Crown of Embers

by Meg Anne

  There was comfort in seeing the familiar image, although it did little to ease the tension sitting in her neck and shoulders. While Helena clearly remembered the Etillion scholars that she’d met, she never had caught their names. She grimaced, already anticipating the potentially awkward greeting. Hopefully the others were already here, and Timmins could fill her in before she made an ass out of herself. Being able to make use of the Kaelpas stones, they should have already arrived, assuming everything had gone according to their plan. She was eager to see her friends and hear about their time in the Broken Vale.

  As they descended, Helena scanned the ground for some sign of her people, expecting they’d be on the lookout for her and Von’s arrival, but there was none. No one was waiting to greet them. In fact, given the shouts of alarm, it did not seem like anyone was expecting them at all. Helena frowned, her spike of concern shooting like an arrow through her bond.

  “They could just be delayed.”

  The unflappably calm sound of his voice did what nothing else could. Helena let out a breath she was unaware she’d been holding. “We are already later than we’d planned. I had thought they would have made it by now.”

  “As did I, but it is too soon for alarm.”

  Helena worried at her lower lip, but finally nodded. They still had a handful of hours left in the day. Technically no one was late. Yet.

  Using her power to project her voice, she called out to the Etillions standing guard, “I am Kiri Helena Solene. I request the hospitality of my Etillion brothers and sisters.”

  A woman came running from the front door, waving her arms and shouting up at guards, “Stand down! Let them pass!” Her short brown hair and face were familiar. This was the woman that had come to the Palace.

  They landed, the Talyrians spreading out until they all but surrounded the building. Helena could certainly appreciate the guards’ hesitation to lower their weapons. Nothing about being surrounded by them felt safe. At least, until you saw them as allies and not a threat.

  Helena and Von dismounted, walking quickly to reach the woman who they’d first met in Tigaera.

  “Thank the Mother that you’re here, Kiri. I did not expect you to arrive so soon!” The woman looked around, as if searching for others. “You did not bring your army?”

  It was Helena’s turn to look confused. “What do you mean?”

  “Aren’t you here because of Endoshan?”

  “No,” Helena said slowly. “What’s happened to Endoshan?”

  The woman’s face went pale, she obviously did not relish the idea of breaking the news. “It has fallen, Kiri. Rowena’s army marched through not two days past.” Her voice broke as she added, “There were no survivors.”

  Helena felt like she was going to be sick, it was the Forest all over again. She had not been overly fond of the Endoshan heir, with his intense frowns and barbed comments, but he and the Endoshans were still her people.

  “Etillion has been on guard ever since, expecting that we’d be her obvious next stop, but we’ve seen no sign of her army. It’s as if they’ve entirely disappeared. We sent word to you at the Palace, but I gather you were not there to receive it.”

  There was a moment of stunned silence before Helena shook her head and replied. “No. I’ve been traveling throughout Elysia to gather allies. Etillion was to become our base. The rest of our party was supposed to meet us here today so that we could begin preparing for our own assault of Vyruul.”

  She did not think it was possible, but the woman’s face became graver. “You are the first people we’ve seen since the messenger brought news of Endoshan.”

  Von frowned, sharing a concerned look with Helena.

  To think, when they’d landed Helena’s first concern was a forgotten name. The slip deserved to be rectified but there was little time to beat around the bush, so she opted for the direct approach. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t seem to remember your name.”

  “There’s no need to apologize, Kiri. There was little time for introductions when we last met. I’m Amara.”

  Helena smiled gratefully. “Amara, is there anyone here, another scholar perhaps, who is familiar with the Broken Vale?”

  Amara frowned. “The Forsaken territory? Why, do you think that’s where Rowena is?”

  Shaking her head, Helena clarified, “It’s where the rest of my Circle is. I need to get word to them about Endoshan. I thought they would beat us here since they have use of the Kaelpas stones, but something must have delayed them.”

  Amara looked momentarily impressed, but did not hesitate to answer, “We can ask Xander. He’s traveled often as part of his studies. If anyone here would be familiar with such a place, it would be him.”

  Amara made to move into the stone building and Helena turned before she followed, speaking to Starshine, “Stand guard. Let me know when the others arrive.”

  Starshine dipped her head in acknowledgement of the order.

  Sharing one last worried look with Von, the couple followed Amara into the Embassy.

  Xander, it turned out, was the long-haired man that had accompanied Amara to the Palace. Amara had taken them straight to where he was busy flipping through heavy leather-bound tomes.

  He looked up in surprise when’d they’d entered the study, his gaze suggesting he did not appreciate the interruption. When he realized who it was that interrupted him, he’d done a double take before dropping the book he’d been holding.

  “K-Kiri! You made it. Thank the Mother.”

  Amara was quick to shake her head and cut off his effusive thanks. “They only just heard of Endoshan when they arrived. We need to send word to the Circle in the Broken Vale.”

  Xander’s eyebrows dropped in a frown. “What in the Mother’s name is the Circle doing with the Forsaken?”

