Blood of Ravens

by Jen McIntosh

  She frowned. This place was humming with some ancient, terrible power. It burned at her nerves like ice held against wet skin. She shuddered from its touch, shrinking inward as she tried to hide from it. Lucan glanced round, seemingly sensing her distress.

  ‘Suriya? What is it?’

  She shook her head, trembling as her gaze darted around, searching for the source of that evil. ‘Something’s wrong. We shouldn’t be here.’

  But nobody was listening. Renila moved first, dragging Suriya’s attention as she shoved past Lucan. She reached for her son …

  And rebounded off an invisible barrier. She tried again, only to stagger back as she slammed into it once more. Tentatively, she stretched out a hand: the air shimmered with resistance when she touched whatever held them there.

  ‘What the—’ breathed Lucan, glancing back. Suriya shook her head. She didn’t understand it any more than he did. But if they couldn’t get out …

  Erion stepped back from the Darkling and turned to face them, onyx eyes glittering in the gloom. ‘Stop fighting it, Mother.’

  Suriya frowned, looking between her friend and the barrier keeping them inside. He was controlling it then, somehow. Renila seemed to reach the same conclusion a moment later.

  ‘Erion, you let me out of here this minute,’ she snarled, slamming her fist on the barrier.

  He sighed, wiping the blood from his over-large sword with cool detachment. Suriya shuddered to see it. It was like a stranger, wearing Erion’s face. ‘Please just stay in there where it’s safer. There are more Darklings in the keep, but they can’t get to you in there. It will hide you, protect you.’

  ‘Listen to me. If you do not get back here, so help me, I will put you over my knee,’ she promised, her voice deadly quiet.

  Erion sighed again and rolled his eyes, but he began the grudging walk back down the passage towards them. Suriya let out a breath and exchanged a rueful look with her brother. Lucan only shrugged, too busy eyeing Renila with trepidation. She was standing in the doorway, arms folded, fury whipping around her like sparks from Alec’s forge as she waited for her son to return to her.

  But before he could reach them, a dark chuckle drifted into the silence, and from the shadows behind him, a nightmare stepped.

  It was as though he had stepped through a rip in the air itself, and the sight of him chilled her right to the bone. There was something so eerie, so different, so wrong, about him. Fear, pounding in her blood screamed at her to run, but something kept her rooted in place. Kept them all rooted in place. Stopped her calling out to Erion, to warn him of the demon at his back.

  He was tall but slim, this nightmare. Handsome too, with wine-red hair that shimmered like blood in the torchlight. He stepped smoothly over Farran’s body, his hands in his pockets as he surveyed the surrounding devastation with a wry smile on his lips. A red stone pierced his pointed ear, and his shirt was open at the collar, revealing a matching jewel on a chain around his neck.

  Then Suriya noticed his eyes. They were pale – so pale that the irises were almost lost in the white, and only his pupils were noticeable. The words from a story Renila had once told them whispered in her mind.

  Little more than a pale shadow of a once glorious lineage …

  ‘Shade,’ Renila breathed. From the corner of her eye, Suriya saw Lucan flinch, recoiling from whatever dark power stalked towards them. But the Shade only smirked, his pale eyes raking over the twins with interest. Then his gaze slipped beyond them, to the room behind, and his steps faltered. And in that instant, the spell was broken. Renila screamed, ‘Erion! Run!’

  He glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes widening in shock at the shadow bearing down on him. He tried to run, moved faster than Suriya had ever seen him move before – faster than should have been possible. But the Shade was faster still.

  He swirled through the air like smoke and shadow. One moment he was behind Erion, and then, in less than a heartbeat, he stood before him. Long, delicate fingers curled around Erion’s throat, lifting her friend clean off his feet, and that ridiculous sword went clattering to the ground.

  Erion thrashed in his grip while Renila screamed for her son, and together with the twins, she pounded against the magical barrier that sealed them inside.

  ‘Now, now,’ the Shade chided, his voice as smooth as silk and deadlier than a snake. ‘Settle down.’

