Of Blood and Sacrifice (Royal Fae Guardians Book 2)

by Heather Renee

  I’d only ever known him with icy-blue ones that matched mine perfectly, but as he continued to glare at me, they changed into something darker and no longer mine.

  “I was never yours,” he spat, then disappeared.

  My eyes opened to find Alaryk kneeling before me. “I see you for who you truly are, and I will never abandon you.”

  Power surged inside me as rage built. Darkness called to me from everywhere around us, and I clung to it like the air I needed to breathe.

  My fingers sparked with power, and I wrapped them around Alaryk’s throat. “You ruined my life.” Squeezing tighter until he turned red, I pushed him five feet backward.

  Standing up, I pushed my hair back and raised my arms into the air, calling my magic to me as I unleashed the hold that I’d been keeping on myself. Without my crown to keep me in check, the surge came hard and fast.

  “You’re the most stunning creature I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Alaryk whispered as he stood from where I’d pushed him. “I really don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to in order to keep you in check.”

  His hands circled and he waited for me to react first, which was mistake number two. The first had been giving me the push I needed to kick his ass.

  Without hesitation, I shoved my hand out and shot lightning across the room as I called a storm to me. We obviously weren’t underground, because the air changed and cackled with my magic as I changed the atmosphere within the blink of an eye.

  “Fun show trick, but it’s not enough to stop me. Though, I do enjoy the foreplay, so let’s keep going,” Alaryk yelled over the thunder, then blasted me with a stream of magic that was midnight in color and tickled my skin.

  “Was that supposed to hurt, dear? Or were you really hoping for some foreplay?” I called out as I soaked in the spell, further fueling myself.

  He snarled at me and tried again, but I dodged his next attempt.

  “You did this to yourself. You could have left me alone, but you were greedy and now you get to deal with consequences of your selfishness,” I added right before flinging a paralyzing stream of power at him.

  Only this time, he didn’t budge. He seemed to soak it up, just like I had.

  “On the contrary, my sweet. My greed brought me you, and no matter how this ends, I will have won because you are darkness. There is nothing good about you, and you need to realize that without me, nobody will ever love you. You are tainted goods to everyone but me.”

  His words brought forth feelings I’d been trying to smother. I remembered the way Ryland had looked at me after I’d killed those two men. He hadn’t treated me the same. I no longer held an innocence about me, and I was certain he had regretted bonding himself to a psychopath.

  “You’re wrong. I don’t need you. I just need to kill you.” Even if his words held a truth I already believed, and I admitted that there was something about him that attracted me, I would never be with him. Even the darkness couldn’t convince me that was a great idea.

  Alaryk might have set me free, and for that he wouldn’t die mercilessly, but he still pushed me into becoming the monster before him.

  I threw magic at him rapidly until I grew bored and decided we needed to change things up. Surprising the dark fae, I punched him in the jaw, followed by a knee to the gut, and a secondary hit on the side of his head.

  “Good thing for you, I’m not afraid to hit a girl.” Alaryk smirked, and I got exactly what I wanted.

  We barreled into each other, trading magical blows for physical ones. The more times he hit me, the more irate I became and the louder the storm grew around me.

  The rock walls shook around us as we bounced against them throughout the fight. I had no idea how long we continued to beat on each other, but with every punch, I grew more powerful, and there was no end in sight for me.

  Even with blood dripping from my nose and cuts through my jacket from the exposed walls, I was on a high like never before.

  “Will you give up and die with some dignity?” I asked when I grew tired of the games. My magic didn’t seem to be stopping him, but neither was his hurting me. There had to be a way to end this.

  He ripped his torn shirt the rest of the way off and used it to wipe the grime from his face. His once-white hair was tinted brown from the dirt, and he added blood to the mix when he used his hands to brush the strands back.

  “Oh, sweet Kaliah. I know you’re new to this game, but you can’t be that stupid. I wouldn’t have come for you if there was any risk of me losing. This only ends one of two ways: with you by my side or your death. Either way, I will reign supreme.”

