She was putting up a fight, greater than the one Dji had. Zareb opened every pore of his being, funnelling his power into her, whilst with his other hand he clutched the Vessel to him. He would open the lid, but not until it was time—no other souls would be getting out.
“Ek is lief vir jou, my siel. Fight. My liefie. Please. Ek is lief vir jou. Ek is lief vir jou.”
Over and over again he told his mate, his soul, that he loved her. This would not be the end of them.
“Open—”
Joy’s voice penetrated his concentration. He understood. Not letting go of her hand, he prised open the lid, and the rush from the soul shook the Vessel. Once it was back inside, Zareb released Joy and closed the lid. This time he sealed it more thoroughly with magic, his fear and anger closing it tight. It was past time the thing went back in the ground and Zareb wasn’t taking any more chances.
Zareb rose from Joy’s side and stalked towards Kir.
“Why?” he seethed.
It took a moment for Zareb to realise he’d bound Kir so tight the man couldn’t speak.
Kir crumbled to the ground, clutching his throat.
“You left us, Zareb, and I was alone. A few years ago Dmitri came back in Djimon’s form. He put me back together and cared for me. Where were you? Did you even look back to us as you travelled to where ever you went after you left here to see what your destruction wrought? No. Dmitri told me how you lived it up, leaving us to rot — t hat you would never come back here.”
“He lied.”
“Who is to say you are not the liar? I am to believe a man I have not seen in over a lifetime? You have a new family and I have nothing. Nothing! And you expect me to welcome you back with open arms?” Kir spat on the ground next to Zareb’s feet.
“Believe what you will. I followed the Ancients and did their bidding. Can you not feel the evil from the Vessel?”
“Leave me or kill me, I will not help you.”
He backed away from Kir.
“Zareb—”
“Yes, my liefie?”
“Let me.” Zareb offered his support as Joy struggled to come closer.
She nodded her thanks and looked at Kir.
“I will not listen to the mate of a traitor, so you’d best leave me be or kill me. Dmitri told me how it was you, Zareb, who urged him to go to that spot and bring that abomination back to the tribe. You are at fault here.” Kir crossed his arms over his chest.
“You will listen to me, you fucking bastard. Is kidnapping innocent people a good thing? You fucker, we could have been killed at any time and what did we do? Wasted precious time making sure your lousy ass was healed. So fuck you, we have places to go and things to do. So you keep your sucky ass here while we go save the goddamn world.”
Joy turned her back on them and walked in the general direction of the village he grew up in. She didn’t see Kir’s shoulders slump; the resignation on his face.
“She speaks the truth, my mate or not, and you know it.”
“You are lucky,” Kir whispered.
“Yes I am, and you could be too. Come with us. Help us end this and you can come to the Masters pack with me.”
Kir looked up at Zareb. “Are you serious?”
“I may have left, but I have never lied to you, you are my brother, my broer.”
“They are expecting us. When I do not show up with you they will come looking.”
“Then we’d better hurry.”
Four hours and two short breaks later they approached Zareb’s old stomping ground. It was as if time had stood still, the only difference being that the overgrown vegetation had taken over—but this was home. He could feel the power of the Ancients strongly here.
“Can you feel it?” Joy asked in awe.
“Yes, this is the very origin of our power, where everything began to unravel. Just a little more and we will be at the site where Djimon and I found the Vessel.”
“Will the two of us be enough to bury the power and make sure no one disturbs it?” Joy looked concerned. He was worried as well, but would not show
“Ek is lief vir jou, my siel. Fight. My liefie. Please. Ek is lief vir jou. Ek is lief vir jou.”
Over and over again he told his mate, his soul, that he loved her. This would not be the end of them.
“Open—”
Joy’s voice penetrated his concentration. He understood. Not letting go of her hand, he prised open the lid, and the rush from the soul shook the Vessel. Once it was back inside, Zareb released Joy and closed the lid. This time he sealed it more thoroughly with magic, his fear and anger closing it tight. It was past time the thing went back in the ground and Zareb wasn’t taking any more chances.
Zareb rose from Joy’s side and stalked towards Kir.
“Why?” he seethed.
It took a moment for Zareb to realise he’d bound Kir so tight the man couldn’t speak.
Kir crumbled to the ground, clutching his throat.
“You left us, Zareb, and I was alone. A few years ago Dmitri came back in Djimon’s form. He put me back together and cared for me. Where were you? Did you even look back to us as you travelled to where ever you went after you left here to see what your destruction wrought? No. Dmitri told me how you lived it up, leaving us to rot — t hat you would never come back here.”
“He lied.”
“Who is to say you are not the liar? I am to believe a man I have not seen in over a lifetime? You have a new family and I have nothing. Nothing! And you expect me to welcome you back with open arms?” Kir spat on the ground next to Zareb’s feet.
“Believe what you will. I followed the Ancients and did their bidding. Can you not feel the evil from the Vessel?”
“Leave me or kill me, I will not help you.”
He backed away from Kir.
“Zareb—”
“Yes, my liefie?”
“Let me.” Zareb offered his support as Joy struggled to come closer.
She nodded her thanks and looked at Kir.
“I will not listen to the mate of a traitor, so you’d best leave me be or kill me. Dmitri told me how it was you, Zareb, who urged him to go to that spot and bring that abomination back to the tribe. You are at fault here.” Kir crossed his arms over his chest.
“You will listen to me, you fucking bastard. Is kidnapping innocent people a good thing? You fucker, we could have been killed at any time and what did we do? Wasted precious time making sure your lousy ass was healed. So fuck you, we have places to go and things to do. So you keep your sucky ass here while we go save the goddamn world.”
Joy turned her back on them and walked in the general direction of the village he grew up in. She didn’t see Kir’s shoulders slump; the resignation on his face.
“She speaks the truth, my mate or not, and you know it.”
“You are lucky,” Kir whispered.
“Yes I am, and you could be too. Come with us. Help us end this and you can come to the Masters pack with me.”
Kir looked up at Zareb. “Are you serious?”
“I may have left, but I have never lied to you, you are my brother, my broer.”
“They are expecting us. When I do not show up with you they will come looking.”
“Then we’d better hurry.”
Four hours and two short breaks later they approached Zareb’s old stomping ground. It was as if time had stood still, the only difference being that the overgrown vegetation had taken over—but this was home. He could feel the power of the Ancients strongly here.
“Can you feel it?” Joy asked in awe.
“Yes, this is the very origin of our power, where everything began to unravel. Just a little more and we will be at the site where Djimon and I found the Vessel.”
“Will the two of us be enough to bury the power and make sure no one disturbs it?” Joy looked concerned. He was worried as well, but would not show
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