Fallen Paladin (The Paladin's Curse Book 2)

by Kristell Carnie

  I’m frozen in place, trapped inside his mental grasp. My insides burn, every inch of my skin feels as if I’m being branded, the pain is all consuming, all I can do is scream, cry so loud it tears my throat apart, begging to be released from this torture and yet I don’t make a single sound, it’s all inside my mind, stuck in a prison inside his soulless eyes.

  Reality snaps back to the present when he finally breaks our trance. He snarls at Veridom and I fall to the ground on all fours, panting into lungs that feel like they have been incinerated.

  Karadese rushes to my side, wiping sweat from my face, her voice trembling as she repeatedly calls my name.

  “We have to get out of here,” I wheeze, unable to say anymore while my mind struggles to make sense of everything.

  If Garvien wins, then all bets are off. He won’t honour my deal with Veridom. He will kill both Karadese and Blay, but only after spending endless time torturing them both.

  He doesn’t care that Blay is his son, he thinks of him as nothing more than a failure. He doesn’t admire the strength inside of him and he loathes the honour Blay clings to. Blay is nothing more than a monstrosity to him, simply because he was born into Prytorian form and didn’t take Garvien’s more dominant Zantronian genes.

  Garvien won’t kill me though, nor will he ever allow me to end my own life. He’s learned from my previous actions, he won’t ever doubt me again. No, he has other plans for me, much worse than I can even fathom.

  The images of his plans roll inside my mind, making me want to be sick. I have to concentrate fully to make my limbs work enough to climb to my feet. The mist is so thick it chokes me and obscures my vision. I can no longer see either Garvien or Veridom when the first strike is made.

  Garvien lashes out, slicing an unexpecting guard clean in half, his body bursting into flames and turning to ash before it can even fall to the ground.

  Stumbling towards Blay, I find Karadese has already got one arm wrapped around his shoulder trying to lift him to his feet. I reach his other side, hauling him up the best I can. His head lolls to the side, a small murmur escaping his cracked lips. He is coming around, but not fast enough to be of any help.

  Together Karadese and I drag him forward, making our way through the dense mist towards what I hope is the tunnel.

  Another scream vibrates from behind us as one more guard falls. The pain shooting through my chest is all the evidence I need to know that my connection to them is still un-severed, and with Garvien’s pure rage swirling around us it won’t take much to flick the switch on my morality.

  Blay’s long legs drag behind, making tracks in the blackened dust as we struggle to get away, to put as much distance between us and them.

  With Garvien inside my head, I can’t risk conjuring another portal with the remaining powder tucked inside my pocket, and with how Karadese trembles, I doubt she could concentrate enough either.

  That leaves our only option to make it back to our original portal and pray that it’s still open. I’ve never thought to ask how long these things remain secure.

  Angry grunts rage on behind us, and for just a moment I glance back, needing to know our odds. I really wish I hadn’t.

  Veridom is down to two guards, both using all their strength to fight their traitor. It doesn’t matter that they have a physical advantage over Garvien, because he continues to emit the strange fog, wielding it as his weapon, using it to obscure the guards vision and when it does he strikes, decapitating his fellow man in one quick swipe.

  “We’ve got to move faster!”

  The instant I scream out, Garvien follows my voice, his eyes somehow finding me through the obscurity.

  As soon as our eyes lock, pain radiates inside my brain, seizing my body, as it pumps razor blades through my bloodstream. The mist around him begins to whirlpool, spinning around us until my eyes can’t make out the truth anymore. The pain crawls over every inch of me, leaving me a shaking, sweaty mess. No matter how much I try, I can’t escape his all-consuming gaze.

  Every bone in my body feels like it’s snapping under the weight of his power, my skin tingles as if I’m an overcooked sausage ready to burst, the pressure is too much to withstand.

  No longer able to stand, I fall to the ground, my knees ricocheting on the stones. I drop Blay, unable to keep strong under his weight, leaving Karadese to deal with the burden.

