by B. T. Narro
He kept his bright eyes on her.
“Although,” she continued, “it would help me to know where here is.”
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“Dorrinthal.”
“So it was you who opened the portal?” There was anger in his tone. “For that, you will die.”
“Wait!”
But he was already coming toward her with aggression in his eyes.
Eden struck him with dteria, knocking him across the floor of the small room. She stumbled past him and out the door, but she slid to a stop. Or she tried. There was nothing beneath her.
Her feet slid over the edge. She started to teeter forward. She turned as she screamed, trying to find something to grab but only finding the small one-room structure she had come from.
She was as high up as the trees. She couldn’t fall from this height and survive. She didn’t have the proper skill with dteria to catch herself. She thought to move dteria around her body and yank herself back onto the wooden floor built around the tree trunk, but she began the spell too late and soon started to fall.
A gust of wind scooped her up and flung her back into the small room, past the man with a concentrated look on his face as his hands guided her in the right direction. He wasn’t gentle as he threw her across the floor. She rolled until she struck the legs of the bed.
He approached her again, though there was no aggression in his eyes and his dagger was holstered. “I had to see what you are capable of, dark mage.” He grabbed her by her arms and pulled her up. Then he pushed her onto the mattress, letting go once she plopped down in a sitting position on the bed.
“Have gratitude,” he said. “Do you know exactly what would’ve happened if I hadn’t saved you from the goldenbacks?”
She shook her head nervously.
“They would’ve fed on you for a week, taking off your limbs one by one. You would’ve woken up many times throughout the process, but the poison would’ve kept you from moving. It is one of the worst deaths imaginable.”
Eden shuddered. “Thank you,” she said.
“You are indebted to me.”
Eyeing his dagger, she nodded.
He took it out of its holster and handed it to her, pommel first. “Take it if you are worried.”
Eden shrugged, then took his weapon and set it down next to her. She suddenly thought to check her pockets for the Induct stone. It was gone, but she could still feel the small one in her sock.
“The Induct stone will be destroyed,” the man said as he displayed it for Eden. “We don’t tolerate things like this in Fyrren. They are against the rules, and it is the rules that keep everything in order.”
“Is it Nijja who made the rules?” Eden asked.
His brow furrowed. “It seems like you have some sense. So why would you open the portal between the realms?”
She swallowed as she tried to figure out how to answer.
“I have trusted you with my weapon,” he continued through her silence. “And I saved you from certain death. Could it be possible you do not believe you are indebted to me?” he asked incredulously.
It wasn’t just possible, it was true. She hadn’t really felt that she was indebted to him. But hearing him say this, as if she had hurt him, made her change her mind. She didn’t want to be the selfish liar that she had come to expect of herself.
And she especially didn’t want to be doing anything for Valinox anymore. He surely knew how dangerous Fyrren was. He had probably figured she would be killed after she came in here, and he could finally get rid of her. She didn’t owe him anything.
“You’re right,” she said with a bowed head. “I am indebted to you. I will answer you honestly. I opened the portal because Valinox demanded it. I had no idea of the repercussions. I still don’t.”
“Valinox?” The man sounded surprised. “How could he demand anything of you when you are more powerful than him?”
“More powerful?” Now Eden was the one who sounded to be in disbelief. “Oh,” she realized. “When was the last time you heard news from Dorrinthal?”
“Why?” he asked. “What has changed in the last century?”
“Probably not much in the last ninety-eight years…but everything has changed in the final two.”
The man let out his breath. “I better send for Nijja.”
*****
Eden learned much about the man as they waited for Nijja to be reached by messenger. First of all, his name was spelled L i j, which Eden learned was pronounced like liege. Secondly, he could accurately be called a man, but he was not a human man. He was fae, as Eden had figured. He was a sorcerer of erto, mostly wind, and the things he could do with it would’ve made Michael jealous. Without sorcery, there was no way down from this little room high up in the trees. He had gotten Eden up here with wind alone.
He had only spoken briefly about himself. The rest of the time was taken up by Eden explaining everything that had happened between Rohaer and Lycast, and more importantly, how Valinox had come to be the most powerful being in Dorrinthal.
At stating that, Eden wondered if he might have the capability of killing Gourfist. The beast was humongous, but he didn’t seem to have powers of sorcery. It was mostly because of Gourfist that Valinox had held back, but even if a Valinox could kill him, there was another reason the demigod of mtalia had refrained from using his full power. Valinox feared retribution from his father, Basael.
Eden wondered how the fight would go down if Valinox battled against Gourfist with all his power. His dteria was probably strong enough to knock the beast on his back and send a dozen javelins into his belly before Gourfist could get back up. She could only hope there was something else about Gourfist that made all the demigods scared of him. Perhaps he had the same regenerative powers as the rest of the demigods, but even stronger.
Nijja arrived before Eden had told Lij everything. She hadn’t gotten to the most important part, her involvement with Valinox and her wish to free herself from it.
Nijja needed no introduction. Eden could feel her presence far below. It was her power Eden felt, like an offense to her mana.
“I will carry you down now,” Lij said. “You will use my back.”
