A Thunder of War (The Avalon Chronicles Book 3)

by Steve McHugh

  “This whole thing never ends, does it?”

  Lucifer sat beside her. “Nope. We can’t defeat Avalon. We just can’t. We don’t have the numbers. We’re holding our own in various realms, but others have fallen to the Avalon machine, freeing up more people to fight us. We need help. We need a lot of help, and I’m not sure it’s coming. We’re too fragmented, and without Hades, Persephone, and the like, now we’re down on power too.”

  “Where are all the other members of pantheons that aren’t with Avalon, but aren’t helping us?”

  Lucifer shrugged. “Most are in hiding. Some are the magical equivalent of Switzerland, hoping that if they don’t pick a side, they won’t be involved. Some are doing both.”

  Layla chuckled and shook her head. “You are really bad at making me feel better.”

  Lucifer laughed. “Sorry. How’s the hand? I hear you’ve gotten quite adept at using it.”

  “Harry called me the Winter Soldier, and then laughed about it for a good few minutes.”

  “Tommy said something similar. Then started talking about Luke Skywalker, and I sort of zoned out. I think Tommy is just worried about everyone. He’s hard to shut up when he’s nervous. And everyone is nervous at the moment. We’re all on edge. I heard you snapped at a few people.”

  “I apologized,” Layla said sheepishly.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m more concerned about you shutting yourself off again.”

  Layla sighed. “You know about that?”

  “I do. I know that a few people tried to talk to you about it, and you pushed them away. I know that Mordred has been keeping an eye on you under the guise of tutelage.”

  “He’s an extraordinarily bad liar considering he was evil for a thousand years.”

  “Do not change the subject.”

  “Yeah, I know. I wasn’t dealing with everything especially well, and I just thought that staying out of everyone’s way was for the best. Should have known better.”

  “We all do it,” Lucifer said. “That’s why I suggested it should be me to talk to you now. I kept myself to myself for thousands of years. I was scared that people would discover who I really was, or that I’d feel that need to fight and put myself in a situation where I hurt someone. Solitude seemed like the better idea. It wasn’t, by the way. These years with everyone here, before Arthur woke up, were the happiest of my life. And it’s been a long life.”

  Layla watched Tommy and Olivia leave the fort and walk over toward them. “There’s nothing good coming from the following conversation, is there?” she asked.

  Lucifer shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Can I ask one thing?”

  “Anything.”

  “They freed Mammon. What happens when he wakes up and goes batshit crazy?”

  “Tarron told me about Mammon’s cell, which is a little bit like Tartarus, the realm. The prisoner’s power level is lowered over time, and when they leave, the power slowly returns. Mammon won’t be at full power for a while, but even a weakened Mammon is dangerous. He’ll make himself known, and when he does people will die.”

  Layla got to her feet and brushed blades of grass from her clothes. “Then we better find him before that happens.” She turned to Tommy and Olivia. “What horrible thing has befallen us now?”

  “Nothing of note,” Olivia said. “We wanted to let you know that we finished our talk with Tarron and Dralas. Both appear to be on the level with us, and want to help. We also want to know if you’ll ask your father for his help. He took a hell of a whack to the head. And with his band on he might not heal that quickly. He was pretty out of it when he arrived.”

  “We’re going to take him away from the hut and remove his sorcerer’s band,” Tommy said. “Thought you’d want to know.”

  Layla gave a slight shake of her head. “Thank you, but I’m not really in the mood to play his games. He never does anything without wanting something in return. In the months since he was taken into custody and kept prisoner in Greenland, I’ve spent more time with him than is probably healthy to spend with a mass-murdering asshole.”

  “I can’t think any time would be healthy,” Tommy said. “But there’s something else. We had a communication from an ally in Avalon. Someone who works closely with several high-ranking members. Including Abaddon.”

  “You have someone in their ranks?” Layla said, surprised at not having heard about this before. She turned to Lucifer. “Did you know?”

  Lucifer nodded. “I’m not privy to his reports, but I knew he existed.”

