The Myatheira Chronicles: The Vor'shai: From the Ashes (Volume 1)

by Melissa Collins

  Flashbacks from her last fight with him at the inn did nothing to ease her troubled thoughts. If he took to hitting his head into hers again, it would be over. There was no means for her to defend against it. She needed to keep him distracted. At least until she could think of a way to break free. With a continuous motion she rocked her hips from side to side, dragging them further across the ground as Kael moved to stay on top of her.

  From around his neck something glinted in the light. An amulet. The golden chain was thin but sturdy, what looked to be a large medallion hanging from the front. Four gems of a deep blue were situated in a square, set around a larger yellow stone on an otherwise flat surface. It looked old. Well cared for, but wearing from age, the shine from the metal lacking in its polished finish. The gems were the only thing about it which still sparkled in the morning light.

  Could it be the amulet Zander had spoken of? He never described it. Somehow she hadn’t expected to ever see it. And now, for it to be so near. If she could just get her hands away from him, close enough to touch it. To rip the chain from his neck. It was more important than her freedom, on the off chance that it was the real thing; an authentic relic of the ancient Ven’shal. The key to Arcastus’s new life.

  Renewing her efforts to break her hands from Kael’s grasp, she fought hard, but to no avail. He was stronger than she remembered. No doubt empowered by some form of magic she had no knowledge of.

  “There is something tragic and beautiful about watching you try to fight against me,” he smirked. Leaning his head down, his face hovered just over hers, the stench of his breath invading her nostrils. “I saw it the first time we fought. And you felt it too, so don’t tell me you didn’t. You wanted to kiss me just as badly as I wanted you. It makes me wonder what would have happened if Mikel hadn’t interrupted us.”

  “Nothing would have happened.” She strained against him. Her eyes were focused on the amulet. It dangled, tauntingly, almost lying against her chest.

  Easily he forced her to remain still, the size of his hand enough to cover her slender wrists with one arm, leaving the other free as he stroked the side of her face, the sensation warm, like electricity coursing through his fingertips. “I hate that I still love you,” he murmured. Inhaling a breath, he sniffed at the side of her neck, taking in the smell of her skin. “I still want you, even though you reek of that man’s bed.”

  His lips were upon hers. Hot and moist – like some animal mauling her while she was helpless to stop it. In her frenzy to get away she felt her confusion at Kael’s words. Did he know about her and Thade? How could he? No one could possibly be aware. It was nothing but Kael’s usual jealousy, assuming her relations with Thade to be of a more intimate nature, the way he always did. The difference now was that it was true. But she didn’t have to answer to Kael. What she did with anyone was no longer any of his business. Renewing her efforts she fought against his hold. Desperate to get his mouth away from hers she forced her lips apart, biting down hard on the flesh of Kael’s tongue, his head lifting in pain-filled rage.

  “Stop moving!” His free hand came across her face, the palm connecting with a solid smack. Her head reeled at the sting. She couldn’t see anything other than the sky overhead, Kael’s mouth moving down over her neck, his hand tearing at the loosely tied laces of her bodice. “I don’t think you struggled like this against the Consul. If it makes you feel any better, just imagine it’s him. You might even enjoy it.”

  “Who do you think I was envisioning every time you ever touched me?” she spat. There was venom in her tone. It would infuriate him, she knew, to think that he had never been good enough, and while there had been times where she’d allowed herself to enjoy Kael’s presence over the years, the underlying truth was undeniable. It was always Thade that she wanted. Kael was nothing but a substitute in her heart for the one thing she thought she could never have.

  He stopped moving, the darkness in his eyes flashing wildly as he looked down at her. His chest heaved with every breath. The fury was building, rising up inside him, until he couldn’t take it anymore, his hands clawing at her bodice, no longer able to focus on the laces. “You whore!” he shouted. “You made me believe that you loved me!”

