by Sela Croft
Silvain smiled. “Are you afraid, witch?”
“Yes, and you should be too.”
“Seeing this stinking palace makes me all the more committed to unseat Alban for good. It will be a pleasure to pull a fast one on him, to show him he isn’t omnipotent like he would like us to believe.”
“And now I see the reason you agreed to come with me,” I said. “It’s a chance for you to throw Alban’s vulnerabilities in his face.”
“What? I can’t come along out of the goodness of my heart?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Maybe I’m here because of my respect for Nemuri?”
I looked at him. “Or maybe you’re here because of your hatred for Alban.”
“Whatever.” He squared his shoulders. “Are we going to stand out here until we freeze as solid as this dark mountain, or are we going to do this thing?”
I had to admit that I wasn’t pleased to be on royal ground again. My displeasure must have been obvious.
“What is it, witch? Is there something you haven’t told me?”
“Oh, let’s just say that I’m not on good terms with the king,” I said. “He’d like the chance to rip my throat out.”
Silvain chuckled. “You are a nuisance. I’d have to agree with the king on that.”
I waved my hand. “Let’s get this over with. Nemuri is waiting.”
I levitated to the top, beside Silvain. He had the usual vampire skills, plus some. Before we stepped onto the estate grounds, the dark leader took my hand. Then he stood very still and, just like that, cloaked us. I was aware of him beside me, but I wasn’t visible—and nor was he.
The prison was in the dungeon, so we stepped quietly along the hallway to the stairs. Guards were stationed at several locations but didn’t seem aware of our presence. It appeared that no trouble was expected, as each one we passed looked a bit bored.
That was good for us; the enemy wouldn’t see us coming. The hall was nearly as cold as the outside, and darker than I expected. One would think Alban was economizing on the use of light. In the distance, there were muted noises, likely the daily activities in the royal court.
Thankfully, there was no sign of Alban. He wasn’t close, or I’d have smelled him. Likely, the king was attending to business, or whatever he did at the top of this godforsaken mountain every day. It was fine with me that he was occupied, since I had no inclination to engage with him.
I certainly hoped that Nemuri appreciated this sacrifice. There wasn’t much that could pull me back to the king’s palace, but her welfare was a valid reason. Yet it was unknown whether she was still alive, and if she could be released.
I had to stay positive. I wasn’t going through all of this just to suffer disappointment. My sharp senses told me that my friend still breathed, and that she wasn’t far. The stairs were long and windy, with parts crumbling. It was too bad the entire palace hadn’t crumbled to ground.
At the bottom of the stairs was another hallway leading to the prison. I doubted that Alban would keep Nemuri with the others, as he’d run too great a risk that she’d solicit aid. She was an intelligent, capable woman who would figure out how to escape, given a chance.
I motioned to Silvain, then pointed to a wooden door adjacent to the main prison. He nodded then guided me in that direction. Before we made it there, a guard walked up behind us. It startled me, then I remembered that he couldn’t see us.
Silvain rubbed his fingers together, indicating that he would get the key. Holding hands, we stepped behind the guard. With the best sleight of hand I had witnessed, Silvain dipped into the guard’s pocket and retrieved a ring of keys. He managed to do it without jingling the metal.
I’d have to commend him later and tell him he’d make good thief—if he ever tired of leading an army. There was only that single guard visible, which attested to Alban’s ego. He didn’t dream that anyone would have the nerve to take one of his prisoners.
Deftly, Silvain unlocked the door, and we entered. At the back of the narrow room was a metal cage, with Nemuri inside. When Silvain released my hand, I became visible, so I stepped over to the cell. My friend looked up, so I put my fingers to my lips.
“We’re going to take you out of here,” I whispered.
Nemuri’s long silver hair looked dirty and tangled, but otherwise she appeared unharmed. I supposed the king had been busy, so hadn’t gotten around to torturing her yet. Hope flickered in her lovely eyes, and she crept closer to the door.
