Thanking Roin, she sat cross legged on the damp ground trying to eat. Blood rolled down her chin as her lip opened up again, the stinging pain made her eyes water. She winced and swore under her breath. Roin watched her struggle for a moment, then took pity on her.
“That needs stitching,” he stated as he squatted in front of her and took hold of her chin, inspecting her mouth gently.
“Yeah? Know any good seamstresses?” she mumbled.
He grinned widely, his tough face suddenly transformed and his grey eyes sparkling. “Yes. Me,” he stated proudly. “Ask Unis.” He nodded at the female warrior. “I’ve sewed her together enough times,” he chuckled.
“True,” Unis smiled back. “He’s obviously in the wrong job. Needs to be a seamstress and sew pretty dresses all day long,” she drawled. “He’d look better in a dress than that armour…wouldn’t you say?”
Roin flipped his middle finger and grinned before reaching for a pouch in his tunic pocket. After cleaning his small needle he sat on a boulder and instructed her to kneel in front of him. Roin then gently prodded the bruised tissue around the split.
“Trust me,” he smiled reassuringly, as she winced.
On the other side of the cave Hugo abruptly turned his head in their direction, almost as if he felt her discomfort. Breaking off his conversation with the tattooed archer, he strode over, his hands resting on the daggers at his hips.
Diamond immediately shrank back from the hard angry look on his face. Roin glanced up calmly. Unis and Gunnald sauntered closer.
“Something wrong, Commander Casimir?” asked Roin curiously whilst still inspecting Diamond’s lip.
“Do not touch her,” Hugo growled at Roin.
Roin raised his brows, “Why not?” His voice was still deceptively calm, but Diamond did not miss the stiffening in his shoulders.
A moment’s hesitation from Hugo. “Because there is nothing to numb the pain for her,” Hugo hissed, his fists curled around his blades.
Roin raised his eyebrows in surprise at the reaction from the normally unemotional Queen’s guard. “Maybe not, but her lip will continue bleeding and will get infected if it is left,” he replied reasonably.
“Roin, Diamond is my…responsibility. I will get her lip stitched when it is safe to do so. Not here in this dirty cave with nothing to numb the pain,” Hugo insisted. He looked directly at Roin, threat pouring off him.
What is he doing? Diamond thought anxiously. Jack’s captain only wished to help her.
“Move away from her, Roin,” Hugo growled.
She suddenly remembered who and what Hugo was: a cold-hearted killer.
Staring mutely at him, Diamond shuffled away from them all.
“Commander,” warned Roin in a low voice. “You’re frightening her. None of us will hurt her,” he said in a calm voice.
Hugo shot Roin a baleful stare but Roin did not seem at all perturbed; he just reached out and patted Diamond’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry. It seems the commander sees your well-being as his responsibility.” He winked at her and lowered his voice. “Fae and their instincts, ehh?”
Diamond flushed, suddenly realising what he meant. Her eyes shot to Hugo, who looked like he was about to throttle the grinning captain. Hugo opened his mouth to speak but the whoosh of an arrow stopped him.
Thunk! It struck flesh. A loud agonizing scream had Hugo spinning on his heel towards the entrance. He stepped directly in front of Diamond, shielding her as the others burst into action, heading for their prince.
“Stay behind me!” he commanded, his eyes already scanning the cave and the men, analysing the situation.
The men resting on the moss beds jumped up, immediately drawing their weapons. General Edo bellowed orders, and Gunnald, the tattooed fae, raced to the entrance and returned fire with his elaborately carved bow. Diamond’s mouth dropped open. The bow glowed, along with Gunnald’s tattoos. He loosed arrow after arrow in such quick succession she couldn’t follow his movements. He had magic! And it seemed he had no hesitation using it in front of Hugo.
Diamond’s throat tightened as the roar of hundreds of Ragor’s men resounded outside the cave. Arrows rained down from the small holes above. Hugo spun and grabbed her around the waist, moving so fast he was just a blur. Her feet left the floor, breath exploding from her lungs as her back slammed against the moss-covered wall. Another hail storm of arrows thudded into the packed dirt at their feet. Wide-eyed, Diamond gripped onto Hugo’s body as she scanned the cave for Jack and Tom. Jack was pushed right up against the back of the cave shouting something at Hugo, who glared at the prince. The general was bellowing and gesturing wildly with his sword.
