The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet

by Karen Tomlinson

  Hugo bent his spine backward, a blade passing over his chest by a hairsbreadth. He twisted his torso and rose, slicing off the creature’s other limb. It did not scream. Unlike the souls of mortals, these creatures did not feel pain.

  Hugo hopped lightly and launched off his landing foot. He spun behind the monster and angled one blade, driving it deep between the skeletal folds of the armour between its neck and back. He gave a huff of satisfaction as the creature fell to its knees.

  Landing squarely on both feet, Hugo prowled closer. Commanding his shadow, one blade disappeared, enabling him to hold the other with two hands. He needed all his strength for this.

  The impact of the blade on the creature’s neck vibrated up his arms into his shoulders and back. Grunting, he freed the blade. The creature’s head was still half attached. It snarled. Hugo snarled back, disgust running through him. Hauling his blade high, he brought it down with an explosion of power. The creature’s head hit the ground and rolled away.

  Not caring about his nakedness, Hugo ran to the cage.

  “Lunaria?” he asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “You look so like him,” she uttered, coming closer to the bars but not touching them.

  “Who?” Hugo rasped. He kneeled down to better see the goddess, jerking back with a hiss as a screaming face stretched toward him.

  “Do not let them touch you. They will suck you into this cage,” she warned.

  Hugo shivered as an eddy of icy air fanned his body. “Right.” He shuffled back slightly, eyeing the disturbing movements of her cage.

  “You look like Lexon Arjuno. He was brother to my mate, and one of the two souls who pledged to help my descendent retake the throne of Avalonia.” She frowned as if thinking. “I believe he became a king, or so my brother told me. I know I have not revoked the blood pledge he took—so perhaps you know of his kingdom? His descendants? You must be of his blood—looking like you do. That means that you are bound by his pledge.”

  Hugo dropped his head forward for a moment, deciding how to answer. “Yes, it seems I am, though I had no idea until recently.” He stared at her, his brow furrowing. “You are a goddess—surely you can see anything that happens in the mortal world?”

  She sighed, a bleak expression darkening her features. “No, these souls and the wraiths drain my strength. I can only connect to my granddaughter’s mind. When your magic found hers, I felt a surge in my energy and magic. Since then I have used most of my remaining power to help her.”

  Hugo huffed a small smile. “You sent those flames and the vision that truly awoke her magic?”

  Lunaria smiled. “Yes, I did. I could feel the power of your Nexus. Together you are strong enough to fight Erebos, but only Diamond can end him.” She cocked her head, her eyes narrowing. “You are a guardian,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  Hugo nodded, not really sure he was anything anymore.

  She smiled in understanding at his dejected expression. “Your dragon is part of your soul. It can never leave you, no matter what my brother does to your mortal body.”

  Hugo eyed the ancient goddess sceptically.

  “I can feel my sister’s blood in your veins. Lexon was her mate,” she explained. “Her father is the High Ruler himself. Alethia passed on her guardian’s blood to her descendants.”

  Hugo gulped. He had the blood of the gods in his veins too. “Oh,” was the only response he could manage.

  “As their descendant, you are bound by Lexon’s pledge to build my heir an army and to protect her. It is who you are.”

  Hugo answered slowly, a frown creasing his brow. “Are you telling me that my feelings for Diamond are only because of an ancient pledge? That our love, our soul bond, isn’t real?” he growled.

  Lunaria smiled placatingly. “It is real. No pledge could ever make you love someone. Only your heart and soul can do that.”

  Hugo slumped on his knees in the rubble and ice, swallowing against the tightness in his throat. He missed Diamond so much he hurt, an agony which invaded everything he was.

  “Come now, all is not lost…” Lunaria began.

  Hugo huffed a bitter chuckle. “How can you say that? You have languished here for a millennia. How will I find us a way out—all alone?”

  Lunaria regarded him with ancient eyes full of hope and a strange kind of sadness. “Because you are not alone. All souls have a destiny, and it is not your destiny to save us—it is your son’s.”

