“Now is your opportunity to have me back under your reign. I will surrender myself to you, and in exchange you will release my son and Rayna back to Prytora, unharmed.”
“What?” I choke out. Karadese has gone back to her original plan, one that will only succeed in getting us all killed.
“You can’t go through with this, Karadese, it’s suicide,” I plead.
She doesn’t even look down at me, her eyes remain glued on Veridom, glaring at him with as much hate as she can convey.
“I will do what is necessary, Rayna. You made me a promise, it’s now time to commit to it.”
“No!” my startled scream entwines with Blay’s husky voice, taking me by surprise.
I spin around to see Blay trying to stand, his body weak and badly wounded, yet he refuses to give up. Energy which long ago drained out of him, begins to resurface as he struggles to escape his chains, pulling with all his strength until blood, from his multiple lashes, drips to the dusty ground, but still he continues to fight, screaming as he lunges forward, twisting like a wild bull to stop what’s unfolding in front of him.
He can’t stop what’s happening. He knows it and so do I. There is only one person that can change this fate, and that’s me.
I sidestep Karadese, coming to stand in front of her, using my body to shield her own, while holding my sword out to the side to stop her from trying to edge passed.
“Ignore the queen’s promises,” I make my voice strong and confident, demanding all attention on me.
“Rayna, stop this.” Karadese takes a step forward and I don’t hesitate to show them all how serious I am.
With a quick flick of my wrist, I unsheathe a dagger, pointing the razor-sharp blade at her, my eyes narrow as I whisper so only she can hear me, “There can only be one queen, and that is you.”
I spin back around, my arm extending far faster than anyone of them can react. The dagger glides through the air, staying true to my aim and pierces the eyeball of the guard closest to Blay, the hilt barely visible from being so deeply embedded into his skull. A trail of blood oozes from the wound before he crumbles to dust, leaving the dagger to clatter to the ground.
Instead of surging forward, trying to cut each and every one of them down like I so desperately want to do, I stand there, my shoulders back, my head held high as I snicker.
“Your guards are feeble and weak. I will expect far greater fighters as my entourage once I am your queen.”
Silence fills the cavern, even Blay freezes, his face contorted with incomprehension. Veridom looks from the pile of dust, to me, his eyes narrow as he tries to read my stoic face to see if I am deceiving him.
The five remaining guards sneer at me, spit flinging from their snarling lips, their fists bulging, ready to fight to the death to defend their king if I so much as flinch in his direction, and I know grief is what fuels them. The latest death will be echoing inside of their minds, a new loss, which I have inflicted. They are conflicted, wanting to tear me apart just as much as they want to protect me.
Veridom calms them with a simple twitch of his fingers, the cursed ring drawing my attention.
“Well aren’t you a savage little thing,” his mocking tone does little to worry me. I know he won’t hurt me, not yet at least.
“A queen with ruthless instincts like that is a true prize.”
“Oh, I assure you that I will overwhelm your expectations,” I layer my voice with seductiveness, while suppressing my rising disgust. I won’t have to pretend for long, just long enough to get Karadese and Blay out of here.
Veridom smiles, this new game pleasing him immensely.
“You are suggesting remaining by my side and becoming my queen, willingly?”
“Rayna, don’t do it!” Blay screams out as he resumes thrashing against the chains.
Veridom juts his head to the side and a guard reacts instantly, stomping over to Blay and grabbing him roughly by the hair. With one quick motion, the guard jabs a poisonous talon into Blay’s neck, a scream dying in his throat as his eyes roll back into his head and his body falls limp.
“There will be no deal if you kill him,” I snap, anger boiling up inside of me, the bracelet reacting on cue, making all my oddities stand at the ready.
“Oh, he is merely sleeping,” Veridom laughs. “I can’t have that boy interrupting our negotiations, now can I?”
Karadese’s calm exterior begins to crack, each breath growing shallower as panic begins to build.
“Rayna, you must stop this at once.”
