by Sela Croft
“Never mind that,” Silvain said, then threw up his hand. “I refuse to step aside for Draven. And I don’t need any prophecy to direct my path. I can control my own destiny.”
“I wouldn’t tell you otherwise,” I said. “But back to the reason for my visit…where does that leave us with regard to Nemuri?”
Silvain’s expression was dark, his mood even darker. He looked at me without saying a word. My heart sank, as I feared I’d made a mess of things. My plea for help had fallen on deaf ears, and the conversation had veered into highly-charged matters. I must be losing my touch.
Chapter 3 – Draven
Fury roared through my veins; the king had attempted to kill my sister. He hadn’t treated her like any father would treat a daughter, since the day she’d been born—but murder was unthinkable. My blood simmered with hatred for the death-monger, who didn’t deserve to be called father.
After determining that Calina hadn’t been harmed in the encounter, I stared at the body of the monster who had assaulted her. His death didn’t penalize the perpetrator—but I’d ensure that Alban paid for his deed.
“Come…we must get back to the city,” I said, motioning to the others. “This is no place to linger.”
Nicolai ushered Calina to her mount, and I did the same with Mirela. The tone was somber, as the king might have succeeded in his aim to make my sister pay for a crime she didn’t commit. But he hadn’t, and that was what mattered for now.
I intended to guide the group back to the city, behind its fortified walls, and under the protection of my army. It was time to take action, but I needed the women safe first. Jon and Spence scouted ahead, since the route could not be trusted. Too much danger lurked behind every hill.
I fumed about Alban and his bloodthirsty nature. If he’d been within reach, I’d have taken his life, as he so willingly would have taken Calina’s. And because he’d dared to harm her, I would make sure the king’s death was slow and agonizing.
Mirela rode beside me, but I didn’t converse. It was best if I didn’t talk while I was so enraged. I made no effort to repress my lust for Alban’s death, vowing that I would have his life before all of this was over. Then Jon returned and motioned to me.
“I’ll be back,” I said to Mirela, before going over to him. “What is it?”
“Up ahead, there is a small band of vampire hunters.”
Hearing that ratcheted my fury up a notch. It was bad timing on their part to block our path, because I was in a dark mood. “They haven’t smelled us?”
“It doesn’t appear so,” Jon said. “They have made camp and seem distracted. No doubt they will notice our approach when we get closer.”
“They won’t have a chance for that,” I said. “We’ll take the offensive. How many are there?”
“I counted seven.”
“I’ll take you and Spence with a couple of others,” I said. “Tell Quin he’s in charge until we return.”
The hunters were a few miles up, a safe distance from our main group. Before barging into their camp, I dismounted, and my comrades did the same. After tethering the horses, we crept closer.
I held up my hand to motion for the others to wait. Then I peeked around some bushes. I spotted the vampires who had been responsible for Mirela’s kidnapping, and they were just as she’d described. The three of them were sitting on a log, gabbing about their abduction of my love. It seemed the incident was still fresh in their minds.
Thomas, the servant who had aided them, was nowhere in sight. I guessed that he was hiding out with his human friends and was terrified to surface. I wouldn’t make any effort to flush him out. He hadn’t been the instigator but had been duped by the ravings of the hunters in charge. But their plan to wipe out the Guardians was doomed to failure.
Besides the three I recognized, there were four more hunters resting on the ground under a tree.
Their voices echoed against the hills that surrounded their camp.
“I still can’t believe it,” a sleazy one with metallic eyes said.
“I would think I’d gone crazy if you hadn’t seen it too,” another said. His glowing red eyes bulged from his head, even more than was common among the dhampirs. His dark, stringy hair hung to his shoulders, seeming to accentuate his overly large nose.
“Goddamn Pegasus flying through the air,” a third said. “I say we keep it to ourselves, lest we be labeled delusional.”
My blood boiled; there was only one Pegasus that flew through the air in my realm, and that was the one that Mirela wore around her neck. This bloodthirsty bunch had stolen her right out of the castle city, and would have destroyed her if they’d had the chance.
I remembered my vow that they’d pay for threatening her. I didn’t hesitate to make good on that promise. During a lag in the conversation, the red-eyed one stood up and lifted his nose to sniff the air.
He’d picked up our scent, but it was too late. I flagged my men, and we burst into their camp. The hunters leapt into action and tried to kill us on sight. I went straight for the three who’d dared to take Mirela. “You do not take a woman under my protection!”
The shocked looks on their faces told the story: they knew who I was and what they were guilty of. One managed to say, “Draven…” That was a split second before I carved his head from his body. The other two made a fight of it, but their skill was no match for mine.
I thrust my fist into the chest of one, watching his metallic eyes bulge out more. The other snapped his whip. Before the tip of light struck me, I held up my palm, and a blaze of light parried it then struck him down.
The three were dead, so I spun around, thirsting for more. My comrades had taken care of matters. The others were headless. They were half vampire, so decapitation was the safest method to ensure they couldn’t bother us again.
Alive with the craving for death, I turned back then decapitated the two I’d temporarily incapacitated. I savored the sight of their empty eyes, and the flow of their blood into the dirt.