  “I did love you!” Her hands were free. In his haste to get at her clothes, he forgot about her arms, leaving them unguarded. Even with the feeling of her bodice quickly loosening, all she could think about was the amulet around his neck. She needed to get it. There at his chest, she could see the chain. As her hand reached for it, she saw a moment of panic in Kael’s eyes, his upper body shifting away from her, to avoid her grasping hand. He was too slow. Her fingers caught hold of the medallion, cool and hard to the touch. It thrummed with energy unlike anything she’d felt before. Old energy. The power in it was immeasurable to her inexperienced mind, but no knowledge was needed to feel the darkness it contained, to know it was pure evil.

  Suddenly, Kael lifted from her, his arms grasping at the medallion still clutched in Leyna’s hand. She couldn’t maintain her grip. The gems cut through her skin like knives at the force of it being ripped away. A scream came from her lips at the sensation of the pain. Bright light streamed from the medallion, bursting outward to envelope her outstretched arm until it had consumed every inch of her body, wrapping her in a cloak of white energy. A shroud of shadow followed the light, fingerlike tendrils shooting over the surface, unable to penetrate the shield around her, dissipating in a puff of grey smoke.

  Quickly Leyna got to her feet, her progress hindered by the pain in her leg, reminding her of the injury. The impact of her fall had no doubt done damage to the bone, but she didn’t care about the discomfort. Something had happened when she touched the relic. The real thing! Damir had foolishly given it to Kael. If he only knew the ways Kael had misled him, he’d have been struck down, yet instead, he was rewarded for his errors by being given the most potent piece of the puzzle they needed to succeed in their ridiculous war.

  The expression on Kael’s face told her he was aware of the mistake he’d made. In coming there, he had jeopardized everything he was working toward. Quickly, he struggled to regain his composure, a mask of confidence over his uncertainty. “I wish I knew why Damir insists he be the one to take your life,” he snapped, tucking the amulet into his shirt, protectively. “If it wasn’t for that, I would kill you right here and now, instead of playing games trying to bring you in alive.”

  “You are nothing but talk, Kael,” she replied. “Even now, you barely contain your own fear. I think, deep down, you know you cannot win. Damir will fail and you will fall with him.”

  “You talk tougher when you aren’t lying on your back.” The smirk on his face was insufferable. Angered, Leyna moved forward, her hand balled into a fist, knuckles colliding hard with his left eye. In a fit of rage Kael pushed her back, snatching her arms in his hands, the tips of his fingernails digging deep into the skin. She tried to hold her ground but he was too strong. Her body slammed hard against the trunk of a wide tree. The collision was unexpected, causing Leyna’s head to snap backward into the rough bark. Stars spun around her head at the impact. While the pain didn’t quite register in her mind, she couldn’t escape the vertigo.

  Her hands came up reflexively to fight against his grip. She needed to get away from him. It was foolish for her to have struck at him once she’d managed to get to her feet. That had been her chance to escape. To find her horse and get to it before Kael could come for her again. It was too late now. She would have to create a new opening if she wanted to get away.

  Oh, how she wished she was a better fighter! In her mind she saw everything she should be doing, to free herself from his grasp, still held in his clutches against the tree. Envisioning it wasn’t enough. The openings were there, but she lacked the strength and skill to reach them.

  During the war, she never stopped to think about whether or not she could or couldn’t achieve the upper hand in the fight. She just went for it. This was no different from tha
t. What was there to lose in trying? Her fingers curled, her hand pulling back. A hard strike to the nose was all she needed. If she could lift her arm enough.

  An exasperated curse erupted from Kael at the feeling of her palm slamming against the bridge of his nose. He stumbled backward. This was her chance. Wild with panic Leyna limped, pain racing up her leg with every step. She could see her horse. It wasn’t far. If she could just get to it before Kael recovered his senses.

  The horse reared back nervously at Leyna’s hasty approach, almost striking her with its front hooves. Stepping back, she waited for it to settle, lightly offering her hand out, hushing it in soothing tones. She could hear Kael’s footsteps. Content that the horse wouldn’t jerk away from her touch, Leyna grabbed onto its mane, swinging her leg over its back, already in motion before she was settled in place. It wouldn’t take long for Kael to find his own mount and take chase again. Continuing on the road was out of the question. Although she hated the thought of returning to her house, it was the only thing she could do. Fighting Kael alone wasn’t possible. She had no weapon and the injury to her leg would only weaken her more. The guard would be an extra pair of hands to fend him off until she could find a better means of protecting herself.

