Maime went limp, and the force drove him into the gate of another Mare’s stall. All of the Night Mares were awake now, annoyed and stomping at the disturbance.
Scythe pried her weapon out of Maime’s spine, and he fell. He wasn’t dead by any means, but it did buy her some time.
She pulled the Mare she’d chosen out of the stables. She didn’t try getting the portcullis up and managed to get the Mare through the sally port. Once outside the castle, she still didn’t feel safe. Maime could have sent a message that would draw the others near.
Scythe ran with the Mare beside her down the castle steps, threw her weapon into the tree roots, and climbed through.
Dagger twirled a knife as he paced, nearly cutting off his own fingers. Scythe had been gone too long. Leda was still unconscious, thankfully. If she were awake and crying for help, he might have cut her throat. The grove was quiet around him, but he twitched at every snap of a branch from some animal.
The sound of wood creaking made him freeze despite his nerves. He ducked behind a tree beside the bushes Leda slept under.
As he watched, knife steady now, the dead maple cracked open.
With a rush of dried leaves at her feet, Scythe came barreling out of the opening. A skittish Night Mare emerged behind her.
Letting go of a held breath, Dagger stepped out from his hiding place. Scythe looked panicked when she spotted him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, dreading the answer.
“Maime was at the stables,” she panted. “He was guarding it against us and said other Ferrum were watching other entrances. Also, Axe is alive.”
She sucked in a breath after saying all of that in one go.
The new information swirled in his mind. He wanted to ask if Axe was alright, and who else stood against them. He forced those thoughts aside.
“And you only got one horse?” Dagger chose to focus on.
“I was a little pressed for time,” she practically shouted.
“Alright, it will have to do.” They couldn’t afford to bite at each other’s throats, too. “We’ll get Leda on its back, then you ride to the estate with her.”
Dagger went to the bushes and picked up Leda. If she wasn’t still breathing, one could easily assume she was dead. She made no noise as he hoisted her over the Mare’s back like a sack.
“But how will you get back?” Scythe asked, concerned.
“I’ll use the tree and meet you there.”
“There could be an ambush waiting down there now,” she argued.
“The Mare can’t carry three of us,” he countered sternly.
She stammered, trying to reply. Before she could, Dagger grasped her shoulders.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “You’re lighter than I am, so the Mare can run a bit faster. I’ll meet you back home.”
“Why don’t we just set up here? Get Maniodes here to blackmail him,” she suggested.
“We don’t have a bat to send the message. It will be quicker to get one at the tower back home.”
“But— oh fucking hell!” she cursed.
“I’ll be fine,” he said again to reassure her, though he didn’t feel calm.
“Alright, but I’m going to skin you alive if you’re not there,” Scythe threatened.
“Your concern is touching, my lady,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.
Suddenly, Scythe pulled his face down by his collar and touched her lips to his. One hand trailed into his hair.
He leaned into it instantly and stepped forward. Scythe backed into a tree as he pinned her there.
There was a different kind of longing in the embrace. It was stronger, deeper, similar to when they thought they’d die after Marella’s death. When they broke apart she admitted, “All things considered, I’m glad I can call you my husband.”
“If this doesn’t work,” he said, still very close to her, “we won’t have to worry about it for very long.”
Chapter 45
The daylight stretched as Scythe rode, making her headache worse. It was rather awkward riding bareback while keeping the unconscious girl from falling, but they made it. Scythe slowed the Mare to a walk as they reached the road up the mountain. She had her weapon at full length, anticipating an ambush from the surrounding trees. To her surprise there was none; she had been wishing there would be. The silence was unnerving.
They cleared the broken gate to the courtyard unhindered. The rotted doors stood closed and unguarded. Dagger was nowhere to be seen yet. Scythe stopped the Mare halfway up the courtyard. The dead tree in their yard stood closed as well. She forced a breath against the pressure in her chest. It felt like a boulder was crushing her.
The door creaked open from the inside. Scythe gripped her weapon, instinctively ready.
Dagger stepped out of the estate. Scythe was finally able to breathe as she leapt off of the Mare. He looked disheveled, and his lip had been split open. He hurried down the steps and met her at the bottom.
Before she could ask what happened, he threw his arms around her. Scythe allowed a moment to enjoy his scent of blood and ash as she held him.
“What happened?” she finally asked as he let go.
“Skiachora was empty,” he explained, “but Maime and Hatchet were here. They were guarding the place, but I was expecting as much.”
“Where are they now?” she asked.
“Tied up and unconscious in the cellar. It took a bit of doing. I was able to surprise Hatchet, but Maime was up for a fight. He said you tried to behead him.”
“I broke his neck,” Scythe clarified. “Let’s get Leda inside.”
“Right, right.”
Dagger took Leda off the Mare and hoisted her over his shoulder. Scythe tied it in the garden and followed quickly.
“You’re sure Maime and Hatchet are secure?” Scythe asked as they climbed to the second floor.
“Yes,” he replied. “And I already wrote the letters to Maniodes and Nyx. I just haven’t sent them yet. Did you meet any trouble on the road?”
“No, it was actually a nice ride, rather awkward though.” Scythe held the door open to one of the guest rooms.
