by K T Munson
Kerrigan’s face was a mask of horror.
“Her body has a protection spell on it,” he managed. “It took my attempt to give her life force as an intrusion.”
“I don’t understand,” Kerrigan whispered as she shook her head, tears welled in her eyes.
“Someone made sure that nothing from the Netherworld could enter your body. Nanette and I cannot give you life force, nor can a demon. You cannot leave this place without a mortal’s life force, and there are none here.”
Kerrigan’s gaze shifted down a moment before she whispered, “Selene.”
“What is it?” Nanette asked, leaving Ethan’s side now that she knew it was safe to take Kerrigan’s hands. “You’ve thought of something?”
“You don’t know,” Kerrigan replied. “No, how could you? I met Selene here, Elisabeth’s cousin.”
“Elisabeth doesn’t have a cousin.” Nanette was baffled.
“That gets old,” a female voice called down the hall.
Nanette glanced around Kerrigan to the owner of the voice. Standing at the junction where she had first spotted Fanta and Kerrigan was a girl with crossed arms. She was a younger version of Elisabeth. Her hair was identical, but she was shorter, had a rounder face, and wasn’t as feminine as Elisabeth. Despite the differences, their resemblance was uncanny.
Her mouth dropped open as Malthael stepped in behind her. When he spotted them, he hurried toward Nanette. “Where is Elisabeth?” he asked, his face betraying his worry.
“In the Dusky Woods,” she repeated. “We think.” She bit her bottom lip.
“If the Black King is here, we need to leave,” Malthael said, putting a hand on Nanette’s shoulder. “I will get Elisabeth.”
“You may be powerful topside, but here you are mortal, Malthael,” Ethan said, cutting in. “Take them to safety, and I shall find Elisabeth.”
“I will not leave without her,” Malthael insisted, his resolve unwavering.
“You will only be a hindrance to her,” Ethandirill said harshly. “Take Kerrigan, Selene, and Nanette to safety. I give you my word that I will keep Elisabeth safe.”
The hair on Nanette’s arm stood on end, and Malthael paused. He considered Ethandirill for a moment before glancing at the three women who would be in his care. Nanette looked up at him hopefully. Ethan’s was Elisabeth’s best chance, and Malthael had to know that. Whatever he saw on Nanette’s face overrode his resistance.
Resigned, Malthael nodded. “Protect her.”
Ethandirill reached into his pocket and extracted his watch. “This will get you through any doorway in the Netherworld to the same doorway on the planets.”
Malthael took it, clenching it as tightly as his jaw. Seeing his anger and worry building, Nanette put a hand on his shoulder. She was afraid for Elisabeth, but she wanted all of them to be safely away when the Black King made his move. She, Selene, and Kerrigan couldn’t fight this battle, and they would only distract those who could.
“Let’s go,” Malthael said and strode forward. Kerrigan spared a worried glance in Ethan’s direction before following. Selene hurried along as well.
Nanette turned back to Ethan. “Once you have found her, you will come back to me, won’t you?”
He touched her face. “I must help Ki and my brother.”
Nanette nodded. He leaned over, and she closed her eyes. His lips were soft, and she kissed him tenderly. She had missed him and wanted him to know. Her mind reeled from the feeling he caused in her chest—her heart was his. When he leaned back, she knew she loved him. It didn’t matter what he felt for her. She loved him. She would give her heart to him free of any expectation.
“I love you,” she whispered. “Be careful, Ethan.”
Ethan looked stunned, and she felt suddenly like crying, certain she’d ruined things again. She turned to leave, but he caught her arm. “You be careful,” he said, glancing past her. “Kerrigan is not what she seems.”
Nanette resisted the urge to look at the girl. “What do you mean?”
“She isn’t part Soul Collector,” Ethan told her, which left Nanette baffled. What did he mean? “Be on guard, my love.”
“I will be.” The words tumbled out as her heart clenched at the last words.
