Calm Before the Storm

by Cara Lake

  “The mighty War is down!” laughed Choronzon with maniacal glee. Much of the crowd had run away when the balauri was released, but those who remained responded with a cheer. Whether it was for Tyr or the balauri was hard to tell.

  Irina had watched the whole fight with her heart in her throat, choking her breathless and fear clawing at her chest.

  The stand off at the beginning had been so nerve-racking that it had only been by staring at Tyr’s beautiful face that drew her like a magnet, that she was able to stop herself from screaming. She could see they were an even match and had hated the way Rodach’s expression seemed to penetrate Tyr with a fiercely probing glare.

  Irina shivered as they began to fight. Her fear sitting like a lead weight in the pit of her stomach. Tyr had already died in front of her once. She could not bear to even imagine she might see that same nightmare unfold again. So she did the only thing she could think of. She began to use the power of the voice, her whispered words for protection, a prayer, as she endeavored to weave a blanket of safety around Tyr, around them both. At the same time she placed her faith in the hands of Cassi and the Eunomi. They had to come because if they didn’t, she knew without a doubt that both she and Tyr would die today.

  It was pure torture. Everytime the blades clashed, words faltered on her lips and when Tyr suddenly went down beneath the balauri, her heart nearly burst from her rib cage, agonizing pain shooting through her veins. Tyr was hurt. She could wait no longer. Irina wrenched herself away from Choronzon and dashed toward him, narrowly avoiding the chained balauri. As she ran, Irina’s breath caught in her throat, the silent words she’d been chanting in her head for protection dissolving as her fear surfaced. For the first time in her life she prayed to Gaia. Please, Gaia, please don’t let him die!

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Jaro stood up shakily, dazed but whole. He walked slowly to where Tyr and the balauri lay tangled in a heap together. Glancing toward Choronzon, his eyes were drawn to Irina’s slender form running toward him screaming Tyr’s name. Her cries piercing his chest, he felt her agony crescendo. Choronzon was giving a thumbs down. Jaro knew that Choronzon meant for him to kill Irina. There was no way he could do it. Tyr had saved him. He knew without a doubt that those jaws would have broken his neck if Tyr hadn’t defended him. Why the fuck had he done it?

  Jaro could not fathom why anyone would sacrifice themselves for him. He knew about sacrifice, had made his own for others more than once—but never again. His sacrifice had been for his own blood and look where that had got him. Standing over Tyr as Irina reached him sobbing, Jaro felt a stab of pity at the sight of her tears. Even though he hated Tyr and had been jealous of his success, he had always respected him as a warrior and a fighter. Watching her pull Tyr into her lap, cradling his head, he almost wished that he was the man she was running to. If he was down in the dirt, would anyone care enough for him to risk their life? He didn’t think so.

  Jaro was still standing over them, his resolve crushed by admiration for the pair, when Choronzon rose to his feet. Two things happened simultaneously as Jaro hesitated, frozen with doubt, his anger at circumstance increasing. A loud explosion ripped the ceiling apart and as debris flew in every direction, hundreds of ropes cascaded down followed by a multitude of black-clad warriors armed and firing, their bullets aimed at the shedu who were poised to attack them as they landed on the arena floor.

  Jaro moved quickly, grabbing Irina by the shoulders. “Quick!” he shouted. “Move!” Irina still appeared to be in a state of shock but she automatically followed his instructions, helping Jaro drag Tyr from the middle of the arena to relative safety behind a column. Tyr’s breathing was shallow, his rigid form stiff with paralysis from the balauri poison and Jaro knew from his sickly pallor that he didn’t have long. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that and instead concentrated on protecting them. He picked up a semiautomatic, which he had used to clear a path by firing at any shedu who got in their way.

  “Why are you helping us?” Tyr’s woman asked, regarding him suspiciously.

  He shrugged. “Fuck if I know. Let’s just say one good turn and all that,” he said, shoving her out of the way to shoot a bullet into a shedu that was charging at them.

  “Thanks,” she said, sounding surprised. “You saved our lives.”

