Eternal Sanctuary

by Sela Croft

  It was disheartening to realize how bad things had become. I was glad to be alive, and grateful that Nicolai had arrived, just in time to cheat death. But I had no doubt that there would be a next time. I dreaded to think of Alban’s blind rage over this failure, on the heels of his other losses. The very fabric of the kingdom would suffer the effects of his revenge—its foundation rocked as though an earthquake had ripped it asunder.

  Chapter 2 – Selene

  The dark leader had demanded my allegiance and waited for my reply. I didn’t need my divining ability to perceive his determination to be the victor in this war. Passion for the fight against evil flared in his eyes. His conviction was that Alban and Draven, his son born of evil, must be prevented from ruling.

  Silvain would do what it took to win, including sharing personal history with me—if he thought it would sway my decision. I was moved by his revelation that he was the king’s illegitimate son. When he’d spoken of his mother, I sensed a well of emotion, as well as anger over what Alban had done.

  He hadn’t provided the details, but I didn’t need them to realize that it had been a painful situation. Whatever had happened had greatly affected Silvain and held him in its grip to this day. Death’s march in the kingdom might have been enough for him to fight against it.

  But his motivation went beyond that. There was more to the story about his mother and Alban failing to recognize him as his son. Without hearing any more, I already knew that the battle against the king and his legitimate successor was personal.

  Silvain looked at me, then rose from his chair. He paced impatiently. “Well, witch, what’s your answer? Will you swear allegiance, take my side in this battle against darkness and evil?”

  I gripped the arm of the sofa, feeling cornered—yet I hesitated. I’d already had my doubts about Draven. So, when Silvain had lobbied that supporting his efforts to take the throne would be a grave error, I hadn’t argued. Yet it wasn’t that simple—not in my mind, anyway.

  “If you told Draven that the king is your father too, don’t you think that would make a difference?” I said. “Wouldn’t he be inclined to consider your position in this war?”

  “I hadn’t thought of you as naïve,” Silvain said. “But such ideas are without basis. Draven is in line for the throne, so will have no qualms about denouncing the likes of me—an illegitimate son.”

  “You may have misjudged him,” I said. “It is true that Draven has his father’s blood in his veins, but he does not always act in accord with that evil.” I paused. “And nor do you.”

  “You’re missing the point,” Silvain said, leaning against a massive bookcase and crossing his arms. “I don’t care a whit how Draven acts. He has his father’s death bent within him. It will not stay repressed forever. There must be an end to the current monarchy, including the king’s wayward son.”

  “You are forcing a decision that has no clear-cut solution.” I was slow to agree to Silvain’s request, knowing full well that it could affect the future of the realm. “Sorcery must be used wisely. It is not a commodity to be bought and sold.”

  Silvain smirked. “Clever posturing, witch.” He took a breath. “What is your price?”

  I huffed then leaned against the back of the sofa. “So we’re back to that…your demand that I take sides?”

  Silvain stared at me, waiting—as though my final answer was forthcoming.

  “You know Nemuri as well as I do,” I said. “Let me remind you she’s the reason I’m here. I’ve benefited from her forecasts, just as you have. You can’t tell me that you’ve forgotten the times that she has offered insight into the future, out of the goodness of her heart.”

  “All this maudlin drivel means nothing,” Silvain said, then returned to sit in the chair across from me. “War is war, and business is business. I’m not one for sentimentality.”

  The dark leader was playing tough. I’d witnessed a softer side of his heart when he’d spoken of his mother, yet bringing that up wouldn’t help my case.

  “You might have a heart of stone,” I said, “but I do not. Nemuri is my friend. We’ve been through much together. And even if she wasn’t dear to me, I’d be compelled to see that she’s released from prison. She is an ancient seer, so must not be dishonored.”

  Silvain had no comeback.

  “I will assist Nemuri alone if I must,” I said. “But I’m confident of better results with your support. I trust you are considering the importance of saving her. Besides, I’d hate to inform her that you refused to play any part in her rescue.”

