A formation of trolls had taken a defensive position before the front Iron Gate. They towered over the Night dwellers and Serese, taller by at least half a man. Their distorted faces filled with pustules which leaked a noxious substance when the trolls scratched them open. Their yellow eyes held malice and Serese shivered as they approached the misshapen creatures. They held spears and spiked maces; many of them stained with dried blood. The lit torches in iron holders along the gate flickered as the trolls kept their sentry.
Serese tried to look as haughty as a blood drinker lady even though her heart felt as if it would pound out of her chest. Her hands were clammy despite the cold air and she tried to appear unaffected by the trolls before them. Serese kept a tiny smile frozen on her face. She did not think trolls were astute observers of the nuances of human expression. She certainly hoped not because she knew she felt like a deer caught in a hunter’s arrow.
Then her gaze lowered and she saw the goblins milling about, like stranded crabs on the beach. They carried war hammers or daggers and wore dingy leather vests or leather helmets; there was not one among them who seemed to possess armor in decent condition. In her focus on the trolls, she had not looked beneath their knees. The goblins would be more foes for the wolves to battle. Serese hoped her wolf friends were not outnumbered.
Serese did not notice any men and she assumed they must be stationed elsewhere. Her fathers’ men-at-arms were shining as new coins and she was proud of them. Just the same, she knew not all of them would walk away from this battle. She hoped their deaths would be mercifully quick, but she had her doubts. Truly, she could not think about that. She would focus all of her attention on their plan. She would kill Serpentine this night. Perhaps if she kept repeating it, she would believe it. But it seemed an icy dread had moved into her heart to stay. Would that she could melt the unwelcome fear away.
They had reached the gate and stood, awaiting notice from the troll detachment. It took a moment for one of them to look down. At last, they were discovered. Their plan began.
Finally, their leader turned his head to Lord Forn and gruffly chuckled, “It looks like you have gotten yourself into a net. I know your mother will be pleased to acquire you.” The troll bent down and hit Lord Forn, knocking him senseless. The lord sagged and King Azrael let him fall to the ground as he bowed and said, “I am King Azrael. I have taken Serese for my bride. We have come to curry the favor of your queen by offering her a gift.”
“Aye, I am sure she will be delighted,” the troll agreed as he opened the gate’s latch, ushering them in. Serese held her head high and they entered the open gate.
The troll leered as he admired Serese in her Night dweller gown, “That one has been a bother to our queen for too long. I would have liked to have seen you break her myself.”
The troll looked to King Azrael for his response and the Night dweller leapt upon the troll, like a lithe cat, biting him on his neck. The troll swiped at King Azrael with his great hands but he could not dislodge the Night dweller. The ugly troll made gurgling noises as King Azrael drained him of enough blood that he lay twitching on the ground. Then the spasms stopped and the troll lay discarded and dead.
The troll sentry stormed the Night dweller, but King Azrael jumped upon their shoulders, breaking their necks in quick succession. The other Night dweller fighters joined in, snatching the mighty clubs from the trolls’ hands and breaking them as if they were small twigs. The goblins got in a few glancing blows before the pale fighters pounced upon their throats. Then hoarse gurgle sounds surrounded them as the trolls were drained of their blood.
Serpentine’s mortal men joined the battle but King Argot’s archers met them and many of their numbers were diminished. Jonathan climbed Mt. Balzac and finding a foothold, he rained arrows on the unsavory men below him. King Argot’s pike men clashed with Serpentine’s ghouls; the losses remained equal on both sides. The kings’ men had been trained to defeat the ghouls but the ghouls were too quick to corrupt the men’s minds. The hapless soldiers whose memories had been feasted upon—wandered around confused during the battle and were taken down by Serpentine’s army.
The goblins turned and ran as countless troll corpses littered the courtyard. They were not so eager to risk their green hides. They would rather take their chances with their queen.
Nonetheless, King Azrael and his fighters hunted down every last one of the fleeing goblins and expertly made an end of them. The sound of Night dweller teeth breaking their skin made Serese flinch.
