Page 2 of Fates of Monsters

I knowhe is making a good point, but all I can see is that horrid, uncontrollable power that exploded out of me. “But if I wasn’t there…”

Emerson grunts.“Whether you use that power or whether it was him and his monster army, the city would have been destroyed either way. No one was going to survive him there. They had no army, no defense, and they didn’t leave in time.” He tells me softly. “You couldn’t have known.”

“Emerson,” I breathe out. I need his comfort, but not him like this.

“I remember you, Doe,” he whispers as he leans forward. My heart pounds as he kisses me so softly, so gently, and more tears fall down my face. “My soul and heart never forgot, but I’m glad my mind has finally caught up. I’m sorry… for everything. You shouldn’t have made that deal, Calliophe. He could have taken you as his; he could have killed you. I’m glad it was only my memories, and fucking goddess above, I’m glad they are back. If I wasn’t—” He pauses with a wince of pain, the color leaching from his skin. “I’d take you here and now in the mud wherever the fuck we are.”

I break down into tears, tightening my arms around him, hearing him wince, but he hugs me tightly back. “I’ve missed you so much, Emerson. It’s like you were a shadow.”

“But always yours,” he whispers in my ear. “I’m yours. With no memories, body, or life, I’d still find my way back to you. My soul breathes for you, and it will until we are nothing but stars in the sky.”

I kiss him softly, enjoying the soft embrace as my heart warms from his words. I love him and we have each other. Everything else, we can fight together from now on, and this is such a relief, like a weight has been taken off my shoulders. I lift my head, looking around where we are, but there is nothing but darkness and mud. It’s just empty here. I don’t sense anyone nearby and there isn’t much we can do until the sun rises. I’m not sure I can move Emerson on my own when he is in this state. He won’t admit it, but I doubt he can even stand. “Howdo you have your memories back? I don’t understand.”

Emerson brushes some of my hair to the side. “I was hit by your power, and it all came back in one go. Something just snapped.” My power broke the sea god’s magic? It must be something to do with the crown and how it made my power change and explode like it did.

“How did you barely manage to hold up against that power?” I question. “I know you’re injured, but everyone else is dead.” I close my eyes. “I wondered why Louie faced us alone. I thought maybe he thought he didn’t need them, but it wasn’t that. He knew what would happen if he put the crown on my head and somehow made that power explode out of me. His army was safe, and he tricked us.”

Emerson kisses me. “My magic protected me, barely. You’re far more powerful than anyone I’ve seen, even me.”

“I destroyed an entire city, Emerson. I killed millions with that power, and now Louie has it,” I all but whisper. “He is going to turn our world into ash with my power. We have to think of a way to stop him before he gets to your cities. Wherever you took us, we—”

He stops me. “I didn’t bring us here. I had no power left after defending myself. It’s why I told you to run.” He softly frowns at me. “Which I meant run away, not to me.”

“I was always going to run to you,” I mutter. Like I’d run away when he was in danger. “But if you didn’t make the portal, who did? And where are we?” The answer comes only a few minutes later as a soft grey light spreads across the empty sky. I stand up, my eyes widening as I realize where we are. “The Rift. This is where I was born…”

My feet sink in the thick mud as I look over the outline of the city in the distance. Emerson grunts as he tries to sit up, but he can’t. I go back to his side. “That’s why my power feels strange. Broken.”

I don’t say it, but I can’t feel my powers at all. No fire. No ice. Just nothing. “There’s a city over there, and I don’t know who lives there or whether they will help us, but we should go that way.”

“You should go,” Emerson suggests. “I can’t walk. I’m pretty sure both my legs are broken, and I’ve lost a lot of blood. My body needs time to heal.” He closes his eyes. “Leave me here.”

“No.” I lower myself down so we are face to face. My pink hair falls around our faces, blocking out the world. “I’m never, ever leaving you. Especially not when you’re injured. We go everywhere together because fate seems to love splitting us up, and I’m done with that shit.”

“Calliophe,” he murmurs, his eyes darkening. “I’m inclined to agree on that, but I’m absolutely fucking useless right now. We’re in danger here. You need to go and I can’t follow right now. Sitting here in the mud is asking for trouble. Where is my sword?”

I find it in the mud nearby and lug the heavy black sword over to his side before sitting down. I’m too tired to argue with him about leaving or not. This world is so strange. There are no birds in the sky or even sounds of bugs chirping. There’s nothing but dark grey shadows, and it’s worse than my dreams. It smells worse too. Louie was dragged here… he must have been so scared. The part of my heart that still thinks of Louie as a little boy crumbles at the thought of what he went through. I promised to protect him and his mum. I failed them both. Emerson’s warm hand tightens in mine, like he can hear my thoughts.

“Doe, pick up my sword,” Emerson growls low. I hear the sound of something coming near, and it’s moving fast. I pick up Emerson’s sword and move to stand in front of him. I lift the heavy, nearly unusable sword as the sound only gets closer. No one is touching my king.

ChapterTwo

There is nothing I can do to prepare for a fight when Emerson’s sword is so heavy and my powers have all but disappeared. I would still fight to the end for him. Emerson is trying to sit up, only for more of his blood to sink into the mud and more color to drain from his face. I can’t tell him to stay down, but we both know he can’t fight either. My blood feels like it’s on fire as I watch the horizon, seeing a dot coming closer, and I can’t make out what it is.

Did I make a portal here? I wasn’t aware I could even do that. Perhaps I did. But why would I bring us to the Rift? It’s hardly somewhere safe. I spot black horses first, two of them, and they are running fast, lugging an old wooden cart behind them. They see us first and the driver turns the horses our way, tugging the reins to slow down. I glance at Emerson, who is watching. When the carriage is close, I see two hooded people sitting on a bench at the front of the carriage. The smaller—a female, I’d guess—jumps off the seat and pushes her hood back, her white hair flashing against the grey sky. Though her white hair would suggest she’s old, she looks young, and she frowns at us with her grey eyes. The second person follows, a bulky man who jumps off the other side, and his hood falls off. He has a shaved head, with white painted marks drawn into his dark skin. Both of them have grey eyes, but hers are dark and his are like the moon, bright and light.

“Do you need help, strangers?” the female questions, cautiously looking at the sword in my hand. “We mean you no harm. We don’t even carry weapons—”

“Don’t tell them that. They might try to rob us!” the male blurts out.

The female sighs. “One of them is badly injured. I could smell the blood a mile away. The female doesn’t look in great shape either. Stop worrying.”

“Your kindness will get us killed one day, my darling,” he mutters, but he doesn’t stop her from coming closer.

I lower my sword. “What are you doing out here?” she asks. Her accent is so different, so unfamiliar, like the male’s.

Clearing my throat, I glance at Emerson for a second. He is watching them both with nothing but hostility. Emerson doesn’t like strangers. “My mate is injured and we’re kind of stuck here.”

“Poor souls. How’d you even get out here?” she inquires and looks at the male, who I’d guess is her partner. “My husband and I are traveling to the city. We can take your friend if we can carry him into the back. I know a healer who has some power. I’m sure they’ll help with whatever has happened to your mate. I’m not sure about the wings. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a male with wings like that. Where are you from?”

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