Stone Heir (The Kahlian Series Book 1)

by Aimee Hunter

  “I don’t know if peace between the four races can ever be achieved, Captain. But I have reason to hope, that with time and compassion and a lot of understanding. One day, maybe we can reach a place where war is no longer an acceptable solution.”

  Xavier could only stare in awe at her. Listening to everything she had to say left him feeling humble and inspired. He felt a growing need to show her that humans were capable of changing. Xavier’s respect for Diana grew the more he thought on her words. The wisdom and compassion she showed, even though she had seen and been the victim of the very worst of his race. The fact that she still saw some redeemable qualities, made him want to prove to her right. Xavier felt a stirring inside that he didn’t understand as he continued to gaze at her. He felt a growing sense that, seeing this difficult time through with her, would allow him to show her that her hope was not in vain.

  Seeing Diana reach into the back seat to tap her adopted daughters knee to wake her up, broke Xavier from his thoughts enough to hazard a guess that they had reached their destination. It was verified when he overheard her talking quietly to Kylie.

  “Wake up, sweetheart. We’re here.” Diana gripped the young woman’s knee firmly, knowing from past experience not to startled her awake. Especially if she’d fallen asleep in the car. A bittersweet smile graced Diana’s elegant features at the memory. Kylie’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze falling on her mother’s face where she was bent around her seat. She sat up and rubbed her eyes firmly, trying to wake up. Looking around, Kylie instantly recognized where they were and sucked in a quick, fortifying breath. She didn’t think any of them were prepared for what was about to happen.

  Once she was sure Kylie was awake. Diana turned to Xavier.

  “Only the four of us are going inside, Captain. Have your troops set up camp outside, I’m not sure how long this will take but I’m sure they’re all hungry.” After saying this, she opened her door and hopped out of the truck, slamming the door shut behind her. Inadvertently startling Colin awake, who bolted up in his seat so fast he slammed the top of his head against the roof.

  “We’re here.” Xavier told him dryly. “Let’s get everyone situated before we head inside.” They climbed out of the truck and stretched before walking to the back to let the others out. Dumas ordered the remaining soldiers to set up camp just outside the cave entrance that had been plainly visible from the moment Diana stopped the truck, and to wait for them. Torches were lit and passed out between the four of them. Even though the sun was beginning to rise, it would be pitch black inside. With that taken care of, the three Kahlians and one human entered the natural construct, unaware that by the end of the newly dawning day, the fight for Midland would begin.

  The little group seemed to walk forever down a long winding path that cut straight into the rolling mountains. The air inside felt heavy, charged thick with energy. Xavier and Colin both felt as though they weren’t alone aside from the two women with them. They kept looking over their shoulders, expecting to see someone. No one spoke during the trek. Both men had the feeling that it felt like it would be disrespectful to do so.

  After thirty minutes of walking, the winding path opened up before them into a deep cavern. Flames from a hundred torches lining the walls casting dancing shadows climbing up the sloped walls even though they were kept well away. Since the walls themselves were carved out or pitted around the circumference of the cavern, filled to bursting with books and rolled parchments. There were a handful of white robed people milling about on the far side of the room but the focal point rest in the center.

  A great long table dominated the center of the room. Overflowing with more books scattered around a massive map that took up the entirety of the center portion of the table. Leaning over this table, with hands braced wide against it to support her weight, stood a statuesque woman with long, flowing red hair with her back to them. She was conversing heatedly with an older looking gentleman in a language neither of the men had ever heard before. The speaking abruptly stopped and the woman was spinning around to face them. A look of mind numbing relief briefly flashed across the stunning woman’s features. Xavier could clearly see each of her daughters in both her looks and her bearing.

  Diana took a step forward, her gaze locked onto the woman.

  “Hello, Mother.” She greeted her quietly. Her voice still managing to echo lightly throughout the cavern. The sound of her eldest daughter’s voice seemed to break whatever spell had fallen over the red haired matriarch, causing her to surge forward. Covering the distance between herself and Diana in nearly the blink of an eye. Aine swept her blonde child into her arms, holding her tightly, burying her face in her hair and kissing the side of her head. When she felt Diana’s body begin to shake, she soothed her by running her hand gently up and down her back as she had when she was a child. Aine pulled back just enough to frame her daughters tear streaked face in her hands and smile sadly.

  “Oh, my precious girl. I was beginning to fear you would never come.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Over the next several hours, the Stone sisters and Sylvia wandered through one underground village after another. Trying to keep an optimistic outlook while searching for something that could accommodate over thirty thousand people. Mason was no fool and this was by no means her first time facing a siege. The Kahlian sighed heavily for she was growing tired of watching the human race repeat the same mistakes over and over.

  It had become tedious over the years, to watch these people build beautiful cities. Awe-inspiring civilizations, rich with culture and bursting with creativity. To watch them do everything they could to destroy it, just to start all over again was perhaps, the greatest tragedy of all.