  She could already see the fork in the road which led toward her house. Images of all the horrible outcomes of her return flashed before her eyes, sickening her. She could picture Thade running out into the street after her, unarmed. Kael brandishing his sword. She would be powerless to stop a fight between them.

  No. She wouldn’t let it happen. Thade wouldn’t allow himself to be taken down so easily. And what if he had already left to look for her? He and Feolan might already be in the city, unaware that she had long since left.

  Her heart ached as she rode past Thade’s house. To her surprise the front door was standing open. At the speed she moved, it was impossible to see if anyone was within, but she couldn’t focus on Thade right now. Her house was getting closer. Relieved, she could see the guard stationed outside the door. Running up to meet her on the horse, he helped her to the ground, calling after her as she rushed out of his reach, eyes locked on the door. She’d left her sword inside. If she was going to have any chance at fighting Kael, she would need a weapon.

  Through the reflection in the front window she could see Kael leaping from his horse behind her. Frantic she tried to move faster. Why did her leg have to hurt so badly? Dragging it, she stumbled forward, hands reaching for the door. A hard yank on her hair caused her to snap to a halt, crumpling to the uneven ground. She barely rolled out of the way in time, Kael’s foot stomping down, grinding on the dirt where Leyna had been only moments before.

  Climbing back to her feet she could see the guard grab Kael’s shoulder, distracting him, though only briefly. With a gruff shove Kael forced the man back, moving after Leyna once again. His hands grabbed onto her neck, firmly lifting her into the air. She screamed, arms flailing about in her attempts to get away. The weightlessness of her position was frightening. She wanted down. There was no way for her to strike him successfully.

  Suddenly Leyna felt herself flying through the air. Splintering wood surrounded her as she collided with the front door, coming to land over the remnants of the shattered fragments. Kael was on her again, picking her up to throw her against the desk in the front room of the house, causing it to slide with a loud scrape across the floor. She was desperate for anything to use against him, but at least she was standing again. Grasping at the vase on the desk she threw it toward Kael, the glass breaking upon impact with his arms.

  Across the room near the window Leyna could see her sword leaning against the wall, sheathed in its scabbard. Her eyes came to rest on it just as Kael followed her gaze, both of them running toward it. Leyna was closer, but hindered by her injured gait, the two reaching the wall at the same time, crashing into the window above. Glass fell to the floor around them in jagged pieces. Seeing the opportunity, Leyna reached for one of the broken sections still in the frame. She wrapped her hand around it, paying no attention to the pain as the edges sliced through her palm. Snapping it free she pierced the tip into Kael’s shoulder, her own pained cries filling the room, blood pouring from her hand over the smooth surface of the glass, a thick crimson color spilling forth to stain Kael’s shirt from the wound she’d inflicted on him in the process.

  Blinded by his desire for revenge, Kael attacked through the pain. The glass remained in his shoulder, Leyna’s hand knocked away by his swinging arms. With a few quick movements he swept her legs out from under her, both of them skidding along the hard wood floor, Kael on top, a maniacal laugh bellowing from him. “I don’t have any more time to play these games, Leyna.” He spat the name, his disgust evident. “Haven’t we done this enough for you to realize you can’t win against me?”

  Leyna flinched at the sight of her guard appearing over Kael’s shoulder, brandishing a wide fragment of wood left from the door, bringing it down hard over Kael’s head. It broke into smaller pieces, shards flying in every direction, Kael’s body slumping forward with a pained grunt. The guard lifted him from atop Leyna, a loud crash echoing through the room where Kael was flung through the window, landing outside on the street. The guard wasted no time in following after him, the sound of their fight continuing, distant to Leyna’s ears. Her head was swimming. For a moment she could breathe, taking in the chaos around her. The room was in shambles.

