Darkness of Light (35 page)

Torin placed my feet gingerly on the ground, wrapping his arm firmly around my waist to keep me upright. Movement caused me to look up. Groups of people stepped out from the trees. Lorcan and Sam and a few others I didn’t recognize assembled to my left. I noticed West was not among them. The Queen, a dozen or so guards, and people of her court stood to my right.

I was scared, but I was also angry. I hated feeling out of control or backed into a corner. She couldn’t manipulate me like she could the others. “I will not help you,” I said. “You cannot control me.”

Anger flushed across her face, her eyes narrowing, but in an instant it was gone. She forced a smile and walked over to me. “Oh, I can control you,” she said, her voice hard. “And you will do as I say.”

“No.” That was the only word I could muster. The power emanating off her was hard to fight.

“We shall see.” She nodded towards Lorcan.

He whistled over his shoulder. “Dax, can you show Em her ‘incentive’ to cooperate?” Lorcan spoke loudly, addressing someone behind him.

From around a tree a tall, sexy man stepped out. His close-cut haircut and milk-chocolate complexion offset his structured jawline and full lips. I was so taken by his beauty I didn’t immediately notice he was holding onto someone. As my eyes took in the person standing next to Dax, everything else was forgotten. 

“Mark!” I screamed, and instinctively moved towards him. Torin’s arm held me back.

Mark was bound and gagged. Fright lit his light blue eyes as they danced over everyone in confusion. Hearing me call his name, he looked up. His eyes became wide. He pitched forward trying to get to me. Dax had a firm grip on him and pulled him back. My panic only intensified when I saw the huge knife Dax carried in his other hand.

The Queen strode up to Mark. “Oh, what a handsome man. He will be fun to play with.” She slid her fingers down his face.

I seethed, struggling against Torin. “Don’t touch him.”

The Queen pressed her hand against Mark’s chest. He hunched over. An anguished cry escaped from under his cloth gag. 

“Stop. Please stop!” I wailed.

“Are you ready to do what I ask?” the Queen demanded.

“You want me to destroy a city, killing innocent people, even children, just to get the attention of this Unseelie King?” 

“The humans killed us for centuries. They took everything from us first. They deserve this!” A flash of unrestrained rage flared. She took a deep breath. “You are wasting my time. You will do this for me. You are mine now, Ember.”

I looked over at Mark, who was stooped over. His blue eyes, watering with pain, looked up into mine. He shook his head in a “no” movement. He didn’t want me to do whatever it was he thought this lady wanted. He would rather sacrifice himself, even if he didn’t know what for. I couldn’t let Mark suffer for me—for what I was.

The few seconds of hesitation was too long for the Queen. Her hand slammed into Mark’s ribcage. A tormented scream rang from Mark, making my knees go weak. He fell to the ground and huddled into a ball. The Queen motioned to Dax and then nodded towards Mark as she moved toward me. “Torture him until she concedes.”

Before I could get a word out, Dax kicked Mark in the stomach and then in the face. His body snapped back in an unnatural curve. Blood flew from his nose and mouth.

A sorrowful whimper seeped through my lips. “Please, please stop. I’ll do anything you want.” Tears trickled down my face. I looked over at Mark again, agony distorting his features. Through the pain and the blood I saw his bewilderment and confusion. I knew he didn’t comprehend what was going on around him or how I was involved in it. There was nothing I could do to make it better for him.

Lorcan smirked. “Funny, I remember you saying something earlier about how you would never do what I did.” 

“That’s not fair. This isn’t the same thing.” My voice was small and uncertain.

“Is it not?” He cocked his head. “Well, I never said I’d be fair. I’m a little partial to getting what I want, so I made sure I had a little leverage. You’re lucky it was just him. I could have added your two little friends into the mix.” 

Lorcan’s smug smile made me want to attack him. Torin seemed to sense this and tightened his grip on my waist. They knew who my friends were. I had no doubt they would go after them too if I didn’t comply. Lorcan was right. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep my friends and my family safe. My choice made me feel disgusted with myself, but it really was no longer a choice. I would protect my family and my friends no matter what.

“Remember, Ember, I know how powerful daes are, so if you do not give me everything you are capable of, your human father gets punished,” the Queen threatened.

