Diamond was dazed, unable to concentrate properly. The hollowness inside her was growing. If Erzion was telling her to leave, that meant Hugo was gone and the Lord of Chaos was now free—or would be very soon.
Eyes full of regret, Erzion touched her face. Then his eyes narrowed, noticing her pained posture. He peered around her back and hissed a vicious curse. The bite of cold metal disappeared as lyrical words fell from his lips. Diamond mewled in agony as her broken arm swung free. Gently, he rested his hands against her bruised, blistered skin.
Diamond didn’t flinch. She trusted this ancient warrior. The agony in her arm receded immediately, followed by relief in her fingers.
With a sheen of sweat now covering his upper lip, Erzion urged them to leave. “Go. Lord Firan will find you on the ocean. You must trust him. You need to unite the other kingdoms, my queen. Only you can do that, your heritage makes it possible. Hugo is lost to you now, but your people are not. We will save as many as we can and keep them safe in Catava until you return with help,” he told her gravely.
Diamond nodded, her heart aching at leaving her friends, her people and her soulmate.
Erzion led her to the steps, and they ascended into the throne room. Dust and smoke filled the air, burning her eyes and mouth. Explosions and screams came from all around her. It was chaos. A large hole gaped in the wall, the hole Diamond had made on the night of Rose’s rescue; the magic that had blocked out the frigid wind now gone.
“My queen, make your way to the Fire Mountains. Find Prince Eryanth’s sister. Gain her help. Queen Ilya is as powerful as her brother, and she is also sworn to serve you. Her army was built to fight for you when the time was right. That time is now. Unite the Eight Kingdoms and bring them back here; together we stand a chance of beating Erebos and Griana.”
Diamond could only nod, not wanting to destroy the determination or hope in Erzion’s eyes. How can I unite such powerful leaders when I no longer have my magic? she wondered sadly.
As they ran out, bodies of Elite Guards were strewn underfoot. Behind them, the heavy doors were thrown wide and shadow-laced magic blasted across the room.
“Traitors!” Griana screeched madly.
Erzion pushed Diamond toward the gaping hole, throwing up a red shield. His wings glowed, their fiery swirls burning brightly. “Run,” he ordered sharply.
Attion did not argue, and Diamond couldn’t. All she could think about was Hugo and leaving him behind.
Outside was mayhem. Red magic burned the air, taking down any in its path. Warriors fought and weapons clashed. The stench of blood laced the bitter night. Griana’s troops did not have magic, but it seemed they had plenty of archers.
Diamond sobbed as she saw men on both sides fall. She wanted to scream at them all to stop the bloodshed. The Valentian warriors did not know who they truly fought for. A mad queen and a dark god, one who would eat their souls and destroy everything good in their world.
“This is not your doing,” panted Attion as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “But you can at least try to stop this happening in the rest of our world. Now, run faster!” he ordered.
Chapter 18
“What part of Houria are you from?” Jack asked Syhira. He leaned his tall frame against the door frame and stared at the dark-haired woman, who still sat in the chair in the draughty old storehouse. He had just unbound her limbs and given her the freedom to leave—on the understanding she would take a good meal and get some rest first. It seemed she had no designs on killing anyone other than Hugo, and if she managed that before Jack did himself, all the better. Besides, it was nice to talk to someone new for a while, someone with no expectations of him.
“Why?” she said, her voice flat.
Jack fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Because I’m curious, that’s all. How does a young woman with clearly superior archery skills become an assassin for her king? You must have had exemplary teaching, and that level of teaching and training requires money and time. You do not bear the mark of the Hourian army, which tells me you are a private assassin—or handpicked by King Vyden.”
Syhira sneered. “Oh, I’m handpicked. King Vyden is my father. But unlike his sons, who are both immortal like him, his female offspring are not.”
“Sons, not brothers?” queried Jack.
