Eternal Damnation: A novel of the Amagarians

by Reid, Stacy

  What she had done instead was sought a consort, in the hopes of indulging pleasure just once. Prince Novar had declared his love, and she had chosen him to be her consort. While the experience had been pleasant, Shilah hadn’t repeated the encounter to the prince’s distress. He had proposed marriage several times which she had always declined. It was one of the reasons she had never understood Kala’s vision that she saw them married.

  The monster in the cage of her mind became so still, the blood chilled in her veins. She turned in the cage of his arms and wrapped her hands around his neck. “I am sure you’ve had other lovers, Lachlan Ravenswood.”

  “I suppose with that logic I must spare this prince’s life.”

  Though his lips curved with slight amusement, at the heart of it a dark violence had blossomed.

  Shilah slapped his chest. “I declare you must.”

  “I saw your sister’s vision in the thread of your memories of you marrying this prince.”

  The menace in his voice had her mouth drying. “I have no plans to deceive anyone from my world so. And that vision is no more,” she said, a lump forming in her throat. “It has been replaced by death and darkness.”

  They stared at each other, and the violence quietened, and an emotion she could not identify in full throbbed along their link, it tasted of loss and pain before it quickly vanished.

  “You have a visitor.”

  She twisted around to see the Princess Saieke strolling toward them, her waist-length hair rippling behind her like fire. “Perhaps the princess visits you, Lachlan Ravenswood. From our brief meeting, I could tell she held immense affection for you.”

  He grunted, and said, “From what I know of the princess’ inquisitive nature, it is you she has come to visit, my mate.”

  “Then I shall greet her,” Shilah said with a smile, pulling from his embrace, and walking down the steps leading to the vast, open grounds. She skirted past massive stone structures of carved beasts and did her best to ignore Lachlan’s familiar, Cronus, who was poised atop a hill in the distance, but the dratted creature bounded toward her. Shilah braced herself as its massive body bounced into her, and she tumbled to the ground. She held her self still as it licked her face, baring its teeth.

  Laughter rushed from her, and she reached her mind out to his. The patterns were primal, but she sensed the intelligence within it, and that it liked her, and this was its greeting. She stood, and only had to turn her head to stare into its eyes. How monstrous this creature was, but also beautiful. She rubbed her hand atop its head, and it butted her underneath her chin.

  With a light laugh, she sauntered ahead, and he prowled at her side, a protecting and comforting presence. There was something ethereal about the beautiful red-haired princess. Shilah smiled at her in welcome, and the princess’s sapphire blue eyes glittered with pleasure as she dipped into an elegant curtsey. Shilah returned the honor and walked with the princess along the cobbled pathway.

  “Lachlan Ravenswood believes you are here to see me, Princess Saieke.”

  She smiled. “I am. I remembered how unsettling I felt the first time I came into this realm. I’ve been making friends with your sister. Kala is simply wonderful, and I also wanted to put your mind at ease if fear had lingered within your heart.”

  Shilah stared at her, assessing the princess’s aura. How different it was to all those Shilah sensed around her. “I thank you for such considerations. You are not a Darkan, yet I can feel the imprint of their essence on your aura.”

  “I am the mate of Drac El Kyn.” Rich pleasure, love, and satisfaction were stamped into her voice. “That is the essence you sense within me.”

  Curiosity stirred in Shilah. “You are not afraid of his claiming.”

  The princess smiled, the radiance of it dazzling, the love pouring from her aura blinding. “I am not. I love Drac with every emotion in my heart, and he treasures me with such depths there are days I still struggle to understand my importance to him.”

  Shilah glanced down at the threads leading from her to the man in the distance whom it seemed heard every word exchanged with the princess. He was now in the center of the training circle, a group of ten Darkans surrounding him. He moved with the assurance of a man confident in his skills and at ease with his brutality “Your mating is young?”

  “I only met Drac three months ago when the Empire of Mevia hunted me to this realm. He saved me.”

