Obsidian froze.
Horror lodged like a rock in his gut.
Truth was pinned to the ground by the spikes of the firedrake’s tail. One had speared through Truth’s right shoulder, another at the left hip and a third in the right thigh. Others had pinned his wings to the ground. Though painful, those would do nothing more damaging than keep him out of the sky for a day or two.
The other wounds were what caused gore to rise in the back of Obsidian’s throat. He’d hadn’t felt this helpless since all those years ago when Anna was dying.
This wasn’t the work of a blood witch, though. If Truth were lucky, the healers would be able to heal him enough to prevent a lengthy stone sleep.
But even sleeping in stone for years was better than death.
Still, the wounds would be monstrously painful.
Resisting the urge to growl was difficult.
Directly under Sorac’s scaled belly, Obsidian spotted Lark and Meadow. They were bound in ropes of magic. The two dryad warriors struggled to free themselves, cursing when they couldn’t.
Meadow gave up after a moment, her gaze upon Truth as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Anna cleared her throat, drawing his attention firmly back to her. Then she eyed Sorac and Vaspara thoughtfully. “You’re both too weak to escape on your own.”
The firedrake craned his long neck to stare down at her. “Correct. I am injured too greatly, my magic weakened by keeping me alive. I could not summon a portal to escape back to our lands. Vaspara would not leave me behind and had to expend a great deal of power protecting me. Now, she can no longer summon enough magic either.”
“Close your jaws you great fire-breathing lizard!” Vaspara’s tone lacked anger, though. Obsidian also detected sadness and weariness. Not hopelessness. Not yet.
But she would never surrender. He knew that. She would fight to the end. The only uncertainty was whether she’d spare his friends’ lives.
Anna was in his mind, reading his every emotion. And he was in hers. He knew what she was going to say before she said it. His duty was clear. For everyone’s sake, Vaspara, Sorac, and every other enemy soldier needed to be captured or killed. This was war. It was his duty to see Vaspara and Sorac dead or captured, even at the expense of his friends’ lives.
He should halt Anna from making a deal.
He didn’t.
Anna pointed the tip of her sword at Vaspara, using the blade like a pointing finger. “This is how it’s going to go down. You’ll let Obsidian have Truth. I’ll create a portal back to your lands. You release Lark. Sorac will go through first, and then you, Vaspara, will release Meadow before I let you enter the portal. You have my word no harm will come to you if you do as I say.”
Sorac growled, his voice like rolling thunder. “What assurances do I have you’ll let Vaspara go once I leave?”
“The lizard has a point,” Vaspara said, calculation entering her eyes. “What if one of you crosses the portal first so there is a guarantee of sorts that both sides must behave if they wish to see their partner again?”
Anna laughed and then pinned the succubus with a look that Obsidian knew would send lesser beings fleeing. “There is no version of this event where it ends with either my Rasoren or I going with you.”
Vaspara glanced away from Anna to look Obsidian in the eyes. A cunning look entered her gaze.
Obsidian just flashed his teeth at her. “Take the deal, Captain. Or there will be a bloodbath, and then there are no guarantees.”
“Ah,” Vaspara returned his grin. “The cub truly has grown up. Sorac and I will humbly accept Anna’s deal.”
Nodding agreement, he wasted no time calling on his magic and creating a portal. When he’d finished, he looked up at Vaspara and then Sorac.
“The portal will dump you out along the borderlands. If you are lucky or have skills enough, you should be able to hide until you’re both full strength before having to face the blood witch or the Battle Goddess.”
Sorac released Truth and then bowed his large, scale-covered neck in a show of respect. “Thank you. And for what it’s worth, I was careful where I speared this one,” he deposited Truth between them, forcing a grunt of pain from the gargoyle. “If you hurry, I’m sure he’ll survive. You’re all impressively tough bastards to kill. Anna included.”