  Chapter 25

  Diamond ran beside Otekah. Her muscles trembled and she concentrated on not stumbling and falling.

  “They are almost upon us again,” Otekah panted.

  Diamond grunted in response, trying to ignore the incessant ache in her lower abdomen. She looked to the ruins of Port Garrison. The town was about a mile down the rocky coast line. To her left, waves crashed into the rocks, fierce winds picking up the spray. Another blast of wind battered her and Otekah, chilling the skin beneath their saturated clothes.

  It did no good to look over her shoulder. Diamond knew they were coming. Her thighs burned as she increased her effort, pumping her arms hard. The metallic taste of blood coated her mouth and throat. The ache in her lower belly spread.

  No, not now, she prayed to her body. Her monthly cycle had been absent since leaving Valentia over two months ago. Stomach cramps were nothing new to her but right now was not a good time for her body to succumb to Mother Nature. Hissing, she ran.

  A cloud of dust swirled in between her and Otekah. Skidding to a halt, she gripped her sword, her fingers slick on the sweat and spray gathered under her fingers.

  As the Dust Devil became corporeal, she swung. The blade sang as she whipped it through the air and took her enemy’s head. Before its remains had even blown away, something rammed into her, jolting her blade from her grasp and sending her sprawling.

  “Whore! You dare to try and escape my lord?” Ream bellowed. “You are his! Your soul belongs to him!”

  Diamond rolled on her side, trying to get away from the cliff edge.

  Ahead of her, Otekah was fighting for his life. Dipping and swirling before spinning in the air with vicious kicks and strikes.

  Diamond grunted as Ream’s boot collided with her lower abdomen. Stars swam across her vision as a wave of cramping consumed her.

  Ream swung his foot back to strike again.

  Diamond gathered herself, blocking his next kick. The metal of his shin guards gouged her forearms, the force of his kick reverberating up into her shoulders. She rolled onto her feet but too slowly. His large fist hit her jaw, rocking her vision. She staggered but blocked the next blow.

  Diamond tried to focus on her enemy, on staying alive, but the cramps in her belly stole her breath. These weren’t normal monthly cycle cramps—something was wrong. Realisation dawned. Her heart cleaved, then shattered into tiny pieces.

  She had already berated herself for forgetting about the Moonsbane in her haste to see Jack, but she had convinced herself her lack of monthly cycle had been due to exhaustion and emotional turmoil, not to mention her drastic loss of weight.

  Her whole body went cold.

  Ream’s eyes narrowed as she stumbled. Though Diamond met him blow for blow, exhaustion and pain took its toll. Ream brought his first blade down, which she parried; but as she blocked his second blade, he slammed his shin into her belly again.

  Diamond sank, coughing and spluttering to her knees.

  Ream laughed. “When will you learn that you cannot beat me? You are nothing. I will not kill you, but I will watch and cheer when my Lord Erebos cuts out your heart and devours your soul.”

  Diamond could not think. She needed to lay down, to curl up against the pain. Bile burned her throat, tears blurring her eyes.

  I’m so sorry, she sobbed silently to Hugo. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

  Those words were all she could form in her mind. The utter desolation of losing Hugo and the magic that connected them,
barrelled into her. Warmth trickled down her legs, blood soaking into her leggings.

  Ream gaped—then began laughing loudly. “You have to be kidding me? You had that coward’s seed inside you? Rest assured, my lord will give its soiled soul a special place in Chaos. Know that it will suffer forever because of its parents.”

  At that moment, hate chased away her grief. She lunged sideways and grabbed the cold metal handle of her sword. She surged to her feet once again.

  Ream stopped laughing, just as Diamond started cackling.

  “What?” he growled.

  “I may not be anything—but I sure as hell have more than you ever will,” she said as a green glow descended on them, illuminating the spray in the air.

  Ream looked up. His eyes widened before he yelled to his men.

  Diamond did not wait for Attion to land. Ream’s distraction cost him. Her blade swept through his rotting flesh like a knife through butter. The once-Lord Commander exploded into dust.

