Silver's Redemption (Soul Merge Saga Book 3)

by M. P. A. Hanson

  “What does any girl want? A few diamonds, some servants and demons that obey her every command, that’ll do me.” Silver smiled. “No, dear sister. I merely came to ask you if you’ve heard anything from your wonderful parents recently.”

  “Kate has been silent recently.” Romana remarked. “I have only met our father once; he didn’t seem to like me much.”

  Silver smirked. “That almost makes you sound jealous that he spends so much time tormenting me.”

  “If you’ve got nothing else to say, then leave.”

  “Don’t you value our time together dear sister? Or would you rather have me locked up where I couldn’t do any more harm to your ignorant little life?” Silver interrupted her when she would have answered. “I bet you want me locked away, maybe in some dungeon somewhere or on board a prison ship.”

  “Well it would be pretty hard to put you on a prison ship seeing as there are none.” Romana remarked, bored. But Silver stopped talking instantly.

  “There was the ship Discovery.” Silver said.

  “It sank months ago.” Romana remarked, unsure what was wrong with her sister. “What is that ship to you, Silver? Why do you want to know where it is?” She realised quickly what Silver had been trying to get her to divulge. “Is it really sunk at all?”

  The smirk was slowly fading from her sister’s face.

  “Is Alda aboard that ship?” Romana demanded.

  “No.” Silver muttered. “But my way to get to her is, as is my brother.”

  “He’s my brother too.” Romana argued. “I’m coming with you.”

  “No, you are not.” Silver replied. “And he will NEVER be your brother. He’s mine.” In a flash her blades were drawn and the pommel of Silver’s sword was heading towards Romana’s skull.

  It missed, because a large tanned arm got in the way.

  “If you hit her again.” Marten said. “I will kill you.”

  Silver swiped out with her other sword, the blade aimed at him, but Romana grabbed her other arm.

  “This is an interesting position.” Romana remarked. “Apparently Roan is aboard the prison ship Discovery that was not sunk and is in fact under the control of Alda.” She updated Marten as Silver struggled between them both.

  But her sister, in a characteristically fast move, dodged out of both their holds. “You are not getting in the way.” She ordered. “I plan to free my brother by myself and if damaging you both so badly you cannot interfere is the only way to make that happen then that is what I will do.”

  Romana wasn’t quick enough.

  Silver had her blade stuck through Marten’s chest in the next instant.

  “No!” She yelled out sending a bolt of flame at her sister who quickly dodged it.

  Romana shoved healing magic into Marten as fast as she could, thanking the Ancients when it worked.

  “If either of you come after me or that ship, I will personally torture you both in front of each other.” Silver promised. “Even your fire won’t be able to heal you if I take a leaf out of our cousin’s book and take your magic from you.”

  Romana hugged Marten’s unconscious, but alive, form to her chest. “You wouldn’t dare.” She cringed at the memory of Kobos and his siblings draining her of magic for their own sadistic pleasure.

  “I would, and we both know it. Did you know if you do the same thing to a non-magical being then you literally suck the life out of them?” Silver asked cordially. “I would take the extra years his halfling nature had given him and live longer as a result while you watch him wither away. So stay away, dear sister.”

  With that she disappeared.

  “We made a mistake.” Marten said, coming round as she continued to fix his wounds. “We should have told Kate we’d rather have taken our chances with Alda. We could have won.”

  But they both knew it was a lie.

  “Tommy and Keenan are in danger as long as they’re with her.” Romana said. “If Silver is planning a long cruise, maybe we should concentrate on finding a way to get them away from her.” What her sister had said about drinking demon blood sounded crazy, but Silver wasn’t above making Tommy do it if she deemed it necessary.

  “He sounded fine.” Marten replied. “I heard from him last night. Silver lets him out of her base to practice with Keenan, and he managed to get a message to me with a pigeon from a nearby village.”

  “You know where he is?”

