fraction. "Not yet," she said. "There is still another to find before the prophecy can be complete."
Cool. Enough time to make the daring rescue so I could focus.
Ameline spun on the two maji, her anger flaring once again. Made me wonder how much influence Ahbi had over her and if it was my grandmother's temper showing.
"Prophecy." She spit the word at them both, magic swirling around her. "I am the Dark One and I will fulfill my destiny in the way of my choosing."
Iepa was already reaching for her, Trinol's low cry and deep scowl marring his flawless skin as Ameline's form flared with iridescent light and vanished.
The dark maji guide's snarl of fury came only a moment before he, too, flashed with power and disappeared, leaving Iepa to stare after them with both hands over her mouth.
"Sydlynn," she whispered in a voice full of horror. "You must go after her."
Not. "You're so worried about Ameline," I said, "you do it. I'm tired of cleaning up after you."
Max snorted softly beside me as I turned away from the shaking maji and scooped up my demon cat. His amber eyes flared as his tail thrashed against me.
Liam and Shenka joined us, Charlotte appearing behind them, only now visible as she descended to my side.
"Please, Sydlynn." Iepa didn't approach, just stood there and trembled, hands outstretched toward me. "Before it's too late."
"I've done everything you've asked of me," I said. "And you've done nothing but betray me at every turn." Okay, not every turn. But she wasn't all that much help, damn it, and I was tired of being her lackey girl. "I have real friends to save. Who mean far more to me than Ameline Benoit could ever hope to."
"It's not my choice," Iepa wailed. "Nor is it yours. Fate, your Fate, ours, dictates. We are all just Her tools."
I rested my chin on Sassy's head as I scowled at her. "You're saying Fate is a person now?"
Max rumbled an agreement before Iepa could answer. "Yes, indeed," he said. "Both the Light and the Dark have a Fate they answer to, Syd." He glared at my maji guide. "You did not tell her so?"
Iepa didn't respond, hanging her head.
"Irresponsible and pathetic," he snarled at her. "And you hope for Light to win? How? By making your vessel guess at every turn?"
"Fate wanted-"
He cut her off with a deep growl and a puff of fire from his lips. Guess that answered my question about the whole flame breathing thing. "I know Fate far better than you," he said. "And she would never, ever ask such a thing." Max turned his back on Iepa. "But one thing is certain." I wasn't going to like what he had to say. Positive of it. "You must go after Ameline. Without her, you are lost and only the gathered armies of the magic races will stand against the Brotherhood."
And lose. Yeah, watched that movie a few times, thanks.
Liam's arm went around my shoulders. "I think you've all bullied her enough, haven't you?"
So sweet. Misguided and unnecessary. But that was my Liam.
"Sydlynn," Iepa's tears trickled over her cheeks as she trembled. "I beg you, you must not allow her to die."
"She's not immortal?" I was, supposedly. And pretty much invincible.
"You both have your strengths and weaknesses," Iepa said. "Your immortality is not shared between you."
Which made me wonder what I had she didn't. Like it mattered.
Damn Ameline anyway. And my sense of duty.
Sucked.
"Syd," Sass said, one paw rising to touch my cheek as I looked down at him. "Don't let everything you've been through be for nothing."
Shenka's power bumped against me. "You can kill her yourself later," she said.
Charlotte's growl of agreement made me smile. "I'll hold her down," the weregirl said. "But you've come so far. We all have, thanks to you. Don't let this fall apart because of her selfishness."
And that was what it came down to, didn't it? Ameline and her stupid ego.
"Fine," I said. Handed Sass to Liam. Stood on my tiptoes to kiss my husband. His hand dove into my hair, pulled my mouth tight against his, a thread of fear passing through the love and support he sent me.
"Love you," he whispered. "Please come back to me."
Choke. I turned away, couldn't afford the weakness I felt at leaving him behind. Leaving them all behind.
I looked up into Max's diamond eyes as he smiled and nodded.
"Let me take you to her," he said. "I think it's time the Brotherhood understood just who they are up against."
Maybe we could kill two birds with one dragon. After all, Ameline had to have gone to the stronghold plane, right? Sudden relief almost made my knees wobble. Rescue Quaid and the Zornovs, scoop up Ameline and we'd be good to go.
"No," Iepa said in a gasp of breath. "You cannot interfere, drach."
He glared at her, a puff of smoke emerging from his flaring nostrils.
"Go back to minding your own business, child," he said as he seized my hand.
I didn't get a chance to ask him what he was talking about, what kind of show he had in mind. The moment he was done putting Iepa in her place, he tore open the veil and dragged me through.
Until his body morphed, changed beside me just after he tossed me over his head. The veil's rubber membrane didn't slow me down as I seemed to rise forever, heart pounding, not afraid of heights inside the veil itself.
Opened my mouth to scream as I exited the other end in an empty, gray sky and started to fall.
***