  She moved away from him, walking closer to the forest, Cronus by her left and the princess to her right.

  “I can feel your fear,” the princess murmured.

  Shilah snapped her eyes to Saieke. “You have telepathic skills?”

  “No, of course not, but I am able to sense intense emotions through your life force. Your energy is different from other Amagarians, but I still sense it. Lachlan would never hurt you. He…he is different from the friend I’ve come to love, but he is still the same man. Honorable and Kind.”

  “I do not doubt it,” she said, moving with lithe speed and skill through the pattern of the princess’s mind, finding a pathway to connect on.

  The princess gasped, and her eyes widened. “I just heard your voice in my mind.”

  “Forgive the impertinence of the intrusion. It was ill-mannered of me, and I forgot the courtesy we exist with on my home planet. I assure you I am not reading your thoughts. I would not invade your privacy in such a manner. I only went deep enough to project my thoughts to you.”

  “I took no offense, I was merely startled. The only person I’ve ever communicated in such a manner with is my mate,” the princess said, with a gracious smile.

  A warm feeling unfurled in Shilah’s chest, and she knew if she stayed she would be wonderful friends with the poised and effortlessly charming princess. A slight buzz vibrated through the princess’s pathway, and Shilah laughed. “You will not be able to speak on a thread directly to me. But if you think about it, I will hear what you want to communicate.”

  They strolled in silence for a while, and Shilah was content to bask in the wild beauty of the land, her hands resting lazily atop Cronus’s head. “I can feel a well of mystical energy several hundred miles north of this castle. Are you familiar with it, Princess Saieke?”

  The princess faltered. “I am.”

  “Is it a gateway portal to the other dimensions?”

  She felt the unease of the princess. “It is.”

  “Does it have a gatekeeper?”

  Princess Saieke glanced back toward Lachlan and stared at him for several long moments before she faced Shilah. “It does not. At least not on our side. But the journey to the portal is perilous at best. That was where I traveled to, hoping to escape a blood oath marriage by running to Earth. The wastelands to cross are dangerous, Princess Shilah. I would not recommend attempting it.”

  Shilah would take Princess Saieke’s warnings about the perils of the journey into account as she plotted the best way to get herself and Kala to the portal safely. She also needed to understand the mutations she was undergoing and talking to the only mated non-Darkan she knew was an excellent place to start. “Have you undergone any changes since mating?”

  Princess Saieke looked at Shilah with a knowing smile on her face, “Yes, I have. I was startled at first to awake with enhanced hearing and perfect vision in the dark. But as time progressed I realized that the transformation was a complete physical enhancement. All my senses were heightened, my bones and muscles became harder and stronger. I could run faster, leap further, and hold my breath longer. And possibly best of all, my rate of healing increased at least a hundred folds, such that wounds which once were fatal would now heal before death could claim me.”

  Knowledge bloomed in Shilah’s mind about how these new abilities could aid in her taking back her family’s birthright from Prince Quan. “I have experienced clear vision in the dark and improved hearing. It is amazing to think how much more sublime something as simple as experiencing the forest has become from having these abilitie
s.”

  Princess Saieke laughed. “That is just the cusp of it. However, I am not sure if you will experience the same changes I have given you are a Serangite and I am an Amagarian. None of this is documented, bonding with non-Darkans let alone non-Amagarians is all new to the Darkage, and this is all happening at such a perilous time.”

  They spoke for several more minutes about the bold plan of King Gidon to lift up his people and how the princess planned to help, before the Princess flashed away, moving with such graceful speed she was a blur. Shilah turned to the north, opening the full range of her psychic eyes, assessing the portal and the energy running through it. The portal led to five possible planets—Serange, Amagarie, Earth, Titan, and Ceres. Why the portals only opened to those planets in the Omniverse no one knew, but a biosphere of dimensional energy seemed to connect to these worlds from the gateways which had the appearance of a tree crystalized in blue-white energy with five branches leading to each of those worlds.