  His confidence was grating on my nerves. He couldn’t kill me. He knew it, and I was sure of it now as well. We were too evenly matched. If only I’d stuck around long enough to get the dagger…

  “I think I’m going for a walk,” I said casually. Even though I didn’t know which door led to the outside, I realized I didn’t need it. Alaryk had ported us into the cave, and I would port myself out of it.

  Except it wasn’t so simple.

  “You’re only leaving here if I say so. I’m the only person in and out of these walls. Perks of being the creator of the structure,” he replied smugly.

  “Is that so? Well, what if there were no more walls?” Rage at being held captive grew within my core as I gathered all the power I could summon.

  The dark fae would not keep me as his prisoner. I was fiercer than that. I was my own person, and I had control over my life. If I couldn’t kill him right then, I’d leave until I could get what I needed to do so.

  Hope welled within me, which was an odd feeling. There was a spark of something associated with it that I’d pushed away, an emotion I no longer deemed relevant. While I didn’t consider myself evil like Alaryk, I had no qualms about losing the things that made me soft, like love and hope.

  Alaryk watched me with fascination as I drew on my power and flung it toward the wall with little effort. A hole blasted through it, and the sounds of battle poured through. My gaze turned back toward the dark fae.

  “You didn’t think we were the only ones fighting for something today, did you, my sweet?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ryland

  Entering into the mountain without Kali by my side was tearing my heart apart. Something wasn’t right, but we needed the dagger to be done with this nightmare, so I was left with no choice. I had to trust Jordan and Dominic would keep her safe.

  “We will head straight down to the mine, and you will get your silver, then leave. Don’t touch anything or speak to my people,” Spiro said as we continued down the hallway that descended lower into the earth with every step we took.

  Things wouldn’t be so bad if I could speak with Stryx like Kali could, but this wasn’t my first time dealing with arrogant creatures. I could remain diplomatic so long as we got the hell out of there quickly.

  The walkway began to open up, and we entered into a room with an elevator that didn’t hold more than a few people.

  “You will go with two of my people to the mine pit. If what you seek is the purest of silver, then this is your only option,” Spiro said.

  “How long will it take to acquire the silver and come back up? We don’t want to be a bother for you any longer than necessary,” Stryx replied.

  “No more than half of the hour.”

  I stepped toward the elevator, wanting to get moving quickly, but Spiro grabbed my arm. “If you cause any trouble within my home, I will bring havoc down on yours. We might be small people, but we are mighty. Don’t you forget that.”

  My head nodded stiffly. “Of course, Leader Spiro. You will have my utmost respect, as will your people and home, while we are here. We greatly appreciate your help.”

  His eyes narrowed. “There’s darkness within the air. Make sure to move swiftly.”

  He released me and left the room without letting me reply, but I didn’t worry about it. He hadn’t said anything I didn’t already know, so I step
ped onto the platform and waited for the gnomes to join us.

  The elevator moved faster than I was ready for, and I lost my footing. Even though I quickly recovered, the gnomes hadn’t missed my misstep and grinned. If they thought for one second that made me a weak target, they were going to be poorly mistaken should they try anything.

  I had a Meraki to save, and nothing was going to stop me.

  Fear for her seared into my chest. Knowing I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop what was happening to her was going to be the death of me.

  My ability to keep her grounded only worked if she stayed away from dark magic, but we were about to head straight to the darkness and ask her to kill him. I knew she was capable of it, but would Alaryk be able to get to her first?

  I was so angry with myself that his two men had been able to get to her and I hadn’t protected her. She’d done things that hurt her and those she loved, and I should have tried harder to bring her back to us. It was my job to provide her with an anchor to the goodness she was made from, and I’d failed.

  Stryx pressed against the side of my head with his wing when we arrived at the mine floor. Torches lit up the area, and it was nearly freezing this far below ground. That was until we moved closer to a well that they’d built to melt the silver.