  Helena couldn’t help her amusement at the censorious cast of his voice. Von’s arms crossed and he lifted a brow as the younger man continued.

  “Has everyone forgotten that we’re in the middle of a war? A war that they asked us to help resolve?”

  Amara’s cheeks went red and she cleared her throat in warning. Xander blinked, as he remembered who he was speaking to. He had the grace to look embarrassed, but he did not look away.

  “Apologies, Kiri. It’s been a stressful few days, well weeks really, ever since the attack at the Palace.”

  She shook her head, dismissing his apology. “It’s been a trying time for us all. No need to apologize.”

  Von was feeling less forgiving, and just continued to stare although he remained quiet. The lack of words did not make his message any less clear.

  Xander, looking flustered, began to shuffle the papers on his desk.

  “I think you’re making him nervous.”

  “Good.”

  “And that’s helpful how exactly?” she asked in exasperation.

  Relenting, Von lowered his arms and turned the force of his gaze from Xander, back to her.

  “Can you help us get a message to the Circle in the Broken Vale?”

  Xander’s eyes grew distant. “It could be possible to get a message to a specific individual, regardless of the place. Do you have something that belongs to one of them?”

  Helena took a mental inventory, working through the list of all that she had packed to take with her to Talyria. Just as she was about the shake her head, she remembered Effie had tucked a heavy cloak in her bag. “It could be cold that far North,” she’d said when Helena went to protest the addition. It looked like Effie’s foresight might be what saved them all.

  “I have a cloak.”

  “Perfect,” Xander murmured. “We will need to borrow it.”

  Helena nodded her agreement.

  “The birds should be able to track the individual through their scent.”

  “Isn’t it a little far for them to pick-up the trail?” Von asked dubiously.

  “These are no ordinary birds,” Xander said with no little bit of pride.

  Von snorted in d
isbelief. Xander’s chest puffed out as his mouth fell open. Helena had no doubt he was about to launch into an extensive defense of his birds. Having no patience, or time, for male posturing, she interjected before Xander could.

  “Go grab your birds, please. I will prepare a message and gather the cloak.”

  Xander shot a parting look at Von who rolled his eyes.

  “You can’t really believe this is going to work.”

  “What other choice do we have?”

  Von shook his head and turned toward the open window behind him. There were a few long moments of silence as the trio waited for Xander to return.

  “Helena!” Von shouted suddenly, just as Starshine bellowed a warning.

  Rushing to his side at the window, Helena looked where Von was pointing. It was a little hard to see at first, but she could easily spot the human shape once her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Wasting no time, Helena ran for the door, flying through the halls like the hounds of hell were at her heels. Von and Amara were mere seconds behind her as she stumbled back outside. She didn’t stop until she was standing just beside a man she vaguely recognized as one of their runners. The man was covered in dirt and smears of what looked like blood.

  Her heart seized at the sight. She already knew what he was about to tell her.

  “Kiri?” he rasped.

  Dropping to her knees, Helena took his hand and held it tightly in hers. “Yes.”

  “Thank the Mother I found you,” the man said before breaking into wet coughs. Helena ran her palm over his chest, doing what she could to numb his pain. As she opened herself to perform the healing, she found the gaping wound in his back; he’d been stabbed.

  “Where are the others?” Helena asked through a tight throat.

  His one-word reply was inaudible so she dipped her head, all but pressing her ear to his lips. He repeated himself just as his eyes rolled back into his head and he fell unconscious. Her face bleached of color as she looked back up at the others.

  “What’d he say?” Von demanded.

  “Attack.”

  Above them the sky ripped in two as a bolt of lightning shot down. A storm began to rage around them, but it had nothing on the one raging inside of her.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Forest of Whispers Five Days Prior

  Ronan watched Helena and Von disappear into the sky, a ripple of unease running along his spine. He’d felt that same warning tingle countless times before. Normally it preceded an attack or battle, but glancing around, there was nothing to indicate any enemies were lurking in the shadows.

  “May the Mother watch over you both,” he whispered.

  The men standing on either side of him shifted, preparing to head back. He was the last to turn away and was startled to see that Reyna had also remained behind.

  “You are close to them,” she stated after her intense green eyes scanned his face.

  Ronan nodded once, wondering what it was that she’d read there. Her expression was hard to decipher beneath the black swirls of paint.

  “Not used to being left behind?” she guessed.

  Ronan lifted his right shoulder in a shrug. “The last time the Circle was parted was hard on all of us. Some memories do not easily fade.”

  Her eyes softened. “No, they do not.”

  The only sound as they walked was the soft crunch of dried leaves beneath their feet. After a long pause she asked, “Are you worried for their safety?”

  Ronan’s eyes narrowed as he examined the unease that still ate at him. “No,” he finally answered. “I do not believe it is their safety that concerns me. Helena is more than capable of handling whatever comes their way and Von would die before he let something happen to his Mate. Nor do I doubt the Talyrians will come to their aid if necessary.”

  “Your Kiri is quite powerful,” Reyna said after a long pause.

