by AJ Nuest
His kisses slowed. A slight nip to the corner of her mouth, and he returned to her feet. “Now we may leave.”
“Y’okay.” She blinked and tried to get her bearings.
Good grief, the aftereffects of kissing the guy were worse than drinking Fandorn’s Dragon’s Breath Brew. If Caedmon ever wanted to win an argument, all he had to do was lay one on her like that.
She stepped forward and rammed into shoulder at the same time he turned to leave.
“Sorry.” She cleared her throat. “Lost my balance there for a second.”
He smirked and clasped her hand, leading them through the door.
Weird tingles lifted the hair on her arms as they crossed the threshold. She squinted into the sun as three large Dreggs fell to their knees, heads bowed.
“Hey, guys.” She stepped around Caedmon, ignoring the way he kept tugging on her fingers. He finally let go and inched half his body in front of hers.
Then again, the last time he’d been conscious in their presence, they’d kidnapped and carted him off to Castle Seviere. He was bound to be little sketchy with three Dreggs hanging around.
She frowned and scanned the tops of their heads. And if she remembered right, they appeared to be the same three that had flown her and Caedmon to the Cave of Tears in the first place. Holy cow, had they been waiting outside this entire time?
Anxiety numbed her fingertips and she froze. Or maybe that wasn’t the question she should be asking. “How long since we entered?”
The leader lurched to his feet, gangly arms hanging open at his sides and talons scraping the ground. “Heliosss isss not yet cccentered in the sssky, Caaandraah.”
Yeah, and? The sun had only just risen when they first…got…here…
She grabbed Caedmon’s arm and stepped around him a second time. “You mean it’s the same morning?”
The Dregg leader tipped his head back, nostrils quivering as he sniffed the moist breeze. “The goddesssessess blesss your purpossse, Ssscinlæce.”
“Well that’s just…it’s just…”
“Impossible.” Caedmon jabbed a hard finger at the ground. “Believe not one syllable which festers on these vile creatures’ tongues. Devils and fiends, the whole lot of them.”
Eerie shrieks splintered her eardrums, and she slapped her palms over her ears. The Dregg on the right leapt to his feet, leathery wings expanding. The vibrations rattled her jaw as she dropped her arms and elbowed Caedmon in the ribs.
Forget waging a war against Gaelleod. If he didn’t get a grip on his anger, they wouldn’t make it out of this forest alive. “Forgive him. A group of your kind attacked his garrison two years ago and delivered him to Seviere’s dungeons.”
Caedmon pointed that same thick finger at the Dregg leader. “And due their interference, Gaelleod is now in possession of the key.”
Yeah, even worse yet.
The leader snarled and backhanded his subordinate. The chittering shrieks abruptly stopped. Trees snapped and the ground shook as the creature flew ass over tea kettle and slammed headfirst into a large boulder.
Right. She slumped. Note to self, never be dumb enough to piss off a Dregg.
The leader slowly swung back to face them. “Defectorssss attack. Thossse who no longer ssserve the goddesssesss.”
Meaning what, exactly? She chewed the inside of her cheek. A group of escapee Dreggs was out flying around somewhere?
No, that couldn’t be right. Based on the small interaction she’d had with them, they seemed pretty darn loyal to their religion, dug in to prophecy and all that shit. What could have possibly made a group break from the rest and go rogue? “If not the nine goddesses, then who do these other Dreggs serve?”
“The sssoverign of your Aussstiere realm. Princcce Braedric.”
Aw, shit. Was he for real?
But one glance at the way Caedmon had gone three shades of white and she knew what the leader said was true. Or, at least, the man she loved suspected it was true. “Caedmon.”
His eyes met hers and she placed her hand on his cheek. The utter devastation on his face was enough to make her sink to her knees in tears.
Braedric had crawled into bed with Seviere. And to add insult to injury, Caedmon had already told her his half-brother was plotting against him. The first night they’d met when he’d spilled his heart out to her on the stairs.
