Her father grunted. “But you admit there is a compulsion between you.”
“Yes.” Obsidian didn’t even try to deny it. “And I’ll even admit a more than mild attraction to my Kyrsu, but I don’t mean to act upon it.”
The general still frowned. Anna knew she had to say something.
“Dad, I’ve been through a lot with him. First as Shadowlight and later as Obsidian. I couldn’t ask Fate or the gods for a better partner to have at my back in battle.” She paused and gazed upon Obsidian. “Or any other situation either, my Rasoren.”
Obsidian made a happy little sound deep in his chest.
Anna grinned at him, then turned back to her father. “So, you see? We’re a matched pair. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”
Her father still looked unconvinced.
“Let me try,” Obsidian said, his thoughts a gentle caress in her mind. “If I can make him see how I view you, it might convince him that I will always respect his beloved daughter.”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Strange human with your even stranger sayings,” he whispered as he left her side to walk a circle around her father.
Her Rasoren didn’t speak until he had her father’s undivided attention. “I’m not a fool. I know the link I share with your daughter disturbs you, but I assure you, my intentions are honorable. Anna has my utmost respect and admiration. I will do nothing to harm or sully the bond we share. You’ll see that as you get to know me, but for now, I’d like to tell you about your daughter.”
Her father looked brooding for a moment before gesturing for the big gargoyle to continue.
“During our time together in the Battle Goddess’s kingdom and later in Haven, Anna overcame obstacles and endured hardships that would crush most others. But she not only conquered them, she grew stronger. Now she leads the Gargoyle Legion as my partner, not because I converted her all those years ago but because she trained and fought and won the honor to lead, impressing even a demigod. I could never steal Anna’s will. She wouldn’t allow it even if I were weak enough to attempt such an evil thing. And I am not weak. We are both strong. We are a team, and she is the best partner I could ever ask for.”
Anna stepped up beside Obsidian and bumped shoulders with him. “Matched pair. Like I said the first time.”
Her father huffed. “Fine. If you love him like a brother, I’ll welcome another son into my family. Lord knows I already have enough sons to make me grey ten times over as it is. What’s one more?”
He turned to open the door and then gestured them out ahead of him. “Let’s go somewhere nicer to catch up and figure out what to tell your mother and brothers. The official report is that your team was lost in the forest. Flash flood because of heavy rains this spring. We haven’t yet found all the bodies. Local authorities are dragging the lakes. You were presumed dead until you were miraculously found alive in a ravine.”
Anna snorted. “Mom will never believe that load of horse shit...”
“No, not likely.” Her father snorted. “You know I can’t lie to that woman to save my life. She never believed the official report about a flash flood, anyway.”
Anna grinned. “Mom only believes half of what you tell her on a good day. She’ll think of conspiracies no matter how good the story.”
Even as Anna smiled and laughed with her father, she realized Obsidian was falling behind. She glanced over her shoulder as she reached for him with her mind. “What are you waiting for? Get your big ass up here.”
“I thought you and your father might like some family time together.”
“You are family. The sooner he fully understands and accepts that irrefutable fact, the easier everything else will be.”
Obsidian merely nodded at her wisdom and joined them. For the first time in hours, the tension between her shoulder blades eased. Perhaps the worst was behind her.
Obsidian snorted with humor at her thought.
“Ah, hell. I don’t believe that either,” she admitted. “But maybe we’ll get some peace for a time?”
“Doubtful. I believe there will be too much Gryton in our futures for peaceful anything.”
“Meh. You’re likely right.”
Chapter 24
The Magic Realm
Vaspara
AFTER HALF A MOON CYCLE locked in her cell, Vaspara was forgetting what color looked like. As a succubus, she could see in the dark better than some species, but without light, all colors just looked like varying shades of grey or black.
Outside in the hall, a few torches generated a meager light, only enough to outline the door that rarely opened. Sometimes she thought her captors just used the torches to taunt her with the promise of freedom she would never know again.
