Legends of Astræa: Cupid's Arrow Book 1 (Legends of Astræa Series) Read online

  As I held Francis, just as I had Gavril not long before, I felt angry at Francis for not telling me all of this and especially for being there at St. Mary’s. My gaze stopped by Gavril’s body lying close to us then looked at poor Anne, who was kneeled in fervent prayer. My gaze stopped for a second on Nicholas. We would never be able to have each other. I hated Ash so much. Then my blurry sight looked back at Francis.

  I didn’t know if I could protect anyone anymore.

  Francis winked inconspicuously, startling me. I realized he was still good to sustain battle. He was faking his unconscious painful condition.

  Give me the medallion now, Francis ordered.

  I froze. This was the only way I had to defeat Asmodeus. Francis read my hesitation. I felt Francis’s hand under my spandex shirt pulling the medallion off my neck. I gasped, startled. He pulled it again into his pocket with the speed of a nonhuman pickpocket.

  You cannot win a war if you are weak, he warned me, with his fixed gaze on me. You cannot let him put this on you ever again. The medallion is intended for one sole being, and only he can wear it without consequences, he said. I felt somewhat detached from the reality of all. I could try embracing Ash all day, but in all truth, I didn’t know how to vanquish Ash. I didn’t know. Crap.

  I had failed Gavril. I had the very evidence there lying next to me. What else did I want as proof? Gavril was dead. DEAD. And I knew then who the one was who could wear the frazzle-rackin medallion, Demyan. What good could that be? Demyan was on Ash’s side of the fence. Or was he? He never attempted to reach for the medallion—he could have as easily located it—nor did he stop me from this trap. God, this was so confusing. Francis followed my gaze. He grabbed my hand, letting me know he understood my loss. I felt so-ooh demoralized.

  Unfortunately, Asmodeus knew well how to make me feel terrible. Well, duh. He was evil. I guess making me lose control of my emotions again was his objective.

  Unintentionally, Francis’s mind pointed his view toward Asmodeus. He hovered with his dark cloak and gold mask, curious of us. Too curious… and he was closer to us than I’d realized. Feeling the pressure of his presence, Francis initiated a new strategy. We couldn’t sit like ducks, waiting to be shot.

  Test your energy. Heal me, Francis requested.

  I did. The green energy tendrils flowed easily from my hands and healed him. He had nothing broken but internally bruised from the dreadful impact against the large cross above us. I felt a thousand times better than when the medallion had stolen my energy away.

  He smiled. I knew Francis’s game now.

  As long as I was complete, willing to help others, and my soul unwilling to lose itself, I couldn’t open hell for Asmodeus. Our exchange, as brief as it was, was full of deep understanding between Francis and me. He had given me a way to keep Ash away from me. However, not away from the people I cared about, like Gavril, Anne, Nicholas, Francis, the Sisters, or any of the girls in the academy. I left Francis to stand on his own and turned back to confront Ash.

  “Enough with the bull-shit theatrics, Ash. What’s the deal with the clown outfit? A gold mask? Seriously?” I stepped closer to him. “Are you that afraid to show how fugly you really are inside and out?” I dared him to take his mask off. I stepped closer. I wanted his gaze on me. And me alone.

  Nicholas, on the other hand, was looking at me like a crackpot case. I intruded inside his mind and realized for the very time that Nicholas couldn’t see Ash either. It was like I was speaking to empty air. Of course, the golden arrow had affected both of us equally. How was I going to explain to him that we both couldn’t see or hear him? God, there was so much he needed to know.

  However, I was just buying time for Nicholas as I unlocked his shackles, hoping no one would notice. I winked back at him when I saw him reacting a little to the locks clicking open. Then I unlocked the queens shackles with my mind. She had seen me do this before, so I prayed she would take advantage of this. I took another step.

  The Count’s evil laughter captured our attention, giving me a complete account. Ash raised his arm, gold nails uncovered from beneath his long, wide sleeve, gesturing an insult with his middle finger. Great, I had pissed him off. He was probably cursing also. I just couldn’t hear him doing it.