  “He wouldn’t say. He just said he was not coming back, that Keenan needed him and the wytch wouldn’t hurt them so he took a vow of allegiance to her.”

  Romana was shocked into silence. “They’re both sworn to her?”

  “Yes. They won’t betray her.” Marten replied. “It’s Roan that I’m worried about. He might be her brother, but that probably won’t make her any less cruel when it comes to him.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  LAUGHTER

  Silver was fuming as she watched Tommy and Keenan run flat-out across the rugged terrain below her. She followed on her black wings, angry but actually pleased at their progress. She wasn’t even angry at Tommy for sending that message to Marten; after shooting down the bird to read it she had even reattached it to a bird from a village further away to lead the kingling in the wrong direction.

  No, she was mad because she had sent dozens of demon birds out over the ocean, and not one of them had reported back with a sighting of Discovery. It had been three days, but the scavenger birds that lived on the hellhound home world could travel at a respectable speed and with so many of them out looking she would have expected some sign at least.

  But there was nothing, and Keenan said no thief in the kingdom had reported seeing it dock again. So where was it?

  She looked down with a critical eye, gauging the speed of the two men below her. She was bored of just letting them run around, it made no fun for her and did nothing to distract her from her lack of progress. Perhaps that was why she summoned demon fire into her hand and tossed it at a nearby tree where it exploded, causing them to dive to avoid flying splinters of wood.

  The men looked at the burning tree, then up at her. Keenan shouted something she couldn’t hear, but she smiled at sent the next bolt right at him.

  They kept running, but changed course towards a denser part of the forest, she noted the change with approval as she sent bolt after bolt after them. One misstep and they would be vaporised; she knew it, and they knew it.

  She upped the ante when they were looking tired, adding walls of fire that appeared directly in front of them. The curses she could hear being thrown her way turned the air blue as she continued, increasing the frequencies of her blasts every time one of them showed signs of tiring.

  Dalmorin was in sight by the time she stopped. They had run at least fifty leagues with her chasing them, and they collapsed the moment they reached the paddock. Tommy fell to his knees, retching, while Keenan just flopped down onto his back. She wasn’t much better as she put her hands on her knees and panted.

  “What the hell was that?” He asked, and surprisingly he sounded exhilarated. “Some warning would be nice next time you want to barbeque us!”

  Silver couldn’t help it, laughter bubbled up from her at his expression.

  “Poor ice-boy.” She mocked. “Was that too hot for you?”

  “I think he nearly melted.” Tommy joined in with her, laughing at Keenan’s disgruntled expression.

  “I’ll ice you both in a minute.” Keenan muttered. “Just let me get up the energy to move first.”

  The situation was so odd, that for a moment Silver didn’t care, she just burst back into laughter with Tommy. Then it caught up with her, she was laughing, joking. What was she doing?

  The men sensed her change in attitude, and the laughter stopped.

  “You did well.” She praised. “Next time will be harder. Both of you get some rest. When I find Discovery, you’ve just earned a place fighting beside me to get rid of some of Alda’s cronies if you want it.” She tur
ned and left, inwardly struggling with her reaction in the minutes before.

  She had never laughed like that, not with Leigh when she was training, not even when she was pretending to laugh with her brothers. Happiness was not something she felt. Her life was bitterness and war. Why on earth was she laughing?

  “It’s getting to you, isn’t it? The bond with Romana.”

  “Leigh.” Silver muttered, turning to see the centaur nearby. “Would you mind moving this conversation somewhere more private?” The men were still in hearing range and she knew that they were listening to every word.

  “They swore to keep your secrets.” Leigh reminded her, glancing over at them.

  Silver followed her gaze, and sure enough they had stopped moving, a sure sign they were eavesdropping.

  “We aren’t talking about it anyway, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

  “It does matter.” Leigh retorted. “You have a part of Romana in you, it’s changing you. I may even go so far as to say it’s healing you! But you cannot be healed if you are to take on Alda. You were brought back for your coldness, your calculating mind and your cruelty. Romana’s soul is damaging that!”

