She laid her cheek against the wet ground and covered her head with her arms.
A thunderous boom shook the ground beneath her.
The voice returned. “Just wait for the portal to close. Mia said it will stop once it’s closed.”
A large hand fell on her back. “Are you all right?”
She nodded, scratching her face on something that felt like gravel. “Yes. Tristan?”
He shifted beside her, laying closer. “Yes.”
At least she knew everyone had made it off the plateau and into the portal. She just didn’t know if it was better. “Is everyone all right?”
Silence answered. Dead silence.
She lowered her arms and lifted her head.
The storm had stopped, the pressure finally releasing her and allowing her to inhale deeply. Daylight rained down on them.
She rolled over and sat up, brushing debris from her raw face. “Is everyone here? Mia?”
Women sat and clutched smaller children to them. They held others by the hands and arms. No one appeared badly hurt, just scared.
Nahara gathered her pups close.
Tristan stood, then grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet. “Do a head count, Jimmy.”
“Do we know how many we should have?” She should have counted before going through, but there just hadn’t been time. Hopefully, someone had thought of it.
“Yes.”
Mia knelt a few feet away, head down, heaving in deep breaths.
“Mia!”
She lifted her head. Blood gushed from her nose.
“Are you all right?” She ran to Mia, dropped to her knees, and pinched Mia’s nose. She’d left her sweatshirt on the ground when Noah had lifted the injured pup, so she used the hem of her shirt to stem the flow of blood.
“I’m fine. Just need to breathe a minute.” She slipped out of Ryleigh’s grasp, sat back on her feet and looked around. “Hey.” She grinned. “I did it.”
A small laugh escaped. “Yeah. You did it.”
“Everyone is here, Your Majesty. We’re helping them all up and moving them together. Other than scrapes and bruises from the rough entry through the portal, it doesn’t seem anyone was injured too badly.” Tristan stood beside her, hands on his hips. “But we have a problem.”
Of course there was a problem. There was always a problem. She stood. “What’s wrong?”
“None of our weapons transferred through the portal with us.”
“What?” She searched around her for the sword she’d been holding when she’d entered the portal. It was nowhere to be found.
“When we entered the portal I had several weapons. None of them are here.” His scabbard hung empty against his torn jeans. Blood trickled from a small gash in his thigh.
“Everyone’s weapons are missing?”
“It seems like it.”
“All right.” She couldn’t let them go too far until she had a better understanding of where they were. “Have men search the immediate area, but not too far until we’re sure everyone is taken care of. Afterward we can organize a more thorough search.”
“Got it.” He issued the orders to his men.
If Thaddeus found a way to follow them into the new realm, they’d be completely defenseless against Chayce’s savages. “Does anyone know if we were seen going through the portal?”
Tristan shrugged. “No idea. I came through right after you, but I didn’t see any humans. Only savages.”
The savages didn’t speak, so at least she didn’t have to worry about them relaying a message to Chayce. “Okay. Let me know what you find.”
“Here.” Tatiana held a piece of green cloth out to Mia. “Pinch your nose. You’ve got to stop that nosebleed.”
“Thanks.” Mia pressed the cloth against her face.
With no clue when, or if, night would fall, no weapons to defend themselves, and no idea what, if anything, inhabited this realm, they would have to hide the children. “We have to get everyone together and search for some kind of shelter. Do you know how many we saved?”
Tatiana frowned. “A hundred and seven.”
A hundred and seven people. Barely a fraction of her kingdom. “Darius?”
She shook her head. “He’s a soldier, Ryleigh. Head of the Security Council. He holds the responsibility for all of Cymmera’s safety in his hands, a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly. He’d fight to the death before leaving anyone behind.”
Though she knew it wasn’t meant as a rebuke, Ryleigh couldn’t help but feel the sting. Maybe she’d done the wrong thing fleeing.
“You did what you had to.” Tatiana laid a gentle hand on her arm. “As did I. We all have our roles.”
They couldn’t leave all of the others to Chayce and his savages. Besides, she had to find Jackson. If they had to surrender Cymmera for the moment, so be it. But she wasn’t giving up any of her people, and she definitely wasn’t giving up Jackson. “We have to go back.”
“There’s nothing for us to do there. We must protect those we were able to save. If the rest of Cymmera falls, its people must go on. Once we grow strong again, we will reclaim what’s rightfully ours.”
“I can’t leave all those people to Chayce. He’s ruthless. Maybe some managed to escape or to hide from him. I have to go back and find them before he does.” But she couldn’t just leave people in the new realm with no leader, either. “I’ll leave you in charge here. Do you know how many of the Guard are with us?”
Tatiana shook her head and looked around. “No. I don’t think many. Lucas, maybe a few others.”
“A few? What happened to those who were fighting the savages? It sounded like more than a few.”
Tatiana caught Ryleigh’s gaze and shook her head. “They gave us the time we needed to get everyone through the portal.”
Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. How many men had sacrificed themselves to save this small group of mostly women and children? “All right. I’ll leave my army here, at least most of them. I’ll choose a couple to take with me, and then—”
“It may not be quite that easy.” Mia tucked the cloth into her back pocket. Dried blood still smeared her face.
