Sūnder (Darksoul Book 1)

by Lexi Ander

  Tālia fled without a word, leaving her poor, damaged darkhunters to deal with the wrathful princess.

  Claws out, Válora hissed at the abandoned L’fÿns. They had two choices: surrender to Princess Válora or be shredded by her claws. They both dropped to their knees in surrender.

  In his peripheral vision, Gabe caught more movement down the hallway. As he attempted to gain his feet, Gabe turned to see. Akirá and Paulo flanked a seriously pissed off Sūnder, helping him move swiftly down the corridor. Gabe was so in trouble. He hadn’t wanted Sūnder to see him on the ground, but it was too late. Ronan dodged around them and made it to Gabe first, offering a hand. He gratefully took it, and allowed himself to be hauled up. Once he gained his feet, Válora was right there, taking his face between her palms.

  “Are you injured?” Her brilliant blue gaze raked over him, searching for injury.

  “Just my pride. I’ll be a little bruised, that’s all.” Gabe blinked, stunned by Válora’s tender expression. Had his own mother ever looked at him like that?

  “Reckless, protective man. My son is fortunate to call you mate.” She ran her nose ridge over his cheek, marking him with her scent, marking him as family.

  “Princess Válora, I have called for more knights to attend to you,” Paulo said, eyeing the two kneeling L’fÿns speculatively.

  Gabe pulled away from Válora, pushing past the darkhunters Paulo was securing. He rounded the corner and knelt beside Dÿal, heaving a sigh of relief when a quick check ensured the knight’s injuries weren’t life threatening. In the background, Paulo issued the command to detain Tālia for the attempted kidnapping of “the Prince Consort”. As he rose to his feet, Gabe hoped they found her quickly. He hadn’t known her very long and he was already sick of her shit.

  “Gabe,” Sūnder’s deep rumble caused his heart to squeeze with remorse.

  He’d avoided Sūnder because even though he’d done the right thing in keeping Sūnder safe, he still felt guilty. When he turned, Sūnder leaned against the wall, Akirá partially holding him up. All Gabe could see was the need and frustration in Sūnder’s expression. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Gabe went to him, wrapping his arms around Sūnder’s waist and breathing him in, relieved to be back in Sūnder’s arms.

  “You are not a knight, a warrior to be rushing off into danger,” Sūnder rasped, curling his free arm around Gabe’s shoulders, his nose pressed into Gabe’s hair.

  “You’re mine. Mine to shield. Mine to protect.” The thought of something happening to Sūnder made Gabe’s blood run cold. “I can’t… ignore… the need just because I haven’t trained with your knights.”

  Frustration filled Sūnder’s growl, but nothing else was said as the growl became a hiss of pain. Gabe held onto Sūnder, rubbing his side until Sūnder’s muscles relaxed under his hand. When the elevator chimed, Ronan stepped forward to face the doors, a gun in his hand, his stance announcing he was competent with the weapon. Where he’d stashed the handgun, and how he’d learned to use it, Gabe didn’t want to think about. As a precaution, Ronan pointed the weapon at the doors as they slowly opened. Having ensured the elevator car was empty, Válora ushered them in, Akirá helping Gabe move Sūnder.

  “Princess,” Paulo said hesitantly, clearly torn between his duty to Sūnder and his duty to Válora.

  “The knights shall be here shortly. I can handle two trussed-up L’fÿns.” She gestured for him to get into the lift. “I command you to go and protect my son.”

  Obviously frustrated, Paulo entered the elevator, followed by Ronan, whose gun now pointed at the floor.

  “Valiant and I shall meet you at the hospital,” Válora said just before the doors whooshed shut. The last thing Gabe saw was the captive darkhunters and their expressions of terror when Válora turned to regard them. Gabe bit back a grin; he liked how frightening his mother-in-law could be.

  “If you persist in being foolhardy, Prince Consort,” Paulo bit out, “I must insist you be instructed in the art of fighting.” Gabe couldn’t tell if he was mad or simply worried.

  “Sounds like a great idea,” he replied, because really, he’d already been thinking something similar.

  “I— Wait a minute, you’re not going to argue with me?” Paulo narrowed his eyes at Gabe.