  “No it isn’t.” Silver yelled. “I am me. Soul merging won’t make me soft. I have it under control!”

  “Then what was that?!” Leigh demanded, gesturing wildly at the area of the paddock where the men were. “Laughing isn’t something you do.”

  “Do you want to go into my mind?” Silver demanded. “I can guarantee what you will find there. There is no part of Romana, no love, no happiness, no gentleness. I am still the bitter, hateful wytch I always have been. Back off Leigh, or I will cut out your tongue for questioning me like this.”

  Leigh didn’t stop. “Go on then. I bet you won’t, you couldn’t, not now. And even afterwards you’ll heal me without making me beg, just like you healed Keenan.”

  Silver grabbed for her knife, fully intending to do some damage, but before she could even touch it, Theria sprung out of the forest and clawed at Leigh, followed by her brothers.

  Leigh bucked and kicked, but her weapons were dragged from her. Silver stood motionless, aware of what her familiar was doing.

  “You need to say you ordered this.” Theria informed her. “You don’t want to hurt Leigh so blame us for this and not yourself. You’ll look like you ordered a worse punishment.”

  All the time she was saying this Leigh’s body was being cut and scratched in ways that would scar. Tufts of her fur were being ripped out and one of her ears was bitten off. Bone showed through blood and muscle and soon her legs buckled, sending her to the ground.

  Miria ran up. “Night Angel, please stop this!” She begged.

  “You know better than to interfere.” Silver said evenly. “She challenged me.”

  “This isn’t right and you know it!” Tommy surprised her by appearing next to Miria on the other side of the struggling group.

  Silver said nothing, she just watched evenly as Leigh finally stopped fighting.

  “Stop.” She commanded. “Do you yield?” She asked Leigh.

  “Yesss.” The word was rasped from lips that were shredded.

  “Go and get cleaned up.” Silver muttered, “You’re a mess.”

  She turned on her heel and almost walked straight into Keenan.

  “Move.” She said. “Or I’ll do to you what I just did to her.” There were growls of approval from around her.

  Keenan narrowed his eyes, but he moved aside as Silver just walked away.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  SECURITY RISKS

  When she was out of sight she broke into a run, aware of her hounds following her.

  “Mother, stop.” Theria said. “Lay with us. It is a cold night.”

  “What I let you do to Leigh was wrong.” Silver muttered as she slowed. “I have never hurt her in all the years I’ve known her.”

  “You would have been forever questioned had you not let us do it.” Cicero replied. “Leigh reports to the thieves as you know, and word of your weakness would have spread.”

  She sighed. “I know. I can’t change who I am. I won’t ever be Romana, I was forged in blood. But I haven’t been happy for a long time. Keenan and Tommy brought that side of me back again, and I don’t know how to deal with it.” She admitted, sitting on the ground as the hounds piled up around her.

  She could only speak her mind to her pack. They were the only beings in this entire world who wouldn’t betray her.

  “Happiness doesn’t change your abilities.” Willem said. “It’s when you feel pity, regret and love you should begin to worry.”

  “I don’t even know those feelings.” Silver told him. “I just want Romana to take back her stupid soul so I can stop having to deal with this rubbish.” The last was yelled out to the universe in anger.

  Theria rubbed her head against Silver’s thigh.

  “There must be a way to undo it.” The hound said. “The ancients must be able to put a block in place or something to hold it back.”

  “But would you trust them to put it there?” Silver demanded. “I cannot ask them for help. I will just endure this idiocy.”

  “We have company.” Bran interrupted.

  “I know.” Silver muttered. “And if it isn’t my favourite sister.”

  Romana appeared in front of her, a spectre in the wind. Silver didn’t move and neither did her hounds.

  “You embrace demons.” Romana looked a mix between awed and disgusted.