  Silvain frowned. “Emotional bribery is not your style.”

  “I’m just saying that Nemuri is my friend and I cannot abandon her.” Silence stretched between us, so I embarked upon a different tactic. “I understand that you wish for me to pledge loyalty to your side in this war.”

  Silvain raised his brows.

  “But consider for a moment what you are asking.” I walked over to the window to gather my thoughts.

  I turned toward Silvain. “May I remind you of the immortal prophecy?”

  “I need no reminders. I’ve had that shoved down my throat for far too long.”

  “Yet you cannot deny that Mirela is important,” I said. “She is the key to the outcome, and you know it.”

  “I know no such thing,” Silvain said.

  “But you can’t ignore her role in all of this.” I sighed. “Mirela must be protected. Her circumstance makes it impossible for me to abandon the Guardians.”

  “Is that your answer?” Silvain said. “You won’t offer your allegiance to me?”

  “I cannot.” I stepped closer. “Does that mean that you won’t help Nemuri?”

  Silvain did not reply.

  “I’m not denying you,” I said. “I didn’t say that I would abandon you entirely. After all, you wish to unseat the king, like I do.”

  “I’m asking for more than that.”

  “But you’re aware the prophecy foretold that Mirela would unite with a king beneath the ocean.” I watched Silvain closely. “Destiny will lead the pair to rule as king and queen—”

  “Yes, I’ve heard it all before,” Silvain snapped, then jumped to his feet, causing his ornate chair to tip over. “A king beneath the ocean is all it says.” He glared at me. “Who’s to say that king is Draven?”

  I was shocked into speechlessness.

  “A god of wealth and immortality.” Silvain’s lips stretched into a tight smile. “I fit that description, as I’m every bit the vampire that Draven is—and more. And I might very well be king.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I wouldn’t be so quick to support Draven and his Guardians on the strength of that prophecy.” Silvain narrowed his eyes. “I’m against putting Draven on the throne.”

  “That comes as no surprise.”

  “In fact…maybe I’ll take Mirela for myself.”

  “Draven steals your title…so you steal his queen?”

  “Why not?”

  I held up my hand. “You already tried that,” I said. “And look what happened.”

  “She fled before I returned to the castle,” Silvain said. “But you fail to consider that she hadn’t met me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Oh, really? And had she met you, then you would have swept her off her feet. Mirela would have cast aside her soul-deep love for Draven and taken you into her arms?”

  “You mock me, but I can be very persuasive.”

  “I don’t disagree,” I said, hoping his threat to possess Mirela was a bluff. “At the risk of annoying you further, I daresay that abducting Mirela and placing her under house arrest was not the most romantic approach.”

  “Never mind that,” Silvain said, then threw up his hand. “I refuse to step aside for Draven. And I don’t need any prophecy to direct my path. I can control my own destiny.”

  “I wouldn’t tell you otherwise,” I said. “But back to the reason for my visit…where does that leave us with regard to Nemur
i?”

  Silvain’s expression was dark, his mood even darker. He looked at me without saying a word. My heart sank, as I feared I’d made a mess of things. My plea for help had fallen on deaf ears, and the conversation had veered into highly-charged matters. I must be losing my touch.

  Chapter 3 – Draven

  Fury roared through my veins; the king had attempted to kill my sister. He hadn’t treated her like any father would treat a daughter, since the day she’d been born—but murder was unthinkable. My blood simmered with hatred for the death-monger, who didn’t deserve to be called father.

  After determining that Calina hadn’t been harmed in the encounter, I stared at the body of the monster who had assaulted her. His death didn’t penalize the perpetrator—but I’d ensure that Alban paid for his deed.

  “Come…we must get back to the city,” I said, motioning to the others. “This is no place to linger.”