Getting into the room hadn’t been too difficult, but I feared that opening her cage might not be as easy. Silvain opened his hand, and we stared at the fistful of keys. Which one would open the door?
Nemuri shook her head, then patted her left pocket. I groaned inside; we’d have to get back to that guard. The key we needed was in his other pocket.
“You stay,” Silvain mouthed.
I had no argument, so he cloaked before leaving to get the right key.
“Are you okay?” I whispered.
“Poorly fed and horribly cold,” Nemuri said. “But otherwise, I’m fine.”
It was only moments before Silvain returned and gingerly put the tiny gold key in the lock. It clicked once, then the door opened. Nemuri stepped out, and I wrapped my arms around her. “I was so afraid for you.”
Silvain was a couple of steps away when the door opened then the guard entered from the hallway. In a split second, he took in the scene and spun around to get reinforcements. I couldn’t let that happen. Telekinesis had served me well before.
I lifted a small metal table, and it flew into the air then whacked into the guard’s head. It stopped him, and he looked stunned—but it hadn’t put him out of commission. It was time for one of my advanced magic tricks.
I created a crossing point, which was a portal that opened up in the stone wall. Only it didn’t lead to the palace interior; it was a pathway out of the region. I shoved Nemuri into the opening, and Silvain followed. I glanced at the guard as he lurched for us.
But I closed the crossing point before he could enter.
The three of us appeared at the edge of the mountain region, breathing hard but unharmed. “That was close,” I said.
Nemuri expelled a deep breath. “I was terrified in there,” she said. “Alban intended to kill me.”
“Yes, I know,” I said. “I couldn’t let that happen.”
Silvain whistled into the wind that whipped past us. In the sky, I saw his horse flying our way.
“You risked a lot to come and get me,” Nemuri said, then looked at Silvain. “And you too.”
“Before you think too highly of me, the witch was responsible for this rescue,” Silvain said. “I came along for the thrill of it.”
I sighed. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“I suggest we get out of here,” Silvain said. “Alban will be in an intolerable mood when he discovers that he’s been foiled.”
“Before we go, I really must thank you,” Nemuri said. “Even if my sorceress friend did have to twist your arm.” She took a breath. “And I had plenty of time in there to consider the future.”
Silvain raised his brows. “Anything interesting?”
“I’m sure you are aware of what you face,” Nemuri said. “Both of your enemies have gained strength, and there is no guarantee that you can overcome them.”
“If you’re trying to encourage me, that’s not going to do it,” Silvain said. “I know the odds, but I also know that I’m motivated to see this war through to the end.” He paused a beat. “Besides, I didn’t need for you to be locked up in that cell to see that much of my future.”
“There’s more,” Nemuri said, then she frowned. “I have seen enough to tell you…that all is not as you believe it to be.”
“In what way?”
Nemuri looked into his eyes. “You will discover that, soon enough.”
“Ah, you leave me with a riddle.” Silvain mounted his horse. “Can I drop you ladies somewhere?”
“I’ll take Nemuri to my cottage for a while,” I said. “It will give her a chance to recover and stay out of harm’s way.”
Silvain nodded. “I’ll return to my duties, then.”
I watched him fly away on the stallion, marveling at his complexity. There was much more to Silvain than met the eye; I might make it my business to find out more about him.
I linked my arm with Nemuri’s, then teleported back to my secluded forest. It was one place that Alban wouldn’t look for her, since he didn’t know where my home was. One minute, we were shivering at the base of the mountains, and the next, we were standing in my pleasantly warm forest.
All appeared to be as I’d left it, and a quick check with the nature that surrounded us assured me that my animal friends were undisturbed. “Come in,” I said, motioning toward my cottage. “I’ll make some hot tea.”
Nemuri walked around the living room, looking at things. I went to the kitchen to make the tea. I came out to find her snuggled into an armchair with her legs drawn up underneath her. “You look comfortable.”
