Horsemen's War (The Rebellion Chronicles #3) - Steve McHugh Page 0,121
long as I’m willing to kill myself and anyone near me,” I said.
Orfeda nodded.
“Well, shit,” I said with a sigh.
“We’ll find a way,” Orfeda said. “Have faith.”
“Tarron,” I said as the dwarves ran off. “Get that realm gate done. We’re going to have to send people through both parts for as long as we can.”
“I assume we can’t make more bracelets?” he asked.
“They take too long to make, and we don’t have any humans who know runes that could do it,” Hades said. “Oh, you should know. Merlin’s dead.”
That was a surprise. “How’s Mordred?” I asked.
“Good, considering,” Hades said. “Or as good as Mordred ever pretends to be. He killed his own father.”
“I’ll go find him when I get a moment,” I said.
Everyone set about their jobs. Then suddenly I spotted Tommy at the far end of the road. He was alone, in human form, his clothes tattered and bloodstained. I walked toward him cautiously and noticed that a lot of armed guards had appeared close by, their weapons ready.
“Tommy, that’s close enough,” I said. “Don’t really want to have to fight you again.”
“I saw the citadel collapse,” he said.
“Lucifer died; Arthur escaped; I’m human,” I said. “It’s been a shit day.”
There was a growl to the side of me, and Kase, in full werebeast form, crouched low and moved toward us, her mum, Olivia, behind her.
“Hey, honey,” Tommy said.
“Dad?” Kase asked.
Tommy nodded. She took a step forward, and Tommy moved back. “I . . . I can’t. I can’t turn into a wolf, or I lose control again. It’s everything just to stay human. That sword of Mordred’s really did a number on my brain. It cleared it long enough for me to turn back into my human form, but I’m not sure for how long.”
“We can fix it,” Olivia said. “We can try.”
“We will,” Tommy said. “I just . . . I need to be shackled. I need to be restrained. I can’t be trusted.”
“We can arrange that,” I said.
“I want to kill you, Nate,” he said, tears in his eyes. “I want nothing more than to tear you in half, and it’s breaking me to fight it. I don’t know how to stop it. I want to kill all of you. I want to hurt my wife, my daughter, my son, everyone. The bloodlust is all-consuming. The need to taste death almost too much.”
A soldier ran over, and I stopped her from getting too close. She tossed a set of shackles and a sorcerer’s band to Tommy, who put them on eagerly. He sighed when it was done and sank to his knees, openly weeping as Olivia and a now-human Kase, both still wearing leather battle armor, ran to him. They, too, dropped to their knees as they were reunited.
“We’re going to Shadow Falls,” I said. “There’s an army of monsters there.”
Tommy looked up. “My son,” he said.
I nodded. “And Astrid. It’s not like Shadow Falls is defenseless,” I said. “But we need to get there as soon as we can.”
“And we’re both essentially human?” Tommy asked me.
“I never said it would be easy,” I said, offering him my hand, which he took, and he got to his feet and hugged me. “Glad you’re back.”
“I’m not, Nate,” he said. “I can’t risk turning into a werewolf. I can’t fight like this.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I told him. “In the meantime, go find some clothes—we’ve got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it all in.”
Tommy and Olivia walked off together, leaving me with Kase.
“My dad’s not exactly back, is he?” she said.
“While he stays in human form, he’s good,” I said, hoping I was right. “I think your dad shouldn’t be left alone with anyone right now. We need to make sure he’s clear of Arthur’s influence even while in human form. Persephone is over by the realm gate; go see if she can give you some people to ask. There are a few psychics and empaths, I think.”
“Mum and I are heading to Shadow Falls to help stop Arthur’s attack. My dad has to stay here; keep him safe.”
Kase ran off, and I looked down at the bracelet on my wrist. Arthur had made sure I couldn’t fight him again. But I’d find a way. Even if I had to grab hold of him, tear the damn bracelet off, and let the magical napalm incinerate us both.