Now it is her turn to plead with me, but it doesn’t matter what she says or how much she begs, I won’t let her sway me. I can do this, I can save them, even if it means turning into a monster myself. I didn’t want to do it before, not with the possibility of Blay seeing what I’ve become or how far it will go. But now he won’t witness the horror of any of it, nor will I get a chance to say goodbye.
It’s for the best and it’s the only choice we have.
“There will be no negotiations, Veridom. If you want me to remain here on Zantron, to be your queen and fulfil whatever sick fantasies you have, then you will release them both, unharmed – beyond what your kind has already inflicted upon the prince – and only then will I submit to the curse.”
Veridom laughs, taking me by surprise.
“Curse? Oh dear girl, you have a lot to learn about power. A curse is only that if you allow it to be. Remain by my side and I will show you the full potential of what magic can truly be.”
“Say whatever you wish, but a deal is a deal. Do I have your word?”
I have no intention of holding up my end of the bargain. Once Blay and Karadese are safe, then I will fall on my own sword; I don’t need Zaneth to do the deed for me. I’m strong enough to end it, just as long as I do so before getting sucked down into their mob mentality. Self-sacrifice will be better than staying here, changed into something I won’t recognise and worse yet, letting Veridom touch me. No way in hell will I let that happen as long as there’s still breath in my lungs.
I can see Veridom thinking over my proposal, trying to find a way to be able to keep me as his prize while still imprisoning the others. His weasel-like mind is reeling on overtime, yet the way he looks at me, his eyes hungry with inhumane desire, makes me think that he won’t risk losing me. I’m far more important than even I realise right now.
I hold my expression rigid as he opens his mouth to agree to my terms, and then suddenly everything changes.
My heart freezes, every tiny hair on the back of my neck stands on end with the sickening sensation of foreboding, and I turn, defeat already playing out in my mind.
The one thing I hadn’t factored into this deal, the one being that slipped from my mind, who could ultimately wreak havoc on it all, stands there smiling in his human form.
Garvien.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Well isn’t this a splendid reunion,” his syrupy voice travels up behind us, making Karadese yelp.
We are done. Whatever tiny increment of leverage we had is completely gone now.
With Garvien here there is no way we can fight our way out of this situation, not that it was likely before. But now Veridom can subdue us easily, even in Garvien’s weaker state, he is cunning beyond anything I’ve ever come across. Nor will he sit back and allow Veridom to barter a deal with me, not while I have what he wants so desperately.
Karadese has gone deathly pale, all the bravado she has maintained over the years, ready to disappear the moment she comes face to face with Garvien for the first time since her capture.
He slithers forward, his human appearance unchanged in all the years that have passed, while the queen has aged elegantly. Karadese draws on all of her inner strength, raising her head to glare at the monster who has caused her so much misery.
“How lovely it is to see you again, my love.” He smiles adoringly at her, and I catch a glimpse of the mask he created in her presence so long ago.
To her credit, Karadese remains impassive, only her trembling bottom lip showing any indication that he is getting to her.
“Garvien, I would say it’s wonderful to see you again, except we both know I’d rather be dancing on your ashes right now.”
His booming laugh surrounds us, his whole body shaking with the exaggerated emotion.
“I see time has not erased your dry wit, and for that I am pleased. You certainly wouldn’t be the girl of my memories without your sharp tongue.”
He takes a step forward making both Karadese and I move back, forcing us further into the cavern, herding us like sheep and effectively trapping us without so much as drawing a weapon.
I keep Blay at my back, hoping the guard with him won’t make a rash attack, while I ensure both Veridom and Garvien are always in my sights, my weapon poised ready for the unexpected.
This situation is getting rapidly out of control and I have to push down the escalating fear, needing to keep my mind calm and every movement smooth. It won’t take much for them to overthrow us and I refuse to go down without a fight. If I’ve got any chance of making it through this, the best bet is ignoring Garvien entirely.
