King of Tides (The Immortal Iron Brothers #3)

Chapter 43

Intruders

“ Go upstairs with Dracon. We’ll be up as soon as the ceremony is over,” I say to Beck and Bourne as they pout because they’re going to miss the ceremony.

“But we promise to be quiet,” Bourne tries one more time.

“Why do you want to be down here with all those old folks? The ice cream and cake are all upstairs. My mom is in the kitchen. I can get her to sneak us some snacks,” Dracon says, trying to help me out.

“ Yes , come on, Bourne,” Beck sings and takes off.

I shake my head and stand to my full height. We better get this show on the road before those two eat their weight in sugar. I’m not dealing with that shit for the rest of the day and night.

Billy comes up to me and slips her arms beneath my cut and T-shirt. She runs her warm palms up my back as she smiles up at me. Dipping my head, I take her lips.

When I break the kiss, I lift my hand to pull her shirt aside and look at the spot Taylor singed earlier with her flames. Billy covers my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“It’s fine. It’s already healed, thanks to you. Come on. They’re waiting.”

I turn and look around at everyone gathering. This has already been a long day, and it isn’t halfway over. I feel like we haven’t stopped since getting back from Japan. Bradan showing up on death’s door has caused me to think about how grateful I am for my mate and her powers to protect herself and our family.

Bradan is looking more and more like himself. He’s been joking and is as lively as ever. We’re looking more like a family around here. I’ve never known where I belong more.

“Shall we get started?” Nuvos asks.

Nuvos, the eccentric golem, oversees all weddings, blessings, and bonding ceremonies like this one. He will perform the naming ceremony for my sons. That will be one proud day for me. I can’t wait.

“Yes. They’re setting up for a celebration upstairs. We shouldn’t keep them waiting,” Kendrick replies.

“Ah, yes. I was informed there would be a stone cake for me. Let’s be quick,” Nuvos says happily.

My brothers and I move to our respective locations on the crest engraved on the floor. I tug Billy to stand before me and look into her eyes. I can see the love she has for me in her gaze.

I get choked up as the look overwhelms me coming from this woman. A few months ago, she wouldn’t let me help her carry her groceries up to her apartment. I could barely hold a door open for her.

But now, she’s standing here looking at me with so much trust and love. Nuvos steps into the center of the crest, getting into his position, ready to begin. I smile down at Billy, ecstatic to finally bring her fully into our community.

“Wait, oh god. Does this mean that one water fairy who talks too much will be able to bust in talking all the time?” Billy asks through our link, causing me to laugh.

“No, you don’t have to let anyone in you don’t want to. They know the rules. It’s not a social line. It’s for community business and emergencies. Unless there’s a bond with someone who wants to talk, you can shut them out like you do me.”

“Shut up before you’re the only one I don’t let in.”

I give a laugh and smile at her. Our life will always be entertaining. “I’m so glad I found you. I love you, Billy.”

“I love you too.”

Nuvos begins and we fall silent. The temple is filled with excitement. The queens are finally officially taking their thrones. This is huge for the community. We can definitely use the boost in morale around here.

No sooner than I have the thought things begin to go wrong. Our mates begin to lift into the air. Their heads are thrown back and their mouths open. This shouldn’t be happening like this.

My thoughts go to our babies. I don’t know what to do as panic I’ve never felt before fills me. My brain is trying to process what’s happening.

“Nuvos, what’s happening?” Kendrick is the first to demand. “ Nuvos .”

I look to Nuvos to see he’s still chanting. Confused, I turn my attention back to Billy. She and her sisters now have their palms turned out at their sides. Water jumps from Billy’s palm into Lee Ann’s palm and from Lee Ann’s palm flows sand into Ray’s and Lightning jumps from Ray’s palm to Taylor’s. I watch as flames jump from Taylor’s palm to Billy’s. Then the cycle continues.

A beam of blue light surrounds Nuvos as the sisters remain suspended above us. I’m so enthralled as I watch what’s happening, I’m taken by surprise when Dracon mind-links me and the rest of the guard.

“Bardo is here. I tried to fight him off, but he has the titans. He’s not alone. We’re under attack.” His voice sounds weak.

“Ocean, find Dracon and get him to the infirmary. Ren, assist her. Hudson and Ford, find the boys. The rest of the team, you are needed in the temple.”

As I finish the mind link intruders rush the temple. I only have an instant to react. Kendrick has thrown a tornado of wind around the sisters as they are still floating in the air. Bradan follows with a wall of fire. Quickly, I throw up a wall of ice.

Before I can release and go on the attack, I’m hit with something so heavy it carries me back and pins me to the wall. I hit my head against the wall, and I’m dazed at first.

When I regain my focus my first instinct is to fight against the web of chains. However, I look to Kendrick and Bradan and see it’s futile. The more they fight, it’s like their powers are attacking them.

I look to Reilly, and he has gone still within his confines. I do the same. The way to help my family is to remain calm.

Billy

The strangest feeling comes over me and I’m thrown back in time. Nothing feels familiar to me. It’s like I’m seeing through someone else’s eyes. Then I realize I am.

“Su-Vaha wishes for you to enter the ceremony through the path of the gods. Come this way.”

This is Sevimli. I can feel it. His excitement for his brother is flowing through me. We follow the man who seems off to me, but I’m not in control to stop Sevimli.

We come out of the path, and I can see what looks like a ceremony happening below. Tanri. He is leading the ceremony. I know right away who he is.

