The blue light turned to a glowing white sphere. She watched as inky black crept in, winding snakelike fingers through the ball of light, trying to smother it. But the light grew brighter, beating back the darkness until the sphere was coated equally with shadow and light.
Emma couldn’t help but smile sadly. She’d seen the hatred and prejudice of the Giborim. And in tiny sparks, she’d seen goodness in one Shediem in particular.
Levaroth.
As Rowek he’d been kind, sweet, and loving, though as Levaroth his need to protect her was suffocating.
It was true that they were all capable of both light and darkness. She just hoped the darkness wouldn’t consume her.
The words spilled out before she could stop them. “I just hope whatever light is inside me isn’t blotted out by the darkness. The more Shediem power I take, the more I feel like there’s only darkness inside me.”
The sphere vanished when Sergei closed his fist, and his hand came to rest on her shoulder.“So long as you fight to remain who you truly are, you’ll never be evil. Keep your mother in your heart. And if it gets to be too much, those of us that love you will fight to bring you back to the light,” he said.
Her eyes burned with tears. She nodded, and Sergei pulled her into a tight hug.
“Never forget, dear Emma, who you truly are.”
She clutched to that hope. The hope that she’d survive this and remain who she was.
No matter how small the fragment might be.
42
Blaze
A s soon as the meeting was over, Blaze hastened to follow Emerelda. It was a whim, he knew. A suspicion that he couldn’t shake. But if he was going to save his brother,
he’d follow every lead until his deadline was up. The air was warm and inviting—so different from the true temperature outside the wards—when he slipped into the night. Slinking through the shadows, he rounded the side of the house, detecting the low voices. Through the maze of rose bushes and neatly trimmed hedges, Blaze crept low enough to not be seen to the fence line. The temperature dropped further with each step.
“No one has a single clue about you or how you’ve been breaking into the compound.” Emerelda’s whisper made his body tense just before she came into view. Wrapped in her thick fur, breath curling in visible puffs in the moonlight, she leaned against the tall, lean frame of a stranger.
A dark, velvety voice floated through the night.“Pinning any suspicion on your fake fiancée was a smart move, I’m impressed.”
What little warmth Blaze’s body managed to hold onto vanished when the faint illumination reflected in the Shediem’s dark red eyes.
A prince. Inside the wards.
“I fed him your blood like you instructed, painting him as the madman.” She laughed.“Soon we can be together, Mammon. I’ll be your queen and we’ll rule over these simple creatures.” Emerelda leaned forward, stretching up to press a kiss to his lips, but he drew away.
“And what of the Shediem-Slayer? She needs to die.Tonight.”
It was pure reflex that had Blaze gripping the blade at his hip. Every part of him raged to leap out and slaughter both the traitor and the prince she was consorting with.
“I’ve been working on it. Axel tried like I persuaded him to do, but that girl is almost impossible to get close to. Everyone is constantly fawning over her. And she only just got back from China.” The venom in her voice rose with her volume.
“Get it done, Emerelda, and then we’ll be together. It’s how it has to be.”
She sighed like a petulant child but said,“It will be done.”
“Good girl,” Mammon praised. “Now go before you’re discovered. The wards will detect me soon.”
His mouth lowered to hers, kissing her lazily. Tamely.
Bile burned the back of Blaze’s throat. She’d framed Axel and he’d fallen for it. All the interest Emerelda had taken in Emma made so much more sense.
Emma. He needed to protect her.
And he needed to get to his brother. Emerelda’s confession was proof of his innocence. The reason he’d been looking like he was poisoned was because he was—with a prince’s blood.
Blaze turned, preparing to sprint back, when a sharp pain erupted in his temple.
“Well this is an interesting turn of events,” Emerelda crooned before his body slid sideways and everything went black.
