by Amy Sumida
“Don't play games with us.” Another man strode forward, his palm starting to glow with the distinctive warning of magic to come. “Where is our king?”
“Everywhere.” I spread my arms out to indicate the mess, and smiled viciously. “He has become one with his kingdom.”
“Are you . . .” Another man stumbled back. “You mean that this . . . ? Impossible. No magic can do that.”
The other men looked just as shocked.
“I think they're okay,” I said to Banning. “What do you think?”
Banning stared at the terrified men hard, then looked at me. “I think they're ignorant. They can live.”
Those cryptic words sent the men running, and when we started riding after them, they scattered, leaving the road entirely to scamper off toward shelter. We kept going, keeping our pace fast enough to discourage anyone from attempting to stop us. And we didn't slow our pace until we were well past the relic's temple.
We had destroyed every piece of evidence we'd found in that farmhouse. Every book, every note, everything. The only exception were the materials. We just couldn't carry all that metal back to Onyx. But they were just scraps of steel and copper; no one could figure out how to make a magic-killing bomb simply from looking at them. The copper was dormant, uncharged, and the steel was just metal. So we left them behind, and deployed all of the bombs within the farmhouse.
We figured that discharging the bombs in the building took care of two problems: the bombs, and any evidence that we might have overlooked. We must have found everything though, because after the bombs had detonated, we went back inside to collect the wreckage. The only casualties, beyond the bombs themselves, had been the fairy lights, which had exploded into dust. It was a relief to know for certain that no one else had been concealing themselves in the shadows like Lorcan.
So all that was left of King Lorcan's nasty weapon was debris, and even that we'd taken, to make sure no one analyzed it, as Quinlan had done. He was the one carrying the remnants, and he promised to have them melted down after we made it safely back to Onyx.
If we made it safely back to Onyx.
Two hours after we'd left the Copper Kingdom, we heard rapid hoof-beats behind us. I looked to the others, and we veered off the road as one unit, taking cover behind a copse of quartzwood. I dismounted, and crept closer to the road with Sir Carrick and Banning. The others kept the horses quiet behind us. It wasn't long before we spotted them, a group of mounted knights, heading in our direction with deadly intent.
“Looks like Queen Eileen has been informed of her husband's death,” Carrick whispered. “Shall we engage, Your Majesty?”
“No, leave this to me.” I closed my eyes, and focused on the result I wanted.
The relic started to glow even before I began to sing. We were becoming so aligned that it knew when I needed it. I started to sing Bonnie Tyler's “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” My voice filtered out of our cover to compel both men and beasts into changing their motivations. The horses reared, and the men floundered. I called out softly to them, coercing gently, using the words in their most basic definitions. The knights flailed as their mounts turned around in circles. The song turned sorrowful and plaintive, seeping in deeper. Into their conscious mind and then subconscious. The knights finally got control of their horses. They turned them about and headed back where they had come from.
“They're leaving,” Carrick whispered. “Well done, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you, Carrick.” I looked at the others. “Now, let's get out of here. We need a place to camp for the night.”
Chapter Forty-Two
“I'm sorry that I didn't have faith in you back there,” Banning said.
We rode until we were within Turquoise, and made camp in the same site I'd used once with Torin. The horses were grazing near the lake, and we had our sleeping mats out, preparing for bed. I had somehow ended up between Banning and Quinlan.
“What do you mean?” I slipped beneath my blankets, my exhausted body flopping and twitching its way into relaxation.
“When we were faced with that Copper son of a bitch,” Banning growled. “When I was going to rush him instead of following your lead.”
“You didn't even know I had a lead,” I said. “Banning, you were going to sacrifice yourself for us. Don't apologize for that. It was admirable.”
“Even if it was unnecessary,” Quinlan muttered.
“Quinlan.” I gave him an annoyed look.
“Sorry”-Quinlan shrugged-“but you're the Song Queen. You're wearing the relic of the witches. I wasn't worried for a moment.”
