by A C Wilds
He dips his head in shame, the hurt he’s held for all these years showing in the slump of his shoulders. “I can’t face him even if it’s to save us all. The visions showed me what will happen, and it’s too much.”
“You saw, yet you still refuse?”
“I’m not that angel anymore. Death and war are behind me.”
“Lead us to where he is, and then you can go. Uriel, they have Holy Magic. It will destroy all the worlds. The witch who possesses it wants nothing more than to create a world where only she rules.”
He may have visions, but the whole story sometimes evades him. Nothing is set in stone, but I know for a fact Rahna is power hungry and will do anything to get what she wants.
“It’s true,” Anima says, still captivated by his holiness. I don’t know why—it’s not that impressive.
He regards her with a smile. “You are quite the puzzle.”
I growl, wanting what I know not to be true. Anima doesn’t need the extra pressure right now.
“Enough, Uriel. Get your shit because we’re leaving. No questions. Or you’ll see why I’m called the Blood king.”
“You do not scare me, King-Who-Isn’t. But if I do go, my price is a favor. When I want it—whatever it is—you may not say no.”
A devilish grin comes over his mouth. A favor of that magnitude would put me in the position to be at his mercy. It’s too important to give away.
“I cannot offer a bargain such as that, no matter the cost. Making deals with angels never goes well.”
“I’ll offer it,” Anima cuts in. A deal floats on the wind toward Uriel. Before I can intercept it, he grabs onto it.
“Deal.”
I curse under my breath, my eyes glowing enough to light up the cottage.
“Calm down, Torque. I’ll go easy on her.” He grabs a packed bag from underneath the table, then takes his bow and quivers off the hook on the wall. Negotiations over.
“I see you were planning on coming anyway.” My eyebrows furrow in disappointment.
“It would have been rude not to hear you out,” he says, striding out the door. It takes all of my willpower not to throttle him.
“You’ve made a huge mistake,” I say, holding the door open for Anima.
“It wasn’t a choice for you to make. You denied him the deal, so I had to make it. Too much is at risk.”
“You’ve left yourself at his mercy. You don’t know what he’ll ask of you.”
“I have nothing of value, no one to take care of. All I am is my power. If I have to give it to him, then so be it. She cannot win.”
Discussion over, she walks away from me to a destiny that awaits us both.
22
Torque
The nuckelavees have an issue with Namir, who is currently tormenting them by growling and bouncing around to avoid their fire.
“He’s delightful—a fit companion. You’re lucky to have him,” Uriel tells her. Pride is written on his face.
“I didn’t even know he existed until yesterday, but I feel the connection between us like it’s been inside me for years.”
Admiration pours out of her as she watches Namir play with the nuckelavees, who aren’t happy about his curious nature.
The giant beasts have semi-transparent coats in various colors covering the fire they breathe on their enemies. They are more resilient and stronger than horses in the Mortal Realm, but they are quick to temper. I’m not afraid for Namir, but I don’t want to see the demon cat singed.
A screech sounds in the sky. Ari lands beside us, her head darting from side to side as she assesses the situation. She’s a true warrior, my golden eagle.
“Ari!” Uriel calls, and that traitor of a bird extends a coo as he brushes her feathers.
“He can’t be all bad if Ari likes him, right?” Anima asks, heading over to one of the nuckelavees and reaching a hand out. My fists clenched to my side, I stalk over to her, avoiding the love fest going on beside me.
I reach out for her hand, holding it close to me. “Be careful. They’ll burn off your fingers if you aren’t cautious.” My voice sounds tight, but my mind is reeling—from her touch or the encounter with the angel, I’m not sure. I’m starting to regret having Uriel with us.
Acting like she didn’t hear me, she continues over to the first nuckelavee. He’s beautiful, thick black mane, and a hint of gray in his coat. Nuckelavees resemble mortal horses. However, there are a few differences. They carry fire and water magic. Something that shouldn’t be possible, but nothing in the Demon Realm is.
