They cocked their heads in surprised amusement as they came to the wall, hands lightly caressing it. Their voices were ancient and hungry as they murmured, “Lana Steethea, we smell you behind this veil. We will wait to taste your blood, windwalker. For old times’ sake.”
Dark swirls of green oozed from their palms. His hands shook as the army of humanoid creatures materialized from the smoke once more, licking their putrid tongues over their fangs, eyes glowing as they all sat back on their haunches. They were surrounded and outnumbered. By the hundreds. Dread filled every orifice of his soul as he slowly turned to Lana.
“What happened at the Ruined City?” Silence had fallen amongst the townspeople as they cringed away from the hungry stares before them. He snapped, “Lana!”
She brought herself up to her full height as she said, “I made a mistake. A lethal one. I didn’t realize the Oilean were in the area, let alone had caught whiff of my scent, until it was too late. I was trying to infiltrate Adair’s mines when I ran into a barrier much like ours. His kingdom is sealed in.”
“You have brought an entire army to our doorstep!” he bellowed.
Lana strode up to him, her features darkening. “Azarius, you and Alby should come with me. Now.” Licking his cracked lips, he followed her gaze, their friends and neighbors quaking with the fear men knew when their death was near. Silent tears ran down drawn faces, and nobody uttered a single word. Deflating, he recognized this wasn’t the place to have this conversation.
Looking to his brother, Alby gave a slight nod, and he said, in the steadiest voice he could muster, “Go back to your homes. Stay behind closed doors until notified otherwise.”
Everyone dissipated with an efficiency that made his heart swell. Gripping his sword, he looked once more to the army of decay and demons, their claws trying to rip through Lana’s magic, their maws snapping and thick saliva dripping from them. The Oilean stood calmly amongst their army, sickening grins never changing as they waited and watched. As if the Oilean could sense they were all on borrowed time now.
“Azarius.” Lana’s voice was quiet but strong. Hadn’t she always been his anchor in the churning mass of the storms that have been their lives? Leveling his gaze with hers, taking the time to study every inch of her skin, her features, how her hair caught the light, how her full lips turned up in mock amusement. He knew what she would suggest. And it shattered him to his very core.
Numbly, he forced himself to walk, Alby following and Lana leading them back to their cabin. His breaths came in panicked gulps as the distant screams and roars of their fate beckoned to them. Azarius was trying to clutch to time as it slipped through his fingers, moments feeling like snippets, cut up and choppy. They walked in silence down the abandoned road.
The door to the cabin creaked familiarly as they all entered. In two strides, she sat down, cupping her head in her hands. He had never seen her crumple like this. Alby stayed back, standing in the half light, arms crossed, face solemn. The tides in the world shifted, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat.
Walking up to her, holding her cold hands in his, he whispered, “Lana.”
Her caramel eyes found his, her dismay and determination shining in them. His love. His world. She reached toward his cheek, and her fingers cupped his face. Leaning into the gesture, he closed his eyes.
Her words tumbled out in a breathless rush. “The Oilean are relentless. Now being unleashed on our lands, this is only a taste of what is to come. The barrier won’t hold more than a couple of hours against them. Their magic is ancient and cruel; even though I have lived a hundred centuries, I have never encountered anything like it. The town of Pentharrow cannot fall. You cannot fall. Not when this war is just beginning, and as fates will have it, you will have to battle two enemies now. The people cannot lose you.”
His eyes snapped open as he bared his teeth. “I cannot lose you, Lana.”
Lana’s hands trembled as she gripped his hand, hard. “I have lived a hundred lifetimes and not one can compare to this one with you. To the brightness you have brought into it, to the life you have restored in me. I love you, Azarius, and the moons and winds as my witness, that is something that will never die.
“Not even when this world is cast into darkness and our souls become ignited in the fires of war. We cannot lose sight of all the years of happiness we have had. We cannot lose hope or fall into the darkness our enemies are trying to cast upon us. We hold on to our love for our future, and that alone is a weapon creatures like the Oilean cannot defeat.”