  “Don’t thank me,” Jaro said, continuing to stand guard. “The next time I see him,” he motioned to Tyr, “I’ll have to kill him.”

  Jaro turned back to watch the devastation being wrought by the Eunomi on the Discordant forces as he guarded Tyr and Irina from the relative safety of their position behind the pillar. Most of the crowd had dispersed when the Eunomi warriors descended from the roof, only Phenex, Choronzon and his shedu hordes remaining to confront them. The shedu had reverted to their saevici beast forms but were matched by the speed and strength of the Eunomi saevici contingent, the resulting confrontation a fierce fight to the death between a huge range of beasts ripping, tearing and biting at each other in the center of the great hall.

  Weapons of all kinds were being used and in the middle of the arena, Choronzon himself in beast form was being held at bay by dozens of Eunomi, the bullets they were firing not strong enough to penetrate his leathery hide. The balauri were all dead and Jaro caught a glimpse of Phenex under pressure at the far end of the hall. His duty was tied to him. Although Chronzon had used Jaro as his champion, Phenex was his slavemaster, his overlord, the one he was bound to protect and serve. “Fuck!” He would have to go.

  At that moment Borealis appeared from the fray and both he and Jaro were only prevented from killing each other by Irina who lunged between them, shouting for them to stop. “He helped us,” she shouted. “Let him go!” Borealis turned his icy glare to Jaro and nodded.

  “I will—but only this once. Leave now!”

  Jaro nodded in acknowledgement and disappeared in the direction of his master.

  Borealis knelt down beside Irina and checked Tyr for a pulse. “What happened to him?”

  “I think the creature bit him!” cried Irina, distraught that Tyr’s heartbeat was growing fainter with every passing second.

  “Balauri poison!” spat Borealis. “Ziad is here somewhere. We need to find him now if Tyr is to be saved.”

  Irina turned her attention back to Tyr. His skin was a bluish gray, the tips of his fingers a sickly green. The thread that connected them was taut, stretched to breaking point but she forced her energy to hold on and keep him safe. She had done it before and she would do it again. Tyr was her life now and she damn well would not let him go! Ignoring the crash and rumble of the battle in the background, she concentrated her power of the voice, directing her words at Tyr, willing him to survive.

  Borealis signaled two warriors who were nearby to carry Tyr and ushered Irina toward a door. “Choronzon will have reinforcements here soon. Our informant gave us an escape route via some tunnels.” Irina headed down the dark corridor following the warriors carrying Tyr and was relieved when finally Ziad’s hand touched her shoulder.

  “Borealis told me about Tyr. I need to see him now or the poison will be too strong for me to purge.” His jade-green eyes although somber were full of reassurance. Irina was shocked to feel Ziad absorbing the full force of her pain, the energy of her connection to Tyr tangible to his sensitive healer’s instincts. She trembled, feeling his heart bleed for her and his hope that his touch would not come too late.

  Irina nodded and gestured the warrior carrying Tyr to open one of the chambers. Just as they were laying him on the floor, Merak entered and Irina found herself in his familiar embrace. “How are you holding up?” he said. Irina could hold on no longer. She sobbed into his chest. “Please don’t let him die!” Merak turned to Ziad. “Do what you can.”

  Ziad went to work. Irina was shocked to see him bite into Tyr’s wrist and realized he was drinking his blood. This was the first time she really saw Ziad for what his was, a sanguini, a vampire. She hadn’t really thought about
how sanguini purged disease but in that moment she discovered that it was basically a blood exchange. Having taken Tyr’s blood, he then gouged a slash in his own wrist holding it over Tyr’s lips, encouraging Tyr to take back what he had lost by giving him his own healing blood in return. Almost immediately she could see some color returned to Tyr’s face at the same time as Ziad’s already pale skin began to fade to a sickly bluish gray, the result of the poison.

  Irina fell to Ziad’s side brushing Tyr’s cheek, feeling some warmth return. Grateful, she turned to the healer with concern in her eyes. “Will you be all right? Won’t the poison affect you?”

