The Champion's Ruin

by Kristen Banet

  “If I knew it was this sexy, I would have done it more often. I’ll keep it in mind.”

  She ran her hands over his chest as she rode him. He held her thighs, massaging them as she moved on him. She leaned forward, kissing him as they enjoyed the rare stolen afternoon.

  “When this is over, I’m going to have you as often as possible,” she whispered. “I don’t like how you’re out at night all the time.”

  “When this is over, you’ll find it hard getting me out of the bedroom,” he said softly, running a hand through her hair and holding her to his lips.

  It was slow and easy, moving together. The door opened and closed behind them. It was Luykas coming in, but she didn’t bother looking at him. She heard his groan, knowing the view he was getting from behind.

  He was smart enough not to speak as she listened to clothing fall. Bryn grunted underneath her as they kept going, ignoring Luykas completely.

  She knew the moment to sit upright and looked at Luykas waiting. She wagged a finger, inviting him closer. She kissed him, then wrapped a hand gently around his neck. No pressure, just a physical reminder of dominance without any real threat behind it.

  “You sent Emerian to be my nemari without telling me,” she said softly. “And you’re going to pay for it…right now.”

  “Am I?” Luykas chuckled, a wicked smile on his face.

  “Help us finish,” she ordered.

  He leaned in and kissed her, one of his hands trailing down her stomach between her and the rogue under her. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, kissing him.

  “Ah, fuck,” Bryn groaned. Whatever Luykas was doing was amazing because her rogue moved faster, harder. “I’m not going to make it, love.”

  She figured that, remembering Luykas’ wicked smile. He knew he could finish off Bryn before she was well and truly done. The emotions coursing between them were an open dialogue between her and Luykas, a conversation without words. She was trying to be angry with him, and he was making it very hard. He was in too good a mood to bow down completely. He knew she wasn’t really angry, practically laughing through their bond.

  Bryn finished inside her, panting softly. Luykas moved behind her, lifted her hips, and pulled her off Bryn.

  “You better make it good,” she said, trying to look back at him. One problem with being Andinna, sometimes, there were too many wings, and they weren’t positioned right.

  He said nothing as he shoved into her and took her hard over Bryn. She half-fell forward onto the rogue’s chest, screaming as Luykas went directly to a hard and fast pace, forcing her to the edge quickly and without mercy. He was in one of those moods, and she was surprisingly okay with it. He pushed her over the edge, growling as he buried himself deep and went with her.

  When they were both finished and panting, he smiled at her while stretching out.

  “So, why were you angry with me?” he asked.

  “Emerian. Nemari,” she reminded him, looking up at him from the flat of her back, Bryn curled next to her.

  “Ah.” Luykas nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t want to warn you, so you would hear him out before making a decision without ever speaking to him.”

  “He really wants this, doesn’t he? To fight in the rebellion.” Mave frowned. “It’s dangerous.”

  “Are you trying to protect him from his blood right to fight as a warrior?” Luykas raised his eyebrows.

  “I just want to protect him,” she said softly. “He…he kind of reminds me of me, but more innocent, more naïve. I don’t want to break him.”

  “Ah, Mave,” Luykas said gently. “Something will, one day.”

  “I know.” Sighing, she kissed Bryn, then sat up. “I’m going to eat something, train for the evening, then get some sleep.”

  “Of course,” he said, lowering his head. She kissed him as she put on some clothing, then walked out. She ate with her husbands, enjoying the company as they all laughed. She was feeling good.

  But Mave knew what she would see when she closed her eyes. She had a feeling about it when she was trying to think of what to say to Emerian.

  A mountain path, a silent world—Mave walked to the same place she saw Kristanya too often. Since she had realized who the goddess was, the relationship had changed. The goddess had been testing her initially, but somewhere, Mave had proven her worth. Now, Kristanya was training her to be the best warrior the Andinna had ever seen.

  “If I make you the best there has ever been, I know the best is working to save our people,” Kristanya had said.

  That night, Mave walked to the clearing with the path and the tall mountain in the distance, unafraid of the death waiting for her when she inevitably failed her training.

  This night, however, Kristanya just stood there as if she knew Mave wanted to talk.

  “Something is on your mind,” the goddess pointed out, looking down at her sword, which she was using as a cane to keep herself propped up.

  “I’ve been asked to take someone on as my nemari,” Mave said, looking at the black eyes of the goddess. This wingless Andinna female was the goddess of war, death, and darkness. She knew what a nemari was.

  “Ah. Is there something you want me to say?”

  “He’s innocent,” Mave said softly. “I don’t want to ruin that.”

  “Is he innocent? Or is he just not as deep in the darkness as you are?” Kristanya raised an eyebrow.

  “I’m not…” She had brightness in her life. She had four exceptional husbands who brought her light and laughter every day, but she knew what Kristanya meant. Mave could make herself so cold and dark where nothing could touch her. That place she lived in for so long in the pits still existed in her. She could still put it on like a mask and do what was necessary.

  She could also come out of the darkness and live a beautiful life.

