“Come on!” he barked without even looking at her.
Diamond just had time to snatch a band so she could braid her hair away from her face before he was striding down the corridor to the nearest exit. Struggling to keep up with his long stride, Diamond pushed thoughts of what she had done, of the murderer she had become, deep into the recesses of her mind and locked it away. The feeling of hot sticky blood still lay heavy on her hands; rubbing them on her thighs did nothing to erase that memory.
Swearing at Hugo’s back helped distract her. As soon as they were outside, without warning, he grabbed her around the waist.
Her body hit his hard, and she was forced to grab onto his armour-clad shoulders as he launched himself into the misty dawn air. She shivered as the cold penetrated her thin cotton shirt. With no time to throw it on, she was still clutching her tunic in her hands. Hugo soared gracefully through the air, his hands holding her tightly against him. If she hadn’t been so terrified of what he was going to do and hadn’t gripped him so tightly, it would be easy to be entranced by the glorious morning sun glinting on the silver rivulets of his armoured sapphire wings.
But she was terrified of Hugo, of what was going to happen today, of the nightmare in which she drowned in the general’s blood—of the words of an imprisoned goddess—of so many things….
The palace towers fell away beneath them and the cityscape came in to view. Beyond it, the vista of the beautiful valley and the ancient wall were bathed in rose gold sunbeams. Diamond gritted her teeth, ignoring the shift of muscles under her fingers and the warmth of Hugo’s body against hers. Hugo thought her incapable of becoming a warrior. Dream-like images burned her mind, and she defiantly lifted her chin.
He had no idea what she was capable of. Determination lit a fire through her blood. If the goddess herself believed Diamond could fight through her grief and shadows to triumph against a dark lord, then Diamond would do whatever it took to bring that belief to reality. Whatever was thrown at her, she would not cry and she would not complain, but she would master her magic and learn how to fight back. Never again would she be weak or helpless. Pushing against Hugo’s grip, Diamond twisted her body. Defiance radiated from her as she faced forwards and readied herself to meet her future head on.
She was the daughter of General Arades Gillon, and a living blood relative of the goddess of creation; she would not be broken by anyone, least of all the warrior who had shattered her heart.
To be continued…
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BOOK TWO
A BOND OF BLOOD AND FIRE
A love bathed in fire. A destiny sealed with blood.
In a world ravaged by war, half-blood fae
Diamond Gillon must fight to survive.
A Bond of Blood and Fire
For Sandra Tomlinson,
I hope eternity is as bright and colorful as you.
You will be missed but always loved and never forgotten.
Part I
TRUST AND TRAINING
Chapter 1
Icy wind numbed Diamond’s cheeks, whipping her silver hair into a frenzy. With a knotted belly, she realised they had nearly reached their destination.
Her eyes drifted to Commander Hugo Casimir’s scarred profile. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, just like her fae father had taught her, controlling the panic attack that threatened. Was it only yesterday Hugo had chosen servitude to the immortal Queen over their friendship? Diamond’s eyes burned, unsure why he had thrown away their growing friendship. Her fingers flexed, a shudder rippling through her.
No matter how hard she clenched her fist, she still remembered the feel of hot blood running over her skin as she plunged the knife in the heart of her father’s best friend—and betrayer. Learning to live with that act was her only choice. Edo was dead, and she had killed him—even if someone had controlled her actions through magic. She didn’t want to think too deeply about whether or not she would have killed him if someone hadn’t been controlling her with magic. Being kidnapped, rescued by Hugo, then recaptured by the Queen had left her mind in a whirl.
Now, to keep her friends alive she must become a weapon for the Queen. Today was the first day of her training, and Diamond had no idea what to expect.
The beat of Hugo’s metallic wings filled her ears, and she determinedly blocked out any remaining thoughts of the day before.
Diamond watched the dusty surface of the training ground rush up to meet them. The flight above the clifftops, fissures and gardens of the palace grounds had taken only a few minutes. Hating heights, she was glad their time in the air had been short.
