Destroyer (The Elemental Series #7)(54)

Raven cleared his throat. "Little help?"

I didn't look back at him. "Earth dampens the lines."

He gasped and in seconds was at my side. "Shit. How did you figure that out?"

I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes on Shazer even when Peta pressed against my legs. She, too, carried ability with the earth.

And now all three of us were immune to Talan's and Viv's machinations.

Shazer's body shrank and shifted, bones cracked, and then the Pegasus I knew was gone, and a man lay in the sand at our feet. Meghan stumbled away from me and I dropped to my knees to cradle Shazer's upper body, his long white hair spilling over my arm.

A Sylph, Shazer had been a Sylph.

I put my hand to the side of his neck. "Shazer, talk to me."

"Magnus," he whispered. "My name was Magnus and Viv cursed me because I sided with those who banded against her. I led the rebellion, and now I leave it in your hands to stop her." He opened his eyes, soft gray eyes like the underbelly of a storm cloud. He lifted a hand to my cheek. "Lark …  you are the one we've waited for."

His hand slipped down and I caught it, clutching his fingers. "Magnus, don't you dare!" I pushed a pulse of Spirit into him to heal whatever was wrong, but I could find nothing. "Raven, help me!"

There was a flurry of movement and then Raven was there on the other side of Magnus. Raven put his hands on the Sylph's chest. "His heart isn't beating."

"Get it started again." I barked the order even though I knew in my own heart …  I knew what I was seeing. Shazer was gone, his life snuffed out by attempting to give him his real form.

Peta wrapped a big paw around me and tugged me away. "You can't bring him back, Lark."

A sob slipped from me and I put my hands over my face. I cried for Shazer. I cried for his willingness to be the test subject and I cried for what it meant. "I knew it. I knew this would happen." Why hadn't I stopped this when my instincts screamed there was no way it would work? Something had told me, and I'd not listened. I'd wanted to know it was possible.

"Lark," Raven said, "Talan is gone."

I jerked my head up.

Both Talan and Meghan were indeed gone. "A coward always runs when they finally realize they are out-powered."

Raven nodded. "He knows he can no longer hold you down. He won't come at you again."

Shaking from head to toe, I wasn't so sure Talan was done with us.

"This was another lesson," I whispered. "One that cost us a dear friend. Talan will not stop. I just think we won't see him coming."

"He did something, though. He saved Ash's life," Raven said.

I blinked up at him. "What are you saying?"

He swallowed hard. "Ash as he was-a man-is lost to you. And I don't think you would have believed it if you hadn't seen Shazer die."

I closed my eyes and leaned over Shazer's-Magnus's-body. Tears slid from my face and onto his. "Goddess, please … do not leave me now."

There was silence for a few beats and then the presence of the mother of us all surrounded me, spilling upward from the earth.

Child, you have a long road yet ahead of you. There will be many losses; this is only the first. Though I wish I could spare you this pain.



       
         
       
        

Still on my knees, I called the earth to slide open and take Shazer's body-Magnus, I should say-into his final resting place.

"Goodbye, my friend." The words were bitter on my tongue, salted with my tears and grief.

I closed my eyes, still able to see the fear in Shazer's eyes as we'd shared one last look. He'd known, too, death was coming for him.

"What do I do next? How do I find Viv?"

I will guide you as much as I can, Lark, in other matters. But I cannot tell you where she is, for she hides from me. But remember Magnus was not the only one bound to her.

Peta pressed her body against the side of my thigh. "What does she mean by that?"

I looked up at Raven. "Who else is bound to Viv?"

Cassava. The name was not spoken, yet we all knew it. Once again, it came back to if we could find Cassava, we could find Viv.

Maybe.

"She always goes home, to the Rim," Raven said quietly. "She goes to the cemetery."

"To be with my mother," I whispered. "Then we will go there next. We will find her and she will help."

Raven lifted his eyebrows high. "You would force her?"

I gave him a tight nod. "If I must. We are at war, Raven. There is no choice now but to do what we must."

I could almost hear Shazer laughing at me for sounding far tougher than he'd ever thought I was.