Page 26 of Veil of Monsters

My eyes fix on my best friend. “Nerry. Look at me. It’s going to be okay.” She might lift her chin, looking at me through tangled red locks, but there is no hope left in her eyes. She looks like a broken person, completely looking through me as if I’m not here. There’s nothing real in her eyes, just emptiness, like the life has been drained out of her. She is thin, too thin, and bruises mark nearly every inch of her skin except for her face. Her beautiful markings can hardly be seen under the bruises.

My heart rips open as sickness turns my stomach at the thought of what he has been doing to her. Whatever was done to her, he’s destroyed her, but I will get her back. Anger rises in me until I struggle to keep hold of my powers, ice and fire lacing my fingertips until Emerson’s fingers link through with mine. His touch instantly calms me enough that I can focus and start making a plan in my head.

Emerson’s voice is like an icy night frost spreading through the air. “You’re dead, Rift King. You slaughtered one city too many in this world, and I will send you to another world. A world only the dead visit to burn for eternity.”

His words almost echo across the city, which is still filled with the echoes of screams, monsters’ roars, and buildings being destroyed. Louie only laughs, somewhat childishly, but he doesn’t show any fear at all. I have a feeling he thinks he can win against Emerson and me. Maybe if we were both alone, but not together. Goddess above, Emerson could beat him alone. I hope. Louie ignores Emerson’s threat and raises his eyes up to meet mine. In my dreams, the blackness of his eyes is terrifying. It’s always been like looking into a dark, terrible well of evil. But now he is in front of me, it’s even worse. His eyes are made of nightmares. I try to remember the single time that I saw the real Louie behind this version of himself, but I can tell there isn’t much of my Louie’s soul left. Even the thought of losing Louie completely rips me apart.

I know I need to treat him as what he is. An enemy. He is a danger to everyone, everything, if we don’t stop him. I won’t stop Emerson killing him, because I’m not sure I could do it. Even when all I can see is the monster that’s destroyed my best friend and is holding a knife against her throat. A male who is slaughtering another city after destroying my home. Louie, who has come here to kill me. I can barely remember the boy anymore. It feels like it’s been hundreds if not thousands of years since he was a little boy that I was reading stories to, playing board games with, and tucking in to sleep because he hated going to sleep on his own.

“Louie,” I quietly begin. I have to try because, when he is dead and this is all over, I need to remind myself that I tried. Louie can’t be saved. I’ve always known it, but maybe there is a redemption for him. “Let her go. Let me help you. We can fix this. I can fix you.”

He laughs at me, and Emerson growls, night-touched darkness spreading around the ground like a mist, swooping closer to Louie. In response, Louie pushes the dagger closer into Nerry’s throat, and I flinch. Blood pours down her skin, but she doesn’t even blink. Nothing about her even moves, as if the cut is nothing compared to the pain she is used to. My heart pounds as I almost take a step closer. Emerson’s hand tightens in mine, the only sign he’s telling me not to move. I know I can’t get to her without fighting Louie, and Louie will have magic. He is taunting me right now. This is a game for him. Talk of the devil. Grey shadows rise around the edges of the houses nearby, smothering them and breaking the windows. That isn’t Emerson’s magic.

“Hello, Calliophe,” Louie murmurs, leaning closer to Nerry and kissing her cheek. She doesn’t move or react. “Did you miss me? I missed you and your hopeless attempts to save me. I don’t want to be saved, you pathetic fae.”

Emerson growls. “Watch your mouth before I smother it.”

Louie’s cruel laugh echoes everywhere. “Ah, the famous monster king. Why did you come to save a female you don’t remember and a city full of fae that hate you?”

Emerson looks down at me. “I don’t need to remember Calliophe to know I’d die for her. She is mine.” He turns back to Louie. “And you will not touch her.”

I squeeze Emerson’s hand, hoping he knows I’d die for him too. Even if he doesn’t remember when we first met, how we fell in love, or anything else, he is still fighting for me. Louie clicks his tongue, and I can hear it from over here. “Sickening, those mortal emotions you cling to. They make you weak, and I’m glad I do not have them.”