  “Why? I agree with you.” He raised a brow, pressing his palm to Sūnder’s forehead, not liking how Sūnder sweated.

  “He has this idea you are rather stubborn,” Sūnder rasped with a snicker, leaning into Gabe’s touch.

  Ronan snorted out a laugh.

  “Stubborn, perhaps, but not stupid,” Gabe griped, turning to shush Ronan when he only laughed harder. “Some best friend you are.”

  Gabe wasn’t the only one who tensed when the elevator finally chimed their arrival at the garage level. Ronan fixed his stance and raised his gun. Gabe’s heart pounded hard in his chest as the doors slowly opened. The people on the other side were immediately discernable, but he had no idea if they were friend or foe until the doors were open more than a few inches and he could see the uniforms of the knights. Breathing a sigh of relief, Gabe didn’t complain when he and Sūnder were practically lifted off their feet and hustled into the waiting hovercraft. Once the doors closed on the armored vehicle he relaxed somewhat—but not completely, because he didn’t think he would feel safe again until they reboarded Sūnder’s ship. They were on their way in no time, an escort ahead of and behind them.

  The groan Sūnder let out worried Gabe. His mane was damp with sweat, and Gabe urged him to take off his uniform jacket before guiding him backwards to lie half on, half off the seat. There had to be something more Gabe could do, but he had no idea what.

  The earpiece suddenly came alive with sound, causing Gabe to jump in surprise. Since he didn’t understand Chándariān yet, he glanced at Paulo to check his reaction, but Paulo’s expression hadn’t changed much. Maybe. The vehicle behind them suddenly lurched to the side. Gabe acted on instinct, ducking and covering Sūnder the best he could. Why hadn’t they put their seat harnesses on? Their hovercraft lurched from side to side, the deafening screech of metal grinding on metal filling the air. Gabe screamed as he flew from his seat, the sound of an explosion coming as his back hit the roof, Sūnder’s body sandwiching him there and forcing all the air from his lungs.

  Gabe figured he’d blacked out for a moment because he laid on the roof of the hovercraft looking up at where he and Sūnder had been sitting. The way his back had hurt before was nothing compared to the pain that radiated through his muscles as he worked his arms and legs to gauge the level of his injuries. Heart pounding in his chest, Gabe glanced around for Sūnder. An unintentional whimper escaped when he realized he was completely alone. Had darkhunters taken Sūnder and everyone else away while he was unconscious?

  Rolling to his hands and knees, he called for Sūnder, his voice broken. Crimson droplets splattered the shattered safety glass, but not so much that someone had bled out. Crawling toward the busted back window, he worked his jaw and swallowed repeatedly in order to get his ears to pop and fix his hearing. Ronan appeared at the end, his expression easing when he saw Gabe.

  “We need to hurry. There’s no telling how much time we have until they come for us.” Ronan held out his hand.

  Gabe obediently crawled across the safety glass, wriggling through the back window on his belly and ignoring the bite of the edges through his dress shirt. Ronan grabbed him and pulled him the rest of the way through. As Gabe shrugged off the tattered tuxedo jacket, he glanced at the wreckage around them.

  Paulo was with Sūnder on the sidewalk, arguing. The familiar sight allowed Gabe a moment of relief. Something wet dripped down his face and he absentmindedly wiped at it. His hand came away bloody. The escort vehicle in front of them was on fire, the top peeled open like a can of sardines. The one behind them lay on its side, but he could see A’ymon, Akirá, and a couple of knights climbing out of the broken windows. Another wrecked hovercraft lay nearby. The occupants e
merging from the vehicle, some dazed, others injured, proved not to be knights but L’fÿns. Gabe snarled, considering meeting their threat head on, but the sound of Sūnder’s voice reminded him that Sūnder’s safety came before vengeance.

  Quickly rolling up the sleeves of his once pristine dress shirt, he searched for a street sign. How close were they to the ER?

  “This is the park across the way from the hospital?” Gabe asked Ronan.

  “Yes. If we can get across, we’ll be at the Chándariān hospital.”

  So close.

  “I must get him!” Sūnder bellowed.

  Hurrying to where Paulo struggled with Sūnder, Gabe called his name to prove he was okay. Sūnder stopped fighting to look at Gabe. Worry, fear, and relief all flitted across his expression.

