"I'll never let you mate with other races, you arrogant upstart," King Cithir's voice rose as he made his way up the stairs. "Dilute the elven bloodlines? It's unthinkable."
Their eyes met one last time, and Lielle saw the look of pain that passed between them. Creating a division in their people would break both their hearts.
But there was nothing else to be done.
King Cithir opened the hidden doorway, and Ardair's voice rose to a bellow. "I don’t know who you think you are, crazy old elf, but you're crazy if you think you can tell us who to mate with!"
They exited the underground chamber, leaving Lielle and Paradiso in silence.
∆ ∆ ∆
"Lielle! Lielle! Do something, dammit!" Zordan's voice held a tone she'd never heard before, and then she realized her mortal body was convulsing. Pain assaulted her as her limbs flailed in all directions, battering themselves against the floor without her conscious volition.
One set of hands went to her forehead, another set to her thrashing feet. Warm stillness began to fill her limbs, and gradually, her legs stopped kicking.
"This isn't worth it," Zordan said through gritted teeth. "She's bleeding everywhere. The next fucking vision will kill her."
The helplessness in his voice called to her, and she forced herself to open her eyes.
"Lielle? Thank the gods." He grabbed her and held her close. "Thank the gods."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Zordan
Lielle had almost died. The vision of her body falling, writhing in agony as Zordan had tried to hold her wouldn't leave his mind. He didn't know what he would have done if the other elves hadn't been there.
Actually, he did know what he would have done. He would have watched her die.
But now she had been revived, and despite everything, excitement shone in her eyes. She must have had one hell of a vision.
Her arms pushed against him as she tried to get him to let her go, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the drops of blood that stained her bodice and blouse. It had dripped from her ears, her nose, and even the corner of her eye. One of her golden eyes was shot through with blood.
“Zordan!” she exclaimed, her voice weak despite her enthusiasm. “I have to show you something!”
He met the worried gazes of the other elves, but Aielle moved closer, nodding for him to let Lielle go. He set Lielle on her feet, and she swayed once, her face pale, before threading one arm through his and the other through Aielle’s.
"I know what's under the symbol!" she said, pointing to the far corner of the room. “It’s some kind of device.”
They made their way slowly over to where she indicated, and when they arrived, she motioned for them to kneel down beside the symbol.
"I didn't even know this was here," Kiersten said, and he looked up to see her brows furrow. “How did I not notice it before?”
"You weren't supposed to," Lielle answered hoarsely. "It was intended to be a secret until this very moment." She looked up at them, her eyes glowing brightly, and he tried to ignore the blood to focus on her words. "Somehow, they knew. A thousand years ago, the queen of the high realm was your watcher. Pharadis—the bird you know as Paradiso—was her lover. She warned him of the darkness, and he came down to set up these caves. But he wasn't just hiding the relics . . . he was concealing something bigger. A device of some sort."
She pressed each of the elemental symbols in order, finishing with the one in the center. The symbol in the center dissolved, and Zordan pulled her behind him to shield her as a device rose from the floor. When it stopped moving, he hesitantly approached it. "What is this?"
"When I saw it in my vision, there was a crystal inside. I think it’s a magic device, a blend of magic and technology." Her eyes went to Kiersten. "Do you know where your father might have hidden a crystal in this palace? One he didn't want anyone to find?"
Kiersten thought about it for a moment, then waved her hand and disappeared into a portal without a word.
"I guess we wait," Merryth said.
"Do you know where the crystal for the Cave of Knowledge could be hidden?" Lielle asked her.
Merryth's eyes widened as a look of understanding crosses her face. "You mean there is one of these devices in each location beneath the symbol?"
"Yes, and there is a crystal to run each of them.”
A portal opened, and Kiersten reappeared, holding a crystal. "I have a feeling this is it. My father hid it in his secret stash, with all his most prized possessions." She brought the crystal closer, and Lielle showed her how to open the compartment in the top by pressing the buttons.
Kiersten inserted the crystal, and it began to glow. She looked at Lielle. "What now?"
Lielle rose and examined the device. "I think we have to insert the crystals in all four places before the device will work."
"Four places?" Kiersten tilted her head in question. "I thought there were only three—Garthurian and the two caves."
"And Renwyn." Lielle responded.
Aielle’s eyes grew wide. "Renwyn?”
Kiersten and Merryth exchanged a look of surprise.
"Yes. There are four elements. The Crystal Cave was earth, the Cave of Knowledge was fire, Garthurian must be. . ."
"Air," Kiersten answered instantly. "And Renwyn is water."
"So, it is possible that the four places could work together? Magically, I mean?" Zordan asked.
Lielle carefully brushed the dust from her fingers. "It's more than possible. I guess the split between Garthurian and Renwyn was a ruse, specifically engineered to hide this device. They wanted the split to be so complete that no one would put it together until now."
"But that can't be true!" Merryth cried. "The split was because we weren't having children. The Renwynians wanted to mate with other races."
"But they never did, did they?" She let the rhetorical question sink in for a moment.
