by Sela Croft
“Spence is scouting ahead, to make sure the way is clear,” Quin said. “He has a couple of soldiers with him.”
“I’ll be back,” Nicolai said, then went to catch up to Draven.
I rode with a group of soldiers until Mirela dropped back to talk again. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine…really.”
“You’d tell me if you weren’t?”
I sighed. “Maybe.”
“That’s what I thought,” Mirela said. She wore her necklace, and the white horse gleamed in the starlight.
I glanced at the jewelry, reflecting on what a brilliant creation the stallion was.
Mirela cupped the pendant in one hand. “Selene should have created protection for you too.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t work that way.”
“I disagree,” Mirela said. “You are as important as I am.”
I didn’t wish to argue the matter, yet I understood why Selene had taken special care with Mirela. There was no opportunity to explain it then. And I doubted that she’d understand anyway. Mirela’s concern for others would prohibit her from accepting her own value—especially over that of another person.
Then something about Mirela’s expression caught my attention. She held up her hand. “The plants…the animals…I can feel it.”
“What?”
“A disturbance.” Mirela frowned. “I don’t like it.”
I was aware of Mirela’s empathy ability, so her alarm sent a tingle up my spine. In the distance, I saw that Spence had returned from scouting. Then Draven said in a loud voice, “Royals? This far out?”
Jon was close to Mirela, so he followed her when she trotted toward Draven. I couldn’t believe my ears. Had Alban entered our region? It boggled my mind. Since his soldiers were huge, those vampires were hard to miss.
My heart raced, and I tried to determine what was happening. Nicolai was still up ahead, talking to Draven. Then the ground shook like a heard of elephants were tramping through the hills. The monster royal soldiers? Black flashed before my eyes, as royal-uniformed troops engulfed our ranks.
Before I could scream, an arm as strong as a tree trunk swept me from my horse. A royal had snatched me from my mount and was running away with me. I yelled, but there was too much commotion in the group for my call to be heard.
I doubted that anyone would miss me immediately, so questioned how long I’d survive in the custody of one of Alban’s soldiers. I’d perceived royals as slow, plodding behemoths. But apparently, they could run too. I wished for a weapon, but all of them had been left behind with my horse.
Over a high hill, behind thick shrubs, the monster pinned me to the ground. No one else was around. I was strong, but he outweighed me many times over. And he was as powerful as an elephant. I could see why it took two or three of our soldiers to take down one royal.
The soldier straddled me with his hand over my throat. I wasn’t going anywhere soon. I was lucky to be breathing. Then he put his hand on my forehead, and my head buzzed like I’d connected to an electrical current. It was a connection, but to what?
I didn’t need to wonder for long; Alban came through loud and clear. At first, I was stunned, because the king had managed to force a connection with me through his soldier. Suddenly feeling ill, I closed my eyes. A random thought came to me: how had he known that I wasn’t at the castle?
The monster had been lurking with his army comrades, waiting for me. That thought sent terror coursing through my veins. I had no defense against such overpowering strength, and it would take some time for the others to realize I was gone then find me—too long, I feared.
The deep sound of Alban’s voice filled my head. “You think you can shut me out?”
I refused to reply; he already knew the answer.
“Any who thinks they can turn away from me will find out differently,” Alban said. “I will not be dismissed.”
I was curious whom he referred to, but he was quite willing to offer the information. “Nemuri had the gall to lie to me, to foist a false prediction of the future upon me. But I am too smart for her, as I didn’t believe it for a second. She sought to weaken me with her deception, but she will pay the consequences—behind the bars in my prison.”
Oh, god. Alban had gone as far as to refute the visions of a respected seer, then haul her off to jail. That was a crime. But who was there to make him pay for his misdeeds?
“And Selene may flaunt her sorcery, but she will yet be mine. That witch will regret her insolence.”
It didn’t take much imagination to figure out what Selene might have done. She was a feisty one, so would refuse to bend to another’s will—especially a king with evil intent.
It wasn’t wise to ponder the possibilities right then. I had pressing issues of my own. “What do you want, king?”
Alban laughed, an evil, bone-chilling sound. “I’m going to tell you, my daughter.”
I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“It’s your fault,” he said. “All of this upheaval is because of you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Alban growled, “Oh, don’t you?”
I struggled to think of what he might be referring to yet came up blank.
“It was you all along,” Alban said. “You turned Draven against me.”
The king had finally lost his mind.
“You were the one…you told him about the prophecy.” Alban was silent for a moment. “That ruined it all. If not for that, my son would have followed in my footsteps.”
“You’re wrong about that.”
“You’re in no position to defy me,” Alban said. “You led my son astray, so he sought Mirela, a ridiculous proposition from the start.”
I was aghast at what he implied.
“It is all because of you that Draven has taken the wrong path. If you hadn’t turned him against me, we wouldn’t be at war.”
I could think of no reply.
“And Mirela is under protection, but I will have her.”
I stared into the blank eyes of the royal soldier, who was frozen in a trance while Alban continued his rant.
