by S. D. Grimm
Madison giggled.
“I thought you were done.” Connor bit into the apple again and offered a smile.
Luc waved him off. “Right. I think you come down here just to see if I have anything to eat.”
Madison winced as she hugged her middle and stumbled back a step.
“You okay?” Luc reached to steady her.
Connor rushed to her side. “Belladonna’s at it again?”
Madison nodded. “Someone’s being tortured.”
A scream resounded from outside. The hair on the back of Connor’s neck stood. He smelled Belladonna. And blood. And fear.
“Someone is being whipped,” Madison whispered.
“You feel their pain?” Luc asked.
She nodded. “He’s there.”
Connor exited the smithy, Madison following, and peered around the wall to the outer training fields. Belladonna stood there with three of her men and another young man—shirtless, and his back was shredded. Connor winced. The young man faced another man—a peasant by the looks of his clothes.
Belladonna cracked the whip again, and the shirtless man fell to the ground.
“Get up!” Belladonna pushed him. “Get up and kill him.”
No. Connor’s power crackled beneath the surface, and he felt the Mistress sniffing. He focused in stilling everything. His powers clawed beneath his skin. Burned inside of him. The young man stood, blood dripping down his back, and he charged the peasant, who stood, dropped his sword, and held his hands up in surrender.
Connor’s powers crackled. Pushed against the weak will that bound them.
Belladonna held up her whip. “You heard me, pet.”
The young man lifted his sword and ran the peasant through.
Madison gasped.
Connor flinched.
The peasant crumpled.
Belladonna clapped. “Well done, pet.”
The young man bowed his head and dropped his weapon. Then he glanced over his shoulder and met Connor’s gaze. Connor recognized him. Ryan.
Now Connor understood why Thea had urged him to stay. Ryan was one of the Deliverers, and Belladonna had broken him.
Chapter 20
A Heartwarming Tale
The morning sun’s rays reached through the clouded night, outlining the earth in a golden yellow. Serena slid off of Dash’s back and stretched once her feet hit solid ground. Dash staggered a step or two. Serena placed her hand on him. “Are you okay?”
“I can no longer cloak Kara and her horse. I’m too tired.”
Maybe they shouldn’t have stopped to pick up an extra horse. Serena thought it would have been easier with Dash to not carry both of them. She should have helped him cloak the others. “Dash—”
“It’s all right. We’re stopping. We’ll see how strong I am after a rest.”
Serena glanced at Kara. The woman had managed to ride the whole night without slumping, or showing any outward sign of tiredness, then she dismounted her horse and walked as if she hadn’t been bouncing on her bottom for hours. “Kara is a quiet rider. I think we’re far enough from the camp. They won’t catch us.”
Kara tied up her horse under a cover of trees. “Your friends will be searching for us by air now that the sun is up. We should hide and rest a few hours so we aren’t spotted.”
Dash swung his head toward Serena. “Is she talking?”
“I believe she is.”
Kara had said nothing on the ride thus far. Even when Serena asked her questions or tried to make polite conversation. All she ever did was look at Serena with an unreadable expression and occasionally smirk in a reticent manner. Sometimes, she’d held out her hand to tell Serena to stop moving, then she’d pull out the drawing of what looked like Quinn’s map before leading them on again.
That had caused one question to itch in Serena’s mind: What had Kara been planning that night Serena had visited her?
They set up their camp in silence, Dash’s quiet brooding only detectable through the bond. He swished his tail. “Make friends with her already, Serena.”
As if she hadn’t been trying! Serena let out a frustrated sigh and spread out her bedroll.
“I don’t understand you, Golden One.”
And that was another thing. Golden One? Really? Serena folded her arms. “Well, I don’t understand you, either.”
Kara shot her a glance as she spread out her bedroll. “Why risk your life like this? What’s so important to you?”
Serena flushed. Ryan pulled her like a lure she couldn’t ignore. He needed her. That was enough.
