Twisted Bonds

by Brandy L Rivers

  Isa’s shock rocked through him before everything went black with a new wave of pain.

  * * * *

  Images flickered through Reance’s head. He couldn’t control the flow of the visions. Saressa found joy in Toryn’s pain. His body was bound to a rack with a series of jagged rock spikes and Arachnian silk. His limbs were stretched out, every major joint distended.

  His hips appeared crushed. He couldn’t tell how bad the damage was, but any movement had to hurt. And Saressa took an Iceflow blade and carved her symbol into his chest.

  Isa may be able to heal the damage with help, but there would always be a scar. He slammed his fist into the wall and cried out before sliding down the glass.

  “What is it?” Aeryana asked.

  “I don’t know how this ends. I see too many possibilities. And if she can’t save Toryn, we lose her.”

  “She will save him,” Aeryana promised.

  A desperate cry escaped his lips. “How can you know? You have no idea what Saressa has done and allowed Damha to do to him.”

  “Isadora will not allow him to die. She’s resourceful. As long as Saressa doesn’t kill him, there is hope.”

  “Fleeting hope, Aeryana. Saressa has made the castle impenetrable, to even Kellan. She has all the time in the world to do irreparable damage to Toryn.”

  “Define irreparable,” Aeryana asked.

  He shook his head and paced away. “I feel Isadora’s anger taking over, Aeryana. She may be the one to kill Toryn and never mean to.”

  “Kellan is with her?”

  Reance shook his head. “He won’t be able to stop her.”

  Aeryana nodded. “Have faith.”

  He pressed a hand over his heart, his voice cracking. “Trying. They were always meant for each other. I feel like I made some grave mistake along the way.”

  Aeryana smoothed her thumbs over his cheeks. “You still see the possibility of everything being all right?”

  “It’s fading. I can’t reach it as easily as the other versions of our future.”

  “But it’s there,” Aeryana pointed out. “Perhaps Saressa is pushing her desired outcome at you. She’s done it before.”

  He pressed his forehead to hers. “I hope you’re right, my queen.”

  Chapter 16

  Isa finally figured out how to block Toryn’s pain. She could still feel his consciousness barely there. She knew the bitch was cutting into his flesh.

  One thing kept rattling around her head. He didn’t say he wouldn’t die. No, he said he would still be a father.

  Which meant she was pregnant. She pressed a hand to her flat abdomen and breathed in deep.

  A spark of consciousness wafted through her.

  Fear.

  Her boy knew something was wrong.

  Tears formed in her eyes. Don’t worry, Kiernan. I’ll destroy everyone who harms your father and make them pay. We aren’t losing him.

  The fear turned to hope and she closed her eyes.

  Should she feel their child already? Should she know his name? Fuck, it didn’t make sense, but it ensured she would succeed.

  “The entrances are all blocked,” Kellan said as he reformed beside her. “I can’t even get through. Maybe she knows I won’t join her side.”

  “Fine, if we can’t get in, I’ll take the castle down. Where’s the dungeon? Have any idea where they might be?”

  “Four dungeons. Know anything about his surroundings?”

  Isa’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I think he’s on something like a medieval rack. There are bars between his cell and two others. I saw Scotty in one that had something like an Iron Maiden. There was a woman and a man in the next. I couldn’t see what was in there. It was dark. They were huddled close. I heard dripping water.”

  “They’re on the north side. We’re on the south. But, Isa, if you can’t get in, how are you tearing down the castle? It’s stood for ten thousand years. No one has ever successfully sieged this castle, and armies have tried.”

  “Doesn’t fucking matter,” she hissed as she pressed her hands to the cold stone and pushed her will through the wall.

  It crumbled to dust, leaving a hole big enough to easily walk through without stooping.

  A booming sound echoed through the woods as the dark clouds evaporated and sun streamed in.

  “What the—” Kellan trailed off.

  She walked into the throne room and walls crumbled around her as she went. The dust kicked up into the air, flowing around her to form a sparkling whirlwind.

  A dozen sirens ran past, screeching as they went.

  “You just disintegrated the wall,” Kellan sputtered.

  “Toryn doesn’t have much longer. He’ll bleed out if I don’t get to him, and even then, I’m not sure I can fix what they’ve done. I need to find him now. Direct me, or I’ll tear the whole damned building down, and I don’t care how big it is.”