And what had she done? What action had she taken to help him? She’d gotten so wrapped up in her own crap and going after the key she’d completely forgotten he was fighting his own battle. Against a brother who was determined to see him locked away somewhere or God only knew what else.
Well, not anymore. Dropping her arm, she searched the obsidian eyes of the creatures before her, their depths as unreadable as stone. No magic flowed through her veins. Spells and incantations were worthless coming off her tongue. But they now had the proof Caedmon had been after. And if Braedric was gathering a force to hurt her prince then, by God, she would not be denied the chance to rage against him. If stepping into her role as a white sorceress earned her this chance then, dammit, that’s exactly who she would be.
Boosting her chin, she pointed at the Dregg leader. “What’s your name?”
The creature bowed, his sinuous tail flicking and slicing the air. “Reddeck, your Radianccce.”
She swung her hand wide to encompass the forest. “And you lead this clan?”
“Yesss, Caaadrahhh.”
“Then lead them. Stand strong against your defectors. If your kind still serves the goddesses, then prove your loyalty by swearing allegiance to me, the Candra-scinlæce whom the Nine have blessed.”
The rustle of leathery wings, and a musty current buffered her cheeks. Reddeck clawed the soil with an undulating roll of his spine and lifted his pointy chin. His maw gaped open and she clamped her hands over her ears as his screech pealed skyward. A moment later, a rumble of thunder echoed on the horizon and a swirling black screen shot up from the spiked branches of the trees.
A black stain bled into the sky and her jaw dropped. A swarm so huge it nearly blocked out the sun.
Dreggs. Hundreds… Thousands of them.
And she’d been wrong. Reddeck wasn’t the largest. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
“Tits above, woman.” Caedmon seized her shoulder, wrenching her backward several steps. Silver sang through the air as he withdrew his sword. “I pray you fully grasp what you are doing.”
“Darknessss yieldsss to light, Caaandrahhh.” Reddeck lowered his head to the ground. “Our legionsss are yoursss to command.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Slipping beneath the jagged spires of the portcullis had been easy. Almost too easy considering the nightmarish location of Castle Seviere.
Though it had taken some convincing on her part, Caedmon had finally run out of excuses. Especially once Rowena had mentioned how much time they would save by hitching a ride with the Dreggs. Too bad the second they’d flown over the castle, any hopes she’d had of sneaking inside undetected had plummeted in her stomach like a hot rock.
The entire fortress sat on a monolithic slab of white granite, centered immediately on the lip of a wide rushing waterfall. Only two narrow roads led inside—one from the east and the other from the west—their thick arched columns planted in the water like the expansive teeth of a god’s comb. No matter which direction an enemy attacked—by land, sea or air—Seviere’s army would see them coming for miles.
They’d had no choice but to ask the Dreggs to land in a nearby forest, near the location the rest of their swarm had planned to meet them on foot. After a brief discussion, Reddeck had agreed to wait for the signal while she and Caedmon tried their luck at flagging down a local merchant. See if they could bribe the guy into smuggling them inside the king’s market without asking too many uncomfortable questions.
A tug on her braid, and she nodded as Caedmon pointed at her hood. Yep, of the two of them, she was the one who looked most out of place. She zippe
d her thumb and index finger across her lips and twisted the lock. And while they were at it, until they got past the front door, it’d probably be a good idea for her to keep her big trap shut.
Tucking her braid under her cloak, she settled the hood low on her brow. If her white hair and leather cat suit didn’t raise any brows, the way she talked most certainly would.
The second they left the cover of the trees, she and Caedmon exchanged a confused frown. Wow. That sure seemed like a lot of traffic for so late in the day. Not that she was any expert, but wasn’t it odd so many people were heading toward the castle when it was already well past noon?
Some were lone riders, dressed in the garb of plain country folk, sitting astride plow horses or the occasional sway-backed nag. Others appeared to have brought the entire family along with them. From the old and nearly decrepit to children scampering alongside the wagons as they laughed and played in the sun.