Kara crossed her arms. “If I’m to be a part of this, you may as well tell me what your plan is so I can point out the flaws.”
“Belladonna has Ryan.”
Kara closed her eyes and dropped her head. Her shoulders shook and she laughed. “Ryan?” She laughed harder. “You are going to rescue Charmer? Oh, Golden One. He can take care of himself.”
Serena sprang up from her bedroll and fisted her hands. “If he can help himself, he’s done a poor job. She will break him. I feel it.”
The laughter left Kara’s face, but her mockery stayed. “You feel it?”
“His pain.”
“As in, you’re bonded to him?”
“Yes.”
Kara’s eyes formed slits. “You literally feel his pain?”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t. I’m just curious.”
Truth. “I suppose you don’t care about any of us.”
“You are rather dull. Softheart is so emotional I don’t know how soldier puts up with her.”
“You could learn a thing or two from both of them, you know.”
“Oh?” Kara’s amused smile played on her lips. “Like what?”
“Jayden is compassionate—something you lack—and Ethan, well he was consumed by revenge once, too.”
Kara’s amusement faded. “Oh? And I thought you couldn’t understand me.” She glared at Serena before she stalked off and started rummaging through her pack.
Dash snorted. “I said befriend the woman, not turn her off altogether.”
“All I am saying is that there is more to life than revenge.”
Dash bit into a mouthful of grass. “This should be good.”
“Really?” Kara turned on her heel. “And how would you know, Serena? Golden One, blessed, angelic-faced, silly girl who goes riding into the dragon’s lair for what? Love?” Kara pulled out a knife and pointed it at Serena and then herself. “You go for love, I go for revenge. Maybe we’ll both find our silly little notions, but don’t think your rashness is above mine.” She sat on her blanket.
Serena sank to her bedroll. Kara’s words stung like a slap in the face. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I admit, I believed my motives more pure and therefore worthy of rashness. But your motives are no less agonizing. He killed your sister. If he killed Ryan, I think I’d be going to the palace for revenge, too.”
Kara shifted on her bedroll and stared.
Serena pulled an apple from her sack and tossed it to Kara. She caught it and cut a deep slice of the fruit. Her eyes never left Serena.
Serena took her own apple. “Tell me about your sister?”
Kara’s eyebrows shot up. “Just because I agreed to go to the palace with you, doesn’t mean I am going for you. Let’s be clear on that. Also let’s be clear on one other thing.” Kara pointed her knife at herself then Serena. “We aren’t friends.”
“Just because we aren’t friends, which I accept, doesn’t mean you can’t tell me about your family.”
Kara bit into her apple. “Why don’t you tell me about your family, Golden One? Then maybe I’ll tell you about mine.”
“All right.” Serena crossed her legs. “I was born the night of the Blood Moon—”
“Weren’t we all?” Kara leaned back on her satchel and placed her heels up onto the trunk of the nearest tree. “Don’t bore me.”
Serena rolled her eyes. “If your story is better
—”
Kara’s laughter interrupted. “No, go on. I just didn’t know you were going to give me the eighteen-year version of Serena’s life.”
Serena threw her apple at Kara, who caught it and bit in.
“When I was nine, the man I called father sold me to a merchant who sold me to work for the castle court in Meese.”
Kara sat up. “Your father sold you?”
“Somehow I thought you might like that part of the story.”
“Actually, I’m more intrigued about you working in the castle in Meese. But why did he wait until you were nine?”
“I imagine because I finally started fighting back when he beat me.”
Kara stared and Serena fingered her ring. The one that matched the one Kara wore. “Where did you work in the castle?”
“I was a serving girl on kitchen staff, where I made my first friend. Her family was poor and her mother dead. She often told me of her little sister whom she was trying to make sure didn’t go hungry. I found out her sister was the same age—another Child of the Blood Moon, but she called me little sister, too. So often I almost believed it. Her hair was blonde and her eyes blue, like mine. She was the first family I ever had. The first person who ever protected me. It was her bravery that I learned from most in all my childhood. I wish I knew what became of her, but I never got to say goodbye.”