  “Vain a little?” I rubbed more salt on his large ego. I needed Ash to lose his temper with me, letting his guard down so I could be closer to him. I stepped closer. I just wanted to give him a nice hug. One more step. Test how the golden shield would react to him. Another step.

  Abruptly, the ground underneath my feet rumbled like a train, shaking violently like an earthquake. The waves of heat were beyond the Richter scale, overthrowing my balance as I fell on my knees once again.

  “What, no sense of humor?” I shouted at Ash. I had no idea where I found the guts to provoke him in a moment like this.

  A tumultuous, thunderous sound that extended all around, as the ground ripped into a long and deep fissure that cracked open between us, drew my entire attention. Adrenaline overloaded my veins as the fissure ran and grew wider very fast, making me retrieve my steps before it would swallow me. No time to think or continue with my game of words, safety was first.

  As if a switch had been flicked on, everyone scrambled to get out of the way at the same time. Francis took the queen next to the cross, then he pulled Gavril’s body to the top of the old stone steps to protect them. Although Gavril was dead, I didn’t know why was he doing that at a moment like this. Raphael had no choice but to leap over the large gap that divided us now, and Nicholas was avoiding falling through the open earth while running toward me.

  I scrambled to reach the closest edge, but I was slipping through the fast crumbling wet landmass. The rain and mud made it quite difficult to gain footing. I started to slide down. My hands couldn’t get hold of anything firm. That is when I felt a pair of strong arms holding me. Nicholas… Our hearts hummed in perfect and harmonious rhythm as his wings helped us fight gravity before I fell into the deep canyon that was opening. It was easy to see in the dark of night when our bodies were together, the golden aura was stronger.

  “If you had asked me to fight dragons for you, I would have,” Nicholas said, prompting the unspoken argument. I had not trusted him with the truth, and I had not trusted him to protect me. It was one of many arguments we had pending to discuss, if we ever made it out of this. So many things might have been avoided if I had married him, like his poisoning. It must have been on both of our minds, because he apologized again. “I am so sorry. I love you so much.” His voice was remorseful, and he kissed my cheek tenderly, even when I was extremely muddy.

  I, on the other hand, felt so elated that his will was strong enough to hold back the monster within from eating me. So much, that I didn’t question the reason of his inner strength or the mad reason I wanted so much to be in his arms, despite the latent danger.

  Perhaps the larger danger, that was Ash, had made me lose my parameters of what was acceptable or not. We both held each other’s gaze, safely landing one step away from the large cross. He kissed my lips gently, and I kissed him back. He surprised me with a smile after that, one full of absolute love and adoration. This was the part in any horror movie where you scream at the actress to run. I didn’t listen.

  Nicholas had not run away from danger to protect me. He had searched for me because he loved me. He didn’t know why he had been harmed or why was I here. I didn’t even think he fully understood the danger I’d posed to him and the kingdom, but he still wanted to protect me. I loved him, and I hated Asmodeus for making our lives impossible. The ground had stopped shaking, but a subtle tremor was left under our feet. His palms framed my face.

  “Rurikovich has foisted on me something I don’t understand. Has he harmed you in any kind of way?” He was concerned for my wellbeing more than his, and I loved him so much more for being so noble, even when he was aware that his tainted blood would condemn him to death. It was like Marcum had been, because his blood w
as no longer pure. He couldn’t be a crown holder until his blood was untainted. I looked at him tenderly.

  He loved me. I framed his face with my muddy hands just like he had done before. I needed him to see me smile with the same amount of love I had for him.

  Theatrical slow-clapping interrupted our public display.

  Chapter 56

  Count Something-Ribibe-ish finished his applause.

  “You son of a traitor.” Francis accused the Count. Francis and I had to work more on our cursing skills, if we ever survived this.

  “I am actually a direct descendent of Ivan the Terrible,” the Count said defensively. I guess he was proud to be a descendant of a psycho-tyrant and mass murderer. Maybe he was falling short in the family business. But who the bleepin hell cared?

  “Why I am not surprised, Count Bloody-fucking Dracula,” Gavril mocked aloud. I turned my neck so fast, I thought I heard it snap.

  Inconceivable… Gavril stood right next to me, and not in the flesh.

