Watcher's Reckoning Read online

  Watcher’s Reckoning

  Book 2

  The Watcher and the Sentinel Series

  Copyright © 2019 by Yvette Bostic

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Acknowledgement

  I’d like to start by saying, while there are some references to places and events, any similarities to specific people are purely coincidental.

  I hope you enjoy the Council of Light’s continuing saga. If you haven’t read the Light in the Darkness Series, I certainly recommend it. The first series explains how they arrived in their current predicament; a tale you don’t want to miss.

  I want to say thank you to the people who’ve helped me throughout this process. My husband has been my encouragement, as well as the perfect sounding board and first-draft proof reader. I could not have done it without his positive attitude and patience. Thank you to my wonderful editor, Hannah at Between the Lines Editorial (www.btleditorial.com). She is an extremely talented young woman who’s also a joy to work with. I take full responsibility for any grammar errors, as they are a result of changes I’ve made after her hours of work. And thank you to Aleksandra Klepacka (https://www.facebook.com/AlissandraArt/), the very gifted young artist who created my cover art. Thank you to my very gracious beta readers. Your comments and opinions about the characters, events and time lines make all the difference!

  And last but not least, thank you to my readers! You’re the reason I continue to write.

  The Light in the Darkness Series:

  Light’s Dawn: A Novella https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1WNLJ8

  Light’s Rise-Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0762Q52DP

  Light’s Eyes-Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079GHC3CD

  Light’s Fall-Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CV5QQMY

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Prologue

  It’s time, my dear.

  Silana’s eyes popped open, and she looked around her small room. The sheer curtain at the end of the bed fluttered in the breeze, revealing the dark sky beyond. Moonlight filtered into the room, casting shadows across her quilt.

  “Who’s there?” she whispered.

  Zar’Asur has been punished, as I promised.

  Silana’s heart raced. Was she ready for this commitment? She didn’t believe the voice in her head when it told her it would remove the demon that haunted her dreams.

  “Darian and Sara killed Zar’Asur,” she mumbled. “Why would I believe you had anything to do with his punishment?”

  Because he is mine to punish, not the Council’s.

  The power and anger in his thoughts made Silana quiver, and she pulled her quilt up to her chin. Was this Zar’Asur’s Master in her head? Had she made a bargain with something more evil than the demon Overlord that kept her captive as a child?

  You haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you, child?

  “The Csökkent will merely summon him back,” she replied, trying—and failing—to keep her voice from shaking. “When they do, he will seek revenge against me.”

  He cannot be summoned back to your realm, the voice said. His failures and disobedience secured his fate.

  Silana gripped the edge of the blanket, her panic quickly rising as she realized her mistake. She should’ve ignored the voice that pierced her mind months ago. He promised her everything and only asked for one thing in return. She swallowed the lump in her throat. His price was too high.

  “I cannot betray the Council,” she whispered, her voice weak with fear. “They have been my family, my support, my mentors. They’ve been everything to me.”

  But they abandoned you when you needed them most. Did I not show you the way to your sister? They knew what happened to her and where she was, but they didn’t tell you until they had no other options. And what was their response when you tried to help her?

  The voice knew the truth as well as she did. The Council had locked her out of her home. They had automatically assumed she’d betrayed them and had taken away her only security.

  They don’t appreciate your skills, child, the voice continued. You could have helped in the fight against Zar’Asur, but they wouldn’t let you. You are all but a prisoner there. Help me, and I will never abandon you.

  She thought about his words. Ever since the Overlords summoned her sister, Silana had been isolated from every part of the battle. She’d offered to help Raphael, and he’d politely declined. She’d begged Mikel to allow her to join one of the teams searching for survivors, but he simply ignored her pleas. She’d even helped Magdelin and Donielle at the hospital until their kind eyes told her she was only in the way. She was not a healer. She was Raphael’s apprentice and should’ve been helping him. Instead, she’d been wandering Santuario alone, useless and abandoned.

  I will draw you to me, child. When you find me, we will begin our journey together.

  “I will find you,” she whispered. “But I will not betray the Council’s secrets, regardless of their current treatment. I agreed to help release you if you removed Zar’Asur from my life. You’ve held up your end of the bargain so I will hold mine.”

  A low chuckle echoed through her mind, making her shiver. Her fingers ached as she gripped her quilt even tighter, and an unnaturally cold wind gusted through her window. Invisible fingers clawed the fabric, pulling it from her grasp. She yelped as icy shards pierced her chest, burrowing toward her heart. She clawed at the skin between her breasts, crying out with pain and fear. Violent tremors racked her body, and her vision clouded as unconsciousness threatened to steal her away. As the first shard reached her heart, darkness took her.