“Why not?”
“A Healer called Tabitha came for me.” Serena ventured a gaze at Kara, who was listening intently, fingering the ring on her hand. Serena shrugged. “I suppose that’s all that would interest you of my story.”
“Did you ever meet the girl’s family?”
“I was purchased by the Healers before that could happen.”
“Ah. They were a better home anyway. Right?”
“Many of them were cowards. A few could be swayed to follow me and my . . . rebellious ways.”
“Rebellious? Perhaps there’s more to the Golden One than meets the eye.”
“Perhaps.”
“The girl that called you sister, what was her name?”
Serena looked into Kara’s eyes. “Thea.”
Kara stared at her unblinking, her apple forgotten in her hand. “You recognized the ring. That’s why you asked me to come with you?”
“That’s why I hoped I could trust you. Thea would have helped me. I loved her.”
“She loved you. It doesn’t mean I do.” Kara got up and fed her apple to the horse before she walked away.
“That went better than expected.” Dash snorted.
Serena glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes at the unicorn. “I thought you were resting.”
Dash lay down and sighed. “Are you going after her?”
“She won’t leave. She’s bound by blood oath.”
Dash’s ears perked and he stood, nose to the wind. “Do you smell that?”
Serena sniffed the air and stood. Something in it smelled of a tinge of smoke—not from a cookfire, this scent was stronger—and the breeze suddenly warmer. “Dragon smoke. Kara’s in danger.” She raced after Kara, Dash following. The scent of fire drew closer, and there, on the ground, a dragon sat, red as a fire, with dark, purple scales on her head and piercing green eyes.
Serena’s knees shook. The dragon opened its mouth. Serena dashed out of the trees and slammed into Kara. Together they fell to the earth, and Serena covered Kara’s body, waiting for the flames.
Chapter 21
Polished Stone
What do you mean?” Madison stared at the ring on Connor’s finger. “How can I be part of a plan that I can’t know about?”
He sighed and dropped the two books he’d needed from the library onto the table. The Wielder history book he kept beneath the other one. Then he plucked a stone out of his pocket and showed her.
She placed her hands on her hips. “Am I allowed to ask what that’s for? And why does it smell like pears?”
Connor tilted his head to the side, impressed that she could smell it. “I don’t know about the pear scent. I got this from the spell chamber. The whole room smelled like pears. Franco said something about Belladonna preparing a potion for a lover.”
“And you didn’t think to ask about that?”
“What do I care what Belladonna does with her lovers?”
Madison leaned on the table. “Maybe it was a spell to make someone her lover. Remember the drink Franco brought me that night you rescued me from him? It smelled like pears.”
Connor squeezed his eyes closed. It had. He had to get Ryan out of here. Too many things hinged on this plan working.
Madison’s fingers touched the stone. “Connor, you’re lost in your thoughts again.”
“Sorry.”
“What’s this for?” She took the polished stone. “Or is that the part you can’t tell me?”
Someone knocked on the door. The heavy hand and scent of steel told him it was Luc. “Come in.”
Luc opened the door, and Madison hid the stone behind her back.
Connor chuckled. “You can show it to him.”
“He’s here because he gets to know the whole plan?” Her voice held an edge that Connor liked. The palace had stripped her of much of her feisty personality because she feared tripping over some law and landing headfirst on a chopping block.
Well, probably not that extreme. Franco needed her alive. But being chained to his bed was not a long-forgotten threat to her. That her spirit showed signs of revival thrilled him.
Luc’s eyes didn’t even meet Connor’s. He stared at Madison and smiled. He nodded his head toward her. “What are you hiding?” Then his gaze strayed to the table, and his eyes lightened. “You’ve been to the library?” He strode past Madison.
She tilted her head as her gaze followed him.