“Well, I was,” Banning growled. “She's been abducted while wearing that necklace. It's not all powerful.”
“Valid,” I whispered before Quinlan could say anything. “You're right, Banning. Things could have gone badly, relic or no. We had to do some horrible things today, and you were a huge help. So, thank you for that.”
“You're welcome,” Banning lay back down. “I'm glad I was there with you.”
“What we did was done for the greater good,” Quinlan said. “We couldn't allow anyone to have such power.”
“We should have kept the bombs,” one of the knights muttered.
“Who said that?” I sat up and looked around the camp.
“It was I, Your Majesty,” Sir Gerard admitted.
“And would you like to explain that comment?” I asked him.
“It's just that those bombs would have given us an advantage in the war,” Gerard said.
The other men muttered angrily, but I was the one to answer Gerard.
“Those bombs were a threat to everyone who has magic within them,” I said gently. “You saw how easily it was turned against Lorcan. Can you imagine throwing one out into a war? It's too unpredictable. Not to mention that as soon as we used one, everyone who was a witness to it would become a liability. They would see the possibilities in the bombs. If Quinlan could figure it out, there's bound to be another Shining One who could. Then every kingdom would have them, if for no other reason than to protect themselves against the other kingdoms that had bombs. Tír na nÓg would become dangerous for any supernatural.”
I watched the gravity of it descend upon Gerard, his face going pale in the moonlight. Then he nodded; no other words were necessary.
“Uh, actually . . .” Quinlan cleared his throat, and we all looked at him in shock. “I still have most of the bombs that were found in Emmet's possession.”
“What?” I blinked at him in shock.
“King Torin wants to use them to destroy the sapphire guardians, so our armies can march into Sapphire unimpeded.” Quinlan held up a hand when he saw me start to speak. “I believe he intends to send our scouts ahead with the bombs. No one else need know how we managed to destroy the guardians.”
“Oh.” I frowned, unsure how I felt about it.
“I was going to recommend these men here.” Quinlan nodded to the knights. “That way, the secret stays with us.”
“I suppose that would work,” I conceded.
“You can talk to King Torin when we return,” Quinlan offered. “I'm sure he'd be open to any suggestions you have.”
“Would all of you be willing to carry those bombs into Sapphire, and detonate them around the guardians?” I asked the knights.
They looked a little shocked that I was asking, instead of ordering, but they all nodded their agreement.
“You can never divulge your part in the guardians destruction. Nor can we tell anyone else what happened today,” I warned them. “We did a great service to Tír na nÓg, and the entire Beneath, but we cannot crow about it. To do so would make all of our efforts pointless.”
“I don't require glory, Your Majesty,” Sir Hugh said. “It's enough to know that those I love will never be subject to such a weapon.”
“It's enough for me as well, Sir Hugh,” I sighed.
“We have already been vowed to secrecy,” Gerard added. “None of us shall speak of this. Nor shall we tell
anyone how we'll destroy the sapphire guardians.”
“Good.” I slipped back under my blanket.
“I will not speak of this either,” Banning assured me.
“Thank you, Ban.” I said the nickname without thinking, and he smiled when he heard it.
“Anything for you, Ellie,” Banning whispered, his voice like a caress on my cheek.
Chapter Forty-Three
We had to return to the castle under the cover of night. Torin had planned on giving the other monarchs the excuse that I was busy honing my talents, and Banning was helping me. We were supposed to be studying diligently within Torin's private apartments. So we couldn't exactly come traipsing in all la-di-da.
The same gate guards had to stand watch every night until we returned, making our re-entry as smooth as possible. They looked relieved when they spotted us. Probably because gate duty is boring as hell. I would have felt sorry for them if I hadn't just blown a king to pieces with his own magical A-bomb. Maybe we could call it an M-bomb. No, never mind, we weren't calling it anything because as soon as the last of them was detonated, it would become nonexistent.
We led our horses into the stables, made sure they were cared for, and then snuck carefully into the castle. The sounds of revelry drifted out from the main hall, and I found myself scowling.
