Threads of Blood and Silk: The stone Wielder's Legacy Trilogy Book 2

by Karelynn Spacek

  The outline of a medium-sized boat pushed through the salty sprays, steering on a direct path to where we sat moored. Chances were it wasn’t a wayward sailor caught in the gale winds produced by my spell. My gut adamantly sang in agreement. Our fears about the mysterious woman came flooding out˗˗˗no pun intended, yet accurate of current conditions.

  “Do you think that our pursuer is crazy enough to follow us into a mini hurricane,” I asked.

  “Need I remind you that she was loony enough to shoot at us in a public place, so a minor magically-fueled windstorm would be a piece of cake,” Jared said.

  “Crazy or not, we should be prepared for a fight. She didn’t come all this way to sit down for afternoon tea.” I half tripped across the deck, making it down the stairs to the cabin to grab my gun. My 1911 was tucked in my backpack wrapped in an extra set of clothes that I brought.

  When I returned to his side, Jared stood with his eyes locked onto the approaching vessel, disdain burning hotly. There was a chance that fleeing might not have resulted with us in the middle of a shipwreck, yet standing our ground was much more satisfying. Let her come and get us if she dared.

  Together we presented a united front as the churning currents brought our foe within visible range. She wasn’t going to get the dagger, we would see to it. Given that Azulyria was no longer under her spell, she must see the dagger as a threat. With it in her clutches, further attempts of unveiling the truth would fail. Should her game plan include re-enacting her magical control, I wouldn’t be able to negate the supernatural forces again.

  A sleek luxury class vessel was pulling up on the left side of our boat˗˗˗port was the proper nautical term, but I never cared too much for over complication. Its white exterior shone vividly as it cut through the treacherous sprays of the ocean like a hot knife slicing butter. Our auburn-haired stranger waited on the front deck with an arrogant tilt to her lips. She must think that we were going to roll over and cooperate with any demand she had. Uh no, think again lady.

  Closer and closer the yacht sailed, bridging the gap between our respective modes of transportation. In her tailored suit, knee high boots, and billowing trench coat, the title “Corrupt Villainous Executive” came to mind. A slender hand reached inside of the coat, withdrawing a revolver that rose to catch me in its crosshairs. Point the gun all you want honey, I wasn’t afraid.

  “Desist from the game playing. You will relinquish control of the dagger over to me. Lapisera’s legacy doesn’t belong in the hands of a human,” the woman stated with serpentine grace.

  “Ivyssa would disagree with that sentiment.” Crap. She didn’t need to know about the former Azurina’s connection to me, or the power that I held the reins to.

  “Silence! You will not speak her name. The wretch doesn’t deserve your loyalty. She was nothing but a murdering brat unworthy of the throne.” Her haughty smirk collapsed, unleashing a snarl that marred what features I could see. Sunglasses obscured her eyes, but the seething anger was undeniable.

  “Now be a good girl, drop the gun, and hand over the dagger before you get hurt.”

  “I think not. Azulyria is on its way to being fully restored, so I can’t allow you to tamper with my spell.” And there went my mouth, acting before considering the ramifications. From there she was clever enough to put two and two together.

  “Ah, I see. No wonder you think so highly of her Radiance, and came to throw magic around like it was some kind of toy. Her powers reside inside of you, don’t they?” Double crap.

  “No need to respond, I have you all figured out. I put Azulyria in the ocean without the dagger. I can do it again, preferably without any means for you to get in my way this time. Give me the dagger.”

  “Go to hell.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way.” She abruptly swung the gun to point at Jared. No hesitation lit her features like before.

  “Since you choose to disobey, it’s going to cost you. I want the dagger . . . and your companion. He needs to be taught a lesson in outsider dynamics. He needs to see you for the filth that your species is.” Calling me filth, it’s not like she was any better. Hello kettle.

  Jeez, what is this chick’s problem? The threat of exposure was warping her definition of what a mutually beneficial comprise entailed, not that I planned on trading the dagger away or anything. All she was bringing to the table were commands with sparse wiggle room, if any. I simply found it astonishing the lengths a criminal will go to keep their evil deeds hidden away.