“That’s for Mirela,” I spat, then faced my men. “Let’s get out of here, before we draw the attention of any more of their kind. As much as I’d relish the skirmish, it’s vital that we get home without delay.”
We made it back to the city without further incident, and General Clay was pleased to see that we were all intact. Calina and Mirela went into the castle to refresh and recover, while I went with Nicolai. He had an important message, and he’d waited long enough to deliver it. I followed him to his commander’s office.
Nicolai’s commander was a tall, thin vampire with piercing yellow eyes. He was savvy and well suited to his position. “Hello, Andre,” I said. “Your officer has a message for you. I just hope that it was worth all the trouble it took to get it to you.”
Andre nodded at me. “Yes, sir…we shall see.” He motioned toward a conference table. “Please have a seat.”
Nicolai handed over the document, “I’m finally able to deliver this to you, commander. I took this document from the saddlebag of a Dark Fighter, near the perimeter of the rain forest.”
The commander sat at the head of the table and read the document. Nicolai sat across from me. I couldn’t tell much, and wondered if the risks had been worth delivering this news. I stirred in my seat and glanced at Nicolai, who silently waited. Then the commander looked up with a serious expression.
“You have brought valuable information,” the commander said. “This provides insight into the locations of guerilla factions. Although I’m sure Silvain will redeploy as soon as he realizes this information has fallen into our hands, it won’t matter. This document reveals the concept of his underlying strategy, so we’ll be able to get one step ahead of him.”
“I’m glad to hear that it’s valuable,” Nicolai said. “The fighters are committed to a war of attrition, of gradually wearing away at our defenses. Then their final takeover will be easier to achieve.”
“I’m sure of it, but we cannot allow our enemy to maintain that advantage. No do
ubt this document was on its way to one of Silvain’s generals,” the commander said. “He will be furious that it was intercepted.”
I stood up. “I’m grateful that the information was useful. It was brought to you at great cost.”
Nicolai pushed back his chair. “I leave it in your hands.”
“I trust that you’ll brief my generals, so they can utilize this new intelligence,” I said.
“You can count on it.”
Nicolai left to check on the women, while I found my comrades. They were in the barracks and had cleaned up a bit. “Good timing,” Quin said when he saw me. “General Clay wishes to meet with us. He’s in the war room.”
I found the general pacing the floor, waiting for us. “Please sit down. I must discuss the results of my investigation.”
Clay’s frown told me that I wouldn’t be pleased. I sat down, with Jon, Quin, and Spence across from me. The general hovered over the seat at the head of the table but remained standing.
“You’ve been industrious in my absence,” I said.
“You gave me a task, and I saw no reason to put it off,” Clay said. “The longer a traitor is in our midst, the more damage he can do.”
“You’ve discovered who it is?” Quin said.
Clay furrowed his brow but didn’t say anything for a moment. “It saddens me to tell you that I have discovered who is behind the betrayals. He orchestrated the attempted theft of military documents…and much more.”
I waited with a bitter taste in my mouth.
Clay sat down then leaned forward. “The traitor was General Blackburn.” He looked at us, allowing that information to sink in.
“You were right,” I said. “It was high in the ranks, one of my generals, who has let us down.”
“I have verified it,” Clay said. “I wouldn’t come to you with unfounded accusations, especially about a man like Blackburn.”
It was distressing to hear. General Blackburn had been with us for so long that I failed to recall when he’d joined. He’d been a trusted soldier and a competent general. I struggled to understand why he’d gone to the other side. “He’s working for the royals?” I said.
“Yes, he’s been relaying what information he can,” Clay said. “But also, he’s assisted the Dark Fighters. He facilitated the poison water, which was Silvain’s deed.”
Spence threw up his hands. “Has he no loyalty?”
Jon frowned. “Can’t the man choose a side?”
“Apparently not,” Clay said. “He has a wife and three children. From my interrogation, I’ve gleaned that he is hedging his bets.”
“He wishes to be on the winning side, whatever that is?” I said.
“From what I can tell, that is the case.” Clay waited for my response.
I should have ordered Blackburn’s immediate execution, and I was sorely tempted. My bloodlust was only barely subdued. Retribution for such crimes would have been satisfying. Possibly, Mirela was rubbing off on me, because I had a better idea.
“Bring him here…now,” I said. “We will wait.”
The general left, and I looked at my men. “I would have done the interrogation if I’d been here,” Jon said. “But it appears that the general did a good job of it.”
“Yes, Clay suspected that the deceit came from high up,” I said. “It makes sense, as a man in Blackburn’s position would have the authority required.”
“I’m glad he was discovered,” Spence said. “If only it could have been sooner.”
While Clay retrieved the prisoner, I considered the punishment I’d chosen. It would be consistent with my reputation to order the execution. Yet my priority was winning the war. If the enemy could use spies, then so could I.
It wasn’t long before the door opened. Two guards dragged Blackburn inside, with Clay right behind them. The prisoner was in chains and suitably somber. He fully expected that he was about to draw his last breath.