  “Rayna! Get up!” she grunts, trying to heave all of Blay’s weight onto her shoulder. “Rayna, hurry!”

  I’m paralysed where I kneel. Barely breathing from the intensity of the pain and all I can think is that Garvien is going to win. He is trying to break me. To force me to turn.

  I hate him. With all of my soul, with all of my being, I hate this creature who wields his powers to destroy all he touches. The intensity of my hate turns me cold, leaving me panting as he continues to infect my mind with his dominance.

  “Get out of my head!” I manage to scream, sounding more like a wounded animal than myself.

  Karadese half drops, half places Blay to the ground, his soft moans barely reaching me in this hellish place of Garvien’s power.

  She’s by my side, cupping my chin in her hands, trying to force me to look at her, yet I can’t, I drift further into the pain, trapped in a tunnel of torture which Garvien commands.

  I go limp in her hands, kneeling there like a ragdoll waiting for its owner to pick it up and play. Time slows down; each shallow breath forced into my lungs is the only thing I can control now as Garvien forces himself deeper inside my mind, taking hold of me so completely that the pain numbs my body, disconnecting me from everything that I am, until all that I can differentiate is him. Always him.

  A part of me retracts, cowering away inside my mind, refusing to relinquish all control to a being I despise so very much. It sits there, this tiny thread of myself, watching the movie of my life unfold and hopelessly unable to stop what happens next.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Time moves quickly. That little thread of myself seems to escape, watching the scene unfold from a distance, disconnected from everything that happens, numbing the effects of it all somehow.

  Veridom knows he can’t fight Garvien in his human form, especially now that it’s been revealed that he has somehow managed to possess certain powers, and even though Veridom is the king, he lacks the strength he will need to win in this state.

  Seeing Garvien preoccupied with me, Veridom takes advantage of the momentary distraction. He rolls his shoulders, spreading his arms out wide and throws his head back, allowing his muscles to ripple beneath the strain of such a grotesque transformation.

  The one remaining guards covers him, standing there like an imposing brick wall, his beady eyes glued to Garvien, and then something completely unexpected happens.

  The guard grunts, a low chilling sound that is more than a warning of anger. No, I realise it’s words, a signal which gains Garvien’s attention.

  Finally he looks away from me, breaking our connection just long enough to turn towards his true competitor, a sinister smile painting his lips.

  The absence of his controlling gaze snaps me back into myself, leaving me shaking and bewildered. An emptiness spawns inside; where so much hate had blossomed, now it’s hollow and cold, and I struggle to fill it up with me, to somehow emerge back into myself and yet the challenge seems impossible.

  I might be out of his direct trance, but still his control reigns over me. I can feel it, his presence inside of my mind, digging around in there, looking for a way to shut me down so he can take over for good.

  The intrusion leaves my mind scrambled, aching as I try to think straight, to sever the connection which keeps tying me back to him.

  I’m so weak from the ordeal that if it wasn’t for Karadese’s arms tightly wrapped around my shoulders I would have melted onto the ground, laying there ready to be violated by Garvien’s next attack.

  I blink through the fog, not knowing if it’s inside my mind or still swirling
around us. Focusing on my breaths, keeping them long and deep, I manage to untangle the image playing out before me, but it’s too late to be of any use.

  Veridom is defenceless, in mid-transformation, half man, half beast when Garvien cowardly strikes with a lethal blow.

  The single guard steps back, abandoning his king, his own deception clear when he draws his lips back, his triangular, grey teeth chomping with delight when Garvien thrusts his sword into Veridom’s chest, holding the weapon still as he slides his hand up his neck, grabbing Veridom by the hair, stretching his head back to reveal his thickening milky throat.

  Veridom struggles against the unexpected attack, his screams scraping down my spine as his body feverishly tries to complete the transformation, even with a blade protruding from his torso. He reaches out, his fingers wrapping around the blade embedded in his chest, desperately trying to pull it free but only managing to slice his hands as Garvien thrusts the sword deeper.

