Eternal Sanctuary

by Sela Croft

  “I understand.” The god was referring to the Dark Fighters and the Guardians. He wished for Alban to lose the longstanding war, and went so far as to encourage me to join forces with my other enemy.

  Erembour addressed Alban one last time. “I will go now, king. Laela and I have much catching up to do. But make no mistake: you must not molest or harass her again. She is free to roam the kingdom with impunity. She is under my protection. Do I make myself clear?”

  Alban hesitated, then nodded.

  “You will allow Silvain to leave unharmed,” Erembour said. “I don’t think you want to risk my wrath again. Next time I will kill you, regardless of rules. I’ll make sure that you suffer in darkness and pain for all eternity.”

  Alban was silent.

  “I warn you, do not cross me.” Then Erembour and Laela disappeared.

  While Alban stood there, stunned, I took my leave. I had faith that the dark god would carry out his threats. Yet I failed to trust that the king would heed the warnings for very long.

  I left the throne room before the guards drew their next breath. Then I started down the hall toward the entrance, but I bumped into Selene. The witch had not gone far.

  “Didn’t I dismiss you?”

  Selene smiled. “I couldn’t just leave. I thought you might need backup.”

  “You are one crazy witch, you know that? Your life was at risk, and I thought you suffered from risk aversion.”

  “It depends.”

  I took her hand to drag her out of the palace before the royals came to life. At the gate, I levitated with her to the bottom of the mountain.

  “Were you listening to all of that?”

  “Of course. It was…” Selene said. “Actually, I’m not sure how to describe it. But it was immensely satisfying to see the king put in his place.”

  I called for my horse. “I implore you to spread the word, as I asked you to. If for no other reason than to clear my mother’s name.”

  Selene grinned. “It’s too good a secret not to blab it to the far corners of the realm.”

  “Okay, witch,” I said, then mounted my horse. “Do you need a lift?”

  “No, thank you. I have my own mode of transportation.”

  “All right, then,” I said. “I have a war to get back to. Try not to get into any more trouble for a while.”

  Selene laughed. “Now, what fun would that be?”

  Chapter 13 – Draven

  My heart was with Mirela. What our future would be depended on what I did going forward. One fear had abated, since I’d been informed of the valid immortal prophecy, without its worrisome alteration. Plus, my guilt had lessened upon meeting my mother and being assured that she had found peace—or she would when Mirela and I resolved the upheaval in the kingdom.

  Military efforts were ramping up, so this was no time for errors. What my army did in the near future could make all the difference. I had to ensure that our forces were strong, and our strategy solid. I was headed for the command center to find Quin, Spence, and Jon. I counted on them as much as my generals.

  My mind was on military matters, so I strode with purpose, oblivious to my surroundings. I nearly ran into Selene and knocked her over. After stepping aside, I said, “You’ll find Calina in the castle with Mirela.”

  “I will go there directly,” Selene said. “But it’s you I seek. I must speak with you first.”

  “I have business to attend to; it will have to wait.”

  “I think not,” Selene said. “What I must tell you impacts the war.”

  “I can’t imagine what you know that I don’t,” I said. “But if you must relay news, make it quick. Levitate to the tower with me, so we won’t be overheard.”

  I arrived at the tower then leaned against the parapet, waiting for what the sorceress could possibly have to share.

  “I wanted to tell you before the others,” Selene said. “It seemed better to give you a chance to digest this turn of events privately.”

  “Out with it, then.”

  Selene took her time, carefully going over recent events. It was a horrendous tale—and although I didn’t doubt that Alban was capable of such crimes and more, the rest was more difficult to fathom.

  “Silvain is the illegitimate son of the king?”

  “His mother was called forth to testify, and even the king couldn’t deny it then.”

  “This is shocking,” I said. “Silvain is my enemy, and his Dark Fighters will be taken down along with the Royal Army. Yet now you inform me that he is my brother.”