I stood up and faced the traitor. “I’ve been informed of your treachery.”
Blackburn was thickly muscled, though of average height. He had fought valiantly in times past, yet had seen fit to aid our enemies. I didn’t care to hear his explanations, as it wouldn’t undo the damage. I had something better in mind.
The prisoner looked at the floor, but humility wasn’t going to save him. “Have the decency to look at me,” I said. “You made the decision to spy, so you’ll face the consequences.”
Emotion filled Blackburn’s dark eyes, but I wasn’t persuaded to go easy on him. “It was… I did it for my wife and kids,” he said.
“What you could have done for your family was to help us win this war,” I said. “You could have played a part in protecting this realm.”
Blackburn was silent.
“The penalty for betrayal is death,” I said. “In times of war, I cannot allow traitors to live.” All eyes were on me. “But I have something else in store for you.”
Blackburn’s expression shifted, but he didn’t dare ask questions.
“It will suit our purposes if you spy for us,” I said. “I don’t intend to turn you loose. But from your post, you can relay information to our enemies…information we tell you to relay.”
Understanding dawned in Blackburn’s eyes. “You will use me to deliver misinformation, to misdirect our enemies?”
“You catch on quickly.”
“Why would I do that?” Blackburn said. “If I’m caught, either Alban or Silvain will kill me.”
I stepped closer and leered at the traitor. “I will kill you if you don’t. And I might kill you anyway.” I took a breath. “Your wife and children will be under guard. They will be told that it is for their protection, that dangers have increased.”
Blackburn’s eyes widened. “Please…don’t harm them. They had nothing to do with this.”
“I’ll assume that’s true,” I said. “But the lives of your wife and three sons will be forfeit for your crimes—if you do not comply with my demand.”
I watched to see that I had Blackburn’s full attention. “You will be guarded at all times. At our direction, you will relay information to Alban, and on other occasions to Silvain. You will be convincing, and give them no reason to doubt you. There must be no mistakes, no hidden meanings or secret messages—not if you value the lives of your family. You will make sure that the enemy believes what you tell them.”
Blackburn looked at the others, who glared at him.
“Do I make myself clear?” I didn’t wait for a response. “Your wife will be told that you are on an important mission and will be away for an undetermined amount of time. From this moment on, you are my prisoner.”
“What about after the war?” Blackburn said, voicing what he’d been concerned with all along. He feared siding with any but the winning team. Unfortunately, he’d hoped to pick his team after the war was over.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’d better hope that we win it…and pray for my mercy.” I motioned to the guards. “Take him away.”
It had been quite a day, but I wasn’t done. I met with Clay and my other generals who remained trustworthy. The strategy we’d prepared was set in motion. Our troops were substantial and our training flawless.
The main goal was to divide and conquer. Instead of facing one enemy, only to have the other mow us down from behind, we’d tackle both. It was a bold concept, not one either would predict. It was nearly too simple, so the enemy might not expect it.
Our battalions were divided, so that half would advance on the Royal Army, while the others would attack the Dark Fighters. With enough force, and an element of surprise, we could overtake both factions and catapult the Guardians to victory.
Meanwhile, I would work with my close comrades at a more basic level to weaken the opposing forces. Silvain’s guerrilla warfare had to be blocked, and Alban’s unexpected attacks thwarted. I couldn’t allow those skirmishes to distract us from the main battles. With the intelligence Nicolai and his team had collected, we had a chan
ce of doing that.
My aim was to block death’s march and rise as victor in the long, bloody war. My desire was to progress beyond darkness and improve life in the kingdom. It might be impossible, but I had to think that it wasn’t. I had to believe that my end could be achieved.
Only in that way could my people and my loved ones hope for peace. Only then could I truly be with Mirela, marry her and make her my queen. Destiny stretched before me, and I prayed that I could influence the outcome. I couldn’t leave anything to chance, or trust fate.
The kingdom had been at war too long, and strife in the realm had escalated without abating. It had to end. There had to be a better way. My hatred for Alban was at a peak. His commitment to an immoral monarchy and outdated tradition would lead us all into darkness.
I could not allow that to happen. My love for Mirela would not permit the destruction to continue. My heart was with my kingdom, and my motivation was to rise above the evil that created me. Much depended on whether I could.
The ultimate fight, the final battles and the push for victory, was about to begin. The wheels were in motion; there was no more I could do that night. I headed to the castle, anxious to see Mirela.
I could share the temporary advantage of unearthing a spy, then tell Mirela that the palace city was safer because of it. I wouldn’t speak of the war, the danger that abounded, or that the future was uncertain. I would hold her in my arms and assure her of my love. Then I would fight to the death to protect that love.
Chapter 4 – Calina
It was good to be at the castle and have a chance to catch my breath. Mirela joined me in the library, while Nicolai and Draven attended to business. I was still reeling from Alban’s stunt. I hadn’t known that he could force the connection between us.
Possibly, that was a new skill the king had developed, but I didn’t like it one bit. It was unpredictable, so I was going to have to figure out a defense against it. Alban’s growing power was frightening, the threat he posed too great.
