‘Who knows about this Shadow Army?’ I demanded of them.
Cedric was the first to speak.
‘It is said that one of the ancient Taleians saw the Army marching abroad the hills two nights before the curse was released by the Druids upon our people. They say The Shadow Army is the Devil’s Army. Whenever there is evil in men’s hearts and evil is to be done, the devil gives a helping hand. He sends The Shadow Army to pave the way and whisper into the ears of the black hearted to better guide them in their wickedness. They have been seen fighting against both sides on the battlefields and seen standing behind those humans they direct to do the Devil’s bidding.’
‘I always thought they were a myth until Dylan saw them cutting down British soldiers in the Crimean War. I will never forget the vile blood thirsty looks on their grotesque faces,’ one of my best knights and closest confidants Byron Lysander told us all.
His brother Dylan nodded in agreement.
‘It was a bloody sight and I fear for every moment our Queen is in Galen’s hands. Can we not make this boat go any faster,’ Byron’s tone rose with bitter impatience.
I could feel only sympathy with the sentiment of his anger as could the rest of my men by the frowns on their faces.
‘No one fights the army forged in the fires of hell itself and wins. No one ever has done,’ Cedric said, a dark fear permeating his tone.
‘He’s right. How are we going to defeat the Shadow Army and the Devil? I am not sure this is a battle we can win, Nathan,’ Thomas ventured with the shake of his head.
I stared at him, frowning at the conviction that we would lose the battle to save our Queen.
‘Then we shall be the first. There is no room for failure where our Queen is concerned we will succeed,’ I fiercely instructed. ‘There will be no more talk of defeat.’
But I could not ignore the twist of anxiety in my own stomach.
‘I do not know the story of The Shadow Army or how Galen stole the title of Devil from Satan. If I am to construct a successful battle strategy for us to follow, then I need to know exactly what we are fighting. How is it that his body bore no skin and then reformed itself?’ I demanded.
I turned to Cadell with expectant eyes. He was staring out into the darkness watching the gentle swell of waves undulate towards the side of the boat and lift and dip the craft into the water. He turned towards me as though sensing my scrutiny. He moved from his silent solitary position and walked towards us undeterred by the curious awestruck stares that my knights had continued to give him since boarding the boat with us in Southampton.
I had not fully explained his presence or who he was only that he could provide vital information. But my men were intelligent in their mental gifts and knowledge of the Angelic realms. They knew Cadell was an Angel the moment they set eyes on him. It seemed that I was the only one in the dark about such matters. He addressed me.
‘They are indeed Satan’s own personal army,’ he began with a heavy tone. ‘They are the souls of King Galen of Theta’s army. Many centuries ago in ancient Greece Theta was invaded by Cleytus of Oegium who wanted to increase his lands to the west. He took advantage of Theta when Galen and his army were away fighting an advancing party from Adonia.’
Classical history had always bored me at school and university but now I listened with keen interest to Cadell’s ancient story.
‘Cleytus burnt the villages. He ransacked the towns and rampaged through them, raping the women.’ Cadell’s vivid topaz eyes shone brightly with pain. His soft gentle voice was weighed down with disbelief and a repressed anger he fought hard to control.
‘He enslaved the men into his army, killed the weak and burnt the women and children for sport and as a warning to his enemies. He and his army were feared all through Greece and the islands. Galen successfully defeated Adonia’s army and returned to Theta where he learnt of Cleytus and his reign of terror. Cleytus had brutally raped Galen’s treasured wife. He burnt her and their two sons alive.’
Cadell bent his head and then shook it.
‘Too much evil for any man to bear on his soul,’ he told me, gravely.
‘Indeed,’ I nodded finding the story vile in its content.
‘Galen’s rage was inconsolable. His whole being became cold. He allowed vengeance and hatred to consume him until his soul turned black. He defeated the Oegium army and cut Cleytus’s head from his body. He vowed dark revenge upon the people of Oegium and all her allies.’
