She continued as if I hadn’t spoken.
'A Thalian princess with the gift of fire, an Elemental no less. Just what the Mestarns have been waiting and hoping for.' She laughed again, a nasty vindictive cackle. 'Well, it’s only fair that I crush their hopes as they did mine.'
Uh-oh, that didn’t sound pleasant. Stop screwing around, snapped my rational voice. Don’t over think it. Just do it!
I lunged for Alek and threw a shield of fire up around us. The heat made Jenviet leap backward. I hit the floor beside him and concentrated the energy through one hand so I could shake him.
'Alek. Wake up!' The fear in my stomach pinged about. I had no idea what to do next. The moment I weakened and reduced the shield, Jenviet would kill us.
IN THE TURRET the girls and Elena knew Cat used her gift. They urged everyone on harder and Rumal swung Kassie on to his back while he took the stairs three at a time. Yakov kept the lead with Daron, Sabyn, Loi and Sian right behind him, Elena and Rumal just behind them. They raced up the last few stairs and screeched to a halt at the doorway, gasping at the scene before them.
Cat shielded herself and Alek. Her energy, in its physical manifestation, roared with flames while Jenviet paced just out of reach, waiting for it to relent. When she saw them in the doorway she gave a nasty chuckle. 'Excellent, a diversion.'
'Divert this, bitch,' Sian snarled and drew her hands in front, focusing and released another torrent at Jenviet.
I WATCHED OPEN mouthed at the strength of water Sian released. It wiped out a good portion of the far wall. Then I realized that Jenviet stood amongst it, not a hair out of place; she’d shielded. Sian finished and slumped to her knees from the exertion.
'I’m getting rather sick of you, sprite.' Jenviet’s voice dropped the pleasant tone, a nasty harsh sound now. Elena must have realized what she was about to do. She lunged for Sian at the same time Daron did. They were hurled backward and smacked into the staircase wall, falling to the stairs. Before we had time to register it all, a white light surrounded Sian. Sabyn dove at it but was thrown off by what looked like an electric shock. I watched in horror when Sian tried to move but couldn’t and realized she couldn’t breathe. Jenviet sucked the air out from within the light Sian stood trapped in.
Everything seemed to speed up then and we heard loud thuds on the roof and the furious roars of enraged griffons. The violent tearing and wrenching noise distracted Jenviet for a moment. Taking advantage of it, Yakov raced at her with his sword. He actually managed to catch her arm before she tossed him against the ceiling. I screamed in fear at the sight of Yakov hitting the ground like a rag doll, not far from me. To his credit, it worked. The light that surrounded Sian vanished and she slumped, unconscious, to the ground. Rumal dragged her to the stairwell.
The fear coursed through me, unlike anything I’d ever felt before. Everything I knew and all those I cared about most were being snapped and broken, flung about like toys. I felt that horrible sensation of helplessness and my shield began to wane. A hand gripped mine and I looked down in shock. Alek stared up at me with a dazed expression. The sense of relief at seeing him conscious felt intense and my energy swelled. I recalled something Elena had mentioned to us one session. 'We really have no idea what you girls are capable of. For all we know once you develop your skills, your powers may be limitless.'
Hell, then I’m going with that theory. I’m not taking this lying down.
I increased the strength of my shield while Jenviet hurled bolts of energy at me. Her energy couldn’t reach me, but it did push against my shield and put me back against the wall. I realized Alek stood beside me.
'You have to do this, Cat!' he yelled, above the din that the flames and the griffons made. I nodded and closed my eyes.
LOI WAS IN a serious amount of pain. Her right arm felt broken and one ankle swelled against the straps of her shoe. She felt guilty that she wasn’t able to help more, but where they were at this moment there wasn’t much for her to work with. It got harder to pull her shield up repeatedly so she conserved her energy, her shield her only defense now. Rumal had managed to get Sian breathing again but not conscious and they’d put her in the stairwell with Daron, both of them out of it. Elena had come to a moment ago and tried to gather her energy.
A SUDDEN SWELLING in the air made Kassie look to Cat, something seemed different. Whatever it was it pissed Jenviet off no end and she continued to hurl bolt after bolt at Cat, who didn’t flinch. Feeling a sense of awe, Kassie watched while Cat’s energy went from its usual bright red to a deep, darker than blood shade. She could just make out Alek standing beside her.