  Look at Serena and Erika˗˗˗they paid the price because of this woman’s insanity. Play it cool Alex, you can get yourself out of this one. Stroke her ego with some hero-worshipping manipulation˗˗˗ that might work, as long as she believes me to be genuine.

  “I have heard of many godly attributes associated with the Stone Walkers: their intelligence, pride in their heritage, and most of all˗˗˗their prowess for doing whatever it takes to eliminate a threat. I bet that you felt like you had no choice but to sink Azulyria. It must have been a grave sacrifice to restore the peace.”

  She was preening from the admiration and recognition of her “divine” qualities. Narcissists were too easy to please, it almost wasn’t worth trying. They were always eager for attention in the spotlight, but I didn’t have time to keep up the fantasy, Jared’s life was on the line.

  “So nice of you to acknowledge who is the superior species, though I have a feeling that you’re kowtowing is merely for show. Your precious companion is in peril and you want to save him, do you not?” Damn, she didn’t take the bait. I couldn’t express my disappointment, so I would go double or nothing. Don’t break character, or Jared could die.

  “You’re right, I do want him safe. My acceptance of your greatness is the truth. I was kidding myself to think that we could put one over on you.” I bowed my head to add to the deception.

  “Lovely performance human, but I think not. Your lies only support my conclusion that you are a destructive stain that ought to be exterminated. I’ll ask one more time. Give me the dagger and your companion.” She pulled back the hammer of the gun, the click fueling a deadly edge to the command.

  “Come with me and no harm will come to the woman,” she added with a sour cringe. The pressure was on Jared to decide my fate.

  I could see that he was torn. Either call her bluff or put his faith in this mad woman to keep her word. “Jared, don’t do it. She’ll shoot me anyways.”

  A thunderous cracking boom blared, silencing my squabbling. Trails of smoke breathed from the woman’s revolver.

  Crazy bitch had fired off a shot, probably in warning, and with no regard to anyone but herself.

  “Shut your trap! I am talking to him,” the woman shouted. Seriously, scare tactics, how amateur. With my past, I don’t think that anything truly rocks me to my core anymore. Do I still get nervous? Sure, that’s human nature. I’m just saying that my skin has toughened against your average dangerous situation.

  “Do you swear that she won’t be harmed if I come with you,” he asked. His decision had already been made. I wasn’t going to be able to reason with him.

  “I swear it. You come willingly with the dagger and she doesn’t get harmed,” she said.

  “Give me the dagger Alex.”

  “Jared, are you crazy? Come on, don’t believe her.” Being chivalrous was one thing, this on the other hand, had traveled miles past foolish.

  “Alex.” His voice was deadly. “Give me the dagger. You’re more important to me than a hunk of metal and timber,” a gentler caress took over. I reached behind me. He would sacrifice his only chance at seeing Azulyria restored to save me.

  The woman’s gun shifted back on me. “Slowly human or you will cease to be.”

  I removed the dagger from the waist of my jeans where I had re-secured it after making the blood sacrifice. Jared took it from my splayed hand, fingers brushing my skin with fleeting regret.

  He took measured steps across the deck, coming to the edge wher
e a gap just short of four feet separated our boat from the gleaming white monstrosity anchored on place. I followed.

  “Wise decision, we wouldn’t want your human pet grazed by a stray bullet.” Her smirk broadened, carrying a lack of remorse. She would take immense pleasure from filling me with holes.

  “You haven’t won yet. This isn’t over. I’ll get Jared and the dagger back,” I spat.

  “Isn’t that adorable? From where I’m standing, the battle already has its victor, and it’s me. I have the prize, and you no longer have this young man under your spell. Honey, you’re through.” She cackled with a hideous grin. My blood boiled to hazardous levels.

  “I’ll show you adorable. Why don’t you come over here and say that to my face?”

  “No thanks. Because of your meddling, I have a spell that needs to be re-fabricated. Enormous amounts of effort went into making sure a criminal didn’t escape justice, so relying on my craft will see to her staying imprisoned.