He wrapped his arm around her waist as he brushed his lips across hers. Before she could respond, he was gone. She sighed before following Malthael to where the others were waiting by the great double doors for her. Her eyes rested a moment on Kerrigan. Not for the first time that day, Nanette wished that Elisabeth were with her. She would know what to do.
Chapter 46: Morhaven
Ethandirill reached the edge of the Dusky Woods faster than he’d expected. He’d had to avoid almost everything, but almost everything had avoided him as well. It was good to have his powers back. It made things easier for him—at least in some regards. He had not expected Nanette to tell him she loved him after she had seen what he was.
His power was great and terrible. It was twisted and never worked as intended. They were the Chaos Clan, and even if they wanted to tip the scales in one favor or another, they couldn’t. They could only bring balance, though they could also pass judgment to bring the scales back into equilibrium. Words were tricky—they had so many meanings and could be warped in so many ways.
Ethandirill feared his own power and resented it. He’d never spoken of his fear, but he’d resisted using it, unlike his brother, who used it to remind everyone what the Det Morian Clan was. It reminded Ethandirill too much of his father and what he had become. His father had wanted to kill every man, woman, and child of the Shadow Clan. His obsession with them had driven him half insane, and Nauberon had gone along with it.
Ethandirill ducked under a fallen tree as he heard a mighty roar. His head came up as the creatures of the Netherworld scurried away from him. None of them tried to temp him, though. They could sense what he was. He ran toward the roar, pausing only to pick his way around a tar pool. When he drew closer, he heard a whimpering yelp come from the same direction as the roar.
Two Griffins ran by him, their heads down and their tails tucked firmly between their legs. Ethandirill was shocked at the display. When he looked over to where they’d come from, he saw a very dirty and rumpled looking woman. Steam came off her hands, and she was breathing heavily.
Elisabeth.
Looking every bit the warrior, she turned and called behind her. She headed toward the edge of the woods with a large group of people. It took him a moment to realize they were the villagers the Black King had dragged into his cyclone—though there were less of them now.
“Elisabeth,” he called, and she looked up startled.
“Ethandirill?” she asked, but she brought her hands up to defend herself. Clearly, she didn’t trust her eyes. She had come so far and learned so much.
Ethandirill lifted his hand and showed her the mark that meant Nanette was claimed by him. Her eyes shot over to it and then back to his face.
“I’m happy to see a friendly face,” Elisabeth said with a strained smile. He could see she’d been worn thin by recent events.
“You are nearly to the edge of the Dusky Woods,” Ethandirill said, coming toward them. “Everyone else has gone to safety. I will lead you there.”
“Where is the Black King?” Elisabeth asked softly.
“Facing my brother, no doubt.” Ethandirill glanced around at the villagers. “What happened?”
“He dropped us in the middle of the woods, knowing that I wouldn’t simply abandon them,” Elisabeth replied, her jaw clenched.
“You’ve saved so many of them,” he said, his attention caught by a crying child being held against a woman’s chest.
“But not all of them,” she whispered. “We shouldn’t dally. Let’s get them to safety.”
Ethandirill nodded, and they hurried through the woods. Elisabeth waved them forward. They kept up, clearly looking to Elisabeth to protect them. They eyed him warily, but didn’t say anything.
/> “Nanette is safe?” Elisabeth whispered after a moment. “And where is Ki?”
“She is with your father,” Ethandirill replied. He didn’t know if it was wise to tell her about Kerrigan or Selene. “Ki is executing—”
Elisabeth came to an immediate stop. “What is my father doing here?” she all but shouted. The entire group stopped as well, cowering in terror. Elisabeth glanced back at them before she started walking again—slower this time. The group of villagers followed.
“He came looking for you, thought something had happened to you,” he replied, remembering how Malthael had wanted to stay. “He knew he couldn’t save you, but he could protect others.”
“He is an exile. He can never return,” Elisabeth insisted. Her expression became pained. “He traded his favor, didn’t he?”
“I don’t know. He must have.” Ethandirill shrugged. “When did Malthael get that kind of favor from my brother?”