Nemuri accepted the tea and took a sip. “More than I have been since that unplanned stay at the king’s palace.”
“Believe me, I know what a bad host Alban is.” I sat across from Nemuri, holding my cup in both hands. “I couldn’t live in that region. It’s too darn cold.”
For a few minutes, we sipped tea and let the warmth of the cottage seep into our bones. Then something occurred to me. “Did you know that I would come and rescue you?”
“I can foretell the future, but selectively,” Nemuri said. “It’s not like I know everything that’s going to happen.” She smiled. “But I didn’t have to be a seer to guess that you wouldn’t turn away and let me die in that horrible place.”
“I couldn’t,” I said. “But I really think you should stay here for a while. I can’t risk letting you get into the king’s grasp again.”
“I have to agree. Alban will be livid when he finds my cell empty.”
“Not only that,” I said, “he will guess who helped you. I’ve already racked up points against me. The king wants to kill me, probably worse than he wants to kill you.”
Nemuri smiled. “You must have been quite the tease, then.”
“Not intentionally,” I said. “But it’s difficult to be around the king without pissing him off. He’s ill-tempered to start with. And his manners are horrific. It’s not hard to get on his bad side.”
“It looks like you need to steer clear of him too.”
“I plan to,” I said. “But I have things to do. This war is ramping up, and I cannot let destiny take its course—without doing all I can to ensure things come out right.”
“Since you’ve invited me to be your guest, I intend to take a long, hot bath.” Nemuri put her cup on the table, then stood up. “While I’m soaking, and getting this awful grime out of my hair, I’ll meditate on the future.”
“Good plan.”
“Possibly, I can be of help…in your aim to guide destiny.”
I smiled. “You are a true friend, Nemuri.”
She headed toward the guest room, so I went out for a walk. I’d missed my verdant forest and the tranquility of my home. It brought me joy, but at the same time, sadness stabbed at my heart. If all didn’t go well, my magic forest would be at risk. I wasn’t immune to the travails of the kingdom, so had as much at stake as the others. My future was intertwined with that of the realm, so I had every intention of using my magic to wrest control from the king’s hands.
Chapter 6 – Mirela
After dealing with military matters, Draven came to get me. His sister was on her way home to spend an evening with her fiancé, and we’d have time alone, too. I’d semi-recovered from the attacks we’d endured before returning to the safety of the castle. Yet my emotions were still in turmoil.
I’d sworn to Calina that her brother wasn’t cut from the image of his father. He had been born of evil, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t rise above that. In my heart, I believed that was true. Yet the reality of what we faced demanded fierceness.
Draven had protected me, more than once. It irked me that I needed protecting, but it seemed to be the case. Could I ask him to cater to his kinder side, his human emotions, when a violent war raged with no sign of stopping?
When we left the library, Draven took my hand. I looked into his deep blue eyes, then ran my hand through his dark hair. The silky strands sifted through my fingertips. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, my love. We have the evening alone.” Draven guided me to the cliffs, one of our favorite spots. The sky looked brighter than usual under twinkling stars. Ribbons of stars gleamed above, as if a child had strewn sparkling crystals beneath the moon.
The ocean was turbulent, but the rocky cliffs were quiet. We were high above the crashing waves, with a view to the horizon. Draven sat on a flat rock, and I nestled beside him. My heart filled with love; I admired him without consideration for his flaws, which were all a part of the man I’d chosen.
“Was Calina all right?” Draven said. “She’s been through a lot.”
Privately, I was concerned about his sister, for reasons I wasn’t about to tell Draven. She would have to share that when she was ready. “Your sister is strong, one of the strongest women I know.”
Draven seemed satisfied with that. “And you? The recent events were quite a lot for you to take in.”
I was unexpectedly overcome with homesickness. “Physically, I’m fine. I just…” I looked at Draven. “I wish I could see my mother. It is difficult not being able to talk with her or share the details of my life with her.”