Hot salty tears burned his skin as they spilled without control. She lowered herself to him, whispering her promise on his lips. “Even then, when my body is nothing but ash in the wind and our story is long forgotten by this land, I will burn for you. In the stars, in the whisper of the wind, in the sigh of the trees. By my blood and spirit, I have sworn my immortal soul to you, and we will never truly lose each other.”
Their foreheads were pressed together, his eyes closed tight, breathing in the scent of her and allowing her words to sink in. Allowing the fact that she was saying goodbye to sink in.
“Isn’t there any other way?” Alby’s voice was a soft hush, and it broke their trance.
Lana broke away first, gripping the edges of the table hard. “My barrier will not last. I can’t kill the Oilean, but I can lead them away long enough that you and Azarius can lead the people of Pentharrow to safety. It is written in the fates already that this war will happen. We will all die if I don’t do this. It’s not a matter of question or even of options. This is the only way.”
Alby’s features pinched as he mulled this over.
Azarius looked between the two. “No.” He looked to Lana now, venom filling each word. “Are you so willing to throw away the potential life we would have had together? To know what losing you will do to me? Lana, I am begging you, don’t do this.” His chest felt like it was caving in on itself, each second getting harder to breathe, to see clearly.
Lana’s expression was a stony neutral as she stood, appraising the two brothers. “It does not do well, Azarius, to dwell on what could be. As soldiers, I am pleading with you to see that this is the only way.”
Her eyes softened as she walked toward him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, lowering her lips to his ear. “You are the star of each night, and the brightness to every morning. Never forget that. But I will not allow everyone to die. Not now.”
Her body was warm against his own, radiating to his core. Her lips roamed beneath his ear, leading along his neck and jawline. Finally, just when he thought he was about to combust from the agony, Lana’s lips found his, and Azarius was lost in the fierceness of the kiss. Flames licked at his skin, making his body shake, desperate for it not to end.
Breaking away, he breathlessly whispered, “I love you. But promise me you will let me do this. For your future and the one of Kiero.” He exhaled, his blood running cold, his heart cracking as he said, “I can’t let you go.”
Lana murmured, tears welling in her eyes, “I don’t expect you to.” Breaking away, she left him.
He was shivering, unable to look away, each loss crashing into him: Of losing his home, his family. By thinking Alby had been lost to him. By being familiar with the cracking whip biting and breaking into his raw skin. Of the feeling of his flayed flesh swollen and his blood running freely. He knew what it felt like to be hopeless. His freedom and will broken and chained by Morgan and her manipulative plans. But nothing compared to him watching Lana turn her back, accepting her fate and death. Nothing.
She loosened her belt and cloak, leaving her in fighting leathers and her crescent moon blade strapped to her thigh. She walked with calmness to Alby, clutching his hands and whispering too low for Azarius to hear. Alby flicked his gaze to Azarius and nodded. Seemingly satisfied, his love turned to him, looking completely feral and not quite human.
“Once I walk outside the barrier, you will have one hour to evacuate everyone. Head nort
h toward the Risco Desert and find Memphis and Nyx. Once the Oilean have had their fun with me, they will come back looking for you all. But especially you, Azarius. They have seen your ability-you saved me. They will realize that we are together.” His hands shook violently as Lana continued. “Start to prepare everyone. Pack light, weapons and food only. We will meet here in half an hour.” Turning, she exited the cabin, leaving them in a tense silence.
His world was slowly shattering as Alby came up behind him. “Azarius, we have to move. Now.”
It was as if he was jolted, and he snarled at his twin. “I know what needs to be done.”
They both left the cabin to be greeted by the thrumming of roars and cries from the army beyond their shield. Azarius looked to the darkened sky and the mass of bodies, and he felt every human inch of himself slip away. Throwing up his iron barricade, he processed only one thought, and that was he and Alby would not let her down. They would protect Pentharrow and their Rebellion. There was no sight of Lana, and Azarius twisted toward Alby, saying, “You start with the north houses, and I will start with the south. We will meet back here.”
