Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (21 page)

Fury rose hard and ugly. Thermal images burst forth as the bird surged ahead.

“Evan, hear me now.”
His sister’s voice burst into his mind, cooling the beast with her presence alone.
“You’re pissed, I know, I get it. Drake has told me what’s happening. Bring her to me now.”

Evan stumbled as energy came at him from afar.
“Rhiannon…”
Evan stifled the sob pressing to come out.
“She’s not going to make it.”

“She will. Bring her now. I’ve connected with her and taken over holding her spirit, but I need her in Avalore to complete the ritual.”

“Drake, we’re going home.” He didn’t bother giving the men orders. They would fall in line. Without a backward glance at the bastard who had caused her so much pain, he pulled Brienne into his arms and took to the air. Her soft breaths tickled his skin. If he didn’t know any better, he could fool himself into thinking she was sleeping. But she wasn’t.

They were only a few miles from the border. He would have her in Avalore in an hour, less than that.

“We’re on our way. Are the others ready?”
He sent the words to his sister, needing the connection with the one who held his mate’s spirit close.

When Brienne’s body shuddered against him, he put on another burst of speed. He was lighting the sky so bright with his energy that any beast could have spotted him, but he didn’t care. He just had to get there.

“We’ll start the moment you arrive. Come straight to the healing chamber.”
Rhia’s soft touch caressed his mind.
“Evan…”

He could hardly think, much less speak with the grief already swamping him.
“What?”

“I won’t let her slip away.”

Off in the distance, the purple-streaked sky grew nearer, lighter. The closer he got, the faster he flew. He was almost there. Slight as she was, he didn’t have any difficulty carrying her, but the energy he was expending took its toll. A deep, throbbing ache at the base of his skull told him he was draining his power faster than he could take more in, but he didn’t care. The moment Drake joined him, the pain in Evan’s head dulled as Drake poured potent energy into him.

Brienne’s body trembled in his arms and her breaths lengthened as they crossed into Avalore.
“That’s right, sweetheart, we’re almost home.”
She couldn’t hear him, but he pressed the thought into her mind anyway, if only to reassure himself.

The castle grounds, usually a hub of activity, were all but deserted. No one greeted them as they flew in and navigated the halls at speeds more suited to wide-open spaces. Jasmine and lavender filled the air with their sweet aroma, reaching for him even before he turned the corner.

The dull hum of conversation grew louder, and he understood why the courtyard was empty. There, within the long, wide hallway leading to the healing chambers, gathered familiar faces of family and friends. All of them congregated to come to her aid—to his.

Slowing as he approached the ornate doors, he had to blink back the moisture from his eyes. Never had the sense of belonging been so strong in him. Warmth and energy poured into him from all directions. Later, he would have to thank everyone, but right now, he couldn’t stop. The doors opened before him, allowing his passage into the healing chamber—to his salvation.

Dressed in long, white gowns, the women of Avalore converged, closing the circle as he walked past with Brienne. At the center, a soft, raised platform had been prepared to receive his mate. Flower petals drifted to the floor when he placed her still body upon the cushion, cradling her like a soft cloud.

The ceremony required four women, yet the room filled to overflowing, each woman eager to lend a hand. Rhia came to him then, touching his arm with her small hand. Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“We have to get started.” She nodded to Katie and Chantelle, who stood close by.

Pure feminine energy filled the room, surged around her, around him, lifting his spirit when he needed it most.

“What…” Evan cleared his throat once. “What do you want me to do?” His gaze sought his sister’s.

“Just hold her hand. We’ll do the rest.” Rhia, still touching him, filled him with light so bright he could hardly see before she pulled back and took her place next to Brienne.

Releasing the breath he had been holding, Evan got down on his knees beside his mate and took her cool hand in his.

Rhia turned to face the women of Avalore. “I’d ask for a healer to please come forth to assist in the ceremony.” She didn’t raise her voice, yet it rang clear throughout the chamber.

Near the foot of the altar, a petite woman stepped forward. Her blond curls sprang in every direction. “My queen, it would be an honor to assist you in this healing.”

Rhia took the woman in with an appraising look before smiling brightly. “Yes, thank you.” With a sweep of her hand, she directed her to come to the platform and take her place.

“You can’t interfere, no matter what happens, okay?”
Rhia’s soothing voice slid into his mind.

“Yes. Do what you need to do.”
Evan’s experience in battle had taught him well. Not all healings were quick or easy. Whatever needed to happen, he would allow.

Brienne lay as he had placed her with her eyes closed, one hand resting on her belly and the other lying listless in his. Her soft, silky hair spread around her head like a fiery halo. Evan wanted to bury his face in the luxurious locks and just breathe her in. There would be time for that later. For now, she needed the women to perform their ceremony and bring her back to him.

Lulled by the soft chants of the women filling the chamber, Evan closed his eyes and pushed all negativity aside. Ancient words spilled from the women, though he was sure most of them didn’t know the old dialects. Rhia, raised in the lands of men, had no way of knowing it, yet her invocations were almost perfect.

The sweet scents of jasmine and lavender filled him as he breathed deep. Ceremonial candles burned all around them, their flames licking higher and brighter with each whispered word. Rhia had taken her place at Brienne’s head. The healer to the right, and next to Evan, on the left, Katie took her place, with Chantelle at the foot.

Even with his eyes closed, he saw the energy, pure and bright, circling them all, gaining in strength as the women sought the Goddess’ guidance and light. Only once the room vibrated with color and energy did he open his eyes again to watch the ritual.

Rhia led the women through the ceremony, guiding them through their tasks until it came time for the healing. The woman, inches shorter than the others, placed her hands above Brienne and closed her eyes. Her head fell forward as she lost herself in her task, her fingers trembling as she worked.