  “Your portion should be ready within five minutes,” the gnome grumbled, then walked away with the other one as if they couldn’t stand to be so close to us.

  Since the well was warm, I stayed close. “This is going better than planned,” I whispered to Stryx.

  “It’s going too well. The blocks they have on their home are cutting me off from everyone else, even Kali. I don’t like it. I’m going to keep my eyes on the hallway, and you watch the silver. As soon as it’s melted, we need to leave,” Stryx replied, his talons tightening from the nerves against my shoulder.

  Damn it. Not having a connection to the others made everything in me want to forgo dealing with the gnomes and make sure Kali was okay, but they should have been safe within the barriers of Queen Navi’s castle already, so I tried not to worry. Plus, the crystal Lorelle had given us hadn’t changed colors when Spiro was speaking to us—I’d kept it in my peripherals as much as I could—so he at least wasn’t up to something.

  My eyes watched the well. It was made from centuries-old brick and contained two levels. The top was small with only one shallow iron bowl that held chunks of our silver. A few feet beneath it was a fire that seemed to be magically controlled as I couldn’t see any gnomes beyond the darkness.

  I briefly wondered what the purpose of the well was for, but then something struck my chest, and I stumbled, losing all thought.

  “What’s wrong?” Stryx hissed.

  “I don’t know. Something… isn’t… right.”

  Spiro appeared. “I’ve just been told Alaryk was here. He didn’t try to breach our walls, but he arrived just as your people were trying to leave.”

  Kali.

  I was going to murder that bastard myself.

  “Did he take Kaliah?” Stryx asked.

  “Only the blonde guardian and lion remain, and they are causing trouble at our entrance. You will take what is ready and leave my home immediately. You have disrespected my people, and it won’t be forgotten.” Spiro held his head high like he was above us and I wanted to drop kick the pompous gnome.

  “Yet, it was your people who turned against us. Alaryk wouldn’t have found us without help. That is something we will remember as well, Leader Spiro. Though, we still have a deal. Please at least honor that before we take our leave.”

  Was Stryx saying he believed one of these gnomes was on Alaryk’s side?

  All I could see was crimson as I itched to reach for the daggers tucked against my hips, but I knew starting a fight here wouldn’t bring Kali back. We needed to be on the move and come back later to serve justice if necessary.

  The other gnomes returned and poured the silver into a canister, which I took and put next to the box in my backpack. Without Kali, we weren’t able to open the box, and if the queen couldn’t do it herself, I had no qualms about throwing it against a wall until it shattered.

  Spiro moved out of our way, and we took the elevator up by ourselves. We could find our own way back, and if we stayed around the gnomes any longer, I wasn’t going to be responsible for my actions.

  As the door closed and we began going up, I punched the wall and yelled. “How did this happen?”

  “I’m not sure, but Kali is prepared for this. She is going to be fine,” Stryx replied.

  “But at what cost? Alaryk holds the magic that calls to her. What if she decides she no longer wants to kill him? Even if she does find a way to kill the dark fae, she may not be able to recover this time.”

  Too many “what ifs” were running through my mind, and I wished for some of the darkness that Kali thrived on. I wanted to remove all inhibitions and do whatever it took to get her back without guilt.

  “Calm, Ryland. We will get her back. This is nothing we haven’t planned for. You just need to have faith that we’ve done everything we could to help her.”

  Faith. I’d always had plenty of it. Even when my parents were killed, then again when I lost Sara, who I thought to be my Meraki. I’d always held on to the peace of mind that the Fates had a plan, that there was a bigger purpose for me.

  But if anything happened to Kali, if she was taken from me, I would lose that faith. I would gladly hand over any good within me in exchange for the darkness where I wouldn’t have to feel, because if I had to feel the loss of another, everything in my path would be destroyed.