“Long ago, before he lost his immorality,” Elisabeth replied. “It was the only thing that kept King Nauberon from sending hunters. Do you think he will now?”
“I can’t say. I don’t know my brother that well anymore.” They reached the edge of the Dusky Woods. “I would have sworn that he never would have courted a half-breed.”
Elisabeth threw him a scowl. Apparently she had no idea that he was quite serious. His brother, as he knew him, would never have courted her. It didn’t matter that Ethandirill respected her. It also didn’t matter that he found Elsariel and Elisabeth to be a combined powerhouse of personality and skill. A Det Morian king would never have considered a half-breed Soul Collector as his wife. Never.
“I have a bad feeling something more is going on,” Elisabeth said.
“We need to get them somewhere safe,” Ethandirill told her, putting a hand on her arm.
“Nanette can’t leave the Netherworld,” Elisabeth said, taking his hand and turning it over. “Not unless you go with her.”
“She has a watch.” Ethandirill patted her arm. “She doesn’t need me.”
Elisabeth averted her eyes. “She loves you,” she said, looking up at him.
“I know,” Ethandirill replied.
Elisabeth’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “She told you? Good. Go to her. Because I know you didn’t tell her back. You couldn’t speak the words—not without binding yourself to her—but I know. I know you love her; I see the way you look at her.” She glanced toward Morhaven. “Don’t let love slip away.”
His inner conscience fought against his better judgment, and his conscience won out. “Ki isn’t with them,” Ethandirill told her.
She stiffened, and her face contorted in anger. “Where is he?”
“By now? Fulfilling his own plan.”
“Is he going to the Divine Court?” Elisabeth said, moving toward the heart of Morhaven.
He caught her arm. “We need to get these people to safety.”
Elisabeth pulled her arm free. “No, you do.”
“Girl,” a gravelly voice rang out.
Ethandirill froze at the sound and turned toward the brush. A moment later, Babayaga appeared, her stump carrying her toward them. Ethandirill heard a shield snap up around Elisabeth. The almost playful scowl that Babayaga had shown earlier was replaced with a real one. His grandmother wasn’t pleased.
“I revoke our deal,” Babayaga said harshly, as though the words physically hurt. “You must go to the King and protect him.”
Elisabeth regarded the old woman for a moment. Ethandirill glanced at Babayaga and remembered her trickery and her determination to keep Elisabeth far away from her beloved King. Babayaga rarely did anything that wasn’t for family or power. Ethandirill didn’t want to trust her one bit, but she was right.
“I want a new deal,” Elisabeth said. “I know the power of the Det Mor Clan. I will go and try to help King Nauberon if you protect every one of these villagers exactly as they are now—alive and unharmed.”
Babayaga grimaced. “Very well.”
“I’ll go with you,” Ethandirill told her.
Elisabeth seemed relieved. “Let’s go,” she said as they headed out toward danger.
Chapter 47: Morhaven
Elisabeth sprinted even though her body was physically taxed. Thankfully, her power wasn’t. It was a nugget of potential that kept her going. When her legs felt like collapsing, she let it flow through her, giving her the boost she needed. She didn’t stop until she reached the edge of the Divine Court. The palace was a stone fortress that rose up before her in glory and might. She’d never thought she would be back here—or at least not for a very long time. The truth was painful to admit, but she’d thought that once she’d found Ki it would all be over. True, her thinking had been optimistic, but she’d hoped that they wouldn’t forever be pulled apart, fighting again everything to be together. Elisabeth was determined to keep on fighting.
She was thankful that Ethandirill was there with her. “Where would they be?” Elisabeth asked as they snuck around the building and toward the door.
“The throne room.”
Frowning, she tried to remember the route through the fortress. “Is there a faster way?” she asked as she crept toward the abandoned front doors.
Ethandirill caught her arm. “Not that way,” he said. “I know another way in.”
He steered them toward another part of the fortress, where he slipped between two walls. Elisabeth blinked; it was as though he had disappeared. Just as she was growing worried, Ethandirill’s hand appeared, followed by his head.
“It is an illusion.” He gestured toward the wall. “Come on.”
