Page 7 of The Endless One

Leon circled him. Measured steps that were not made by a hunter. This was a man who had been pampered his entire life. Every step was too loud, his shoulders too far back, his balance off. It would take so very little for Elric to shove him onto his ass in front of everyone.

But then there was a flicker in Leon’s gaze. A golden light that hadn’t been there before. A light that was familiar, and it made every hair on Elric’s body rise.

“You’ve already started the spell,” he observed. “We anticipated that you might. From what I already know, you need the blood of an unwilling participant.”

Leon held up the knife. “Acquired.”

“I never knew the rest of the spell. I only know that they plunged that blade into my heart before I became a god.” Elric held out his hand. “If you need someone to do that part for you, I would relish the chance.”

“Oh, I’m not going to hand a knife over to you, friend.”

“Friend?” Elric barked the word. “I am not your friend.”

“You will be soon enough. Gods are all friendly to each other, are they not? Unless you wish to wage war against your God King, that is.” A wind kicked up behind Leon. It pushed the scent of Leon’s cologne along with it, a surprisingly floral smell that didn’t match the rage in the man’s eyes. “But don’t worry. You’ll be here to see all of this come together. The God King is certainly not without his mercy.”

“Mercy? My brother does not know the meaning of the word. If you believe that he does, then he has already wrapped you in his web of lies. I never thought you were all that smart, though, so I suppose it isn’t surprising.”

Leon flicked the blade, and drops of Jessamine’s blood landed in the center of the spell he’d etched onto the ground. He tilted his head to the side, and then his shoulders straightened, unnaturally so.

One moment, Elric was looking at a rather dandy man who wanted to be a king, and then… a warrior stood before him. Leon opened his eyes, and his blue gaze turned to yellow.

A low wheeze rattled through his chest as the God King took a breath for the first time in centuries. Elric knew without a doubt that his brother had not yet been fully resurrected. This wasn’t how a god was born. Not yet, at least.

But still, he was pinned in place with fear as the God King looked him in the eyes and said, “Hello, Elric.”

The harsh sound at the end of his name came as a click as his brother worked saliva onto a tongue he hadn’t used in a very long time. Spirits often forgot how to use a physical form.

“Ajax,” Elric said, embarrassed that his voice shook. “I can’t say I’m pleased to see you again.”

“No, I’m sure you’re not.” His brother lifted a hand, looking down at the blade in it. “But I am glad you are here.”

Elric ducked as that blade was thrown at his head. He should have known there would be some trick here. Rolling, he ran for Jessamine as Ajax laughed behind him. Elric cursed himself for thinking they could prepare themselves for this. How could they? Leon himself didn’t know the entire plan.

The God King had told his disciple to wait for him to be in his body, and then he would take over the rest of the ceremony. He was resurrecting himself.

Elric stooped beside Jessamine, unraveling the spell as quickly as he could. He got the top half of her body done fairly easily, and she sat up to help him. “What’s going on?”

“Ajax is here.”

“Who is Ajax?”

“My brother.” Why were her thighs so difficult? Elric’s magic flared as deep as an abyss. He yanked hard, freeing one of her legs. “The God King. Damn it, I should have known this was too easy to turn into a trap. We need to get everyone out of here.”

An explosion of fire cast them apart. Elric was thrown halfway across the amphitheater, his back striking the stones so hard that all the air was knocked out of his lungs. But Jessamine was right where he’d left her, one leg still stuck to the ground as the God King took Elric’s place.

“I can see why you like this one,” Ajax murmured, his hand framing her jaw. “She’s got fire in her.”

Jessamine spat in his face.

Every muscle in Elric’s body tensed, preparing himself to launch at his brother, who he knew would strike her for such an offense. But Ajax just chuckled, wiping the spittle from his cheek as he released her. “I’ll deal with you later, little spitfire. But for now… I have a ceremony to finish.”

Elric struggled to his feet, trying desperately to pull in enough air to fill his empty lungs. He wouldn’t let his brother do this. Not to her. Not to them. There was still time to get all of this back on track, and all he had to do was disrupt the ceremony that was still taking place.

The runes on the floor. Those were what he had to target. He could send out his shadows and smudge them. All he had to do was remove them from the ground. Burn it, perhaps, and that would do it. But even as he started to send out shadows, he could feel the bones in his hands bending.

His fingers snapped. Each of them, one by one. He watched his thumb break last, listening to the crack as it folded toward the back of his hand and all the magic he had summoned disappeared. Pain followed shortly after the shock wore off.

He was ashamed to admit he lay there as his brother walked right up to him and grabbed him by the throat. Yes, this man wore Leon’s face, but it wasn’t him. He could see the God King beyond that mortal form. And all he saw was the man who had tormented him for his entire immortal life. He’d made Elric feel lesser.