“Doesn't seem right that they're enjoying themselves while we were out taking care of business,” Banning gave voice to my thoughts.
“They didn't know what we were up to, remember?” I reminded him as I did myself. “And if Torin is in there, it's only to keep up appearances.”
“Uh-huh.” Banning grimaced. “Come on, let's go upstairs and change. Then we can go down, acting as if you've just finished your training.”
“All right.” I nodded to the others, and they hurried off to do the same.
All of us were more than ready to eat some real food. The last cooked meal we'd had was in Copper, at the pub, and saying it was a bland meal would be generous.
Banning and I made it upstairs without anyone the wiser. Everyone important enough to question me was already in the dining hall. I left Banning on the landing for his floor, promising to meet him downstairs, and then hurried up to my guest room. Sara wasn't there, but I hadn't expected her to be. It's not like the woman just sat around waiting in my room in case I needed help getting a dress on. But since she was unavailable, I had to find something I could get on without help.
I chose some of my human clothes, but went for something a little fancier than jeans. Actually, I rarely wore jeans, preferring the ease of a dress. Call me lazy, but it's faster to throw a dress on than wiggle into jeans and then pull on a top. The dress I chose was slinky, classy, and deep crimson. I felt strong in it, victorious. I needed to concentrate on our success so I could let go of the horror of its development. It wouldn't be too difficult for me, and I suppose that is a horror in itself. I'd seen a lot of gory things in my life, been the cause of most of them. So the mincemeat remains of King Lorcan and his men wouldn't give me nightmares. Not for long anyway.
I walked out of the guest room, intending to head downstairs, but a sound from Torin's bedroom caught my attention. It could have been one of the servants, tidying up, but I decided to take a look. When I opened the door, I was happy I had.
Torin lay across his bed, silky sheets bunched around his restless legs as he stared furiously up at the onyx ceiling. He was gloriously naked, his ebony hair spread around him in wild disarray, and the moonlight streaming in from the balcony turned him into a god of dreams. Sexy enough to protect me from any nightmare.
I inhaled sharply, and his gaze shot to mine.
“Elaria!” Torin slipped out of bed, and strode over to me. He barely gave me any time to appreciate his magnificent nudity before he wrapped me in tight to his chest. “Great gems, I've been so worried.” He pulled back to look me over. “Are you well? Did everything go as planned? The bombs?”
“I'm good,” I assured him. “The plan kind of went sideways, but we improvised, and I'm pretty certain that we took care of all the evidence.”
“Sideways?” Torin scowled.
“I may have led us into a trap,” I eased him back to the bed. I wasn't about to go downstairs after seeing him au naturel, no matter how hungry I was. Other hungers sometimes took priority. “But it's okay; it worked out for the best.”
“King Lorcan?”
“Dead,” I grimaced. “Killed by his own bomb. He had a loup working with him. Banning killed the wolf.”
“Banning did?” Torin's eyes narrowed.
“He didn't come along to twiddle his thumbs, Torin.” I pushed him down, to sit on the mattress, and then turned my back to him. “Now help me with this.”
He paused for all of five seconds.
Then my dress was on the floor, and my victory celebration was in full swing. Torin's kisses were better than wine, his touch far more satisfying than any fey food. We rejoiced together, and his body helped mine forget the savage things I'd done to keep us safe.
Chapter Forty-Four
“I can't believe we're finally doing this,” I said to Torin as we rode out, away from the Onyx Castle.
There was a seriously long train of people setting out with us, but we were splitting up soon. We would be coming at Sapphire from seven different directions, two kingdoms's armies per direction. Except for us; we had a Shining One army and a unit of blooders and shape-shifters. Cerberus had insisted they fight beside us, of course. Torin and I had sent the bomb scouts ahead secretly. They would make the journey to Sapphire on their own, then split up and position themselves at predetermined locations in the Sapphire Gardens. Once there, they'd detonate the last magic bombs in existence and use them to clear our path into the Sapphire Kingdom. The other armies knew we were clearing the way, but had no idea how. Torin had told them we'd be using human technology, and they'd eventually accepted that answer.