43
Emma
E mma lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come so she waited for Blaze to return to his room, but so far, at just after midnight, he hadn’t. After a few more minutes,
she decided to use the excuse of going to the kitchen to get some tea to help her sleep and hoped she’d run into Blaze on the way. With a sigh, she rolled to the edge of the bed and climbed to her feet. She’d just reached for her favorite thigh-length cardigan when the first boom sounded.
Distant shouts followed, and she froze.
Another boom. Then another.
In an instant, Emma raced out of her room and down
the hall. People began to poke their heads out of their doors, awakened by the commotion. Down the glossy marble staircase, another crash came from outside the manor. The ground shook. Gritting her teeth, Emma knew what she’d find before she reached the giant mahogany door.
Other Giborim raced after her, armed and ready to face the threat outside their borders.
She leapt over the stairs, skidding to a stop in the gravel.
The covens of Spellcasters were spread out along the edge of the fence line, pushing their colorful magic into the wards.
On the other side, flaming boulders assaulted the barrier of magic.
“It’s starting!” a Giborim yelled next to her before taking off running toward the border.
“Where’s Blaze?” someone else shouted.
Her heart sank. Where was he? There was no way he didn’t know what was happening right now…
Unless something had happened to him.
Soldiers flooded from the manor, rushing past her with blades drawn. Using what little light was available from the campfires and blasts of magic, she tried to scan for Blaze, but there were too many people.
She spun on her heel and returned inside, stopping at Breanna’s room. Her door was ajar. Emma didn’t pause before pushing her way in.
Breanna clutched a whimpering Isaac to her chest while Dominic hugged them both. They looked up at the sight of Emma and she cleared her throat, suddenly guilty she’d intruded on a tender moment.
“What is it, Emma?” Dominic asked before Breanna could.
“Have you seen Blaze?”
His brows drew together.“Not since the meeting. I assumed he was with you.”
Emma’s chest tightened. “That was the last time I saw him too.” Her voice wavered.
Shock registered in the Russian’s cold eyes. He pressed a kiss to Breanna’s loose waves, then released her.“Stay safe,regina mea.”
Breanna offered him a small smile before turning to Emma. “You be safe too.”
She nodded stiffly.“I’ll try.”
Dominic nudged her out of the room and shut the door gently behind them.“Quick, this way.”
He led Emma to the back of the manor, through a small door she’d thought opened to a supply closet. Instead, a set of wooden stairs led down into pitch blackness.
Dominic took the lead yet again, reaching above to tug on a chain she hadn’t noticed. A light clicked on, casting a faint glow over the stairs before he began descending them.
“Where does this go?” she asked.
“Prison cells,” was his only response.
Her eyes widened in surprise when they reached the bottom, finding a long row of cells stretching into a narrow hall.
They passed the first two cells and came to a stop in front of the third.
Emma gasped, spying Axel. His wrists were chained above his head, which hung limp against a pale bicep.
“Has your brother come to visit you recently?” Domi
nic asked.
Axel snorted before slowly lifting his head. His cheeks were gaunt, his eyes so pale they were almost white.“Haven’t seen him in…well, I haven’t really been able to keep track of time in here.”
Dominic gusted a breath before cursing low.“Your brother is missing.”
Emma snapped her gaze to the Russian, swallowing hard. She hadn’t wanted to accept that fact, but now it stared her in the face.
Axel’s expression turned grim. “Well I didn’t kidnap him. I’ve been a little tied up.” His tone was humorless, but he still smirked as though there was anything that could possibly be amusing at a time like this.
“We didn’t check with Haddie,” Emma whispered.“Maybe he went to see if she was safe.”
Dominic shook his head. “She was in the kitchen helping with dishes.” Then he cocked his head. “Although it’s possible Blaze didn’t know that.”
“Haddie?” Axel croaked. His face filled with disbelief, then with raw anguish.
“You didn’t know,” she whispered. It wasn’t a question; his expression told her as much.“Blaze didn’t tell you.”
“After dropping off Haddie here, we left straight away to rescue you,” Dominic explained.
Something like a sob escaped Axel.“Oh god, she’s alive?” Emma nodded, her eyes pricking with tears.