“It is terrible you don’t,” Posy interrupts. “I hope your death is quick, for the boy you once were.”

“The bat,” he sneers. “Even before I was grown, I knew you were different. You have old blood and, oh, how it sings to be free. You could come with me.”

She gives him a bored glance. “I’d rather watch the Wyern King rip you to pieces. You’re a monster.”

Louie tugs on Nerelyth. “Monsters are subjective. Am I a monster for getting revenge on this world for destroying another?”

“You’re lying!” I snap. “The goddess wasn’t evil, and she didn’t take power, or anything, from your world. She was born in the Rift, and they abused her. The Rift is dying because it has no magic, because the goddess and all her descendants have left. From what I’ve seen, it deserved that fate.”

Louie’s eyes pique with interest. “My god tells another story. He has been locked away there for so long and witnessed so much, that I believe him over you.”

I wonder what god he is talking about. I didn’t see any other god in the goddess’s visions, but Louie has mentioned an old god a few times now. It doesn’t make sense, but yet, someone must have changed Louie and the other children and given them the crowns. I feel like I’m missing something important. “Then you’re a fool, Louie. I know about the goddess and my parents now. Still, I want to help you. No one is unredeemable.”

“And you say I’m the fool?” he coos. I have a feeling his army is going to be inches away from descending on all of us now, and the longer I talk with him, the more chance there is of them getting closer. There are only three of us here. Emerson, as strong as he is, needs help if he is to face a Rift army and Louie, unprepared. I won’t let him fight this alone. I hope he’s brought the Wyerns with him, but I have a feeling he didn’t. He just got here as soon as he could when he knew I was in danger, something I should have seen coming. Lorenzo would be at Posy’s side if he was in this city. “Come with me, Calliophe. That’s all I ask, and no blood needs to be shed between us. A simple trade. You can have the Siren Princess. She’s useless to me for now, and I will have you.”

Emerson’s answer, one single word, screams enough violence that I’m surprised there isn’t blood soaking the ground between us. “No.”

Louie tsks again. “She’s all I want, and I have what Calli wants safe. You can’t win everything.” He took Nerry to be bait against me, and truthfully, it might work. I can’t have Nerelyth die for me.

“What did you do to her?” I snarl. “Look at her.”

He looks down at Nerry with no sympathy, just nothing in his eyes. “Well, she’s still alive. Be thankful for that.”

A growl echoes in Emerson’s throat. “Clearly, no one taught you to never hurt a female.”

Louie snarls. “Ask the fae at your side. She brought me up.”

It’s like he stabs me in the heart. “I never taught you to hurt females… to hurt anyone.”

Emerson watches his every movement, and I know he doesn’t just want to save Nerry for me. She’s one of his court’s. Someone that he swore to protect. He protects everyone in his court like they are family. I rub my thumb over the back of his hand, and he looks down at me for just a second and nods once. That’s the only warning I get before darkness literally rips the ground from under all of us, and we all fall straight into it. Shadows wrap around my waist, softening my landing, as Emerson launches himself at Louie as he falls. In the shock, he has let go of Nerelyth without slitting her throat, and through the falling dirt, the endless darkness, I see her red hair. Nerry doesn’t even attempt to escape. She rolls behind him before curling up into a ball in the mud.

Dirt continues to fall on us as I watch Emerson move like lightning through a storm, his wings spread open, darkness rippling out of his body only to clash with grey shadow Rift magic. Nothing more than shadows, the two of them are in a battle of such intense power that it’s hard to watch. They both roar to the elements. The darkness spirals around them as they stand in the gap, ripping and destroying everything around them. Emerson manages to get closer, only to be hit hard with lashes of magic that send him backwards a few yards. He doesn’t even land before he catches himself on his wings and swerves back, pulling out his black onyx swords from his back and swinging them straight in Louie’s direction, with his magic backing him the entire way. Louie has his own weapons and counteracts with his own grey shining sword, blocking both of Emerson’s strong hits.

Posy grabs my shoulder. “We need to get Nerelyth. Now! Get up!”

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