Blood roared in Diamond’s ears but she heard Jack’s voice holler at Hugo, “Get her out of here. Now!!” His brown eyes met Diamond’s startled gaze. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. She didn’t want to leave her friends.
Without hesitation, Hugo grabbed her hard around the waist, pulling a sword from across his back at the same time. “Hold tight and do not let go,” he ordered her. “We’re going.”
“But we can’t leave!” she cried. “What about the others? No!” she shouted, hitting ineffectually at his massive shoulders.
It made no difference. He pulled her against him, lifted her with one powerful arm and ran to the exit. Dark blue wings unfurled and armoured, then they were airborne. Even in such a dire situation Diamond was startled by the speed of that transition. Wind rushed by her ears, and it was all she could do to hold on around his neck. The whine of arrows dogged them. Hugo dipped and rolled with incredible skill despite her legs, which dangled and swung around uselessly, threatening to pull her weight from his arm.
“Get your legs around my waist,” he roared.
Petrified, she flung her feet up, but she was weak and unable to clench the muscles of her thighs. It was no use. Her legs slipped time and again. Diamond clenched her fingers into Hugo’s leather armour until her nails threatened to rip off, terrified that if his grip faltered, she would plummet to the ground. As they flew unsteadily over the forest canopy it became clear she was upsetting his balance, but there was nothing she could do. His knuckles turned white where he gripped her waist.
Diamond flinched back as the fletch of an arrow kissed her face a split second before it slammed into Hugo’s shoulder with a sickening thud. It tore through his shirt and into his flesh just under his shoulder guard. Reeling backwards, his wings lost their rhythm, pounding unevenly against the air as he tried to stop spiralling down towards the dead trees.
The grey, wiry hide of a Wolfman flashed in the corner of Diamond’s vision. With amazing skill Hugo flipped himself around as it leaped for them. Muscled, hairy arms reached for her, long claws gleaming before Hugo skewered it on the sword in his hand. The creature roared before going limp, its dead weight dropping them like a stone. Hugo released his sword and, in one swift movement, enclosed Diamond roughly in his arms, wrapping his wings around her. Barely seconds passed, before they crashed through the tree’s and hit the ground. Over and over they rolled. Hugo slammed into something and jerked; suddenly the cage of strength and armoured wings was gone. Her body was thrown from his protection. The forest floor ripped her skin to shreds as her momentum drove her tumble onwards. She collided with a tree trunk and her skull cracked against the solid wood. Through sheer will she stayed conscious, crying out as pain flooded her body.
The undergrowth crashed around her, teeming with monstrous creatures. Growling and snapping, their eyes glowed with blood lust. In shock, she could only stare stupidly as they came to destroy her.
Hugo rolled to his feet with fluid grace, the remains of the dark arrow sticking out from his shoulder. Blood streamed from the puncture wound, reducing his skin to a pale mask as it drained down his chest. Sapphire eyes searched the undergrowth, turning obsidian as he found her. Roaring with rage, the Queen’s guard became a powerhouse of wrath, as dark and unforgiving as any of the creatures surrounding t
hem.
Drawing a dagger from his waist, he sliced off the end of the arrow before throwing himself into a shoulder roll to reach his sword on the ground. In less time than it took Diamond to take a shuddering breath, he had sheathed his dagger and pulled his second sword off his back. He began cleaving his enemy with stunning speed and viciousness. A mist of shadow swirled around those silver blades, doing his bidding, aiding its master by forming spears that pierced where he willed.
Diamond forced herself to get up and managed one step towards Hugo before a hard, muscled arm encircled her throat and began squeezing. Panic had her clawing at the arm as her throat was crushed.
