Phoenix Contract: Part Five (Fallen Angel Watchers) Read Online Free PDF Page B

his power to a successor.
    The invocation required very little in the way of physical components. Rather, the preparation and presentation of the ritual determined its success or failure. Cassio was determined not to fail.
    Cassio knelt and held his palm less than a foot above the stony earth. A hot blue flame leapt from his hand and scorched a dark line into the rock. The Immortal Watcher worked with methodical precision, unmindful of the inclement weather or Mariah’s chattering teeth. Slowly but surely, he burned a pentagram.
    The pentagram represented the five elements—air, earth, fire, water, and spirit. Each point corresponded to one of the cardinal directions, except spirit, which was represented by the pentagram’s center. For completion, the spell required the right words, and of course, the Heart and the Blood of Shemyaza, which beat in Cassio’s breast and flowed through his veins.
    Fatigued and impassive, Mariah watched her master labor at his task. He poured his concentration into the invocation with the obsessive single-mindedness of a madman. The Immortal Watcher was unusually energized, almost euphoric in anticipation of his impending death.
    And why shouldn’t he be joyous? Against her wishes and without the pretense of consulting her, Cassio had determined that Mariah would be his heir. She was Of the Blood , Of House Shemyaza, and under his control—the only criteria he needed to choose her as his heir.
    Upon this night, which came only once every five centuries, Cassio would perish on a bonfire, and Mariah would become the next Phoenix. For five hundred years, he’d longed to lie down and die. In a few minutes when he stepped into the fire and chose death, he’d bequeath his powers and all that went with them to her.
    To many of their House, eternal youth and immense power were highly desirable, and both were sought after with insatiable lust. After five hundred years with Cassio on the throne, House Shemyaza lay in ruins, a mere shadow of its former glory. It had grown rife with treachery and deceit, vicious infighting that tore the House apart by its seams.
    Mariah had witnessed first-hand the price the Phoenix extracted. The only way to become immortal was to burn to death on a bonfire, a prospect that left Mariah sick with fear. And yet, it would happen. She would yield to Cassio’s wishes and accept the burden of responsibility. She would become the next Phoenix.
    Why? Why? Why? Had she no spine, no will of her own? It galled her that she’d become so pliant and conditioned to yield to a man’s decisions. As a girl, she’d been strong spirited and stubborn, but Cassio had long since broken her in their six hellish years of marriage. Her soul ached with humiliation and helplessness, and she couldn’t summon the energy necessary to resist or defy him.
    They’d been joined when she turned fifteen, but it’d be a farce to call their loveless union a marriage. Mariah cleaned and cooked for him, but Cassio had robbed her of whatever joy and comfort she might’ve found in children because no life issued from his barren loins.
    “It is time! On your feet, and let’s get this thing done!”
    The imperious command walloped Mariah like an auditory blow, causing her to start. Her eyes snapped open, and she stared blankly up at the man towering over her.
    Ever impatient, Cassio bent and hauled Mariah to her feet. Clutching her arm, he dragged her to stand at the base of the pentagram so they faced each another.
    “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for five centuries, Mariah, and I’m not going to let you ruin it. I refuse to suffer another five hundred years of unending torment upon this earth,” Cassio lectured. “You’re going to say the words and play your part. Do you understand?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
    To appease him, she gave a tired nod.
    “Good, then let’s get this over with,” Cassio said. The Immortal Watcher accepted her acquiescence and drew a stiletto