Minutes later, once they’d both come back into themselves, conscious of the world again, he fell onto his side and pulled her back against the length of his body. Curled around her, his lips met her ear. “I love you, Dianthe, with everything I am and everything I will ever be.”
She glanced over her shoulder at him. “I love you too. Always. No matter what this secret is…” She shook her head. “Whatever you see when you close your eyes, it’s never going to change how I feel about you. We can move beyond it. We can face it together when you’re ready.”
He kissed the side of her jaw and closed his eyes. He most certainly wasn’t ready. There was so much shame wrapped up in the memory, layered with pain, weakness, vulnerability. Some of it he understood. Some of it he was only now coming to understand.
He gripped her tighter, his hand forming a fist between her breasts. The garnet ring that held his magic winked at him in the dim light. All the darkness she’d banished from his soul snapped back like an overstretched rubber band and he trembled.
“It’s okay. I’m here,” she said sleepily.
He waited for the dark, crawling feeling to pass, but it didn’t, and when her breath came evenly in his arms, he decided he had to tell the story. She was likely asleep and wouldn’t hear him anyway. He’d speak the words. Maybe it would lighten this weight burdening his soul.
“Our mission started years ago with one and only one goal—recruit enough members to the Defenders of the Goddess that the rebellion would have a fighting chance against the Obsidian Guard.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dianthe used all her faculties to remain absolutely still. She did not respond when Sylas began to speak. Like a skittish animal, Sylas, she sensed, needed her to remain calm. If she kept her eyes closed and her breath even, with any luck he’d keep talking.
“Colin and I agreed that he’d go to Rogos and live among the elves with the goal of finding rebels among the populace there. We already had representatives from all the other kingdoms, but Rogos has always maintained its neutrality. Their scribes had chronicled the history of the five kingdoms for centuries. Colin wanted to convince them—well, any he could find that admitted disloyalty to Paragon—we needed to act.”
Dianthe remembered that. She didn’t know the details of their plan, but she’d played a part in the general idea of it. She’d also okayed Sylas’s rise to power within the Defenders of the Goddess during Colin’s absence.
“While Colin was in Rogos, I assumed his responsibilities as ARO—Aeaea Red Zone One, the ultimate leader of the resistance. After firming up our support in Everfield over the following months, I traveled here to Nochtbend. That’s why people here know me. Vampires have never had an affinity for dragons. Our peace has been tentative at best. Although Demidicus would deny it publicly, he was loyal to Medea during the witch wars and hates Eleanor. Over the course of the following months, I brought more vampires than ever onboard. Only when my presence started garnering the attention of the Highborn representatives, loyalists to Paragon, did I leave and travel to Darnuith to meet with the witches.”
This part Dianthe was less aware of. Oh, she’d known he’d have to go to Darnuith, but the witches there were notoriously secretive. They had to be, considering their history with Paragon. Aside from dragons, witches were the most powerful beings in the five kingdoms. To say they were dangerous would be putting it mildly.
“It took me months of living with a local innkeeper named Zander to gain the trust of their citizens. He was serving as DBO, Darnuith Blue Zone One, an officer in the resistance, and helped me get a foothold. Together, we grew the resistance in Darnuith to unprecedented levels. Once I revealed my true identity, I felt like the entire kingdom was on our side.
“After so much success, I was on top of the world. By my estimation, the Defenders of the Goddess had a following almost large enough to coordinate a true challenge to Eleanor. I even succeeded in creating a black market for goods moved between Everfield, Nochtbend, and Darnuith to avoid detection by Paragon and the Highborns. The Obsidian Guard couldn’t raid or tax what they didn’t know existed.”
Dianthe could hear the pride in his voice. She remembered those days. He’d stopped home regularly to let her know he was safe. Meanwhile, she’d kept appearances up, participating in the community and passing correspondence to fairy rebels right under their Highborn representatives’ noses.
