The Daath Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Eliza Tilton

  Yanking out my swords, I gauged the area. Reptilian and Kuuni fought all around me; some shifted into beasts, a few stayed in their two leg form. Rain began falling, creating a mist, making the battlefield a hazy gray.

  A trident whizzed past my face, slicing the left side. I raised my swords to block the next attack. A Kuuni raced forward, another trident facing me. I parried the large weapon, crossing my swords into an x, driving the shaft toward the ground, then I stepped onto the trident, spun off the weapon and removed the Kuuni’s head.

  Another Kuuni attacked my left. I raised my left sword and blocked the great sword coming in on my flank. The Kuuni shook violently, its body lighting in blue current. One of our synergists appeared behind me.

  “My prince.” He smirked as the Kuuni fell, then threw a ball of lighting at another opponent.

  Taking a moment to breathe, I nodded at the synergist. “How do the rest of our team fair?”

  “The mist makes it hard to see. This rain—”

  A trident drove through his chest, ending his words. He fell forward, revealing a group of Kuuni walking toward me. Two large beasts flanked the largest Kuuni in the middle.

  The commander.

  Black vertical lines ran down the sides of his white face. A large knotted sun hung from his wide neck, identifying him as leader. If I killed the leader, the battle would be ours.

  Three Kuuni to defeat on my own. This would be a long fight, but one I would win. I would return to my father with the greatest victory our people have had in a century. I swiveled the sword grips in my hand, readying my stance. I called on the deep powers residing inside me, calming my mind into focus. Red haze swarmed around me as I reached for all the strength and agility I possessed. I had defeated a wenlo mother, survived the trials of my youth, and any other opponent who had tried to test me. I would not die this day.

  What I hadn’t expected was the sudden loss of battle cries and clash of weapons surrounding the muddy field. Had we lost? No, our people were too resilient to fall to a lesser race

  The rain poured heavy. My feet slid deeper into the mud as I tried to find traction to stand.

  This will be interesting.

  The two beasts charged first, leaving their commander behind. I turned and dashed out of the way, jabbing the nearest Kuuni with a sword. He recoiled and swiped at my face, nearly missing my nose. I fought both savages, claws constantly coming too close as I dodged back and forth between the two, spinning in a deadly frenzy and stabbing out with my swords. Twirling, I swung at the right, cutting one Kuuni’s head off, then spun back the other way using the momentum to drive my other sword into the attacker on my left.

  With his two guards dead, the commander stood alone. A skin hide covered his groin and the pendant swung with his steps. His muscles flexed as he lifted his trident and whispered. The trident tip lit with fire.

  Impossible. Kuuni couldn’t use magic.

  Taking advantage of my brief confusion, the commander vaulted the fiery object forward. Flames licked my shirt and I dove to a nearby puddle to douse the fire. Before the flames were out, the commander picked up his trident and slashed at me, lighting the left side of my hair. I barely had enough time to roll through the water. The scent of singed hair filled my nostrils, and I coughed, desperate to breathe fresh air again.

  I tumbled forward and veered right, stepping behind the commander’s rear, then slashed at his thick calves. He screamed and fell forward, so I backed up, ready to deliver a final blow.

  The Kuuni’s body stretched and grew as it shifted into beast form. This beast was bigger than the others, with horns that curled and pointed forward. I raised my swords before he could fully transform.

  This was my moment.

  Wavy lines shimmered in the air around me. Tingles spread through my fingers and ran up my arms until my head swayed with dizziness. The Kuuni transformed and rose on two feet. I gripped my swords tighter as the strength began to leave me and the air blurred into darkness.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lucino

  I plummeted to the floor of my chambers.

  No! The simulacrum … Romulus must have finished and used the transport spell!

  Mud spread across the stone from my wet, dirty clothes. Blood covered the ends of my swords and dripped from the wound on my face. I stood, throwing my weapons to the floor in a clatter.

  I could have killed the commander! If I had stayed a few more moments, I could have slaughtered him and ended our war. Romulus’ timing was always inconvenient. With all his magic, he should have monitored the battle and saw not to transport me. Fool!

  Now that I was so far from the battle, I needed to sort through the day’s events. We should have annihilated the Kuuni, yet we were outnumbered. How? Normally, I’d go to our salt pools and let the dense water push away the sounds of distraction, but I couldn’t let anyone know I was in the castle.

  Beyond my sleeping quarter was a private washroom. I removed the soiled clothing, tossing it aside, and turned on the heated water that sprayed from holes in the ceiling. I stepped into the open nook where the water pooled at my feet and down into a drain.

  Hot water massaged my tired muscles. I played with the settings, adjusting the pressure until it kneaded every knot out of my back. I would have to cut the rest of my hair to offset the side that had burned off. The left side now hung closer to my chin than my shoulders. A shame. I rather liked my hair.

  While the destruction of my hair was an inconvenience, the day’s battle was distressing. Our rear scouts should have alerted us to the Kuuni’s approach. A Reptilian scout knew how to hide, and there was no logical explanation as to how they could have missed the rear attack. Which meant they allowed it. But why? And who would risk our warriors? Who would risk their prince?