If Fate was merciful, she’d be left here to starve. If Fate was less kind, she’d be fed to the blood witch.
Her soul was tarnished from long years of serving the Lady of Battles, that was nothing compared to what the witch would do to her soul before the end.
Vaspara desperately wanted a better end than that. But any chance of being granted a swift death was slim. She noticed during the rare times the guards brought her food that none of them were from her or Sorac’s battalions. They weren’t even the harpy’s soldiers.
Which was unfortunate, since she might have been able to get one of Bervicta’s soldiers to kill her swiftly in a botched ‘escape’ attempt. She knew she had no hope of escape. But if she were dead, Sorac would know it, and he might then fight to break free. Perhaps he’d even escape and go to Anna and Shadowlight to beg them for aid in freeing his draklings. But he wouldn’t do any of that while she still lived.
‘It would be better if I were dead,’ Vaspara mused.
Yet she lacked the means to end her own life. Here she sat. A prisoner with the sole purpose to keep the mighty firedrake a prisoner as well.
As long as Vaspara lived, the Battle Goddess would use her to control Sorac. The only consolation was that she also knew the goddess wouldn’t kill or damage the draklings. The deity had waited too long to add more firedrakes to her army. So, the little ones were safe. Well, at least, as safe as anyone could be here.
Footfalls reached her ears, and her senses sharpened. Soon the person approaching turned a corner, and the sound came clearer. Vaspara had grown accustomed to the sentries’ individual footfalls. The ones approaching now didn’t belong to any of her usual guards. Had a new sentry been assigned?
The mystery resolved a moment later when Bervicta barked at the guards. “Open the door. I need to speak with the prisoner.”
“She’s not to have visitors by order of the Battle Goddess.”
“I’m not a visitor, you fool. I’m here to interrogate her. I need to know everything she knows about the draklings. Sorac isn't very forthcoming. I’m hoping Vaspara will be easier to force to comply.”
“I will need to clear it with my Captain.”
Bervicta snarled. “I cleared it with Captain Korsha over morning weapons practice. She was still spitting out blood and teeth when I left her in the ring. But by all means, I’m sure I could occupy myself with you while you send a runner to confirm with your captain.”
The harpy’s menacing tone echoed throughout the corridor, and Vaspara grinned at the chorus of ‘that won’t be necessaries’ that followed.
Bervicta was known for sparring with warriors outside of her own battalion, claiming she hated to cripple her own battalion members, preferring to practice against soldiers under the command of other captains to test their skills.
The harpy was the most powerful and skilled of the captains after Vaspara and Sorac. With the recent upsets in the power structure, Bervicta was now the highest-ranking captain, not counting Blood Witch Taryin.
Even when Vaspara still served the Battle Goddess, she hadn’t counted the witch as one of them. The captains had not always gotten along, or even liked each other, but they shared a respect for each other—a kinship.
The
witch rose to power through the use of dark magic, not strength, combat skills, and cunning.
But Bervicta was a friend, almost like a younger sister. Family. She might help Vaspara find a quick end.
Then she remembered the present situation. Bervicta couldn’t afford to be any of those things, even if the other woman still felt that way about her.
The door’s ward spell flared and then dropped away. A moment later it swung open violently, banging against the wall in a way that made her ears throb. The harpy stomped forward, her wings framing her muscular upper body. By her expression, she wished to be elsewhere.
“Don’t bother talking unless it is to answer one of my questions,” the harpy barked in a confrontational tone.
Vaspara held her silence and Bervicta just glared harder.
“I’ve been assigned guardianship of Sorac’s hatchlings.” She paused. A hint of concern crept into her eyes. “The little ones won’t eat. They’re growing weaker.”
“Of course you’re failing,” Vaspara said. “Though it’s no fault of your own. They’ll only take food from their parents. But it’s more than just that. They need their parents’ magic.”