When it did, Kiersten closed her eyes, her expression one of devastation. "All this time, we've hated each other. And it was never true."
“Oh gods,” Aielle murmured, putting her head in her hands.
"To be honest, King Ardair didn't think it would work, either,” Lielle explained. “It was King Cithir who persuaded him that the people would split if they were convincing enough." Lielle crossed the space between them and laid a gentle hand on Kiersten's arm. "Paradiso and the queen of the higher elven realm—Aurora’s seer at that time—were deeply afraid of something they had seen in the visions, a darkness on Aurora. And after all this time, we know the truth. If your father and Ardair hadn't done what they did, Elisfan might have found the device. He might have given it to the Ardaks while he was in power. They did this for a reason, so that their people might be protected from the Ardaks now."
Zordan straightened. "If that's the case, the most important thing we can do now is find the other three crystals and put them in the devices."
"I'll go with Merryth to do the one in the Cave of Knowledge," Kiersten offered.
"We'll go back to Renwyn and find the one there," Zordan said. "And I'll contact Valdjan over the frequency to see if he can find the crystal and insert it into the device in the Crystal Cave."
Before the other three disappeared, Zordan held up a hand. “Do we know what these devices will do when we insert the crystals?”
For the first time since the vision, Lielle appeared at a loss. "I'm not sure. I just know they'll work together. Paradiso said this will protect Aurora when all else fails."
He stepped back. "You mean this device is the key?" He hardly dared to believe it.
“I don’t think so,” Lielle replied. “My vision told me that you would find the key. Perhaps you are supposed to find the key to turn it on." Enthusiasm crept into her voice again as she examined the device closely. "I wonder what it will do when we have all the crystals inside and you find the key."
Zordan wondered that as well, but he had a feeling that defeating the Ardaks wouldn't be as easy as finding
four crystals and a magic key. The bird had taken great care to conceal everything for a millennium, he couldn't believe a few visions would give up the secrets now. "First we have to find all the crystals. Then we have to hope the machine itself will work and we have all the information we need at this point. Because I pray that you don't have another vision. I don't think your body can take it."
Merryth nodded. "I agree. We almost didn't get you back last time, and Kiersten has some of the strongest magic I know.”
“You should accompany Aielle back to Renwyn and stay close in case she has another. Aielle may be her only hope next time,” Kiersten said.
Aielle grabbed Lielle’s hand before she could do any magic. "I think you'd better let me create that portal for you."
Lielle’s shoulders dipped slightly, but she nodded, for which Zordan was grateful. He didn’t want to tell her what to do, but he didn’t want to lose her either.
She swayed again, and he swept her up, taking her through the portal himself.
He shot Aielle a grateful look before he stepped into the portal.
“I’ll have supper sent right away,” she said softly, patting him on the back as he carried Lielle through the portal to her chamber.
When Zordan placed Lielle on the bed, Aielle put a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes for long moments. She rose gracefully, her blue-green eyes meeting his. “If she has another vision, call Tordan right away and have him find me.” She raised a hand to make a portal, then paused. “We hadn’t assigned you a separate chamber, do you want to share this one for now?”
He nodded.
“Let me know if that changes and we’ll make one available for you.” The elven queen exited into a portal.
Zordan crawled into the center of the bed, curling Lielle into his arms. Sleep had already taken her, and he simply held her, the fingers of one hand idly brushing her hair. She was so pure, so beautiful. She’d sacrificed everything she had to bring him here, to have these visions that might lead them to a key.
Until now, he’d drawn his worth from knowledge and power. Conqueror. Strategist. King. Emperor. He’d never felt that it was cold, never known there was another way—until Lielle.
She embodied service, sacrifice, and love. Beneath his attraction to her, there was a sense of warmth when she was near.
Until now, he hadn’t thought about the future. Hadn’t allowed himself to think beyond the coming war against the Ardaks. But what if Lielle didn’t live that long? And if she did, what would happen to her after? If she was truly from the afterlife, he'd bet that after they defeated the Ardaks, she would disappear from his life the same way she had entered it: abruptly and without warning. He didn’t know if other beings were allowed in the higher elven realm, but somehow he doubted it.
For the first time, he focused on it, and he saw the future in stark clarity. There was only one way this would end, and it wasn’t with them together.
Even if the Ardaks didn’t kill them, with everything he’d done, there was no way he’d be going to any higher realm, much less the higher elven realm. Hell, even if they stayed in this one, he wasn’t worthy of a future with her.
He was crushed by the weight of it, and his chest tightened until he could hardly breathe. He should never have allowed himself to care about her. Definitely shouldn’t have slept with her. And he should never allow himself to fall in love with her.
Yet, as he watched her slumber, her face pale in the filtered moonlight, he had the sinking feeling that it was too late.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lielle
The smell of elven bread and stew woke her from a deep slumber—or perhaps it was that she was still used to the rumbling of her stomach. She opened her eyes to the vision of Zordan setting a tray on a table near the window, placing two chairs beside it.
The sweet act sent warmth through her chest.