His Kyrsu laughed. “Don’t go getting sentimental. I haven’t forgotten who you serve. Next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Our debt to you is paid.”
“It is,” he agreed. He released Lark first and then shoved Meadow toward Vaspara. Then he heaved himself up onto his three legs, the other was a mangled mess, and limped toward the portal. He paused, glancing at Vaspara before he crossed the threshold.
Vaspara stood with an arm locked around Meadow’s throat as she gazed out at the surrounding forest as if waiting for gargoyles to attack. When none did, she backed toward the portal.
“You’ll release Meadow before you touch the portal,” Anna warned.
Vaspara shoved the dryad at Anna and then continued back until her boot heels were touching the outside barrier. Then she surprised Obsidian by bowing deeply. “May your honor be rewarded one day.”
“And yours,” he called softly.
As she stepped into the threshold, she paused, looking back over her shoulder. “Fate will force each of us onto the battlefield, I just hope the battlefield is large enough we never face each other. Farewell Corporal Anna Mackenzie and Shadowlight, two of the bravest young beings I ever met.”
Then Vaspara was gone. Obsidian rushed to his friend’s side.
“Truth! Are you alright?”
The other gargoyle made a wheezing sound, and it took Obsidian a moment to recognize the sound as a laugh.
“To borrow a phrase from Anna, fuck no.” Truth groaned. “Why does everyone always ask that?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
But then Anna stepped up beside him, making sounds of sympathy and dragging Obsidian out of the way so the healers could see to Truth.
“Meadow and Lark are safe, Truth. We’ll all be here once you wake,” Anna said, her tone soothing.
“Thank you for saving them.” He closed his eyes. “I tried but failed.”
“You didn’t fail them,” Obsidian added his voice to Anna’s. “You fought bravely, my friend. Now let the healers patch up your stubborn ass before Meadow drowns us all in her tears.”
As he’d hoped, that caused the other male to look toward the dryad. Something besides pain entered Truth’s expression as he laid eyes on the woman he loved.
Leaving them staring at each other, Obsidian guided Anna away.
“We need to help with the sweep for any stray enemies who might be making an escape.”
Anna nodded and soon they were dropping to run on all fours, hunting the few remaining enemy soldiers who hadn’t already been captured or killed.
Chapter 52
As it turned out, the last of the invaders were swiftly dealt with. Those willing to surrender were taken captive. The rest were destroyed. Even the warriors who surrendered would still face death eventually, Anna learned.
Lord Draydrak would judge each captive’s soul and determine if the person could be rehabilitated or if they needed to be sent back to the Divine Ones for healing.
The ways of the Magic Realm were efficient at least.
But it remained to be seen what the demigod would do with his Rasoren and Kyrsu when he learned they’d allowed two of the Battle Goddess’s top captains to escape. Anna planned on taking the blame.
“There’s no point worrying about what can’t be changed. But as far as I’m concerned, that was the correct choice.” Obsidian shrugged. “Perhaps next time we meet Vaspara and Sorac, maybe we’ll have gained their trust enough that they’ll surrender to us. Depriving the Battle Goddess of two of her most competent captains would be a great blow.”
“We can hope.” Anna knew she’d failed to keep the doubt out of her tone when Obsidian
sighed.
“You’re correct, of course. Next time we see them will likely be across a battlefield.” He paused. “The thought doesn’t please me.”
“Me neither.” Anna agreed. “It’s because they were the closest we had to allies in that place. It doesn’t mean they are. We’re going to need to remember that for the next time. If Lord Death is planning on letting us have a next time.”
“We’ll find out shortly.” He jerked his chin towards the temple where it sat glowing in the sunset. They’d flown to the island after receiving a summons from Lord Dray. The other members of the war party were still doing a final sweep for survivors back on the mainland.
“We should have made a run for it,” Anna said only half in jest. “We could have made it back to the Mortal Realm before anyone realized we’re gone.”