  Ziad turned his mesmerising green eyes toward her. They were feverishly bright. “A little,” he said, “but I’ll survive. Tyr would have died, however, as the poison had nearly reached his heart.” Irina threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you!” she cried. “We owe you. Anything you need from us, ever. We’ll be there for you.”

  Ziad smiled at her weakly, the poison already fighting against his own blood. “It’s my pleasure.”

  Merak and the two warriors lifted Tyr. “We need to move,” he said, urgency in his tone. “The portal is a temporary one, only open until sunrise, we don’t have much time.” Irina rose to her feet helping Ziad up. He looked almost translucent, his skin faded, veins evident beneath the surface.

  “Go on,” he said, sounding slightly breathless, “I will follow.”

  “Are you sure?” Irina searched his face in concern. He didn’t look good at all. The sickly bluish-gray tinge did not appear to be dissipating.

  “Honestly,” he whispered, “I’ll be fine. You need to get Tyr out of here. He will need further treatment.” Irina turned away, following his advice. She could only hope that Ziad was tougher than he looked.

  They left the chamber and were swept up into the crowd of retreating Eunomi and down into the labyrinth of tunnels that lay beneath the palace. A few minutes later, Irina found herself outside, the tunnel exit opening at the edge of a forest. She looked back and found Merak with Antares, one of the Eunomi commanders, coordinating the escape. He was making sure the injured were ushered quickly toward the starportal, which was apparently just a few hundred yards away. Her eyes searched for Ziad in the group behind, but she couldn’t see him and Irina was just going to ask Merak where he was when someone grabbed her in a rough embrace.

  “Irina! You’re safe!” It was Tani. “And Tyr too. I’m pleased for you.” Tani’s amethyst eyes were smiling with warmth. “You’ll be pleased to know that Cassi and I sweet talked Abrasax into giving us your pendants. Have you seen her yet?”

  Irina shook her head, worried. “No, shouldn’t she be here?”

  “Don’t panic—that girl’s like a cat with ninety lives. She’ll turn up. She always does.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Having left the Gilded Lily, Cassi had made her way stealthily through the empty streets toward Phenex’s palace. She knew the Eunomi were there now in combat with the Discordants. In the distance she could hear the sounds of a fierce battle raging, storm in the night air. She had to make sure Irina was safe. Irina was her charge, had been for the last fourteen years since Merak found her in the orphanage and brought her home. Not only that, but Irina was like a sister to her. Cassi had watched her grow up. They had shared numerous experiences together and a bond that was more important than Merak’s orders. There was no way she would leave Ophiuchus without Irina.

  Before she had traveled more than a few streets away from the main square, Cassi was brought to a total standstill by the now familiar and almost inevitable sight of her nemesis. “Cassiopeia.” The velvet darkness of his tone stroked her skin, a satin caress. It was always the same.

  “Lord of Thunder,” she replied, not moving. They stood facing each other in stillness. “Are you going to let me pass?” Cassi asked eventually, minutes ticking by.

  “I…should not,” he replied.

  “But…?” she prompted.

  “I should not…” he continued, “but I will let you go…for a price.”

  “What price?” The dark warrior raised his sword. “A piece of you.” Cassi jumped back a step.

  “You must be kidding!” Before she could move again he took a step toward her, and spun her around, pressing her back to his front.

  “But you said you’d let me go!” Cassi began to move away but his arms clamped around her in a tight grip, his black armor hard against her skin. “Don’t move.” His voice a soft whisper, hot breath against her ear sending vibrations across her throat. A cold rush of air sliced past her head as his blade cut down and the warrior palmed a lock of her hair. “Go now,” he whispered again, “before it’s too late.” Cassi ran, but couldn’t help pausing to look back at him before turning down a dark alleyway. What she saw caused her heart to race.