As she and Caedmon neared the road, a guy in a tattered wool coat reined in his team and cranked back the brake near his foot. The wagon creaked under the shifting farm goods piled inside, baskets of squash and fall corn, onions, tomatoes and what looked to be several hocks of salted pork.
He removed his weathered hat and nodded, using a wilted rag to mop the sweat from his brow. “G’day, milord, milady. Ye’ll be needing a ride into the castle, then?”
Her heart jolted into overdrive, and she locked her knees against the impulse to sprint back into the woods. Seviere knew they were coming? How was that even possible? Or maybe she and Caedmon had been wrong from the beginning and, as an Austiere prince, he was the one who should’ve worn the disguise.
Without missing a beat, he chuckled and waved his hand to the side. “We’d be happy to compensate you in exchange for your efforts, good sir. However, my lady and I prefer to enter the king’s marketplace…unobserved.”
Deep wrinkles creased the corners of the farmer’s eyes as he sized them up. Then down.
Shit. Smile concreted in place, Rowena eased a silver throwing star from her belt and spun it under her cloak. He might be old, but this guy’s faculties were as sharp as a tack. One wrong move, and she and Caedmon were likely to be doing some fast back pedaling about all their tiptoeing around.
“No need fer such crafty business, young squire.” The farmer bumped his chin up the road. “That is, not considrin’ King Seviere’s recent proclamation.”
Her smile tightened, but she did not move. What in the hell was he talking about?
“Ah, perchance therein lay our confusion.” A quiet laugh shook Caedmon’s shoulders. “We’ve just now returned from a long pilgrimage which has kept us unawares. Pray, do tell. What is his majesty’s latest decree?”
The man’s scowl deepened, and he glanced over his shoulder at the long stream of wagons trailing past the horizon. “I’d thought near every man in the far reaches had heard. King Seviere has offered a wealth of unending riches to the first person what can unlock the chest.”
Rowena snapped her gaze to Caedmon, but she had to hand it to the guy. He did not so much as hesitate, or frown, or even twitch.
“Excellent.” He nodded toward the caravan. “So, our kinsfolk have come to try their hand with the key?”
“Aye.” The man hitched his coat sleeve up his forearm, exposing a red, welted “S” branded on the inside of his wrist. “A square and fair chance given despite yer rank or station. But if ye fail to open the chest, ye receive the king’s mark so as not to cheat and come round again.”
Understanding nailed her directly between the brows, and Rowena nearly came unglued on the spot. That sneaky bastard. Instead of locking the chest and key deep in the bowels of the castle, Gaelleod had thrown the gates wide open. And why the hell not? As the most powerful wizard in all of history, it wasn’t like he had anything to be afraid of.
But for God’s sake. If one of these poor souls had actually succeeded in opening the chest, they wouldn’t have had the first clue the danger they were in. They would already be inside the castle, easy enough to cart off someplace dark and dank. Hidden away from their families and friends never to be seen or heard from again.
Nostrils flaring, she clenched her jaw as rage seared through muscle and down into her bones. Sounded like a load of BS to her. Seviere had no more intention to pay his king’s ransom than he did to join Helios above.
He was using his people, luring them like chattle to slaughter. Hell, maybe he even hoped they’d provide the perfect cover for anyone dumb enough to try and sneak in and steal the key.
Asshole. This whole proclamation business was nothing more than his version of a double-sided trap.
Caedmon offered the farmer two silver coins in exchange for seats on the end of the bed. The brake released and, taking her hand in his, they rolled toward the gates of the castle.
Rowena stared at the road as the horse’s hooves went from muffled thumps to sharp clacks and the wheels lumbered onto the bridge. God, she was stupid. Seviere had been one step ahead from the beginning and Caedmon had been right all along.
Why couldn’t she just get over herself? Give up this ridiculous quest for the key? Misty droplets clung to her lashes. The deafening fury of the water seemed to close in on both sides. It wasn’t like the end result really mattered. Whether she got her memories back or not, nothing was going to change.