Eden nodded, then got into position as Lij crouched down. It seemed easy for him to stand with her holding onto him. As if worried any delay would upset Nijja, he rushed out and jumped off. Eden gasped in his ear.
They fell quickly, the brightly colored forest becoming a blur. A powerful gust of wind blew upward, taking Eden’s breath away. The wind whipped around them as they slowly came down the rest of the way.
About a dozen fae stood behind Nijja, but it was one man at her side who was most noticeable. Eden wasn’t sure she had seen someone so handsome before, but there was something unnatural about him that took away any inkling of an attraction. It was like looking at a sculpture, all of his features and muscles so defined it was as if an artist had made him.
The statuesque man made a wall of ice in front of Nijja that blocked the wind from disrupting the many extravagances of her wardrobe.
Nijja had the youthful face of a young woman filled with confidence. Woven into her dark green hair was a leaf crown that sprouted up from behind her head, almost like the antlers of an animal. Her expression was of displeasure, with emerald green eyes and apple red lips. She showed off her figure with a plunging neckline. The leaves and flowers of her crown ran down her hair and shoulders, bonding with the fabric of her blouse and supporting her large bosom. She held a staff that looked to be made of some sort of hardened grass braided together, an intricate design of antlers at the top, akin to her crown. There was an opening at the base of the top, where a glowing gem was fused inside the staff.
Lij set Eden down on her feet. Nijja stepped toward her.
She didn’t speak, just scowled at Eden from very close. It made Eden extraordinarily uncomfortable. The demigod of ordia moved her head around Eden’s face as if sensing for something.
“She says Valinox put her up to everything,” Lij said, then held up the Induct stone of dteria. “She had this on her.”
Nijja took it out of Lij’s hands, made a sour face, then tensed her muscles. It disintegrated into dust.
Whoa. Eden wondered what had happened to it. Ingredients of enchantments and curses disintegrated the same way, but Eden was told they became energy that passed into this land, Fyrren. But Nijja was already here, and she had disintegrated something that didn’t seem to be used as an ingredient of any kind. So where had it gone?
Eden found out soon after when Nijja aimed her hand at Eden and a great sickness came over her that crumpled her to the ground.
“So you are one of Valinox’s toys?” Nijja accused as she stood over Eden.
She could answer the demigod…but she would also probably retch on Nijja’s bare feet soon after she opened her mouth.
“There’s something possibly urgent,” Lij said.
“What?”
“Valinox has taken control of dteria in the last century. This one says he has become very powerful. He might be on his way here now.”
Nijja grabbed Eden by her arm and pulled her up with inhuman strength. “Is this true?”
Eden nodded. “He made me open the portal,” she said, suddenly feeling better. Nijja must’ve made the curse short-lived. “But I don’t know why,” Eden continued. “I’m guessing he wanted me dead, either by Gourfist or by the creatures here in Fyrren after I had to escape Gourfist by running into the portal.”
“Why did you open the portal at all?” Nijja asked in an accusatory fashion.
“He would’ve had me killed if I hadn’t. He has had many others killed for much less. Do you know of the war, goddess?”
Nijja pushed Eden away. “Tie her,” she demanded.
The muscular fae with the sculpted face grabbed her and started running a rope around her body.
Nijja opened her palm, and another man put a dagger into her grasp. She held it against the underside of Eden’s chin.
“You will agree to inform me of anything that might put me in danger.”
“I agree,” Eden said as the demigod twisted the knife.
She didn’t think a harbinger like Barrett could force someone into a magical contract under duress. Neither did she believe that a harbinger could force someone to tell the truth, no matter what oath they took. But she had a feeling that the demigod who’d created these rules might know just how to bend them.
Nijja swiped her finger out from under Eden’s chin, showing a drop of blood. She dropped the knife on the ground—a different man rushed to grab it—then twinkled her fingers. Eden felt powerful ordia through the air as her blood disappeared.
She didn’t feel much different, though. She had already been inclined to tell the truth. These people obviously thought of Valinox as their enemy, but they seemed to be looking at Eden in the same way. She wouldn’t find safety here.
“It’s too late for more questions,” Nijja said as she turned away from Eden. “He’s here.”
The dozens of male fae—why were they all men?—formed a shield of their bodies in front of Nijja. Curved swords seemed to be their weapon of choice.
Valinox landed before them. Nijja stepped out from her protectors.
“What are you doing here, brother?” she asked.
Valinox looked around cautiously. At first Eden thought he was checking for signs of a trap, but that didn’t seem to be the case. It appeared more like he was looking for something specific. His senses seemed to pick up on something as he honed in on Nijja. The fae held up their weapons at his approach.
“Where is it, sister? I know you’ve made one.”
“You’re in my realm. You will answer my questions.”
He formed a smile that frightened Eden. It was the kind of sly grin that a boy might wear when he realized he was finally without supervision.
“Gourfist has no way of entering Fyrren,” he said. “You might’ve lived here without needing to hide from him for all these years, but Gourfist is the only thing that could save you from me now.”