“By the time I journeyed to Hobble Glen in Paragon, I was overconfident. I’d been recruiting for almost two years. I had a list of people Colin had worked with in the past and took up residence at the Silver Sunset, disguised as a barkeep. At first everything was fine. We were growing. Many of the older dragons are concerned that Eleanor is recruiting younger and younger dragons for the Guard, some of whom have disappeared without a trace. Fighting in the pits has become more deadly as well. When I lived in the palace, I never heard of any dragons dying during a fight. Now it is almost commonplace, especially among the young ones.”
He paused and Dianthe worried he might not go on. It was all she could do not to say something. But she was afraid if she did, she’d scare him from sharing any more anyway. She forced herself to wait and listen.
“There was a rumor,” he whispered finally, “that Eleanor was collecting the blood of the dragons who died in the pits and using it in her dark magic.”
A chill spider-walked up her spine and curled at the base of her neck despite the heat radiating from his body. She couldn’t suppress the tightening of her muscles as her stomach churned at the thought, but thank the goddess, Sylas kept talking.
“Initially, I thought the rumors were inventions born of hate and a passion for freedom. Then one day, Aborella walked in the front door of the Silver Sunset. I was disguised, but she looked right at me and ordered a drink. I should have known something was amiss. I should have aborted my mission that very minute. But when she left without any indication of recognizing me, I pushed my luck. The Obsidian Guard arrested me that night. They raided the Silver Sunset and dragged me from my bed.”
This time she couldn’t resist running her hand up the arm he still had wrapped around her and threading her fingers into his. She kissed his knuckles.
“I wondered if you were awake.”
Turning in his arms, she snuggled into his chest. “Please don’t stop talking. I need to hear it all.”
His heart beat fast against her ear. This was hard for him. How painful must a memory be to cause a dragon’s pulse to race at the mere thought of it?
“They tortured me, Dianthe. Eleanor and her fucking new sidekick, that bastard Ransom who took over for Scoria. They starved me. Shocked me over and over with their batons. Cut off chunks of my flesh. I wouldn’t tell her a thing about the rebellion.”
She swallowed down a need to vomit. If he knew how much this upset her, he might stop. She needed him to keep going.
“After—I don’t know how long it went on, it felt like forever—she took me into her ritual room.” He’d started to tremble, and she held him tighter. “Eleanor performed a spell using blood magic, the blood of dragon children I would come to find out, to remove my ring. I lost all my power, even my ability to spread my wings. She stole my inner dragon.”
Dianthe’s thoughts stuttered, the idea a crushing pain in her chest. “H-how is that possible? It would kill you! It would be like stopping your heart.”
“Dark magic. Painful magic. Goddess, Dianthe, it hurt, hurt like you wouldn’t believe. It felt like my soul was torn in two. And then she threw me in the dungeon and forgot about me. I’d still be there if Nathaniel hadn’t come along and used his magic to free me and restore my ring.”
“Oh my goddess.” Dianthe circled his neck with her arms. “I should have done more to try to rescue you. I should have formed a task force from the DOGs.”
“Did you even know?”
She frowned and pressed her forehead into his chest. “Not initially. Not until word reached me through the underground, an
d that was only days before you called me to you. But I should have known. I should have seen it. It had been so long since you’d been home. I had a feeling something was wrong. What good is being a seer when you can’t always see the futures of the ones you love?” It had always been thus after her first visions of her mother’s death. Her talent seemed to avoid her closest personal connections. The unfairness of it burned behind her breastbone.
“You didn’t know.” He kissed her forehead. “And there was nothing you could have done. She’s too strong. But Dianthe, that’s why when we learned it was Aborella in that grave, Aborella you were healing, I couldn’t be part of it. Not after what she helped do to me.”
“I thought you just didn’t believe in my vision. I mean, I understood you hated her. We all hated her. But I didn’t know it was personal.” Her heart grew heavy and her stomach twisted under the weight of emotion that flowed into her. She thought at first it was guilt, but she didn’t feel guilty for trusting her vision and healing Aborella. She felt guilty for not paying closer attention to the mental health of her mate. She hadn’t stopped to think how what she was doing was affecting him. What she thought was guilt carried the heaviness of grief, of lost opportunities, missed conversations. In retrospect, she should have handled it differently, should have listened to him and guarded against the possibility that Aborella would turn on her.