His chest heaved with a rattling breath.“I want to see her.”
Dominic rested a hand on the cell bars. “The compound is under attack. Nakosh and the remaining princes, along with their armies, are going to be marching up to our borders any second. There’s no time now, but I promise she’s safe.”
Axel didn’t appear to be listening. A wail tore from him, desolate and broken. It broke Emma’s heart.
“Did you help the Shediem attack the compound? Did you let them inside?” she asked in a cold, hard voice.
“No,” he sobbed.“No, no, no. I’d never betray my kind.”
Emma looked to Dominic.“He’s telling the truth. Maybe he can help us.”Axel didn’t seem like he’d be able to fight, but perhaps he was capable of helping in some other way. He had trained alongside Blaze; if anything, he’d know how his brother fought.
Dominic looked at her wearily.“He could be lying. I think it’s best he stay here until we find Blaze. Besides, he did attack you.”
“I’ll be fine. Axel knows his brother better than anyone else. He can help with strategies. Help rally the Giborim—”
“The Giborim voted for his imprisonment. They believe he is a traitor. Letting him out will only incite infighting. We can’t afford that right now.”
Emma huffed in frustration.“Fine. I’ll find Blaze, then I’ll be back to get you out, Axel.” He deserved to see his sister.“I need to find Haddie to see if she’s seen Blaze.” She ran for the stairs again.
At first, Dominic didn’t follow, but after a few seconds, she heard his footsteps on the wooden stairs behind her. They ran through the manor, which was now mostly empty.
A cry of pain jerked her to a stop.“Oh god, no, please! Not now!”
Haddie.
Emma took off, faster than before, skidding to a stop in the kitchen where Haddie crouched on the floor, clutching her belly. One woman was pressing a damp cloth to her forehead; another rubbed her back. They murmured words of encouragement. “What’s wrong?” Emma asked.
Haddie’s eyes lifted to hers.“The baby is coming.”
Emma could have laughed at the absurdity of it all. Instead she knelt in front of her friend.“Have you seen Blaze?”
“No,” Haddie panted, her face relaxing slightly.
Emma dropped her head. Her anxiety ratcheted up further. Something was definitely wrong.
“I’m going to check outside, see if anyone has seen him,” Dominic offered, looking uncomfortable.
She nodded to him. Then to Haddie she said,“We need to get you upstairs to a bed.”
Despite Hadessah’s protests, the group of women hefted her to her feet and started for the stairs.
Another echoing boom shook the walls.
Emma grimaced.“I have to see if they need me outside, but I’ll come check on you in a little bit, okay?” she said behind her friend.
One of the women assisting Haddie turned to her. She was older than Emma had seen most Giborim look, possibly late thirties, which Emma was sure meant several hundred years old at least.
“Don’t worry, dear, I’ve delivered many babes in my life. Go.” She smiled kindly, and Emma nodded before heading for the door again.
Outside, Giborim fought hordes of Shediem beyond the protection of the wards. They continued to be bombarded with hit after hit.
The closer she got to the edge, the more she heard the Spellcasters bracing for each blast. They looked strained, as though they were physically blocking the objects being flung at the barrier.
When a particularly large flaming object in various shades of purple came sailing into the wall, hitting with a thunderous crash, several Spellcasters were knocked backward.
The gap allowed Emma to spy the line of cloaked magicwielders leading the charge. Together they formed the glowing, burning spheres that were hurled at the wards.
It was magic.
Emma bit down on her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. “Hold strong, this is a big one!” Taryn shouted from twenty feet down the line. Her palms glowed bright before she injected a vibrant green streak of magic into the sky.
“Taryn, have you seen Blaze?” she asked.
One Spellcaster screamed and crumpled to the ground while many others were flung back when the next wave of magic hit. Taryn whipped around to look at a young girl, who didn’t appear to be moving.