  Chapter 1

  Seraphina

  Sara squinted at the sun as it rose over the hills, blinding her. She flipped the cracked vinyl visor down, but it did nothing to block the rays of light peeking over the horizon. She sat in the center of the bench seat between Jared, in the driver’s seat, and Darian, in the passenger’s seat. Jared was one of the many people flocking to her farm for refuge. And Darian was the one who had pulled her into this mess rather than letting her die at the mercy of a horde of demons.

  “Darian, reach into the glove box and hand me a pair of sunglasses,” Jared said, stretching his arm across Sara’s mid-section.

  Darian tugged the latch on the glove box of the old box van several times before it popped open. Crumbled scraps of paper, several pens, and a dozen dried up packets of ketchup fell out into his lap. He cursed as he rummaged through the empty food wrappers before finding a pair of scratched sunglasses with thick black frames.

  “Who uses the glove box as a garbage can?” Dari
an huffed. “What a bunch of slobs.”

  “I’m just grateful for the truck,” Jared replied, “and the glasses.” He grinned as he slipped the shades over his eyes.

  “I suppose,” Darian grumbled.

  The loud rumbling of a motorbike interrupted their pleasant conversation, and a few seconds later, it sped by. Micah’s dark curly hair blew wildly in the wind as he leaned forward against the bike’s handlebars. Another bike raced by the driver’s side, and Sara smiled as the sun reflected off the dark skin of Kadir’s shiny bald head.

  The two motorcycles converged on the road in front of them, headed toward the outline of the small town they approached.

  “Do you think we’ll find any people in this one?” Sara asked.

  “If we’re lucky,” Darian replied.

  “We’ll be luckier if we find a store that still has toilet paper,” Jared chimed in. His optimism was infectious. She wasn’t sure how he kept such a positive attitude after all they’d been through.

  “Isn’t that the truth,” Sara agreed with a grin.

  “I’ll be happy if we find a few demons,” Darian added.

  Sara looked over at him and her smile faded. His furrowed brow cast shadows over his blue eyes, and his square jaw twitched as he pulled his lips into a tight line.

  “The last three trips have been productive, Darian,” she said, trying to sooth his paranoia. “We’ve found hundreds of survivors, established some great trading partners, and haven’t seen a demon in a month. It’s possible we’ve eliminated the threat in this area.”

  He turned toward her, and his features softened. “I hope you’re right, but history says we haven’t seen the last of them.”

  She edged her hand toward his knee where his white-knuckled fist rested. She wiggled her fingers beneath his, opening his grip and feeling his tension release. He laced his fingers through hers and sighed.

  “What are you so worried about?” she asked. “A month ago, we faced down a thousand demons and survived. Now, you’re fretting about meeting a few.”

  “No, I’m fretting about the fact that we haven’t seen any,” he replied. “The Citadel appears abandoned except for the undead who have locked themselves within its walls. The Csökkent are well hidden, and even Maldross and Shar’Asur have disappeared.” He rubbed his free hand across his face. “I hate the lack of information. The last time we thought the Overlords were idle, this happened.” He pulled his hand from his face and waved toward the empty fields around them.

  She knew what he meant. Three months ago, she was still married with a daughter, a home, and a career. It only took one day for the Overlords to destroy her entire life and force her into accepting the reality she now lived.

  The five Overlords and their demented sister, Shar’Asur, had successfully annihilated seventy percent of humanity. That attack alone drew Sara into the Council of Light, forcing her destiny upon her. Four of the six Overlords were now gone, but the remaining two were still at large and likely plotting against them.

  “Looks like Micah and Kadir may have found something,” Jared said, interrupting her thoughts.

  She looked down the road ahead of them, and sure enough, the two motorcycles sat side-by-side in the middle of the road, blocking their advance. Jared slowed down, stopping a few yards away. Darian pushed open the passenger door and leapt out. He extended his hand to Sara as she scooted across the seat toward him.

  “Thank you, Lord Darian,” she whispered as she took his hand.

  “Of course, my lady.” A small smile graced his lips before he turned toward the two men in front of the truck. “What did you see?” he asked.

  “A lot of dead bodies,” Kadir answered with a low rumble. He rubbed his large hand over his scalp and let out a frustrated sigh. “Recently killed.”

  “Men or demons?” Darian questioned, his brow furrowing once again.

  “It looks like demons,” Micah replied. “No bullets, just large open gashes, probably from an axe.”

  “Some of the bodies were nearly cut in two,” Kadir added.

  Sara felt Darian’s tension increase through their bond. She knew they’d be going into town.

  “I’ll get closer and check for both survivors and demons,” Darian said. “Then, we’ll make a decision about how to approach.”

