Undead Chaos (26 page)

The creature fell, but twisted to land upright. Upon impact, it slapped its paws against the forest floor. The shockwave shattered several small trees. Dozens of pieces of wooden shrapnel flew at Quinn and me. Quinn ducked behind a trunk, but I remained standing. Chunks of bark and numerous branches rammed into me. One piece tore the muscle in my calf while another glanced off my left bicep. I grunted, but latched onto the pain, redirecting it into my spell. I brought a muddy fist down on the creature’s head, driving it into the ground.

The blow dazed the animal, but it recovered in time to avoid my next fist. It staggered sideways, slashing at the forest in front of it. Trees tore from their roots and sailed toward me at blinding speed. I instinctively covered my face, and the trunks crashed into the earthen hands. The collision sent jarring waves of pain down the bones of my forearms, but the trees fell harmlessly to the ground.

I moved the hands in time to see the Hellcat sailing through the air. It covered the distance between us with frightening speed, swiping a paw as it landed in front of Quinn and me. The brush in front of us exploded in a shower or burning leaves and wood chips. A large fragment clipped Quinn’s head and she fell. The beast paused to watch as she struggled to her knees.

“She dies first,” it said, slashing at her.

Quinn ducked, but the claws sank into the palm of my left dirt-hand as I slid it in front of her. Blisters and blood exploded on my flesh, but the agony only charged me with more power. I swung my right hand overhead, smashing it onto the Hellcat’s back with all my might.

There was a sickening crunch and the beast collapsed to its knees with a shriek.

I yanked my dirt palm from the flaming claws, formed another fist, and pounded the creature again.

The storm within me raged and my pent-up emotions flowed from me with alarming force. Rather than fight it, I opened my senses and allowed it to consume me.

The energy overwhelmed me with an intoxicating explosion of ecstasy. My rage boiled over and I lost myself to the pleasure of finally unleashing the full magnitude of my emotions.

I drove my fists into the beast, smashing it over and over again. Flaming blood spewed from the battered body, scorching the ground. The creature wailed as I pummeled it without mercy.

As the fury of my emotions peaked, I grabbed the Hellcat in both dirt hands and lifted it into the air. There was an explosion deep inside me, and I bellowed as I released all my reserves, twisting and pulling the creature in opposite directions. The Hellcat howled in pain before detonating into a shower of fire and steam as it ripped in two.

Pain erupted behind my eyes as something popped in my sinuses. Blood flowed from my nose once more, cascading down my face. I ignored the metallic taste in my mouth and threw the pieces of the corpse to the ground.

My throat went hoarse as I screamed and pounded the burning piles until they were nothing more than flaming craters of death.

I continued flailing until I could no longer lift my arms. My emotions finally spent, the exhaustion and pain consumed me, and I lost my hold on the earth. The symbiotic limbs collapsed into large mounds of loose dirt. I sank to my knees, curling my hands into my chest as agony washed over me.

Quinn screamed my name, grabbing for me, but she felt and sounded light-years away. I leaned over and vomited into the grass. Blood pooled in front of me along with bile. I heaved two more times, emptying everything I’d eaten that week onto the forest floor.

When I finished I tried to stand, but the world was spinning out of control. Voices shouted all around me, and I was vaguely aware of Quinn running her hands over me. She yelled for me to stay conscious, but I could no more respond than I could do backflips. I fell forward, collapsing to the forest floor.

Then the world went black.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Radioactive Fallout

I was in limbo, floating somewhere between the living and the dead. Having spent a long time there after my first encounter with a Hellcat, the void was depressingly familiar.

Back then I’d nearly bled out on the marble floor of the Homestead. Healer Jenkins had saved my life utilizing spells and science that were both risky and revolutionary. In the interim between my near death and return to life, I’d been numb as I was suspended in the middle of nowhere.

This time, however, every inch of me hurt. Especially my hands. I flexed them, which sent sharp, nauseating pangs to my brain. The jolt yanked me toward consciousness.

I was vaguely aware of a reddish light and muffled voices in the distance. I could feel the soft mattress of a bed beneath me and could smell herbs and incense in the air.

The voices grew louder as the words began to coalesce into something coherent.

“I’m still amazed,” my father whispered.

“Everyone knew he had it in him,” another familiar voice replied. “He just needed time to heal.”

“It’s more than that. The sheer magnitude of the attack was shocking. I’ll grant you the beast was weakened, but the level of destruction Marcus dealt was staggering.”

“You think he tapped into the darkness?”

My father was silent for a moment. “I hope not.”

“Well, no matter what, the fact that he destroyed a Hellcat, and a matron at that, will give people a lot to think about when dealing with him in the future.”

“That thing was a
girl?
” I croaked. My mouth was dry and tongue thick. I cracked my eyes open. “No wonder it wouldn’t listen to you, Dad.”

My father grinned. Superficial scratches covered his face, but otherwise he was none the worse for wear.

“Good to see you finally awake. How do you feel?”

My hands were wrapped in thick gauze and ached, so I was extra careful as I scooted myself upward with my elbows. I leaned back into the large pillows of the gurney, allowing them to envelop my sore body.