  Ronan gave her a sidelong glance. “Aye. She is.”

  “Is it love for her that has you worried then?”

  Ronan let out a loud bark of laughter at the absurdity of the question. The subtle pink tinge on Reyna’s cheeks had the last of his laughter fading. “No, not like that anyway.”

  “Oh.”

  Ronan spared her another curious glance as he moved to lift a branch out of their path. He was struggling to make sense of the Night Stalker’s line of questioning. Reyna ducked below the branch and continued without looking back. “What has you worried then, Chosen?”

  Ronan let out a frustrated sigh, raking his hands through his unbound hair. The problem was that he had no clue what was causing the itchy feeling just beneath his skin. “Something is coming,” he finally answered.

  “That is not news,” she stated, eying him over her shoulder as he closed the distance between them. “It is why you sought our assistance in the first place.”

  He scowled at her. “It’s not the threat of battle.” And it wasn’t. Battle made his blood sing, it was why he’d never questioned following Von when he’d went mercenary. “What I’m feeling is different. Darker somehow. I cannot explain it.”

  Reyna’s hand burned where it made contact with his arm. He lifted a brow in question, surprised by the touch. Reyna looked equally confused and slowly moved her hand off his arm. “Do not ignore whatever it is that is trying to warn you.” Her voice was low and urgent, her green eyes glittering with intensity.

  Ronan nodded once. “I won’t.”

  The Night Stalker let out a slow breath as her village came back into view. “I would go with you now, if I could. But my people aren’t ready for the battle to come. We need more time.”

  “I know.”

  Reyna gave him one last inscrutable look. “Do not die, Chosen. I would like to see you again.” With that she turned and walked away.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” he asked himself, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck.

  The Chosen were already packed and ready to go by the time he returned. Serena and Effie were talking in low voices when he joined them. Sensing his presence, Serena spun around looking furious.

  “You didn’t think we would also appreciate getting to see them off?”

  “You were sleeping.”

  “So?”

  Ronan threw up his hands, not ready to walk through a verbal minefield. “I wasn’t the only one that didn’t wake you up, why am I the one getting the lecture?”

  “Because you know better.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

  Effie was trying to smother a smile, which only infuriated him further.

  He stuck a finger in her face. “You gonna give me shit too?”

  She pressed her lips together and quickly shook her head, her blue eyes twinkling with suppressed laughter.

  “That’s a fucking first.”

  Serena’s eyes widened at the hint of his temper. “What crawled up your ass?”

  Not about to get into another circular conversation regarding what had him on edge he just shook his head.

  “Seriously, Ronan. Is everything okay?” The anger had left her face and Serena was looking at him with concerned violet eyes.

  Ronan rubbed at his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose, squeezing hard to relieve some of the extra tension. When he spoke, he sounded tired but steady, “It’s just a feeling I can’t shake. Nothing to worry about.”

  The women studied him but did not push him further.

  Surprised they let it go so easily, Ronan glanced at each of them. Both women were standing with the alert stillness of warriors awaiting orders. It was then that Ronan realized they had heard all that he hadn’t said. Effie because of her natural insight and Serena because of her years of training and fighting beside him. She’d seen what happened when they ignored his ‘feelings’ in the past and did not care to repeat that experience ever again. He was glad for it. If there was anyone he trusted to watch his back when Von was gone, it was certainly her.

  The knowledge steadied him further. Taking the first easy b
reath since he’d woken that morning, he gave them each a grateful smile before turning to address the others that had gathered behind him.

  Ronan cleared his throat, easily silencing the murmuring voices of the gathered crowd. If the men in the Circle minded that he was speaking for them they did not let on. Of all of them, he was the one most used to speaking to large groups. His sheer size and the carrying boom of his voice made him a natural at it.

  “Chosen, it’s time to leave. We’ve been lucky so far, no doubt because of our Kiri’s power, but that does not mean our luck will continue. As we move through the Broken Vale, be alert, be watchful, but most importantly, be respectful. We do not know which of our actions may cause offense and we cannot risk a misunderstanding.”

  The men and women nodded solemnly. Even the wolves seemed to bob their heads in agreement. It was clear that they all understood the seriousness of the task that laid ahead of them.

  “Gather with your groups, runners be ready to follow shortly.”

  The crowd dispersed as they moved into position. The men of the Circle were already waiting for him, along with Miranda, Effie, Serena, Nial and their runner. They’d gotten lucky when they learned that one of the Night Stalkers had been to the Vale before, and that she was going to help the first group make the trip.

  The group took hands, bunching in tight. Ronan took the hand of their runner. As he did, a cold tingle ran in a straight line along the back of his neck, almost as if a finger was brushing against it. He shuddered and twisted his head to catch a look at the woman whose hand he was holding. Her face blurred, the swirls of her make-up slithering like snakes across her face. He blinked rapidly, about to shout out a warning as the woman’s green eyes went coal black and her lips twisted into a sinister sneer.

  Before he could do anything, she activated the Kaelpas stone and made the jump to the Vale.