Diamond’s breathing snagged, her whole body tensing as Hugo’s feet hit the ground. Her worry proved unfounded when he landed with lethal precision.
His armoured sapphire and silver wings snapped into his back, almost disappearing. Diamond wanted to withdraw from the overpowering presence of Hugo’s magic, magic that nipped at her skin, attempting to reach her own even though his face displayed only an unfeeling mask.
Ignoring Hugo, Diamond stared at the large warrior who awaited them. Hugo’s grip was uncompromising, almost painful, as he eyed the other fae male. She had no chance of escaping.
The other fae wore a sleeveless leather jerkin, soft suede breeches and brown boots. Big arms crossed over his broad chest, displaying considerable muscle. He oozed impatience.
Around them the barracks continued its normal early morning routine. It was a huge area covered in ancient stone buildings and training grounds. Thousands of Prince Jack’s Rhodainian soldiers and fae warriors were drilling or heading toward the mess hall for breakfast. Above flew Avalonian fae warriors wearing uniforms bearing the Queen’s insignia; their golden-armoured wings glinted as they flew in formation, some diving and locking in battle above the grounds.
It was a noisy and busy place, but Diamond heard nothing of the other soldiers. She focused entirely on the warrior staring down at her; only the discomfort of Hugo’s grip penetrated. It was hard not to feel weak and inadequate, but she vowed to hide these feelings. Diamond swallowed and lifted her chin. She had promised herself and her grandmother, the goddess Lunaria, that she would no longer be weak. It would be a hard promise to keep, but keep it she would.
Diamond had discovered many things about her heritage these last months. Her father had never been willing to talk of her mother. She had always believed he had been a woodcutter in the far northern town of Berriesford. But he hadn’t. Her father had been one of the best general’s in the Combined Army of Rhodainia but had left that life for the sake of her mother.
Since her father’s murder by the Wraith Lord’s hunters, Diamond had realized that what she had learned fighting in the backstreets of her hometown with her friend Tom was not enough to protect her. Hugo and Prince Jack’s men had had to rescue her and her friends. Hugo had saved her life, then destroyed it by bringing her into the lair of the vicious fae queen. Diamond swallowed the bitterness she felt towards him. He really had no choice but to follow the Queen’s orders.
Diamond’s status as a half-blood fae meant very little in the Queen’s lands of Avalonia, and she often needed to defend herself. Her father had taught her how to break a hold and slam her boot or fist into a male’s vulnerable parts, but hadn’t taught her how to fight against warriors like these.
The Queen’s master-at-arms was supposed to help Hugo train her. Swallowing her nerves, Diamond studied the big male. This golden-winged warrior was almost as tall as Hugo. He was a lot older, probably in his forties, but fae males lived many years longer than human men. Clearly he was not a male to challenge. He exuded such an air of confidence and cool authority, Diamond’s immediate instinct was to respect him.
Hugo nodded at the big warrior as he let go of Diamond, giving her a gentle shove away from him. She stumbled before managing to right herself.
“Tallo,” Hugo greeted coldly.
/> Commander Tallo Nosco studied her with narrowed eyes as she scowled at Hugo and rubbed her arm.
“So, this is the general’s daughter?” he inquired, circling and studying her.
At first Diamond was embarrassed by his scrutiny, crossing her arms over her chest, and hunching her shoulders to make herself smaller. Her skin prickled as Hugo’s dark eyes watched her icily. No. They were not going to go away, either of them. Her breathing hitched and quickened.
Stepping off to one side, Hugo folded his arms over his chest, looking self-assured and completely detached. She wanted to storm over and slap him, demand to know why he was being so cold. Yesterday he had no choice but to do what the Queen demanded, but today should be different. They were no longer under the Queen’s scrutiny. Diamond’s violet eyes met his and narrowed. In response, those sapphire depths flickered, but his face remained harsh. Frustration turned to seething anger. With effort, she ignored Hugo. Her ire rose further as Tallo prowled closer, trying to intimidate her.