  The Shade studied Erion, his head cocked to the side as he considered his prey. He ran a caressing hand over the boy’s face, a strangely gentle gesture. His brows knit with curiosity as he cupped Erion’s face in those long, delicate fingers, staring into those whirlpool eyes … and he flinched from whatever he saw there.

  But Renila didn’t seem to notice. She only roared at the violation. Suriya reached out, taking Renila’s hand in her own, only to be bombarded with all the rage and fury churning beneath Renila’s skin.

  An ember flaring. Grief and sorrow mingling with wrath and vengeance. An ember sparking. Bloodlust rising. A spark catching. Murder in her heart.

  Suriya gasped, flinching back to the safety of her own mind. No, not retreating. Defending. Pushing Renila back out. Because that connection had not come from her. It was Renila who had invaded her mind. The power within her – Gods, she was so strong – raging out of control. Blurring the boundaries of her reality. If she couldn’t get it under control … she would kill them all.

  ‘Renila,’ Suriya begged, trying to bring Renila back to herself. ‘Renila, please. Be careful. You might hurt Erion.’

  But Renila barely heard it.

  Fury raging in her veins, blazing like wildfire.

  Suriya shoved her back, trying desperately to protect her mind as Renila’s wrath took form, flames licking along her skin. Her hair shifted and curled in the rising heat, surrounding her face in a flickering halo of scarlet waves while her amber eyes smouldered like hot coals. The heat of the flames burned Suriya’s skin, but she didn’t let go of her hand.

  ‘Release him,’ Renila snarled, her voice crackling with the power of the inferno within.

  The Shade smiled, unfazed by the terrifying display. ‘Come quietly, and I promise that none of you will come to harm.’

  ‘Release my son, and I promise I will kill you quickly,’ Renila countered, flames flaring along her golden skin to emphasise her point.

  The Shade snorted in disbelief, smirking as his fingers tightened about the boy’s throat. Erion thrashed again, and the Shade huffed a sigh of exasperation. His hand flickered up, brushing over his captive’s brow once more, and at that touch Erion went limp, his eyes rolling back into his head as he slumped into unconsciousness.

  ‘That’s better,’ the Shade said. ‘Now, are you going to come quietly, or am I going to need to make this permanent?’

  Renila roared again and then, as if in answer, thunder pealed through the castle. The ground shook beneath their feet, and behind the Shade, the passage crumbled. Stone shattered and split, as though huge, unseen hands were tearing the keep apart searching for them.

  The Shade whirled, shadow-flame flickering to life in a protective bubble around him as he backed away. Still that power kept coming, and piece-by-piece, the castle was torn away, until Suriya could see the faint twinkling of stars in the night sky overhead.

  And as the dust settled, a feral smile rose to Suriya’s lips at the familiar figure that stepped out of the shadows. He was battle weary, sweat and blood coating his handsome face, but there was fight left in him yet. She could see it churning in his thunderstorm eyes.

  The Shade stilled, his eyes widening at the sight of the approaching Lord and the power he possessed.

  ‘You should have taken her offer,’ breathed Lord Alvar, ‘because I am going to make you suffer for that.’

  The Shade let Erion slump to the floor as he drew the twin swords strapped across his back. ‘What are you?’

  Thunder shook the ground beneath their feet as Lord Alvar’s wrath made itself known. Challenge sparked like lig
htning in his eyes. ‘Why don’t you try me and find out?’

  Then he struck. The Shade snarled, swirling to meet him. The clash of swords rang through the ruined keep, and the roar of thunder echoed in answer. They were matched, Lord Alvar and the Shade. Both moved with that same impossible speed, handled their blades with an ease that spoke of years of training, struck hard enough to make the other stumble. And yet neither touched the power that set them apart.

  At least, not until the howling of Darklings shattered the night. Lord Alvar had not destroyed them all then. They swarmed over the rubble, charging towards their prey with reckless abandon.

  ‘Gaelan!’ Lord Alvar roared, battling his way through the horde. ‘I need you!’ Lucan looked at Suriya in confusion, but she could only shake her head. She didn’t understand either. Gaelan was gone. She’d seen it with her own eyes. Why call out to a dead woman for help?

  But then star-fire erupted overhead, and the Darklings looked around to see a statuesque figure striding through the rubble towards them.