  No… No, no, no. Imposible. I was going bananas, nuts, crazy. Ugh. When was this going to end? My dearest BFF smiled sheepishly.

  Gavril? I broke with an involuntary sob.

  Not in the flesh. He mocked my thoughts. I didn’t know if I should cry or jump of happiness. The ambivalence was a sign of how shocked I was.

  Don’t get too excited. It is only temporary. Was he an effin ghost now?

  I gasped. How?

  Something about unfinished business, Gavril said, looking at Nicholas and me. Nicholas gasped at the ghostly sight of Gavril and then me, realizing of what Gavril was now. Holy crap. He could see and hear Gavril. Yeah, it was even more confusing for me. I didn’t blame him.

  “He is… a ghost now?” he complained with contempt, instead of focusing on the huge problem at hand. We had no time for that discussion or the one before. I grinned guiltily at Nicholas, hoping to flee or avoid any explanations until later.

  My grin was cut short when the ground quaked and rumbled again, shifting and thrusting us onto our knees. I was getting tired of having my knees bruised, even when I was back to healing myself rapidly. As if by magic, a path of landmass formed where Scary-face stood, like a bridge to nowhere. It reminded me of old pirate stories where they used to make a poor person walk the plank.

  Run—go, Gavril bid.

  And we could have run if the ground wasn’t crumbling beneath our feet, opening an even larger and deeper crevice that shone bright hot like the depths of hell itself. It made us aware of the very small and isolated space holding us above. Ash had left us without firm ground. Nicholas’s wings extended, embracing me to take me away.

  “No, wait. I have to finish this. The Sisters and my school friends are trapped here, please.” I needed to end this with Ash. Otherwise, everyone was in terrible danger. We pressed against each other closer as we watched the ground cave into an abysmal cauldron beneath. Our only choice was the Count’s bridge.

  Francis and Anne with Gavril’s dead body were also isolated next to the cross. Raphael and four weres were stuck behind a thin edge of the crumbling ground floor. Although divided, they could easily run back to the forest. But that was not in their nature, and evil knew this. Ash was playing sick games with us.

  “One last time, Your Highness. Where is the medallion?” Count-Rigidulous asked again, no doubt repeating Ash’s wish to know. Good. They had no idea where it was.

  Instantly, Nicholas’s body shielded mine from danger. Unfortunately, it was he who was in danger. Crap.

  Whatever happens, don’t tell him anything about the medallion. The fate of the world is in both of your hands. Let him have me instead. Gavril’s words were so powerful and yet so irrational. I couldn’t live with that. At least not again. Besides, he was already dead.

  Are you seriously insane? Gavril, you are already dead…

  Dammit, Ailie! It is your soul he wants corrupted. He knows that you would do anything for any of us. God, he was still counting himself in the formula. Well, technically he was more vulnerable than ever as a soul. Gavril’s life after death was at stake, I suddenly realized. Ugh.

  All of this was so wrong, I felt a war of nerves. I held my face, recoiling for a minute. I really needed a break.

  What destroys evil? Think, Ailie… think.

  “I don’t understand any of this,” Nicholas finally complained.

  “Quick course. Keep up with me, Twilighter Prince. Lord Aurous is evil incarnate, Count Dracula there works for him, and if you two have sex, you will save the world from evil,” Gavril sort of explained, leaving all details out.

  Nicholas opened his eyes wide at the last suggestion. It was probably the last thing he expected to hear from Gavril. There were so many things that were unclear to him. However, I had to focus on how to destroy Ash.

  Even in mythologies, gods could be destroyed. They always had a dark secret that would eventually kill them. But Ash was no god. He was ultimately evil. Indeed, Asmodeus couldn’t be killed or be destroyed, at least not like a god. What about destroyed like an evil? What destroys evil?

  Think, Ailie… think.

  My thinking was interrupted again as we watched with horror Francis’s body flying and hitting against an invisible wall above the air. There was a God-awful sound and a shriek from Francis’s side.

  “NO-oooh,” I muttered breathlessly. My brain became a silent shock zone after that. A deep, terrible, and foreboding feeling told me nothing would be all right anymore. He was hurt again, and this time badly. There was no way for him to fake this one out.