  “He is a boy who watched his parents murdered by our people. We were his enemy for a long time, monsters bent on destruction and controlled by primal urges of violence.” Kristanya shook her head. “The only innocent in this world are the children, and many times, even they are touched by darkness, Mave. I am the goddess of it. I would know.” Kristanya didn’t move as Mave walked closer. “There’s balance in all things. Light cannot exist without darkness to purge with its power. But not even light can get rid of all the darkness. The Andinna are not perfect, and this male? He’s been touched by the darkness I gave our people. Don’t call him innocent.”

  “But—”

  “It does him a disservice,” Kristanya snapped. “He’s happy now, but do not think he is innocent. He’s been exposed to pain and hardship, death and terror, just as you have. And like you, he has darkness in him but has learned to come out of it and live a life in the light. That should be enough of a testament to his strength.”

  “You want me to take him as my nemari,” she said softly.

  “I don’t care whether you do or not, but I won’t have you lie to yourself about him and dishonor him by believing he isn’t capable of what you might ask of him. He might be a half-breed, but he is still Andinna. He might look Elvasi, but he is Andinna in his soul, even if it’s tarnished by his second bloodline.” Kristanya huffed indignantly. “Don’t ever try to write someone off like that with me. I could have done it to you centuries ago and almost did.”

  “What?” Mave frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “I watched countless Andinna come to me for their final judgment, all ended through your actions. I could have written you off as a traitor to our kind. It’s one of the reasons I was interested in you when you finally came to Anden, finally entering my domain where I could reach you. You’ve proven yourself to be something different. I saw that you were true to our people, and here you are, even more of a warrior than those you killed could have ever dreamed.” Kristanya reached out but stopped before she touched Mave’s cheek, her hand falling back to her side. Something flashed in her eyes, an emotion. Mave had only ever seen Kristanya angry. This was something different. “I
don’t care if you take him as your nemari, but don’t discount him.”

  “Thank you for the wisdom,” Mave said softly, lowering her head to the goddess.

  Kristanya made a rude noise before the world went dark.

  Mave woke up the next morning before dawn and headed for the field before her husbands woke up. She beat Emerian there, thinking about what Kristanya had said and the wisdom.

  I’ll just need to find a way to make sure he can continue living in the light. I can’t let him be drowned in the same darkness I once was. I can’t.

  He finally arrived right as the light began to brighten the sky, walking up to her slowly.

  “Good morning, Champion,” he greeted, bowing his head.

  “I’ll take you as my nemari,” she said, swallowing. “You’ll begin shadowing me everywhere. Every training, every meeting. You’ll spar with me and who I tell you to. We’ll work on fighting techniques with a variety of weapons. You’ll have the option to fight with whatever you choose for missions and campaigns. This will not be easy. In fact, this is going to be very hard on you. It’s not overconfidence that makes me say you will be trained by the very best, and I expect the best out of you.”

  I’ll use everything I have to make him strong enough to keep living in the light.

  “Thank you so much for this opportunity, Champion.”

  “Just call me Mave. No reason to get formal now.” She smiled, holding out a hand. He grabbed it at the elbow, a proper Andinna shake. “I’ll tell Alchan of the news, so he can plan around it.”

  “Thank you so much, really.” Something about how happy and youthful his expression was made her heart ache.

  “Go get ready for the day,” she ordered. “We start now.”

  He nodded quickly and started running back for his home.

  Please let this be the right decision. I can’t ruin him.

  9

  Lilliana

  Lilliana woke on her fifth day in the village much the same as the first four days—a little scared, dreading having to leave the room she had been gifted and put back into the awful situation Leria decided she needed to be in.

  Leria had never said it, but her intentions had been clear. She wanted Lilliana to destroy the relationship between the king and his consort and put herself in the king’s bed. Lilliana hadn’t liked going along with it when Leria packed up her things. She hadn’t liked the journey south to the village the king had picked as his residence. She hadn’t liked it when she met the two males.

  And she continued to hate it as she woke in this new place, unsure of how to repair her damaged reputation due to the strong mativa’s meddling.

  No one blamed Lilliana, but she saw in their eyes, they were upset by her presence. When warriors came into the home to see the king, they looked at her with thinly veiled rage. For the few females that came in, that was probably amplified by their reaction to what she was.

  No, that’s just a convenient excuse.

  They were insulted for their king by her presence in his home, and they had the right to be.

  Lilliana wished with all her strength she could have said no when Leria had come to her. Only a few days before, she had been hearing the wonderful news of the happy king, madly in love, even while a new war was beginning to rage. Now she was there, and it was all her fault. She was just an ahren, so easy to be bent to the will of others.

  She dressed, taking a deep breath as she tried to banish the fear. It felt impossible, but she had to leave this room every day, or she never would. She tried to do it quietly, glad the door didn’t creak. The stone floor of the traditional cliffside home was a blessing because she could walk softly and not make a sound. She crept into the dining area, hoping to make it to the kitchen to grab something small to eat.

  She stopped when she saw them inside, and her heart began to race.

  The king had a hand over his consort’s mouth and another down the male’s pants. The consort bucked, obviously tormented by the pleasure, clutching the king as he was driven to finish. The look on the king’s face was something of pure satisfaction, even in profile. He was enjoying what he was doing, even though he wasn’t the one who would experience the finale. He was just enjoying watching his consort fall apart under his hand.