“You’re not going to hurt me.” A statement, not a question. She removes her hand from mine, then places it on its nose. The male snorts smoke, and it absorbs into her skin. She shivers from the contact.
“That’s unexpected,” Uriel muses from his position next to his nuckelavee. He’s throwing supplies into the saddlebags.
“Why?” Anima questions, still stroking the animal. He’s content with the touch, leaning into her more.
“Normally, the smoke would burn. At the very least, it would make you uncomfortable.”
My nuckelavee is more hesitant to make the connection, but I don’t back down, feeding some of my power into the beast. His eyes brighten with understanding, and he takes a step closer.
The connection between the Demon Realm and myself is growing stronger. The magic of the land seeps inside me, merging with my own. It’s intoxicating.
We’re mounted ten minutes later, making our way to the town center and finally to the gate that will take us into the forest.
A commotion ahead stops us, and I instantly know Helda has set us up. It was inevitable, but I thought with the swiftness we found Uriel, we’d have some time.
“I take it these are the general’s men?” Anima queries, seeing a group of soldiers coming toward us. There’s no doubt she’s correct.
I steer my nuckelavee into an alley, dismount, and tie him to an outpost. We’re going to have to fight our way out, and it can’t be done from the back of a mount.
“Uriel, will you be joining us?” Grabbing the sword I stole from the bar, I don’t wait to see if he will follow. The witch is by my side in an instant. Her energy bounces around, ready for a fight.
“I’ll be more useful in the shadows if you and Uriel come at them with a direct attack. I’m used to surprising my prey.” Her face lights up with happiness, her smile showing all her teeth.
Chuckling, I wait till she lopes off into the dark alley across from where we stand. She scales the building with a quickness I can only liken to a cat. Namir is perfect for her.
The tyger stays by my side, ready to protect us and jump in. Uriel sighs, drawing his bow and arrow.
“I’m not happy about this, King. It’s been a long time since I’ve raised my bow.”
Remembering the last time he did, I understand. Nox and I were at war, in the thick of it, and Uriel was torn between love and what was right. He left Nox and joined our side, the ultimate betrayal. I never asked what made him jump to our side, but if it was against his love, it must have been huge.
“We take them as fast as possible and try not to get killed.” Simple.
“I better not die.”
Laughing at his threat, I run toward ours. Nothing can stop us from our mission, not the general and his men or even Nox himself. We have to succeed.
Twenty soldiers dressed in the general’s regalia stand shoulder to shoulder at the gate. I recognize a few faces, but it doesn’t matter now. I’m the Blood king, the true ruler of these lands, and I will take back what is mine.
“You all have one opportunity to leave. After that, I will have your heads.” My threat reaches everyone, but no one moves. As I expected.
Uriel nocks his bow, then lets the first arrow fly. It hits a soldier right in the eye. He goes down instantly, his comrades stunned by the swiftness with which he was dispatched.
Raising my sword, I let out a war cry. Rushing the soldiers head-on, I reach the nearest one,
our blades clanging together, a bell dinging to start the fight. Uriel stands back, nocking arrow after arrow, taking out five men before he’s overtaken and forced to use the sword strapped on his back.
There is still no sign of the witch, but Namir is making quick work of stomping and mauling any soldier who steps into my path.
A fully dressed soldier with medals of honor steps into my space. I don’t recognize him, but his sneer means he knows exactly who I am. “You should have never come back, Fallen King. You aren’t wanted here, and now you will die by the general’s hand.”
“It’s a shame you won’t be seeing your ruler after today.” I don’t wait for his reply. Instead, I bring my sword in an arc, aiming for his head, but he blocks my blow. We push back on our blades, locked in a battle of strength.
A grunt comes from his mouth as he tries to overpower me, but I don’t let up. The power of the realm adds to my strength. I push away from him, causing him to fall to the ground. I raise my sword to end his life, aiming for the perfect blow.
Before it reaches him, pain explodes in my side. The warmth of my blood spreads around my torso. I drop my sword, clutching at my ribs. When I pull the knife out, a scream escapes my lips.