I straightened, wiping the tears from my face. “I understand.” 

She grabbed my arm, her long, delicate fingers digging into my skin. “Asim, come here.” The Queen motioned to someone in her entourage. A boy who looked about twelve stepped out of the group. He was beautiful. His dark, tan skin was flawless. His chocolate brown hair obscured one of his large, dark brown eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“My Queen.” He bowed subserviently.

“Go ahead, my perfect boy.” She nodded towards me.

The angel-faced boy moved closer to me, making me nervous.

“Wh-What are you going to do?”

“Asim is an amplifier,” the Queen said. “Your powers are not fully developed yet. You need a little boost, and he enhances people’s powers. He’s been a great gift to me.”

“You mean a slave,” I spat. “He’s just another pawn for you to play with. He’s only a boy.”

“Asim, do you feel used? Are you doing anything against your will?” She looked over at him with a sweet, gentle smile.

“No, my Queen,” Asim gushed. “It is an honor and privilege to be at your command.” There was not a false word spoken from his lips. He meant every word. He probably grew up believing being a part of her court was the greatest honor in the world. 

“See?” The Queen laughed. “Now, do not speak anymore. You’re giving me a headache.” 

The Queen let go of my arm and turned around to Torin. He still held me by the waist, his thumb absently rubbing my stomach trying to calm and comfort me. This did not go unnoticed by the Queen. “I don’t think she will be going anywhere,” she said firmly, looking at his hand again. Jealousy and possessiveness rolled off her.

Torin instantly dropped his hand from my waist, stepping back. “Yes, my Queen.”

“All right, let us began. Torin, I trust you to keep an eye on her. Not a hand.” 

“Of course, my lady.” He gave her a slight bow. Hearing his voice in person and feeling the heat from his body clinging to my robe made my head spin. How was he the same guy who had said he’d keep me safe no matter what—this man who was now holding me prisoner? At the same time I still felt oddly comforted by him—that he would protect me.

The Queen turned away and headed to the edge of the cliff. Seattle loomed in the distance. She nodded to the soldier who was closest to me. He came over and, with the same kind of gloves Torin had worn, unlocked my iron cuffs. My energy flowed back into me. It felt like stepping into a warm bath after a long day out in the snow. It was heaven.  

Mark was barely conscious on the ground. Two of the Queen’s guards pulled him up into a sitting position. He groaned as they sat him up against a tree. Trails of dried blood streaked down his nose to the top of his lip. One of his bruised, cut eyes was swollen shut.

In the distance, a rumble erupted from the sky, followed by a strike of lightning.

The Queen smiled, clasping her hands together. “Perfect.”

Bile tore at my insides as it gushed up my esophagus. I understood now. I knew exactly how she was going to use me as a weapon.

The Queen had picked this night on purpose. I couldn’t start fires without a combustible agent, but I could affect them, down to the basic charge of electricity. I couldn’t really control my powers yet. She understood that. With Asim’s help, though, my powers could devastate a city. 

The Queen nodded to Lorcan. With a self-satisfied smile, Lorcan walked up to me and cracked me hard across the face. I crumpled to the ground, my face burning with pain. Behind me, Torin said something nasty to Lorcan, but I couldn’t understand a thing. My ears and my head were ringing as they absorbed the blow. 

Rage quickly boiled to the surface, my dark power eager to come out and play. I stood up, wiping the blood from my lip with a snort. “You sure you’re not fay? You hit like a little fairy.”

Lorcan promptly came back for me, his leg snapped forward and his foot dug into my stomach, shoving me backwards onto the ground. My chest throbbed. It hurt to breathe but I forced myself to stand. I knew this was the plan, to get me riled up, to conjure my powers to the surface, but I couldn’t stop them now. They
wanted
to come out.

“Come on, Tinkerbell, is that all you got?” Personally, I was done with the whole ass beating. When he swung this time, I was ready. He was still too fast. He hit my temple as I tried to duck. Fury hissed through me. Lorcan was prepping for another slap when he stopped. His eyes widened as he looked at me. My eyes shifted, focusing in on its target. 

“Her eyes are turning black. Do it now!” the Queen shouted.