I glanced at my knights. I could sense that they all knew the story well but still they listened avidly to the Angel.
‘Cleytus’s head still lived, grounding his soul to the earth plane. Trapped there by his guilt. Galen is said to carry the head with him in a bag. The victor forced him to witness the rape and murder of his own wife then the burning of his children and people. But the dark pain in Galen’s soul could not be satiated. He took his army and rampaged across the lands and islands of ancient Greece maiming, raping and killing everything in his sight and all those who opposed him. All of the time he forced Cleytus’s severed head to bear witness. Many say Cleytus’s screams of horror and cries of mourning for his family can still be heard around Greece when the storms lash the seas and the winds ravage the land.’
‘So how did he and his army come to belong to the Devil,’ I enquired with raised eyebrows. ‘I can see why he would have wanted them on his side.’
‘Galen came to invade the island of Pelas and drink the wine of the defeated Pelains. Aphrodite protected the island and was unhappy at the way her people were being treated. She appeared to a serving girl and gave her a potion to pour into the wine to make Galen and his conquering army sleep like the dead. They slept where they lay for three days.’
Cadell ‘s gaze drifted momentarily drifted out to the darkness again. I sensed that he was waiting for something to appear out of the night. He had been watching the sea with earnest interest since we had left port. Suddenly concerned I was about to ask him what it was he searched for when he continued the story.
‘Aphrodite instructed that a large wooden man, not unlike the wicker men used in the sacrifices by your enemies the Druids to be constructed. She ordered the people to place Galen and his army in the wicker man while they slept and then set light to it. Galen and his army burned alive but just before death, Zeus sent their burning flaming bodies to Tartarus. They were damned to spend an eternity in hell with fire raging across their bodies, burning their flesh away over and over again.’
‘’Seems as though they came to a fitting end,’ I remarked. ‘But how did they become the Shadow army?’
‘Galen and his men rise from Taratarus when called upon by men doing evil who need an army. The legend is in all cultures and religions in it’s different forms. To you Tartarus is hell. Before death occurred Satan took the army from their flaming prison to hell. He was pleased with their fighting bravery, their evil deeds and ability to spread fear in their wake. He made Galen and his men his army. He used them to spread the dark shadow of his evil across the world. He forged them into his own army endowing them with many dark powers in the fires of hell. But to keep them under his control he devised a punishment. They were allowed to keep their flesh but every fifth day of each week that passes their flesh is stripped away from their bodies by a raging fire leaving them in agony. Gentlemen, that fifth day ended when Galen boarded The Adeline.’
Cadell appeared genuinely anguished by the whole story. I put my hands in my long woollen coat’s pockets and watched him, patiently waiting for him to finish. Eventually he gave a sigh and continued.
‘Galen and his men cast a spell of darkness in the thoughts and hearts of men luring them to evil deeds. It is said when Satan has a great plan for evil in the world his shadow army appear in their physical form capturing the hearts and minds of those who Satan wishes to do his bidding. They come to prepare the way for Satan. During this time that they walk the earth they may be called upon by humans to do their treacherous bidding,
for all evil deeds only serve to heighten and enable Satan’s plan for the world,’ he informed us with heavy resignation. ‘If only humans would learn . . .’ he stopped frowning.
‘So Galen defeated Satan and took his throne and title?’ I asked.
‘Yes, a century ago.’
‘So where is Satan?’ I asked nervously.
‘No one knows. But I know he lies in wait to seize his opportunity to take back his throne. It is only a matter of time before he and Galen will fight again.’
‘And Cleytus’s head?’
‘Galen still carries it when he returns to earth to perpetuate evil.’
‘Could he not break Satan’s curse?’
‘No. Although I know he has tried. I think he believes your Queen may be able to cure his army and himself with her power. She will soothe his pain and yearning for his wife and child. But first he must break her spirit and bend her will to his own before she may become his captive. Her turning must be her own choice. Galen also knows that he cannot take her as a mate until he has defeated you, Nathan otherwise your bond with Juliet will forever keep her apart from him. He must kill you. There is nothing he wants more than to possess your Queen as wife and mother to the son he craves.’
