Assassin of Truths(63)

Conemar scanned the crowd. "No takers? Reveal our guests," he said to the guards standing behind the prisoners.

The guards removed the sacks from their heads. I gasped, my eyes going from face to face-Sabine, Pop, Nana, Afton, Kayla, Briony, Galach, and Father Peter.

Buach made a run for his brother.

With a flick of his wrist, Conemar created an electric ball and threw it at Buach. It hit the boy in the chest, and he flew back, landing hard on the ground.

"No!" I shouted at the same time Galach had.

Galach broke from the others, but he only got a few steps before one of the guards grabbed his arms and pulled him back.

Conemar watched Galach curiously. "Was he a loved one of yours?" He nodded to the guard behind Briony. The guard put a knife to her throat. "Move again and my guard will kill your queen," he said.

With the bodies in front of me shifting, I couldn't get a good view of Buach. Was he breathing? Still alive? I didn't know. Please be okay, I prayed.

"Gianna, only you can save them," Conemar continued. "Come to me now."

I tried to move past Lei, but she stopped me. "No. He'll kill you."

"He has my family … Afton. He'll kill them all." I retrieved the canister from my boot and placed it in her hands. "I got Royston here. I gathered the blood for the potion. I've done my part. Because of my mistakes, we're here. I should have been more careful. I left a drawbridge down-"

"What are you saying?" Her eyes danced over my face.

"I am what the presage saw. The Doomsday Child." I glanced back at the field. "I can change it. I must go."

Jaran huddled with us. "What are you doing?"

"You guys need to get Royston close enough to the Tetrad," I said. "Have him drink this, and he knows what to do. I will be the distraction you need. Please trust me on this."

Lei's eyebrows pushed together as she watched me, my words processing in her mind. "I trust you."

"I do, as well," Jaran said.

"Arik and Demos may try to stop me," I said. "Don't let them."

The werehounds followed me.

I eased into an opening in between a Laniar and a man resembling a bull, and disappeared into the crowd. It was as if the sea parted when Mystiks realized it was Gianna Bianchi pushing to get by them.

"Gia!" Arik's voice came from where I'd just left.         

     



 

Gasps and murmurs moved like waves over the Mystiks when I stepped from the crowd into the front.

"Stay here," I told the werehounds. They whimpered but obeyed me.

Conemar was about half a football field away from me. I squared my shoulders and crossed halfway to him.

His eyes landed on me. "Good girl. I knew you would do the sensible thing. And I'm certain your loved ones appreciate your sacrifice."

"No, Gia, get back," Pop pleaded.

"What do you want me to do?" I slid a glance to Nick. His eyes were almost marble-like.

The Tetrad stood slack, heads down, like puppets waiting for their master to bring them to life.

Conemar turned his head from side to side while he studied me. "Don't you wonder why I have your Bastien?"

Bastien's tortured eyes lifted and found mine.

I didn't answer Conemar. My heart was slowly tearing from my chest.

A sinister smile tightened his lips. He hopped off the boulder and paced in front of Nick. "Too afraid to know, huh? I needed wizards to compel my son. Children these days don't obey their parents as they did in my day. I've been running through wizards like cheap batteries, their lives snuffed out too fast."

I didn't speak, just stood there, listening and searching for weaknesses in his plan.

"Compelling runs out a wizard's life. We live almost three hundred years. But I had to be careful not to let any of them die while compelling my son. I'm not that evil. I don't want a vegetable for an heir. You'd be surprised what someone will sacrifice for loved ones. They'd let me run out their lives to save them."

I had no options. He could kill any one of his hostages. He could kill Bastien.

"Bastien is controlling my son as we speak," Conemar was saying. "While you're standing there watching him, your beloved Bastien's life is slowly diminishing."

Whatever was left of my heart exploded, the pain so great I could barely stay upright.

Conemar scanned the Mystik army. "While I have a captive audience, and because I've dreamt of this revenge ever since you sent me into the Somnium, let's play a game. Shall we?"

Sure, Conemar. I'll play your game. Because while he was being a typical evil dumbass seeking revenge, Lei and Jaran were getting Royston to the Tetrad.

