Eramane (25 page)

He makes his estimations, where he stands, where my comrades stand. I try to free myself, but his might is greater, a fact I have always known yet stubbornly denied.
What a foolish underestimation, Eramane
. I fear what the flames will feel like, even though I know Adikiah will help me to heal; it will be an unimaginable pain nonetheless. I begin to cry, as I cannot hold back my fear; I am terrified. Adikiah darts for the pit, and I scream my objection. The familiar tingle surges through me, coming on faster than it has in the past. I feel Adikiah’s body absorbing it, flinching against it.
I will get to that pit before you can rip us apart, Eramane.
I feel weightlessness as we leave the ground, plummeting into the fire. Just before I lose sight of my brother to the depths of the pit, I see him diving over the ledge after us, his sword pointing down, aiming for Adikiah.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The Orb

THE GHOSTS AND LIMEARSY STARE
down into the pit in astonishment, the stench of defeat smothering them. “I could not seize him quick enough. I did not expect him to charge after them,” Nahmas says, his voice dry. Limearsy cries out for Eramane, but the flames give no reply.

“That is it? Just like that the beast takes our brother, and we are left in shame?” Terrin says, unable to accept their loss.

“We cannot stay here. It is over, we must leave,” Aurick says, pulling his brothers away from the edge. Terrin goes with him; Nahmas gestures to Aurick for a moment alone with Limearsy.

“Come, my new friend. We can do nothing for them now. Accept that they are at peace; that should give you comfort. Our friends died a death that will allow their souls to move from this world. We should be grateful they were not taken by the beast.” Limearsy knows that he cannot save her, and he turns from the pit.

The men almost exit, but the Gate chamber brightens, and it catches Limearsy’s attention. He turns and sees that a fire orb has ascended from the pit. It is large, the size of thousands of candle flames. The orb floats up until it comes to a rest on the chamber floor. The Ghosts have followed Limearsy back into the room, witnessing the phenomenon. After a moment, the orb’s flames begin to suffocate, snuffed out by the force that drives it from its core. The flames vanish, and what remains is Eramane, standing strong and mighty. She holds her brother in her arms; he is lifeless and afflicted with burns on various parts of his body.

“Give me all of your vials, Limearsy,” she says, laying Samiah gently on the ground. He is unconscious and the burns to his face would indicate that he is dead. “Please, hurry!” Eramane shouts. Limearsy hands her three vials of his tincture, although he is reluctant.

“They are the last,” he says, knowing that it does not matter, that she would give her life for Samiah’s. She empties each of the vials into his mouth and holds his head.

“Will they work?” Eramane asks.

“They should; he is human, though, so I cannot be sure,” Limearsy admits. She rubs Samiah’s head, trying to rouse him. She looks him over, searching for any sign that the concoctions are working, and then she sees it; the patches of burnt flesh on his cheek are beginning to repair themselves.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Renewal

WE ALL STAND BACK TO
give him room. In moments Samiah’s skin has renewed itself; I can see no blemishes. He begins to cough and shake a little, but in a short amount of time, he is able to stand.

“So, that is what three will do,” Limearsy says. Samiah looks at me for the second time in disbelief.

“How are you alive?” he asks. He puts a hand to his face. “How am I alive?”

“You saved her, and then she saved you,” Nahmas says. Samiah reaches for me, and I walk the short distance to him. He pulls me in and clings to me, desperate to never let go. Our elation from Samiah’s revival has us unaware of the beast that is clawing his way to the top of the pit, until he has me in his grip. This time, he squeezes me so tightly that I will soon lose consciousness. With Samiah too weak to fight, Limearsy and the Ghosts may again risk their lives for me.
You have proven yourself powerful to these mortals, but amidst all your glory and your greatness lies your weakness,
I speak to Adikiah through my thoughts.

What is that, my dear Eramane?

“Me,” I declare, and my eyes open wide. Adikiah’s eyes bulge and his mouth gapes as I draw my hand from his chest. Adikiah does not have a heart, but he does have a life source. I saw it the day I
became
, pulsing in the middle of his chest.

I hold the faintly glowing red orb in my hand as I step away from him. He stumbles back a few steps and uncontrollably shifts from one form to another. He shrieks so loudly that the palace begins to quake. I toss the organ into the bright orange coals and run toward my comrades; I do not make it. A large rock falls from the chamber ceiling and smashes on top of me, pinning my crushed body beneath it.

I lie lifeless and unable to move. I cannot scream. I cannot breathe. I cannot think. All I can see is the devastated look on Limearsy’s face as he falls to his knees. “Eramane!” Limearsy yells.