He turned his steel-gray gaze on her, clearing his throat. “Are you refreshed enough to eat?”
“I’m so famished I could probably eat this entire meal on my own,” she answered.
His gaze flickered between her and the tray, his gaze intent. “I’m willing to sacrifice my portion in order to see such a feat.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected jest, she broke out into a fit of laughter that ended weakly, reminding her how much her head and body ached. “Perhaps I’ll just start small.”
He grinned, pulling out her chair as she approached the table. “All right, but if you finish your portion and desire more, I will venture out to find the kitchens and procure it.”
She eyed the generous amount of food on the platter. “I’m sure we’ll be fine with this amount.”
“I don’t know.” His eyes twinkled. “You haven’t seen me really eat yet. And today was a long day.” He proved his statement by taking several thick slices of bread and layering them with cheese, then ladling a copious amount of stew into his own bowl before serving her two ladles’ worth.
When he tried for a third, she laughed, stealing her bowl away. They ate in comfortable silence, save the sounds of appreciation they made when sampling the other dishes of fruit and vegetables that accompanied the stew.
The meal was almost finished when she was startled by pounding on the door. Zordan jumped up and was halfway across the room before she found her feet.
He opened the door and Tordan stood just outside.
“We’ve received a call from Garthurian. Ardak scout ships spotted outside to the west. We’re going up, and I thought you might want to get a chance to fight them.”
Lielle’s heart stopped for a moment. This could be it, the start of the invasion. They hadn’t checked the other devices and they didn’t have the final key to make it work.
Zordan scooped up his armor and began throwing it on. “Where are we meeting?”
“Be in the lab in five minutes. And tune in to the damn frequency.” With that, Tordan was gone.
Lielle was already dressed, so she fetched her jacket. “What did he mean about the frequency?”
“Nothing,” Zordan hedged. At her pointed look, he shrugged. “I’ve been tuning out because there’s too much chatter. I’m not used to having others speak in my mind. I find it distracting. But I’ll leave it on from now on.” He eyed her jacket. “You’re coming, too? Perhaps that’s not such a good idea after the last vision. You need rest.”
“I’m not interested in fighting them, but I should go to Garthurian and see what Aielle, Kiersten, and the others are doing.”
He nodded, and they exited the room together, hurrying down the corridor toward the lab.
Within minutes, they were exiting a portal at Garthurian. Many cyborgs and elves awaited their arrival, and Lohein produced another portal to take the men to the location of the scout ship.
Zordan gave her a quick kiss, then he was gone with the others.
“And that’s how it happens.” Aielle sighed, staring wistfully at the place where the portal had been only moments earlier. “But anyway, I wanted to tell you that we’ve found the location at Renwyn, and we’re ready to insert the crystals at all four locations.”
“What are we waiting for?” Lielle replied, her spirits lightening. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Zordan
The portal opened in the middle of a thick, lush forest, and the elf in front of him began to run in a nice, easy trot. The balmy weather was nice for several steps, until it stopped abruptly.
Between one step and the next, he emerged into a forest piled thick with fresh snow, the air heavy with frost even though night had just fallen.
Disconcerted, he looked back, but the lush forest had disappeared behind him. He shook his head, taking a few quick steps to catch up with the others. That must be where the shield ended, which meant they could be seen from the air if anyone was looking.
King Durstin, who’d been in the lead, stopped abruptly just before the edge of the trees. “Stay hidden for the last several pac
es,” he ordered over the frequency.
The others dispersed, each using one of the enormous pines for cover. He went the farthest to the left, taking cover behind several trees in succession as he approached the clearing. When he finally looked around the tree to see their target, he inhaled sharply.
In a clearing just before them was a ship unlike anything he had ever seen. It was so black it was almost like a hole in the darkened forest, sucking in all the light. The ship was triangular, about four human heights high, and its width easily double that. The weaponry must be concealed because he couldn’t make out cannons or other guns marring the smooth surface of the craft.
And standing before it were two of the cat warriors.
They walked upright like men, but they were not men. About a hand’s width taller than he or the other cyborgs, their bodies were heavily imbued with the sleek muscle that only wild animals could truly cultivate.
Yes. This was going to be much, much worse than the war in Scythia.
The only good thing about fighting them was that death would be quick.
As one gestured with its paw, he saw the long, daggerlike claws that would disembowel an enemy in seconds. They carried swords on one side and knives and strange devices on the right, and he recognized them as the ray guns Tordan had mentioned.
The one on the left sniffed the air.
“Damn, they can smell us.” Mordjan’s voice came over the frequency. “Zordan, Lohein, with me to take the one on the left. I’ll get the ray gun to give you a chance to fight him.”
He drew his sword and joined the other two, crossing half the distance before meeting the Ardak’s blade. The Ardak drew his ray gun, but Mordjan blasted it away before he could shoot.
Zordan’s sword clashed with the Ardak’s at the same time as Mordjan’s hit the Ardak from the other side. The Ardak blocked both Mordjan and Zordan with his counterswing, lashing out with his foot and kicking Mordjan back toward the trees behind them.
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