“She is as evil as they come. And now she’s back in Paragon, healed, working for the empress, and with a hell of a lot more information on the rebellion.” The tone of frustration and what she now recognized as fear that lined his voice made her heart ache.
Dianthe swallowed her pride. “I see it now. I shouldn’t have trusted her, vision or no vision. I’m not sorry I trusted myself or my vision, but we could have done it in a different way. I could have disguised myself or healed her in another location. I shared too much. I trusted her too fully. I should have listened to you, Sylas, if for no other reason than you are my mate. You have a say in what goes on in our home. Please forgive me for that. My visions have never been wrong before. I still can’t believe it. I was so sure.”
“I forgave you a long time ago.”
“But you still don’t trust me. You still question my abilities and my visions.”
“No.” He released a heavy sigh. “Dianthe, I just framed it that way because I wanted you to stay in Aeaea. I didn’t care about the mission. I didn’t care that you were the right person to retrieve the Everfield orb. All I cared about—all I still care about—is keeping you out of my mother’s clutches. For the first time since we started with the Defenders of the Goddess, Aborella knows who you are, and she’s most certainly told Eleanor. They know I was the leader of the rebellion. They know that I would do anything for you. For the first time, you have a bull’s-eye on your back that’s never been there before. That’s why I wanted you to stay in Aeaea, not because I don’t believe in you or your abilities.”
“The bull’s-eye has always been there. Since before I knew you. I was a seer for the rebellion, and at any time I might have shown up in Aborella’s visions or been found out by Paragonian spies. Yes, she knows my name now and where we used to live, but knowing me makes it harder for her to see me. Just as it makes it harder for me to see her. This political game we’re playing, there’s nothing safe about it. I’ve always known what I was getting myself into. If I die doing this, it will be for a worthy cause.”
“Don’t say that. No cause is worthy enough, and I will not survive it. You’re my very soul, Dianthe. The only thing left that matters.”
“Then I guess you must continue to save me when I get into trouble.” She smiled and kissed him under his jaw.
“Do you forgive me for the things I said?” He stroked the hair over her ear. “I embarrassed you in front of Circe. I’m a total ass.”
She wrapped an arm and leg around him and squeezed him to her. “I forgive you. I don’t want to fight anymore. Let’s just agree that whatever we do from now on, we do it together. We take care of each other.”
He reached over her and dragged the edge of the blanket over her shoulder and his, wrapping her in a cocoon against him. With a kiss to her forehead, he said, “Agreed. We’ll save each other. Now sleep. Once we’re back in Aeaea, I plan to keep you awake late into the night making up for lost time.”
She curled into him, positioning her cheek on his chest. “Sounds like heaven.”
Sleep came for her quickly, wiping out all thoughts of Paragon, the rebellion, and even Aborella.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Heaven. Sylas was in warm, sleepy heaven, wrapped around his mate and back in her good graces. She still carried his scent from their lovemaking. Like a brand, it perfumed her skin. Mine. His inner dragon stretched sleepily inside him, completely at ease with the current situation.
He had no idea what time it was, but he guessed late morning. He’d awoken on his own, feeling refreshed and ready for the day, but dragons needed far less sleep than other creatures. His fairy mate, for instance, was still far off in dreamland.
Dianthe released a cute, high-pitched snore, and he pulled the blanket tighter around her before scooting out from under her and dressing quickly. He’d let her sleep a little longer. It would give him a chance to discuss plans for the trip home with Tobias. Sylas pulled on his boots and slipped out the door of the bedroom.
The sounds of dogs barking reached him. He held his ear to the door. The barking came from a distance and through earth and stone, but he could make it out if he focused his dragon senses. It had to be the hellhounds at the gate. Their baying was as good as any security alarm.