Grinding her teeth, she lifted her chin. Yesterday she had become a murderer. She could still feel hot blood against her skin. Someone had controlled her actions, making her kill without hesitation. General Edo, her childhood protector, had betrayed the people he loved because of misguided beliefs and a deep bitterness due to his enforced exile. Even after discovering he was responsible for her father’s death, she had not wanted to be the one to kill him. Mainly because the hateful immortal Queen had given the order, but also because she had grown up with him in her life.
Diamond’s chest tightened as she remembered those events, and the world spun. She was transported back into her strange dream from the night before. Images of an amazingly fast and vicious warrior goddess blasted through her brain; the way Lunaria moved, the way she fought, the way she saw her enemy, but most of all, Diamond could feel her burning fire of determination and self-belief. Lunaria had shared her absolute focus on surviving, on fighting for her people—on defeating her enemy.
Faster than she could comprehend, Diamond spun back from her dream to the cold damp of the training ground.
Tallo had ceased pacing, and Hugo stood tensely with his arms unfolded. Zoning out hadn’t done her any favours. Diamond cocked her head to one side and stared warily at Tallo but did not drop her gaze.
Lunaria, the goddess of creation, was Diamond’s ancestor. She had faith in Diamond’s abilities. The least Diamond could do was try and succeed. No. She would succeed.
If she was going to live, if Jack and her other friends were going to live, she had to become a warrior. The first step was not believing herself weaker than everyone else. Lunaria would never have shown fear at this challenge, and she would never have been beaten by it—neither would Diamond.
Forcing herself to maintain eye contact, Diamond twisted on her heel and matched Tallo’s stealthy steps. Her body felt fluid, her muscles tensing and relaxing with precision.
Hugo coughed in surprise, his eyes fixed in disbelief on her graceful movements.
Diamond immediately flicked him a steady look. During their dream world encounter, Lunaria may have given her a crash course in the fighting arts, but Diamond knew she could never beat these two hardened warriors. Even so, she hissed a challenge at Tallo like she had seen other fae do. After all, she was half fae and the daughter of one of the most renowned generals in the land; she would be damned if she was going to let these two males beat her to a pulp without at least trying to defend herself.
“Your weak female body will be bruised and likely broken, but I will not care,” Hugo had once growled at her.
She finally concurred. They could not kill her; she belonged to the vile Queen just like they did, and they all needed her magic to defend them if they didn’t want to end up becoming part of the Wraith Lord’s army. For a moment Diamond wondered why the Wraith Lord would want to invade the lands of the Queen who worshipped the same dark lord he served. Not that it mattered, but still….
Sounds reached Diamond’s ears, bringing her back to reality, heightening her awareness; officers shouting to their squadrons, the clink of metal as troops gathered in training formation across the barracks, banter from the mess hall. Her mind filtered out the noise until all she could hear was the sound of Tallo’s controlled breathing and the creak of Hugo’s leather armour as he crossed his arms again.
Tallo did not take his eyes off her, so she returned the favour.
“I thought you said she can’t fight,” he muttered to Hugo.
“She can’t,” Hugo responded flatly.
“Try me,” Diamond said, her eyes flashing with challenge.
So Tallo did. He attacked with grace, speed and control. No weapons, just fists, feet and wings.
She managed to twist and avoid his first attacks, delving into her mind for the moves that might save her, but Tallo was far too experienced to be fooled. Even though Lunaria had given Diamond a crash course on how to fight, her body wasn’t used to such activity. Her muscles were weak and slow. Tallo’s fist hit her belly, and she sank to the ground coughing and gagging.
“Good, but not good enough,” he said, squatting down by her. “At least you’ve got the balls to try. Now, get up,” he ordered, his tone lazy and amused.
Holding in a groan, Diamond forced herself up on her feet, her legs shaking. Tears burned her eyes, and her stomach throbbed. Her eyes flicked to Hugo as her skin broke out in a cold sweat. His face remained blank: no regret, no compassion—even the touch of his magic was completely gone.