He stopped pacing and turned his menacing glare on me. "Bastien will do what I want because eight innocent victims, one his own mother, will die if he doesn't do as I command. What will you do for the lives of those you love, Gianna?"

My gaze found Pop. Worry weighed on his face. Tears streamed from Afton's eyes. Nana was gagged, probably so she couldn't use her spells. Sabine stood regal, as if she was ready to die if need be. Briony looked the same way. It must be something they learned when becoming rulers or something. Galach's head hung, blood dripping from his mouth. With worry on her face, Kayla kept glancing at Pop. Father Peter's gaze met mine. He had no fear in his eyes or on his face. His lips moved as if he were saying a silent prayer.

I returned my focus to Conemar. "What do you want from me?"

He went over and placed his hand on Nick's back. "A fight to the death."

My stomach lurched.

"All you have to do is kill Nick," he continued. "That is, before Bastien's life runs out. If Bastien goes easy on you, I'll kill one of the prisoners. If he doesn't compel Nick, I'll kill them all. Bastien is young. His life span is long. But the sooner you kill Nick, the better for Bastien."

There was no way I could kill Nick.

I could just kill myself. End his game. But did I have the courage to do it? I wondered what was happening behind me. Were Lei and Jaran moving with Royston? Was Arik trying to reach me or come up with a plan to save us? I had to put my faith in them. That they were doing what they could to stop this madness. And I did have faith. I trusted my life to my brother and sister Sentinels. We were born to fight as a team. To have each other's back. They would die for me, as I would for them. And there was comfort in that thought.

"If you kill yourself," Conemar said, as if he'd read my mind, "they all will die. Are we clear on the rules of the game?"

Tears blurred my vision as I stared into Bastien's eyes. "Go at me hard," I told him. "Don't stop. You can't. Promise me you will choose them over me."

"Gia, I-"

"No!" I stopped him before he could finish. "You have to promise me. I can take care of myself. Trust me."

He nodded, tears pooling in eyes. "I promise."

"I couldn't have written a better script," Conemar said, amusement in his voice. "Bastien, take control of Nick and kill her."         

     



 

I just have to make it look good before I give in. I removed the shield from my back.

Bastien's head lowered, and Nick charged for me.





Chapter Twenty-Eight


Nick stopped halfway between Conemar and me. He formed a fireball in his hand and threw it at me.

I shot an ice one at it. The flames froze and dropped to the ground, shattering into a hundred pieces.

He sent an electric bolt at me that I stopped with a stun globe.

The rage in his eyes stunned me to my spot. He threw a series of electric charges, and I blocked them with my shield.

The crowd behind me shifted and called out my name. A horn sounded somewhere to my right. I didn't dare look, but the cheers coming from the Mystiks and the look on Conemar's face told me it had to be something in our favor.

Nick took several heavy steps forward. His jaw tensed. He closed his eyes tight and dropped his head.

I held my fighting stance, readying for his next move.

His head flew up before he sprinted the rest of the way to me, pushing his body against mine. "Gia." He struggled to say my name, his voice deep and shaky. "I can't fight it. Kill me."

"No." I shook my head hard. "I can't. Fight, Nick, or they'll all die. Afton will die."

The muscles in his face tensed. "I love you, Gia. You're my family." He flinched and groaned. "Whatever happens, know that."

"I feel the same way," I said. "I love you. My death won't be your fault. It's on Conemar."

A cracking sound came from his body as Bastien regained control of him. I took the opportunity to quickly back away from Nick.

Conemar's stare on the hill caused me to take a quick look. The rebels from Veilig had arrived for the fight. Above their heads, flocks of Greyhillians circled the sky. The shock on Conemar's face turned to anger. To their right, I could make out Pia with the Santara rebels. Doylis and others like him pounded down the hill.

"Tetrad, earthquake!" Conemar pointed at the hill.

The Tetrad straightened, and the Boar Man roared and shot his hand in the direction of the hill, and it split in half. Many Veiligicans and Santarans tumbled into the fissure. Greyhillians dove and rescued several of them. It didn't stop Doylis and his team. They continued.

Conemar's army passed Nick and me, charging at the Mystiks behind me.