  We watched him suspended above the lava river beneath, hovering like a broken puppet. It was just like I had seen Mother Clarisse before, sans the hot lava. I felt helpless. Crap. I prayed Ash wasn’t aware that Francis had taken the medallion off me. I couldn’t turn my back on Francis now more than ever. I was contemplating jumping the big gap of hot lava between us.

  “Your time is up, Miss Pearson. You must convince the prince of telling me the location of the medallion or else,” Count Something-Evilish admonished. Would I ever get a break here? My gaze continued to measure the distance between Francis and me. Gavril read my intentions and so did Nicholas as he held my arms in an iron-tight wrap. Crap.

  “No, you can’t unless you have wings,” Nicholas whispered to me. I wasn’t going to ask Nicholas to endure more of Asmodeus’s joy rides. It was a losing battle.

  What destroys evil? Think, Ailie… think. Oh, God help me. Then divine inspiration came to me. It was not about destruction but about compassion. Mother Clarisse had taught me that.

  Love, love, love. Like the John Lennon song that Francis liked to listen to when he thought nobody was listening. There was no higher power of good.

  “The power of the golden arrow is made specifically of absolute love and has been given to you two to prevent evil from opening the gates.” Gavril confirmed my suspicions.

  LOVE. Gavril wanted Nicholas and I to have sex. Why?

  “The imprint cannot be broken after that. You will be protected forever from evil, regardless of who lives or dies,” he said. Crap. I had failed terribly. I was still a virgin.

  “But Asmodeus doesn’t know that,” Gavril pointed out. Nicholas got lost in this one-way conversation. He could just hear one side of it, Gavril’s.

  I hope he cannot hear us, I told Gavril. I had to give it a shot.

  “Ash, it’s too late. Nicholas and I… well, huh. We had sex. I am useless. I can’t open any gate anymore,” I lied, crossing my fingers behind my back.

  Nicholas’s eyebrow arched. At that moment, he held me closer to him, knowing that he had to support this crazy and surely soundless notion.

  “Aa-ahrg,” Francis cried as a second strike crushed him. Ash was squeezing the life out of him. He was so angry with me that now Francis was paying the ultimate price. A cry escaped my mouth, and my chest heaved with silent sobs.

  “DAMN YOU,” I screamed at Asmodeus. Please God, no. I prayed I could come in time and
heal him. I couldn’t believe it. “STOP IT,” I screamed. “Please Stop. I. Beg. You.” I covered my mouth with my hand to repress my cries. I quivered in Nicholas’s arms, as he held my waist for moral support as much as he was protecting me.

  There was an exchange between Ash and the Count. What now?

  “My lord… They did have some time together.” Count Something-Calumnious nodded back at Ash. In his mind, he was recounting my hours with Nicholas, from the night Nicholas was planning to kidnap me to the night he almost had me for dinner, except I doubted he knew about that.

  My cheeks went the color of the lava under our feet. More silent words from Ash. Crap, I hated not being able to hear what he was saying.

  “My lord, I thought she was in love with the mongrel,” the Count answered with an apologetic voice.

  Nicholas’s anger sifted toward Gavril. But then for a minute, our glances beheld each other.

  Unable to contain what we felt for each other anymore, we said, “I love you,” to each other, ending with a very meaningful kiss.

  Big mistake.

  The earth shook again, and without warning, we watched Francis’s body being crushed in the air. Against the edge where the Count was, in slow motion, I watched how he bounced on the ground and was discarded like rubble, when he was not just a pureblood Strzyga but the greatest warrior heart that had ever existed.

  I gasped, looking for any sign of life from Francis, only I was too far to feel him.

  Gavril, I called.

  “He is still … alive,” Gavril said in response, but with the type of tone of voice that didn’t leave much to my imagination. Francis was the next sacrificial lamb. Oh, God.

  “Take me there,” I asked Nicholas.

  “He will kill each one of your school friends with a blasting fire. Then he will send the beasts to hell one by one. Then he will make each of the remaining Sisters inside the convent his loyal followers, if the two of you as much as move without his permission,” Count No-Heart said, pointing at the convent. Crap. Ash still held that card on me. How I hated him more.