  Gone. In the blink of an eye.

  Another wave of pain shook Diamond’s core. Warm blood leaked between her legs, turning cold as it soaked her leggings.

  Attion’s glowing eyes flicked down her body. He swore but had no time to help her as another Dust Devil ran forward.

  Attion did not falter. In one smooth move he slashed its wings, cleaving them even as his sword annihilated another.

  Otekah fought just as viciously. His style utterly different from Attion’s but it achieved the same end.

  “That was the last one,” Attion rumbled. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  Devoid of strength, Diamond nodded and looked to Otekah.

  He stood with his back to them, looking towards Stormguaard. “My queen, we need to leave. There is a blackness descending upon that castle like no other I have ever seen.”

  Diamond swallowed hard, her belly cramping as ice coated her insides.

  Erebos.

  “Let’s go!” Attion hissed, subduing his magic to make them less visible. “Can you run?” he asked, worry lacing his voice.

  As much as she hated to admit it, Diamond knew she could not, not without slowing them down and putting both her warriors at risk. She shook her head.

  Attion gave a curt nod. “I will carry you,” he said.

  Diamond nodded and relaxed into his arms.

  Otekah took her sword, and together they headed towards Port Garrison.

  “You are bleeding,” Attion panted. “I can feel it you know, your body’s distress. Did you know? That you were carrying his child?”

  “No,” she whispered, not bothering to hide the tears that tipped out of her eyes and mixed with the saline spray on her cheeks. Her one-time enemy was now her closest friend, probably the only one who would understand the enormity of her loss.

  Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the movement of Attion’s body. It did not seem to bother Attion that her blood coated his clothes, so she did not let it bother her. She was not embarrassed, only incredibly sad at realising too late that she had carried Hugo’s child. Another bout of cramp had her gritting her teeth.

  I’m sorry, my love, she told Hugo, willing him to hear her. I didn’t know… Shadowy features came into being in her mind’s eye. She could see the regret and sadness swimming in Hugo’s sapphire and silver eyes—but also the love.

  Do not blame yourself. This is not your fault. Destiny is a cruel ruler…

  It was as if he wanted to say more, but Attion’s voice roused her, snapping her back to reality.

  “Otekah,” he rasped. “Tawne is in here. Let’s get to him and plan our next move.”

  “You can put me down now,” Diamond instructed Attion.

  He complied.

  “Thank you,” she whispered as her feet hit the stone quay.

  Attion merely nodded. Bent over, she walked unaided into the warehouse. Dizziness slowed her down, her leggings sticking to her thighs, but she made her own way through the broken empty boxes.

  Tawne rested on a bed of old hemp sacks, pale and covered in sweat, but his dressings were no longer covering his belly. His skin was open to the air and appeared to be healing.

  Diamond gasped, her eyes flying to Attion. “You healed him?” she asked incredulously.

  Attion smiled, though he huffed a little, pretending to be insulted by her question. “Clearly,” he answered, his shoulders squaring.

  Diamond smiled at the pride in his voice. “That’s amazing,” she breathed.

  “It was nothing,” he mumbled, turning quickly away.

  Otekah chuckled quietly. “It seems you have embarrassed the big oaf with your praise, queen.”

  Diamond smiled up at him as Attion strode toward the door and peered out. “Yes, it does,” she agreed, feeling sorry Attion had likely never before received praise for anything other than killing. Her lips pressed into a straight line. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her lower belly. She would change that.

  Attion strode back. “I can see the outline of the ship right out at the edge of the harbour. We should leave here—I can fly each one of us out separately.”

  “But what do we do when we get to the ship? I’ve no idea about sailing and neither do you,” she pointed out.

  “Well, we can’t stay here,” argued Attion. “Much as I hate the ocean, it’s our only option. We’ll have to manage.”

  “Have to manage?” Diamond retorted, then bit her tongue. He was right, they had no choice. Perhaps Firan’s mermen would find them before they wrecked the vessel. Pushing back against the constant pain in her lower abdomen, she stood. “Come then, let’s get Tawne up. You can take him first,” she said decisively.

