Kresley Cole: Endless Knight

When they remained unconvinced, I said, “Matthew showed me a vision of another alliance of three. They fought Death. They were organized, skilled, and committed. They never would’ve hurt each other, which means they had to be planning an exit from the game.” I turned to Matthew. “Right?”

He didn’t deny it, just said, “System the game, game the system. There’s a heat in battle.”

“There is,” I said. “We might need to fight, but that doesn’t mean we have to kill each other. If we all commit to this, then we don’t have to become murderers. Your hands are clean.” Unlike my marked one.

Finn asked Selena, “Think a pact’s even doable for you?”

“If we can come up with a viable way to get out of this game, then I won’t hurt any of you,” she said. “Otherwise, we’re back to the take-out-Death alliance.”

I shared a look with Finn. Best we’re gonna get.

He tapped his watch. “We’re getting close on time.”

Which meant I’d be leaving my trees. You’re welcome, Requiem! “All right. First order of alliance business: run.”

They both grabbed their packs, like I’d given marching orders.

Grasping Matthew’s hand, I hurried toward the yard. “Can you see how far away the other cards are?” We crossed over the front porch—the place where I’d finished the Alchemist. There was no sign of his blood. Baggers must’ve licked the boards clean.

“You need to stay here and fight, Empress.”

The mere idea made me queasy, my legs feeling rubbery. “We’re taking off, honey. It’ll be safer for you.”

His big brown eyes were solemn as he said, “I hope you are terrified and angry and sad for as long as it rains.”

“Matthew! Why would you say that?” I cast him a hurt look. “Never mind, we’ll talk about this later.”

“Death watches. Strike first, or be first-struck.”

He kept saying that, but even if I unleashed my full arsenal, I didn’t know if I could kill Death. He would slice through my barriers and vines with his swords. His armor would protect him from my thorns and claws. Just like in my dream. Now that I wasn’t all roided out on Empress juice, I didn’t have high hopes for my chances. “One threat at a time, okay?”

We hadn’t made it out of the yard when everyone froze midstep; Arcana calls sounded.

—Eyes to the skies, lads, I strike from above!—

—I watch you like a hawk.—

I’d heard these before, had seen their owners in Matthew’s shared visions. The first call belonged to the Tower Card, Joules. The second was from Gabriel, the Judgment Card, a winged boy.

Shit, this was happening! “Matthew, you told us we had an hour!”

“Less than. This is less than.”

“They’re already in the valley.” Selena scowled. “And if we heard their calls, you better believe they heard ours. We can’t get past them now. The bottleneck’s too narrow.”

Just as Finn said, “The four of us can handle a pair, right?” we heard another call:

—Trapped in the palm of my hand. —

I’d never heard that one before. “Who’s that?”

Matthew answered, “Tess Quinn, the World Card, one of the elementals. Quintessence dances across the world.”

What I wouldn’t give for a decoder ring! “What are Tess’s powers?”

“Intangibility, levitation, time manipulation, teleportation, astral projection . . .” He took a breath to keep going.

I cut him off. “Okay, okay. What do we do?”

“This trio comes for you. Joules wants your death. To spite Death.”

Just then, we heard the Reaper telling all Arcana:

—The Empress’s life is mine to take. Disobey and I won’t kill you, not for ages.—

Finn said, “Why’s this Joules cat so hard up for Evie? And why does Death give a shit?”

“Matthew showed me a vision of Death killing Calanthe, Joules’s girlfriend,” I quickly explained. “She was the Temperance Card. Joules was devastated. The Tower, Judgment, and Temperance were the ones in that tight alliance I mentioned.”

Selena drew her bow. “If Joules wants Evie, then he’s going to have a fight on his hands.”

How odd that Selena was now bent on protecting me. I wondered what exactly Matthew had told her.

Finn asked me, “How’s the juice? You got anything? I’m running low myself.”

Selena said, “And I’m still rocking a single arrow. Maybe we can set a trap and ambush them?”

“Conserve and converge,” Matthew chirped.

“Hello, listen to yourselves!” I squeezed my temples. “We’re not fighting them! If we have to face them, we need to try to ally with them. Then we would be seven, united against Death. No one has cause to hate him like Joules. We can use that.”

Selena looked at me like I was crazy. “Or Joules could end us all, get our icons and more power to take Death on himself. This is the Tower we’re talking about, as in a heavy hitter .”

“As much as I hate to admit it,” Finn said, “Selena’s got a point. If we try to recruit them when we’re weak, it’s just going to look like we’re wheedling for our lives. We’ve got to lower the boom on them, then offer them mercy if they join us.”

They were right. This alliance business was just like my old cheerleading squad—it had to look like the cool kids were in it, or no one would try out.

“Matthew, we need your help. What do we do?”

“Look at my new kicks.” He raised one boot. “Finn said I’m ballin’ like a pimp now.” Then he frowned. “Good thing?”

“Yes, yes, but—”

“He took care of me when you abandoned me.”

God, the guilt. In a rush, I said, “I thought you’d be safer at Finn’s than going back out on the road with me! You know how dangerous it’ll be to reach the coast.” But then, I’d believed that before I’d understood how lethal I could be.

“Dangerous Empress!”

“I had no idea Jackson would drag all of you up here.” He’d come for me, wanting to be with me. Until he’d witnessed what I was. “Sweetheart, can you please concentrate? What should we do?”

“Fight to the death.”

“Damn it, Matthew!”

Selena grabbed my upper arm. “You want me to join in this make-love-not-war bullshit? Then convince me it’s even possible. You might not be able to defeat them, but you better look like you can. . . .”

“This isn’t working!” Back on Arthur’s front porch, I’d shed my pack and new parka, willing my claws to appear. They’d tingled but remained dormant. “Tapped out.” My glyphs were dark, the fuel gauge blinking E . “I used everything in my arsenal last night—”

Selena’s hand shot out and smacked my face.

“What the hell?” When I raised my palm to my cheek, she slapped the other one harder.

I felt my glyphs stirring.

“If you don’t want these cards to die, then get to work, Evie! You need to look like the Empress of Old, slithery and creepy and sexy all at the same time.”

“Touch me again, and you’ll see slithery and creepy—”

With her enhanced speed, she shoved me back before I could even react. I tripped over my pack, landing on my ass. “You bitch!” I bounded up, thorn claws bared.

“That’s it! Sell it, sister, or we are dead!”

I gazed down at my body, at my skin glowing through the fabric of my clothes. Sharp emotions like fury and utter terror always sparked my powers; Selena had pissed me off enough to give me a jump-start. I narrowed my eyes at Matthew. “This is why you want me angry, terrified, and sad for the rainy season?”

Blank smile.

Which power to choose? The flower glyph was my lotus, the barbs my tornado. The gleaming vine circling my upper arm was ready to spring to life, leaving my body to maim and kill. The dotted pattern shivering across my torso represented my poisons.