Dust puffed up from the bed as Dagger laid Leda down. Scythe noticed the letters Dagger had mentioned on the nightstand. Maniodes’s had a short and simple statement: “If you want your woman back, come to our home.” Nyx’s was a kinder request to meet them here, stressing urgency. Scythe picked them both up.
“Let’s send these off,” she said.
Dagger just sighed and nodded. He looked as tired as she felt.
“What is taking so bloody long?” Scythe asked, whirling her weapon around.
“It’s only been ten minutes,” Dagger said by the window in the parlor.
“I know the bat will take time to reach Skiachora, but Nyx should be here by now,” Scythe argued. She couldn’t sit down.
Dagger didn’t reply, he just turned back to the window. His arms were crossed as he leaned on the wall watching the trees.
“I’m going to check on the girl,” Scythe said, needing something to do. She went to leave the parlor.
“Scythe, I—” Dagger’s voice stopped her.
She turned back toward him but he fell silent, looking away from her.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said taking out a knife and twirling it. “Go check on Leda.”
Scythe stayed where she was, hypnotized for a moment by the light glinting off the knife as it spun through his fingers. She tore her gaze back to Dagger’s face. He still wasn’t looking at her, just continued to study the courtyard below. As if he was expecting the two gods to use the front door. Something was bothering him.
Scythe shook her head to clear it. Of course something was bothering him; they were blackmailing a god, and they had just invited him over for a chat. She turned on her heel and left Dagger with his knife.
Scythe took the stairs two at a time and practically jogged to the guest wing. The only lock they had le
ft was a slightly rusted padlock without a key. They would be able to rip it away when the time came. Dagger had fixed it to the door while Scythe watched the unconscious Leda, but she wasn’t confident in it.
Scythe rounded the corner to the guest wing and stopped short.
“That fucking bitch.”
The padlock lay broken on the dusty rug, and Leda’s door stood wide open.
Scythe came running back through the archway, eyes fearful. Dagger’s heart jumped to his throat at the sight.
Before he could ask what was going on, she said, “Leda’s gone.”
“What? How?” he demanded. He had secured the lock himself. He kicked himself for not guarding the door.
“The rust on the lock was worse than we thought. She must have thrown herself at the door and it just snapped.”
Dagger ran both hands through his hair, trying not to panic. Scythe’s hands were trembling. He had never seen her this scared before.
“It hasn’t been that long,” he said. “She must still be here. We can split up and search quickly.”
“What about Nyx and Maniodes?” Scythe’s voice was both frantic and sarcastic.
“I don’t know. Just try to avoid them or stall until one of us finds Leda.”
“Okay, okay. You start on this level and I’ll run to the tower, we’ll trap her in the middle.” She became steadier once they had a plan.
“Alright, let’s go.” He practically jogged out of the parlor. Scythe ran towards the stairs again while he rounded the corner towards the servant’s quarters.
“Scythe, what is going on?” Nyx’s voice made him freeze. He spun back, heart frantic, and saw Scythe staring into the parlor. From his angle, Nyx couldn’t see him, but she saw Scythe. He watched as Scythe went back to the parlor. Before she disappeared through the archway her hand twitched toward him. It was a tiny movement that he almost missed, but she waved at him. She was telling him to go, and she would stall.
“A lot has happened,” Scythe said, surprisingly calm.
Dagger thought she was a pretty good actress in front of the goddess. He turned his back on them and ran through the lower level of the estate. He had to be fast, but his mind wouldn’t stop whirling with possible horrible outcomes. On top of that, he kept scolding himself for what he’d nearly confessed to Scythe. If he had done that, she probably would have left. She was honest with her emotions now, but part of that was the fear of serious intimacy. They may have made love after Nukternios, but he didn’t want to push his luck. Putting words to what he felt might scare her off again. She was a fascinating woman, but so confusing sometimes. That was clear to him on day one, when she’d buried his own dagger in his neck, but then they became more then close friends over the past ten years. He forced those thoughts away; they’d do no good muddying his concentration now. He had to find Leda.
She wasn’t in the kitchen or servant’s quarters, nor was she in any of the secret nooks Dagger knew about. Each empty room causes the personal torment to rise. On several occasions he caught himself turning a corner or opening a door with his dagger raised. Each time he put it back. The girl would be no use to him dead.
On the second floor he scanned the balcony to no avail. Dagger hurried ahead as the anxiety grew. He was hardly discreet about his search anymore. He could only hope he wasn’t making so much noise he’d scare her off.
Throwing open the old library’s door to the point that it rebounded off the wall wasn’t helping his case, but it didn’t matter. He froze as he spotted Leda by the missing wall.
She didn’t scream. She clutched at herself against the cold, trembling. She spun to stare at him, terror clear in her eyes. Dagger was terrified she’d slip and fall, but she didn’t. She stood her ground.
“What did you do to Father?” she demanded. Her pale-grey eyes were filled with tears of anger, but they didn’t spill over.
“We left him in the grove,” Dagger said as calm as he could manage. “He’s alive.”
He stepped into the library, one hand extended to Leda as if in peace.
She stepped away from him, closer to the edge.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Leda,” he said.