  Gaelan.

  Unharmed, unbroken and very much alive.

  Suriya couldn’t help but gasp while, beside her, Lucan crumpled with relief. Yesterday, they would have thought it impossible. Today had redefined their understanding of the word.

  The winds rose, whipping Gaelan’s starlight hair around her face as she drew the long, elegant sword from the sheath at her hip. Celestial lights flared in her eyes and danced along her skin, the same way Suriya had seen thunder churn inside Lord Alvar. They were the same. Whatever they were, Gaelan and Alvar were the same.

  She was terrifying. As magnificent and dreadful as the storm that loomed overhead. And as those awful eyes fell on the still, bloody corpse of the Captain, whatever leash she had held on that awesome power snapped. The ground trembled, and the starlight blazed around her. She screamed her fury to the night sky, and the light burned brighter and brighter.

  ‘Close your eyes and get down!’ Alvar’s command thundered in their heads. They didn’t hesitate. Renila shoved them both down and threw herself over them, even as they screwed their eyes shut. But it didn’t block out the heat or brilliance of the light that flashed through the castle. There were screams as the Darklings died, burned away to ash by the star-fire that Gaelan’s rage had conjured.

  And then it was over. Suriya opened her eyes to see Gaelan sag with exhaustion. Alvar was beside her, looping her arm over his broad shoulders. But the Darklings were not finished.

  There was no mistaking the Huntress. Flanked by the remaining Darklings, she carried herself like a queen as she stepped over a smoking pile of ash, that had once been a member of her Hunt, with deadly precision. A strange, pale light flickered around her in an aura. Her ears tapered to a delicate point, and her eyes were slanted, sleepy and feline as they considered her prey.

  Then the Shade’s barked command echoed. ‘Get the boy!’

  The Huntress glanced at her master and nodded in understanding, signalling to others to deal with Gaelan and Alvar.

  Gaelan drew her sword and stepped away from Alvar, her teeth bared in a silent snarl. And together, Alvar and Gaelan raised their blades and charged.

  The Huntress slipped around them, deflecting their attacks with magic of her own as she darted through the mêlée to Erion’s unconscious form sprawled upon the flagstones.

  Other Darklings charged forward, but any who came close to that small, prone body met only merciless death. Consumed in amber flames, they died screaming in pain. Renila’s chest was heaving from the effort, but she did not let up.

  Not even when those flames collided with a wall of ice and rebounded. Renila snarled, redoubling her attack. Once again it slammed into the magical shield protecting the Huntress. But she did not stop trying. Not even when the Huntress knelt and lifted the boy into her arms.

  Renila was screaming his name, shoving against that magical barrier with all her might. Alvar bolted forward, roaring for the boy too, his voice a cacophony of thunder echoing around the castle.

  But the Shade was too fast. He vanished through another rip in the world, disappearing out from under Gaelan’s falling blade and stepping to the Huntress’s side. She handed the boy over to her master, and the Shade nodded in thanks.

  Renila screamed, and the flames flared, slamming into shields of wind and shadows. Then Gaelan was there, star-fire searing the air around them. And wherever it went, Darklings died.

  The Shade hissed in frustration, torn as he looked between Alvar, Renila and the twins. But Gaelan was little more than a shadow in the centre of that storm of starlight now. There was only the promise of blistering death in her terrible eyes. With a final hungry glance at the twins, he stepped backwards and disappeared into darkness … taking Erion with him.

  Alvar was yelling at Renila, but she couldn’t hear him. Suriya reached for her hand. The flames were raging out of control now, growing hotter and hotter.

  The Huntress glanced up at Renila, fear creasing her face as the inferno spread. Behind her, a Darkling screamed as the flames touched it, and it was reduced to a pile of smouldering ash. All around them, Darklings were being consumed in the blaze, shrieking in agony as they died. But still, the fire could not reach the Huntress, nor the others she sheltered within her shield of ice and magic. Alvar was roaring for Renila to stop, while Gaelan sprinted for the twins.

  ‘Get back!’ she barked. But Suriya didn’t budge. She clung to Renila’s hand, unaffected by the heat.