  “It is the truth.”

  “You realize,” I said, “that the king will be in a blind rage. He will be furious at having his past revealed, and over the set-down by the god of shadows.”

  “That is my reason for coming to you with haste.”

  Selene wasn’t quite finished. She proceeded to tell me about Alban’s punishment for offending the dark god.

  “The leader of the Dark Fighters was bestowed with increased ability?”

  “All his Strigoi heritage is accessible, so his power is greater than before.”

  “And what’s to stop him from using that newly gained power against my Guardians?” I said. “I see no reason for him to do otherwise.”

  “Except that the dark god deemed it wise to join forces.”

  “I lack faith that Silvain will acquiesce to that, given a choice,” I said. “And I certainly don’t consider him an ally.”

  “I can’t say what will happen, only that the dark leader has choices. The angry god intended to shift the odds against the king.”

  “You witnessed all of this?”

  “I did,” Selene said. “You can be assured that it happened as I’ve told it.”

  “War is unpredictable,” I said. “With this turn of events, it’s impossible to know the outcome. But I am certain of one thing: additional preparations must be made.”

  Selene went to the castle to find the women, while I continued on my way to the command center. The unexpected revelations changed things; I just wasn’t certain how.

  I had an older brother, the illegitimate son of the king. It made little difference to me, since I harbored no affection for him. Yet any weakening of Alban served me well.

  It didn’t mean that I’d let my guard down. It was unwise to turn my back on Silvain, or to assume that he’d had a change of heart. Yet hearing his story was evidence that I didn’t know him at all. I’d known he had his own reasons for fighting this war, but I’d had no clue they were personal.

  I found my comrades busy with tasks but called them aside. There might be very little time to prepare, since Alban wouldn’t wait to massacre us. It had been his stated plan all along to wipe out the Guardians then proceed to conquer the Dark Fighters.

  The recent embarrassment of his soldiers being chased off by my troops would be enough to ignite a fire under him. The king would be drooling for battle, aching for the final confrontation, and intent on coming out as the victor. Despite any annoyances he’d suffered, his army was strong and prepared for battle.

  I assumed that Alban would attack by force alone. He wouldn’t take time for clever tactics, or delay to assess the situation. That gave me a chance. I conveyed my idea to my comrades, so they could coordinate with my army, and set up the defense along our perimeter.

  The major advantage of the royals was their size. Experience had informed me that it took two or three of my men to take one of them down. A way to tip things in our favor was needed. With precision and purpose, my soldiers would be able to run tripwires at key areas of the coastal region.

  It was possible to predict which way the Royals would approach. The monsters were so tall that their line of vision didn’t include the ground under their feet. The heavy wires would be positioned along the borders where the soldiers would enter my region.

  The wires would provide a defense, and—if they worked as planned—would trip enough of the royal vampires to allow for a fairer fight. It was a tacti
c that they wouldn’t expect. All could put into place, before the enemy approached.

  Chapter 14 – Mirela

  Calina needed to feed, so I went with her, feeling rather famished too. She was strong again, and looked more like herself. I agreed with Draven that she’d taken too great a chance trying to force the connection with Alban.

  She’d been able to achieve it, but would she be able to again? I didn’t want to say so, but I guessed that the king would find a way to block her. He’d been caught off guard once, but I doubted that he would be again.

  Calina was strong like Draven. They’d been raised together and held some of the same views. I admired her courage and conviction, wondering if I’d be as strong in similar circumstances. She’d had more years to practice.

  In the basement, I took my fill of human blood. As a younger vampire, I couldn’t go as long without feeding. Hunger gnawed at me much sooner, and it seemed I required more frequent feedings to practice my magic.

  Since Selene had coached me in the use of my skills, I’d been diligent about practicing. I was rather proud of what I’d accomplished. Although not many knew of my growing power, since I didn’t brag. The real purpose of honing my talent was to use my ability to further our cause, not inflate my ego.