“You did a bloody good job of that already,” she jabbed a finger to her temple. A spot of dried blood clung to a strip of lavender.
“Technically, that was my wife. Leda, if you come with me, you will be safe.”
He kept using her name to help convince her that he saw her as a living being, not just nameless prey. It was rather easy to manipulate people that way.
“Damn you to Skiachora!” she cursed. She shifted closer to the edge. She glanced down, terrified.
“Leda, if you jump you’ll never see that man of yours again.”
She looked back to him, shocked.
“Tall man, dark-blue hair?” Dagger said. “Tyndareus?”
Leda blinked, watching Dagger for any lie. “How do you know him?”
“I know who he actually is.” He risked a small step closer. “And he’s here.”
“Liar!”
“I’m not lying, Leda. I’ll take you to him right now.”
He raised a hand closer to her. He was still too far. If she jumped, he wouldn’t catch her.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Alright,” he held both palms out. “Will you step away from the ledge?”
“Did you hurt him too?” she asked.
“No, he’s fine. He’s in the parlor waiting for us,” Dagger lied.
“Does he know I’m here?” Offense joined the fear.
“Well, yes, but through blackmail,” Dagger admitted.
“What is happening?” The tears escaped then.
“You’ll know everything in a moment. I promise, Leda.”
Her arms moved from clutched around her chest to around her stomach. One hand stroked it; she looked like she might be sick.
The entire estate shook then. Dagger had heard of moments of the earth itself shaking, but they were usually accounts from the west. This earthquake was enough to cause part of the floor next to Leda to fall into the air and crumble away. His heart seized, but he was too far to reach her. Luckily, she had clung to the desk and the quake stopped.
“WHERE IS SHE?!”
Maniodes’s voice reverberated through the stone shortly after the earthquake.
“What was that?” Leda asked, unsure.
“That was him,” he replied.
“You’ll take me to him?” she asked after a confused pause.
“Yes.”
“You do not touch me again,” she demanded.
“Agreed, but we have to move quickly.” Scythe was down there with the angry god.
Dagger stepped to the side so as to not block the door any longer. Leda left the edge and skirted around Dagger.
“Follow this corridor to the stairs,” Dagger directed.
Leda looked in that direction but didn’t move, only shook.
“You’re trying my patience, Leda,” he growled.
She flinched and started walking. He followed close enough to catch her if she tried anything.
Leda descended the stairs with Dagger close behind, like a lost princess being followed by the evil suitor. Dagger had to give her credit. She held her own in a horrible situation that she didn’t understand.
At the bottom of the stairs, she froze again. He caught her eyeing the front door, but he gently nudged her along the proper way. She squeaked but still didn’t scream.
The archway provided the perfect tableau for Leda. Maniodes stood in profile to them, framed by the stonework and grimy chandelier. His gaze was murderous under Scythe’s blade.
“Tyndareus!” Leda shrieked.
She sprinted down the hall to Maniodes.
Maniodes froze midsentence and turned in time for Leda to latch onto him.
Dagger stood in the archway watching them, surprised that Maniodes had appeared in his shorter height. He had expected the god to tower over them like usual.
Scythe strode over to join him proudly in their betrayal.
The shock in Maniodes’s eyes made Dagger want to burst out laughing, but he controlled himself. Scythe giggled beside him, hardly able to contain her excitement.
Leda hugged Maniodes, sobbing into his chest. He stood there with his arms slightly raised away from her. His shock descended into cold hatred as he finally held Leda. Dagger realized then that Maniodes had chosen the form Leda was more familiar with.
Nyx stepped away from her son and the stranger, staring in confusion.
“What’s wrong with this place?” Leda finally choked out, looking up at Maniodes.
Nyx kept staring at the girl, stunned and betrayed.
“It will be alright,” Maniodes said, though he couldn’t seem to believe his own words. His eyes kept darting from Leda, to Dagger and Scythe, then to Nyx.
Finally, they rested on the spot of blood in Leda’s hair. He touched it, growing furious.
“They hurt you?” His eyes bored into Dagger and Scythe.
“They knocked me unconscious,” Leda said.
His fury exploded then. He couldn’t even seem to speak for a moment. He shielded Leda from Dagger and Scythe. He thrust one arm downward, and his shield materialized onto it. He stalked toward them with the other hand outstretched, ready to rip their souls out of them.
Dagger planted his feet with his weapon in hand. Scythe already had hers at full length. He loved her grin as the god descended on them.
“Maniodes!”
He stopped. He shook with rage as he looked to Nyx.
Leda screamed then. It was a short shriek before she clasped both hands over her mouth. She stared at the goddess of death standing right beside her. Maniodes, Dagger, and Scythe at least looked human. Nyx’s eyes gave her away.
Leda shifted closer to Maniodes, still staring at Nyx. Maniodes shielded her again from the three of them. Not that it could do much good.
“I can explain,” Maniodes said to Nyx.
“You disobeyed me. Not only set against you but on Phaos as well,” Nyx said. “You took a lover.”
“I did,” Maniodes said. He didn’t sound ashamed or guilty. If anything, he sounded proud now that the secret was out.
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