“Go then. Help Gregory neutralize the enemy before they can endanger all the earth.”
Daryna nodded. Looking unhappy, she moved away from Lillian until she was outside the ring of stones. Moments later she summoned another portal spell; its magic was like a cold draft from the Spirit Realm. For the span of ten heartbeats Lillian saw nothing, and then the strange magic doorway solidified and beyond the threshold was the place where a bloody battle was underway.
Daryna glanced back over her shoulder at Lillian. “Stay.”
She would have made the retort that she wasn’t a dog, but the Sorceress stepped through the portal and was already summoning a deadly spell. The strange doorway collapsed before Lillian had a chance to see what shape the combat spell took.
“Being left behind still sucks,” Lillian hissed under her breath.
Anna’s snort told Lillian the hybrid had heard her. The other woman sauntered over and glanced where the portal had been. “You think it was a good idea to send her to the others? From the updates Resnick is getting over the radio, the battle is going well. The training sessions have paid off.”
“Daryna said that if even one of the enemy soldiers gets close to the hamadryad, they’ll be able to use her to call for reinforcements.”
“A tree that doubles as a long range radio. Yep. Normal,” Anna said but glanced around the meadow distractedly.
Lillian noticed Anna’s fingers flexed on her weapon. A show of nervousness? That wasn’t normal.
“Do you sense something?” If so, why the hell didn’t you say something before I sent Daryna away?
“No, but it’s never a good idea to send all your big guns into battle and leave your forward operating base unprotected,” Anna countered and then sighed. “It’s nothing. Just all this magic putting me on edge. I’m really starting to hate magic.”
Lillian flashed fang at Anna. “You sound a lot like I did when I first learned about all this, but I’ve gained friends that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. You’ll see the benefits one day, too.
“Sorry. Don’t believe in silver linings.” Anna’s gaze flicked over to where Shadowlight was walking a perimeter around the tree. He was looking all fierce and daunting again. “Well, maybe the kid. He might be worth every poke and prod I’ve received from the scientists. Maybe.”
“I heard that!” Shadowlight huffed and galloped over to them. “Of course I’m worth it. You’ve always wanted a little brother.”
She smiled affectionately at the gargoyle. “Yeah, kid. I’ve got one now, and you’re correct. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Wiggling happily, Shadowlight bound around Anna. He’d been about to say something else but was cut short by a soft whistling sound that ended in something small smacking into flesh.
Shadowlight whirled around in surprise, but the sound occurred twice more. The young gargoyle twisted and pulled three small darts from his flank. They rested tiny and guiltless in his palm.
What the hell?
A commotion among the soldiers had Lillian glancing away from her brother for a moment, in time to see two soldiers dropped to the ground.
The high-pitched sound came again, and more soldiers fell before the tiny darts. Lillian still didn’t fully understand what was happening when Goswin stepped from out of the maze’s west entrance. She fired more darts from a small blowpipe.
Every dart that found a target dropped a soldier to the ground.
Lillian decided she didn’t need to know what was going on. All she needed to know was that a sprite was a swift and deceptively deadly little Fae.
And worse, she wasn’t alone. Whitethorn, leader of the hunt, walked in beside her and took aim with a far larger and deadlier bow and arrow.
Grabbing Anna, Lillian dragged her behind the hamadryad. From within the screen of the thick branches, Lillian saw something far more serious than just the two Fae.
Commander Gryton paced along behind them, tossing his fiery magic at anything that still moved.
Anna called Shadowlight to them, and he obeyed, but Lillian noticed he was none too steady on his feet. He tripped as much as stopped next to Anna. The human stepped over him and put herself between him and the threat.
“We are so screwed,” Lillian muttered to herself. Anna didn’t disagree with her and was already on the radio calling for reinforcements.
“We need to buy some time until more help gets here.” Anna took aim with her rifle and the sharp retort of weapons fire echoed through the glade.
Lillian winced at the sharp noise but focused her attention on the battle. Anna ignored Whitethorn and Goswin and fired rapid bursts at Commander Gryton. She knew who the true threat was.
