Chapter 47
What Avelyn said was true. The walls of the cavern were crumbling around them. Castiel scooped Demina up and shoved Chase in front of them.
“Lead us out of here.”
Chase nodded fearfully and took up the front followed by Jaxon who leaned heavily on an exhausted Avelyn. Castiel brought up the rear, his gaze searing the back of Chase’s head. They climbed out of the cave just in time. It collapsed around them, leaving a gaping hole filled with rocks and rubble. Castiel turned and climbed on his horse. Jaxon helped Avelyn onto her before climbing on his own horse. Avelyn hesitated but stretched her hand to help Chase up.
“He can walk, Avy,” Jaxon said venomously.
Avelyn shook her head and Chase climbed in back of her.
Nyssa pulled the curtain back, smile widening as she took in the three horses coming up the path.
“Cassiopeia! They’re back!”
The healer had finally arrived a few hours earlier. She had been extremely disappointed when she had found that Castiel, Demina and Avelyn were gone already. But she’d stayed and kept Nyssa company. Cassi stood up as the two of them flew out the door. They stood on the porch waiting for the riders to come closer. Cassi’s heart suddenly sank as a feeling of dread came over her.
“Nyssa...Nyssa, there are only three riders.”
Nyssa’s eyes grew. She bit her lip.
“Perhaps, one of them is injured.”
They could only hope and pray that that was the case. The three of them came to a stop at the porch. Jax climbed off his horse and helped Avelyn off. Castiel handed Demi to Jaxon, taking her back in his arms when he got down. He walked past Nyssa and Cassi, not saying a word and going upstairs. They turned to Jax and Avelyn who were barely standing.
“Jaxon...”
“She’s gone, Nyssa. She’s dead.”
Cassi covered her mouth with her hand.
“What? What happened? Is that...is that Chase?”
“It’s a long story,” Avelyn answered quietly. Her eyes were red from crying and her voice was strained and exhausted, “I should have never come.”
“Oh, Ava.”
Cassiopeia and Nyssa put their arms around her as they all headed inside. Sitting everyone down, Cassiopeia got to work on their injuries. Avelyn recounted the story, breaking down in tears as she reached the part about Demina’s death.
“She told me...that she was sorry that it had to this end way...” Avelyn whispered.
Jaxon wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her shoulders and fighting his own grief. Nyssa turned to Chase.
“And what about you?” she asked strongly, “How...are you still alive?”
Chase looked down at his hands for awhile before looking at her, tears in his eyes.
“I don’t remember...” he whispered, “The last thing I remember is kissing Demina goodbye. She was alive...and so happy.”
“You don’t remember anything?” Nyssa asked frowning.
“The sword must have separated them,” Cassi said. They all looked at her in confusion, so she explained, “Chase was somehow fused with Raiden’s consciousness. Their souls were linked, tied together. When Avelyn stabbed Drax, which was most likely in the heart, she broke the tie binding Chase to Drax and Raiden, freeing him.”
Castiel came down the stairs and listened quietly. Now he turned to Chase.
“Is that what happened?” he asked.
“You thought you could defeat me, Captain? You and 25 men,” Raiden laughed, “and where are your men now, captain? Sixteen are dead and nine of them, including your king, have abandoned you.”
Raiden leaned over. He punched Chase in the gut and the boy bent double. He heard a faint crack, and he blinked back tears. Demi was going to kill him. Raiden lifted his sword and Chase closed his eyes but the blow never came. The man laughed again.
“I’ll spare you.”
Chase’s head jerked up as he looked into Raiden’s cruel eyes.
“S-spare me?”
“Yes. I will spare you. I won’t kill you like the rest.”
Raiden slammed his palm into Chase’s chest. His hand glowed and Chase felt a burning sensation in his heart.He grasped his chest, falling on his hands and knees, gasping. Slowly his green eyes darkened. Raiden smiled.
“Your soul now belongs to me.”
Chase looked away.
“No. I don’t remember anything.”