  Once the elevator reached the top section of the mountain, Stryx flew ahead of me, and I ran close behind him. Guards were positioned at the entrance, but we didn’t pause. Stryx sailed right over them and I barreled right into them. I had no cares left to give about pissing them off.

  “He just took her. We don’t know what happened. She was with us and then she wasn’t. I’m so sorry, Ryland,” Jordan said with absolute remorse.

  “It’s not your fault. Let’s just focus on getting the dagger made,” Stryx announced as he flew over the area Kali was last seen.

  “What? No. We need to get her back first,” I demanded. The thought of her being subjected to the dark fae for too long made me sick.

  “The block on my connections is lifted. Kali will not listen to reason right now. The rage within her is too great, which is not necessarily a bad thing. She is not choosing Alaryk, but she still won’t stop until he’s dead. We need to see the queen first in order to bring your Meraki back, Ryland.”

  My hands shook at my side. I hated this. I knew she was gone. I knew who had her. Yet, I couldn’t do a damn thing about it until we completed the task at hand.

  “Jordan, go back to the castle. Tell Queen Navi we are right behind you. She needs to be ready for the spell immediately and send her people to the northernmost region of her lands. Alaryk has been right under her nose this whole time,” Stryx said, and my head snapped up.

  “He’s here?”

  The owl nodded. “I can sense Kali. We will find her, but the dagger first.”

  Jordan and Dom were already gone when I asked why we were still there.

  “I sensed her essence was left behind. Her blood is on the ground over there. I need you to dig around it and bring it with us. We need it to tie her to the dagger,” Stryx answered.

  He flew back to the spot, and I followed without question. As long as whatever he wanted kept us getting closer to Kali, then I’d do it.

  The earth was rough, but I paid no attention to the rocks that scraped at my hands as I pushed through the ground. The longer I saw her blood on the ground—though it wasn’t much—the more I had trouble controlling my emotions. Wind whipped around us until I was done.

  As soon as Stryx confirmed it was enough, we ported to the gates of the castle and market. Jordan was already there waiting for us.

  “The other guardians, bonded animals, and q
ueen’s guards are already on their way to Alaryk’s hideaway. I also sent word to Yelah. Queen Navi was able to pinpoint it when she did another search in only the northern region. He has an army there waiting for us.” Jordan held her sword in her hands, not at all afraid of the coming fight.

  “Very well, Jordan. Let’s go to Queen Navi, so we can join them.” Stryx flew ahead and we ran after.

  Jordan kept glancing at me but didn’t ask whatever she was thinking, which I appreciated. I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to say my thoughts out loud. I just needed action. I needed Kali back in my arms.

  We stormed into the castle and rushed past the guards still left behind to protect their queen. Thankfully, they were smart enough to let us pass without hassle.

  The chamber doors were already opened when we arrived, and the queen was dressed in full battle armor. “Will you be joining us?” Stryx asked as I set the mound of dirt on the table and began getting the items out of my bag.

  “No, I cannot abandon the palace, but should the fight come to us, we will be prepared, and I will join my people,” she answered confidently.

  “You can open the box, right?” I asked.

  She dipped her finger in Kali’s blood like it was completely normal and opened the lock. “It appears so, but it still remains to be seen if I can properly forge the dagger without her here.”

  “Won’t her blood be enough?” Stryx asked as he perched on one of the chair backs.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve never conjured a weapon like this. This is very old magic I was lucky enough to stumble upon.”

  “What about Ryland?” Jordan asked.

  Queen Navi’s head tilted to the side. “What do you mean, guardian?”

  “Well, he’s bonded to Kali. Can’t you use Kali’s blood magic, but Ryland’s physical presence and tie both of them to it?”

  “What type of bond have you made with Kaliah?” she asked me.

  “A Meraki one. Lorelle sealed it within the waters of our falls.”

  “And you accept the responsibility of this blade? If it should kill anyone other than Alaryk, it will have repercussions to your magic. To take a life not destined for the blade could damn your soul.”