Battle Imps could not speak, but this one bellowed a roar loud enough to get Hugo’s attention. Hugo slashed open the gut of a Dust Devil with one sword. He fluidly changed his stance and took its hideous head off with a graceful slash of the other before turning to face the Battle Imp. He said nothing but his eyes flashed a warning just as he dropped one sword and loosed a dagger from his hip. A whip of shadow appeared from Hugo’s body, grasped the moving blade and propelled it forwards with unimaginable speed. With a thud it embedded in the forehead of her attacker. Diamond fell to her knees, gasping for breath as the blue monster toppled backwards away from her.
“Get up!” bellowed Hugo, scooping his fallen sword from the ground and sprinting over. Grabbing the back of her clothes, he hoisted her to her feet. She swayed unsteadily, staring in horror at the wound in his shoulder. He lithely leaned past her and yanked the blade from the Battle Imp’s forehead.
“Pull yourself together,” he barked, throwing her up against a tree and shaking her shoulders hard. His eyes were black orbs of magic and swirling shadow, no trace of sapphire blue. This, she realised, was his warrior’s face. He quickly assessed her, his face becoming tight. Diamond stared at him in awe and wondered if he saw energy like she did.
“What can I do?” she whispered, her voice shaking.
“Fight or die, Diamond,” he uttered harshly.
Fear made her bowels watery as her hand closed around the smooth metal hilt of her dagger. She jerkily pulled it from the sheath Zane had given her. Finding courage, she nodded and set her lips in a tight line. His eyes cleared and she peering into sapphire and silver pools, then the colour was gone, becoming darkness once more.
“Fight until your last breath. Do not give up or they will take your soul,” he warned grimly. Spinning away from her, he cleaved through his enemy. Vicious snarling and the stench of rotting flesh and blood filled the air. Running feet thudded toward them. Hugo spun on his heel, hacking down Wolfmen and Dust Devils until they fell like leaves at his feet. They were appearing from all directions, too many for him to handle alone, no matter how fast he moved.
Minutes passed as Diamond cowered against the tree, her heart banging with fear. Hugo was going to die and it was her fault; she’d weighed him down—and now she was useless.
A Dust Devil ran at her, his sword raised, rotting bits of skin hanging in mangled ribbons from his face. Diamond thrust the dagger into his chest but it did not stop him. He barrelled into her, sending her staggering against Hugo’s back.
Without faltering, the Queen’s guard threw out his front leg to take their weight, then turned, throwing her off him. Blade angled up, he swung and cut off the Dust Devil’s head in one brutal movement. It exploded into a cloud of black dust that covered them both. Hugo roared with pain. A Wolfman jumped out of Hugo’s reach, clutching a rusty iron blade dripping with blood. The attack drove Hugo to one knee but it did not stop him. A second later he was back up, his face icy calm. Snakes of shadow thrust out from Hugo’s bare wrists, lashing the Wolfman to the spot, and Hugo quickly pivoted, gutting his assailant in one swift move.
An oncoming volley of arrows whined through the air. Hugo shoved his body up against Diamond, protecting her. A couple pinged harmlessly off his armoured wings, while the rest of the volley shot past. She gaped wide-eyed up at him. He had just protected her with his body—with his life. He stared down at her, looking just as shocked. Her nostrils flared as she scented his blood. Instantly she dropped to one knee. Blood pumped down his thigh. His breathing was ragged and fast, but he did not stop scanning the shadows for more attacks.
“Hugo!” Diamond cried, stuffing her dagger back in its sheath. Icy fear wrapped around her heart as she desperately tried to staunch the bleeding.
“No! No! No!” she sobbed, her eyes wide as she looked up into his sweating face.
His eyes looked like pieces of black glass against his ashen skin. He blinked, lightly brushing his blood-caked fingers over her cheek and, for a moment, sorrow flashed in his face. No, she would not let him die here. This is my fault! This would not be happening if he hadn’t been forced to protect her useless hide. Blood oozed from his wound, dripping between her fingers and running down her wrists and arms in ruby rivulets.
Without questioning her instincts, she closed her eyes and spiralled down inside herself. Fear and an urgent desperation to save Hugo morphed into a wild furnace of heat. She opened her soul and spurred that ember of magic to burn, to grow, until it pulsed through her veins. Feeling the warmth of Hugo’s blood against her fingers fuelled that power. It raged so fiercely she struggled to contain it. Letting the pressure drop from his wound, her hands and clothes plastered with his blood, she stepped out from behind the tree. Hugo looked at her askance, his face bone white from blood loss. He tried to grab her, swaying as he missed.