  I can’t seem to look away from Veridom’s completely white eyes, neither human nor Zantronian, somehow in-between, and I fleetingly wonder if he can even see this treachery, or is he blind, left to only feel the painful sensation of Garvien’s betrayal.

  Before I can blink, Garvien leans down, his face buried in Veridom’s neck, his screams deaf to my ears, and for a blissful moment I have no idea what Garvien’s doing. Too soon my naivety is shattered.

  Garvien’s pleasure surges inside of me, swirling around and warming my insides, a desire I don’t understand, until he pulls back, his face smeared with blood, a chunk of flesh grinding between his teeth, and that’s when I see it, the gaping hole where Veridom’s throat used to be.

  My stomach repels, spewing out its contents all over the ground, while Karadese moans, turning her head away so she doesn’t have to witness any more, her fingers digging into my skin as she struggles to hold herself together.

  Garvien grins at me, Veridom’s flesh falling from his mouth with a heavy thud. He pulls his sword free, effortlessly and without a care in the world, no guilt for the wrong he’s just committed, only experiencing pure joy as he holds Veridom’s twitching body in his arms, making sure he can feel every single spasm as Veridom takes his last gurgling breaths before he slowly drowns in his own blood.

  I don’t realise that I’m making a soft wailing noise, not until Karadese squeezes my shoulders, pulling me close to her one more time.

  Garvien cocks his head, his eyes finding mine again. The instant that they do I’m trapped, being crushed underneath the weight of his gaze once more. He is disconnected this time, on a high from the bloodlust, his grogginess makes my own mind woozy, as if I’m drunk. I get the feeling that this is another reason why they don’t eat their own kind, the Zantronian blood is potent, limiting one’s senses to a point that it’s difficult to function.

  Slowly Garvien begins to snap out of it, while I struggle to pull myself together. He releases Veridom’s body, letting it fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

  Bending down, he grabs Veridom’s lifeless hand just as flames start to lick at his body, a smile stretching across Garvien’s face as he yanks the ring free, holding it up for us all to see at the same moment that Veridom finally disintegrates to dust.

  “Now I shall be King and all who stand against me will perish!”

  He slips the ring onto his finger, laughing hysterically while the guard joins in, and my heart sinks.

  “Karadese,” I wheeze. “Go now, get help.”

  She’s already shaking her head before I get the words out, refusing to retreat.

  “I’m not leaving either of you.” She glances back at Blay, she could never abandon him, even if her life depended on it.

  I brace for what’s about to happen, expecting the worst. When the ring dwarfs Garvien’s finger, refusing to fit his human form, hope rolls inside my chest. He grunts, spinning around and kicking the slab of rock behind him, shattering it into tiny pieces.

  With a scowl, he looks at me once again and I know what he must do.

  He stands tall, keeping his gaze locked on me, rendering me useless as he begins to mutate into his true form, the ring firmly in place on his finger, ready to embed itself into its new master the moment it connects fully with his skin.

  Inside my mind I’m screaming, thrashing against his hold on me, desperate to break free and stop what’s about to transpire, yet in reality, I am stuck, cowering on the ground, oblivious to the crazy girl inside of me.

  I’m broken, so utterly shattered and dead inside that when Karadese releases me, standing slowly, I don’t even notice.

  Garvien doesn’t pay her any attention, she means nothing to him, he keeps his steady gaze on me and I’m imprisoned, forced to watch his skin stretch, while his muscles thicken, growing rapidly, morphing back into one of them.

  Our bond seems to ignite the monster within, and with his continuing transformation, something inside of me clicks. His transformation stirs up my own, summoning the powers embedded in my blood.

  I try to hold it back, to stop the change, but no matter how much I focus, I can’t control it, it just won’t stop.

  My fingers lengthen, aching as the talons manifest from short stubby nails into thick curving weapons. My whole body vibrates, muscles twisting and turning, yielding to a change that seems inevitable.