“I don’t care how powerful you think you’ve become. I will have all my fae here soon if you have come to fight.” She lifted her hand. She seemed to be holding something, but there was nothing in sight.
As she started to speak to what Eden assumed to be an invisible gem, Valinox smacked it away with dteria. It suddenly appeared as it flew off, a glowing red diamond.
Nijja lowered her eyebrows. “You have poisoned yourself with Airinold’s tainted sorcery. I bet you can’t even cast a healing spell anymore.”
Valinox used to be able to heal?
He didn’t reply, though his grin soured a bit.
“Have you even lost touch with your creation?” Nijja asked. “Can you melt a single blade anymore?” It sounded like she was taunting him.
Eden knew it was a mistake.
He swept out his arms. A massive force of dteria shot out from him like an expanding ring. Everyone was flung away, Eden included.
She watched, now from afar, as Valinox held Nijja in the air by her waist. She squirmed, looking completely helpless as he lifted her up above his head with a manic laugh. He threw her against the nearest tree, her body bouncing off with such force that it surely would’ve killed a human.
In fact, she wasn’t moving as she lay on the ground. Valinox calmly walked over to her, brushing his hand in the direction of many charging fae. All of them were thrown back.
At least Eden could hear Nijja groaning, starting to move a bit now. Valinox reached down and pulled Nijja up by her hair.
“You should’ve let me stay here when I was trying to escape Gourfist,” he said, then punched her in the mouth.
The blow rolled Nijja over herself a couple times. A surge of fire completely enveloped Valinox as a couple of the male fae casted at him.
Their combined spells went on for a long while. No one could see anything past the mountain of fire.
Eventually, the fae let down their hands, their spells coming to an end. Valinox remained standing, a glowing red sphere of dteria around him, its crimson color slowly fading away.
Valinox made a punching motion, swinging his fist at the three fae who had casted at him. The dteria he produced was so dense that Eden could see it whip through the air, striking the three men in an arc. Eden could hear the sickening sound of bones cracking even before they flew into trees at least ten yards away, where more of their bones broke.
None were moving afterward.
This whole time he’s only been afraid of Gourfist? What about Basael, his father? The demigods had taken an oath not to kill. Did that not apply to the fae? No, it had to. They had also taken an oath not to interfere in the politics and warfare of the lesser beings, and Valinox had been interfering for quite some time now.
As Eden looked around for Lij, who might untie her ropes during this chaos, she found him running toward Nijja with the red diamond in hand. He was helping her up, the top of her bosom stained crimson from the blood running out of her mouth. But Valinox was well aware of what they were trying to do and soon landed in front of them.
He grabbed Lij and threw him into a tree with tremendous speed, knocking him unconscious, possibly killing him.
No! Eden yelled internally.
“No more of them have to die,” Valinox told Nijja.
She had her teeth gritted, displaying that a few of them were missing. But Eden watched as they quickly grew back. In fact, all of Nijja’s wounds seemed to be healing quickly.
She spat out blood. “You wouldn’t dare kill me after what Basael made us promise.”
“Perhaps not, or perhaps I would. Before I decide, however, I’ll kill every loyal fae until you have none left. I know you couldn’t have possibly made all of them think you were their queen.”
“I am their queen! I have brought order to this world, and I pla
n to maintain it.”
She threw an empty palm up toward Valinox’s face. A white powder appeared from nowhere, clearly cloaked by an illusion.
Valinox coughed, then started to gag as if suffocating. He quickly let go of her and grabbed at his throat, his eyes wide with shock.
He fell to a knee, gasping. Nijja rose up and dusted herself off.
“Now, you will—”
She was interrupted by Valinox laughing. Her jaw dropped open.
“Do you really think a curse one of your fae made could affect me?” he asked incredulously. “Only a curse from Airinold himself could ever affect me, and he’s long gone to Gourfist. There’s nobody who can stop me now. How many more fae do I have to kill before you see that?”
Nijja waved her hand through the air, and suddenly she vanished.
“Ha ha, sister,” Valinox said. “I’ve never enjoyed your games before, but I am going to this time.” He looked around. “Because this time, I’m going to win.”
There were still dozens of fae, but none seemed ready to challenge him as they shied away from his glance.
“I know you’re still here!” Valinox was telling Nijja. “I can feel you.”
He seemed to choose a fae at random, grabbing the man and lifting him up.
“I will break this one in half, sister, and let him scream out for help until he dies.”
“Please let me go,” said the fae.
“This is your last chance, Nijja!” Valinox announced.
Eden closed her eyes and looked away. She couldn’t watch. She wanted to cover her ears, but her hands were still bound.
There was a sickening crack, but there was no scream. She squinted open one eye to see the same man, now on the ground, his head twisted halfway around.
“You obviously didn’t care about that one,” Valinox said. “But this one! He’s the one, isn’t he? Look at him! Of course he is. Father couldn’t have designed a prettier fae himself.”
Valinox hoisted up the handsome man.
“Run, Nijja,” said the fae. “I don’t care what he does to me. Just get out of here.”
Eden wondered if Valinox could feel Nijja’s natural ordia disrupting his mana like it was Eden’s, and that’s how he knew she was still here.