Four other soldiers who had managed to dodge darts, arrows, and Gryton’s fireballs, joined in the fight. Together the five soldiers managed to slow Gryton. Halting him was a little like stopping a flow of lava. He continued to walk forward, pushing a wall of fire in front of him.
The fiery wall seemed to turn most of the bullets into a molten slag, which splattered against his armor with dull, wet sounds.
But Anna and the other soldiers didn’t give up, holding their positions and continuing to fire. Now and again, a sharp ting sounded and a few sparks flew as bullets made it past Gryton’s defensive magic to strike his armor.
Whitethorn stepped out from around the wall of fire as he drew his bowstring and took aim at one of the soldiers.
Lillian called her shadow magic and shaped it into tiny biting, knife-like shards. The bits of darkness raced across the distance and savaged Whitethorn. The sidhe huntsman dived for cover behind a stone picnic table, but Lillian’s magic followed.
So too did Shadowlight. The young gargoyle lunged from behind the cover of the hamadryad and raced across the distance. He jumped the picnic table and closed his teeth upon Whitethorn, shaking the other Fae in his jaws. While Shadowlight was fighting Whitethorn, Goswin got in another dart.
Lillian growled and lunged after this sprite, her shadow magic racing before her. The sprite was faster and darted around behind one of the stone rings.
A moment later she popped up and fired two more darts at the soldiers. One struck the soldier nearest Anna. He staggered and then dropped to his knees. A second soldier joined his fellow.
Before any of the allies could regroup, a wave of force raced out from where Gryton stood. This wasn’t the fire magic that Lillian had expected, but Anna and the other remaining soldiers were still knocked off their feet.
Bad. Very bad, Lillian thought as she summoned more shadow magic and directed it to attack Gryton.
Her magic was marginally more effective than the bullets. Like tiny bits of shrapnel, they burrowed their way into the seams of his armor. He couldn’t stop them all.
Gryton snarled at her but turned his attention toward Shadowlight, ignoring Lillian.
What the hell?
Then she understood.
Oh, hell no.
Anna had regained her feet, but the other soldiers were unmoving. Shaking her head like her ears were ringing or she was disoriented, Anna shook off whatever the attack had done to her as she raised her rifle once more.
This time, her target was Goswin, where she stood over Shadowlight. Blood blossomed at the sprite’s shoulder and then her thigh. She screamed as she fell. She tried to regain her feet but couldn’t.
Two down, Lillian thought, just one really badass to go.
With a growl, Anna redirected her fire upon Gryton. Lillian joined her. Their combined assault slowed but didn’t stop him.
Not that it should have, Lillian knew. Before, Gryton had very nearly been a match for Gregory.
Strangely, he didn’t seem to be pressing his advantage. The Battle Goddess’ most deadly weapon should have made short work of Anna and herself. Why hadn’t he dealt them a crippling blow? So far, everything he’d tossed at them was more defensive magic than bring-your-enemies-to-their-knees lethal.
Was he weakened by something the hamadryad had done to him?
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Or was this something else?
Then Lillian realized he likely wanted to capture more than just Shadowlight.
There was an abrupt end to the gunfire, and the resulting absence of sound announced their defeat. Lillian’s ears twitched at the lack of painful noise, but she didn’t hesitate and continued her attack upon Gryton. Unfortunately, Anna was out of bullets, and they were out of options.
And then Lillian felt yet another disturbance in the magic around her like she had twice before in the last hour.
A churning vortex appeared in the air between Anna and Gryton. For a moment, Lillian felt hope rekindle. If Gregory was here…
But it wasn’t Gregory.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Three more armor-clad warriors stepped into the glade and shouted something at Gryton. They didn’t sound overly friendly, and neither did Gryton’s reply. Lillian had the distinct impression that Commander Gryton was surprised by these newcomer’s sudden appearance. He wasn’t the only one.