  Attion frowned. “I think it better I take you to safety first,” he replied.

  “No,” was Diamond’s curt reply, cutting him off.

  Attion sighed. “My queen, you are as stubborn as the shadow demon ever was,” he muttered.

  “I know,” she replied. “He taught me well, and my name is Diamond; you promised to use it.”

  Attion scowled at her. “Fine,” he relented. “Let’s go, Diamond.”

  They headed outside. The wind was still fierce, the stench of old fish, salt and sea lacing the air. Diamond’s nostrils flared. A strange scent, like spices and sun, wafted up her nose. Her muscles stiffened, her fingers curling around her sword handle.

  Otekah frowned.

  “What is it?” Diamond hissed.

  “It can’t be,” uttered Otekah.

  “What?” barked Attion. “That smell is not from here. What is it?” He was unable to pull his sword lest he drop Tawne’s semi-conscious form.

  A figure dressed in strange garb stepped out from the very door they had just exited. His white hair was braided down to his waist. His bright cerulean eyes virtually glowed in the golden skin of his face. He had no weapons save for the two curved daggers attached to his belt.

  From around the sides of the building more men appeared, creating a perfect semi-circle around them.

  Attion swore.

  Diamond snarled, instantly looking for a way out of their predicament.

  But not Otekah.

  The Fire Priest let out a bellow of delight. “Prince Rayan!” He ran forward and the young man embraced Otekah like a long lost friend.

  “What are you doing in such a place of darkness?” asked Otekah, beckoning the prince forward.

  “I might ask you the same thing, were it not that I witnessed my father banish you and your daughter into slavery,” replied Rayan. “I will gladly tell you about my reasons,” he added as his bright gaze alighted on the three dishevelled souls staring at him with a mix of suspicion and relief. “I think it wise to get your new friends away from this evil place,” he said, and began to mutter in a language Diamond had heard only once before—from the Red Wizard himself.

  Warmth invaded the air around them and moments later Diamond’s feet hit the wooden deck of a smallish double-masted ship. Her hand shot out to grasp the nearby rails, the wood sm
ooth under her fingers. She breathed through a sudden wave of nausea, her vision fading at the edges. As if through water, she heard Rayan’s voice.

  “Take your friends below, Otekah. When they are safe and secure, come and find me—we have much to discuss,” he said.

  Footsteps stomped away as a fresh bout of stomach cramps drove Diamond to her knees. Panting and breathing through it, she did not allow herself to be helped to her feet until her stomach had settled.

  “This way, queen,” Otekah advised. “The wizards will have medicine that can help with the pain.”

  Diamond swallowed, her throat parched. She couldn’t remember the last time she had swallowed water or eaten anything. Weary to her very bones, she allowed Otekah to gently guide her below, hoping that she was not being led into yet another form of captivity.

  Chapter 26

  Tom looked sick as Arades stared him down. “So you survived, did you? And you’ve found new grown-up toys to play with. Well, you can bring them when you explain to me why you betrayed my daughter and chose to stand at his shoulder,” he growled, nodding at Jack.

  To his credit, Tom did not lower his eyes, though he paled further. “Only if my prince commands me to; otherwise, I’ll not be explaining anything to you,” he answered steadily. “What I would like to know is how you survived the attack on Berriesford. Diamond was devastated. She is convinced you are dead. She has grieved for you.”

  Arades’ eyes flickered in surprise at Tom’s defiance. Clearly he had expected a completely different response but Tom was no longer a scared, skinny boy with no fighting skills and no confidence in himself.

  Jack smiled, proud his friend had stood his ground against this hardened warrior. It was clear Arades and Tom knew each other—and that they had much to discuss.

  “Relax, Tom,” Jack said, stumbling as the ship listed heavily, then slammed upright. He placed a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. “General? If you follow me, perhaps a space can be made for us in the captain’s cabin. We can discuss things with more privacy there.”

  The weathered captain complied immediately.