Obsidian only huffed but knew she didn’t really mean it. Neither of them would be running away from the demigod.
Together they continued their walk up the stairs cut into the bedrock of the island. On either side spread the beautiful terraced gardens. It struck him as strange that this island, structurally the same as Haven, differed so much.
“It’s odd, isn’t it,” Anna said, sounding deep in thought, “that the God of Death surrounds himself with green growing things, tropical birds, lizards, and insects. And likely any number of other creatures that make their way to this island. When I think of death, visions of tombs and desiccated dead things pop into my head. But, hell, tropical paradise. Whatever floats your boat.”
“It must be lonely,” Obsidian said softly.
“What?” Anna glanced sidelong at him. “Oh, you mean having the power he commands.”
“Oh, it is,” Lord Dray’s entrancing voice was suddenly sharing headspace with them. “My duty demands unquestioning dedication. Loneliness is a result of that. But I wouldn’t change what I am. There is nothing more beautiful than sending souls made wise by a long life back to the Spirit Realm to reunite with all the other loved ones who’ve already made the journey. The joy they feel echoes back to me, and that is rewarding enough.”
They turned a corner and found themselves within feet of the massive demigod in the flesh.
“My Lord—” Obsidian began, but Anna cut him off.
“It was my plan. My action that allowed two of the enemy to escape. The blame is mine to swallow.”
Obsidian squared his shoulders. “But it was my choice to allow it.”
His belligerent tone said he wasn’t budging. Well, Anna didn’t plan to give ground either.
“Captains Vaspara and Sorac are known to us. Vaspara wished to bargain. Obsidian wouldn’t have agreed, except they had Truth, Lark, and Meadow.”
Dray said nothing, merely folding his powerful horse-like legs under him and kneeling on one of the manicured patches of lawn. His expression was attentive and...something else.
Was that curiosity?
Amusement?
Balls!
Had that part with Truth, Meadow, and Lark been a test? Death had once alluded to knowing every soul’s destiny. It was part of his gift. It allowed him to know when each soul’s life had run its course. He might have seen this in one of his many futures.
If it was a test, Anna assumed they’d failed. Lord Dray had ordered that none of the enemies be allowed to escape.
But that didn’t change anything. Anna would still have acted to save her friends.
Lord Draydrak continued to study them in silence.
What the hell did he want? Usually, he’d just read their minds or say what was on his.
When in doubt…
“I’m sorry and humbly beg forgiveness.”
“For what?” Dray asked.
Was that a hint of humor?
Anna glanced sidelong at Obsidian. “You can step in at any point.”
Obsidian’s tail flicked ever so slightly, but otherwise, he made no response to her statement.
How helpful.
At last, Dray took pity on her. “I saw what you did. Now you would apologize for saving three lives? And protecting your Rasoren from the grief of losing three friends?”
Wait one minute.
Come to think of it, what was the chance that Vaspara and Sorac would just happen to find three of Obsidian’s friends in the middle of a battle?
“Yes, Kyrsu. You’ve caught me. I didn’t just see the outcome, I orchestrated the event to no little degree.”
Obsidian snorted in surprise, his expression much less humorous than the demigod’s. “You intentionally put my friends in danger to test us?”
His betrayed tone made Anna want to reach out and comfort her Rasoren.
“The futures showed the possibility of good coming from that strange meeting. I just nudged your friends with a word that this would aid you in the future. I hope that seed of potential will grow to save many more.”
“Truth knew what would happen to him?”
“No. But I did warn him some futures showed his return to the Spirit Realm. He chose to serve in spite of the danger.”
“Forgive me.” Obsidian bowed his head, humility returning to his every line.
Dray sighed as he looked down upon the gargoyle. “There is certainly no need unless it is to apologize for never grasping the two directives I exist to serve: Save as many lives as possible and never harvest a soul before it’s time.”
Anna blinked at him. What the hell was he talking about? “But you’re the Lord of the Underworld. You deal in death. You are death.”