Lillian moved closer to Anna, thinking to grab her and fly to safety. But one glance at Shadowlight told Lillian that plan wasn’t going to work either.
Shadowlight was on his feet again, but he was weaving and stumbling badly and he collapsed after a couple steps. He fought past whatever drug, poison or magic spell the darts had delivered into his system, and struggled back to his feet. Lillian’s heart broke. The youngling was trying to reach them. But he was in no condition to fly or run.
Lillian dropped to all fours and snarled at Gryton. She had to get to Shadowlight. When she tried to circle around the armor-clad enemy, he snapped out his wrists and a wave of power raced towards her.
She dived to the ground and dug in her claws as the wave rolled over her. It continued past to flow harmlessly away. While Lillian and Gryton danced around each other uselessly, the three newcomers marched straight for Shadowlight. Two of them grabbed him under his arms and started dragging him towards the portal.
Shadowlight twisted and fought, but in his drugged state he was no match for them and was quickly clubbed into submission.
Anna snarled and tossed away her empty rifle and pulled out a long knife instead. Her expression was fierce and unreasoning as she charged across the distance. At the last moment, she hunched low and tackled one of the newcomers hard enough to make a quarterback proud.
The warrior crashed to the ground, and Anna followed, her knife finding the slit in the enemy’s visor. Blood sprayed. The newcomer screamed. Anna’s knife flashed again and again until the body under her stopped twitching.
Apparently, not all the Battle Goddess’ warriors were as hard to kill as Gryton.
Lillian darted across the distance, angling towards the two who still dragged Shadowlight between them. Anna joined her, sprinting towards the enemy from the right. They had almost reached their targets when the ground heaved under Lillian’s feet, and a secondary force slammed into her back.
Earth and sky changed places over and over. She continued to roll until her maze’s evergreen walls caught her. The scent of cedar surrounded her. Lillian blinked and spit out a mouthful of dirt, grass, and bits of cedar. What had hit her? A wrecking ball?
She shook her head. After a moment, she blinked her vision clear. Gryton was bent over Anna, and then he heaved her up into his arms and on over his shoulder. The other two dragging Shadowlight had almost reached the portal.
Gryton glanced at her, clearly wanting to snatch Lillian as well, but decided against it as he turned and walked towards the portal.
He didn’t make it. A second portal appeared between him and his destination.
A raging ball of gargoyle fury erupted out of the portal and lunged right at Commander Gryton. At first, Lillian thought Shadowlight had escaped his captors, but then she recognized her beloved Gregory.
Relief washed through her. She tried to get to her feet and go to him, but her body didn’t want to cooperate. Helpless, she could only watch through her narrowing field of vision as the two lethal predators squared off.
By the rising scent of deadly magic filling her glade, Lillian could only conclude that Gryton had no interest in capturing Gregory. And Gregory’s snarls told Lillian that her beloved had no interest in leaving this enemy alive.
Another portal flared brightly and Daryna walked out of it into the battle-scarred glade. Magic burned all along her body, and she stood and took aim at the two dragging Shadowlight back to the Magic Realm.
The first wave slammed into a shield and scattered in twenty different directions. Daryna didn’t stop and continued forward undaunted, tossing another wave of magic at the enemy. The two enemy soldiers scrambled the rest of the way to the portal and were through it before Lillian could cry out.
Daryna screamed in rage, but the other portal was already closing in upon itself, its magic shimmering less brightly as the portal diminished in size. She darted forward but was already too late.
With a hiss of anger, she turned to where Gryton and Gregory still fought. She raised her arms, palms toward the two combatants.
Gryton’s survival instincts must have been truly impressive for he broke away from Gregory and lunged behind one of the standing stones that circled the hamadryad. A moment after he vanished behind the stone, Lillian again felt a disturbance in the magic around her. There was also the thick, fiery essence she’d come to associate with a spike of Gryton’s power.
But it was already fading. And that’s when she realized Gryton had vanished from her senses.