  I hoped that my hard work would pay off when the time came to utilize the skills. I was certain that would happen. I’d had enough close calls already. Life during wartime was volatile, so I had to be prepared for any eventuality.

  Calina met me at the top of the stairs, looking refreshed and vibrant. “You appear recovered from the encounter with your father,” I said.

  “Yes, the king postures and threatens,” Calina said. “And I must say it was strenuous. But I am a vampire, after all. I don’t stay down for long.”

  “Where is Nicolai? Won’t he be concerned?”

  “He is on duty, and I don’t expect him to have much time off soon,” Calina said. “Besides, I’d rather that he didn’t know of my trauma. He worries about me.”

  “I won’t tell him, but you can be sure that Draven will.”

  “I’m certain my brother will tell him, because he’ll want Nicolai to encourage me to be safer.”

  “But Draven will be busy with war matters,” I said. “So it may be a while before he gets around to mentioning it.”

  “By then, it will be old news.”

  “Draven and I had that wonderful evening together,” I said. “But like you and Nicolai, I don’t expect to have time alone for a while. Military matters take priority.”

  I held Draven’s love close, even though I had to endure being apart. That sacrifice couldn’t be avoided. It was my dream that one day I would be by his side, and that separation would be a thing of the past. I didn’t know when that would be, or even if it would come to pass. The path before me was unknown and filled with danger. I tried to maintain confidence that together we could overcome whatever was thrown in our path.

  Selene appeared in the hallway and walked toward us. “There you are,” she said. “I looked everywhere for you. The feeding area was my last thought.”

  “Yes, I worked up quite an appetite,” Calina said. “Would you care to join us in the main room?” She waved toward the room down the hallway.

  “I bumped into Draven on the way in,” Selene said, then continued walking toward the large room. After entering, she settled into an armchair by the fireplace.

  I took the couch beside Calina, then said, “Was Draven on the way to the command center when you saw him?”

  “He was, but I detained him,” Selene said. “He should be there now. I had something important to tell him, which I will also tell you.”

  Calina wrinkled her brow. “What has happened?”

  “I think the king has been taken down a notch,” Selene said, “even more than from anything previous.”

  I was enthralled by the tale that Selene proceeded to tell. I knew very little about the leader of the Dark Fighters, except that he’d confined me to his castle, which had forced me to escape into the rainforest. It seemed there was more to him than that.

  Calina stood and paced the carpet. “It’s difficult to believe. I had no idea about Silvain’s history. He’s been a mystery.”

  “It’s amazing,” I said, then looked at Selene. “Speaking of taking risks, you do seem to get into some scary situations.”

  “I’ve survived so far, but you have a point,” Selene said. “It would be prudent to stay out of the conflict if I can. It’s up to the leaders. Draven and Silvain want the same thing I do: the demise of the king. It’s in their hands now.”

  “I could use some air,” I said. “I’ll be in the rose gardens for a bit.”

  “Certainly,” Calina said. “You don’t need to babysit me anymore. I’m quite well and have Selene to entertain me. She doesn’t seem to run out of stories.”

  I left, craving a few minutes alone. The roses were in bloom, so I took the luxury of smelling their sweet aroma. Maggie was gardening, but she looked up to smile at me. “You do a good job,” I said. “The flowers are lovely.”

  “The garden is a favorite of Calina’s,” she said. “It’s my pleasure.”

  I sat on the garden seat, breathing in the outdoor air. I needed a chance to process all that had happened recently. If only Draven was with me, but he had other priorities. He’d be busy with military business for a while. I wouldn’t do anything to distract him from such important work.

  For several days after Selene’s visit, Draven had been focused on other matters besides romance. I’d been comforted to know that he’d developed a strategy to protect the castle from a Royal Army attack. He’d expected Alban to lay siege to our city with renewed force.