“What do you mean?”
“Elijah only found a way in.”
“What!” That couldn’t be possible. Mia had said Jackson couldn’t find his way in. “There has to be a way out.”
Mia shrugged. “Probably. But it will take time to find it. If I can find it at all.”
“Well, you’d better get started, because we are going back once we secure the women and children. At least, I am.” She couldn’t help the bite in her words. Mia should have given her more information, should have told her the door she was opening only led one way.
Actually, that wasn’t fair. She reigned in her temper before she could say something that would hurt Mia. Something Ryleigh would regret later.
Savages had been all over them even as they’d fled. The soldiers they had with them wouldn’t have been able to hold them back any longer. They were lucky they managed to get everyone through and get the portal closed before the savages had been able to follow.
If anything, Ryleigh should have thought this through more carefully. But what could she have done differently? They had to save the people who’d managed to escape.
Sadie laid a hand on Mia’s shoulder and stared at Ryleigh. Tears shimmered in the little girl’s eyes. Then she offered a tentative smile.
Ryleigh smiled back at her. Confidence returned. She’d made the only choice possible under the circumstances. That didn’t mean she had to like it.
“It is what it is, for now, Mia. Please, work on finding a way out.” She suddenly felt trapped, despite the fact they’d escaped. “Come on. Let’s figure out where we are and…” And what? She had no clue.
Noah stormed toward her, anger etched into every line of his scowl. He grabbed her arms and shook her. Hard. “Are you crazy! What
did you think you were doing, shoving me through ahead of you?”
Startled, Ryleigh froze. She’d expected he’d be mad, but not this mad.
His brown eyes churned with turmoil. “I tried to get my temper under control before I confronted you, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Don’t ever do something like that again. Do you understand? Your army is supposed to protect you. Let us do our job. Let me do my job.”
“Uh.” Caught off guard by his unusual intensity, she didn’t know what to say.
Noah had always been so easygoing. The only other time he'd ever shown anger was in the dungeon when he’d first been taken captive. The anger he’d displayed then had been nothing compared to this. With a small shove, he released her and stalked off.
Tatiana caught her arm and laughed. “Don’t be too hard on him. He just about had a heart attack when he made it through the portal and couldn’t find you right away.”
“Yeah, well.” A smile tugged at her.
Mia came up on her other side. “He still has feelings for you, Ryleigh. Strong feelings.”
She didn’t say anything. What was there to say?
But she definitely liked it better when he silently followed orders.
Noah lifted Hannah into his arms, hugged her close, then set her back to wipe away her tears.
Ryleigh huffed out a breath. Fine. She didn’t want him to silently obey everything she said. That wouldn’t be Noah. But he could learn to voice his objections a little less aggressively. He reminded her more and more of Jackson as his time in Cymmera increased.
“You’d do well to keep his feelings in mind.”
She rounded on Mia. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Mia watched Noah with Hannah. “Now’s not the time.”
Ryleigh let it drop. Mia was right; this wasn’t the time. There was enough to deal with without worrying about Noah’s feelings or Mia’s mysterious messages. First, she had to figure out where they were and how to keep her people safe. “Come on.”
Nahara and her pups patrolled the perimeter of the small clearing where they’d landed, circling the patch of knee-high grass, stopping occasionally to sniff something.
Past the edges of the clearing, a thick jungle made seeing more than a few feet next to impossible. Lush green plants, with enormous leaves and a colorful variety of huge flowers, blocked any view they might have had. Tall trees, similar to palm trees, cast shadows across the clearing.
Ryleigh walked along the border of the woods with Tatiana and Mia on either side of her. There had to be some kind of path or trail they could follow. They couldn’t very well rip their way through the thick vegetation with their bare hands.
Other than the soft noises made by her people and an occasional whimper or sniff from Nahara or one of the pups, silence surrounded them. The lack of sounds made by any other animals, or insects, or running water, which they’d need to survive, was a bit unsettling.
Mia had said uncharted, but certainly that couldn’t have meant there was nothing there. Some kind of life must exist. The ground was spongy and damp, and the plants thrived, so there had to be some kind of water supply.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Mia ran her hand over a large red flower, excitement lighting her eyes. “Untouched, unspoiled, not yet corrupted by man.”
The plants were like nothing Ryleigh had ever seen before. They looked almost prehistoric. Everything did. The plants were bigger than normal. The air was thick with dampness but still clean and fresh.
Mia moved away, continuing to explore her new surroundings with a sense of wonder Ryleigh couldn’t quite capture.
Tatiana glanced at Ryleigh, her expression more somber than Mia’s had been. Apparently, her thoughts ran more along the lines of Ryleigh’s.
“Everything is so—”
“Pristine,” Tatiana said. “Too pristine. Too perfect.”
“Is it just me, or does something feel…” How could she describe the weird feeling in her gut?
“Off?”
“Exactly.”
Tatiana nodded, still searching the edges of the clearing. “It’s weird. As if nothing exists here. But how can that be possible?”
“I have no idea. But do you feel that?”
“Feel what?”