Gregory stomped around behind the standing stone, but his thunderous expression told Lillian what she already knew. Gryton was gone. Escaped.
Tin Man had more lives than a freaking cat.
One day she was going to do her best to chew through all nine of them. But not today. Today they had to go after Shadowlight. Lillian just had to stand up first. If her body would cooperate. Unfortunately, she was also losing the war against the darkness creeping up the edges of her vision. Her sight narrowed down further, and the glade faded.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anna came awake with a jerk as a bright light shone in her eyes. A field medic was kneeling next to her. She shoved him away, and her entire body screamed in pain as she rolled to her feet, but something, some need, drove her to alertness.
“Easy,” the medic said. She ignored him.
There had been a battle.
Whitethorn and Goswin had turned on them.
Gryton.
Fucking Tin Man had attacked them again.
Shadowlight. She scanned the area, looking first to the hamadryad and then to where Daryna and Gregory stood over Lillian.
Anna glanced around to where the other medics were attending to more survivors.
Panic rising within her, she scanned the entire area again, but still no Shadowlight. And a gargoyle was a bit hard to miss.
“Where is he?”
The medic grabbed her arm. “You took a beating. You likely have a concussion. Possibly internal bleeding.”
“Get your hands off me, or you will be the one with internal bleeding.”
Anna recognized one of the scientists approaching. She snarled, showing fangs. “Tell me what happened to Shadowlight?”
“We don’t know,” Doctor Fleming said.
Instinctively, Anna reached out for that blood-link she shared with Shadowlight. Normally there would be a tingle, or stronger tug, which would lead her to him.
But this time there was nothing. Just a void.
Oh, God. No.
Please, no. Not the kid.
He couldn’t be dead.
Major Resnick entered the clearing leading another squad of soldiers. But Anna stormed past him. He was just arriving and wouldn’t have the answers she needed. Instead, she headed directly towards Gregory and Daryna where they knelt next to Lillian.
Anna skidded to a halt beside them, her throat threatening to seal itself as grief welled up within her.
“Where is Shadowlig
ht,” she asked for the third time.
Three sets of eyes glanced up at her. Lillian was crying.
Oh, God. “Is he dead?”
White raged mixed with grief in her mind. If that bright, loveable goof had been snuffed out of the universe, she would…kill everything. Exterminate every last one of the Battle Bitch’s godless henchmen. She’d start with Commander Gryton. She’d find a way.
Gregory didn’t answer with words, but he shook his head.
Anna felt like the earth had just shifted under her feet. He wasn’t dead? Oh, thank god.
If Shadowlight had been hurt, she’d see that he had all the care he needed to heal. She’d raid the town’s library to find enough books to occupy him every damned hour of the day if he wanted her to read to him.
“He’s hurt, isn’t he? Where did they take him? Back to base?” He must have been bad off to leave her behind, Anna thought as another cold tendril of fear wormed its way into her heart.
Coming to her feet, Lillian stood on shaking legs, but still towered above Anna in gargoyle form. Gregory stayed on all fours, offering his back for his mate to lean upon.
Lillian ignored Gregory and reached out for Anna, dragging her into a hug. Surprised to find herself in a fierce and unexpected hug, Anna just patted the gargoyle’s back awkwardly.
“They took Shadowlight. They took my little brother, and I couldn’t stop them.” Lillian drew in a ragged breath and continued, “Gregory and Daryna won’t go after him. They won’t let me go after him, either.”
The other woman broke into great body shaking sobs.
Gregory stood and wrapped her in his arms. Even Daryna came forward to place a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“We can’t just leave him to become the Battle Goddess’ slave,” Lillian whispered between sobs.
“Of course we’re not leaving Shadowlight in enemy hands. We’ll launch a counter assault and get him back,” Anna swung her attention back towards Resnick. She waved him over. “Resnick is here. He’ll inform the others that Shadowlight has been taken. We’ll get them back.”
Anna wasn’t sure if her words were meant to comfort herself or Lillian.
Sorceress at War (A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale Book 4) Page 14
