David Wells - Cursed Bones

“Where can I confirm these speculations?”

“You could go ask the Taker, he might tell you the truth,” Malachi said, laughing softly.

“Or you could ask the light,” Demetrius said. “A creature such as Selaphiel might know.”

“But how?” Alexander said. “I suppose I could ask Chloe, but I doubt she would know. And even if I could confirm your theory, how would I convince Siduri to subject himself to that?”

“You said he was distraught over what had been done to his children,” Balthazar said. “Perhaps he would view it as saving them from a fate worse than death.”

“If he believed me,” Alexander said, “but how could the light ever accept the shades’ souls after what they’ve done?”

“The light is forgiveness,” Demetrius said, looking at Malachi sadly, “provided that your repentance is real. If Siduri’s account is correct, the shades were children when the Taker touched them. As such, they are innocent and worthy of redemption.”

“That’s a lot of ifs,” Alexander said. “I’m not even sure how I would tell Siduri, if I could confirm everything you’ve suggested.”

“I would start in the firmament,” Constantine said. “If he truly resides there, he will be aware of your presence. Perhaps you can communicate with him.”

“Or maybe he’s just a projection sent by Phane to toy with you,” Malachi said.

“Silence,” Alexander shot back, even as doubt crept into his thoughts. He needed the potion to save Isabel. What if Siduri was an illusion, a deception wielded by Phane to prevent him from saving her?

The Sixth Sovereign sat back, looking smug.

Alexander stood, glaring at Malachi.

“Thank you, gentlemen,” he said. “I’ll pursue confirmation of your speculations and seek out Siduri.”

Alexander soared on the wind high over the ocean, shadowing Aedan as the big, dark green dragon coasted gracefully over his target. Alexander had been waiting for this. He’d been intent on watching this encounter from the moment Bragador sent her agent to retrieve the little black box and Princess Lacy.

They were up high … so high Alexander could just barely make out the ship below. A ship that seemed to be sailing in a giant circle out of the way of normal shipping channels as if it was waiting for something.

The dragon banked and rolled into a dive, accelerating with terrifying quickness. Alexander stayed with him as he let gravity pull him toward his objective. With the sun at his back, the ship’s crew was completely unaware of his sudden approach.

At the last possible moment, Aedan flared his wings, breaking his free-fall and sending a gust of wind into the sails sufficient to cause the entire ship to pitch to one side, causing many of the crew to lose their footing and go down.

He fluidly transformed into a human as he landed on the deck of the ship, striding to the first crewman still standing. “Where’s the princess?” he demanded.

“I don’t know,” the crewman said.

Aedan grabbed him by the lapel and threw him overboard, locking eyes with the next nearest crewman.

“You there,” he said, pointing at the man, “where’s the princess?”

The man turned and ran.

Then Alexander saw him. He was poking his head up through a hatch from below decks. The possessed crewman smiled with gleeful malice as he came up to the main deck. In a crouch, he started toward Aedan.

Alexander could see the wrongness of his colors, he could see the darkness, but he couldn’t warn Aedan.

Rankosi approached the shapeshifted dragon, smiling.

“I’ll tell you where she is,” he said. “All I ask is that you spare my life.”

Alexander felt a sense of chilling helplessness penetrate his entire being. Rankosi took a step. Then another. One final step and he was close enough. He reached out and touched Aedan, clutching at his arm.

The dragon frowned with sudden anger, reaching for him, but it was too late. Rankosi flowed from the crewman into Aedan.

Alexander watched an epic struggle transpire in the colors of the two beings, but the shade won out, finally subjugating Aedan’s free will and possessing the dragon completely.

He looked up at Alexander and smiled wickedly. “Oh, this is much better,” he said, grabbing the frightened crewman by the throat, lifting him off the deck and leaping onto the railing before launching into the air over the ocean, transforming into a dragon in moments. Still holding the crewman by the throat, he flipped the man’s legs into his mouth and bit them off at the waist before casting his screaming torso into the ocean.

Aedan, possessed by Rankosi, gained altitude and distance from the ship where Lacy Fellenden was being held captive.

Alexander slipped back into the firmament, then returned to the Wizard’s Den.

“Little One, will you tell Bragador that I have grave news.”

“Yes, My Love,” Chloe said, floating up and kissing him on the cheek before spinning into a ball of light and vanishing.

Bragador arrived several minutes later.

“Thank you for coming,” Alexander said.

“What news?”

“Aedan has been possessed by the shade Rankosi,” he said.

“Impossible!” Bragador said.

“I just watched it happen,” Alexander said.

“You are mistaken,” Bragador said, “and I intend to prove it.” She turned on her heel and left.

***

“I’m not sure if I can do this,” Alexander said, more to himself than anyone.

“I believe in you, My Love,” Chloe said.

“You said the sovereigns were only speculating about Mindbender’s power transferring to you,” Jack said, “and even then, they didn’t know if you’d develop the same abilities the sword gave you. Maybe you’re trying to do the wrong thing.”

“Or maybe I just can’t make it work because I’m stuck in this bed,” Alexander said. “I just can’t seem to make myself believe I’m in a fight enough to project an illusion.”

“You’ve been trying for days, My Love,” Chloe said. “Maybe you should just rest for a while.”

“Maybe you’re right. I’m not getting anywhere, anyway,” he said, closing his eyes and relaxing into the bed that had become his home since his injury.

He relaxed his body and cleared his mind like he had so many times in the past prior to slipping into the firmament, but this time he simply let his mind wander, allowing the images to play across his mind’s eye. He thought of Isabel, trying to remember exactly what she looked like, her chestnut-brown hair, her piercing green eyes and her perfect smile. He missed her terribly, but after seeing her nightmares, he’d come to terms with her decision. She was trying to protect him even though it hurt her as much as it hurt him.

He was looking at her in his mind’s eye, seeing her in perfect detail, dressed in her riding armor, wearing her sword, the medallion of Glen Morillian around her neck, when he heard Jack gasp.

Alexander’s eyes snapped open, and for just a moment, barely a blink, Isabel was standing in the room looking at him … then she vanished. Alexander swallowed hard, his mind working furiously to comprehend what had just happened.

“Did you see her, too?” he asked.

Jack nodded.

“Lady Reishi appeared for just a moment, then vanished just as quickly,” Hector said.

“But she didn’t have any colors,” Alexander said, realization flooding into him. “She was just an illusion.”

“I don’t understand, My Love,” Chloe said.

“I’ve been going about this all wrong,” Alexander said. “I’ve been trying to make illusions the same way I did when I had Mindbender, but the sword depended on my mindset-I had to believe I was in a fight for it to work. What if that mindset was only necessary because the power was bound to a sword, a weapon?”