  Sara looped her arm in his. He raised an eyebrow but didn’t object. He could suggest going on his own all he liked, but she would find a way to go. It was part of her job, and unlike a month ago, she knew a great deal more about her role as his Sentinel.

  He teleported them both to an alley between two warehouses on the outskirts of town, and the familiar sensation of the air constricting around her preceded Darian’s disappearance. It was still disconcerting to see him vanish, knowing she was also now invisible. Regardless, the skill made it so much easier to sneak up on the enemy.

  I’m going to look through town with my mind before we venture in, Darian’s voice echoed in her mind.

  Got it.

  She looked down the narrow, paved street. Two small dumpsters blocked one end, and the other opened onto a two-lane road. Weeds pushed through the cracks in the pavement. The only sounds came from the small rodents scratching in the garbage and wind howling through the broken windows above them. The smell of rot reached her, and she pulled the collar of her shirt over her nose and mouth. They’d already burned the dead inhabitants of several towns, but the smell still churned her stomach.

  She startled when something brushed against her shoulder, but immediately felt the familiar presence of her Watcher even if she couldn’t see him.

  What did you find? she asked.

  Twenty demons milling about in an old retail store several buildings over. Six humans are with them, but I can’t tell if they are Csökkent or prisoners.

  They aren’t bound?

  No, so I’m leaning towards Csökkent.

  Are we going back to get Micah and Kadir? Sara suspected not, but she knew the two warriors would be furious when they didn’t.

  Do you really have to ask?

  She heard the sarcasm in his thoughts and knew he was smiling.

  You know it’s not fair that you can see me, and I can’t see you, she said through their bond.

  Yes, and I hope it never changes.

  Raphael is working on it for me. She reached out in the direction she suspected him to be and found him easily. She trailed her fingers across his wide shoulders and down his arms, then took one of his hands. He’s the most brilliant man I know. I’m sure he’ll figure something out.

  She heard Darian chuckle as he pulled her toward the open end of the alley.

  We’ll see about that. Come on. Let’s not keep our guests waiting.

  Chapter 2

  Darian

  Darian led Sara through the empty streets. The traffic lights still hung from the wires above each intersection, but the familiar red, yellow, and green never flickered. Shattered storefronts lined the sidewalks, and a gust of wind from the north carried the smell of death. Darian suspected the few survivors must have met their end at the retail store where he saw the demons.

  They rounded the corner of a large brick building that was once a bank. A wide parking lot opened before them, a handful of cars still sparsely scattered around the lot. The full grocery carts just outside the doors caught his eye, along with the three bodies sprawled on the pavement behind the carts. A small gasp escaped Sara’s lips, which didn’t surprise him. Death was never pretty.

  As they approached the grisly site, he felt his Sentinel’s sadness and revulsion. All three victims were young women, and each of them had been cut down from behind.

  If Kadir and Micah were close enough on their bikes to see these women, how did the demons not hear them? Sara asked.

  Darian had already considered the same question, along with the fact that Kadir said there were many dead bodies, not just three. Could there be more Csökkent than the ones here?

  I was only looking for living
bodies, not dead ones, and found them here. Darian responded. It’s possible there are others we didn’t come across. Kadir said there were many bodies, so there must be more at the other end of town.

  I hadn’t thought of that.

  He squeezed her hand, pulling her past the dead and toward the shattered glass doors. He tried to step quietly, but there was no avoiding the glass crunching beneath his boots. They made it through the doors and ducked to the right behind a line of cash registers, as voices echoed toward them. Darian caressed the air around them, reinforcing the concealment that kept him and his Sentinel from discovery.

  “Is that everything?” A man’s voice rose above the sounds of several carts trundling across the broken linoleum.

  “I think so,” another man replied. “At least we don’t have to worry about sharing with the town anymore.”

  “You better start cooking more, or you’ll join them,” the first man snapped back.

  As both men came into view, Darian felt Sara stiffen behind him. He suspected she’d try to connect with their minds. He’d quit trying to convince her not to. Her stubbornness was only surpassed by her sarcastic tongue. The more he pushed her to be cautious, the more reckless she became.

  They’re all Csökkent, she said. I can take them out first, leaving us to fight with the demons.

  Darian suppressed the growl that rumbled in his chest. At least she was only attempting to take five humans this time and not all the demons, too.

  As soon as the Csökkent are down, hit as many demons as you can from here. I’ll wait for you to throw the first round, then I’ll attack them from behind. Darian paused for a moment, trying to think of the best plan that would cause the least amount of damage. Ok, new plan. As soon as you throw your first round of daggers, put up a wall between you and the demons. I will trap them from the other side with my fire and push them towards you. When they’re in a tight enough group, I’ll drop my flames over them.

  And I’ll cover your fire, creating a tidy furnace to bake them to a crisp.

  That’s my girl.