'How’s she doing that?' Loi yelled at her and Kassie shook her head.
'I have no idea, but I could really use some of that right now.'
Loi nodded in agreement, then grabbed Kassie’s arm. 'Kass, is Alek glowing?'
Rumal leaped up from Daron and Sian, and with Sabyn, stood behind Kass and Loi, peering at Alek. 'Elena!' he turned to the Sorceress, still very pale. 'Are you seeing this?'
Before their eyes Alek glowed an intense gold while Cat’s energy had swelled to the point that even her hair stretched high, flying about her head.
'SHIELD!' screamed Elena calling on her last reserves.
I PERCHED AT the brink of control, every cell within screaming for release. Drawing in a deep breath I focused my mind on Jenviet and readied for it.
Alek grabbed my arm and the world exploded in red.
To be continued in
Glossary
Catherine (Cat, Kitty-Cat) — One of the four main women Fire Elemental
Sian (Sianny, Sianus) — Shh-ahn — One of the four main women Water Elemental
Kassandra (Kassie, Kass) — One of the four main women Air Elemental
Laura (Loi) — L-Oi — One of the four main women Earth Elemental
Audrey (Audi) & Lucky — Or-drey/Or-di — Cat's huntaway dog and Kassie's tortoiseshell cat
Alek —Head of Griffon Guard, rides a griffon named Loushka — Lou-shka
Daron —Member of Griffon Guard, rides a griffon named Nesha — Ne-sha
Sabyn — Sab-yn — Member of Griffon Guard, rides a griffon named Tomiar — Tom-iar
Rumal — Ru-mal — Member of Griffon Guard, rides a griffon named Kerak — Ker-ak
Gredel — Gre-dal — Member of Griffon Guard, rides a griffon named Phroma — Ph-roma
Citaan — Kh-thhan — Gredel's wife
Elena —The Sorceress & Archduchess of Elion
Yakov — Ya-kov — The late King's advisor
Lieutenant Ignatius — Ig-neigh-tius — A Lieutenant of the General Guard
Lieutenant Rashid — Rah-shid — A Lieutenant of the General Guard
Lieutenant Patel — Pah-tal — A Lieutenant of the General Guard
Ada —The castle’s fabricer
Jenviet — Jenn-viet — The Sorceress of Vo’Arum
Awakening - Chapter One
THE LAUGHTER, LIGHT and joyful, echoed beguilingly, skipping off the bedchamber walls. Loi woke with a gasp.
Was that Cat?
Sabyn snored quietly while she lay tense, waiting for another hint of it.
Oh, stuff it.
She slipped out of the warm sheets and quietly lifted her robe from the chair. The silky fabric whispered around her shoulders and she tied it firmly at the waist before easing the door open and sneaking out. Loi hurried along the silent corridor, bare feet slapping against the smooth wooden floor. In the dull light, the white stone walls appeared almost silver. Around the corner the guards on either side of the Royal Chamber doors exchanged a glance when they spotted her. Audrey, who'd been dozing at their feet, sat up wagging her tail in greeting. Loi gave the dog's head a quick pat and nodded to the men before easing one of the doors open.
The instant the door clicked shut, she knew the answer.
Other than their slow, steady, exhalations, the two prone figures on the ornate beds made no other sound. With an exhausted sob Loi slum
ped back against the door and slid down to the floor, elbows on her knees, head buried in her arms.
SABYN TRIED TO open one of the doors, but something held it closed. He carefully opened the other and peeked in. The sight of her, hunched against the door with tear-streaked cheeks while she stared at the floor, made his chest suddenly tight. Sabyn stepped into the room, closing the door and sat beside her.
'I'm so sorry, I really thought…' she whispered in a broken voice.
He reached over and pulled her into his arms, cradling her when she began to weep again. 'I know, love.'
