My lips tremble into a little smile just as Garvien reaches down, grabbing me by the throat, holding me still so I can’t wriggle free. With his other hand, he pulls at the dagger, releasing it from his neck and sending blood squirting out over my face.
With the last of my breath, I give a final order to my sworn protector.
“Zaneth, go now, save Blay.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
I try to watch Zaneth, needing to know he’s doing the one thing that I ask before I can fully give in, whether to the curse or to death, I don’t know yet.
My heart aches as I see him turn, running at full speed to Blay’s side. For a moment they fight, Blay screaming words which are muffled to my ears, trying to push Zaneth away with weakened arms.
I know he will refuse to willingly retreat to safety and leave me here alone with these monsters. But that’s what’s good about Zaneth, he is the man who will fight to do what he must. And right now he must do what I say, he has to get Blay out of here, back to Prytora, back to safety.
I catch a glimpse of Araton, cradling a lifeless Karadese in his arms, his concern torn between retreating to Prytora to try, in vain, to save his beloved wife, and staying behind to ensure his son’s survival.
In the end, all it takes is for Zaneth to haul Blay up, throwing his weakened body across his shoulder. He drops his sword to the ground, unable to hold it while trying to stop Blay from thrashing around as he fights to free himself. Blay will fight all the way, and that fight gives me hope that he will be okay, eventually.
Araton doesn’t wait any longer, he takes off, Karadese firmly pressed against his chest, one long tanned arm hanging limply, swaying as he runs. My heart shrivels at the thought that she is lost to them now and there is nothing I can do to repair the damage.
They are gone from my sight too quickly, following the same path Kozhan retreated down, heading back to the portal, back to safety. The selfish part of me screams out for them to come back, to not leave me here to a fate worse than death, but I keep myself silent, biting my lip to stop myself from crying.
I can’t be weak now, not while Garvien’s hand is still wrapped tightly around my throat, ready to snap my neck if I should tempt him too much. My talons scratch at his hand, desperately trying to rip his fingers from my throat but nothing can unclench his fist.
Blood continues to trail from Garvien’s throat, spilling out with force when he screams demands at the remaining fighters who still crowd us, uncertain of what to do.
“Go after them! Seize them now before they escape!”
“No!” I scream, my own voice taking on an alien quality as Garvien squeezes his fingers tighter against my throat until it’s nearly impossible to breathe.
The fighters freeze, their eyes darting between me and their king. Their loyalty is bound to their new king above all else, but his betrayal is still fresh in their minds, I can feel their resentment simmering in their blood. I have to use it, to magnify their contempt, just long enough to ensure that the others have escaped.
I fill my thoughts with Veridom’s death, picturing every agonising moment of Garvien’s treachery. I let the pain swarm me until I could burst, and then I direct it to them, letting our connection serve me for a change.
They scream out, clutching their heads in their colossal hands as I unleash the memories onto them, not holding anything back, letting the pain attack them like Garvien attacked their previous master.
Garvien continues to scream orders, his grip around my throat getting tighter as he grows more agitated with the fighter’s disobedience. His giant nostrils flare as he glares down at me, sensing what I’m doing.
“You will pay for this!”
He yanks me forward by the throat, lifting my torso fully from the ground while crushing my legs with his weight. Before I can blink, his massive fist slams into my face with full force. I hear my jaw snap before the electric shock of pain radiates through my skull, severing the connection I had with the fighters in one quick flash.
Blood fills my mouth, dripping from my lips and I can feel teeth knocked free, sitting at the back of my throat ready to choke me at any second. My body goes limp like a rag doll, my arms falling free, no longer desperately trying to claw his hand from my throat.
Garvien brings his face close towards to mine, his head twisted as he sniffs my blood, his eyes lightening up with the metallic scent.
“Change,” he whispers.
“Kill me,” I gurgle the words.
“Change now,” he bares his teeth, his voice laced with threats of torture.
The fighters around us step closer, their confusion engulfing me. Even though their minds are dense, their duty is ingrained in them, they sense what is happening is wrong. The cursed bracelet which still clings to my wrist grants me their unconditional protection too.
One fighter lurches towards us, his eyes frantic as my face turns blue, my eyes dulling beneath Garvien’s steady grip.
“My King, you must stop. You are killing our queen.”
Garvien lashes out, releasing his grip on me so I fall with a thud to the ground, gasping for air as he twists above me, his hand whizzing around to gouge across the fighter’s face.
Four long slashes bleed from the fighter’s forehead, across his nose and down to his lip. He stumbles back, his hands balled into fists firmly pressed against his sides, one hand so badly scarred he can barely clench it but still he tries, the effort helping to not let any sign of weakness or disloyalty shine through.