  The dark warrior was staring at the blonde strands entwining his fingers. He stood there gazing at them a long while before his head dropped to the silken hair caught in his palm. Although it was too dark to see exactly what he was doing, Cassi could have sworn that when he lifted the visor of his helmet and held the blonde tresses in front of his face, he was breathing in her scent. The warrior stayed that way for a long moment, then turning on his heel, headed toward the palace and the conflict within.

  Cassi turned and fled, her heart beating even faster. This encounter with the dark warrior had shaken her up more than she wanted to admit. Usually their meetings involved some kind of battle. Smelling her hair! Well that was just gross and led her to believe he was even more of a freak than she thought. Her musings on the dark warrior almost distracted from her original purpose, but she suddenly remembered her destination and instead of heading for the starportal, Cassi doubled back toward the tunnel exit she knew the Eunomi warriors were using.

  She arrived before the start of the Eunomi retreat and found the contingent on guard waiting for them, commanded by Antares, an old friend. He raised his eyebrows at her approach.

  “Cassiopeia! I was told you were to rendezvous with us at the starportal.”

  “I know but when do I ever do what’s expected?” she asked smiling. “How’s it going in there?”

  “I think, well,” Antares replied. “I just received word from inside that Merak has both Irina and Tyr, although what state they are in, I’m not sure.”

  “Okay then, I’m going in. Can I get a couple of blades?”

  “Cassi, do you think that’s wise? They should be exiting soon. There is no reason to expose yourself to unnecessary risk.”

  “Irina is my responsibility. I have to go. Here.” She thrust Irina’s pendant to him. “Look after that for me. Make sure Merak gets it.” Antares supplied her with some weapons and Cassi headed into the tunnels praying that the battle was going well for the Eunomi.

  Making her way quickly through the tunnels, Cassi entered the great hall just as the Eunomi warriors were beginning to make inroads. Cassi skirted the edges of the battle, sword in hand, eyes searching for Irina. Overwhelming relief when she caught a glimpse of her with Borealis. Cassi realized thankfully that Borealis was leading Irina to the exit point surrounded by a pair of warriors who were carrying Tyr’s large frame. He didn’t look to be in good shape, but before she could consider how to get back to them, her attention was claimed by a roar from the melee in the center of the hall.

  Choronzon! In the middle of the storm and in beast form, which meant that he had an advantage even over the Eunomi saevici. Choronzon was too big a target for Cassi to ignore. “Cassi!” She turned to see Borealis at the exit point waving her over. “Come on—time to leave. We have Irina and Tyr!” He was shouting frantically. She shook her head.

  “Soon!” she called turning away, heading for the middle of the fray.

  Cassi paused, momentarily distracted by the sight of Ziad on the edge of the battle being helped by a female who had one of his arms around her shoulders and was holding him up by the waist. He was walking unsteadily as if dazed. Before she
could reach him, a dark shape stepped out of the shadows and grabbed her by the waist, dragging her into the shadowy corner.

  “You should not be here.” Rage vibrated off his armor, his voice an angry growl. The Lord of Thunder was not amused. Dammit! She had thought she’d seen the last of him today but at least this time the situation was one she understood and could control.

  “I’m not yours to command.” Cassi struggled to break his hold. “I’m here for Choronzon.”

  “You will not attack him. If you do, you will die.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “You already have a piece of me, warrior. How about I take a piece of you this time!” Cassi twisted out of his hold to face him and launched an attack with her sword, which he deflected with ease. She gritted her teeth, incensed that he could so easily push her aside, and pressed forward aggressively, aware that his responses were merely defensive and that if he wanted to he could crush her without a thought. Such was his skill and strength. “Fight, damn you!” she screamed.

  “I am.” His reply was too cool, too calm and it incensed Cassi even more. Choronzon was out there within reach and this damn warrior was holding her back. Her rage intensified. His actions both now and before, leaving her baffled and confused.

  “You tried to kill Bellor!” she shouted at him, swinging her sword at his head.

  “He is not dead.”

  “You allowed one of your men to knock me unconscious.”

  “So? You are still alive,” he pointed out.

  “You. Cut. My. Hair.”

  “And you are not bleeding.”