“Like hell.”

“Well that’s understandable,” said Healer Jenkins, owner of the second voice. “You took quite a beating from the forces of that place.”

“Yeah, I did.” I tried to focus, but the room was still blurry. “How long have I been out?”

Jenkins checked his watch. “Just over a day. Most of your wounds will heal quickly. The damage to your calf muscle is repairing nicely, and the minor cuts will only take a few days. I set your nose, but the swelling will take about a week to diminish. Whatever you did to your wrist has almost completely healed. I did have to re-sew the stitches on your shoulder, but whoever did it earlier knew what they were doing. There will be little to no scarring.”

I looked down at my mummy hands. “What about these?”

“Those will take a while,” he said solemnly. “Most of the burns are second-degree, but thankfully your muscle tissue appears to be healing already. Your left hand suffered the worst of it. Along with the burns, the puncture wounds severed two tendons. I can’t give you an exact time line for recovery, but between medicine, magic and physical therapy, you should recover.”

“Should?” I asked with a sinking feeling in my chest.

“You, more than anyone, understand it’s hit or miss with Hellcats,” he said in a low voice. “But you healed last time, so I have faith in you.”

I stared at my hands, wondering if I was crippled for life. Thankfully I had an amazing Healer who, despite his loss, helped me recover from far worse last time. “Thank you,” I whispered.

The old hippie’s s eyes moistened. “No, Marcus, thank
you
. That was some nice payback for what those things did to Sparrow. You did good, kid.”

Hot tears stung my eyes and I cleared my throat to suppress them. I nodded and the Healer smiled.

“So what’s the after-action report?” I asked, turning to my father.

“Five guards killed, at least a dozen more injured in some capacity. Frank was wounded in the initial attack, but he is already back on duty at the front gate. Or at least, what’s left of it.

“Our attackers fared much worse,” he continued. “We’ve recovered the bodies of nearly thirty Quaos agents, including the ones you fought in the armory. Another dozen or so that fell to the Hellcat or to our forest friends. Those numbers are rough estimates since the pieces were scattered all over the woods.

“The Minotaur accounts for a handful more.” The man paused and chuckled. “He gave everyone quite a scare when he emerged from the woods. Thankfully we came to an understanding before he or any guards were injured.”

I could only imagine the surprise on everyone’s face as Steve stepped onto the yard.

“As for survivors,” Dad continued, “your friend Arbent arrived with a team of Warlocks and Mages soon after you blacked out. They helped us round up most of the remaining agents, all of whom are already in custody with the Council. Most are babbling or completely mad, but a few are lucid enough to interrogate. Hopefully we can use them to obtain useful information about their group.

“Speaking of Arbent,” he said. “The Council has procedures for these types of things, and you ruffled a lot feathers with your call to him.”

I smirked. “Good.”

My father rubbed his eyes. “No, Marcus, not good. I know you aren’t a fan of the Council or their red tape, but the rules exist for a reason. In this case, I agree that you did the right thing, but your actions are not without consequence. Arbent is going to receive an official reprimand.”

“Are you kidding me?” I asked in complete shock.

“I wish I was.”

I gritted my teeth in anger.

“You can’t always circumvent the system when you think it’s appropriate,” my father said quietly. “Nor can you expect that there won’t be repercussions. Just remember that for the future.”

My cheeks burned from the admonishment. “What about Hexcalibur?” I asked, wanting desperately to change topics.

“For the time being it remains under lock and key with Alexander. Who, by the way, was very glad to finally be released. Couldn’t wait to get outdoors.”

“He’s lived in the armory for as long as I can remember,” I said. “I’ve never known him to venture out of the room, much less outdoors.”

“Apparently it wasn’t an issue until you sealed the entrance. When he realized he no longer had the
option
to get out, it was all he wanted to do. Besides, he claimed some things were more important than the armory.”

“Like what?”

“Tending to your bees.”

I was pleased that Alexander was finally out of the house, and even more delighted that someone was as concerned about my girls as I was. They’d need a lot of time and attention to fully recover from the disaster.

Hell, we all would.

I rubbed the scar on my neck with my gauzed hand. “This turned out to be quite a mess.”

“Yes it did,” Jenkins agreed.

“What is the Council’s response to all of this?”

“It’s too early to tell,” my father said. “The members are working night and day to keep the Normals placated with information. We’ll have to suppress some of it until the inquiry boards complete their investigation, but with any luck, we can smooth over any lingering tensions.

“The issue of Quaos is a different matter entirely. Most of the leadership is appalled that a group like that could operate without their knowledge. Quaos was able to conduct experiments that required Skill at a level that is almost impossible to keep hidden for so long.”

“You think they had an ally within the Council?”

My father sighed. “I don’t know, but what little evidence we have points to that theory. The attack here bolsters that hypothesis.”

“Because of Hexcalibur?”

“Exactly. Only a handful knew where it was stored, which means they are all suspect.”

I wanted to tell him that I should be on that list.