“And don’t you think death is necessary for all life to flourish? An old tree falls and creates room for younger ones to thrive. The diseased animal is hunted down by predators, thus saving others of their herd from getting ill as well as providing food for the next generation of predators. Can life flourish without death? No. There would be no life. Even plants compete for food, water, and light. Death is the promise of renewal.”
He made it sound so sensible, but she still couldn’t see the good in a tidal wave sweeping across the land and snuffing out three hundred thousand lives. Could that be because she was small and mortal?
Perhaps if she were as ancient as he, she would see the universe differently.
Though, she didn’t think she’d ever change enough for that many lives to mean so little. At least she hoped not.
“It’s not callousness like you envision.” Lord Dray said. “It’s compassion. What would happen to all those souls trapped in broken bodies beyond healing or repair? The agony of disease and rot eating away at them. Should I allow them to exist in pain for eternity?”
Dammit. That did sound like compassion when there was no modern medicine or magical healing to be had.
“By why not heal instead of kill in those instances?”
“Sometimes the Divine Ones simply wish for a soul to return home and sing of the world where they lived for a short time.”
And, I got no comeback to that.
She touched along the link, seeking Obsidian. “Take over. Anytime now.”
Obsidian sat down on his haunches and looked up at Lord Draydrak. “You’re truly not angry we risked the entire island to save three lives?”
“Every life is worth saving. Each soul deserves the chance to learn as much as possible. You followed the Light’s directive by saving those three souls.” Dray looked thoughtful. “You may have saved more than those three souls this day.”
Did he mean...? “Vaspara? Sorac?”
“Yes. There are many future paths their souls might take. In one, I see the barest hint that those two might be redeemed. I am proud of your actions. Remember that compassion almost always leads toward the Light. But a theological debate about death and good and evil is not why I summoned you here.”
Dray looked out across the ocean for a moment before continuing. “It is time my new gargoyle Legion meets the old. But first I must endow my Rasoren with the magic to wake them.”
Wake them?
“Yes, Anna. You’ve only
met a fraction of my Legion. The last two generations and their teachers. The previous generations sleep, awaiting the time when they are needed. That time is now.”
Well, shit.
Now that she thought about it, how had she overlooked that there were thousands of ancient hamadryads? One of her lessons had made mention of the fact that the tree began to die upon the death of her dryad. If there were thousands of the healthy, living hamadryads on the island, then somewhere there must be thousands of dryads.
“How many?” Obsidian asked.
“Enough to end the war between my sister and me once and for all.”
Ah. He wasn’t just planning to win a few battles and send his twin’s army running back to hide and lick their wounds.
“No, Anna. I plan to end my sister once and for all.”
“But I thought the problem was that you can’t die and as long as she’s linked to you, nothing can kill her? Or am I misunderstanding?”
“It is as you say. I cannot die. And as long as I exist, so does my twin. But if I give up a vast portion of my power, that which roots me to this realm, I can return to the Spirit Realm, and if I can force her to expend much of her own power first, I’ll be able to drag my unwilling sister along with me. Once home, the Divine Ones can at last mend what is broken inside her.”
Anna could get on board with that plan.
“But what of you?”
Dray laughed, flashing his very white teeth at her. “I must remain in the Spirit Realm for the duration of my twin’s healing—centuries or millennia as you judge time.”
Anna held her silence, but he’d probably picked up on her thoughts, for he grinned broadly at her. “Yes, it will be a…vacation.”
He said the word like it was unfamiliar to him. Hell, it likely was.
“But what will happen while you’re gone?”
His expression turned serious. “I have safeguards in place. My swords will absorb all my power and continue to keep the cycle of life and death in balance throughout the universe. Enough talk. Come to my temple. I will grant Obsidian the power he needs to wake my Legion.”
Chapter 53
Gargoyle and Sorceress Boxset 2 Page 71