Chapter 19: In the Heart of Darkness

Lucas couldn't get rid of the chill that ran down his spine as he came out of the shadows.  Even though they were freed from the Forest of Shadows, Marcus's laughter still rang in his thoughts.  Next to him, Elijah's flames flickered slightly, giving his worried face an orange glow.

Elisha said, "We need to end this," and Lucas looked into Elijah's amber eyes.  "Marcus won't stop until he destroys everything we care about."

Lucas smiled and reached out to grab Elijah's hand.  It made him feel better to know that he wasn't alone anymore when someone touched him.  "The visions showed us the truth.  Your father... I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Elijah told him, shaking his hand.  "Marcus lied to both of us.  But now we know where to find him."

It wasn't hard to find the rebel base.  Marcus's dark magic left traces that Lucas could feel, like ink spreading through water.  They followed the trail deep into the mountains, where the trees grew crooked and the air felt heavy with evil.

"There," Lucas whispered, pointing to a cave entrance partly hidden by thick vines.  Two rebel wolves watched outside, their silver eyes glowing in the darkness.

Elijah's fingers sparked with tiny flames.  "We can take them."

"Wait."  Lucas pulled him back as more rebels came from the cave.  "There are too many.  We should get our packs."

"We don't have time," Elijah protested.  "Marcus could move them again.  Besides, he's expecting our packs.  He's not expecting just us."

Lucas wanted to disagree, but Elijah was right.  Marcus had always misjudged them, especially together.  "Fine.  But we do this smart.  No heroics."

Elijah's lips curved into a slight smile.  "Since when are you the cautious one?"

"Since I have something to lose," Lucas answered softly, touching Elijah's cheek.

They waited until the guards changed shifts.  Lucas wrapped them both in shadows, making them nearly invisible in the darkness.  They slipped past the entry guards easily, their footsteps silent on the cave floor.

The rebel base was bigger than they expected.  Tunnels split off in every direction, and the air hummed with dark magic.  They could hear voices echoing from deeper within, along with the sounds of fighting.

"Training," Lucas whispered, recognizing the clash of battle.  "Marcus is building an army."

They followed the main tunnel, keeping close to the walls.  Lucas's shadows kept them hidden, while Elijah's fire gave just enough light to see by.  The deeper they went, the stronger the dark magic became, making Lucas's skin crawl.

Suddenly, Elijah stopped.  "Do you hear that?"

Lucas listened.  Beyond the training sounds, he could hear someone crying out in pain.  The voice was familiar.

"Nova," Lucas breathed, his heart skipping a beat.  His sister.  Marcus had his sister.

Elijah grabbed his arm before he could rush forward.  "Lucas, wait.  It could be a trap."

"I don't care," Lucas growled, his eyes burning brighter.  "That's my sister."

"Then we do this together," Elijah said strongly.  "Smart, remember?"

Lucas forced himself to take a deep breath.  Elijah was right.  Again.  When had that started happening?

They followed Nova's voice to a side room.  Through the entry, they could see her chained to a wall, her white hair stained with blood.  Marcus stood before her, his red eyes gleaming with cruel pleasure.

"Your brother will come for you," Marcus was saying.  "And when he does, I'll finish what I started centuries ago.  The shadow wolves will be mine to direct, and the fire wolves will burn."

Nova spat blood at his feet.  "Lucas will destroy you."

Marcus laughed.  "Lucas is weak.  He always was.  That's why I picked him – a human so desperate to save others that he'd sacrifice himself.  And Elijah?  He's just like his father.  Too noble for his own good."

Lucas felt Elijah tense beside him.  Before either of them could move, a voice rang out behind them.

"Intruders!"

They spun around to find themselves surrounded by rebel wolves, their silver eyes glowing with hate.  Their cover was blown.

"Well," Marcus called from the room.  "Don't keep me waiting.  Bring them in."

Lucas and Elijah stood back to back as the rebels closed in.  Lucas's shadows swirled around them while Elijah's fires grew brighter.

"Any bright ideas?"  Lucas asked, counting at least twenty resistors.