It took all of Serese’s self-control to remain impassive during the troll’s screaming and the goblins’ screeching. The stench of the dead made her gag but she kept the bile down and did not embarrass herself. Her hand itched to sink her dagger into some goblins but her instructions had been to act as an impassive Night Dweller Queen.
For some strange reason, the Night dweller ladies did not dirty their hands in battle. Serese tried to seem calm and detached while glancing periodically at her lover who remained unconscious on the ground beside her. She wanted to kneel down next to him but knew it would not be in keeping with her role.
Then, Lord Forn came to and stared with morbid fascination, as King Azrael’s fighting tactics reminded him of a panther. He had seen an etching of the sleek feline, in a book in his stepmother’s library. He shook his head to clear it and slowly got to his feet.
“It seems as if Azrael and his knights have nearly vanquished our foes,” he spoke softly to Serese, “What have I missed?”
Serese summarized the attack. “We seem to be winning, my Lord.”
“Ah, then it is the calm before the storm. My stepmother will have saved the ultimate weapon until the odds seem in our favor. She is known for that. I suggest we seek cover at once for I sense something dark approaches,” Lord Forn said.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
King Azrael gazed up at the sky. Lord Forn and Serese followed the direction of his gaze but could see nothing. Then, they heard a loud whirring noise as a dark cloud passed before the moon. The pale king spread out his silver cloak and held it over their heads.
“Serpentine sends her very best,” Lord Forn commented cryptically as he nodded to Serese.
“Stay still. Be quiet,” commanded King Azrael as his fighters gathered around him.
Lord Forn and Serese huddled underneath the silver cloak, astounded at what they observed. They could see shapes through the cloak’s sheerness. What they saw made them shudder.
Black locusts with red eyes descended like chewing clouds and Serese cried out as the evil insects surrounded King Azrael’s cloak, beating against it like an avalanche of hailstones. The dark locusts sought access to the princess but she held her opal against them and they retreated in a flurry of wings.
Lord Forn swore under his breath and the locusts hovered a mere hands-breadth away from them. Serese sought to untie his hands and he said, “I wondered if Serpentine would summon them. Do you know any counter spells against dark locusts? Their bite is deadly.”
Serese narrowed her eyes in concentration as she recalled the pages of her aunt’s book. Nothing regarding insects of any variety came to mind.
King Azrael said, “Remain hidden while I walk slowly toward the door. Stay close to me.”
The Night Dweller King nudged them toward the iron-studded entry door. He chomped on any locusts which swarmed near his mouth. He grimaced as the locusts left a horrible taste. They were even less appealing than the goblins and that was not saying much. He was tempted to take a small bite out of Serese to wash their flavor away.
King Argot’s men were not so lucky; their cries were heard as the locusts forced their way through their armor and ate them alive. Serese knew she must find a way to save her fathers’ men. Suddenly she remembered a spell which might prove useful, “Winds of change, rearrange. Cleanse your sky, kill the strange.”
A shudder passed through her after the final word escaped her mouth. Her throat constricted as she felt a blast of heat wa
rm her insides. The opal pinched her bosom as Serese waited to see the outcome of her utterance.
The screeching of a multitude of locusts suddenly sounded; their keening screams increased as eddies of air beat against them. The clouds which surrounded them burnt the whirring insects to a crisp and they descended like dead leaves onto the heads of those below.
Their remains plopped like thick raindrops onto the cloak covering Serese and Lord Forn. Serese felt the power which had emanated from her with the uttering of her incantation. She exulted in it. A smile brightened her face. Her beloved stared into her eyes and then he kissed her cheek. Lord Forn said, “Well done, darling. I am quite relieved to see you growing into your abilities. It is high time for you to come into your own.”
Serese lightly slapped her beloved on his back. He chuckled as he nuzzled his lips against her throat, kissing her until she blushed. “That is quite enough of that,” she scolded him. “It is not nearly enough,” he replied as he moved his lips to her mouth, claiming hers in a fierce kiss. Serese sighed as she leaned against him, lost in the pleasure of his passion.