Bervicta swore under her breath. “I was afraid you would say that.”
The harpy turned to glower over her shoulder at the guards. “I’ll need an escort. We’re going for a walk.”
The guards glanced at each other unhappily, but Bervicta was a captain and could command them.
The senior-most guard cleared her throat. “Captain Bervicta, we recognize your authority. However, we also have strict orders that the prisoner remain here.”
The harpy didn’t snap back at the woman, merely smiled coldly. “Do you wish me to tell the Battle Goddess that Sorac’s hatchlings have all died because you were too afraid to think for yourselves and reason out that Vaspara can save them?”
There was a long pause, and then the sound of a throat being cleared came again. “We’ll escort you to the cavern, but Vaspara needs to be back in her cell before shift change.”
Bervicta smiled. “This won’t take that long.”
The guards entered the cell and swiftly unchained Vaspara from the wall. Yanking on the freed length, they dragged her from her cell. She regained her balance and promptly matched the pace set by the harpy and the other guards.
They walked the underground tunnels in silence. Eventually, the floor began to slant upward. Bervicta walked ahead, halting before a sizeable iron-bound door. With a nod to the six guards stationed there, Bervicta silently ordered them to open it.
These guards wasted no time. Shortly the defensive magic had retreated into the frame, and the door was unlatched and shoved open. As the guards entered the room, they formed a wall with their shields.
Vaspara soon discovered the purpose of the shield wall as fourteen screeching, fire-spitting draklings launched themselves at the intruders.
But within moments of Vaspara entering the room, the screeching attack came to a halt as excited squeals of recognition rang throughout the chamber. They must have caught her scent.
“Demon spawn,” one guard muttered. As Vaspara shoved her way through the shield wall, Bervicta followed but wisely grabbed a shield from him as she walked by.
“Sorac’s hatchlings are vicious little things. They even took down an unwary guard the first day. They didn’t eat him, though.” The harpy sounded mildly disappointed.
The draklings swarmed Vaspara, jumping up and attempting to climb her all at once. They only managed to knock each other off and nearly took Vaspara to the ground with them under their combined weight.
Laughing and crying and ignoring their claws, she tried to hold them all at once.
“It’s all right, I’m here,” she crooned warmly to them. Then looking up at Bervicta, she demanded, “Fresh meat. Bring me as much as you can carry.”
“Already ahead of you.” Bervicta gestured to the guards behind her and one brave soul—the guard the harpy had stolen the shield from—came forward carrying two trays piled high with strips of raw meat.
The draklings hissed at the male, but Vaspara crooned softly to them, and they settled down to wait at her feet.
Bervicta took the tray from the male and crossed the rest of the distance until only two body lengths of space separated them.
“I think I’ll just put these down here.” She set the two trays on the floor and then backed away. “I like all my fingers and toes.”
Vaspara almost laughed at the way the harpy acted. Bervicta was a skilled warrior and could handle any threat, but something about being presented with fourteen hungry firedrakes seemed to put the harpy off her game.
It suited Vaspara. This way, the harpy would continue to look to Vaspara for aid and advice.
Vaspara guided her brood over to the meat and began feeding them small morsels. They grabbed and gobbled them down almost faster than she could toss the next piece, but none of them offered to take the meat from the plate on their own, preferring that she feed them.
On the second round of feeding, Vaspara began pushing some of her magic into the pieces of meat before tossing it into awaiting maws. Soon the trays were empty, fourteen little bellies were full, and Vaspara’s magic reserves were less than they’d been when she’d started.
“No wonder they weren’t interested in taking meat from us. The little parasites drank a fair bit of your magic.”
Vaspara would have been insulted if Bervicta’s tone hadn’t held pride and a little affection.
“They’re strong little monsters.” The harpy’s expression softened further.
Perhaps Bervicta was more of the mothering type than Vaspara had thought?