  ‘Renila,’ Suriya begged. ‘Renila, please, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.’

  But Renila couldn’t stop. Her clothes smouldered and turned to ash, and she screamed as the flames turned on her, scorching her skin as they sought more kindling to fuel their rage.

  ‘Get back!’ Gaelan shouted again. She was closer, almost there. Sprinting towards them with impossible speed. Lucan’s hands gripped Suriya’s waist, and he dragged her back into the room. But it was too late.

  Renila exploded. Gaelan screamed … and stepped through a rip in the air, just like the Shade, reappearing right in front of them. She threw her body over them with a roar of pain, shielding them from the blast. Suriya cried out, but the surrounding air glowed as if the light itself sought to protect them. Gaelan was panting from exertion, but the light shield held – nothing more than a small bubble of air in the inferno that had consumed Renila.

  ‘Alvar!’ Gaelan roared. ‘Stop her!’

  Suriya glanced at her brother in confusion. Surely Alvar couldn’t have survived that eruption of power? But then Lucan grabbed her wrist and pointed. She squinted against the brightness of the fire, following his outstretched hand, and saw a shadow move within the flames.

  Alvar was staggering to his feet, his eyes fixed on the spot where the Shade had vanished, brushing the charred tatters of his cloak from his shoulders. He roared in pain – whether from the blaze scorching him or from losing Erion, Suriya couldn’t tell – but where the Darklings had withered and died, he remained untouched. Each step seemed to be agony, and the flames were merciless, as if they tried to stop him. But he continued on, lurching towards Renila with steadfast resolve.

  Lucan yelled in alarm as Alvar faltered, and Suriya took his hand.

  ‘It’ll be alright,’ she promised.

  Gaelan gasped as the fire flared again and the shield flickered weakly.

  ‘Help him,’ she hissed from between clenched teeth, glancing at Suriya and her brother. Lucan’s face was incredulous, but Gaelan was insistent. ‘Use your powers – help him.’

  Lucan looked between them in confusion, but Suriya only nodded and squared her shoulders, sent her mind out towards Alvar, pulling Lucan’s with her.

  ‘We are with you,’ she whispered, throwing her thoughts to him like a spear. Alvar growled, the blaze surrounding him, driving him to the ground.

  ‘Get up,’ Lucan urged, willing him to stand. ‘Please, get up!’

  Suriya’s brow creased in concentration, throwing her str
ength, just as she had thrown her thoughts. There was half a heartbeat of hesitation before Lucan joined her. She slumped from the exertion, and Lucan swayed on his feet, but they held fast.

  Alvar gave a mighty roar as he surged once more to his feet, drawing on their strength.

  They were inside his head, and though most of his thoughts were hidden from them, they could feel his despair.

  The sight of the boy in the arms of that monster had been hard enough to bear … watching him vanish had cleaved his heart in two. Renila was before him, her incandescent eyes vacant and unseeing. He hissed through clenched teeth – it was worse than he’d feared. She hadn’t just lost control. She was enthralled by the power coursing through her veins.

  He reached out, brushing her cheek with his fingers. His skin burned where they touched, but he did not flinch. ‘Renila,’ he whispered, begging. ‘Come back to me.’

  A single tear escaped his eye, turning to steam with a hiss, evaporating in the scorching heat of the flames. But she did not react. She was gone, consumed by some wild, elemental creature that revelled in the destructive power she wielded.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Alvar choked. He gripped her face in his hands, snarling at the pain. A clap of thunder reverberated around the castle, and there was a pulse of near-unbearable pressure, but the shield of starlight held.

  Renila cried out once, collapsing into Alvar’s waiting arms. And just as she descended into unconsciousness, the fire vanished, leaving only smoke and ash in its wake. Overhead, the thunder clouds broke, and rain began to fall, hiding the tears on his face.

  Alvar pushed them from his mind as the grief threatened to overwhelm him, but not before they saw the truth there. The fierce, undying love he felt for the scarlet-haired woman in his arms.

  Lucan scowled as they retreated but he turned his attention back to his sister as she sank down beside him. Gaelan sighed with relief as the shield flickered out, and she put a grateful hand on his shoulder.