“You will not stand in my way this time,” Alban said.
My pulse pounded so hard that it nearly blocked out the sound of his voice. I managed to keep my wits about me. “What do you intend to do?”
The monster removed his hand from my forehead, then grabbed his sword. He raised it high, swinging it back in preparation for my decapitation. Before blackness engulfed me, the king’s command filled my mind: “Kill my daughter…the penalty for her betrayal.”
As though in a dream, there was a whoosh through the air, but no blade touched my neck. The royal vampire’s weight lifted from my body, then my eyes flew open. Alert, I leapt to my feet to see Nicolai and two Guardians fighting with him.
The monster had been molded of sturdy stuff. Weapons of light didn’t seem to affect him, so the whips were useless. His neck was so thick that ripping out his throat was impossible. With a Guardian on each side, Nicolai stood in front and wielded his sword.
Before he could carve the monster’s head from his body, the Guardians were grabbed then thrust against tree trunks. They slumped to the ground and didn’t move, so Nicolai was left to face the attacker alone. The royal soldier was like an automated robot.
He appeared unaffected by wounds, and even as blood poured out, he stood strong. His dark eyes had a vacant stare as though he was controlled by an unseen force. Alban was surely aware of what had transpired, as the soldier had been unable to confirm my execution.
I was shocked, which effectively blocked my demented father from entering my mind. My heart pounded, as I was desperate to aid Nicolai. Yet I froze, unsure what to do.
The royal stared blankly, then stepped forward. His weakness was that he moved slowly, allowing for the opportunity to attack. Moving swiftly, Nicolai ducked around the plodding monster then leapt onto his back.
I watch
ed in awe as Nicolai locked his legs around the monster’s waist. The creature reached up, grasping and clawing at his back, unable to dislodge his opponent. In that moment, Nicolai lifted his sword with both hands and sliced it through the air.
The razor-sharp blade hacked into the royal’s neck, and blood spewed. But the cords of his neck were so thick that the sword didn’t cut all the way through. The sword had sliced partway with the tip sticking out toward me in a bizarre image.
Quickly, I grabbed the heaviest rock I could find, then began bludgeoning the royal’s arms and legs. It was an attempt to distract him from flinging Nicolai off his back. While the creature fought against the blows from the rock, Nicolai gripped his sword.
With a loud grunt, Nicolai sliced the blade, all the way through the royal’s neck. The huge head plummeted to the ground and rolled away. Blood flowed like a geyser, so I stepped away. Nicolai leapt from his back as the monster dropped to the ground.
Covered in blood and breathing hard, Nicolai looked at me. “Son of a bitch.”
I raced over and threw my arms around him. “He was a monster! I was afraid he was going to kill you.”
My pulse raced, and I could scarcely breathe. Then Nicolai’s chest shook, and I realized he was laughing. He pulled back, then lifted me up. “Kill me?” He laughed again. “That monster had been armed with a homing device, some kind of force that drew him to you.”
Then Nicolai’s expression turned serious. “That monster had one mission…and that was to kill you.”
Draven, Mirela, and two Guardians burst into view. I was relieved to see that they’d won out over the royal attackers. After taking in the scene, Draven said, “What in the hell happened?”
Nicolai put his arm around my waist, and I was glad for it, as I didn’t think I could stand on my own. “There was a reason that band of royals searched us out. The skirmish was meant as a distraction, so this mutant could murder Calina.”
Draven stared at us. “What?”
“It’s true,” I said, then relayed the details. Horrified, I delivered the punch line: “The king has no shred of morality left.” I took a breath, and the impact of the event sank in. “My own father blames me…and he intends to kill me.”
It was disheartening to realize how bad things had become. I was glad to be alive, and grateful that Nicolai had arrived, just in time to cheat death. But I had no doubt that there would be a next time. I dreaded to think of Alban’s blind rage over this failure, on the heels of his other losses. The very fabric of the kingdom would suffer the effects of his revenge—its foundation rocked as though an earthquake had ripped it asunder.
Chapter 2 – Selene
The dark leader had demanded my allegiance and waited for my reply. I didn’t need my divining ability to perceive his determination to be the victor in this war. Passion for the fight against evil flared in his eyes. His conviction was that Alban and Draven, his son born of evil, must be prevented from ruling.
Silvain would do what it took to win, including sharing personal history with me—if he thought it would sway my decision. I was moved by his revelation that he was the king’s illegitimate son. When he’d spoken of his mother, I sensed a well of emotion, as well as anger over what Alban had done.
He hadn’t provided the details, but I didn’t need them to realize that it had been a painful situation. Whatever had happened had greatly affected Silvain and held him in its grip to this day. Death’s march in the kingdom might have been enough for him to fight against it.
But his motivation went beyond that. There was more to the story about his mother and Alban failing to recognize him as his son. Without hearing any more, I already knew that the battle against the king and his legitimate successor was personal.
Silvain looked at me, then rose from his chair. He paced impatiently. “Well, witch, what’s your answer? Will you swear allegiance, take my side in this battle against darkness and evil?”