Suddenly as we watch Tanri lift one of the babies from the basket, two men jump out and grab Sevimli to restrain him. He fights back, but they overpower him.

“It’s time to pick a side, Sevimli. Tanri and the losing side or go against your brother and Su-Vaha will be spared.”

“How dare you? You will not get away with this. Release me. Release me now,” Sevimli roars.

“Let me put this another way. Your son or your brother? Choose now,” the man who led him this way says as he holds up a small child.

A strangled whimper comes from Sevimli’s throat. He reaches out his arms and the child is placed within his embrace. In the next breath, one of the men releases a ball of energy down below.

“We are gathered here to bless these four—” Booms loudly from afar before the words are cut off.

I know right away the voice is Tanri’s. The next sound I hear is the strangled sob of Sevimli.

“Yakisikli, Yakisikli. My brother. No, Yakisikli.”

A chill runs through me. They snatch the child from him, but a woman appears and flashes a beam of bright light.

I’m snapped back to the present and I can feel ?ntikam writhing in pain inside my head. He watched his brother die. He was given an ultimatum between those he loved and lost his brother.

Rage rises through me so fast and strong, I can’t stop it. I fight to catch my bearings. I’m hovering above the room with my sisters. I can feel their power as if it were my own. There is a pulsing of energy surrounding us like nothing I’ve felt before.

I throw my arms and head back and release a sound I don’t even recognize. ?ntikam joins in, lifting his head and stretching out his power within me.

“I understand, ?ntikam. I will get your vengeance. You can rest now. Thank you for your sacrifice. It will not go wasted. Be at peace, my friend.”

“Honor our past, young master. Don’t allow my brother’s death to be in vain. Do better than I did. Be worthy of the gift of the gods. Thank you, young friend. Thank you.”

I open my mouth and blue smoke flows from my lips. I can feel my skin humming. It’s like ?ntikam infuses into my soul.

I reel in my rage and emotions and focus. As I do, I absorb the wall of ice surrounding us after the other two barriers disappear. I land on my feet in a side lunge, my arm out to my side with my naginata in my hand.

The weapon is glowing blue and hums within my palm as blue smoke raises from it and me. My eyes harden the moment I see Ardan pinned to the wall.

My power pulsates in my veins. Ice-cold magic beats within me. I can feel I’m skating a thin line trying to harness this power, but I’m in control.

“Don’t let the vengeance control you. We have a purpose beyond that day,” Lee says in my head. “This was our destiny. The Council of the Phoenix and the fire sirens will rise again. Born of ash, risen through song.”

“Then let’s fucking sing,” I growl.

I snap my gaze to the asshole standing before me when I hear Beck’s whimper. Looking up through my lashes, I glare at Bardo as he holds Beck in one hand and Bourne in the other. Wrong fucking move. I’m going to drop him and get the guys free in one breath.

“They are strong, but this is our house. Bring them down,” Lee Ann says in my head.

“The fire bitch is mine,” Taylor snarls.

“I will get our mates free,” I seethe.

However, as I launch forward, everything around me changes. I freeze as a woman holding my father comes into view. Carson stands beside her with his wrists bound.

I know right away we are in an illusion. I look to Bardo as he glares back at me. The boys are now in a cage floating high above us.

This motherfucker should have kept them in his grasp to keep me off his ass. I don’t know who this bitch is, but she’s going down just the same.

“Who’s up first?” I snort and smile.

Bardo charges forward like he’s skating on ice. I’m ready for him. He pulls an ice sword out of thin air right as he gets up on me.

I dip back out of the way. The cold of the sword breezes by my chest and face. I come up and turn to face him.

He swings his sword at me again, trying to take advantage of his long reach. I block it with my naginata and shove him back, taking him by surprise as he stumbles back.

“So I shouldn’t underestimate you,” he says as if he’s amused.

“Do whatever you want. I’m going to fuck you up either way. You hurt my boys, I’m going to make you pay for that.”

His big ass laughs at me. “Your boys? I don’t remember my brother giving you that right.”

“So what? You murder your brother and think it’s your right?”

“You know nothing about me,” he bellows like a madman.

He charges at me again angrily. This time as he glides toward me, I release the button on the center of my weapon and pull the two blades apart. I move past him in a flash and slice his arm and side.

He roars as blood drips from his side. “You bitch.”

“That’s Queen Bitch to your ass, asshole.”

I knit my brows as the wounds I just caused heal up and look like ice is replacing the flesh I broke through. Quickly, I put my blades back together and spin the weapon above my head.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a shard of ice heading for my face. I bring my naginata down to block it. The blades on my sword change, lighting up blue.

My instincts kick in and I blast him with the light. It shoots out a blade of ice that hits him in the shoulder and shatters. I adjust and send more power through on my second blast.

This one hits him and lodges in his shoulder. I grin to myself. I guess I still have more to learn about this thing.

Suddenly, this motherfucker grows by like four feet. I watch in awe but shake it off quickly. He drags his sword across the ground, making this piercing sound that hurts my ears.

I note he’s slower in this form. This time, when he comes at me, I flip out of the way and shoot another shard of ice at him. However, when he knocks it away, it comes spinning back in my direction, cutting me across the cheek.

“Come on, Billy. You’ve got this,” Carson calls, reminding me he and Papi are here as well as that woman.

I’m thrown backward as I’m momentarily distracted. When I look up, Bardo is bringing his sword down on me.

“Shit.”