  “Who is it?” Layla asked, not really caring which one of them answered.

  “Atlas,” Olivia said.

  “Wait, the Titan?” Layla asked. “Don’t half of his own people want him dead for betraying them?”

  “Betraying them because we needed him to,” Olivia said.

  Layla had heard about what happened on the realm of Tartarus, a prison realm used by the Titans and those who had gone against Avalon over the centuries. Hades had run the realm, and by all accounts it was a pleasant and good life for everyone there. But then Abaddon and her people had arrived and murdered Cronus and Rhea. Once done, Atlas had helped Abaddon escape from the realm.

  “What did he have to say?” Layla asked.

  “Prisoners have been taken to the realm of Nidavellir,” Tommy said.

  “Okay, so I see two problems,” Layla began. “One: how do we get there? Last I heard, there are no working realm gates to or from that place. And two: how do we find . . .” She trailed off as the realization dawned on her. “You want me to take my father to Nidavellir, don’t you?”

  Both Tommy and Olivia nodded.

  “To answer your first question, Zamek has a plan,” Olivia said. “To answer your second, yes. Your father can track wherever the prisoners are being kept. Also, while you’re there, Zamek wants to try to get the aid of the remaining dwarves, and frankly any help at this point is worth going for.”

  “I’ll go talk to my father, shall I?” Layla asked. There was no point in arguing. She knew that something had to be done, and it sounded like the best idea in a big list of really bad ideas.

  “Actually, we’re going to collect him and take him to the fort,” Olivia said. “I was going to ask if you could make yourself scarce for a few hours and help get everyone at the other realm gate over to the palace.”

  Layla nodded, grateful that she wasn’t going to have to be there when they collected her father. She turned back to Lucifer, who was getting to his feet. “Thank you.”

  Lucifer smiled. “Any time. Just take care of yourself, okay?”

  Layla nodded again.

  “If you see our daughter, can you send her over too?” Tommy asked. “She went off to Solomon to do something or other, and I don’t have time to track her down.”

  “Will do,” Layla said, and set off at a steady jog toward the city.

  It took her half an hour to reach the outskirts of Solomon where she saw hundreds of people helping the refugees who had arrived from Greenland. Thankfully, non-humans healed quickly for the most part, but some still needed to see medical staff, and Lucifer had made sure that his people were second-to-none when it came to dealing with emergencies.

  Layla made her way through the din of noise and people and into the city proper. She found a guard handing out bottles of water and walked over.

  “You seen Kase around anywhere?” Layla asked her.

  “Kase was over toward the realm gate,” the guard said. “It’s a bit of a trek, so use the trams.”

  Layla looked up at the aqueduct high above her. In the distance, a single tram moved slowly around the track. She followed it around and saw another half dozen moving slowly behind it at regular intervals. “I thought they were broken?” Layla asked.

  “Leonardo got busy,” the guard said by way of explanation as she handed over a large bottle of water.

  “I haven’t met him yet.”

  “He can be hard work, but he’s a damned gen
ius. The tram stops up by the palace—if you get on there, you can go to the realm gate temple. Get off before the temple. The temple stop is still probably unsafe.”

  Layla thanked her and ran through the city to the palace, finding the tram station easily enough. She looked up at the palace and felt a tinge of sadness for the loss of Shadow Falls’ king. Galahad had been a good man, by all accounts, and his death had deeply affected a lot of people who knew him.

  The tram arrived, taking her away from thoughts of the awful things that had happened to the realm of Shadow Falls. The tram was shaped like a bullet train and at some point it had been painted in blues and greens, although now it was more dirt than anything else. The inside was a shambles and wires hung from the ceiling and panels around the interior, but once she stepped on, the doors closed and it began to move smoothly away.

  Layla considered using her power to force it to move quicker, but figured it might screw with something. She didn’t want to have to explain why she flung a tram off the track and onto someone’s house, or something equally bad.