Someone told Quaos the location of the sword and how to get past the deception spells of the property, but I was the one that retrieved it for them. It didn’t matter that I was unaware of the seeds that The Conduit had planted in my mind. The fact remained that the sword would have been fine in the vault. Instead, I convinced Quinn, Alexander and myself that removing it was the right move when in reality, it was exactly what The Conduit wanted. My cheeks burned, but my mouth remained shut.

“Since Quaos found us and penetrated our defenses,” my father continued, “the Council is convinced that the Homestead is no longer the best place to store their powerful artifacts. They are demanding that everything be transferred to a more secure facility. I’ve already made arrangements for the initial shipment of items, including Hexcalibur.”

“Where’s it going?”

“Nowhere.”

“It’s staying here?”

My father nodded. “All of it. The move is just an intricate ruse, however I intend for the sword to ‘disappear’ in the crush of paperwork between here and its new destination. If there is a traitor within the Council, it will keep them guessing for a long while.”

“They’ll eventually figure out you tricked them.”

“Perhaps,” he admitted. “But they will have a hard time convincing others that I am stupid enough to not only defy Council orders, but also keep such a deadly weapon in my home. Especially after this attack. We’re already changing the passcodes and increasing the level of security, so it would be suicidal to try and penetrate our home again.” My father shook his head. “As much as I hate to say it, this remains the safest place for all the items in the vault.”

In a weird way, it made sense. Dad wasn’t a senior member of the Delwinn Council because of his good looks.

“Thank goodness the sword will be safe,” I muttered.

“Indeed,” my father answered. “Sadly the damage has been done, and it will take some time before we can repair it.”

“What do you mean?”

Dad rubbed his eyes. “Hexcalibur created fractures in our reality, many of which sealed when you turned the sword against The Conduit. Unfortunately, a mended bowl is never as strong as it was before being broken. There are reports that some areas have weakened and started to splinter. The Council has already called for the creation of teams to handle them before they deteriorate further, or worse, rupture. Were that to happen, our entire realm would be at risk for attack from beings we know nothing about.”

“That’d suck.”

“Definitely.”

“Any chance there’s an opening on one of those teams?”

Jenkins and my father traded a look of unmistakable concern.

“What?”

“Your name already came up. The action committee charged with creating the teams wants a full debrief from you since, at the moment, you have the most experience with both Quaos and the disharmony of Hexcalibur.”

“But?”

“We need more eyes and ears within the Council. Someone installed at Headquarters who can keep tabs on the comings and goings of members. You would report back to me and a handful of others that believe someone is involved in all this.”

“You need a spy.”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m in.” A lot of people had been hurt or killed because of The Conduit and his followers, and I’d been instrumental in their plot. If there was any way to get some payback at the people responsible, I wanted it.

Even if it meant buddying up to the stiffs on the Council.

Dad nodded. “I’ll let the action committee know. We’ll use the time between now and when you’ve healed enough to travel to gather more data and build a straw-man plan.”

He breathed heavily, and for the first time I realized just how taxing this had been on him.

“Marcus,” he said, solemnly, “I know you’ve only just woken up, but I’d like to get a rundown of what happened in the Underground. I’ve received some information, but would prefer hearing it from you firsthand.”

I gave him and Jenkins a detailed briefing of the past week, starting with my first breakfast at Millie’s to the appearance of the bees at her diner. I even told them about the final encounter with Banks and his departure with Simeon. The only part I glossed over was Shadow Dancing. Technically it was still considered dark magic, and the last thing Simeon and Quinn needed was more trouble from the Council.

When I got to the part about leaving Jethrow at Millie’s, I paused to fight the knot in my chest.

Jenkins must have read the fear on my face. “Wright is alive. I know Utterback, and we’ve talked. He patched the kid up pretty well. He’s resting at a Council hospital, but it will be a long time before he’s combat capable again.”

I felt a weight lift off of me. “Thank goodness.”

Not that I’d forgive him anytime soon. He’d used me to get to Simeon and Quinn, and that betrayal would sting for a long time. Plus, he’d been stupid enough to trust a person like Treble McCain.

“What about Treble?” I asked, thinking about the man who’d caused so many problems.

“Off the reservation and on our wanted list,” Dad said. “His actions violated Council law. We have warrants out for his arrest, so it’s only a matter of time before we find him.”

“Hunters specialize in tracking people, so it may not be easy.”

“Oh, it will be very difficult,” Dad replied. “But don’t forget I married one of the best in the business. I’m sure your mother can provide some good insight on ways to find him.”

Suddenly I felt very sorry for Treble.

“How about Quinn and Simeon?” I asked cautiously.

“The Council felt that based on Quinn’s actions yesterday, she more than proved her innocence. All charges against her have been dropped.” He took a breath and let it out slowly. “Sadly, the same cannot be said for Simeon. His flight screams of guilt in the eyes of the Council. The hunt for him continues.”

“But he was completely drained of his Skill by Quaos. Even if he wanted to practice dark magic, which I know he doesn’t, he’s incapable of it.” I glared at my father. “He told me about what happened the first time he was arrested, by the way.”

My father was silent.

I darkened. “You knew.”

He leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. “The evidence against him was so damning that it left little room for the truth. Prison was the best we could do for him, and even then, we were lucky.”