Then King Azrael pulled the cloak from over their heads. Lord Forn stepped away from Serese as the night dweller king raised his eyebrows at him.
Serese blushed as she moved out of Lord Forn’s embrace. Her beloved chuckled at her embarrassment.
“Your fathers’ men have surrounded Serpentine’s army. The Argot warriors seem to be making short work of them. He has lost only a handful of his hardy knights. The princess’s magic grows, for her spell has dispensed with the locusts.” King Azrael reported. He gave Serese a small grin and she bowed her head in acknowledgement of his compliment. She wished he could not see her blush, but the wry grin on the Night Dweller King’s face told her he had seen everything.
The soldiers’ screams changed to shouts of victory as the clashing of metal against metal continued. The sorceress’s army retreated under the onslaught of King Argot’s highly trained mercenaries.
Then her charmed talisman grew warm and a familiar cool breeze stirred on her face. She peered at the golden light which appeared above them. Could it be? Serese hoped her opal had answered her unspoken wish.
In the midst of the glowing golden light, a form became visible. The shimmering white hair and light brown complexion of the Air Faerie queen hovered above them. Serese wondered why Aurelia visited them now.
“Remember my child, true love is the greatest weapon. I am pleased to see the enchantress you have become. But beware, for Serpentine is a cunning adversary and she will sink to greater depths than you can imagine.” Aurelia spoke as she drifted down, standing before the princess. The glowing faerie queen held a hand out to Serese’s forehead and the sensation filled the girl with inner clarity. “It is time for me to bestow a special incantation for the true seeing inside your mind. Loving one who guides us all, protect her from the call, of Serpentine’s enthrall, let truth break down her wall.” Then Queen Aurelia bestowed a kiss upon Serese’s forehead. The princess felt a burning sensation, not unlike the heat of a July afternoon, and then the faerie queen floated upward to the skies.
“It gives me great pleasure to tidy up this mess,” and Queen Aurelia took a deep breath and exhaled. The locust carcasses blew away like ashes from a fire.
Aurelia nodded at them before flying away on a glimmering sunbeam. Her white blonde hair drifted around her tanned face as she soared with her powerful wings spread open. Both Lord Forn and King Azrael gaped after her when she became a golden speck in the sky. The appeal of that one amazed even Serese.
Serese sighed. She did not contemplate what low tricks awaited her behind the fortress door. The touch of Queen Aurelia had given Serese a dose of confidence. The princess placed one hand on her spell book and one on her opal. This is how she would vanquish Serpentine. She would keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Chapter Forty
They paused outside the tower door, staring at the wooden snakes carved across its surface. Serese had never seen such darkly beautiful engravings before. She felt as if the ruby eyes watched her. “Shall we ring the bell?” Serese asked, “Or did you have something else in mind?”
Lord Forn turned around and laid his bound hands on the door and it slowly opened.
“It seems you were taught plenty of castings by your former stepmother. Do you know any binding spells? They would prove most beneficial.” King Azrael asked.
“If I did, do you not think I would have used them against her? She is immune to castings from me. I do not suppose you know any?” Lord Forn answered.
“My kind never had need of them. Shall we enter or stand on the steps deliberating until we are discovered?” King Azrael asked sarcastically.
Serese looked around, “I fear it is a trap since no one has met us. Why is this entrance unattended?”
“Your fathers’ warriors must have drawn away the sentries. I am certain more will be arriving soon. Let us proceed,” Lord Forn said.
They entered Serpentine’s black fortress. The vestibule was deserted. A scattering of discarded weapons lay across the stone floor. Lit iron torches revealed a steep narrow staircase before them.
Serese paused, looking up the winding stairs as she made her way to the front and Lord Forn and King Azrael followed.
The iron candle sconces cast a light which played tricks on Serese’s imagination.
The nearer they climbed to the top, the more she wondered what awaited her. Serese hoped the ancient writings were true; if they were not, she was on her way to an ugly end. She touched her opal and it was cold.