The soldier flashes me a twisted grin. “Now we will see who doesn’t live out the day.” He readies his stance. I attempt to stand straight, call my blood to wrap around me, but there is too much pain for me to concentrate. The blade must have been dipped in poison.
“Apparently, these assholes don’t know how to bow out when they are defeated.” Her voice is a savior’s bell throughout the fight. Smoke fills the courtyard, the most I’ve ever seen. Her eyes glow pure silver as she connects to her demon powers.
She throws her smoke straight to our enemies. The soldiers clutch their bodies, screams of agony passing their lips, none able to hold the pain in.
Smiling, she pushes more power through the smoke until it becomes a solid thing—oily and slick, it coats each as they die at her hands.
She shivers in ecstasy, something I’ve experienced when I’m dipped in blood. The pull of the power. The exhilaration of being all-powerful.
“Anima, that’s enough. Don’t lose yourself again. Control the power,” I yell. The action makes me wince in pain.
She doesn’t listen. She’s lost inside herself. I try to stumble toward her, but it’s futile. I crumple to the ground.
A roar rips through her spell. Namir fights to get to her. His power brushes over us, making it impossible to breathe—the breath of a demon cat flowing through every pore of our bodies. Death would be a better outcome.
She snaps her head toward him. It’s a nonhuman gesture, something a cat would do while scenting her prey. Her eyes dim, and the smoke slowly recedes with Namir’s magic trying to control it. Inhaling a large gulp of air, I collapse. The sky is the last thing I see before I blackout.
Anima
The rush of the power being pulled from me leaves me shaking and weak. I stumble toward Torque. There’s so much blood. How can he be this hurt? A screech comes from the sky as Ari lands next to us, flapping her wings and causing my hair to fly all over.
“He’s been poisoned,” Uriel says, limping over to me. His leg is twisted at the wrong angle.
“How do we fix him? We can’t let him die. He can’t die!” I’m all but hysterical, urgency coming through every word.
Namir comes over, nuzzling his nose into my shoulder. I begin to lose it. Power surges out of me, leaking into the sky. “No!” I can’t bear it. He can’t be gone. I lay my head on his chest, begging for there to be a heartbeat.
My tyger pushes me out of the way, then begins to lick the blood from Torque’s side. At first, I think he’ll bite him. When I try to push him away, Uriel grabs my hand. I snarl as I whirl around, and he smiles.
“Namir will heal him. It’s weak poison. One Namir is equipped to deal with.” The words bounce in my head, clearing the hurt and pain that was there only moments ago.
Remembering my shoulder when Namir first came to me, I sag in relief. Torque will be healed. He’s going to make it.
Uriel limps over to the alley where the nuckelavees are tied, then leans against the building. Moments later, a crack rings out in the courtyard. Uriel’s scream follows. “Motherfucker!”
His leg is now in the right direction. I wince at the pain he must be in, but then a white light comes from his palm. His body sags in relief—healing magic. My eyes widen in shock. Is that what I did to Mammon? Does Uriel have Holy Magic?
Namir sits on his haunches, pulling me back to Torque. Blood soaks through his beautiful white coat. He begins to clean himself as only a cat can.
Torque stirs next to me, and my attention snaps to him. His eyes flutter open, and he groans in pain. Our eyes connect, and my relief passes through us. He offers me a weak smile, and I can’t help but return it.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’d care if I’d have died, little witch.” He shifts to his side, attempting to stand. I hurry to help, clutching his elbow and assisting him to his feet. He straightens his body with a shiver of pain.
“No,” I stutter. “You are the only one who can help us get Nox to agree. We can’t lose you. You’re important to the mission.” I step back, releasing my hold. Ari joins us, and Torque leans on her. Not able to be in his space right now, I jog over to Uriel. Gods, I need to get my shit together.
“King! Our king has returned,” a woman’s voice rings out in the aftermath. She rushes over to Torque, landing on her knees and bowing. Several townspeople soon join her.