  The journey was an enlightening one as the tramline took Layla across open fields and farmland, as well as over ruined streets and houses. The mountain slowly cast its shadow across the city, and when the tram moved into the darkness the shadow brought with it, the lights inside came on, bathing everything in a purple glow.

  The entire trip took half an hour, and Layla got off at the bottom of the hill just before the realm gate temple. She looked up the hill to the huge white stone temple that sat at the top. Two armed soldiers walked around the corner and Layla waved them over.

  “Have you seen Kase?” she asked when they were within speaking distance.

  “Saw her just over there,” one of the soldiers said, a small woman with a kind smile and a scar on her nose.

  “How long ago?” Layla asked.

  “Ten minutes,” the second soldier said. She was the spitting image of her comrade, except without the scar. “She went into the house at the end. Red door.”

  Layla thanked them and ran to the end of the road, found the red door in question, and pushed it open. She stepped inside and heard nothing from within the house. She considered shouting for Kase, but if she was asleep or trying to rest, she might not want to be yelled at, and Layla would rather not panic her friend if she didn’t have to.

  The whole place had been cleaned out some time ago, and the lack of furniture or home comforts of any kind made Layla feel a little sad for whoever had once owned the building. She walked around the three downstairs rooms: a living room, eat-in kitchen, and small room that was probably a study, and found nothing of note.

  She walked up the stone staircase. “Hey, Kase?” she said as she reached the top of the stairs. She heard a noise from one of the nearby rooms and immediately rushed over, opening the door to reveal Kase and Harry in bed together.

  They were under the covers, with Kase’s head resting on Harry’s naked chest. Layla froze in place as Kase and Harry looked over at her, and all three shared a moment of, “Oh, shit.”

  “Well . . . we didn’t hear you come in,” Kase said without moving.

  “No, because these houses are pretty well sound-proofed, apparently,” Layla said. “Also, you were having sex.”

  Harry looked between Kase and Layla. “So, on a scale of one to dead, how much will Tommy murder me?”

  “I am a grown woman,” Kase said firmly.

  “I’m going to go now,” Layla said, and closed the door. She walked back downstairs, where she burst into laughter. She’d considered mocking the clearly uncomfortable Harry about the situation, but decided that was probably something best done when she wasn’t trying not to laugh.

  Kase and Harry arrived downstairs a few minutes later, with the latter looking exceptionally nervous about what he’d been discovered doing.

  “You going to tell my parents?” Kase asked.

  “You know we’re the same age, right?” Layla asked. “I don’t care who you both have sexy time with. You’re twenty-three, Kase, and, Harry, you’re older than me. You can both shag anyone you like.”

  Kase laughed. “I have never heard an American use the word ‘shag’ before.”

  “American–British,” Layla said with a smile. “So, are you two just having . . .”

  “Sexy time?” Kase asked with a sly smirk.

  Harry sat on the bottom step of the stairs. “I would like to say something.”

  Kase motioned for Harry to continue and sat on the floor next to Layla.

  “I really like Kase,” Harry said. “We’ve been keeping it a secret because it’s all been so shit recently that we just didn’t want to be inappropriate and start telling everyone that we’re together. Especially after Jared.”

  “You kept it a secret because my ex-boyfriend was a psychopath who worked for Abaddon, betrayed us all, and tried to murder me? You really shouldn’t have. I’m fine.”

  “Also,” Harry continued, “Tommy might actually murder me.”

  “I keep telling him that my father has mellowed over the years,” Kase said. “He’s met boyfriends of mine and everything. And I’m pretty sure he’s aware that I’m actually an adult and can see who I like.”

  “Yes, and while that’s true, he still might kill me.”

  “And he knows how to get rid of the bodies,” Layla said.

  “How is that helping?” Harry almost shouted.

  “If Remy were here, he’d have a witty answer to that,” Layla said. “Oh god, let me tell Remy.”

  “No,” Harry said. “Not Remy. Remy will take delight in torturing me.”

  Layla and Kase laughed.

  “He’s not wrong,” Kase said.

