"They are," Braith confirmed. "We'll have to make sure that more than one of us goes after him when the time comes."
"Even then—"
"Braith can take him," Ashby cut Saul off firmly.
Aria shot Ashby a dark look; irritated he kept pushing the issue. She ground her teeth as she bit back a sharp retort.
"But it's his father," William blurted.
"And he wouldn't hesitate to strike down his son," Ashby reminded him.
William looked sickened by the thought.
"First, we have to worry about getting into the palace, and then we will worry about my father," Braith said.
"There is also the matter of The Forsaken Ones," Calista inserted; her hooded gaze was wicked while she stared at Braith. "They have to be stopped before we can leave our towns. We cannot leave the ones who remain behind susceptible to them."
"Yes," Frank agreed emphatically.
"We'll try and group these creatures and destroy them. It needs to be done before they cause more damage." Braith spoke the words flatly, but his muscles flexed briefly beneath his shirt. Anxiety trickled through her; no matter how many went out there after them, those things were lethal. "I would like to do this tomorrow, if possible. We'll move out as soon as we can."
Aria kept her face emotionless as she was acutely aware Xavier's deep brown eyes were fixated on her. His black eyebrows drew sharply together over his broad nose. Unease slithered down her spine when his eyes swung toward Braith.
"Why now?" Xavier inquired a little too loudly. "Why do you desire to overthrow your father now?"
"I have learned of my father's plot against my mother," Braith replied.
"How did you come to learn of this?"
"Melinda, fearing for her life after Jack's defection to the rebellion, came to me and told me the truth. I found Jack afterward and was led to David and his children. I may not have known my mother well, but such deception cannot go un-avenged. I'm sure you all understand how I feel, as most of you are here to avenge your families, though none of you were ever close with them. It is the principle of the matter."
Most of them nodded eagerly in response to Braith's very abridged, and not entirely true version; Xavier remained unmoving as he stared at her.
Aria was beginning to hate The Barrens with its endless sun and sand. The woods were cool even on the hottest of days and shady when the sun was at its brightest. She missed the smell of them, that invigorating blend of earth, fresh air, and wilderness. There was nothing like that here.
Sweat trickled down her back, her forehead, and in between her breasts. The thin, tan shirt she wore stuck to her back and shoulders. Pulling it off her skin, she fanned herself with it as she pushed her braid over her shoulder. She shielded her eyes as she searched for any sign of life amid the endless brown landscape, but all she discovered was a dizzying sense of unreality and a slight headache.
"How will we ever find them out there?" she asked.
"We won't," Braith replied. He tugged lightly on the end of her braid and smiled as he wrapped the end of it around his finger. "They'll find us."
That didn't sound like a better option. The desolate town was depressing, but she would rather be here than left behind as she had feared Braith intended to do with her. Instead, he’d been uncharacteristically reasonable about taking her with him, a fact that astounded her until she realized he didn't feel Gideon's town was any safer than here.
Aria wiped the sweat from her brow and wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell wafting from her. "I miss the woods."
She hadn't meant to say the words out loud and reveal her melancholy to him, but they popped out before she could stop them.
Braith's hand stilled in her hair. "I know. I'll get you back to them."
She grabbed his hand and squeezed it as she forced a smile. "I know."
He brushed his finger over her cheek before trailing it down her throat and pausing briefly over the marks on her neck. She felt his rising thirst, but he promptly buried it.
"You won't ever have to leave them again when this is over," he vowed.
She frowned as she pressed his hand more firmly against her face. "But you'll need to be in the palace to rule."
"I don't plan on ruling anything, Aria."
Shock shimmered through her, her fingers convulsed on his. She didn't understand what he was saying. Of course, he was going to rule, who else would do it? The people would follow him, he was the next in line, and it was obvious it had to be him.
"But you have to," she said.
He shook his head, opened his mouth to respond, but a shout interrupted his words. Aria wanted to pull him back and demand he explain his statement, but Braith was already releasing her and moving out of the small room. There was a large group of men outside the door, most of them were vampires, but a good amount of them were also humans armed with bows and stakes. Sadly, stakes would be a last resort; if a vampire was that close it was more than likely the human wouldn’t survive the encounter.
There were other women with them, but she didn't think any of them were human. In all honesty, she wasn't entirely sure if they were there to fight, keep the men entertained, or try and get their hooks into Braith. She was acutely aware they watched his every move with interest.
They wore make-up, had their hair styled, and smiled flirtatiously at him whenever he was near. Many of them believed her to be the meal the prince brought along with him for the journey. Even if her father was the rebel leader, she was of little consequence to them. Vampire or not, they were making her mad enough to take them down.
She refused to look at any of them as she followed Braith to the door of the house where they were sheltered. She needed a thicker skin if she was going to have to deal with these people for the rest of her life... or eternity? Either way, it was going to be a long time because no matter what Braith thought, she knew he was the one to lead them out of this mess. He would be the one to end all the brutality and oppression they'd experienced for the past hundred years.
