Antebellum Awakening (The Network Series #2)(93)

In the midst of the fighting, the High Priestess and Miss Mabel now faced off, oblivious to the pandemonium. They twirled, walking in a slow circle around each other. My throat nearly choked. A Mactos. The High Priestess was in a Mactos with Miss Mabel.

Blighters zipped back and forth between them, mere blurs of color. I’d never seen so many moving so fast in my life. It made my pathetic attempt at fighting Miss Mabel last winter look like a child’s game. The streaks of light from the blighters came to a sudden stop, evaporating into little clouds of color. Miss Mabel and the High Priestess stood across from each other. The High Priestess spoke, her shoulders tilted back and head high. Whatever she said I couldn’t make out. Miss Mabel lifted one eyebrow with a coy smile.

Panic, pure and hot, ripped through me.

What are they talking about?

Viveet glowed a vibrant blue-white. I could feel her heat resonate in my hand, nearly searing my palm. Then the High Priestess and Miss Mabel both looked right at me. The High Priestess met my gaze with a calm, expectant air. She nodded.

A shot of chilly realization made my knees weak and my dragon rage. Suddenly I understood.

Mabel knows me too well. She’s studied me enough to understand how I think and what I will do.

“No!” I screamed. “No!”

The High Priestess turned to Miss Mabel and nodded again. Miss Mabel grinned and closed her eyes. Her lips moved. Something inside me broke, like a great rending inside my soul. I gasped, fumbling to stay on my feet. A heaviness rushed through my chest, my arms, my legs, and disappeared out my toes, removing a burden from my soul. Without it, I felt light and free. It could only be one thing.

Miss Mabel had just removed the Inheritance Curse.

“No! NO!” I screamed.

I leapt off the table, throwing myself on the back of a Clava and knocking him over. The Guardian below him shoved a sword through his spine and the wraith went limp. I jumped off without another thought.

It took me too long to bounce my way through the mess, to hack at the bats that swooped down to attack me. The closer I moved to Miss Mabel, the worse it became. Two Guardians moved aside as I barreled through.

“Move it!” I yelled. “Move!”

I spilled into the Mactos circle.

“Ah, yes, Bianca. Just in time. Mildred is just about to fulfill her end of our bargain.” Miss Mabel purred, smiling at me. The High Priestess stood tall, her chin tilted back, shoulders squared.

“Don’t do it!” I yelled in desperation. “Please!”

A flash of light slammed into the High Priestess’s chest with a bright spray. She stumbled and fell to her knees. I heard my scream before I knew it was there. It reverberated through my pounding head. Was this a dream? A terrible dream.

“Your Highness!”

The High Priestess crumbled to the ground. I skidded to a stop at her side, sliding on my bloody feet. But I was too late. The High Priestess’s blank eyes stared out, lifeless.

Not again. Not again. I won’t do this again!

I pressed my hand to her heart. She didn’t stir, didn’t move. She’d fulfilled her part of the vow with her own life. The High Priestess had died for me. A rush of power and rage boiled through my blood. I embraced the bitter pain, the horrible agony of watching another loved one die.

“Why?” I cried. “Why?”

“Oh, Bianca,” Miss Mabel drawled. “Do get up already. You’re pathetic, you know that?”

With all my might I released the magic expanding in my chest and threw Viveet at Miss Mabel, aiming for her face. Viveet whipped through the air like a flaming dart, the blue-white flames dancing high. Miss Mabel ducked at the last second and Viveet soared past, biting into the High Priestess’s throne. Her luster faded; the flame died.

Miss Mabel’s wild eyes danced with delight.

“Oh darling girl,” she crooned. “I had no idea you’d be so happy to see me tonight. Are you ready to fulfill your part of the bargain? Or will I have to do that for you?”

The pain in my head magnified again. I fell to my knees with a cry, my eyes shut.

“Never,” I snarled. I tried to stand but fell back to my knees, unable to bear it. The fury and agony came, as I knew it would. I was glad for it, embraced it, because I’d never be strong enough to fight her without the pain. Magic, pure and uncontrolled, soared through me.

“Never? Oh, very well,” Miss Mabel said, clicking her tongue. “That’s too bad. You could have been great. You’re so bloody determined, even to the point of your own death. I’ll have to kill your father myself.”

Her eyes flickered past me. I didn’t have to look. I knew she saw Papa.

“No,” I called with a strength I didn’t know I had. “Your fight is with me.”

The world went silent.

Viveet flew back to my hand as I sent a wall of glass zipping around us in a flurry of light, traveling all the way to the ceiling, surrounding us in an impenetrable circle, sealing off everything outside. The hysteria and chaos continued, but we heard none of it.

Miss Mabel studied me with a curious gaze.

“Very interesting, Bianca. But I must ask, why? I’ve already fought you and won. Everything you love is in the palm of my hand.”

“Not everything,” I said, looking at the clock, barely able to make out the hands. The pulsing in my head was so great I could barely concentrate. 8 minutes. “Not yet.”