  A lazy wind swept across the mountain and Shilah inhaled the crisp cold air. “In my world, there are few trees. Everything is different there. Our buildings are not made from stone and brick likes yours.” She sent Lachlan images of elaborately curved buildings with their intricate towering spires, some cylindrical, others squared, others shaped like triangles, some curved in perfect arcs and full circles, all made from glass and gunmetal grey iron. While the cities of her world were not dotted with trees and animals, the landscape surrounding each building was exquisite, lust verdant grass. “Our worlds are so wildly different but so very beautiful.”

  A heavy sorrow beat at her, and she ached to return to her people. She needed to know they survived, and that they were not suffering under the cruel regime of Prince Quan.

  “I would like to know more of your Kingdom, my mate.”

  “And I would love to tell you.”

  A dark wave of energy rolled toward her, and she glanced toward the man moving toward her with such unhurried, savage grace. His scent traveled on the air, and she inhaled deeply, wanting to trap it inside her forever. His flavor was dark and elusive, predatory, yet so male.

  “I would also like to show you my realm. I will be by your side, and you will be safe.”

  It never occurred to her she would be anything less. “I would be honored to see your world.”

  “Kala….” She called along the pathway to her sister, her voice firm, her determination unwavering.

  Her sister was there instantly. “Yes?”

  Lachlan was suddenly there, taking her in his arms, his eyes hard, brilliant amber with flecks of blue-green, echoed a bleak, stark loneliness. For the first time she realized for four hundred years he’d endured terrible isolation. There had been no lovers. He had not allowed himself sentiments. His purpose had been cold, merciless duty to his realm and protecting others from the monster within him.

  Her heart twisted, for she understood loneliness, even though she had only endured it for the last fifty years when she had discovered she was an Impure and would never have the life her parents had, the lover and family her brother had, or so many of their citizens. She would be like the exiled ones, like the foreseers who were banned from ever marrying and procreating. It had been a life she accepted, for she believed absolutely in the law that outlawed crossbreeds.

  Her breath hitched, and their thread jerked with a painful resonance. The sob in her throat threatened to choke her as she swallowed it back down. She pressed her forehead to the muscles of his chest, closed her eyes, blotting out the impossible needs beating at her.

  “Kala, we leave tonight.”

  17

  The Western Darkage

  Naiyma—the capital city of the Darkage.

  “The realm of shadows and darkness is beautiful.”

  The sweet, soft, whisper in his mind was a soothing balm to Lachlan’s soul. His mate’s face glowed with rich pleasure as she sampled wine from one of the merchant’s stall. They had been walking through his kingdom, at times moving to the other cities with the shadows for the last five hours. Now they strolled through the capital city of the Darkage, which buzzed with laughter and chattering as men, women, and children enjoyed the outdoors before the heralding winter.

  He peered down at the delicate woman curved into his side, her eyes devouring the buildings and people as if she wanted to imprint them on her memories. He’d taken her to the great stone temples high in the mountains to watch the energy lights in the shadowed sky, then to the waterfalls of the East and West, and an underground cave which crackled and glowed with blue energy.

  “While in the Empire I felt a sense of fear, even when I was simply strolling through the streets. There was always an air of menace, a sense of waiting for something terrible to happen. War has been declared, and even days later your people appear quite unconcerned with anything but the current flow of their lives.”

  Lachlan allowed the history of his realm to flow along their link. The Darkage people had not been involved in the last Great War which had lasted for fifteen years, and which had claimed millions of lives. Their ruler at the time, Gidon’s father, had watched it from a distance and had not involved their realm since they owed no kingdom any alliance or allegiance.

  The pain of the war, the horror of it had ridden the air and had fed many of their people who used the powers of their beasts. It was only recently, they learned some Darkans had sold their skills as death dealers during that war, creating enemies the Darkage had not known about. And the betrayal would be even greater this time. Now their own people would work alongside the Empire in the battles to come. And if Gidon called them to war, the security found in the obscurity and segregation from other kingdoms, even in a world as harsh and uncompromising as theirs, would be shattered.

