Everlife (Everlife #3)

One second, two. Three. Radio silence remains.

Zhi arches a brow. “Nothing to say, Miss Lockwood?”

My panicked gaze swings back to Killian. He’s gripping the bars of his cage, his knuckles white, his calm slipping away.

Slap! Javier’s palm makes contact with my cheek. The pain is sharp but fleeting as my head whips to the side. Lifeblood leaks from the corner of my mouth.

“Do yourself a favor, Miss Lockwood.” Zhi tugs at the cuff of his shirt. “Pay attention.”

Rage detonates along my bond to Killian—and it’s not mine.

“Hitting girls now, Diez?” Killian tsks. He appears even calmer than before. So calm it’s almost scary. “And bound girls who can’t fight back, at that. Your bravery is inspiring.”

“Keep talking. Please.” Javier peers over his shoulder and smiles slowly. Then, still watching Killian, he slaps me harder. “Ten is the one who will pay for your crimes.”

“You consider truth a crime?” I laugh. “I don’t know why I’m shocked. The truth is, you’re pathetic in every way. You’re a coward with—”

His arm lashes out a third time. Third time is the charm. Rather than delivering a slap, he balls up his hand and punches me. Stars explode in my vision. My teeth cut my cheeks, and agony sears my mouth.

No longer can Killian maintain any type of facade. He rattles the cage and screams, “I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure you rot in Many Ends.”

I use his outburst to my advantage, shouting again for my friends. —Archer! Raanan! Biscuit! Someone!—

—Ten…—

I suck in a breath. Archer! I’d recognize his voice anywhere, anytime. He may be in Troika, and I may have used up all my Light, but I’m still connected to him through the Grid.

“What happened?” Victor closes the distance, then reaches out to clasp my chin. Problem is, he’s in the Shell and I’m in spirit form. His hand ghosts through me. Glaring at me now, he snaps, “Tell me!”

—Archer. I used up my Light, and now I’m a captive. I—

—No need for a recap, Sperm Bank. I know the gist.—

Sperm Bank. The nickname he gave me the day we met. He said I had lady balls and an explosive temper.

—Listen up. I’m with Clay, Raanan, Clementine, Kayla and Reed. Earlier I sent you a message explaining everything, but it bounced back. So here’s the condensed version. Our group has changed. We’re ALL Conduits now. Well, not Kayla. Not yet. Raanan is an Architect, like you. Okay, okay, I’ll tell her.—

Maybe Javier’s punch damaged my brain, because the last part of Archer’s speech fails to compute. —First, I’m so happy for you guys. There are no better people for the job. Second, I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. You’ll tell me what?—

—Biscuit is insisting I let you know he’s with us. Anyway. We’re going to send Light across the Grid. Maybe it will work, maybe it won’t. We’re new at this. Good news is, the princess thinks it will, in fact, work.—

The princess has left the protection of the tunnels. Perfect! More Conduits means more safety for Troika. I can use whatever Light I’m given to fight Javier’s shadows.

But what will happen to Killian? I stiffen. He reacted to Light so badly the first time.

Doesn’t matter. Whatever happens, we’ll deal. Without Light, we might not survive this encounter.

—Thank you, Archer.— All for one, and one for all. — But be careful. I’m with Javier, and he wants to spread his darkness along our Grid. If you begin to feel drained, stop.—

“Enough.” Javier cups the sides of my face annnd the next thing I know, darkness is hurled into me.

Oh, the pain; it consumes me. Gritting my teeth, I summon every bit of my remaining strength to erect a block and keep it—him—away from the Grid. Sweat beads in different locations. Ice seems to spread over my spine. I can’t breathe. I need to breathe.

Finally Javier pulls back, and the darkness vanishes.

The pain fades, and I begin panting. —Archer!—

—Working on it, but…— The words are gritted. —We’re blocked.—

No, no, no. Is the block I erected against Javier also keeping out my friends?

“Well?” Zhi demands.

“She’s resisting,” Javier snaps. Glaring at me, he adds, “Now Killian will pay the price.”

Killian will pay the price either way. This way, at least, there’s a chance we survive.

“You were warned, Miss Lockwood.” Zhi lifts a remote and presses a button. Volts of electricity flow through the metal bars of Killian’s cage.

My entire body shakes. My vision goes dark, and in my veins, my blood begins to boil, muscle and flesh cooking.

Agony nearly rends me asunder, worse than anything I’ve ever before endured. One second, two. I scream. Or try to. Suddenly the volts die. I continue to quake, my teeth rattling against each other.

My gaze meets Killian’s, his beautiful eyes reminding me of open wounds. He may not remember everything about our past, but he hates what’s being done to me.

“Again,” Zhi says.

Javier reaches for me only to still as multiple voices call out greetings from the hallway.

“Majesty.”

“Your Highness.”

“My lord.” Distress tinges each and every voice.

Pulse after pulse of power hits the room. Hits me. My entire body shudders, my nerve endings buzzing.

Ambrosine has arrived.

While the people of Troika adore Eron, the people of Myriad fear Ambrosine. The contrast proves everything I’ve begun to suspect.

Ambrosine must die.

Zhi and Victor stiffen. Javier smiles. Interesting. He must see himself as prince’s pet.

Then the door opens, and a man who can only be the Prince of Ravens glides into the room.

He is so beautiful, with pale hair and eyes that glitter like diamonds, that I can only believe my eyes are deceiving me. His nearly translucent skin is flawless, his muscles well-honed and displayed to perfection even though he’s wearing a robe made of raven feathers and brushed with…stardust?

A crown of shadows rests upon his head, a hundred pairs of red eyes within its depths, glowing like rubies as they watch the world with undiluted glee. On his hands are strips of metal. One for every finger. Each strip arcs into a sharpened claw at the tip.

His power intensifies, his shadows growing darker, the hum of evil ringing in my ears. Zhi, Victor and Javier are forced to their knees. In the cage, Killian struggles to rise into a crouch, refusing to look as if he’s begging.

Were I standing and at full strength…I don’t think I would have had the same reaction. When his shadows bump up against my Grid, they cringe and flee.

Hope ignites. There might not be a better time to kill this man. Scratch that. He’s not a man. He’s an otherworldly being. There might not be a better time to kill this otherworldly being. I’ve never been this close to him, may never be this close again.

Just…need…to…break…free. Argh! Though I struggle, my bonds hold firm.

Come on, come on. Fight harder.

Ambrosine destroyed the bridge that once connected Troika and Myriad. He promises a better life filled with excitement and untold pleasures, but he lies, cheats and steals. He can’t be trusted to maintain a truce, has proven himself treacherous at every turn.

He claims he enforces no rule but one: Myriad comes first. And yet, he doesn’t always follow his own rule. He comes first. His wants, his desires. He’s selfish to the extreme, dooming his people to eternal war and endless torment in Many Ends.

“Majesty.” Zhi lumbers to his feet as the Secondking’s shadows thin. “We are humbled by your presence.”

Ambrosine must control the intensity of power he exudes; he can crank it up or let it simmer. I highly doubt he revealed the true depths of his strength just now. Why show all of your cards at once, when I’m already captured and restrained? Why not save the best for last?

I’m not going to be able to kill him, am I?

Hope withers, and fury ignites.