She clamped her hand to his and let the young Det Morian guide her toward the throne room. Elisabeth couldn’t see anything in the passageway, but Ethandirill seemed to. He held her hand tightly, and she dared not let her fingers slip.
“Where are we?” Elisabeth whispered into the darkness.
“A secret tunnel built by my forefathers. Only family knows of this,” Ethandirill replied. “And now you.”
Elisabeth sighed. “I couldn’t find it again even if I wanted to.”
He chuckled. There was a moment of silence, and then Ethandirill came to a stop. “We are at the entrance. If anyone is there, we’ll be able to hear them but they will be able to hear us.”
Elisabeth nodded. “I’m ready.”
Light leaked in an instant before Ethandirill pulled her through. They were standing in a corner behind the raised throne and dais in the private throne room. There was no one there, but she could hear noises from the adjoining room with the amphitheater for the rest of the court. Ethandirill glanced at her and then let her hand go. His hands went to the set of daggers on his hips. Elisabeth raised her hand as though waiting for an attack. They advanced together toward the door that led into the other room. She could hear people talking and sounds of a scuffle, but couldn’t make out who or what.
Ethandirill put his back to the door before opening it. Elisabeth stood next to him.
“How long?” King Nauberon demanded.
“Since your father enslaved me, I have rebelled,” she heard Arawn say.
Elisabeth traded surprised expressions with Ethandirill as they both strained to peer through the open door. Leaves still fell from the ceiling, and the throne was still intact, but the room was darker—as though it was as angry as its king. Elisabeth shifted until she could see where the speakers stood. There was a shimmering shield around King Nauberon, and Arawn was hitting it with his axe. King Nauberon held his shoulder where gold leaked through his fingers. His blood was liquid gold.
“Why now? Why fight for another king? Does he promise freedom?” King Nauberon spat with disgust that even Elisabeth could hear in his voice.
“You are a fool, Nauberon,” Arawn replied. “I didn’t do it for freedom.”
“For power then?” King Nauberon demanded.
“My brother is weakening,” Ethandirill whispered so softly that she almost couldn’t make out th
e words.
Elisabeth looked up in worry as Arawn replied, “Not power.”
Elisabeth shifted her attention back into the room at the precise moment that the Black King strolled in. Elisabeth’s heart clenched as he sauntered back into her life like a lazy tiger hunting a mouse. To match his easy stride, he wore a sheepish smile. Elisabeth had to fight the urge to flee. Unlike the last time she had seen him on that strange world, he no longer shimmered around the edges. He appeared to be whole.
“It is a concept you should understand, my king,” the Black King drawled sarcastically. “It is all about family.”
King Nauberon shifted his attention as Arawn struck the shield again. It shrunk this time, contracting toward King Nauberon as though it was losing power. Elisabeth covered her mouth to keep from gasping, and Ethandirill’s fingers tightened on the door. She put a hand on his to bring him out of his thoughts.
“You have no family. My father killed your father,” King Nauberon all but growled at the Black King.
“Not quite.” The Black King positioned himself next to Arawn. He looked up at the Lord of the Hunt. “Isn’t that right, Father?”
Elisabeth did gasp this time, but her hand was over her mouth. She reeled at this knowledge. Aside from being a half-breed, the Black King wasn’t like her at all. He wasn’t half Soul Collector. The shard within her body suddenly took on a completely different meaning. All of the pieces fell into place. It was all Arawn’s doing—to bring back his son.
Elisabeth’s mind immediately snapped to Kerrigan. She had thought Kerrigan was part Soul Collector like her and that it was why she’d survived when her spirit animal, Cav, had died. But Kerrigan was something else entirely. She didn’t know how she was going to break the news to the girl.
“That’s why,” Ethandirill whispered.
Elisabeth looked up at him questioningly. He shook his head and jutted his chin forward. She knew he wanted to sneak in, a risky but necessary move. King Nauberon couldn’t hold out much longer, but Elisabeth hesitated to face the Black King and Arawn head on.