Words muffled against his chest and he shushed her as she tried to speak. Sabyn tucked his arms around her tighter and stroked that ebony mane while resisting a yawn. The third midnight run this week; the most so far. Ever since Alek and Cat had been put in here, two long months ago, Loi had been waking up convinced she'd heard Catherine. The abrupt, late night exits took a toll on them both; Loi bore permanent dark circles under her eyes, and they'd both lost several kilos. Staying conscious in the Council meetings—tedious on the best of days—challenged Sabyn more than ever.
Unfortunately they could do little about it. Elena gave Loi sleep potions but her elemental energy burned through the medicinal properties before they could be of use. It appeared that until Cat and Alek woke from their deep sleeps, this would be the norm. It felt like they’d lived a waking nightmare for the last two months. Keeping a semblance of normality at the castle proved a constant challenge after such a major attack. Twenty important guests died the night of the ball, with dozens more injured and on top of it all, the Crown Prince lay unconscious still, having just announced his betrothal prior to the attack. Dignitaries, heads of state, Royalty from other nations, and Elion's citizens demanded answers with Elena and Yakov just managing to keep things under control. The Centaur Cavalry and General Guard were spread wide throughout the realm keeping watch.
Now all they could do was wait, wait for the couple to wake.
LOI SIGHED AGAINST Sabyn's chest and wiped away the hair that stuck to her damp cheeks. Though cousins, Sabyn and Alek were close like brothers. Loi knew how very worried Sabyn was, the normal lightness in his tone vanished after that awful night. He visited Alek often.
Yet he had no idea what would happen when Cat and Alek woke. After the attack Elena had taken Sian, Kassie, and Loi aside and fully explained their role on Gar'nyse. The shocking and unexpected revelation had felt like the ultimate betrayal. Elena forbade the girls to speak about it, so she hadn't even been able to turn to Sabyn, to buttress the pain. She understood Elena’s reason—that Cat needed to know before anyone else did—but the horrible truths just ate into her.
Both Sian and Kassie took the news stoically and accepted Elena's advice, leaving the castle for the time being. Elena urged Loi to do the same, to go and stay with Sabyn's family, but she just couldn't. The sight of her friend lying there, pale and unconscious, kept her here. She couldn't abandon Cat when she was so defenseless.
The castle seemed horribly large and imposing with her friends gone. Elena had said it would take a good two months before the couple woke. So Loi waited while feeling as if on a knife edge. Wishing Cat would wake, and dreading the day she did.
Because once Cat woke, their lives would forever alter.
SABYN LIFTED LOI to her feet, and led her back to their chambers. Standing beside the bed, he watched her remove the robe; desire rose at the sight of her, naked, dark hair hanging past her waist allowing a glimpse of derriere. The timing was inappropriate and he wouldn't use her in that manner.
Seeing his cousin lying there in the dimly lit room unnerved him each time. The almost stale air in that large room and the still figures served as a constant reminder of his own mortality. It left him with the urge to run, to call Tomiar and take Loi far away from all this. But Loi refused to leave. She knew he found it hard to stay and had used sex as a diversion for the last month. In his distracted state, Sabyn hadn't realized at first. He shuddered at the memory of the vacant glaze in her eyes. Like a bucket of ice cold water it promptly stopped any intimate relations between them for the time being. As much as Sabyn desired Loi, he loved her more.
Leaving his night shorts on, he climbed into bed beside her while inwardly growling at his cousin.
Hurry up Alek—there's only so much a guy can handle.
'SIIIAAANNN?'
'Coming!' Sian answered automatically and sat up in bed, blinking.
Oh shoot! I've overslept again.
Throwing some clothes on, she hurried to Citaan and Gredel's bedroom. When she entered the room Sian found her blue-haired friend struggling to get slippers on.
'Don't! Let me,' Sian said, while fumbling for the slippers.
Once they were on, she stood and offered both hands to Citaan, carefully easing the woman up from the bed, helping her to the bathroom.
You wouldn't believe Citaan is seven months pregnant, Sian thought. Not that the end is far away, but she looks huge, though if you consider Gredel's height and build, as well as Citaan's siblings and father, it isn't surprising that the baby is big.