  There was only one faction who wanted me dead: The Council.

  I pushed against the wall, leaning my head down under the water to allow the heat to hit my shoulders as tension knotted deeper into my muscles.

  I had a hard time understanding why they would risk losing an army, but the Kuuni wielding magic? None of it made sense. They were our enemies.

  Before I could see my father, I needed to check on the bird. It would be the first thing Jeslyn would ask about, and I had no idea how my father would react to seeing me here instead of at war. I would deal with the punishment, but after I checked on Jeslyn.

  I kept Romulus’ key in my bureau. Normally, I never needed it. The fool rarely locked his lab, but since the bird was habiting it, I insisted he keep it locked.

  I searched the drawer for the key. How could it be missing? No one enters my chambers.

  Without Romulus’ key, I wouldn’t be able to enter the lab where we hid Hadda. I would have to wait until he returned. I did not look forward to sharing that news with Jeslyn. She would be distraught about not being able to visit Hadda

  Dirty clouds drifted through the sky, our suns in the morning position. Since everyone believed me to still be fighting, I used the secret tunnel leading out of my quarters to go to the queen’s chambers. My mother may have placed Jeslyn in any of the servants’ rooms. I had no time to check each one.

  Slipping through the dark, I followed the steel wall around the bend until I came upon the panel leading to my mother’s chambers. I pressed a sequence of grooves on the wall and the door slid open.

  An electrical staff slapped against the entryway, stopping me from entering.

  “Is there a reason my son is snooping through my tunnel when he should be at war?” My mother lowered the staff and let me enter.

  “The war is nearly won,” I lied, entering the room, “and I have urgent business with Aurora. Call her so we can be on our way.”

  My mother clicked a button on the staff and the electric current shut off. “I would if I knew where she was.”

  “What?”

 
; “The girl has been missing for days.”

  “Days?” I yelled. “How did this happen? Why did you not send word? I told you to watch her—”

  “I will not be spoken to in such a tone!”

  My chest heaved and I glared at her. “You swore you would protect her. I trusted you!”

  “Sit!”

  Anger boiled under my skin, the red haze nearly sending me into a frenzy, but I heeded her words and sat. Gripping the arms of the chair, I waited for her to speak.

  She placed her deadly staff against the wall. “Three days ago, Aurora disappeared from her quarters. I had the guards question every servant and search every floor. She’s no longer in the palace or the city.”

  I failed. I should never have left Jeslyn here. Nausea spread through my stomach, twisting my insides in a cyclone of pain. Dizziness plagued my mind. She couldn’t be gone.

  “I do suspect someone, though.”

  “Who?”

  “Krischa seemed to have an interest in your Aurora. The night she went missing, Krischa was seen on this level. Of course, when I questioned her, she revealed nothing, and offered to use her sight to help find the girl.”

  Of course. How could I be such a fool? Krischa could have seen this. She could have seen through the disguise. Not wanting my mother to see my distress, I calmly nodded and stood. “I must go.”

  My mother held out her arm, blocking my exit. “If your father discovers you’re here, there will be no forgiveness.”

  “Then I will see him first.” It was a daring move, but I had to find Jeslyn, and I needed to see Krischa to do so. She would immediately tell the king I was here.

  Mother’s eyes widened. “Don’t be a fool.”

  “Am I ever?”

  “Foolish boy. Go, and be done with this nonsense. I hope your father doesn’t kill you.”

  “So do I.”

  I left my frowning mother and exited her chambers. The two guards outside her door stumbled aside as I rushed past them. Most likely shocked that their prince was in the castle instead of the battlefield.

  “I have urgent news for my father. Tell no one you saw me.”

  They nodded and I took the transporter to the war room.

  My father stood by the rectangular table, watching a hologram of our main fleet, his brows knitted and his mouth in a hard line. His white hair fell past his shoulders, and his normal royal attire had been replaced with a black meshed armor malleable enough that he could wear it without hindrance to his normal duties. According to the image on the display he watched, many of the Kuuni ships burned, but I knew a good portion of them had already left the battle and returned to land.

  “Lucino?” His ancient yellow gaze brimmed with fury. “What is the meaning of this?”

  I approached the table, examining the moving images. With his focus on the sea, he didn’t know what happened on land. Had he missed the entire battle? “I have returned to fulfill my duty.”

  “Your duty is on the battlefield.”

  “My duty is to our people, and now is the time to start the transition.”

  “Explain.”

  Every word I spoke had to be calculated, every thought and action logical to the point of no refute. “There is a war brewing in Tarrtainya between the mages and the king. With all attention focused on that, our people can secretly enter through the tunnels.”

  King Reagan watched the hologram, debating my words. “Why are you suddenly ready to move?”

  “I want to lead our people into the new world. You know I have spent decades there. I have already set up secret alliances with the humans. No one is better suited. Move now, while The Council is busy on the war here.”

  “And what will The Council say when they realize you have abandoned our people? Desertion equals death.”

  “I haven’t.”