As soon as we were in Sapphire, we'd attack King Galen's forces, and whoever else happened to be there supporting him. There were all kinds of plans in place about maneuvering the soldiers, but honestly, they blurred together for me. I had one job, and that was to sing. That's all I could focus on.
But first, we had to get there.
The journey took three days, nearly four because we had so many people to deal with. Camp had to be erected every night, and food had to be distributed. Then there was the mode of travel, horseback again. Hopefully I'd be able to stand when it was all over. I'll tell you what though, my thighs were getting a hell of a workout, and at least I wasn't one of the foot soldiers, doomed to walk the entire way.
Cerberus loved every step of the journey. He's one of those outdoorsy types, so he was completely in his element. He rode tall in the saddle, sometimes bellowing bawdy songs, sometimes bellowing bawdy jokes, and was a general source of entertainment for the troops. At night, the Cerberus Show continued. He'd hunt for fresh meat, then sit around the roasting carcass, drinking something potent while telling tales of the Greek Underworld and his adventures with the numerous gods inhabiting it. The one about Campe, the half-dragon, half-woman Goddess of Tartarus, was a crowd favorite.
The nights on the road weren't so bad actually. I did enjoy listening to Cerberus, and after dinner, Torin and I would retreat to the privacy of his royal tent. No one camped like Shining One royalty. Torin's tent was nicer than some five-star hotels I'd stayed in. It was a far different situation than when we'd been sneaking through the countryside, trying to get to the relic without anyone spotting us. The only sneaky part of this journey would be in our final approach. If someone spotted us along the way and somehow reported it to King Galen, it couldn't be helped. It simply wasn't possible to hide an army of this size.
“You have your songs prepared?” Torin asked as we snuggled together in his bed after a bout of particularly vigorous sex.
It was the last night of the journey. We'd reach Sapphire sometime the next afternoon.
“Yes,” I
assured him.
“Make sure to always keep Sir Hugh within your sight,” Torin said. “He needs to be as close to you as possible, so that his protection spell is impenetrable.”
“I know.” I kissed his cheek. “I will.”
“And if you see me fall, Elaria,” he whispered, “don't falter. Keep singing.”
“You won't fall,” I said confidently, though my heart stuttered at his words.
“There will be a lot of powerful Shining Ones on that battlefield.” Torin turned grim. “It's a possibility. Do not watch me; it will only distract you. Just as I shall endeavor not to look at you. We will perform our own tasks, and then hopefully reunite when it's all over.”
“Hopefully?” I cocked my head at him. “You can't go into battle thinking like that. You will live through this war-we both will-and we will be triumphant.”
“As you say.” He swallowed hard.
“I want you to say it, Torin,” I insisted.
“We will be triumphant,” he sighed.
“And?”
“And we will both live through the battle.” Torin smiled at me, then pushed me over onto my back. “But just in case, I think we should make love one more time.”
“Just in case.” I chuckled as he lowered his lips to mine.
Chapter Forty-Five
We made it to Sapphire without anyone attacking us. I had no idea if we'd been spotted or if we still had the element of surprise. But as we neared the Sapphire Gardens, an explosion rumbled out to us, and alarms sounded from the castle. The scouts had completed their missions, and they circled back to join us, looking very pleased with themselves. All of our armies would have clear passage to the Sapphire Castle. Not only that; Carrick had scouted the perfect place for me to make my stand and gave me full instructions on how to reach it.
The explosions should have given Sapphire fair warning, even if we hadn't been spotted. But as our forces closed in on the castle from all sides, their armies were scrambling to meet us. Torin and I exchanged one last, love-filled look, and then I broke off from our army, with Sir Hugh at my side. We headed for the vantage point of the low hill Carrick had advised me of. As we reached the crest, the clash of metal meeting metal began to ring up to us.