  During the years following the calamity of World War III, Mason and her sisters had many conversations and heated arguments over what their peoples’ role would be in the new world once it was possible to retake the surface. After much debate, they’d finally agreed that the fate of the world could not be left up to such a young and volatile race. The last stunt had nearly wiped out every living thing.

  Going against eons of Kahlian law, the three of them have since taken a drastically more active role in reshaping the world that greeted them upon their emergence from the sprawling, subterranean cities. Where Human and Kahlian alike had fled to escape the destruction. Becoming yet another civilization that was destroyed in order to make way for the current one.

  Standing in the middle of a satellite village to the main underground chamber that housed what used to be Kansas City, Mason turned to her sister and Sylvia.

  “We’re going to have to hide them down here until the danger has passed.” She announced. Lana looked at her quizzically. “We can’t risk using the tunnel that empties out behind the Impure army with unarmed civilians. They’ll be cut down before the fresh air fills their lungs.” Mason explained. “The best bet would be for them to hole up down here and seal off the entrance inside Culville after the last person goes through until the battle is over.” She paced away from them to a gaze at a building that looked like it could have held several apartments at one time.

  “And who will bring them down here and stay with them?” Sylvia asked in a low voice, not wanting to incite an argument between the sisters but feeling it needed to be addressed now instead of in the middle of the siege. Lana, whose attention had been on Sylvia while she spoke, whipped her head around to glare at her sister and leader.

  “Not a chance in hell.” She ground out when Mason’s eye’s settled on her almost pleadingly.

  Mason takes a breath before plunging headfirst into the inevitable argument with her little sister.

  “Lana, there’s no one…” she began only to be interrupted.

  “NO!” Lana shouted, her voice echoing up and down the ghost like streets of the abandoned town. “I won’t do it. There has to be someone in Culville who knows about these tunnels. Let them babysit their own people.” She declared angrily. “You are not going to wage a war
without me there to watch your back, I don’t care if you are Mother’s heir.” Glancing over at a silent Sylvia, she continued desperately. “I left her alone in a city about to be sacked by her brother once, don’t make me do this to her again, Mason.”

  Sylvia sucked in a startled gasp at Lana’s frantic plea. She hadn’t realized how very similar this situation was to what happened in Moon Valley until Lana brought it to her attention. Sylvia couldn’t believe she was stuck in another city her brother planned to lay waste too, at Lana’s side no less. She huffed in irritation, crossing her arms and shaking her head. Unbelievable. To make matters worse, she could feel herself thawing towards Lana again. Even more so now and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Sylvia had missed the wild Kahlian desperately, and even though she was now convinced of the validity of Lana’s claims about what truly happened all those years ago. Sylvia found she wasn’t quite ready to let go of all of her anger towards the woman just yet.

  “Alright, Lana. Alright.” The sound of Mason’s voice brought her attention back to the bickering sisters to see Lana wrapped up in her sister’s arms. “We’ll find someone else to guide them.” Mason met Sylvia’s gaze, realizing along with the pale woman, just how much Lana was still haunted by what happened between them. Leaning back, grasping the younger woman by the shoulders, Mason said. “I think we’ve come far enough into the tunnels for them to be safe from pursuit, so we should head back now. We need as much time as possible to get everyone down here.” The other two nodded in agreement and fell into step with Mason as they made their way back to the entrance in the soldiers barracks they’d used hours before.

  As they walked, Mason’s mind drifted back to their earlier encounter with the cloaked being. A meeting that had precipitated the need to find an alternate escape route. Having failed to find one that wasn’t collapsed or in danger of collapsing had proven futile. Hence the decision to hide in the abandoned cities. However, that decision left Mason with a sense of foreboding. This being was so comfortable with the shadows; they chose to shroud themselves in it. She’d attempted to test the individuals’ ability and found it to be at least among the most powerful she’d ever encountered. But, like her, this person had been able to obscure the extent of its power.

  It was just one more potential threat to take into account along with the army marching towards them and a city wholly unprepared to repel its attack. Mason let go a frustrated sigh. Even bringing the citizens down here, and using it as a fallback position, a lot of people were going to die on both sides of this conflict that no one knew the cause for. Which is what was really bothering Mason.

  Almost sixty years ago, the Nightkin capital, Moon Valley, had been completely destroyed. Only a massive bomb, detonating in the center of the city, would have done more damage. Over half of its population were killed along with many of the ruling class. Including Sylvia’s parents, who were the Nightkin’s equivalent of a King and Queen. This event forced them to abandon the area in search of a new home. Having accomplished this, they rebuilt their society and their armies. Then, under Sylvan command at the behest of Damian, the Nightkin attacked and destroyed Wolfhaven. Killing Mason’s father and sending her mother into hiding along with what was left of the Kahlian people. An exact reenactment of what befell Moon Valley. Now, their focus shifted to Culville, the strongest of all the human cities that have popped up over the last few hundred years. Once it fell, Eastland’s capital, Ruin City, would be the only stronghold left and without Culville’s protection, it would be utterly overwhelmed.