“Diamond! Get back here! Now!!” he yelled, reaching for her with serpents of shadow and silver. She smiled, trying to reassure him this was the right thing to do. Irritation, anger and something akin to fear flashed in his eyes as she easily brushed away his magic.
“Cover yourself with your wings,” she commanded, her voice gravelly with suppressed power. Hugo took one look at her opaque eyes and wrapped his beautifully etched and armoured wings around his body, kneeling down within their protection. Burning waves of magic racked her flesh and bones, but the pain was tempered with a deep sense of release, a freedom she had never experienced before. As before, her mind soared free of her body, searching through the shadowy sentinels of the trees.
Hugo roared as if he felt her release. Shadow and silvery tethers of light reached for her. But such freedom made her giddy. She wanted to fly free of restraint, away from those tethers, until she saw the cave. Jack and the warriors fought valiantly. Gunnald’s bow was still glowing, his quiver replenished with a never-ending supply of arrows. Tom fought bravely, Zane by his side shouting insults and encouragement. This time the lure of Eternity did not triumph. Her friends needed her.
Forcing her unconstrained soul earthwards, she slammed back into the familiar feel of flesh and bone. And screamed. Gritting her teeth she fought to control the omnipotent, white hot power pulsing through her body. The burning hot energy clawing at her insides was agony; it wanted freedom. Light and heat consumed her in painful waves. Hugo could not help her this time; she could feel his magic trying to reach her but her own roared in defiance. It did not want to be protected, it wanted to protect.
Another huge Wolfman lumbered towards Hugo, claws out and arms raised. Enraged, her power unleashed itself in a blast from her hands and body. That wave of magic tore through Ragor’s soldiers, instantly turning their flesh and bones to ash. Trees were ripped up by their roots and the sheltering Queen’s guard was flung facedown on the ground, his wings glowing as his body sucked her power into his own.
Diamond sensed the death of the Wolfmen and Battle Imps. She felt their energy transform into something insubstantial that blew away like mist on the wind. Her mind registered that the immediate danger to Hugo was gone, but she could not stop. Her heart raced painfully fast. A familiar feeling of panic and helplessness consumed her. Revelling in her fright, her magic seized control of everything but her consciousness and her soul. Rooted to the spot, Diamond’s body became as rigid as a plank of wood.
Her magic greedily fed from her e
motions, devouring what remained of her anger until only terror remained. Terror for herself and for Hugo, who was sprawled on the ground nearby, somehow still alive. Power coursed like poison through her veins, seeping onto her skin and into the air around her. Bright and hot, it did not understand it was devouring her and, in so doing so, was killing itself. Pain gripped her racing heart, beating so fast she feared it might explode and cleave her chest apart. A scream of agony and desperation splintered the air as the enormity of what she had done registered. She had allowed her magic to take control. Without Hugo’s influence it had triumphed over her will. Now it would rage untamed and kill all those she had sought to save.
Chapter 22
Hugo crawled on his belly, raking his fingers into the dirt, his finger nails breaking painfully as he dragged his bulk towards Diamond. Her magic pulsed against his, savagely trying to stop him from reaching her. An entity in its own right, it wanted power—it wanted to control its host. It was too new, too young to recognise its Nexus and welcome a joining.
Determined not to let the magic triumph, Hugo forced his body to absorb it, just like before when Diamond had fought the dragon. Its power would overwhelm her; kill her if she did not learn to dominate it. Absorbing magic was part of his gift. It only made him stronger. Quelling his terror of losing her, he relentlessly pulled himself across the ground. He would not let her die. Almost overpowered, he reached his goal. Bellowing, Hugo flung both arms around Diamond’s legs and yanked her feet from under her. With a thump she hit the ground. Her magic flickered. Hugo seized his chance and heaved his bulk on top of her, curling his fingers into her shoulders.
The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet Page 15