He was the only one who could.
It was almost impossible to discern one thing from another in the shifting sand and wind. She didn't see what caused the shout or drew the attention of the group surrounding her. Idle talk and gossip broke off; the laughter faded. What had apparently been some titillating social event to them finally became something serious.
Then, through the shifting sand and blinding light, she saw movement. When Braith stepped outside the building, the wind rippled through his hair and blew it around his face. The sand trickling over him coated his clothing and broad shoulders.
He seemed oblivious to the hideous weather conditions surrounding him as he studied the horizon. Figures slipped swiftly through the hostile environment they knew so well. Braith made his way back toward the house; he didn't say anything as he gently clasped Aria's arm. He pulled her back into the small side room and gestured for Ashby and William to follow them.
Pushing the door closed with his foot, he turned to her. "I need you to stay here." He held up a hand, forestalling her protest. "I can't have you out there, Aria; there's enough to worry about without having to worry about you too."
"But your vision—"
"I'll be close enough to you, so my sight won't be affected drastically. I'll be fine, but you have to stay here."
Her eyebrows drew together; she folded her arms firmly over her chest. She was a fighter, she belonged out there, and she didn't want him out there alone.
"Don't fight me on this, please,” he pleaded.
The please was her undoing as it melted the fight from her. The vulnerability radiating from him for that brief moment was almost more than she could stand. Swallowing her pride and her need to be part of the fight, she managed a small nod. His hand wrapped around her neck, he pulled her against him and kissed her forehead for a fervent moment. She hugged him as she savored the moment.
"Come back to me," she whispered.
"Always." He kissed her
again and reluctantly released her. "Stay with her," he ordered Ashby.
Ashby nodded; William glanced between them, but his unasked question was answered when Braith handed him an extra quiver of arrows and gestured for William to follow him from the room. Aria fought the urge to go after them.
She shook as she struggled not to succumb to the urge. She could be of help, but she also knew she would be a huge distraction for Braith. Her hands fisted in frustration as a feeling of helplessness flooded her.
Ashby watched her with a wary expression that said he was aware of her thoughts. "You know he'll kill me if I end up having to tie you up," he warned her.
Aria couldn't help but give him a feeble smile as she shook her head. "He wouldn't kill you."
"Like hell," Ashby muttered.
Aria crooked an eyebrow at him but refrained from arguing. "I'm going to watch."
"I didn't expect anything less."
Though Ashby said the words, he still looked guarded as Aria opened the door. She was about to stick her head out when Ashby grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
"Ashby—"
"Let me go first."
She frowned at him but relented when he pulled her away from the door. The chatter hit her when they neared the crowd; she could practically feel the excitement building in the room. Ashby took her arm and turned her in the opposite direction of the crush trying to work their way out the door.
Ashby used his body to shield her from the stragglers drifting through the house. He shouldered aside a questioning young man who eyed Aria with interest. A low growl emanated from Ashby's chest and the color drained from the man's face as he hurried on down the stairs.
"Idiot," Ashby mumbled under his breath.
Aria craned her neck to watch the young man. "Is he human, Ashby?"
"He is."
"Why is he so interested in us?"
"Because he's an idiot."
Ashby placed a hand on the small of her back and urged her on before removing his touch. Aria forgot all about the young man as she hurried up the last few steps; she nearly bolted to the broken window at the end of the hall.
She placed her hands on the sill and leaned out to watch as the group spread out across the sand. She searched for Braith, but he was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd and run-down structures surrounding them.
Panic seized her, and her hands curled around the windowsill as she bent further out. It was bad enough not being with him, but not seeing him was a thousand times worse. Ashby grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back as he pried her hands from the sill.
She was stunned to see blood welling up on her palms and fingers. There was still glass in the frames, but she hadn't felt the bite of it against her flesh.
"How did you manage to stay alive this long?" Ashby inquired as he tore the edges of his shirt and used the pieces to wrap her wounded hands.
"I didn't feel it."
"I know."
She turned back to the window when he released her hands. "Where is he?"
Ashby's shoulder pressed against hers as he peered out the window. "There."
She followed his finger to a building about four hundred feet away. She could barely make out the form of someone standing in the doorway of a small shack. He was half hidden amongst the shifting sand and blinding light. Though it was difficult to discern the figure completely, she knew it was Braith.
She pulled the bow from her back and propped it on the floor before her. It would be tricky to get a clear shot with so many below, but she was going to do her best to take out as many of their enemies as possible. Braith may not want her down there, but he hadn't said anything about her taking a position here.
She watched as more figures crept forward. Gideon had said they were drawn by the presence of anyone in the desert sands. They didn’t discriminate; they were hungry and didn't care how many were awaiting them or how powerful they were. The promise of blood was a strong motivator to these lost, ravenous souls.
"Do you think we can get out on the roof?" she inquired.
"Do you want to see me dismembered?"
Aria chuckled as she shook her head. "I don't think he's quite as volatile as you make him sound."