"Just one," Elijah responded.  "Don't die."

The rebels struck all at once.  Lucas's shadows shot out like whips, throwing wolves against the walls.  Elijah's fire formed a barrier around them, forcing the rebels back.  Their powers worked in perfect unity, shadow and fire dancing together in deadly beauty.

But for every rebel they knocked down, two more appeared.  The tunnel filled with snarling dogs and clashing magic.  Lucas could feel his power draining – maintaining the shadow shield while fighting was taking its toll.

"Lucas!"  Nova screamed as Marcus dragged her into the fight.  "Behind you!"

Lucas turned just as Marcus's magic hit him in the chest.  He flew backward, crashing into the cave wall.  Pain burst through his body as the dark magic tried to take control.

"No!"  Elijah rushed to him, his fire burning away Marcus's magic.  But the distraction cost him.  A rebel wolf tackled him from behind, holding him down.

Lucas stumbled to his feet, his vision blurring.  More rebels poured into the cave.  They were swamped, outmatched.  They needed their packs.

"Enough!"  Marcus's voice boomed through the cave.  He held Nova by the neck, his claws pressed against her skin.  "Surrender, or she dies."

Lucas met Nova's eyes.  His fierce, brave sister gave him the smallest shake of her head.  Don't do it, her eyes said.

Elijah had managed to throw off his attacker, but more rebels held him back.  His amber eyes locked with Lucas's, and a quiet understanding passed between them.

"We surrender," Lucas said, letting his shadows fade.

Marcus smiled, his red eyes gleaming with victory.  "Finally, you show wisdom.  Chain them."

As the rebels moved forward with heavy iron chains, Lucas caught Elijah's eye again.  A spark passed between them – literally, a tiny flame jumping from Elijah to mix with Lucas's shadow.

Nova saw it too.  Her eyes widened as she understood what they were planning.

"You know what your problem is, Marcus?"  Elijah asked as the rebels chained his hands.  "You never learned the most important lesson about fire."

Marcus raised an eyebrow.  "And what's that?"

"Fire needs shadow to burn brightest," Lucas answered.

In that moment, their powers burst.  Shadow and fire blended into something new, something Marcus had never seen before.  The cave lit up with purple fires that cast no shadows, while shadows danced with light that shouldn't exist.

The rebels closest to them dropped, overcome by the power.  Marcus stumbled back, releasing Nova.  His red eyes showed fear for the first time.

"Impossible," he whispered.

But Lucas and Elijah were already moving.  Nova broke free in the chaos, running to her brother's side.  The three of them fought their way toward the tunnel opening, their combined powers keeping the rebels at bay.

"You can't escape!"  Marcus roared.  "This isn't over!"

He was right.  Even with their new power, there were too many rebels.  For every one they knocked down, three more appeared.  They were being pushed back, further from the exit.

"Lucas," Elijah called over the fighting.  "We have to split up!"

"No!"  Lucas knocked back another rebel.  "We stay together!"

"Trust me!"  Elijah's eyes burned with determination.  "I'll lead them away.  Get Nova out!"

Before Lucas could argue, Elijah released a wall of fire that separated them from the rebels.  In the chaos, he took off down a different tunnel, taking half the rebel force with him.

"Elijah!"  Lucas tried to follow, but Nova pulled him back.

"He's giving us a chance," she said quickly.  "Don't waste it!"

Lucas paused, torn between saving his sister and helping his mate.  The remaining rebels were regrouping, and Marcus's laughter rang through the cave.

"Run, little wolves," Marcus called.  "The hunt is just beginning."

Nova tugged at his arm again.  "Lucas, please!"

With a growl of anger, Lucas wrapped them both in shadows and ran.  They burst out of the cave into the cool night air, the sounds of chase close behind.  But all Lucas could think about was Elijah, alone in the rebel base, fighting for his life.

The last thing he heard before the shadows swallowed them was Marcus's voice, carrying on the wind: "Your mate is mine now, Lucas.  Let's see how well fire burns in the dark."