Not waiting for a reply, Azarius started running. The colors of the passing houses, the smells and noises all blurred together as he gulped for air. He found the first house and pounded his fist so loud he thought the wood would shatter. A tall man slowly opened the door, peeking out at him with wide eyes.
Azarius barked, “Henry, it’s me. Get your family ready. We are evacuating and doing it now.”
House after house, he peeled through, saying the same gruff words, sweat trickling down his body as time disappeared in his flurry of movements.
Time slipped too fast as he ran down the streets again, people in a panic as he spotted Alby once more amongst the throng. His brother thrust a small leather bag toward him and two more swords. He buckled them swiftly and then, before he could think about it more, caught Alby in a crushing hug. He couldn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to as Alby relaxed and hugged him back, hard. For a second, they stood there amongst the sobs and frantic words of families trying to find their own reprieve.
In the distance, a slow, earth-shattering crack sounded. The brothers broke apart and Azarius’s heart dropped into his stomach as he saw Lana walking toward the sentry post and the demons. A low humming sounded, and as crack after crack followed, he realized in horror the army was creating the beat, a tempo like a war drum as they sensed a change in the air. It was a crack of energy from the Oilean, like electricity rippling through the air as green flames erupted around them. The fire billowed, roaring toward the skies, burning fiercely.
The Oilean took in Lana like hunters stalking their prey. Behind them, the town of Pentharrow collected, watching in horror as Lana loosened her crescent moon blade in a fluid motion. She gripped it in her left hand because in her right hand, black flames danced and licked her skin, dying her arms in black ink. Her chestnut hair was loose, catching in the wind as she turned around once, meeting his gaze. Her eyes blazed, and he nodded his head slightly, even though that one last movement, last acknowledgement, broke him in the deepest way he knew.
Lana loosened a slight smirk as she turned her back to him. Her black flames danced and flared, encircling her in an inferno that matched her enemies’, her power making the wind howl, echoing his roar as Lana squared her shoulders and loosened a war cry that shook the boundaries of this realm. Her flames surged forward, and they clashed with the barrier, molding to their shape, the force of the collision sending Azarius staggering back.
Lana ran to greet the hungry maws of their enemy, her flames pushing forward with her and with a force of power that was ancient and lost upon them all. Azarius watched as the old shield disintegrated, falling like ash around Lana as the beasts roared, taking in their opponent. Alby had already started the evacuation of the townspeople, leaving Azarius to watch alone as green flames, claws, and teeth descended upon the love of his life. Lana pushed her power and flames out to meet them, and they collided in a clash of screaming fire, swords, and claws, the rage and inferno threatening to take over them all.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Memphis
The first thing he noticed was the steady rhythm of Nyx’s breath softly inhaling and exhaling. Memphis rolled over carefully, looking over to see, her violet hair spilling around her, her dark lashes resting against her skin. Swallowing hard, he tried to push past the assault of emotions that were demanding his attention. Sitting up, he was quiet as he left the tent. Aella slept close by outside, and she lifted a bleary eye, assessing him.
He had begun sharing a tent with Nyx a couple of nights ago when they got caught in a very unnatural wind storm in the Bogs, and in their haste of trying to put out their fire, the embers had blown and caught Nyx’s, disintegrating it to the ground.
Now, left with only one tent, Memphis had insisted that he sleep outside with the peryton. He had quickly been tackled, knife to his throat, and Nyx hissed at him not to be ridiculous or she would make the journey alone.
So, the days had passed in a heavy tension as they established a routine, navigating the Bogs and falling into an exhausted sleep every night, side by side. Stretching, his joints popped, and muscles screamed in stiffness. The new morning greeted them in heavy humidity and grey clouds, making the surrounding landscape seem more ominous than it already was. He looked over to Aella, who by this point was looking at him as if saying to get a move on.