“Do you hear that?” Tobias charged into the sitting room, closing the door behind him. “Is that the hellhounds?”
“It must be daylight by now,” Sylas said.
Tobias nodded. “Sabrina has been out like a light for several hours already. It’s late morning. I’d guess around noon. What do you think is going on topside?”
A knock came on the door. Sylas opened it to find Ruthgard, unsteady on his feet, in the hallway. “Help.”
“What has happened?” Sylas asked.
Ruthgard blinked like he was struggling to keep his eyes open. “Raid. The Obsidian Guard is here.”
Tobias caught the vampire as he toppled over. He looked back at Sylas. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
Sylas carried Ruthgard to the front entrance. The hounds were deafening there, along with the screams of their victims. Ruthgard woke up long enough to unlock a command center full of scopes. “These will allow you to see around the palace.” He flopped face-first onto a cot near the back of the room. “Must sleep.”
“Fuck,” Sylas said.
Tobias groaned. “It’s noon. Even for Sabrina it’s hard to stay awake at full sun. For these full-blooded vamps, it’s next to impossible. They’re at their most vulnerable. They can force themselves awake for a few minutes but nothing more right now. If Ruthgard isn’t mistaken and the Obsidian Guard is here, it’s no accident. Mother is attacking at Nochtbend’s weakest.”
Sylas swung a leg over one of the chairs and brought his eyes to a scope labeled Forest. “Ruthgard isn’t mistaken. Mountain have mercy, Grimtwist is crawling with guards.”
“That’s not even half our problem.” Tobias motioned to Sylas to look into the scope marked Gate.
“Fuck.” Sylas watched his mother stride into the cave, surrounded by guards who were beating back hellhounds with silver prods. Uniformed bodies lay motionless under growling canines, but the soldiers had the dogs outnumbered. Eleanor had reached the gate, and her fingers sparked with magic. “They’re raiding Nochtbend? At high light? It’s an act of war!”
Tobias frowned. “Someone ratted us out. One of the vampires from last night or, fuck, maybe Zaruki. Eleanor must suspect we’re here. If she finds us, she has cause for the raid. If she doesn’t, she’ll say she had reason to believe we were here. It’s exactly what she wants. A chance to intimidate Nochtben
d and possibly catch us in the process, all while the vampires can’t fight back.”
“Warded by a witch,” Ruthgard murmured sleepily. “Can’t get in.”
Sylas exchanged glances with Tobias. Their mother’s power was far stronger now than any of them understood. She would make it through that door, and the vampires would be helpless against her and the guardsmen until nightfall.
The sound of an explosion came from the front gate. Tobias checked the scope. “She’s not through yet, but that’s not going to hold.”
Tobias gripped the neck of Ruthgard’s shirt and shook. The vampire’s lashes fluttered. “Is there any other way out of here other than the front gate?”
His brows arched sleepily. “Worm tunnels.” He yawned.
“Where?” Sylas demanded.
“Behind the arena.” They released the vampire, and he curled onto his side. “Avoid the hornworms.”
Sylas met his brother’s eyes. “Fuck,” they said in unison. Nothing else was spoken. They ran for the room and their mates.
“What’s going on?” Dianthe asked as soon as they opened the door. She was dressed and packed. Sabrina was too, although the vampire appeared to be sleeping in one of the chairs.
Sylas threw his pack onto his back. “We’ve got to go. Now. The Guard is here. They’re raiding Nochtbend.”
“What?” Dianthe gasped in disbelief, but there was no time to waste. He took her hand and led her toward the arena, Tobias following with Sabrina in his arms. They passed behind the stadium and under the seats. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found a crude tunnel carved into the mud off the west end of the palace.
“What is that smell?” Dianthe raised her hand to her nose and mouth.
“Worm shit,” Sylas said.
She gaped at him in unmasked disgust.
“Believe me, it’s worse from the inside.” He tried to flash her a slanted grin to lighten the mood, but she wasn’t having it.
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