My life is fading and my breathing is faint, but I am alive enough to watch in amazement as Limearsy changes into the form he inherited from his father. The speed of his transformation is similar to his father’s, occurring in only a few seconds, but the resemblances cease there. Limearsy buckles as his bones enlarge. His skin loses its color, turning a pale gray, like dried stones that protrude above the water’s surface on a hot day. He reaches the height of his father, and bulks to match his size. Limearsy does have wings and leathery skin; his flesh is like marble, an impermeable armor. His human characteristics remain, but his eyes shimmer like diamonds, colorless, gleaming, as they appear when hit with sunlight. It is an amazing sight; his form is intriguing, fearsome.

“
Beast
!” Limearsy cries. Adikiah has no chance of defeating him. “You will bleed for what you have done, Father!” Limearsy declares and charges Adikiah, who remains motionless, taken by Limearsy’s revelation. He does not try to defend himself as his son attacks. Limearsy hits his father with great force, sending Adikiah into the wall behind him, the Gate.

Adikiah screams in anguish as hands pull him in and wrap around his flesh. Adikiah wails again and again. Every plea for mercy is fainter than the last, until they are not heard at all.

Limearsy rushes over to me and pushes against the boulder. The Ghosts and Samiah have been trying to push it from me, but they cannot budge it. Limearsy can move this rock, though; and at a single push it rolls enough to slide me from beneath it. Samiah falls beside me and cries out for mercy. How many times can one lose one’s sister in a lifetime? The palace takes to quaking again, and pieces of rock begin falling. I am not to blame for the trembling walls this time.

“We must leave now,” Nahmas says. Limearsy takes me into his arms and rushes with the rest of the Riders out of the palace. The mighty palace falls apart quickly as my companions make their way back to land, swimming back with a bit more ease, for the tide moves with them, pushing them to shore. Limearsy is easily able to carry my limp body to the shores; he has not shifted back to his human form.

Limearsy puts his hand on my chest and closes his eyes. He needs not speak to do what he is doing. Keeping his hand on my chest, he leans over and kisses life into me. I gasp and take in the salty air. Limearsy sits me up and the others stare at me in disbelief. I look around for a moment, not knowing where I am or what happened. Then I look up at the seraph leaning over me. “What happened? Limearsy, you …” I lose my words.

“Yes, I brought you back,” he says, rubbing sand from my face. Samiah crouches down to me; he lifts his hand to my head. I feel something rub against my scalp. He removes his hand and I take its place with mine. My fingers find a metal hairpin, my bird-wing hairpin. I sit up and wrap my arms around my brother. ‘Thank you,” I say, “for saving me.” I look back to Limearsy. “Is Adikiah …?”

“He is in the Gate now,” Limearsy says. “With eager souls waiting to greet him; they will tear at his flesh until nothing exists anymore.” I take a deep breath, and for the first time since my picnic with Lebis, I feel free. I cannot hear Adikiah in my thoughts any longer, and I wonder how long it will take him to free himself from the Gate, as I did.

SNEAK PEEK

Eramane X Book Two

Prologue

THE MEADOW SMELLS OF THE
fresh blooms opening across its spread. As far as I can see, the tiny lavender flowers speckle the field. A gentle breeze blows strands of hair over my eyes, blocking my vision for a moment. When the breeze lets up and my hair falls back to my shoulder, I see my mother and father walking toward me … hand in hand. Their faces are soft and welcoming, and I can almost hear their comforting voices. They move closer and I can hear them calling my name: “Eramane.” They speak it softly. I close my eyes and embrace the sound of my parents calling out to me in such a loving way. Even as my eyes are closed, I can still see their images moving closer to me, the light of the sun bouncing off of my mother’s braided golden hair. She is so beautiful, and my father holds on to her with a pride that cannot be matched. They are happy and full of life.

They have crossed the meadow and are only a few paces away from me. My mother speaks again: “Eramane, it is not a dream, my love. Wake up.” My father grabs my shoulders and restates what my mother has just spoken. He starts to shake me.

“Eramane,” he says more sternly, “wake up.” His eyes turn from their familiar hazel color. They darken and settle into a deep, bottomless black. My mother begins shouting at me, and now they both have me in their grip.

“What have you done?!” my father shouts.

“You’ve killed him!” my mother shrieks. They are holding me tightly, and my mother’s fingernails are beginning to penetrate my skin. I try to get free of their grasps, but they are too strong. I look at my mother, fear envelops her face. She screams out to me, “It is your fault!” Their faces have changed. They are cold and forlorn. My parents hold me in their grips and continue to scream at me to wake up and redeem myself. Their screams fill the meadow and my ears … like drums beating again and again inside of my head— I can hear nothing else.