"Yes, Aria, he is. The only thing that might keep him sane if something were to happen to you is the fact you haven’t done everything necessary to form the link completely. But he is capable of far more vicious and brutal acts than anything you've ever seen. I've come to realize he is capable of anything when it comes to you, maybe even beating his father. I know what I would do if Melinda were threatened, and Braith is stronger than me."
Aria fought the blush trying to work its way up her neck and through her face. It didn't sit well that he knew such an intimate detail of their lives. "But your link with Melinda is complete."
"Yes, and that does make some difference, I think. How much of one I don't know. No one does."
There was something about Ashby's tone that caused a deep feeling of unease to form in her stomach. A shout from outside drew her attention and her hand constricted around the bow. The fresh cuts on her hands ached, but they were not deep or overly painful. She pulled an arrow from its quiver and nocked it against the bow without a sound.
The creatures were closer now. They moved as swiftly as the dust particles dancing through the air. When her eyes found Braith, her heart beat against her ribs with loud thumps she was sure everyone could hear. William stood behind him, and his hair was far too noticeable for her liking.
The attack was faster than she expected. She didn't think the creatures had much use for logic, at least not anymore, but she hadn't expected this suicidal rush into the town. It was as if they welcomed the thought of death as much as the promise of blood.
Braith tried to coordinate the attack, but she wasn't sure he could organize anything against these mindless creatures. How could he plan against something that had lost the ability to reason and had no sense of self-preservation?
But somehow Braith did it. While she watched, the vampires—along with some humans—split up and flowed in different directions to encircle the creatures between the buildings.
She was aware Braith stood at the center of the attack. Even through the shifting sand, she saw the blood coating him, the speed with which he moved, and the deadly precision with which he carried out the death of these things.
He took no pleasure in the killing, or at least she tried to tell herself that because, at the moment, she wasn't so certain. The ease with which it was done, and the brutality of it all, was mind-numbing. She was so focused on Braith that it took a while for her to realize the group had encircled the creatures, but Braith was the only one fighting.
"What are they doing?" She spun away from the window, determined to get to him. Ashby stepped in front of her. Gone was the good-natured vampire she knew; instead, he was a massive hulk of annoyance as he effectively blocked her way. "Move!"
"No."
For a moment she was speechless, then her mouth snapped shut, and she glowered at him as her fingers curled around her bow. "They're not helping him!"
"I know."
"I have to go to him!"
"No."
Aria's nostrils flared as she pushed against him. He was like an impenetrable wall, and he didn't even have the decency to pretend her shove affected him. "So help me, Ashby, if you don't get out of my way I'll shoot you!"
"No."
If he said no to her one more time, she really was going to shoot him.
"Braith suspected this might happen," Ashby said.
She stopped trying to get by him as shock riveted her in place. "What?"
"The others have to see if he's strong enough to lead. This is a test, and he needs to pass it."
"There are too many of those things out there; he needs my help!"
Ashby shook his head. "No, he needs to concentrate, and you will be nothing but a distraction to him right now. He can do this, Aria, you know it, and I know it. You need
to stay here. Why do you think he left me in charge of you instead of William? He knew your brother wouldn't be able to stop you, so please don't make me force you to stay."
She didn't know which feeling was worse, her anger or her terror. Braith had suspected this, he'd set her up, the three of them had plotted against her, and unless she did injure Ashby, she wasn't getting past him.
Though she would hurt him if Braith required help, and there was a definite possibility she would shoot her brother when this was over. William had it coming anyway; he'd been tormenting her since he could talk. Rushing out there, being reckless and not trusting Braith would put them all in more danger. She could get them all killed.
"Damn him!" she snapped as she spun back to the fight. "And damn you!"
She thought she heard Ashby mutter, "Too late," but she became so focused on the fighting again that she couldn't be sure, and she wasn't in the mood to push it.
Her stomach twisted as the bow fell limply back to her side. There was no need for it now. Her interference would not be appreciated. She slipped the bow onto her back and replaced the arrow. She couldn't stand the spectacle of the bloodbath anymore, but she couldn't turn away, not until it was over and she was confident Braith was safe.
Those creatures welcomed death. The realization left Aria hollow and shaken. These were not the king's soldiers; these were lost, starving souls. Souls, she reminded herself, who had done something to warrant such a fate. The reminder did little good. There was so much blood and rage, she was frightened she might be sick.
She leaned forward as two of them launched at Braith. Her breath froze in her chest when he fell back, struggling under the weight of one of them. She barely had time to blink before he grabbed its neck and ripped it off himself. No matter how much she yearned to turn away, every ounce of her remained focused on Braith.
Ashby's hand slid around her mouth. She jumped; a startled cry escaped her when he pulled her firmly against his chest. A finger appeared in front of her face as he pulled her back a few steps and maneuvered her into a side room. Aria caught only a brief glimpse of pale dirty feet appearing at the top of the steps before Ashby slid the door closed.
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 45