  Boasting like a true supervillian, I was kind of expecting more, like a euphoric Bwahaha or something just as calculating in nature. I could now conclude with absolute certainty that this auburn-haired monster was the cause of Azulyria sinking in the first place, and by her own admission. Hmmm, let’s test her resolve. Accuse her of incompetence, and see what happens.

  “Was there really a criminal afoot, or are you so demented that you confused a simple mistake with some premeditated atrocity?”

  “Silence you miscreant! Murder is a punishable crime and I did what had to be done to preserve the peace of our nation.” Good lord, this woman was some kind of lunatic vigilante. I very much doubt that sinking an entire nation to stop a suspected killer was proper protocol. It had the earmarks of a grave miscalculation.

  “Alex! Stop antagonizing her, you’re only making things worse.” Jared said, raising his voice to a boisterous shout.

  “But˗˗˗”

  “No.” He pressed a finger across my lips. “We’ll find our way back to each other. I promise. This is just another obstacle we have to fight through.”

  His lips crashed down savoring, nipping, sucking, memorizing each contour. When he pulled back, I only had a moment’s notice before he detangled his hands from my hair and leapt across the narrow strip of ocean, deftly landing on the deck of the auburn-haired woman’s luxury yacht. Jared and Lapisera’s dagger were now hers to do with as she pleased.

  There was a finality in that kiss, and I didn’t like it one bit. Damn it, he better not get himself killed for my sake. Survive the next few critical minutes, that’s what I had to do. Then it would be charging full speed to Azulyria to put that maniac in her place.

  She launched a stern warning inner spliced with a threat, so typical. “If you move before we’re out of sight, I won’t hesitate to shoot you. Got it dearie?”

  “Yes I got it you crazy psycho.” I murmured the last part. My teeth clenched in frustration.

  The woman took the dagger from Jared with one eye and inches of steel keeping me in place. Even I wasn’t arrogant enough to think that I could out maneuver a bullet. Jumping the gap between our vessels had crossed my mind, but at this range it would have been suicide to jump the gun.

  A chuckle dripping with satisfaction chirped, resonating sheer delight. Score two for red. With the dagger in her possession, she had the advantage. If the spell that sunk Azulyria in the first place was re-cast and the only artifact capable of disrupting that is destroyed, then bye-bye island forever.

  “Laugh it up, you got what you wanted.” I let out a vicious snarl.

  “Not quite everything,” she pondered, placing her finger firmly on the trigger of the gun.

  “I never said anything about not shooting you after securing Lapisera’s bothersome legacy.” She pulled the trigger.

  A blast of gunpowder and the blink of a muzzle flash burst together simultaneously. Searing heat blossomed from a gaping wound that puckered below my left shoulder. Holy hell on wheels it hurt. White hot stabs of pain ripped through my body, flaring to beyond unbearable. At least Jared wasn’t dead like in my vision.

  I was stunned, not just from the pain, but from the impregnable gall of this woman. Had to admire the ruthlessness she exhibited. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was spurred on by malice, I might have been able to respect her tenacity as an aggressive cut-throat businesswoman. The evil villainess act ruined it for me.

  When it came to getting shot, this wasn’t my first rodeo. It was an unfortunate hazard associated with the field I worked in. Taking on the title of FBI agent meant run-ins with violent criminals, and injuries tended to run in abundance during those aforementioned confrontations. We tried to keep the damage minimal.

  Prior to now, the only other instance had been a through and through. A suspect we were chasing sprung a surprise partner on us. He got the drop on me, and the jackass nailed me in the leg, probably to aid in a speedy escape.

  The railing saved me from immediate collapse as the first stirrings of dizziness intensified. Streaks of crimson stained my shirt where ribbons of coppery blood flowed down my chest. Any closer to my sternum and I would have been a goner. As it was, I was pulling off a decent imitation of a leaking pipe. An artery or vein had to have been nicked.