  The only reason a sense of normalcy lingered was that the war had not yet arrived. The kingdoms would be busy organizing warriors and food stockpiles, sending spies to infiltrate realms to uncover their weaknesses, selecting generals and captains to lead the march to war. Yet the Darkage might never show such preparations, for his King was not a man to be ruled by fear and emotion. He was cunning, smart, brutal, and would answer the call when he was ready. In that time, Lachlan must prepare his armies of the Eastern keep, while rooting out the traitors.

  His mate laughed as a small, multi-colored bird flew into the palms of her hand. He could feel her resolve to leave, to rescue her people from the dangers she had left them in. With war declared, it was not in their best interest to leave his kingdom for hers, and Lachlan did not believe he had the willpower to let her go. Duty, sacrifice, death, and war were carved into his very bones, and he needed a woman who could understand him and learn to accept the darkness in him for it was forever entrenched in his soul. A Darkan female would have relished a mate such as himself and celebrated his monster and his strength.

  His mate had the potential to fear him.

  She smiled, and his name whispered achingly from her lips. Something hot and urgent tumbled over inside him, and he gathered her closer to his side. The heady scent of her unique flavor sent his own pulse pounding. She might not be a Darkan, but she was a fierce warrior with the same values he held about loyalty and duty. Even if she was too soft. In time, he would hone her skills until she became more ruthless, more prepared to deal with treachery and betrayal.

  Lachlan halted them before a towering building made of brick and white stones. “This is our temple of Artefacts. There is also an underground tomb where all Kings and Queens are buried. Would you like to visit?”

  She nodded eagerly, and he took her into the shadows, appearing on the third floor, an immense space that stretched for miles with hieroglyphics on the wall, illustrating their history. The story of the Darkan legends and birth, even though it was written in Darkanian. She traced her fingers over the symbols of their language.

  “What does this say?”

  “It tells the story of our first dark queen, Luna Al Venfir, believed to be a primordial goddess
for she had held within her all the beasts of the Darkans. It is said she had ten mates, one for each beast within her.”

  Shilah gasped. “Ten lovers!”

  “She gave birth to ten sons and five daughters, each born with only one distinct beast, and the first generations of our demon beasts were manifested.”

  “I heard whispers in the Empire that once a king of the Darkage tried to bargain with the king of demons for more power.”

  “That man, King Amun Al Venfir, was Luna’s husband and first love.” Tracing the symbols, he continued reading, warmth punching deep inside at her enraptured expression. “The Shadow King, Amun, was not satisfied with our piece of Amagarie. He felt the power unequaled. We had suns, we had no monsters, our people were happy, but there was a restless hunger in Amun that could not be sated. His wife, Luna, the other half of his soul was all that was sweet and beautiful, and she tried to show him their love was all they needed. He was undeterred. Amun’s search took him to the stars, and he found the realm of demons. Using magic and the shadows he made his way there and encountered such darkness and power. He was seduced…”

  At his silence, she sent him a scowl and slapped his arm. “Continue,” she ordered, imperiously.

  Lachlan laughed, the sound shocking him. “Evil seduced his heart.”

  “What evil?” she demanded, her eyes widening.

  “The king of the Demons lived in a realm of exile. Some call it Hell, others called it Hades, some purgatory, others call it the Demonage. The king was intrigued by the appearance of this man in his world when he had been bound in chains for years and unable to leave. The king promised Amun power and might, he only had to get the spell to weaken the walls of hell. Amun got it, how we do not know. Witches perhaps? Amun was so desperate, he did not once think that the Demon King was filled with treachery. The spell was cast, the sun that shone over our kingdom exploded, and chakras of the demons tried to escape their world and into ours. Dozens of beasts, hundreds legends said poured into Amun driving him mad. He fled back to our kingdom, and Luna greeted a ravaging monster. She was a light that anchored him against slaughtering his people, and when they mated and shared blood, some of the chakras within him found its way into her.”