  “We need to take him through the park. He’ll be safe at the hospital,” Gabe said as he reached their side and helped Sūnder to his feet.

  Paulo looked at him as if he were crazy.

  “Once we get there we can lock down the wing until reinforcements arrive or the police come. Anything is better than being out here, exposed.”

  Instead of arguing, Paulo spoke rapidly into his earpiece. Gabe hoped there were more knights close by. Akirá loped down the road, the knights from the overturned vehicle following him. Farther back, several dròw males came around the corner of the city block, picking up speed when they saw the wrecked vehicles. Even though Gabe was relieved to see reinforcements, he doubted they would be enough to get them across the park in one piece.

  “I put out a call to the SilverHands,” Akirá said, not even out of breath. “If any are nearby, they shall be here shortly.” Akirá’s beautiful red robe was stained and ripped, but his ornamental sword was still strapped to his waist.

  The group of dròw split up, half of them meeting up with the injured knights and the other half taking the darkhunters in hand. Gabe half-expected the dròw to kill the darkhunters, but the L’fÿns surrendered. Those who joined Gabe’s group called Akirá’s name, and he raised a hand in greeting. Sūnder leaned heavily on Gabe as they waited, snuffling Gabe’s hair and mumbling cuss words in a mixture of English and what Gabe was coming to recognize as Sūnder’s mother tongue. The knights shared weapons with the silverhands while Paulo barked out orders like a general.

  Impatient to get Sūnder to a doctor, Gabe turned Sūnder and started them down the path into the park. He didn’t know if he was afraid the darkhunters would catch up to them or if he felt Sūnder had a limited window before his condition grew worse. Operating on the belief that both were true, he pushed Sūnder as fast as he dared.

  Everyone else caught up with them soon enough, Paulo grumbling under his breath as he shouldered his way under Sūnder’s other arm. A mixture of Panthrÿn knights and silverhands surrounded them as they shuffled down the sidewalk.

  “I left a scout behind to keep us informed on how close our pursuers are. King Valiant has sent knights directly to the hospital, and others to assist us directly, but I don’t know how long it will be before they arrive.”

  Unsure what he should say, Gabe didn’t reply. He was more worried that the park was three miles across. His worst fears came to the fore when Sūnder passed out. Paulo cursed quietly when the scout raced up to report that their pursuers would catch up with them in a few minutes.

  “Paulo,” Gabe said urgently, catching Paulo’s worried gaze. “Leave me a couple of men, and you take Sūnder across the park. I will stall them for as long as I can.”

  Paulo’s scowled darkened. “No,” he barked. “I shall have my second stay with some men. There is no reason for you to face the darkhunters. Sūnder would never forgive me if I left you behind.”

  “Don’t argue with me. I’m his guardian, and we’re in a park. I’ll have a better chance of stalling them than your knights will by themselves.” Gabe spoke with confidence, urging Paulo to believe him even though he had no idea if he could do what he implied. The potted plant had hidden Sūnder when he’d asked; hopefully he could do the same thing now but on a larger scale. Gabe regretted the fact there hadn’t been time for him to test his abilities, gauging the range of his newfound skills. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure he was ready to know, but he wouldn’t let his fears and worries get in the way when Sūnder needed him to be strong, confident. To act like a guardian and prince consort, although he was mostly making that part up as he went along.

  Paulo glared and, for a moment, he thought Paulo would order him to be taken along whether he wanted to go or not. Instead, the captain of Sūnder’s knights gave him a sharp nod then started issuing orders to those staying behind.

  Gabe drew Ronan aside, speaking in a low, hushed tone, “I need you and Akirá to keep Sūnder safe, please.”

  “I should stay with you,” Ronan argued.

  “Sūnder needs your nursing skills, and once you get to the hospital you can give them more information about him than his guards can. You’ll know what’s important. Dr. Lashūl will have Sūnder’s file from the Oberon if you need it. Stay with Sūnder no matter what anyone says.”

  Ronan’s expression turned grim, but Gabe refused to flinch. This was too important.

  “I shall stay behind,” Akirá said as he approached, his words more for Ronan judging by the way he didn’t take his eyes off Gabe’s best friend. “No harm shall come to Gabe if I can help it.”