She loved Caedmon. A glance at him and he unwound their fingers, wrapped her snug in his arms and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. He was her life now, not some point in the past. Some distant place she couldn’t remember. Keeping him safe from whatever nasty plans Braedric had up his sleeve should’ve been the only thing on her mind.
She sighed. If she could just get past the needling suspicion everything was somehow connected. Far as she knew, Braedric hadn’t started causing trouble until she’d shown up with the key. But again, it wasn’t like he could use it. And if his brilliant plan consisted of convincing her to use it for him, the idiot was gonna end up prying the dumb thing from her cold dead hands.
There was no way she’d ever give Caedmon’s slimy half-brother that kinda power. And that went double for Seviere or Gaelleod or anyone else who thought to hurt the people of this realm.
Stealing it back was the only option. Memories or no memories, she wasn’t about to let a bunch of innocents pay the price for a mistake she could’ve easily prevented had she never come to this place.
The gentle sway of the wheels and the roar of the rushing water gave way to the soft cadence of horseshoes clopping over cobblestones. Calls of various street venders mingled with the strums of stringed instruments. Wandering minstrels smiled and sang for the simple joy of a composing song.
The charred aroma of roasted meats, a welcoming hint of freshly baked bread filled the evening breeze. Colorful flags fluttered along shop windows, the outside tables occupied with men drinking ale and throwing dice, the serving girls twirling their skirts in hopes that showing some ankle would earn them an extra coin.
Dammit. Rowena rolled her eyes. Hey, nothing like throwing a big party over some evil wizard’s obsession to subjugate the world.
As the wagon rumbled to a stop, she and Caedmon hopped to the ground and waved their thanks to the farmer. He tugged the brim of his hat and Caedmon grabbed her hand, urging her into the nearest doorway off the main square.
The second they stepped out of the flow of foot traffic, he spun to face her and rested his hands on her hips. “It pains my heart to see them this way.” He darted a scowl around the shifting crowd. “These people have naught the slightest indication what awaits them should Gaelleod succeed in opening the chest.”
“You read my mind.” Near the fountain, two kids leaned in for a kiss. Rowena winced and shook her head. “And to be honest, I’m not so sure the two of us opening it is a good idea either. I mean, my God, Caedmon. Who knows what could happen? Enemies of the Austiere Kingdom or not, just look at them. These people don’t deserve this. If not for Seviere dangling a carr
ot in front of their faces, they wouldn’t even be here.”
“Hie there, young lad!” He waved to a young boy chasing a battered leather ball down the street, and called him over with a jerk of his head. The kid scooped up the toy and jogged to the doorway, cheeks ruddy and brown eyes sparkling with the promise of youth.
Good God, this was killing her. Inch by slow painful inch. She smiled even though, inside, she was ready to break down in tears. For crying out loud, that little boy couldn’t have been any older than Vaighn.
“The testing of the key.” Caedmon went down one knee and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You know of the trials taking place at the castle?”
“Certainly, milord. Tried meself just this very day.” He tugged back his frayed shirtsleeve and exposed the blistering red welt of his failure.
Dropping her chin to her chest, Rowena internally cursed.
“Brave lad. Your mother must be very proud. Do you know if the trials continue after Setting? Or is it best my lady and I try our luck fresh on the morrow?”
“Oh no, milord. They lock the chamber up tight.” His spine stiffened, and the boy puffed up in a show of pride. “Me uncle’s a palace guard and he told me so hisself.”
“And no doubt you’re his favored nephew.” Caedmon ruffled the child’s sandy-brown curls and stood, fishing two gold coins from the leather pouch near his hip. He held up the first and the kid’s eyes grew to twice their normal size. “This coin is for your mother. Be certain to give it to her and only her.”
Good grief, she did love that man. Crossing her arms, Rowena camped her weight on one hip. No doubt about it, Caedmon Austiere would make an awesome dad someday.
He pinched the second between his forefinger and thumb, and wagged it under the boy’s nose. “This one is for you, though I’d better not catch wind you spent the lot on bakery sweets.”