“Veridom, do we have a deal or not?”
Karadese glances at me, nodding her approval, knowing full well that we must do something and fast.
The patronising smile twisting Veridom’s thin lips tells me all I need to know. I don’t hesitate, there’s no point playing mind games with either of them anymore; he will never let any of us go, what hope we had was extinguished the moment Garvien showed his condescending face.
I spin around, running to Blay’s side, and with all of my strength I hurl my sword at my target, the tip of the blade slicing through the guard’s throat, not losing any force as it continues on until it slams against the chain holding Blay to the wall, shattering the steel links and sending his limp body falling to the ground.
Karadese stands at my back, her weapons raised ready to fight any who try to stop what I’m doing, yet none of them make a move.
Veridom stands there, his lips raised in a snarl more natural of his Zantronian form. His body trembles, his skin rippling against muscles which threaten to transform at any moment. The remaining guards continue to surround him, their ghostly eyes narrowed on me, hatred seeping out of their pores. They are no friends of mine, cursed bracelet or not, these are the King’s Guard, willing to kill any who so much as looks at the king the wrong way. Lucky me.
I kneel next to Blay, resting my hand on his chest and relief faintly stirs inside my heart when I feel his shallow breaths. He’s alive, the poison merely knocked him out, just like Veridom said.
Blay has been seriously starved while captive, another tactic to keep him weak. I can feel every bone protruding against my fingertips and even though he has sustained a fair amount of weight loss, I won’t be able to carry him out of here, especially not if I’m expected to fight too. Karadese certainly can’t fight on her own, the tremor in her hands shows that the adrenaline pumping in her body won’t last for much longer. We are on our own, without any options.
“My deal still stands, Veridom.” I hold his gaze, willing him to stay in his less capable human form.
“If you want me to willingly give in to this curse, to become one of you, then let them go. If you don’t, then I promise I will take myself out of the equation.”
Veridom’s face tightens and even from this distance, I can see him swallow forcefully. He wants me. I don’t know why. In truth, all he needs is the bracelet back; Garvien can kill me and take it back at any moment and reclaim his position. Why then does Veridom’s face betray his panic?
He wants me alive, with the bracelet firmly embedded into my skin. Veridom no longer wants Garvien, I’m now the prize at the end of this obstacle.
I glance at Garvien, his own eyes boring into Veridom, his expression darkened with the knowledge of what I’ve just concluded.
This is my time to drive a wedge between them, widen that every increasing gap of hierarchy.
“Tick tock, Veridom,” I layer my voice with sarcasm. “I’m sure Garvien is equally anticipating your decision.”
They look at each other, Veridom keeping his expression neutral, while Garvien’s human appearance grows livid.
While they are distracted, I fumble behind me, loosening off the leather bindings until the book slips free. I know there is no way I’m getting out of this place, alive or not, and this book is the evidence Prytora needs. It’s too valuable to stay here with me, so as discreetly as I can, I raise Blay’s pant leg, placing the book against his calf and winding the leather strap around his leg to securely hold the book in place.
No matter what happens now I will make sure Blay gets home and the book will be safe with him.
I’m just repositioning the cuff of his pants when Veridom looks towards me. He’s made his decision.
I stand, leaving Blay’s side to make my way to Karadese, hating every inch I put between us. I have the feeling that whatever is about to happen, will do so quickly.
My heart is thundering inside my chest, so loud that when Veridom opens his mouth I can barely hear the words which leave Garvien fuming.
“I will release the prisoners in exchange for you becoming my queen.”
“My King,” Garvien all but spits the words. “This is a grave mistake.”
Garvien strides forward, his sights set solely on Veridom.
I use the fleeting moment to whisper to Karadese.
“Protect Blay at all costs. When the time comes, take him and run.”
“It will never work,” she argues out of the corner of her mouth, worry haunting her eyes as she struggles with the thought of leaving me behind, her heart torn between honour and saving her baby.