“I understand, my love. And I will arrange a visit, as promised…but not yet.” Draven touched my cheek. “I cannot go to war while I’m concerned for your welfare. And it would be too great a risk to allow you to leave the realm at present.”
“I know that, but it doesn’t make it any easier,” I said. “And I wish that I could talk with Lana. I remember the conversations we had, how she seemed to understand me like no one else did. She was a good friend.”
“You will be reunited, as soon as I can manage it.”
“It’s not your fault that dangers abound,” I said, then furrowed my brow. “How did the meetings go? Anything promising?”
“I learned of something disturbing, but I can turn it to our advantage,” Draven said, then told me about General Blackburn and his betrayal.
It was hard to hear of such things, and difficult to understand why a general would abandon his loyalties. “I do see the advantage of your arrangement. It makes sense. Maybe he can make up for some of the damage he’s done.”
I looked at Draven’s hardened expression. He would do what was required to give the Guardians best advantage. More than that, he was willing to do what it took to protect those he loved. He was a hero, not fully recognized for his accomplishments.
The wind blew softly, ruffling Draven’s dark hair. He looked so impossibly handsome that desire swamped me. I linked my arm with his. “You bear the burden of guiding us to victory. I’m learning day by day what that means.”
Draven’s jaw stiffened, and his expression was darker. “If only you didn’t have to learn such things.”
Looking into his eyes, I perceived the evil he tried to hide. His visage darkened from a shadow within. It made me recall what he’d done on our return trip. “I’m glad that you did it.”
“What?”
“You killed the vampire hunters who abducted me and were intent on taking me prisoner.” I shuddered at the thought. It occurred to me that I’d previously have been opposed to such retribution. But I wasn’t. All I felt was relief and satisfaction.
“They got what they deserved.”
“Can I tell you something?”
Draven put his arm around me. “Please do.”
“I feel the vampire part of me is gaining strength. I no longer cringe at the thought of battle or cower under attack.” I
hesitated. “It disturbs me.”
“In what way?”
“I don’t know what I’m becoming,” I said. “I always thought of myself as kind and caring. But now I find pleasure in things that I would have considered abhorrent.”
Draven listened, and it seemed he understood.
“Drinking your blood changed me,” I said. “Slowly, I’m turning into a woman I don’t fully recognize. Emotions such as hatred and revenge are no longer foreign to me. If someone I cared about was attacked, I would do exactly what you did.”
“Is that bad?”
“I’m not sure, and that’s what concerns me,” I said. “Is there no limit to such feelings? With the right provocation, I wonder what I am capable of.”
Draven kissed my lips, lingering a moment. “You are the woman I love, the only one meant for me. I have faith in your judgment and how you will deal with events that you face. You are true to yourself. It’s your authenticity that is your true magic.”
I could tell that Draven meant that, yet it didn’t wipe away my trepidations. “You feel that you must control the evil that wells up inside you. But I must tell you that I have another side too. I’m not the purist you paint me to be.”
“We shall see, my love.” Draven rubbed his thumb across my lips. “Soon I must leave for battle. For tonight, we have each other. Let’s speak of other things besides war and confrontation.”
I leaned against Draven, and he wrapped his arms around me. We stayed a while longer to enjoy the beauty of the scene in each other’s company. The wind blew harder and the sky darkened. “We should go in. I’m getting chilly out here.”
Draven stood then reached for my hand to help me up. He dug his hand in my hair and kissed me deeply. My heart soared, and my body heated. With his lips against mine, he said, “I need you, my love.”
There were no sweeter words. A sense of gaiety swept over me, so I pulled free of Draven and skipped over the grassy cliff. “Catch me, then…if you can.” I laughed at the devilish look in his eyes.
Then my inner senses stirred. I perceived the supernatural, but not quite soon enough. Behind Draven I saw the figures before he did. It had been a while since I’d encountered the women. They were hired enforcers, working for anyone who would pay them.