“Yes. My mother was merely one of his many consorts. My half-brothers are descended from his chosen queen and are heirs to his throne, should the bastard ever die. Women are not treated well in my kingdom, prince. We are expendable commodities. And my mother? Well, she took her own life when we were small,” Syhira explained tightly, shoving herself up and rubbing her wrists.
Jack swallowed, not really sure what to say. He had never known his mother. He wondered if it was worse to have known a mother’s love and then have lost her. Damned if I know, he thought in answer to his own question. Thinking of his parents heated his blood with a familiar anger. No. I will not think of that betraying bastard. Though Jack did acknowledge the guilt he felt at betraying Diamond. He resisted the urge to rub his face. It was unfair that the lines between betrayal and loyalty had to blur. It was a dilemma, trying to determine if sacrificing one friend was worth the lives of thousands of strangers, even if they were his people.
“I’m sorry,” was all he could manage to reply.
Syhira glanced at him, her dark mocha eyes cold as she braided her hair with quick, steady fingers. “Don’t be. I have very few memories of her and my sister has none.”
“Sister?” prompted Jack. He didn’t have to talk to Syhira, but he needed a distraction from the hideous thing that had become his life.
A soft smile curled Syhira’s mouth. “Yes. Lyana. She’s a gentle soul. One who could not be further from being an assassin.” Her dark mocha eyes met Jack’s. “Lyana is beautiful, both inside and out. Unlike me, she could not kill or harm another.”
Jack raised his brows. “There are many reasons why people can and will kill, not least for survival,” he retorted, thinking how innocent Diamond had been when he first met her.
“Hmm, maybe. But Lyana deserves a far better fate than what the king has planned for her.”
“What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“The king covets all his possessions, which includes all the women in his court. He can pick and choose who shares his bed, blood relative or not. He is old enough and callous enough that he does not care about propriety or morals. Lyana will soon turn eighteen. So far I have kept him and the princes away from her by doing his bidding. I struck a deal with the king when he realised how good my fighting skills were. I kill his enemies,” she paused and held his eyes defiantly, “and warm his bed when he wishes; in return, he leaves Lyana alone. But I don’t know how long I can keep the demons from her door.”
Jack did not allow his disgust at the king’s behaviour to reach his expression. Clearly Syhira was expecting it. It made him wonder how she was treated by others in her father’s court. Instead he asked, “What do you intend to do?”
The set of her jaw gave her intentions away. “As soon as I return, I will find her and we will run. I have failed my mission, so my deal with the king will no longer remain. I’ll get us out and then maybe head to the Southern Hotlands. I hear they welcome female sellswords there.” Her tone of voice belied her belief in those words.
“Really?” Jack scoffed gently. “Well, don’t believe everything you hear. Slavers operate there. I doubt they will treat you or Lyana any better than the king has.” He did not say ‘father’. It was obvious Syhira did not think of the man who abused her as such. Jack sighed, his blood beginning to boil at the situation Syhira and her sister were in, at the fact that the world was such a cruel place.
Syhira nodded, looking slightly deflated. “I know, but other than the Fire Mountains, which is too close to the king, there is nowhere else to go. Gar Anon is even worse for slavery than the Hotlands.”
“Yes, there is another place you can go. You can return to my kingdom with you
r sister. I will provide safety for you both. I don’t know you well, but I can always use a good archer in my ranks. Besides, Gunnald is arrogant; he could do with some competition,” Jack grinned.
Syhira stared at him open-mouthed, then snapped it shut and swallowed as her cheeks flushed.
Yep, clearly not used to kindness or compliments, reflected Jack, giving her an amused smile.
“Why?” she managed to ask.
Before Jack could answer, there was a commotion outside. Roin barged through the door. The old wood splintered under his weight, sending dust flying.
“Highness! The Queen! She is attacking the valley,” he bellowed.
Jack sprinted outside, his heart slamming against his ribs as his feet pounded against the snow-covered ground. He skidded to a halt, swearing at the sight that greeted him at the cliff edge.
“What in the goddess is going on?” he exclaimed.