  “I’m glad you’re both happy,” Layla said. “But don’t think you have to keep it secret from everyone just because we’re going through a crappy time. Actually, people might feel better about it all if they see a bit of love blossoming in the world.”

  Kase raised an eyebrow. “We haven’t said the ‘L’ word.”

  “You know what I mean,” Layla said, getting to her feet. “Also, I need to apologize to you both for being an isolationist over the last few months. I pushed people away, and I’m sorry for that.”

  “We’ve all been a bit worried about you,” Harry said. “But Mordred assured us he was keeping an eye on you.”

  “Yes, he’s been my fairy godmother of sorts,” Layla said. “We could have been killed in Norumbega, and that’s made me realize that I shouldn’t waste time pushing people away. It doesn’t work, and it’s unhealthy.”

  Kase gave Layla a hug. “If it happens again, I’ll come slap you around the head.”

  “Sounds fair,” Layla said with a smile.

  “Can I do that too?” Harry asked.

  “No,” Layla and Kase said in unison, before laughing.

  “I’m going to the temple,” Layla said. “Your parents asked me to gather everyone together so we can decide how we’re going to rescue those who were taken in Greenland. Apparently, they’re in Nidavellir.”

  Kase’s smile melted away. “That place is evil. I’ve spent more time than I’d like to think about there. Lots of bad things happened, and I’d rather live my whole life and never go back.” She got to her feet. “But whatever is happening there, I’m going. I’ve seen the kinds of things they do to the prisoners. I’ve had them done to me. I am more than happy to go back and screw up everyone’s shit.”

  Layla said, “I’m sure there will be plenty of people wanting to help. I’m going up to the temple to get Zamek and a few others.”

  “I practically had to drag Harry away from them,” Kase said. “They all get together to talk about realm gates, and I begin to fall asleep.”

  “I am here,” Harry said.

  “What were you trying to do at the realm gate?” Layla asked.

  “The gate is damaged,” Harry said. “Stops people from trying to use it at the other side, but it repairs itself. Zamek wants to make the re
alm gate change its designation so it doesn’t have to keep being damaged. It’s harder than it seems.”

  “I’ll see you both back at the fort,” Layla said, wanting to leave before the twinkle in Harry’s eye turned into a long-winded explanation of realm gates, their runes, and the dwarven language. She left the lovebirds alone and jogged up the hill to the temple, where she heard Zamek before she saw him. He punched the wall of the temple, which began to break apart before he used his alchemy to fix it.

  “Bad day?” she asked him.

  Zamek turned to Layla with a smile on his face. “Yes. I’m waiting for Harry to come back from . . . I assume him and Kase are having a relationship.”

  “You figured that out?”

  “I’ve seen the way they look at each another. You do not look that way at a platonic friend or sparring partner. They actually used that as an excuse once a few months ago. Sparring partner.” He shook his head. “I had to stop myself from laughing.”

  “Who’s the guy over there?” Layla asked, pointing to a man in a brick-dust-stained white robe and tanned boots kneeling in front of the realm gate.

  “I can hear you,” the man said, standing up and turning around. He removed the robe to reveal dark trousers and a blue T-shirt and dropped the robe onto the floor. “This temple’s acoustics carry whispers. Took me a while to get it to work properly.”

  The man appeared to be in his mid-forties—although as so many non-human species aged differently than humans, he could have been thousands of years old—with short, white hair, and a perfectly maintained white beard. He walked over and took Layla’s hand. “Leonardo,” he said in a strong Italian accent.

  “Wait, the Leonardo?” Layla asked. “I thought it was just a name.”

  “Why does everyone always say that when they meet me?” Leonardo asked. “Yes, the Leonardo.” He waved his hands around theatrically, and a man and woman came out of a side room.

  “That’s Antonio,” Leonardo said, pointing his thumb in the man’s direction.

  “Great introduction,” Antonio said, offering Layla his hand, which she shook. Antonio was several inches taller than Leonardo and had a barrel-like chest. He was bald and clean-shaven, and his smile appeared to be genuine and full of warmth. He wore white-and-gray military fatigues and black boots.