I closed my eyes with frustration and felt my lips lift and I hissed with venomous anger. My hands made fists at my sides. I could barely contain my need to kill Galen. I was ready to explode.
I turned and strode quickly back up to the helm of the boat only then realising that several of my knights stood around me sharing my anger at Juliet’s vision. My irritated impatience fuelled my brisk walk despite the heavy rolling motion of the sea underneath the boat. I couldn’t bear to think of Juliet so barbarically injured and helpless in his arms. When I caught up with him I would rip his burning head from his shoulders and send him back to hell for an eternity to burn.
‘Can you not make this . . . this piece of junk go any faster?’ I growled loudly at the captain as the rest of my knights came to stand by me concerned and fearful for our Queen.
He took another puff on his pipe and gave me a look of disdain.
‘She don’t go any faster than this, Mr Valancourt.’
‘It’s, Lord Valancourt,’ I told him taking my futile anger out upon the man’s irritating listless uncaring manner. ‘ There must be something you can do to . . .’
‘I don’t care much for titles,’ Captain Bell said continuing to man the wheel. ‘And there is nothing I can do about her speed in this wind. The Betsey is a fine running boat and she ain’t ever given me cause for complaint. What you in a hurry for anyway?’
‘There are lives at stake. I need to find The Adeline before it is too late.’
‘Then I reckon you need a faster boat,’ he remarked without a care inserting his damn pipe back in his mouth.
My agitated patience and fear for Juliet would stand no more of his impudence. With narrowed eyes I caught the front of his coat in my fist and made to bring him to task when Dylan caught my arm.
‘Come, Nathan. Must you always be starting a fight,’ he tried to laugh at the Captain then turning to implore me with his eyes to leave the man alone.
I let the captain go and glared at Dylan.
‘You must forgive Lord Valancourt, Captain Bell. He is worried about his sweetheart. He means no harm, I assure you.’
‘Damn foolhardy errand any way. I don’t know how you think you are going to get aboard that ship unless you got special powers or something.’
Dylan gave the man a startled look.
‘Guess it’s special powers than. You Taleians with your cloak and dagger stuff and nonsense. A lot us know you exist. I knew you were ‘em when this tall gent came on board at the dock. All the girls eyes were turned on yer like they were hypnotised when you walked to the boat. Too good looking to be human. I reckon with your temper you’ll be the Knight of Swords then.’
I stared at him in disbelief and wondered if he could be trusted.
I remained silent unsure of how to reply.
He took his pipe out of his mouth and gestured to me with it.
‘I take it I am right, then. Not to worry. Your secret is safe with me. I’ve given passage to a few of your kind in the last month. If you exist there has to be a Queen.’
‘Yes and she’s on that ship. She’s in danger and . . .’ I suddenly blurted out.
I wanted to ask him more about the Taleians he had recently given passage but Juliet’s safety was of paramount concern.
‘Don’t get yourself in a state. We’ll get there but a mightier lot quicker if you lot put your minds together and make it mover faster.’
I raised an eyebrow at him as I remembered our feat with the avalanche in the village of Bullbeggar.
‘That’s a very good suggestion, Captain Bell,’ I haughtily told him.
My knights were more than anxious to reach their Queen and all of them were eager to assist in hurrying the vessel along. We formed a circle as we had done that night in Bulbeggars to cause the avalanche and outwit Sebastian.
‘Captain, be sure your fireman is ready to keep the furnaces burning with coal,’ I ordered as I closed my eyes and began centring my concentration on the ship’s engines. My men opened their minds and followed suit. We bound the circle together with our minds. Our thoughts became one and the same as we searched within the boat and sought out the ship’s engine. It became a clear vivid mental picture shared by all of our mindscapes as we made to manipulate its workings and components. It was not unlike controlling the blood flow around a pulsing heart. We made it beat faster.