  “You know me; I’m a sucker for the cuddly things in life.” Silver retorted with a smirk.

  “I’m here because these things just attacked Leigh, and I’m told you ordered them to do it.”

  Silver just looked at her.

  “Then something is wrong with you.” Romana replied. “I guessed it when you got possessive over Roan. But you have a history with Leigh, and I know as a gut feeling that you would never hurt her. What is happening to you?”

  “She started talking about feelings.” Silver replied, and her tone made it clear Romana shouldn’t do the same.

  Romana of course, didn’t listen. “I’m becoming more vicious.” She admitted quickly, like she thought she wouldn’t get the words out if she waited longer. “Is it the effect of the bonding? Because a few days ago I robbed a man of his memories painfully, stole his possessions and sent him home with no record of ever having met me.”

  Silver and all of her hounds sat up a little straighter.

  “Do you know of any way we can undo this bond between us?” Silver asked, not directly answering the question her sister had asked.

  “The Ancients might do it.” Romana suggested.

  “I don’t trust them in my mind. Would you?” Silver queried. “Kate and Gaillean have their own agenda; the Council has an even worse one.”

  Romana shook her head. “You’re right. But I cannot see any other way.”

  “Demon mind control won’t work on me.” Silver muttered. “Otherwise I could use a helio-demon to fix myself.”

  “You could do it for me.” Romana suggested.

  “No, she couldn’t.” Theria spoke up. “You would forever wonder if she’d done something else to your mind. And she could do anything. She could make you work for her, control you like a puppet or even kill you. You don’t trust her that much.”

  The look in Romana’s eyes confirmed what Theria had just said.

  “Then we have no way to fix this?”

  “Personally I’m offended that you’re not flattered I gave you some of my soul.” Silver smirked.

  “Well it obviously wasn’t enough to overpower mine.” Romana replied. “My eyes are changing, and yours have little gold flecks in them around the pupils. The others’ eyesight may not be powerful enough to see it yet but you and I can.”

  Silver was amazed that Romana could see them with the six feet of distance separating them. In the mirror she had to look very closely to get a hint of them, this meant either Romana’s eyes were st
ronger or the flecks had gotten bigger.

  She refused to accept the latter.

  “Keenan, you can get out of the bushes now.” Silver muttered. “I can still hear you.”

  There was a curse before Keenan walked out.

  “You look well.” He said to Romana. “I take it Marten takes the news of the baby seriously.” He gestured to her incorporeal form.

  Baby?

  Silver watched as Romana’s hand flew to her stomach.

  “Any child of yours will be a threat to the Ancients.” Silver’s brain fired rapidly. “You must never let them see.”

  “Kate said the same.” Romana replied. “I need to know you’ll protect your niece.” She spoke directly to Silver, her eyes pleading. “She is your family, and you have never killed family, but I’ve never seen you protect your family either. Please Silver; I need your skills to protect my child.”

  Silver didn’t answer for many long moments. “You’re sure it’s a girl?”

  Romana smiled, her eyes wet with tears. “Yes.”

  Silver looked directly into her sister’s eyes, the eyes that showed not just Romana’s soul, but her own soul as well. “There is a chance, that the child will be linked to me as well.” She said slowly, knowing the odds of part of her soul existing within the child were small. “With that in mind. I will never allow harm to come to it while I live.”

  Romana rushed up to her, and Silver almost drew a weapon before she realised that her sister was in fact hugging her with ethereal arms rather than attacking her.

  “You will contact me when the child is born.” Silver commanded. “I hope to have defeated Alda by then. Due to your new state, there is no way that you will be required to assist me in the task.” Romana finally pulled away as she nodded.

  “If Marten would even let her near a sword.” Keenan joked. “He’s going to be a handful.”

  Silver looked at Keenan with confusion. The last time she had seen Keenan look at Romana it had been with wistfulness and longing barely concealed. Now, there was none of that in his gaze.

  It looked like ice-boy had finally gotten over his crush.