Dianne Salerni - The Eighth Day

To Jax’s astonishment, Evangeline reached out and grabbed the dagger as if Wylit were trying to steal it from her. It didn’t come easily; she had to tug twice before she managed to pull it out of his body.

“You two all right?”

Jax looked up to see Riley limping down from the summit. He was bloodied, but his injuries looked more like grazes from flying debris than bullet holes. As he descended, he slammed a new magazine into the grip of his pistol with the palm of his hand. “Get back,” he said grimly, extending his arm and taking aim.

But it wasn’t necessary. Wylit stared sightlessly at the sky, the blue of his eyes already dimmed. Riley lowered the gun, his shoulders sagging in relief as he realized he wasn’t going to have to make his first kill after all. Jax sucked in a lungful of air and looked up, only to discover that the heavens still seemed seconds away from shattering into a thousand pieces. “Evangeline,” he whispered in horror.

“I see it.” She wiped the Pendragon dagger clean on the train of her dress and then turned it around and offered it to Riley hilt first. “Thank you for the use of your blade.”

Riley didn’t take it. “You can hang on to it if you like. I want this one.” He bent and picked up Excalibur.

Evangeline watched him examine the ancient relic. “Wylit didn’t complete his spell,” she said, “but it’s activated.”

“I know.” Riley gave her a sideways glance and said in a low voice, “Spell casting’s not my thing. I don’t know how to fix this.”

A figure appeared at the edge of the summit. Riley whipped around, Excalibur in one hand, the pistol in his other, and Jax stood in front of Evangeline, shielding her.

A.J. Crandall waved at them and called to someone behind him, “They’re here!” Then he turned to Riley. “The pyramid’s secure. The rest of the complex not so much, but Deidre’s men are cleaning up.”

“Tell Riley to get up here, now! ” There was no mistaking Mr. Crandall’s bellow from the summit. A.J. turned, looking worried, then ran out of sight. Riley sprinted uphill after him.

Jax turned to Evangeline. “Do you want me to get you to a lower level, if it’s safe?”

“No, I need to get to the top.” She eyed the sky again, loose strands of hair whipping around her face in the wild wind.

Jax took her hand and helped her mount to the summit. In the center of the platform, two people lay on the ground next to each other: Balin and Miller. Both Crandalls were crouched beside Miller. Near the altar and the table, Thomas and his father were trying to rouse Tegan. Michael patted her cheeks anxiously to no avail. “Pendragon!” he hollered.

Riley was headed toward Miller, but he diverted his steps enough to bend and brush his fingertips across Tegan’s head. “Wake up, kid. You were very brave.”

Tegan’s eyes flew open, and her father nearly crushed her in a hug. Jax watched only for a second, then followed Riley with Evangeline still holding his hand. They had to step over Balin. His eyes were closed, thankfully, but his head was twisted in an unnatural way. Jax shuddered, realizing Miller had killed Balin with his bare hands.

Meanwhile, Riley was arguing with Mr. Crandall. “He said it was just a flesh wound—nothing serious. He was on his feet a minute ago.”

Mr. Crandall shook his head bleakly, his hands pressed into Miller’s side trying to stop the bleeding. Clearly Miller had been wrong, or lying. “Find out if the Morgans have a healer in their bunch,” Mr. Crandall snapped at his son.

A.J. unclipped a walkie-talkie from his belt and took a few steps away.

“Come on, Miller,” Riley said. “You’ve been hurt worse than this before.”

Miller had lost his glasses in the fight. He seemed to have trouble focusing, but when Jax glanced at the wound again, he knew the problem wasn’t Miller’s eyesight. Jax’s stomach lurched.

“She okay?” Miller mumbled to Riley.

“Yeah,” said Riley. “She’s right here.”

Evangeline leaned over Riley’s shoulder. “I’m fine. You saved us.”

Miller closed his eyes. “Worried I was . . . too late . . .”

“Miller,” growled Riley. “Stay with me. Hey!” He smacked Miller’s face, like Michael had done to his daughter, but not as gently. “I order you to—” Riley didn’t finish the sentence. Jax figured even the Pendragon voice couldn’t command someone to stop dying.

“’S okay,” whispered Miller. “Was tired of being here without Alanna anyway.”

That was the last thing he said. A.J. and Deidre were on the walkie-talkie, ordering some vassal with healing talent to the top of the pyramid, but there wasn’t any point. Mr. Crandall sat on his heels, swearing under his breath. Riley just knelt there, saying nothing.

Jax rubbed his eyes with the heels of both hands. He hadn’t even liked Miller.

Evangeline put a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “I’m really sorry,” she said. “But you don’t have time to grieve now.” He looked up, and Evangeline indicated the sky. “I’m not sure how to fix this either, but I need your help to try.”

Riley looked once more at his dead friend, then staggered to his feet. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Evangeline led Riley to the altar, and Jax followed. When the train of her gown caught on the foot of the table, Jax said, “I’ve had it with this.” He grabbed up handfuls of the fabric and started cutting it off with his dagger.

“Yes, do that,” said Evangeline. “He picked this stupid dress. I reject it, and him, and everything he stood for.” She gripped the Pendragon blade in her right hand and held out her other one to Riley. He shifted Excalibur to his left hand and entwined his right hand with hers.

Jax hacked the last of bit of excess dress off and backed away.

Evangeline took a few deep breaths, her brow rumpled in concentration. For a moment, she looked like she had no idea how to start, but then she spoke up loudly. “I reject everything that happened here tonight. That man spoke nothing but lies.”

She looked at the crate. “Niviane of the Lake was a great queen, and she was allied with two great men, both of whom are represented here tonight. The three of them together conceived a plan to stop magic being used to subjugate the innocent. I stand by what they did, even if it imprisons me for the rest of my life.”

Riley watched her, looking uncertain and waiting for his cue, while Evangeline addressed the sky. Who’s listening? Jax wondered. Is it God or Nature or the whole Universe? Please, whoever it is . . . He found himself praying. Listen to her.

“Niviane will be returned to a proper grave once the spell is repaired,” Evangeline said. “We have the blade she gave Arthur to seal their alliance, which was returned to her on his death. And we are heirs to the Pendragon and Emrys lines, with full right to claim their spell as our own.”

Tegan appeared at Jax’s side. “We can help,” she whispered. She slipped her hand into Jax’s, wrapping her slim fingers around the hilt of his honor blade. Then she held out her other hand to her brother, who caught it and reached out to his father. A.J. and Mr. Crandall approached Jax’s other side, and A.J. offered a hand to Jax, honor blade and all. Catching on, Jax gripped A.J.’s hand and his dagger together.

Evangeline nodded approval at them and continued, “Like the original casters of this spell, we are joined by our vassals and brave allies. A friend of the Pendragons sacrificed his life to the cause—”

“Brother,” Riley said abruptly. “Miller Owens was engaged to my sister. He was supposed to’ve been my brother.”

“Brother,” Evangeline repeated. Her voice wavered. “Your brother and my brother both died preserving the eighth day.”