  Insults to the king were bound to have repercussions, and there had been numerous events that had enraged him recently. Revenge was predictable, but Draven and his forces had been ready. When the Guardians had gone to the battlefield, anxiety had risen within me.

  Draven and his comrades had been leading the troops. He had taken a massive number of soldiers with him, but I wasn’t fully reassured. Until my love returned to me, I wouldn’t rest. Calina stayed behind, and Nicolai had found a few hours to visit her. A while after the troops left, I went up to the tower, in case I could see anything.

  The battle wouldn’t take place near the city. Draven had taken his troops to the border, with the intention of ensuring that the royals didn’t get closer. I didn’t expect to see any action, since it was so far away. But I looked anyway, thinking of my love fighting.

  I worried for Draven, no matter how well prepared he was. Until this awful war was over, I’d continue to have reason for concern. From the tower, I looked out toward the ocean with the moon gleaming above. I tried to imagine a kingdom without upheaval and travail.

  Then I noticed a small animal not far from the castle walls. I looked closer and saw that it was a rabbit. His fur was light brown and his ears stood straight up. But he was wiggling. It seemed that he’d gotten one of his back paws stuck. From so far away, I couldn’t discern the details of his crisis.

  There was a passage out of the tower to the outside. It was narrow but usable. Originally, it had been designed as a means of escape. If I scooted out the tunnel, it would only take a couple of minutes to retrieve the injured rabbit. It was close by, so didn’t feel unsafe.

  I thought to nurse the creature back to health. I went to the stairs and navigated the passage. Once out in the open, I levitated and flew to the rabbit. I’d be back before anyone knew I was gone. When I reached down to free the rabbit’s leg, the small creature transformed before my eyes.

  Instantly, a frightening vampire stood where the rabbit had been. Too late, I realized my mistake. I stared into beady red eyes and balked at the sight of the vampire’s stark white hair and yellowed fangs. In that split second, my freedom was snatched from me.

  The vampire morphed into a shiny black raven with a wingspan of twelve feet or more. The bird grasped me in i
ts ironlike claws and took off. Wind whipped past, and I shivered from the cold. I feared that whatever comforts I’d enjoyed were lost to me for good.

  I was aware of Strigoi abilities, so knew that changing into animal forms was one of them. I’d failed to predict how far the king would go in order to wrest me from the protection of the castle. I’d surely looked into the eyes of Alban, so was on my way to his mountaintop palace.

  I hadn’t visited the royal palace, and had no desire to—especially as the king’s prisoner. The huge raven flapped his wings against the brisk air, and my body was rigid with cold. The trip was long enough that I wondered if I might die from hypothermia before arrival.

  After a while, I saw the mountains ahead. The peaks rose high against the dark sky, covered with age-old ice. I’d be no warmer atop the craggy mountain than I was flying through the freezing air. The bird made it to the destination and swooped beyond the fortified walls.

  Close to the ground, the raven released me from its claws, and I hit the stone with a thud. The impact dazed me, and my limbs were stiff with cold. Before I could regain my balance, a bony hand reached out and yanked my necklace from around my neck.

  I looked up at Alban, then at the pendant he held in his hand. In a grating voice, he said, “I’ll take this.” He dangled it from the delicate chain. “The winged horse, a divine symbol…one that I cannot allow you to possess.”

  My heart sank; my stallion protector had been stolen from around my neck. Selene’s caution ran though my mind: never take it off for any reason. She hadn’t mentioned what to do if someone else ripped it away.

  Without realizing the real value of the necklace, Alban tossed it aside, and it skidded across the stone. It had been foolhardy to leave the safety of my city, to be oblivious of dangers that lurked. But it was too late for regret.

  I was in a bad situation, with no help available. And worse, no one knew that I was missing. Since I’d elected not to go out the front gate and past the guards, it would be a while before my absence was noticed. Even then, Alban’s mountain fortress wouldn’t be the first guess as to where I was.