  Nicolai ushered Calina to her mount, and I did the same with Mirela. The tone was somber, as the king might have succeeded in his aim to make my sister pay for a crime she didn’t commit. But he hadn’t, and that was what mattered for now.

  I intended to guide the group back to the city, behind its fortified walls, and under the protection of my army. It was time to take action, but I needed the women safe first. Jon and Spence scouted ahead, since the route could not be trusted. Too much danger lurked behind every hill.

  I fumed about Alban and his bloodthirsty nature. If he’d been within reach, I’d have taken his life, as he so willingly would have taken Calina’s. And because he’d dared to harm her, I would make sure the king’s death was slow and agonizing.

  Mirela rode beside me, but I didn’t converse. It was best if I didn’t talk while I was so enraged. I made no effort to repress my lust for Alban’s death, vowing that I would have his life before all of this was over. Then Jon returned and motioned to me.

  “I’ll be back,” I said to Mirela, before going over to him. “What is it?”

  “Up ahead, there is a small band of vampire hunters.”

  Hearing that ratcheted my fury up a notch. It was bad timing on their part to block our path, because I was in a dark mood. “They haven’t smelled us?”

  “It doesn’t appear so,” Jon said. “They have made camp and seem distracted. No doubt they will notice our approach when we get closer.”

  “They won’t have a chance for that,” I said. “We’ll take the offensive. How many are there?”

  “I counted seven.”

  “I’ll take you and Spence with a couple of others,” I said. “Tell Quin he’s in charge until we return.”

  The hunters were a few miles up, a safe distance from our main group. Before barging into their camp, I dismounted, and my comrades did the same. After tethering the horses, we crept closer.

  I held up my hand to motion for the others to wait. Then I peeked around some bushes. I spotted the vampires who had been responsible for Mirela’s kidnapping, and they were just as she’d described. The three of them were sitting on a log, gabbing about their abduction of my love. It seemed the incident was still fresh in their minds.

  Thomas, the servant who had aided them, was nowhere in sight. I guessed that he was hiding out with his human friends and was terrified to surface. I wouldn’t make any effort to flush him out. He hadn’t been the instigator but had been duped by the ravings of the hunters in charge. But their plan to wipe out the Guardians was doomed to failure.

  Besides the three I recognized, there were four more hunters resting on the ground under a tree.

  Their voices echoed against the hills that surrounded their camp.

  “I still can’t believe it,” a sleazy one with metallic eyes said.

  “I would think I’d gone crazy if you hadn’t seen it too,” another said. His glowing red eyes bulged from his head, even more than was common among the dhampirs. His dark, stringy hair hung to his shoulders, seeming to accentuate his overly large nose.

  “Goddamn Pegasus flying through the air,” a third said. “I say we keep it to ourselves, lest we be labeled delusional.”

  My blood boiled; there was only one Pegasus that flew through the air in my realm, and that was the one that Mirela wore around her neck. This bloodthirsty bunch had stolen her right out of the castle city, and would have destroyed her if they’d had the chance.

  I remembered my vow that they’d pay for threatening her. I didn’t hesitate to make good on that promise. During a lag in the conversation, the red-eyed one stood up and lifted his nose to sniff the air.

  He’d picked up our scent, but it was too late. I flagged my men, and we burst into their camp. The hunters leapt into action and tried to kill us on sight. I went straight for the three who’d dared to take Mirela. “You do not take a woman under my protection!”

  The shocked looks on their faces told the story: they knew who I was and what they were guilty of. One managed to say, “Draven…” That was a split second before I carved his head from his body. The other two made a fight of it, but their skill was no match for mine.

  I thrust my fist into the chest of one, watching his metallic eyes bulge out more. The other snapped his whip. Before the tip of light struck me, I held up my palm, and a blaze of light parried it then struck him down.

  The three were dead, so I spun around, thirsting for more. My comrades had taken care of matters. The others were headless. They were half vampire, so decapitation was the safest method to ensure they couldn’t bother us again.