A scraping sound filled the stairway and a man clothed in black leaped upon King Azrael. Serese noticed the white complexion of the attacker and realized he was a Night dweller, one who had defected to Serpentine’s side. The black clothed fighter had King Azrael in a chokehold as he hung from the Night dweller’s back like a possessed monkey. Lord Forn kicked at the fighter’s legs but the wily warrior kept moving his legs aside. The result was that Lord Forn’s kicks landed on King Azrael.
Serese withdrew her Spell book, hastily turning its ancient pages, as she searched for a useful incantation. As the Night dweller warrior opened his mouth, Serese knew she must come up with a counter spell quickly. The time constraints did not help her search for a suitable magical weapon.
It would come to a physical fight then. The princess knew her strength was no match against the cruel pale warrior. Just the same, Serese reached for the dagger in her boot.
At that exact moment, the black clothed warrior uttered, “Sown in hate, sewn by fate, stop them now, do not wait.”
Serese cried in dismay when a black cloud surrounded Lord Forn and King Azrael. The two of them coughed feebly. Then Serese could not believe her eyes as they both fainted like maidens’ in too tight laces.
She turned her angry eyes toward the Night dweller warrior, “You fiend, bring them back at once!” but the Night dweller warrior shook his head as he raised his pale hand. He stopped Serese in her tracks as she tried to come to her beloved’s aid. The cursed man had used more dark magic to prevent her from rushing toward her companions. Her feet were stuck in the same spot, no matter how she tried to move them.
“Bats Dung!” Serese cursed. She observed the pale man leisurely perusing her gown. The warrior smiled as his blue eyes traveled the length of her figure.
“It suits you, my lady Serese,” and the pale warrior kissed her hand with his cold lips and bowed, “I am most pleased to make your acquaintance. You may call me Nemas. I have dispensed with the titles of my past. If you would follow me, I will bring you to the guest quarters.”
Serese said, “If you would release my feet from this binding spell, I may follow you. You cannot blame me for my lack of trust in you. Not after humbling my faithful companions in such a manner.”
“Ah, my dear princess, King Azrael would have taken you for his own. I would not praise him too highly. As for Lord Forn, he has not been permanently harmed. Th
ey will both wake with nothing more than a headache for their troubles.”
Serese sighed with relief, “Thank you for easing my mind. I still have not decided whether I shall follow you or not.”
“Suit yourself then. It will be a pleasure for me to carry you,” the black clothed warrior made as if to pick Serese up. The princess replied, “That will not be necessary. I will follow you.”
Surprisingly, her feet moved this time as she stepped closer to Nemas.
Nemas chuckled then as he picked up her two male companions as easily as a bundle of firewood, toting one under each arm. “Well, I applaud you for your common sense. A trait lacking in the princesses I have known,” Nemas glanced admiringly back at Serese.
The princess glared at him and ignored his compliment. She would find a spell to put him in his place. Serese would repay him for whatever he had done to her beloved and to the Night dweller king.
Serese knew she would not get away if she attempted to run. She hoped she had not led Forn and Saulazzar to their deaths.
Ultimately, the test would come for her alone. She had known that all along. Still, she had certainly not foreseen this change of events. Why had Lord Forn and King Azrael succumbed so easily? How come this warrior had left her, alone, in her right mind?
Nemus led them to a wooden door which opened magically. Serese sighed as she feared all of the doors were thusly enchanted. Oh, brace yourself, you have survived up until now; muster your courage. Of course, if I survive this ordeal, I will have words with my parents for neglecting to teach me any door enchantments. Thank the stars above, Aunt Serafine gifted me with her spell book. If only it had protections against Night dwellers possessed of an evil bent.
The pale warrior deposited the men onto the chamber floor, “Her highness will fetch you. I cannot tell you the hour, so I suggest you make yourself comfortable. You will find a mutton stew warming in the hearth. I brought you some of her Flemish vintage; it is the best.” The words were as cordial as a host bidding good evening to his guests. Then Nemas departed, locking the door behind him.
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