Asim’s hand clamped down on my bare arm. It felt like a bomb was exploding inside me. All my senses were gone. I could no longer feel a separation between the rest of the world and my body. I was so full of energy I couldn’t contain it.

The ground quaked beneath me. I felt another burst of energy in me and a renewed surge of power ignited within my body. The powers, which had been dormant, burst to the surface with exultance. They were awake. 

Untamed power. Strength. Exhilaration. I craved more. I wanted more.

When Asim’s hands pulled away, it felt like something was being ripped from me, making me feel empty and alone. 

“No!” I cried out.
Don’t leave me.

My lids blinked open. I was on all fours on the ground. My ribs still ached from being kicked, and dried blood crusted my nose and the side of my mouth.

“Thank you, Asim. We will start again in a moment. I am sure Ember would love to see the brilliant work she’s done so far.” 

My head snapped up. Everyone was staring at me. Their awe and fear could not be hidden. My breath tightened in my chest.

“Come here, Ember.” The Queen motioned for me to join her on the cliff’s edge. Excess energy sizzled in me and electricity crackled from my skin as I moved towards the edge.

The world stopped.

Seattle and the surrounding area were in ruins, engulfed in fire. Houses burned and hissed as fire consumed the city. One side of me felt exhilarated at the sheer, raw power; the other part of me was burning. The part connected to the earth could feel each tree and each organism dying in a tortured, flaming death, as if I was being charred from the inside out. 

“Oh God, no.” My eyes fastened on the devastation.
This was my fault. I did this.

The Queen looked over her shoulder at Asim. “Not so much this time, Asim. I have no doubt my message has been received, but I’ve always had the flare for the dramatic. We might as well have a finale. One finger should do it.” 

Everyone moved out of his way when he got close. I guess a touch from him was never just a touch. Even though he was facilitating this annihilation, I felt sad for him. What a lonely life—never being able to touch or hug anyone. 

He slipped up next to me without a thread of his clothes touching mine. As another bolt of lightning shot across the sky, he lightly touched a finger to my arm. My senses didn’t leave me this time, but it felt like I had taken about twelve shots of espresso and leaned against an electrical fence. 

The moment he touched me the lightning split across the sky, hitting the Space Needle. Electricity encompassed the building and with a loud crack, the jagged bolt sliced through the steel structure. The sound of groaning metal pierced the evening sky. A scream ripped from my lungs as I watched in slow motion as the city’s most famous monument separated from its base and crashed to the ground. A tidal wave of debris rolled into the surrounding buildings, causing them to fold like a house of cards, devastating the area within a several mile radius of the icon. 

My mouth dropped open with a silent scream.  

“Now that is a finale,” Lorcan mumbled next to me.

What have I done? Thousands of lives . . . gone.

I knew the Queen would keep using me to destroy and kill, and there was nothing I could do. If I let her take me, I would belong to her forever or until she had done enough damage. Then, she would have me killed. This couldn’t happen. I had to get away. I shot a glance over my shoulder at Mark. He was still unconscious. There was no way to get him out of here. But leaving him was not an option.

I felt irritated when Torin stepped into my line of sight. I was about to twist away, when his voice broke into my head. 

“Ember, I have an idea. Pay attention. We don’t have much time.”

Images poured into my brain, playing out like a movie. I immediately understood what he was trying to show me. He wanted to cause a distraction to help me escape. It was a flimsy plan and had a slim chance of working, but it was the only one I had. My bigger problem lay unconscious. I slid my eyes over to Mark then back to Torin. Torin tilted his head and shook it slightly. If he was thinking I would just leave Mark behind, he was sorely mistaken.

“Guard, put her back in the cuffs.” The Queen turned her back on Seattle and addressed the same guard who had removed the cuffs from me earlier. I knew this was my last chance. If she got those cuffs on me, I was done. I wouldn’t be able to fight or get away. She would own my ass.

Panic soared through my veins. My powers were still skimming the surface, and it didn’t take much effort to get them to answer my call, but I needed to be precise for this to work. I reached out and lightly touched Asim. My focus sharpened and I sent all of my force to the electrostatic charge. Brilliant, white light sliced across the sky, hitting the tree near us. Intense heat and a loud snap fell upon the surrounding space, knocking everyone off their feet.