“I don’t think the goddess has much to do with it, highness,” responded Zane grimly. “But I do think perhaps that bastard of a red warrior, Elexon, was telling the truth when he said the Queen had an army ready to wipe us out, with or without handing Diamond over.”
Jack turned to him, but Zane had no judgement in his eyes, he was too busy weighing up the threat.
“Highness, we need to get you out of here. To the ship,” Roin said urgently.
Jack balked at the thought of leaving his people again—of running from Griana. If she was attacking her own lands, it meant they were too late to stop her resurrecting the dark god—too late to kill Hugo.
“It’s too late to stop him now,” Syhira echoed his thoughts.
Jack nodded. “Who’s leading the red warriors? Can we get word to them? Join them?” Jack asked Roin, fearing for his people down in the thick of the fighting. His gut tightened. Across the valley a large fire burned. The compound, he realised. His gut twisted. Trajan. He could only hope the leader of the Water Leopards had escaped.
“Your troops are already fighting with ours,” said a cold voice from behind them.
Elexon stood ready for battle, red magic swirling around his arms, his wings aglow in the night.
Jack stiffened. The others immediately formed a protective line in front of him.
Elexon raised his brows. “You really think any of you could stop me if I wanted to kill you? Which I do by the way. The only reason Hugo is a threat now is because you gave up the one person who could have stopped Griana. With her magic at full strength, Diamond, who is the rightful queen of this land, could have turned the false queen to dust with half a thought. But you bound her magic and delivered her like a trussed pig into the hands of our enemy. Lucky for you my father believes you still have a part to play in the coming war, if only because you hold that sword,” Elexon growled. “Or you would be dead. You especially,” he told Tom. “She trusted you above all others.”
Zane snarled, but Tom looked at Elexon with guilt in his eyes. “I know, but I swore an oath to the prince. My allegiance is to him and the Rhodainian people, not to the girl who was once my friend. One life for many,” he stated sadly.
“Hmm, I wonder if you would still believe those sentiments if I took your prince and presented him to whatever version of Erebos Griana manages ito reincarnate. Or maybe I will just take the keys you carry, highness. I can bargain for the lives of my people with those. It would be satisfying to kill you for your treachery.”
“Enough!” bellowed Jack. He tightly gripped the hilt of Dragonsblood. The rubies glowed as a dark shadow glided above them. None of the warriors ducked as fire rained down, sparking against the power of the shield. They were far too used to the presence of the black dragon now.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Elexon, nor do I care.”
“Well, you should!” Elexon snapped. “That dragon instinctively searches for what is his. Those are no ordinary gems in that sword. Together they are one of the two keys to Eternity. Sulphurious is a guardian; he can feel their power and no matter where you run to, he will follow you.”
“It’s true,” interjected a deep voice from the darkness.
They all spun about. Only Elexon did not move.
A figure appeared from the darkness, his hand loosely gripping a sword. He looked deceptively relaxed, but alert eyes glinted darkly under a heavy brow. He was tall, muscular and exuded confidence. “Sulphurious will never leave you in peace. The force that brought him to this world is once again rising,” the stranger said, lifting his head to look at Elexon. “And all of you—even your father—let the first key be taken by the false queen. If Erebos gains possession of any of the keys, even one of those fragments,” he said, pointing at Dragonsblood, “he will not only destroy this world, but raze Eternity from existence.”
Jack frowned. “Why should we care about a land only spoken of in myths and folklore?” he asked. “We have our own war to fight. If the gods and goddesses, or even the guardians still exist, then they can save their own lands. I do not see them here, helping us in our time of need,” he growled.
The warrior’s eyes speared right into Jack’s soul. His square jaw clenched as anger suffused his face.
Jack straightened his shoulders, his fingers grasping Dragonsblood. He was unsure why this warrior made him want to beg for forgiveness; it was almost as if he knew he should respect him. Jack flinched as an explosion sent a wave of heat and magic flaring against his skin.