“I’ll make it work,” I fill my voice with more bravado than I feel, hoping she will buy my confidence.
“Rayna, I will never forgive myself if something happens to you.”
“You don’t have to. This is what I want, allow me the honour of this sacrifice, please.”
Karadese breaks her eyes away from the scene unfolding in front of us to look at me, her eyes filling with proudness. Finally she nods, and when she does I’m able to accept what is to come.
I turn my attention back towards the creatures who now face each other, the king and the cast-out, still enough distance between them to stop us from escaping.
“Your time as my second-in-command has been greatly essential, Garvien. Your many deeds are recognised and your sacrifice now, will be remembered.”
Garvien’s face hardens, his fists knotted into balls as Veridom shuts him down.
“Don’t you dare disregard me!” he spits.
Anger fills the air as Garvien struggles to control himself. The intensity of it draws me in, swallowing me as if it is my blood which boils, although I know it’s not. The extreme hatred that beats in time with my heart can only belong to the cruellest of creatures.
Cursed bracelet or not, Garvien’s sinister wrath outweighs any other creature, even Veridom and all of his evilness. I knew it from the first moment I saw them. Veridom is strong and evil, his desires set on a selfish course of power, but it is Garvien who holds a truly malicious heart. His desires to hurt and overthrow any who stand in his way is fuelled from the joy it creates inside of him. He is worse than any other.
The sense of hate leeches into my soul. The bond which entwines us grows stronger, drawing on my own energy to fuel his power to the point where I can hear his thoughts, swirling randomly in a pursuit of dominance. I can literally feel his hatred for Veridom, how all these years of bowing down to the king has turned his loyalty to serve, into a mission to destroy, to conquer and rule.
I blink rapidly, not believing my eyes as they see something completely impossible.
A thick white mist seems to be swirling around Garvien, growing denser and darker until it seeps out, increasing in strength, like a thick veil of fog.
As his anger grows,
so too does the white mist which churns my stomach. It reminds me so much of the fog that covers the Castle lakes, the chilling uncertainty it creates is just the same.
“You are a fool to believe that you could ever rule without me!” Garvien’s icy accusation floats through the mist. “If it weren’t for me your kingdom would have crumbled years ago.”
Slowly the vapor creeps towards me, coating my skin like a wet blanket, and with its acidic touch, my connection to Garvien intensifies. It all becomes clear, everything Garvien feels, his desires, his goals, all ulterior motives fill me, invading my mind and suddenly I am so much more afraid than I’ve ever been before.
The guards grow uneasy as the mist reaches them, their loud incomprehensible grunts echo around us, seemingly bouncing off the walls and they fall back, wincing as it coats their skin.
“Stop this at once, Garvien,” Veridom growls.
“Oh, my Dear King, you sound concerned. You really should be.”
“How are you doing that? With your ring gone, your powers should have failed you,” Veridom’s voice betrays his uncertainty.
Garvien smiles, the joy of seeing fear raising in Veridom’s eyes spurs him on, making him stronger. He quickly glances at me, his smile growing wider as if he knows a secret that the rest of us don’t.
“Have I failed to mention all of my idiosyncrasies?” The arrogance that fills his face as he redirects his attention back to Veridom is enough to make me want to rip his head clean off his shoulders and that scares me, but not as much as the look in Veridom’s eyes.
For the first time, Veridom shows true fear. He steps back allowing his guards to surround him, as if they are any match for Garvien.
I can feel every sinister plot in Garvien’s mind. He is losing his powers, that’s for sure, and he will stop at nothing to get them back – just not in the way I expected.
“He’s going to kill you, Veridom!” I shout out. “He wants your ring for himself!”
For one fleeting moment, Garvien looks at me, his eyes burning with rage. The world stands still and I can’t move, I can’t breathe as his hatred fills my mind, consuming me beyond anything else ever has.
Fallen Paladin (The Paladin's Curse Book 2) Page 19