  “No, you’re still undercover. If someone escapes and tells Tālia they saw you here, you’ll lose whatever leverage you have. I need you both with Sūnder.” Gabe could tell Akirá didn’t like what he said, even though Gabe was right.

  Ronan grumbled something under his breath that Gabe couldn’t make out, but he did hand Gabe two retractable metal rods. “Remember what Pip used to say in practice? Be ruthless. Use only a few strikes to the most vulnerable areas to bring the opponent down for good. This isn’t sparring—you can’t afford your opponent getting back up.”

  Gabe swallowed, nodding. “Ruthless.” He gratefully accepted the batons. Leaving Ronan and Akirá, he went back to where Sūnder lay on the ground. Even unconscious he looked as if he were in pain.

  “We will deliver him to the hospital,” Paulo promised. “We shall not fail you.”

  Brushing his lips against Sūnder’s, inhaling Sūnder’s scent, Gabe pulled his will around him like a cloak and rose to his feet. Everything in him screamed that he needed to be with Sūnder when they reached the hospital, that he couldn’t leave Sūnder’s side with him so sick. But if he didn’t do something to slow the darkhunters down, Sūnder would never get the care he needed, and the darkhunters would accomplish what they didn’t last week: killing Sūnder. Perhaps the elders were correct in their judgement, and the L’fÿns should lose their precious Jade Forest. Perhaps their province should turn into a toxic wasteland. They certainly didn’t deserve it the way they were acting.

  Gabe reminded himself that not every L’fÿn was intent on wiping out the faeborn. There were those who just wanted to live peacefully. Not all of them were violent, and perhaps they didn’t all hold the same murderous views, even if it did seem like it when they held their tongues and let others speak for them.

  “Knights!” Paulo called. “Move out!”

  Gabe couldn’t look, couldn’t watch them carry Sūnder away from him. He threw a prayer up onto the wind, hoping that if there was a deity looking down, they would watch over his lover—his mate—and his new family.

  Three knights and six silverhands, including A’ymon, stood with Gabe. They would have to be enough. The moon hung high in the night sky and the shadows didn’t seem as deep as usual, even though they were away from the illumination of the street lights. Could he see better than usual? Closing his eyes, Gabe calmed his breathing, straining to listen for the life in the park, but no matter how hard he concentrated he couldn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, something niggled at him, something he was missing. Then he realized what he was doing wrong. He threw his senses out into the ai
r, just as he’d seen Sūnder do. The world came alive around him. He felt the life, then heard the hum, the multitude of whispers, murmurs of plants half-roused from their slumber. Then they became aware of him.

  “Guardian!”

  “Consort!”

  “Majesty is injured!”

  “Help me protect him,” Gabe whispered, putting all his emotions, his need, into his plea.

  “The un-earth ones, bright and golden, come.”

  “Please!”

  Something moved in the darkness, a presence not bothering to hide itself. Gabe tensed, drawing in the air, hoping for some clue when he caught the odor of spring rains. L’fÿns. Out here in the park their scents weren’t muddled by the odors of the city streets. How could something that smelled so wonderful be so foul in spirit?

  Shadows broke away from the dark canopy under the trees, the L’fÿns moving with a long-limbed, woodland grace Gabe would never have.

  “I thought it would be harder to catch you.” Tālia stopped twenty paces away, the moonlight turning her hair a brilliant silver. She’d traded her formal robes for attire more suited to, well, hunting. “It has been a while since I led a chase, and I have to say this is quite a disappointment.” She looked around, clearly unimpressed by their numbers. “Where is Sūnder?”

  “Obviously not here,” Gabe replied. “Do you really think you’ll get away with any of this? Princess Válora saw you run like the coward you are. You’re a traitor to your king and country.”

  “He is not my king. He will never be my king! We were supposed to rule the Panthrÿns! Instead, my weak ancestors beseeched their help because of a few mad faeborn. I’ve spent my life trying to right that wrong, to break E’drijān away from Chándaria, and I am tired of people getting in the way. We shall be free again, and the Jade Forest shall answer my call. Not the druids’. Not the faeborns’. I, and only I, will command the Ènts as we take the place that is rightfully ours.”