Torque grimaces at being recognized. This isn’t good for our mission. I imagine this will be around the Demon Realm in no time.
“Rise, everyone. Yes, I have returned, but only for a short time.” He leans on Ari for a moment while he regains his footing.
“You cannot leave us. We’ve been cloistered and abandoned. Beaten and imprisoned by the general. He has no mercy for the citizens of the Blood. You have to help us.”
His face falls, her words cutting right through him. “I wish I could stay and rule once more, but my mission is elsewhere. But I offer a promise to you all. I shall return after I’ve completed what I’ve come here to do. Our kingdom will be restored.”
A sick feeling creeps into my stomach. Return? Won’t he be staying with us? With me? I quickly dismiss it. I don’t have feelings for the Blood king. I cannot. I’m an assassin, a witch without a home, but I’m a protector of the Mortal Realm. I have to get these notions out of my head.
“I offer you a gift.” He raises his hands into the air, and a blast of magic the color of his ruby eyes shoots straight into the sky. It blasts into an arc, which shields the town inside a dome. “You will be protected from the forces of the general, but know this. Helda is the one who brought their forces here. She is the one who ran to the general to make my location known.”
Shouts ring out, and some people march to the bakery. I would not want to be Helda. A few demons rush to his side, hoping for a chance to touch him and offer words of sympathy or encouragement.
I leave him then, detaching myself from the inevitable. We can never be together, the princep and I. These feelings I have need to be buried deep inside of me forever.
“You’re starting to fall for him,” Uriel states as I arrive at the nuckelavees. I wipe the blood from my sword, then place it in the sheath on my back. I fought my way to Torque, making sure he was safe. It was the only thing I could think about at the time.
“You don’t know what you speak of, angel. He’s the king of Blood, a princep in the Mortal Realm. I’m a Tenebris witch, protector of the Mortal Realm. We are the most honorable coven. I do not consort with demons.”
His laugh is loud and long, causing a tinge of heat to creep over my face. “You are so wrong. Your blood screams to a different heritage. One you’ll soon find out.” And for a moment, sadness crosses his face. It’s so quick I think I imagine it.
What would make
the angel sad?
23
Torque
The journey to the Darklands leads us through rough terrain. Beyond the borders of Gresa is a forest, one that only the bravest dare to go. It’s a perfect hunting ground for the demons the myths speak of—tortured creatures who are made to live out their existences alone in the woods.
“How far do we have to go?” Anima asks, her mount trotting next to mine. I’ll never forget her face when I was healed—the beautiful glow of her skin, her energy pulling me back from a hidden place.
“It’s about a week from here to the border of the Darklands. Once we are inside, we can then navigate to the Outer Ridge and find Nox. I’m sure the bastard is holed up in the cottage I created for him. Fitting, really.” Uriel sighs.
“What happened between you?” Anima’s question makes me grimace. Their story isn’t a happy one.
“Nox is the most beautiful being I have ever laid eyes on. He had me the moment he opened his mouth and said hello. It was a love for the ages. We enjoyed each other’s company, confided in one another, and made a home out of a kingdom that was seeped in darkness.”
“Sounds like a fairytale.” Her words have an edge to it. I wish I could give her what she needed. If only she would allow me to.
“It was until he became greedy. It didn’t happen overnight, but when he started to become manic. I knew I couldn’t stay then.”
She doesn’t respond, seeming to understand. I wonder if she ever had a love like that, experienced that type of connection. I know I haven’t.
We ride for the rest of the day without interference. The only sounds are the forest and the clopping of nuckelavee hooves. Anima is always a thought in my mind, a beacon of light just out of my grasp.
“We should camp here for the night. We can see both sides of the road from here. A water source at our backs will secure us from behind if any attackers come for us.”
Her plan is solid, the Tenebris assassin scoping out the safest route. Pride washes over me. I imagine what it would have been like to have her in my army during the war with the general. Her power unleashed on the true evil. It would have been a sight to see.