Sian met the whole family the previous month at a ceremony for the unborn child. Every culture has its own traditions and for those of water-sprite heritage, like Citaan, a blessing ritual for the mother-to-be at six months along, was required. Meeting all of Citaan's family had been daunting. Sian finally understood Gredel's apprehension when it came to Citaan's father. A large, imposing figure, he looked more than capable of putting even Gredel in place if he suspected his darling daughter wasn't happy. Citaan's five sisters and her mother, however, were very welcoming and plainly adored Gredel. Brece, Citaan's brother and Melanite's husband, was such a contrast to the father—easy going and talkative.
The family had stayed at the estate for close to a month, and it made the spacious manor feel small. Citaan’s sisters fussed over Gredel to the extent he took to attending Council meetings to get away from it all. It amused Daron, no one usually attended the meetings voluntary; but then with Alek and Cat unconscious the men took their roles even more seriously. The image of Cat and Alek, lying as still as corpses within the Royal Chamber, caused Sian to shudder, the memory seared in her mind.
I hope they wake soon, she thought. It feels like we're treading water at the moment, just waiting.
The bathroom door opened and Sian forced a smile. 'How are you feeling this morning?'
'HOW ARE YOU friend?' Nesha thought.
Moments ticked by before Daron finally responded. 'Fine.'
Nesha waited for him to continue but he didn't. A wind current hit them, and Nesha and Loushka rose with it, Daron and Gredel shifting in their saddles when they dropped lower again.
'Sorry, Loushka, he's really hard to get anything out of at the moment.' Nesha thought.
'It's okay. I'm just trying to keep a track on them all. Does he have any idea what it is that Elena's told the girls?'
'Honestly, I don't know if he's even paying attention to Sian at the moment. He gets very withdrawn when worried.'
'That must be hard on Sian.'
'She's throwing herself into nurse duties, and is at Citaan's side constantly. It seems to be a good distraction for her.'
'That's true. I think Alek and Cat might wake soon.' Loushka sounded optimistic.
'Oh?'
'Their energies are showing stronger, and Elena is beginning to get that look.'
'What look?'
'The one that means she's getting ready to deliver bad news. That's why I hoped you might know something.'
Nesha glanced at Loushka. 'So you don't think they'll just wake up and all will be well?'
'No. Something's up.'
The griffons stopped the conversation while they searched for a landing spot. Daron and Gredel came to the neighboring town to sort out a land dispute. Phroma refused to leave Citaan at this late stage of her pregnancy, so Loushka had offered to take Gredel.
TOWNSPEOPLE WAITED TO greet them and the i
nstant Gredel's feet hit the ground the crowd rushed forward, voices loud and angry while they each made their perspectives clear.
Gredel glanced at Daron. 'Rumal would have been handy for this.'
Daron nodded in agreement and said wryly, 'It's a little too far from Delanta to travel for a basic land dispute though.'
The two men made their way to the town hall, pointedly ignoring those crowding them. The townspeople took the hint, dropping back, and followed quietly. A makeshift court had been arranged in the hall with Daron and Gredel sat at the head of the room while the defendants and the accused debated. Gredel resisted a groan when he recognized the white haired man who lurched toward the desk before them.
'They haven't asked my permission, ever!' The old man gestured wildly with the gnarled length of wood that served as his walking stick. 'They just marched in and built it. I demand that it be removed!' Spittle sprayed the desk as he yelled and gestured, while the accused flushed an ugly purple shade and stood, about to yell.
'Peace!' Gredel's voice boomed and the old man's eyes widened. He sat down quietly and so did all the others.
With an even tone Gredel began the questioning.
It turned out to be nothing more than a squabble regarding fence and boundary lines; a frustrating waste of half a day.
'You'd think that they could have figured it out for themselves,' Daron mumbled to Gredel when they walked back to the griffons.
Gredel snorted. 'Yes, and if it were anyone but Old Tearn, they would have. You know he's as grouchy as a dragon with wind.'
Gredel felt grateful to be back on Loushka and couldn’t wait to get home to the manor. With Citaan's family gone for the moment the house was wonderfully peaceful. He meant to enjoy every moment he could with his beautiful wife before she gave birth and her family invaded again. Not that Gredel didn't like Citaan's family. He did, most certainly, it's just that they seemed to carry such an air of chaotic energy with them that their visits always left him exhausted. With all the extra duties they shouldered at the moment, any peace was most welcome.
The Arrival Page 37