“It’s like, I don’t know, a buzz or something. Like an undercurrent.” The closest she’d ever come to feeling anything like it was when Elijah had worked with her on an introduction to magic. She went to rest her hand on her sword.
Its absence sent a chill through her.
* * * *
The acrid stench of smoke burned Jackson’s sinuses an instant before his ears popped, signaling his return through the portal to Cymmera.
His castle stood on its pedestal atop the mountain amid the ruins of Cymmera. Columns of smoke spiraled into the still air, lingering above the land in a gray tribute to all that was lost.
He had to find Ryleigh.
Ophidian resisted his efforts to guide him toward the castle. Odd. The dragon usually obeyed his commands instantly.
Jackson suppressed his feelings, letting the dragon’s primal instincts lead him. He had no idea what was going on, and rushing ahead with no knowledge could be a death sentence.
Ophidian rounded the side of the mountain.
Many of the cottages dotting the mountainside beneath the castle lay in shattered ruins, smoldering amid the rubble in what could only be the result of one of Chayce’s temper tantrums.
Anger robbed him of breath, threatened to crush him.
Death was too light a sentence for the depth of destruction Chayce had caused. No torture Jackson could think of would ever avenge the pain Chayce had inflicted on so many.
Jackson never should have gone to Argonas. He’d let his need for revenge interfere with his duty to his kingdom, had left Ryleigh to fend for herself, had ignored the gnawing in his gut and listened to Elijah.
When he got hold of the prophet, he’d strangle him with his bare hands.
All right, that was probably a little extreme, but the seer definitely had a lot to answer for.
Ophidian passed the castle and continued toward the mountains.
Jackson let him go, trusting he sensed something Jackson didn’t.
The other Death Dealers maintained their formation and followed him, their expressions mirroring his rage and shock.
All of the dragons landed on the sand along the shore.
Huge, powerful waves crashed against the rocks as if unleashing their own anger at the destruction.
Jackson leaped from Ophidian’s back and rushed toward the side of the mountain. He slid behind a large boulder that hid the opening to the family tunnels that led from the castle. Very few people knew about the escape route the royal family would use in the event of an emergency.
But Ryleigh had used the tunnels in the past, so she knew where to find the entrance.
Then again, so did Chayce.
He unsheathed his sword and entered the darkness. He didn’t bother to light the lanterns along the walls. No need. He could see well enough. No sense announcing his position.
Keeping his sword ready, Jackson strode through the tunnels. When they reached the vault, he ignited a small ball of fire in his hand and tossed it toward a lantern. The flame caught, casting a dim yellow glow across the chamber.
He crossed through piles of jewels and weapons, massive wealth accumulated over the centuries by past kings. It didn’t matter. Even amid piles of treasure, emptiness surrounded him. He kicked a chalice out of his way, across the dirt floor. It clattered to a halt against a gold box. “I thought maybe they’d be holed up in here.”
Dakota kept pace beside him. “Why?”
“Last time they fled through the tunnels, they rested here.” Mia had been joyous when she’d told him how she and Sadie had played dress up with the jewels and trinkets. His heart ached for the innocent child she’d been. He shoul
d have taken the time to find out what was bothering her lately. Now he could only hope it wasn’t too late. “Come on.”
Awe filled Dakota’s eyes despite the direness of their circumstances. But it didn’t slow his stride.
Though there were rumors about the family tunnels, few people who were not direct descendants of the royal family knew of their existence. Of course, keeping their location a secret no longer mattered. Cymmera’s biggest traitor had turned out to be one of his own kin.
Betrayal cut deep. He embraced the anger it brought. Anger was much easier to hold on to than fear. Not for himself, but for those he’d grown to love.
“Hold up, Jackson.” Ranger exchanged a look with Vaughn, then approached Jackson.
“I don’t have time for this, Ranger.”
“Please. Just one minute.”
“Fine. What?”
Ranger pinned him with a glare. “Where does this chamber exit?”
Jackson searched for patience. His soldiers were now in unfamiliar territory. “There’s a double door at the far end of the chamber. Once we seal the chamber door behind us, we’ll open the second door into the tunnel.”
“That would be the perfect spot for an ambush.”
True, but they’d wasted enough time already walking through the tunnels. He was beginning to regret his decision to trust the dragons. He should have stridden through the front door rather than sneaking through the tunnels like some sort of intruder in his own home. “Then be prepared for one.”
Ranger frowned. “Why don’t we split up? A few of us will go first, while the others wait in here. Once we’ve passed into the tunnels, the next group can follow. This way, if there’s anyone waiting, we’ll have at least a small advantage.”
“Who’s we?”
“I figure you’re not going to wait, and I know I’m not.” Ranger grinned. “So we.”
The plan made sense. “Fine. Dakota, Vaughn.”
The four exited the chamber, while the other Death Dealers waited behind.
The door thudded closed behind them.
Though the chamber was soundproof, the small, dark antechamber where they now stood was not. Jackson kept his voice to nothing more than a breath of sound, suddenly certain Chayce would have left a sentry outside the door if he’d taken control of the castle. “Now.”
Battle for Cymmera Page 7