Within vital moments we had the engine pumping cleanly and at optimum strength. I felt the sudden accelerated movement of the boat give the illusion of skimming across the surface of the water and felt the blood in my veins surge with elation that I would soon be on The Adeline to rescue my beloved Queen.
Chapter Five
Not versed in the mental skill of ship’s navigation, I did my best to advise Captain Bell of Juliet and the ship’s whereabouts as we charged ahead. But we were not to reach the stretch of water in which the ship was drifting until first light. There was a strange stillness to the sea, a flat calm appearance that was unusual for The Bay of Biscay. A heavy bank of grey/white fog curled and twisted over the water’s surface as we approached but there was no sign of The Adeline.
Cadell turned to speak to me. ‘Galen hides the ship from intruders and rescuers with the fog.’ His eyes glanced at Captain Bell and his dishevelled crew. ‘Any human that passes through it will choke and die,’ he whispered.
I nodded in comprehension. ‘Then we must swim to it,’ I told him with firm determination. Galen would not keep me from my Queen. I moved away from him to prepare my men but he caught my arm bringing me to an abrupt halt.
Cadell smiled. ‘That will not be necessary, Nathan.’ He gestured to the sky behind us. My eyes widened in shocked surprise. Out of the heavens a host of winged humans flew towards our small craft at speed. I could scarcely believe my eyes. My knights were equally perturbed but not as surprised as their dumb struck leader. Captain Bell’s pipe fell unchecked from his mouth and his crew fell on their knees cowering.
An army of these winged beings swept down towards us on the small boat. Their appearance was of a human male. Some bore white skin, others black and Asian. I had only ever seen such heightened handsome looks on people of my own race but the Angels were to equal us. Their whole bodies seemed to glow with a precious bright white light. Their wings were long in span and thick with tight white plumage. They appeared dressed for battle in slim fitting pale gold armour, tightly fitting their large but lean muscled statures. I could scarcely remove my eyes from their shining angelic forms. But I was not allowed the indulgence of staring at them any longer as one of the Angels swooped and lifted up one of my knights and another and another . . . Before I could utter my surprise, Cadell caught my arm and I found myself lifted high into the wet air.
I looked down at The Be
tsey as I moved higher and higher away from it. I could not help myself laughing out loud with the exhilaration I experienced at being in flight. It was nothing like anything I had ever felt in my whole life. I had never felt such freedom and lightness in my sorry soul. I looked sideways at Cadell who grinned widely at me understanding my feelings without the need for words. The tremendous noise of large wings beating in motion filled the air all around us. I glanced behind Cadell curiously viewing his magnificent white wings that had suddenly adorned his back wondering where he had hidden them all of this time.
He pointed towards the fog bank as we all approached its vast greyness spreading out across the sea, choking the air above it. I nodded suddenly focusing strongly upon my mission once more as Cadell and the other Angels led us downwards to enter it.
The fog was thick and claustrophobic as we swept into it. The monstrous cloud stung my eyes making them moisten and water. My vision blurred until I considered myself blind. The fog was indeed poisonous and burned inside my lungs. Had I been able to breathe I would have choked and surely would have met my death. I felt as if there was no end to this heavy weight of cloud that pressed in all around me.
There was a sudden echo of male laughter all around us.
‘He knows you come, Nathan,’ Cadell told me with a small knowing smile. ‘Just as I had expected. This will make things a lot easier.’
‘I have been expecting you, Knight of Swords,’
The voice was sarcastic and appeared greatly amused at my presence. I attempted to make contact with the creature’s vile mind but much to my irritation I was to be painfully barred.’
‘Where is my Queen, devil?’ I shouted into the air.
More laughter ensued. My temper rose to boiling point. Cadell shook his head at me.
Queen of Swords (The Vampire Swords Book 3) Page 4