Tying his long, tangled hair back in one motion, he murmured, “I know, I know.”
He walked to the edge of their camp, maneuvering through the low brambles and slick mud. The Bog seemed never-ending and full of malice. Ever since four nights ago when Nyx wandered off, she hadn’t been quite the same. Black and purple bruising underlined her eyes as if at night she was haunted just as much as she was during the day.
Not that you care. He reminded himself viciously that he was not allowing Nyx to have an inch of his heart again. It had been shattered and hastily put back together, but he was tired of the lies and deceit. He was lost about how to reach Emory again, if what Nyx claimed was true: That she sacrificed herself to grant the Rebellion time and distraction they needed from Adair. But at what cost?
Stopping, Memphis stared out to the never-ending moss and water pools. How were his friends faring? In gathering forces both in this world and in others? Was it a good thing the land had been quiet with no whispers of despair? That Adair had also been quiet in his kingdom of rock and darkness? A deep tugging in his gut pulled at him, constantly reminding him they were running out of time for their mission. There had been no sign of terrain change, and each day proved to be as humid and dreary as the last.
Looking down to his well-worn fighting leathers, the black straps empty from the usual occupants of his swords and knives. Sweat had already soaked through the light fabric, making him feel more irritable than he already was. Exhaling, he turned to meet the peryton pawing nervously at the mud, her large eyes seeming luminous in the weak daylight. He huffed as she watched him cross back toward their tent and practically roar at Nyx. “It’s time to get up. We can’t waste daylight.”
He barely looked at her as he grabbed his pile of weapons near the foot of their rolls as she opened her eyes. Now, he did growl. “Now, Nyx.” He let the tent flap close shut, not quite catching her flow of curses flung at him.
Efficiently adorning his weapons, he was about to pry Nyx off the tent’s floor when she appeared, hair braided and blades in hand. Nodding, he quickly unlatched the hooks and poles propping their tent up and stuffed it in their pack. Walking over to Aella, he attached it to her side while digging through a smaller bag to reach their dried meat portions. Having a hound’s senses, she was right beside him and already grappling for her portion. Memphis handed it over to her in silence while chewing on the dry, salted meat.
“We should hit the Risco Desert today,” Nyx stated.
He stopped chewing. “How do you know that?”
His patience was on a short leash, but he resorted to gruffly saying, “A dry heat? You’ve got to be insane. But let’s get on with it then.”
Climbing on Aella, the peryton was unusually strung, pawing the ground anxiously. He strapped his legs in, Nyx scaling her side gracefully behind him. Once they were settled, the peryton shook once and then propelled her body forward with such force that they were thrown back as her massive wings stretched out, then they were climbing toward the sky.
He settled into the usual feeling of the wind screaming around them and accepted the wet condensation collecting on his skin as they gained altitude. For miles, all he could see was the same sprawling flat greenery of the Forgotten Bogs, no movement whatsoever. To the north, to what looked like a tiny speck on the horizon, he could barely make out the splay of golden sands. Nyx had been right. The Risco Desert, though still hours away, was attainable. Which meant they would soon be meeting with the Dust Clans, trying to convince the raiders to join their war.
Gritting his teeth, Aella broke through the clouds, her wings pumping hard. She dove dramatically, making Memphis lurch to grab anything to hold on to. Memphis could hear Nyx’s whooping cry as they were one with the winds, leaving the old magic of the Bogs behind them.
***
Memphis’s legs screamed in protest as Aella landed hard, bowing her head against the headwinds and billowing sand around them. Both he and Nyx jumped off their steed with equal enthusiasm, their cramped muscles seizing as they staggered to an upright position.
Nyx playfully jabbed him in the side. “I told you we would make it.”
Petting Aella’s side absentmindedly, he took in the world around them.
Queen to Ashes (Black Dawn Series Book 2) Page 23