  An unfamiliar feeling rushed through her, nearly taking her breath away.

  Slowly, Lilliana put a hand over her mouth to keep from making a noise and backed away. She turned on her heel once they were out of sight and went to the front door, grabbing her tiny boots from the others. She couldn’t move too quickly and risk drawing their attention.

  I don’t want to be a burden to them. This is their life. I’m here to ruin it, and I won’t.

  Leria should have explicitly told Lilliana what to do, but then, Lilliana knew why the mativa hadn’t made a specific order. That would have had the king riding north.

  At least he’s more dominant. Even if Leria tries to come here and tell me what to do, I don’t think he would allow it.

  It was the only thing Lilliana had found solace in since she had met the king. He was so much more than Leria could ever be. Leria had never been cruel, but she hadn’t cared for or about Lilliana. The king and his consort, even though they were the targets of a vicious plan, cared enough to talk to her.

  And make me a noble? Was that real? I don’t even know how to…handle that. What am I supposed to do with a noble title? I can’t lead anyone.

  Lilliana put on her boots outside, looking into the misty morning. It was cool for a summer morning, but that was how it could be in the mountains. Some days were still chilly, no matter what.

  She looked back at the door once before leaving, flying down into the clearing. There were already two warriors training in the area. She knew of them but had never met them.

  Varon and Nevyn were famous among the priests and priestesses of Amonora. Their love story was taught to children, and they were still alive. Everyone who grew up in the temple or was trained in the arts of Amonora knew of the blind priest and the warrior who stole his heart. It was said that Varon once had a voice that could soothe any soul, even making the gods weep. He gave it away in exchange for a life of love and the ability to see. Now, he was the mute warrior-priest, constant quiet companion of his lover.

  There was more, though. She had realized early, no one else in the village knew. The priestess who had told her the story said it was a secret. Only a few could ever know the truth, and the priestess wasn’t even supposed to tell her.

  She told me because she wanted me to hope for love for myself one day. It was a really beautiful story. When she told me, everyone thought Nevyn and Varon had been lost in the War, so there was really no secret to keep, but she had told me. I was the first and only outsider to hear the story in its entirety. Nevyn and Varon weren’t even in the history books yet because the priestesses had hoped and prayed, Varon was still alive.

  They were right in the end.

  Lilliana watched the spar, a deadly dance that was just as passionate as their story. When it was over, Nevyn had won, laughing as Varon panted.

  “Love, you really must practice more,” Nevyn teased, cupping Varon’s chin and pulling his face up and into a kiss. Varon hit Nevyn’s chest once the kiss was over, his expression saying so much, Lilliana couldn’t properly interpret it. Then his eyes found her across the clearing outside of Alchan’s home, and she felt her stomach drop.

  She started walking, looking away from them. For the second time that morning, she had accidentally peeked into an intimate moment that had nothing to do with her. She had grown very good at keeping her eyes on the ground in the temple, so she didn’t bother anyone. She needed to get back to doing that.

  She didn’t make it far when a hand grabbed her wrist, holding her as Varon walked around in front of her, his eyes curious and sad. His hands moved, but she didn’t understand what he was doing. Was this some magic she didn’t know?

  “He would like to know if you need an escort,” N
evyn said behind her, his grip loosening as he came to stand next to her.

  “Can you read his mind?” she asked, looking up at him.

  “No, the gestures he makes are his way of communication. He spells out words or does objects.” Nevyn smiled. “It’s confusing to everyone who sees it for the first time. Love, spell her name for her.”

  Varon moved through eight gestures, then bowed.

  “That’s your name,” Nevyn said softly. “So, would you like an escort?”

  “Oh, no, I’m fine,” she said, trying to step away from Nevyn. She didn’t want an escort from the two most famous lovers in Anden. “But…”

  “What is it?” Nevyn’s head tilted to the side.

  “No one here knows, do they?” she asked, her voice very small. “That Varon—”

  It was fast. Nevyn’s hand over her mouth, fear in his eyes. They made her frightened for a moment as well.

  “No,” he said quickly. “No one here knows, and it would be very nice of you to tell no one. No one, okay? Don’t even think it. The fact you know…”

  Varon stepped up to his lover’s side and touched his shoulder. Nevyn looked at Varon slowly, nodding once he saw his lover’s expression, then removed his hand. That hand grabbed Varon’s.

  “Does the priesthood still speak of me?” Nevyn asked, his eyes going unfocused.

  She looked at Varon, seeing his eyes were clear and on her. Nevyn was speaking for him.

  “Yes, but I’m not supposed to know. I’m not part of the priesthood,” she whispered. “How are you doing this?”

  “We’ve been blood bonded for three thousand years. We’ve developed ways to do things many would never consider because they have no need.” Nevyn’s voice carried the calm nature Lilliana always heard Varon had. He had been one of the best priests ever known. Only females could rise to the top positions, but when he had been in the priesthood, many wanted to change that rule just for him. Then he met Nevyn, and those plans were thrown out the window.