  I throw my head back, screaming as pain soars through my entire body, my skin burning with invisible fire as the Nevithan lights spring to life, far brighter than ever before, trying to hold back this poison ravaging me.

  “Rayna!” Somewhere beyond my reach Karadese screams to me, her fear is so clear, penetrating my heart, and all I can do is cling to her voice, holding onto the sound like it’s my last lifeline.

  Garvien’s laughter swirls around us as the last of the fog dissipates, allowing Karadese to clearly see my body altering into something she can’t recognise.

  “No,” she whispers, her eyes losing the gleam of sadness, resolve fuelled by love, giving her more strength than ever before. “No more.”

  I’m powerless to stop her as she turns, her intensity directed at the creature who betrayed her, his body still in mid-transformation.

  Without hesitation she springs forth, flinging herself at Garvien, her weapon raised, a battle cry screaming from her lips.

  Karadese is strong, tough, and passionate; a woman who could squash a lesser man under the steely weight of her glare, but her long years on Prytora have weakened her and passion alone can’t win against these creatures.

  Garvien deflects her first blow, knocking the sword clean from her hand, sending it clattering across the ground far out of her reach. She reacts swiftly, pulling free two daggers and aiming them at his rapidly growing chest.

  “Let them go,” she demands, only to be met with Garvien’s grunting laugh.

  She darts forward, digging her blade into his stomach and dragging it down, trying to split his abdomen open in one swift slice, a trail of blood showing the damage.

  Garvien screams out in anger, his fist raising far faster than she can react, backhanding her across the face with a deafening crack, sending her sprawling across the ground.

  She tries to pull herself up, shaking her head through the daze of the impact. Getting to her feet, she stumbles like a new-born deer, the side of her face already swelling, the red forming bruise evidence to the force of Garvien’s blow.

  Her attention is so focused on him that she completely disregards the traitorous guard who stomps forward, ready to protect his soon-to-be new king.

  “Karadese, look out!” I manage to scream, but I’m too late.

  She turns, just in time to see the guard as he slams his fist straight into her chest, hitting her directly above the heart with enough force to shatter her sternum; the sound of her bones breaking, embeds in my mind to torment me for the rest of my existence.

  Karadese’s body collapses, her cinnamon eyes wide with disbelief and pain as she lands heavily, hitting her head against the rocks as
she falls with enough force to dull her eyes completely.

  Blood spills from her head, pooling around her limp body and I wait, counting the seconds to see if she will move, if she will rage on; waiting for this incredibly strong woman to pull herself up, to scream with indignity and passion, refusing to believe in any other option.

  I wait…

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  My heart aches with every moment that passes and she doesn’t move, not so much as taking a single breath. The anger inside of me doubles, mixing with the pain and grief which these monsters have just caused.

  I throw my head back and scream, a wild desperate cry that vibrates throughout the entire cavern system as well as the Hive mentality.

  They can all feel my anguish. Their grief for me fills me up, multiplying my pain until I feel like I’m shattering inside.

  The guard steps closer to Karadese’s lifeless body, unaffected by my suffering, his gigantic foot raised to stomp on her head, ready to crush her skull without a single moments remorse.

  Anger flares inside me, hatred so intense I can no longer control it, and I don’t want to. My body has changed into something I don’t recognise, half human, half Zantronian, still not fully morphed into the form Garvien wants, but it’s enough to give me the strength I need to act.

  I jump to my feet, my human self still agile and quick, moving far faster than the moronic guard can keep up with.

  I run with all of my power, hatred making me zone in on him like a sniper with his target.

  Just as he’s about to stomp down on Karadese’s defenceless body, I slam my shoulder into his stomach, using my full force to tackle him to the ground.

  He barely reacts as I climb atop his mountainous body, straddling him and pinning his arms against his beefy sides with my legs, keeping him still. His dim eyes lock onto mine, and in that moment, I know that the next vicious act I commit, isn’t in self-defence. It is purely revenge.