  Jared’s panicked expression was the last glimpse of familiarity I had to hold onto. Panting in harsh labored repetitions while blinded by my own blurry tear-filled eyes was the makings of a nightmare come true.

  Darkness strained at the edges of my peripheral, spreading, consuming like a black hole, stealing me away. I could feel my body falling forward, weightless, like drifting in space but way less cooler.

  Warm ocean currents parted, and welcomed me into their salty embrace. All remaining thoughts perished, except for a cheshire grin the auburn-haired woman wore in her crowning moment of glorious victory.

  33

  Ah, what an incredible sight to savor. The pain in her eyes was exquisite, a devastating swirl of agony and suffering. You’ve done quite well for yourself Nessa. Another irritating nemesis erased out of existence by my hand.

  Too bad I couldn’t linger to watch the light of hope completely vanish from her face, but Azulyria was calling my name. There was unfinished business needing my expertise. And of course I couldn’t forget that a very special touch was needed, one that only I could provide.

  I informed my captain of our new course, which didn’t go over very well with my newest recruit, whom showed his displeasure vocally. The rage was to be expected˗˗˗wasteful, yet predicable. Seething with pent up resentment, fueled by that human woman no doubt, had managed to fray the poor boy’s nerves. A lesser creature might have been intimidated, but why show fear for an illuminating display of pure masculinity.

  Our blood sang with the fire of a Goddess, yet a raging battle had never encroached on the tranquil lifestyle we had successfully maintained for centuries.

  “You treacherous snake, why did you have to shoot her?” My passenger demanded with arrows of revulsion stinging on impact. If he wasn’t so dear to me, such undermining would be dealt with swiftly. Soon enough he would understand his place.

  “I simply eliminated any possibility of her following us. Surely you didn’t expect me to continue to allow Ivyssa’s protégé to get in my way. I must get to Azulyria and stop my spell from unraveling any further.”

  “Taking the coward’s route instead of facing the consequences for your actions, should have taken your concerns to your Shard before unleashing a cataclysm of mass destruction.”

  His insolence was out of line and it made me itch with the need to strike out and smother that barbaric slander. No Shard would have listened, not for an accusation against an ascending queen. She was untouchable from the confines of traditional doctrine. Usually, unless she committed an act so deplorable, then immunity was off the table being rendered null and void.

  “How incredibly naïve you are my boy. You were a mere child at the time. You wouldn’t understand the complexities
involved. That girl was protected, so she had to be dealt with by unconventional means.”

  “This supposed infraction could still have been brought to light without going to the extremes that you did.

  He seemed hell bent on having complete faith in the notion of destiny prevailing, that the natural order would keep the universe in balance. Hate to break it to him, that system that he treasured was flawed, riddled with cracks, that not even a complete idiot could ignore. This wasn’t plain ignorance˗˗˗I could see that, but a choice to discount the ugliness around him.

  “Jared,” I said gently. I removed my sunglasses and our eyes locked together, an intimate assessment leveled between molten amber and icy blue.

  “I don’t wish to harm you, so you will cease this foolishness and support your mother, not continue to act like a petulant child.”

  “Mother!” He was flabbergasted. Poor thing, I must have stunned him. It was like popping a balloon full of air. His gaze widened, taking notice of the shape of my face, the sharpness of my voice.

  Blinking away the confusion, an unmistakable tide of clarity shifted his astonished suspicion, shaping it, just not as how I had hoped it would. Horror was not the reaction I deemed to be acceptable from my son, yet his scrutinizing judgment stabbed at me like a rusty knife.

  We haven’t spoken in over a decade, and to say that our parting was turbulent would be putting it mildly. I was still the woman that raised him. He could see that . . . right?

  “Is this what you have become mother?” The raw vulnerability was like a punch straight to the heart. For a fleeting moment I saw the innocent child that I brought into this world. His absence in my life had left a deeper void than I thought it had.

  “Dearest Hawthorn, how can you say that? I did what no one else could.”

  Fury blazed across his face, taking precedence over the revelation of my identity, and what he misconstrued as crimes. The imperfect justice system would have failed me.