She concentrated on her breathing, forcing herself to ignore his oppressive presence. I can do this! she told herself over and over, as if the repetition would make those words true. Determined to not let Hugo see her cry, Diamond set her jaw and tilted her head defiantly.
Tallo attacked again, then again. Sometimes he would stop to show her how to block against a punch or a kick, other times he would show her how to attack.
After two unceasing hours of training, Diamond stumbled and made more mistakes. Knocked to the ground repeatedly by Tallo’s hard fists and feet, her body throbbed. Welts that were turning into massive purple bruises peppered her forearms and shins.
“Enough,” ordered Hugo from where he stood watching their progress.
Tallo straightened and stepped away from her. Suddenly his whole demeanour changed. He smiled, and slapped her shoulder. “Well, damn! You’re not what I expected at all. You have done well for your first lesson,” he praised her, turning to Hugo with a question on his face. This fae had no problem or prejudice against Diamond for being a half-blood and a magic wielder.
“One hour, then we will start again,” answered Hugo.
Diamond bit her tongue. He really did not care how tired she was or how much pain she was in.
Tallo nodded and walked away with long, confident strides toward the large double-storied building off to the right. Eager soldiers headed that way, and a mouth-watering smell permeated the air, indicating it was the mess hall.
Breathing heavily, she put her hands on her hips and leaned forward, trying to calm her shaking limbs. Tipping her head back, Diamond was unaware of the way her shirt stuck to her damp skin and outlined the curves of her body. Her loose hair tickled her face. Irritated, she brushed it back, trying to swallow around her parched tongue.
She refused to give Hugo the chance to deny her a request to eat or drink. Standing quietly, she waited.
He glared at her for a moment. “Where did you learn to move like that?” he asked suspiciously.
Diamond was too tired to lie or come up with a clever comment. “I learnt it overnight. In my dreams,” she panted, holding his gaze.
A muscle twitched in his jaw. His scar twisted grotesquely as he ground his teeth. His nostrils flared.
It was hard to hold back an exasperated sigh. That had sounded far too sarcastic.
“So you have been lying to me all this time? You are not as helpless as you made yourself out to be, but you are far more deceitful than I
gave you credit for.” His eyes were harder than ever, black through and through.
Diamond bit her tongue, knowing it was pointless trying to convince him that she told the truth. Instead, she forced a shrug. “Oh, I think you beat me on deceitfulness, commander,” she bit out, forcing her voice to remain steady. After all, he was the one who had made a promise to save her from the Queen and smuggle her out of the city, only to break it. “Besides, everyone has secrets,” she muttered.
For a moment something flickered in the darkness of Hugo’s eyes, then he turned away. “Let’s go. You have a long day ahead. You will need to eat to keep up with Tallo’s training regime.”
Diamond cringed when she realised her sweat had made her shirt almost see-through. She ignored the gaping stares of the young trainees and the intense gazes of the fae warriors as she marched behind Hugo into the mess hall. Human soldiers nudged and elbowed each other, whispering snide remarks. Even some of the female warriors appraised her far too closely, flaring their nostrils as they scented her.
Hissed comments about the dirty magic wielder and half-blood ignited her resentment, but it was the lustful growls and lewd remarks uttered by fae males that made her face burn. She shuddered as she felt their eyes devouring her body.
Hugo must have heard them too, but he did nothing. No snarled warnings, not like when they had been surrounded by other males while in the forest.
So be it. A fierce determination not to cower bloomed through Diamond’s chest. Feigning belligerence, she squared her shoulders and stalked past them all, her head held high and a scowl on her face.
When they neared the entrance to the mess hall, she forgot to be bothered by the attention she was receiving. A groan escaped her as saliva gushed over her dry tongue. Insults be damned—she was starving. Shuffling down the serving hatches, she spooned eggs and bacon onto a plate and grabbed several mugs of cold water.
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