I gripped the arm of the sofa, feeling cornered—yet I hesitated. I’d already had my doubts about Draven. So, when Silvain had lobbied that supporting his efforts to take the throne would be a grave error, I hadn’t argued. Yet it wasn’t that simple—not in my mind, anyway.
“If you told Draven that the king is your father too, don’t you think that would make a difference?” I said. “Wouldn’t he be inclined to consider your position in this war?”
“I hadn’t thought of you as naïve,” Silvain said. “But such ideas are without basis. Draven is in line for the throne, so will have no qualms about denouncing the likes of me—an illegitimate son.”
“You may have misjudged him,” I said. “It is true that Draven has his father’s blood in his veins, but he does not always act in accord with that evil.” I paused. “And nor do you.”
“You’re missing the point,” Silvain said, leaning against a massive bookcase and crossing his arms. “I don’t care a whit how Draven acts. He has his father’s death bent within him. It will not stay repressed forever. There must be an end to the current monarchy, including the king’s wayward son.”
“You are forcing a decision that has no clear-cut solution.” I was slow to agree to Silvain’s request, knowing full well that it could affect the future of the realm. “Sorcery must be used wisely. It is not a commodity to be bought and sold.”
Silvain smirked. “Clever posturing, witch.” He took a breath. “What is your price?”
I huffed then leaned against the back of the sofa. “So we’re back to that…your demand that I take sides?”
Silvain stared at me, waiting—as though my final answer was forthcoming.
“You know Nemuri as well as I do,” I said. “Let me remind you she’s the reason I’m here. I’ve benefited from her forecasts, just as you have. You can’t tell me that you’ve forgotten the times that she has offered insight into the future, out of the goodness of her heart.”
“All this maudlin drivel means nothing,” Silvain said, then returned to sit in the chair across from me. “War is war, and business is business. I’m not one for sentimentality.”
The dark leader was playing tough. I’d witnessed a softer side of his heart when he’d spoken of his mother, yet bringing that up wouldn’t help my case.
“You might have a heart of stone,” I said, “but I do not. Nemuri is my friend. We’ve been through much together. And even if she wasn’t dear to me, I’d be compelled to see that she’s released from prison. She is an ancient seer, so must not be dishonored.”
Silvain had no comeback.
“I will assist Nemuri alone if I must,” I said. “But I’m confident of better results with your support. I trust you are considering the importance of saving her. Besides, I’d hate to inform her that you refused to play any part in her rescue.”
Silvain frowned. “Emotional bribery is not your style.”
“I’m just saying that Nemuri is my friend and I cannot abandon her.” Silence stretched between us, so I embarked upon a different tactic. “I understand that you wish for me to pledge loyalty to your side in this war.”
Silvain raised his brows.
“But consider for a moment what you are asking.” I walked over to the window to gather my thoughts.
I turned toward Silvain. “May I remind you of the immortal prophecy?”
“I need no reminders. I’ve had that shoved down my throat for far too long.”
“Yet you cannot deny that Mirela is important,” I said. “She is the key to the outcome, and you know it.”
“I know no such thing,” Silvain said.
“But you can’t ignore her role in all of this.” I sighed. “Mirela must be protected. Her circumstance makes it impossible for me to abandon the Guardians.”
“Is that your answer?” Silvain said. “You won’t offer your allegiance to me?”
“I cannot.” I stepped closer. “Does that mean that you won’t help Nemuri?”
Silvain did not reply.
“I’m not denying you,” I
said. “I didn’t say that I would abandon you entirely. After all, you wish to unseat the king, like I do.”
“I’m asking for more than that.”
“But you’re aware the prophecy foretold that Mirela would unite with a king beneath the ocean.” I watched Silvain closely. “Destiny will lead the pair to rule as king and queen—”
“Yes, I’ve heard it all before,” Silvain snapped, then jumped to his feet, causing his ornate chair to tip over. “A king beneath the ocean is all it says.” He glared at me. “Who’s to say that king is Draven?”
I was shocked into speechlessness.
“A god of wealth and immortality.” Silvain’s lips stretched into a tight smile. “I fit that description, as I’m every bit the vampire that Draven is—and more. And I might very well be king.”
“What are you saying?”
“I wouldn’t be so quick to support Draven and his Guardians on the strength of that prophecy.” Silvain narrowed his eyes. “I’m against putting Draven on the throne.”
“That comes as no surprise.”
“In fact…maybe I’ll take Mirela for myself.”
“Draven steals your title…so you steal his queen?”
“Why not?”
I held up my hand. “You already tried that,” I said. “And look what happened.”
“She fled before I returned to the castle,” Silvain said. “But you fail to consider that she hadn’t met me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, really? And had she met you, then you would have swept her off her feet. Mirela would have cast aside her soul-deep love for Draven and taken you into her arms?”
“You mock me, but I can be very persuasive.”
“I don’t disagree,” I said, hoping his threat to possess Mirela was a bluff. “At the risk of annoying you further, I daresay that abducting Mirela and placing her under house arrest was not the most romantic approach.”