  Mason’s frowned as she considered all of this. Why would Damian and Sylvan go to such lengths to destroy three kingdoms? Moon Valley, Wolfhaven, now Culville. If it were anyone else, even if it was just Sylvan, she could believe that it was simply the desire for power. To rule an empire. Except Damian and this Dominus being seemed to be the ones behind it all. Mason shook her head, there was a pattern to this whole thing. She could see it as clearly as she could see the two women at her side. She just couldn’t see the larger picture that pattern was a part of, though it was becoming more clear with every tidbit of information she acquired.

  They were climbing the steps up to the door leading into the barracks when Mason became aware of her surroundings. The three women could hear shouting and the pounding footsteps of people running. Mason and Lana shared a look before quickly bursting into the barracks and out into the city itself, Sylvia hot on their heels.

  The scene that greeted them could only be described as chaos. Soldiers were everywhere. They could see them breaking down doors, forcibly entering every building. Searching for something. Mason saw Lieutenant Carla Thames and forced her way through the milling crowd to her side.

  “What’s happened?” she asked as soon as she was close enough to be heard. Carla breathed a heavy breath of relief when she saw the Stone sisters.

  “Princess Rena is missing,” she told them, shifting nervously at the look on Mason’s face.

  “We haven’t been able to find her and Captain Grimes is being uncooperative.”

  “Where is he?” Mason demanded through clenched teeth.

  “We have him locked up in the city jail. I’m not entirely convinced he didn’t play a part in the Princess’ disappearance.” Carla’s eyes widened as Mason growled, her countenance darkening with murderous intent.

  “Take me to him.” The Lieutenant didn’t hesitate to obey the order, leading the enraged women to Culville’s holding cells. Almost feeling sorry for the poor bastard. Almost.

  Mason swept into the building, her gaze zeroing in on Captain Grimes who was laying on a cot that was shoved to one side. He stood up slowly when he saw her, a sardonic smile covering his dirty, bruised face.

  “You’re too late, Lady Mason.” Jonathan gloated. “Princess Rena is beyond your reach now.” Mason flicked her eyes to Carla, an unspoken command to open the cell door clearly conveyed. Once again, the good Lieutenant didn’t hesitate, opening the door and standing to the side as Mason took measured steps into the dank cell. Casting a quick glance over to the other two women, Carla realized just how loved the Eastland Princess really was. Even a mutant was in a state of barely controlled rage over her disappearance.

  For every step Mason took into his cell, Jonathan took one backwards. Suddenly regretting every decision he’d ever made once he got a good look at the woman’s face. Reaching out slowly, Mason wrapped her hand in the front of Jonathan shirt, yanking him violently forward.

  “Where. Is. She.” She bit off each word, growling with the effort it took not to snap his neck. Her gaze became feral as she allowed the stupid man to see exactly what he was provoking. At his look of abject terror, she smiled grimly. He struggled against her grip, which she only tightened in response. Coming close to but not quite choking him, judging by the staggered breathing and occasional gagging sounds he was making. When no answer was immediately forthcoming from the pathetic little man, Mason forced her fist up into his through and began lifting him from his feet by sheer brute strength. Enjoying the way his eyes became as round as saucers in astonishment.

  “If I must repeat myself, Captain, it will not bode well for you continued health.” Came the low warning. With his hands wrapped around her arm, trying desperately to suck in more oxygen, Jonathan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if he didn’t tell her where Rena was she would kill him. She might kill him anyway for the part he played. This thought gave him a false sense of bravado, a sick grin twisting his face with madness.

  “She’s with her Prince. Where you can’t reach her, in the heart of the army outside those walls. Prince Devon and Lord Damian will see to her wellbeing.” He laughed in her face. His laughter cut off and his eyes bulging nearly out of their sockets when Mason released her grip on his shirt to wrap the same hand around his throat and squeezed. Lowering him enough so that their noses nearly brushed, she spoke in a near whisper.

  “Then you’re coming with us to get her back.” Mason tightened her hand just enough th
at black spots began dancing across his vision. “And if she has so much as a bruise, Jonathan, I swear to you. What the Impure will do to you will seem like a gentle embrace compared to what I will do.” With that warning, Mason dropped him like a he was nothing more than a rag doll, turning on her heel to stalk out of the cell. Pausing long enough to inform Lt. Thames that the former Eastland Captain would be accompanying her. Mason turned to her sister and Sylvia, taking a calming breath.

  “I’m going after Rena,” she told them flatly, frantically trying to close off her emotions in order to do what needed to be done to save the woman she had so quickly fallen in love with. Lana reached out to grasp her arm, understanding probably better than anyone, just what Mason was feeling in this moment.

  “What do you need?” she asked simply, ready to do whatever was required of her. Mason gave her sister a long look before answering, remembering the outburst in the tunnels.

  “I need someone to stay and make sure these people make it to the tunnels safely.” She told her carefully, surprised when Lana bobbed her head in understanding.

  “I’ll take care of it, Mason. You go get our Princess back.” The elder Kahlian’s brow furrowed in confusion, before her attention was snagged by Sylvia.