Eyes narrowing thoughtfully, Vaspara turned to face the harpy. “You must allow Sorac time with his brood, or they could still die. I’m not sure if my power alone will be enough to keep them alive. I’m not a fire elemental.”
Bervicta cursed under her breath. “That will be a logistical nightmare. The Battle Goddess specifically ordered that Sorac never be able to see his young. She fears he’ll grab them and run again.”
“That may be, but I’m telling you the truth.”
Bervicta sighed. “I know.”
She huffed again, a long-suffering sound. “I’ll speak with the Battle Goddess and explain what I’ve learned.”
“Thank you.” Vaspara paused while she debated if she should tell the rest. But if Bervicta wasn’t able to convince the Battle Goddess to allow Sorac access to his young, then the djinn’s power might be the only thing able to keep the draklings alive. Reaching for the harpy, she opened a private mental link.
“Initially, we stored the djinn’s bottle with Sorac’s eggs. It was the most protected and warded part of our new territory. The draklings were already feeding on the djinn’s power before they hatched. They continued to feed on him afterward. If the Battle Goddess won’t allow Sorac—” Vaspara paused, her lover’s name hard to speak even in her own thoughts. “If she won’t allow the father to feed his draklings, then perhaps the djinn can provide what is needed. His kind holds mastery over all the elements. He can probably summon up compatible fire magic as needed.”
Bervicta gave her a subtle nod and then continued out loud, “I’ll tell the Battle Goddess what I’ve learned. She’s always wanted a battalion of firedrakes. This might be her only chance. If I word it carefully, she may allow Sorac to see his hatchlings long enough to feed them.”
Vaspara nodded to her friend. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m doing this to protect my ass.” But Bervicta then added more along their private link. “It would’ve been better if you had never been found. You wouldn’t have been if not for the tracking spell on the djinn’s bottle. That was a stupid mistake. Don’t make it again.”
Turning on her heels, the harpy marched from the chambers, only pausing at the door to glower at the other guards. “What are you waiting for? Bring the prisoner.”
One of the female guards stepp
ed forward. “What about the hatchlings, Captain?”
“What about them?” Bervicta snapped, though Vaspara now suspected it was a show for the guards.
The female guard swiftly shut her mouth and ordered the other soldiers under her command to chase off the draklings and secure the prisoner.
Vaspara tensed, ready to fight until she saw that the guards were gentle with the hissing and fire-spitting draklings. All too soon the soldiers had driven off the little ones and had dragged Vaspara from the room.
With a heavy heart, she watched them slam the door shut and renew the wards of protection over it. But even the thick door with its many wards didn’t muffle the shrieks of the draklings.
Instinct rose within Vaspara, and before she could stop, she was reaching out to attack the nearest guard. Easily overpowering the surprised warrior, she lunged toward the next closest guard only to be brought up short by Bervicta’s sharp words.
“The Battle Goddess will punish Sorac for your transgressions, succubus.”
Vaspara froze, the harpy’s words returning her to her current reality.
“I’m sorry,” Bervicta continued along a private link. “There is only so much I can do to protect you, Sorac, and your young. And if I’m found out, I’ll be killed. Dead, I’ll be useless to them and you. Surrender for now, my friend. Fight another day.”
Vaspara straightened from her defensive stance. “I surrender. Don’t harm the draklings or Sorac.”
Bervicta barked out a short, humorless laugh. “Thought that would get you to behave. Come.” She speared the guards with sharp looks of warning. “I need to take what I’ve learned to the Battle Goddess. Return the prisoner to her cell.”
“Yes, Captain!” The senior-most guard replied as she snapped to attention.
After Bervicta had left, and the guards had led Vaspara back to her dark cell, the succubus smiled into the darkness for a long time and began to go over ways to free the draklings and escape. If she was regularly let out of this cell to feed the little ones, the guards might grow complacent, and that might lead to an opportunity to escape with the hatchlings.
The Complete Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset (Books 1-9) Page 170