  Alive with the craving for death, I turned back then decapitated the two I’d temporarily incapacitated. I savored the sight of their empty eyes, and the flow of their blood into the dirt.

  “That’s for Mirela,” I spat, then faced my men. “Let’s get out of here, before we draw the attention of any more of their kind. As much as I’d relish the skirmish, it’s vital that we get home without delay.”

  We made it back to the city without further incident, and General Clay was pleased to see that we were all intact. Calina and Mirela went into the castle to refresh and recover, while I went with Nicolai. He had an important message, and he’d waited long enough to deliver it. I followed him to his commander’s office.

  Nicolai’s commander was a tall, thin vampire with piercing yellow eyes. He was savvy and well suited to his position. “Hello, Andre,” I said. “Your officer has a message for you. I just hope that it was worth all the trouble it took to get it to you.”

  Andre nodded at me. “Yes, sir…we shall see.” He motioned toward a conference table. “Please have a seat.”

  Nicolai handed over the document, “I’m finally able to deliver this to you, commander. I took this document from the saddlebag of a Dark Fighter, near the perimeter of the rain forest.”

  The commander sat at the head of the table and read the document. Nicolai sat across from me. I couldn’t tell much, and wondered if the risks had been worth delivering this news. I stirred in my seat and glanced at Nicolai, who silently waited. Then the commander looked up with a serious expression.

  “You have brought valuable information,” the commander said. “This provides insight into the locations of guerilla factions. Although I’m sure Silvain will redeploy as soon as he realizes this information has fallen into our hands, it won’t matter. This document reveals the concept of his underlying strategy, so we’ll be able to get one step ahead of him.”

  “I’m glad to hear that it’s valuable,” Nicolai said. “The fighters are committed to a war of attrition, of gradually wearing away at our defenses. Then their final takeover will be easier to achieve.”

  “I’m sure of it, but we cannot allow our enemy to maintain that advantage. No doubt this document was on its way to one of Silvain’s generals,” the commander said. “He will be furious that it was intercepted.”

  I stood up. “I’m grateful that the information was useful. It was brought to you at great cost.”

  Nicolai pushed back his chair. “I leave it in your han
ds.”

  “I trust that you’ll brief my generals, so they can utilize this new intelligence,” I said.

  “You can count on it.”

  Nicolai left to check on the women, while I found my comrades. They were in the barracks and had cleaned up a bit. “Good timing,” Quin said when he saw me. “General Clay wishes to meet with us. He’s in the war room.”

  I found the general pacing the floor, waiting for us. “Please sit down. I must discuss the results of my investigation.”

  Clay’s frown told me that I wouldn’t be pleased. I sat down, with Jon, Quin, and Spence across from me. The general hovered over the seat at the head of the table but remained standing.

  “You’ve been industrious in my absence,” I said.

  “You gave me a task, and I saw no reason to put it off,” Clay said. “The longer a traitor is in our midst, the more damage he can do.”

  “You’ve discovered who it is?” Quin said.

  Clay furrowed his brow but didn’t say anything for a moment. “It saddens me to tell you that I have discovered who is behind the betrayals. He orchestrated the attempted theft of military documents…and much more.”

  I waited with a bitter taste in my mouth.

  Clay sat down then leaned forward. “The traitor was General Blackburn.” He looked at us, allowing that information to sink in.

  “You were right,” I said. “It was high in the ranks, one of my generals, who has let us down.”

  “I have verified it,” Clay said. “I wouldn’t come to you with unfounded accusations, especially about a man like Blackburn.”

  It was distressing to hear. General Blackburn had been with us for so long that I failed to recall when he’d joined. He’d been a trusted soldier and a competent general. I struggled to understand why he’d gone to the other side. “He’s working for the royals?” I said.

  “Yes, he’s been relaying what information he can,” Clay said. “But also, he’s assisted the Dark Fighters. He facilitated the poison water, which was Silvain’s deed.”