  From the open doorway Leyna could hear someone speaking, the sound coming closer. Raising up on her elbows she tried to focus on the man coming toward her. “Leyna, are you alright?” Feolan’s voice was small and hollow. He looked wretched.

  What a sight she must be to him! He was already helping her to her feet, looking her over carefully in search of injuries. Blood stained the front of her dress and continued to flow freely from the laceration on her hand. At the sight of it Feolan tore at his own shirt, ripping a piece of the fabric to create a bandage for the wound. “Is he still outside?” Leyna gasped, peering through the window to see what had become of Kael. In the distance she could see a horse disappearing down the road, her guard slowly making his way back toward the house.

  “He would be a fool to attack again with three of us against him. I think you’re safe for now,” Feolan nodded, gently holding her arms to stare into her eyes. “Are you alright? Where were – what did he do?”

  “I do not want to think about what he did or did not do. Please,” Leyna sighed. The tension in her muscles finally began to ease, her shoulders sinking with exhaustion. “Thank you for coming. I was afraid everyone would be asleep.”

  “I have not slept.” Feolan lowered his hand away from her. Hesitant. Something continued to trouble him. “I was waiting for you to come speak with me after you left the Consul’s home last night, but as it turns out, you did not.”

  He’d been watching for her? Why did everyone suddenly take such an interest in her doings? But then – she had to wonder – why did she care? It was irritating before, but never had it made her quite so uncomfortable and angry as she felt now. Maybe because this time you are guilty. She hoped Feolan wouldn’t see the confession there in her eyes.

  He looked ready to speak, but remained silent. His hand slid into the pocket of his vest, drawing out a somewhat wrinkled piece of parchment, a hardened wax seal over the edge sending a shiver through Leyna’s spine. The royal seal. Her birth certificate? Had he retrieved it from Thade somehow?

  “You are an adult and free to make your own decisions, but I fear that even you have no idea what fire you play with.” Holding the parchment up, Leyna realized the seal was unbroken. The wax was brighter than the document uncovered from that dusty drawer in Mialan. “I would not question your meeting with him last night, were it not for the fact that he told me his only intention was to give you this letter and bid you farewell. As the letter was not in your possession this morning, I am sure you can see where that makes things rather curious.”

  “There was much
to discuss –”

  “I spoke with him, Leyna. There is no need to deny anything. I do not judge.”

  Her face burned, flushed with color at what Feolan knew. A nagging feeling tickled the back of her thoughts. Thade told him? Surely, Thade was aware that she’d snuck away while he slept, and yet he did not come looking for her? With a grimace, she clutched her chest, eyes averted from Feolan’s scrutinizing gaze.

  Why did she care? The whole reason she slipped away was so she wouldn’t have to face Thade to say her goodbyes. So why did it hurt her so badly that it had worked?

  “Leyna,” Feolan said quietly, his hand hovering over her arm, unsure of whether or not he should touch her. “I know what must be in your head, but I assure you that he is thinking of you. It is my fault he is not here right now. I practically had to chain him to the seat of the carriage to get him to leave. As it turns out, he was under the impression he was not returning to Tanispa this morning.”

  “He has gone?”

  “Yes. The guards saw the carriage off not long before I saw you ride past his door.”

  The pain already building in her heart increased. Why did she have to be so foolish? They could have been together, even now, riding off to find a priest. Instead, she had to be responsible. For the first time in her life she’d given in and done something reckless, and she now had to live with the regret that she gave it up, but only after she’d done just enough for it to haunt her forever.

  “I see,” she whispered. What more was there to say? The last thing she wanted right now was a lecture from Feolan about why what she and Thade did was wrong. She knew that already. Her own conscience was hard enough on her without Feolan’s help.

  “Do you have any idea of the repercussions you would have faced if he had not returned to Tanispa?” Feolan asked suddenly. It was not what Leyna expected. “You could have been considered a traitor. The Queen would have been within her rights to have you executed in order to guarantee his presence at court. While she has never been the type to rule at such an extreme of force, there are other punishments you could have endured, and that truth is the only reason he agreed to go instead of coming to find you this morning.”