We have time.
And the destruction can finally come to an end.
26
Sam
In the training room, seven new uniforms appear in the closet. Davis eagerly assists the Legion and Sue helps Hildi zip up her perfectly fitting suit. Each is equipped with weapons suited for our particular skills. Hildi’s has a shield attached to the back and her long Valkyrie sword is nestled underneath. Her blonde hair is knotted in a dozen braids and her eye makeup is black and fearsome.
“I can understand why people would both love and fear seeing that woman come for them at the final moments,” Damien says as he buckles his boot. “Not a bad way to die and go to heaven.”
A few of the Immortals seem to agree. Their eyes watch her with interest. Rupert walks over to her now and engages in quiet conversation.
“This all seems a little easy, don’t you think?” Damien adds. Boots secure, he checks his weapons.
“How do you mean?” The past week has been exhausting. We fought to the death. We gained contract-owned warriors. I’ve worried over Morgan and in my mind played out a dozen scenarios how this can go wrong.
“We have our army.” He nods at Hildi. “Added a strong, loyal member, and we should get back to the castle in time for the ceremony. That all seems much too easy.”
I study him for a moment. His tattoos peek above his collar. He’s only wearing one ring tonight as well as just two small earrings. He’s in fighting mode, as we all are, but something is bugging him. “What’s your concern?”
“Bunny.” He says his name quietly. “Only the gods know what he’s doing.”
As a group, we’re conflicted about Bunny. His betrayal tears at the fabric of who we are as a unit—as a brotherhood. We’ve fought, lived, and now loved side-by-side since our creation. His actions hurt. Some of us more than others. Dylan and I have faith that he may have been working with us. Clinton and Damien, not so much.
“Dylan says he saved Morgan from Casteel. And she obviously still trusts him. She gave him the uniform and stayed with him on the Otherside.”
“They haven’t fucked,” he says.
“No.” We would have felt it. And frankly, I’ve been waiting for it. The longer it takes, the more worrisome it is. “Maybe there hasn’t been an opportunity? It’s not like the Morrigan will allow them to be near one another. Morgan may be in the dungeons.”
“If Bunny is truly on our side, he could be dead.”
I shake my head and focus on securing my belt. We would have felt that, too.
“I can’t forgive him,” Damien says. “Not for sending us to the dungeons. Not for hurting Morgan like that.”
“I understand, but until this is over we can’t do anything about it. We need him. So does she.” He can’t argue that. None of us can. The circle is almost complete and to beat the Darkness, Morgan needs Bunny to close the gap.
Otherwise, all of this? I look around the room. May be for nothing.
27
Morgan
Nevis is stunned silent when Casteel reveals he is aware of her underground community.
“How long?” she asks.
“Since it began.” He leads the way down to the dungeons, to the tunnel that will take us back to her people, to a safe place for the rest of the day. “There are few secrets in the castle.”
“Does she know?”
“If she pressed it she would, but Anand is obsessively focused on her mission. She’s just happy to have the castle run efficiently and to have the elixir from your water source to keep her healthy and strong.”
The news rocks my friend and as we reach the dark end of the dungeon she stops and whispers to me, “If you stop all of this, what happens to us?”
It’s an honest question—one I had not considered when agreeing to Casteel’s plan. If we close the gate and contain the Darkness to this world, Nevis’ people will never gain their freedom.