Elexon swore, shooting bursts of magic into the night alongside the magic his men were using. The Queen’s warriors screamed, falling from the sky into the valley below the cliff.
“Highness!” Elexon shouted to Jack. “My troops will help your people. Regardless of what you did to my queen, she would not want all these souls to perish. Leave! Run! Now!” yelled Elexon. “You cannot beat these numbers. When my queen is free, we will find you!”
Zane growled his agreement.
Seeing Jack’s desperate glance to the valley, Roin put a calming hand on his arm. “He’s right, Jack. There is nothing we can do to organise our troops and repel an attack of such numbers. It is too late. You must live to fight another day.”
“I cannot leave my people and run. Not again,” uttered Jack.
Tom stepped forward, unaware the stranger stiffened as he saw him. Unaware he was being assessed. “Highness, you can. You must. Our people will survive this. Trust Elexon. He could have killed us all, but he hasn’t. If he says his father has made provisions for the safety of those in the valley, then we must trust him and leave. You have a responsibility to live. Then you can rally help from the other kingdoms, bring them back here to fight for Diamond, to right our mistake,” Tom advised, using his most reasonable and persuasive voice.
Jack turned to the valley. Everything was falling again, just like Stormguaard. And just like then, there was nothing he could do. He felt strangely numb as he watched warriors crashing from the sky, brought down by Elexon’s magic.
Gunnald appeared, loosing arrows at incredible speed, and even Syhira grabbed a bow and began firing with unerring prowess.
The warrior straightened.
Jack noted the way he prowled forward, the sure steps and upright muscular body. Heavily armoured gold wings extended as he moved closer, glowing brightly.
Jack felt no fear, he was too disgusted with himself. He had failed his people yet again. He saw everything, even his past, with extreme clarity. This was his fault. Griana had played him, and he had been too foolish to see it. She had known who Hugo was from the start. Her plans had always been to strengthen his magic and use him to bring back her lord. Ordering Hugo to kill his father had only been the start; she had manipulated Jack for years. She had known the Combined Army of Rhodainia would fall apart when ruled by a boy prince. No longer would other kingdoms honour their agreement to send soldiers to serve in an army without strong leadership. Many soldiers had even deserted back to their own lands. Jack suspected the deaths of so many of his experienced generals and senior warriors, who had
been ambushed and killed in those early years, were Griana’s doing and not the Wraith Lord’s.
He swallowed a mouthful of bile. She had even sent Hugo to befriend him, to lead him and what remained of his people to her valley—for this. Her intentions had always been to use Hugo to fulfil the writings of the Veritas scroll. Just as Syhira had warned, Griana would bring back her lord, then gift him the souls of the Rhodainian people. Screams filled the valley and the air, ringing in his ears. Now those in this valley died by her hand because of his misdirected need for vengeance.
Jack roared, futilely venting his anger and frustration.
The warrior fixed him with a piercing stare.
Jack felt Roin’s presence close behind him. Zane and a pale-faced Tom prowled behind the warrior. Tom was staring wide-eyed at the man’s face. There was no sign the warrior noticed, but every instinct told Jack this male knew exactly where each threat was placed, and had dismissed them.
Fighting began in earnest only feet away.
“Prince Oden! Get out of here! Or I swear to the goddess, I will kill you myself for what you did to my queen. If you are not going to live, to fight with us and fix your betrayal, then I have no further use for you.”
They all looked to Jack’s right where Elexon’s red magic burned like a wall of flames. Beyond it, the camp was overrun with warriors. The dead fell, but Elexon and his men gave them no time to rise, they turned them to ash.
A dark, whirling cloud gathered over one side of the valley, whipping the snow and wind into a frenzy. Jack had no idea what it was but it pulsed with an evil that turned his blood cold.
“He’s right!” shouted Syhira. “We need to leave. I do not want my soul sucked into that!” she yelled, pointing a nocked arrow at the cloud. “How the hell do we get out of here, prince?”
The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet Page 84