Engrossed as he was in watching the woman work, he didn’t realise things were not going as planned until he heard Rhia’s soft moan. He turned his head just in time to see her go down to her knees. Sweat beaded on her skin and her brows furrowed in pain, but he didn’t dare speak. Heart pounding, he turned back to the healer. Silent tears flowed down her face, but she kept going, oblivious to anything and anyone around her. The voices around him swelled as the others joined forces, energy slipping from one to the other in the outer ring to find a home in whichever of the four needed it most.

Time stood still as he watched, helpless to do more than observe. Something was horribly wrong. The women did things differently than the men when they healed, but it shouldn’t be such a struggle. Both Rhia and the healer were now on their knees. The healer’s breaths were shallow and her head dropped so low he couldn’t see her face. The energy surrounding her dulled and throbbed.

He didn’t know how long it lasted, but as time went on, each breath became more difficult, each word more strained, until he could hardly sit and watch them all suffer.

The fine tremor in Brienne’s body vibrated through him where he held her hand and grew in strength as the healer rallied and lifted her head. Her voice, no longer her own, boomed in the room, earning gasps from those supplying the energy as she fought for Brienne’s life.

All four women linked hands, forming a tight circle around him and Brienne. White light gathered above Brienne’s body, encompassing her, yet the life force the women had summoned for Brienne would not reside in her body.

Evan’s heart stuttered and pain lashed through him. Tears streaked down his cheeks as he bent his head down to her hand. When he looked up at his mate again, her breaths were ragged and her lips tinted blue. A tight vise squeezed at his heart, taking his breath. Had he not already been on his knees, he would have fallen.
“Don’t you dare leave me!”
He shoved the words torn from his soul into her mind.

The healer looked up then, her eyes glazed and unseeing, yet she looked directly at him. “We need your assistance.” The three other women remained entranced, holding hands.

Swallowing around the fist-sized lump in his throat, Evan gathered more energy to him. He knew the energy he took would weaken the women further, but he had no other choice. “Tell me what you need.”

“Darkness has found its way into her body. It runs from my light, too fast to catch, too cunning to trick. It will feast upon her light until there is no more.” Pain contorted her pretty face. “You must find it and destroy it. It seeks to harm not only her, but those trying to heal her as well.” With those final words, the healer’s glassy eyes rolled upward before she crumpled to the ground, too exhausted to remain upright.

“Get your asses in here. Bring Sebastian and Michael.”
Shoving his pain and desperation aside, he called for both Aiken and Drake at once.

The door opened immediately, a cool breeze wafting in before them, but the women continued their chant as though nothing was amiss. With single-minded purpose, the men made their way to the center, gentle but determined as they pushed their way through.

“What the hell is going on here?” At once, Drake went to his mate, taking her in his arms and infusing her with energy. The moment it mingled with hers, her breathing eased and the pained expression she wore lessened.

Evan didn’t know how he was going to find the darkness in Brienne’s body, but he had to figure it out and fast.

“Whatever is attacking Brienne, is now going after Rhia, Katie, Chantelle and the healer.” Emotions cast aside; he briefed his men the way he would for any other mission, stating only facts.

Aiken rounded the dais just as the words registered. “Mari.” Scooping the petite blonde up off the ground, he held her in his arms while energy pooled around him to enter her body. It came as no surprise when Sebastian found his way to Chantelle’s side, leaving Michael to care for Katie.

“Aiken, you’re the expert here, guide us through it. What do we look for? The healer—”

“Mari, her name is Mari,” Aiken said, his voice a little shaken.

“Mari said it hid from her light and was too cunning to be tricked.” Evan observed as his brother centered himself and gathered deep indigo energy before doing the same, indicating with his actions that the others should follow suit.

This time, when his energy reached inside Brienne, it was an entirely new world in there. What appeared normal a short while ago was teeming with little sparks of sizzling darkness. They inundated her body. When left alone, they attacked whatever cells they encountered, leaving nothing untouched, but when his energy came near, the frenzied sparks dashed away.

“
Aiken, what do we do with these?”
He opened the conversation to all four men at once, speaking in their minds rather than disrupting the women’s chants.

Aiken was silent for a moment longer, assessing the situation before he spoke.
“They scatter the moment I try to get close enough to destroy them.”
He looked down into Mari’s glazed stare.
“The microorganisms don’t think. They react. They run to save themselves. It is self-preservation even before the cellular level. We can’t hope to catch them like this.”

Evan groaned, and Drake growled.
“So what are we supposed to do?”

“We’ll have to trick them. We’ll start with Brienne since she’s in imminent danger, and then move to the other women. Evan, gather the brightest, purest energy you can find and create a thick wall of it. Concentrate it in one particular area. Stay away from internal organs in case this doesn’t work.”

Aiken’s clear, concise instructions gave Evan hope. His brother was the best healer they had. He didn’t have the power of the women, but if anyone could figure this out, Aiken could. Had they known they were dealing with dark entities, they never would have allowed the women to put themselves at risk. As strong as they were, they couldn’t touch the darkness.

“
Drake, you’ll need nothing but dark energy, the darker the better. Cover Evan’s light. Make sure none of it shines through, not even the smallest particle.”

When both men had accomplished their tasks, pooling first Evan’s light energy into the base of her abdomen, and then covering it with Drake’s, Aiken took over again.

“I’m going to chase the organisms to you. It’s going to be fast, so be ready. When I give the word, Drake, you have to pull out and if all goes according to plan, they’ll slam into Evan. Hopefully they’ll fry in the light.”