When others crowded around her, Taryn reluctantly turned to Emma, her palms lifted to keep her magic flowing. “No, I haven’t seen him. Haven’t seen my brother in a while either.” Worry creased her face.
“Maybe they went together to do something,” Emma suggested, the words to soothe herself as much as the Spellcaster. But Taryn didn’t look convinced.
“I’m sure they’ll turn up. For now, we follow the plan he outlined. You’re not to interact until one of the princes shows up. Stay behind us, just in case the wards fail.”
Emma’s heart hammered painfully. “It can’t fail. There are kids and unarmed women inside.”
Taryn winced as yet another blazing ball of magic hit.“We’re not going to let anyone past us. Just stay back until it’s time.” Emma nodded, turning on her heel to rush back into the house. She climbed the stairs and knocked on the door where Haddie’s grunts and moans emanated from.
“Enter,” the same Giborim woman from earlier spoke. Emma strode inside, finding Haddie kneeling waist-deep in an inflated kiddie pool. Her beautiful face screwed up in pain, but only the slightest cry escaped. Emma wanted to rush to the girl and help in any way she could. But it was birth. There was nothing to be done for her.
“How far along is she?” Emma asked softly.
“Eight centimeters,” a younger girl answered. She held Haddie’s hand, helping her through the contraction. “Not too much longer. She’s progressing really quickly.”
Emma nodded.“Can I get you anything?” she asked Haddie, who sagged when the wave of pain receded.
She shook her head.“I can do this.”
A smile pulled at Emma’s lips.“Of course you can.”
The boom that shook the manor had everyone stiffening, and Haddie cried out suddenly.
“I have to go help, but I’ll be back soon.”
“Emma,” Hadessah gasped.
She turned.
“That bastard Amon is dead, right?”
She nodded slowly.
“Did he suffer?”
Emma’s smile spread.“Yes.”
Haddie smiled then too.“Good.”
If there had been any question as to who the father was, the answer was clear now. Emma wished she could resurrect the prince and kill him again for her friend. For the suffering he
inflicted on her.
“Go kick some Shediem ass,” Haddie snarled, then her face scrunched in pain while she rocked back and forth, breathing it through.
“I will,” Emma vowed.
She stopped by her room to grab her dagger then holstered it to her thigh. Back on the grounds, she found Taryn.
The Spellcaster’s arms shook and her breathing was shallow. “Change of plans. We need to trust that the wards are going to hold, and go on the offensive.”
Emma nodded.“I’ll help.”
The Spellcaster cast her a disapproving look, but didn’t argue.
“Coven of Skyes and Coven of Marauders!” Her voice boomed with magic to reach throughout the grounds.
The Spellcasters turned their attention to her, awaiting instruction.
“Attack!”
With a collective roar to the dark, starless sky, they charged. Emma sprinted through them, hoping to go unnoticed by the opposing Spellcasters. An icy blast of winter air hit her the second she stepped over the barrier.
A wall of red-cloaked figures blocked her path less than ten feet from the wards, but she didn’t stop. Emma knocked through them as hard as she could, sending at least two sprawling.
Once she was through the first line of defense, she saw the Giborim hacking at Shediem. There were hardly any left, but Emma charged for the first one she saw. Her hands gripped rubbery grey flesh, and a surge of angry energy flowed through her.
The familiar hunger awakened with the first spark.
Power roared through her veins, making her vision sharper. Her hearing clearer.
Emma zipped to the next, sucking out the creature’s energy so fast its body turned to a brittle black husk that she drove her fist through.
The ashes shattered, coating her.
She reveled in the feel of their death on her skin.
I am power.
I am death.
Everything around her melted into a cacophony of colors and muffled sounds. Only the hunt remained.
Kill.
Drain them.
Just as she absorbed the last bit of power in the vicinity, the ground shook.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Emma shuffled through the snow, peering into the darkness. A wall of dark figures marched up the mountain, their steps thundering.
The Throne of Broken Bones (Weapon of Fire and Ash Book 3) Page 34