Connor’s brows met as he watched his friends. This was not good. Not good at all. Could he trust them to keep their heads in the plan if they were going to be this infatuated with one another?
“I do need your help.” Connor joined them at the table. He’d been born of wolves, not human parents, for the very reason that if he grew attached to a human being he’d want to spare them. But all his powers did were destroy. He bowed his head. “You know I’m a Death Bringer. It means that if you’re close to me, you have a very high chance of dying.”
Madison squeezed Connor’s hand. “Death is going to happen anyway. You just show it to the path of least destruction.”
“Connor?” Luc gripped his shoulder. “I’ll help you any way I can.”
Connor breathed deep. Time to do this, then. “Will you please give Luc the stone? I need to tell him our plan.”
Madison held out the stone.
Luc took it. “Where I come from, we polish marriage stones a lot smoother for this kind of thing.” Luc looked into her eyes and she blushed.
She cocked an eyebrow. “Where I come from, a man has to work a lot harder to make a woman notice him.”
“Noted,” he whispered, and Madison’s mouth popped open.
Connor chuckled. “If you need me, I’ll be reciting my plan over here.” He grabbed a piece of bread from the table.
Madison giggled. “Tell him about the stone. I’ll come back later to hear the parts I’m allowed to know.” She exited.
Connor shot Luc a grin.
Luc shrugged. “What? You said I might die. I’d like to kiss a girl first.”
“I find it hard to believe you’ve never kissed a girl.”
Luc smiled. “What’s the stone for?”
Connor looked at the small object in Luc’s hand. White like a frozen-over pond. “I put unicorn horn dust on it.”
“Oh, Connor.”
“I know. I really didn’t want Madison to know a dead unicorn fueled its power. It’s a cloaking stone. If you touch it to the ring I gave you, concentrate on hiding the ring with these words”—he handed Luc a folded piece of paper—“and then put the stone in your pocket, it should keep anyone from seeing the ring. Then you can
wear it, and Franco will never know you’re the one actually controlling his Black Blood Army. Franco says the other Deliverers are almost here. The day they come, we’ll be ready. Madison says Kara is coming closer, too. I have to think she’s with them.”
“And then?”
“I’m still working that out. I need to talk to Kara somehow. I’ll figure it out.”
Luc scratched the back of his neck. “This . . . um . . . plan of yours.” He paused, the skin around his eyes tightening in a wince. “You’re going to die, aren’t you?”
“If all goes as planned, yes.”
Chapter 22
Shadow Wolf
Ethan stood at the river’s edge, bow in hand. He aimed his arrow at one of those red targets he and Ryan used to paint on the old, moth-eaten potato sacks and tack to hay bales. The target crept farther away as he stared at it. Strange. The circle in the middle was red. Shiny and wet. Ethan lowered his weapon.
Then the circle split in two.
Something didn’t feel right.
Black dots filled the center of the circles. They were like red eyes.
The heat of a threat pulsed across Ethan’s chest, and he fired his arrow.
It missed.
He shot again. Too wide.
The circles drew closer, shrouded in a gray mist like a grounded cloud hovering over the water. His chest burned, and his bow became too heavy to lift. Every arrow he pulled from the quiver at his belt was bent.
Broken.
A laugh echoed on the wind like a growl.
“What are you?” he asked the red circles.
They narrowed like the eyes of a predator. This wasn’t right. Nothing made sense. This had to be a dream.
“Come on, Ethan. Wake up!”
Someone grabbed his shirt, and Ethan gripped hold of the attacker’s wrists and pushed. The form above him screamed as he flipped her over, rolling with her, and pressed her into the ground. Knee on her chest, he reached for his belt knife. But the girl he’d slammed into to the ground came into clear view. “Quinn?”
The fog shook loose from his head. Chest heaving, he backed up and let her go. “Don’t—are you okay?”
She slowly stood, picking up her book from the ground and clutching it tight to her chest as she nodded. Her eyes were wide, and the muscles in her neck pulled taut. Pure fear.