  While my father had seemed more than agreeable with my first admission, this second one would equal my death or admiration.

  “I left a simulacrum in my place.”

  “You did what?” He shoved the table so hard it flew from its bindings. The hologram shattered.

  “Think, Father.” I stepped back, trying to put distance between us. Red mist surrounded him. “Our existence is at stake. I had to make a choice.”

  He shot forward and slammed me against the wall, then wrapped his fingers tightly around my neck. “A choice? My son, a prince, should know never to play with such dark magic. There are rules!”

  “Sometimes rules must be broken,” I choked, struggling for air as he tightened his grip. “If I died during battle—”

  “You would have died with honor!” He released me, and I fell to the floor gasping for air.

  I rubbed my neck. “Have you not seen the battle on land?”

  He picked the table up and switched on the hologram. The image flickered in and out. “The signal from land has been distorted. I’ve only seen portions.”

  “Then you understand we have a traitor, maybe more.”

  “What you have done cannot be forgiven, nor will it be forgotten.” He turned his back to me. “Leave me.”

  I stumbled to my feet. “Will you consider—?”

  “Leave!”

  “Yes, Father.”

  Before the end of this day, I would know the outcome of my choices. I had only until then to figure out what became of Jeslyn, and save her before I would need saving myself.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Avikar

  The Crystal Caverns connected Jehoia—The Eleventh Land—and Nomad’s Land. Once the Twelfth Land, this site had been full of rich soil and meadows that rolled over the hills. After The Purring, everything died. Magic had destroyed most of the plants. Red and brown sand replaced fields of flowers, and only in the past fifty years had new trees started growing through the tattered ground.

  We ditched Yoshi’s wagon and the mares before we reached the Blighted Sands. The old man now wore an enormous pack of junk on his back. I’d offered to help carry the load, but he refused, the weight of it forcing him to hunch over even more. How could he carry such a weight?

  Raven coughed. Wind blew her cloak around her, and she kept a hand on the scarf covering her mouth. Sand blew into our faces, and pushed against us. The muscles in my legs strained as I dug my boots into the heavy sand and trudged forward.

  The red and brown sand mixed together creating swirls of patterns that shifted with the wind. If the area weren’t so desolate, the shifting dunes would be beautiful. Heat blazed on our heads from the suns, high in the midday. Sweat slicked my shirt. At least we weren’t in the summer season. While it was hot, the summer season would make this place unbearable to walk through during the day.

  We had been walking since the suns rose. Little wildlife lived in this land. I had seen only scorpions and the occasional carcass picked clean by the albino crow that circled in the sky. No one spoke, either. Talking took too much effort, and the few times I tried, I ended up with a mouthful of sand.

  Raven marched beside me, she never complained, and pressed on through the darkest circumstances. The more I spent by her side, the more in love with her I became. She’d become my partner, and one I needed by my side. Even though she traveled and fought with me, the distance between us grew. We hadn’t spoken about Cael, or my father, or anything other than what we needed to do next.

  When this was all over, I’d take her anywhere she wanted to go, and start our lives like husband and wife: children, a quiet home, and far away from war. I chuckled and she glanced over, probably wondering what I could find funny in our situation. Me a husband … a father? It was a funny thought, especially when I had been so eager to leave my own home and travel across Tarrtainya like a ranger. Now, I didn’t care about any of that. I’d give anything to be stuck on a farm with her forever.

  Sand found its way into my boots. A pebbl
e stabbed the left side of my toe every time I walked. I took out a canteen and guzzled the water.

  “How much further?” I used my scarf to wipe away the sweat covering my forehead.

  “The first roamer camp is past the next two swells by the maiden’s rock.”

  “A roamer’s camp?”

  “The camp in Nomad’s Land is a merchant ground. A place for travelers to rest and re-supply. It’s the only camp between the sands and the cavern entrance we’re heading to.”

  “What are roamers?” Raven whispered, stepping closer to me.

  “Bandits. Guys I’d rather not interact with.” With all the time Raven and I spent together, I never told her about the day Jeslyn was kidnapped. Raven knew we had tracked Jericho’s caravan, but I never told her the whole story. It seemed pointless too. Would she really want to know I almost killed her cousin?

  “Don’t worry,” I reassured her. “Yoshi seems to know this place. If an old man isn’t scared, I’m not.”

  “Who said I’m old?” Yoshi cracked his back and re-arranged the rats, which he still carried, so the wooden box dangled off the pack on his back.

  “How old are you?” I asked.

  “Time is a perception to one trapped by it. I have no use for the limitations of mortal ideologies.”

  “Ha!” I laughed and inhaled sand. Raven slammed my back with her fist to stop me from choking.

  Yoshi skipped ahead of us.

  “He’s not immortal. He’s a crazy old man.” Raven frowned.

  “Surely,” I agreed. “But he is entertaining.”

  Yoshi disappeared over the next sand dune. Raven and I sped up to chase after him.

  “How does he move so fast with all that junk on him?” Raven huffed as we crested the top of the dune.

  “Magical clogs?”

  She smiled. “Wow. That’s the roamer’s camp?”