I met his gaze, my hands automatically rubbing against my swollen throat, and I can feel that he is only barely holding himself together, one wrong move on his part will spell his death. If I was to encourage him in any way he will act out against Garvien, for me, but why?
“Mind your place, maggot!” Garvien spits, his anger boiling over. Climbing to his feet, he pulls himself to his full height, still he remains slightly smaller than those he reigns over.
“You don’t ever question me or I will make you my sacrifice.”
The fighter’s shoulders tense, his gaze lowering to the ground, each cell of his body bursting to act out on his anger and cause havoc of his own. It takes all of his concentration to keep his head bent, showing the respect that Garvien demands.
Garvien looks down on me, his lips twisted into a hateful snarl.
“I could have had it all.” His body trembles with undiluted anger. “You will pay for your insolence.”
I close my eyes, no longer wanting to see the evil standing before me. With all the souls connected to me, I search through the differing energies, looking for the one I hope I won’t find.
All I sense is evil and darkness. There is no light, no love, no hope hovering inside this connection and that makes me happier than I ever could have imagined.
Blay is gone. Zaneth got him out, that much I’m certain of. I can no longer feel his presence at all. He made it out of Zantron and that’s all I needed to know.
I feel the fighter’s feet shuffling around the cavern but I don’t bother to look at them. Instead I keep Blay’s face alive in my mind. Focusing on his love while trying to deny what my body has become.
“Take her back to the camp,” Garvien’s chilling voice demands. “The rest of you go after them, see if they left any traces we can use in our next bid.”
With Blay gone, safe at last, there is no reason for me to hold on, to fight the unbearable curse which has plagued me from the very beginning. There is no point pretending that my mind is free from the clutches of evil, not when the darkness looms over me and my body has twisted into something hideous. I’m gone, there’s no coming back.
Rough hands pick me up, jolting me from my pity as every inch of me aches, yet the pain doesn’t bother me, it means I’m still alive. I truly don’t know if that’s actually a good thing or not.
Once upon a time being draped across a Zantronian fighter’s arms would have repulsed me. Now as I lay here in his arms, with no energy left to fight
him, I’m suddenly comforted by his closeness. The bond between us magnified with his touch.
I look up, startled to see it’s the fighter who stood up for me, the blood still oozing from his wounds.
I don’t know why I do it, maybe it’s just part of who I am, or maybe this unusual connection has softened me somehow.
Lifting my hand to his face I carefully rest my palm against his bleeding cheek, careful not to scratch him with my claws.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He looks down at me, each slow step he takes bouncing my head against his shoulder. For a moment he stills, the only movement from his chest rising as his breath squeaks through his razor-edged teeth.
Slowly he lifts me closer until his thin lips rest against my ear. A thousand terrifying images rush through my mind of how he can crush me to a pulp, but for the life of me, I’m not afraid.
His husky words are meant for me, and me only, that much I’m sure of.
“You are my queen, I will protect you at all costs.”
As if he said nothing he continues to walk, looking straight ahead, his face stony cold.
I don’t know why he said it, or what it means, but it’s the only hope I’ve got.
I’m stuck here, on Zantron, more monstrous creature than human. Surrounded by creatures who are equally my enemy and my comrades. Nothing is certain anymore.
The only thing I can be sure of is that Blay is safe, for now. And Karadese, Queen of Prytora is dead, and so too is her last remaining hope for her people, now that her once inspiring Paladin, has fallen.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to all the best people in my life, who have helped me with this book, as well as being there for me each, and every, day. Without your constant support, love and help, my life would be a whole lot less happy.
Piper, Kyan, Ricky, Rae Nelson, Colin Nelson,
Karen Brown and of course Winter.
Thank you.
Author Note:
Hello dear reader,
I would like to take this time to say THANK YOU, to each of you, for supporting me by reading this book. Life sometimes gets in the way, so it did take a while to get ‘Fallen Paladin’ out there for you all to enjoy – thank you for sticking with me! Keep waiting…. book 3 in The Paladin Curse Trilogy is coming next!
If you could please spare a few moments to leave an honest review on ‘Amazon’ or ‘Goodreads’ I would greatly appreciate it. Reviews are wonderful little things that help not only me but also other potential readers, plus I love hearing what you think. Everyone is so different and each of you like a different aspect of each book, so your reviews help guide me towards offering books to suit different desires.
As previously stated I am a New Zealand author and therefore write in British English, please take that into consideration whilst reading this book.
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Fallen Paladin (The Paladin's Curse Book 2) Page 22