  “Uh, yeah.” Kellan took off, and she followed on his heels as he ran through the castle.

  It was dark, creepy, and if she weren’t pissed as hell, she might have had the willies. Instead, she was ready to take Saressa down.

  Kellan turned a corner and ran down the stairs.

  The farther they descended, the damper the air became. She could feel Toryn getting closer, but he was fading. I’m going to tear them apart. Just hold on, my knight. I can’t live without you.

  Live for Kiernan, Toryn whispered in her head.

  Isa reached out, touching the wall, pouring her rage and hatred for Saressa into the walls. They turned to dust, letting the hail in.

  The sun had shown for a moment, but the skies darkened with her mood, wind whipping frigid air through the castle.

  * * * *

  Damha crept up behind Saressa, pushing her dress up as she marked Toryn’s body with her symbol.

  Toryn had passed out again. She dropped her blade and gripped Toryn’s shoulders as Damha entered her. Then she felt her wards shatter.

  The castle shuddered as Damha pounded into her, pushing her up against Toryn’s broken and bloody body. Then Damha sank his fangs into her as he reached down to pinch her clit.

  He filled her with his seed, his cock jerking deep within her. The horde of spiderlings writhed within her belly, distorting the small bump. Every time he fucked her, they grew faster for a time.

  “We will rule the world,” he hissed as he stepped back.

  She had a feeling he was talking to the bastard beasts in her womb.

  His come dripped down her thighs as she slammed her hand into his face with a blinding spell, then opened a portal to one of Aeremaius’ homes in France.

  She closed the portal and sank to her knees as her uterus stretched and contracted with the writhing masses growing there. Tears filled her eyes as she reached for her son. He was still blocking her.

  So Saressa reached out to a mirror and opened the link to watch the scene.

  * * * *

  Isadora came to a stop when she found Damha clawing at his eyes beyond a cell wall. Toryn was bloody and broken, bound to the rack, and Scotty sat there, staring off into space.

  Saressa was gone.

  The wind howled as it whipped in a cyclone that surrounded her, forming glittering boulders. Hail joined the frenzy as lightning danced along the walls of the wind tunnel. She stalked forward and touched the bars, which froze under her touch, then she slammed her hand through them, demolishing them at her touch.

  She threw her hand out, and he was pelted with stones.

  Damha grunted with every rock that hit his body. He spun toward her and caught her wrist. His fangs bit deep as she whipped out a mana-blade with one hand and directed the elements at Damha’s head and body with all the force she possessed.

  He howled as he tore free, ripping the skin and muscle in her wrist.

  She covered the damage with the heel of her hand and channeled magic into her wound. It healed in an instan
t and she slashed out with her blade, cutting the hand off Damha as he reached for her.

  Isa grabbed the other blade and stepped on Damha’s knee, his hip, then leapt over his shoulder, bringing the blades down his back.

  His spider legs fell one at a time as he stumbled forward and fell to his knees. He spun with a howl of pain and launched himself at her, knocking her down as his blood dripped around her.

  She shot a hand out, catching Damha in the face as he tried to bite again. He froze solid, and she shoved, rolling him to his back.

  Glancing up, she found Toryn. He panted for air, his eyes dull, unfocused through pain.

  “Hang on, baby. I need to kill this spider.”

  She grabbed one of Damha’s long spindly legs. It was harder than she imagined and she shoved it through his chest, much the same as one of the spikes through Toryn’s. She pushed it into the stone below and grabbed another as she stood.

  Her stomach knotted at the sight of Damha’s limp cock hanging out. Rage took over as she grabbed another and slammed it through the bastard’s pelvis before taking one of her blades and slicing his dick off. She shoved it in Damha’s mouth and hit him with a fireball as she slashed her blade into his sternum, down to his pelvic bone. Then she grabbed another leg and rammed it up between his legs until it came out his mouth.

  “Isa!” Kellan shouted. “Toryn needs you.”

  Isa’s chest heaved as she looked up at Toryn. Blood leaked from his parted lips. She pushed both blades into Damha’s chest, then placed her hands on his bare skin and chanted the words to incinerate his body as he gurgled and wailed in pain. When his smoldering body started to crumble into ash, she whispered the word to send her mana-blades to wherever they hid and stepped through the mess to reach Toryn.

  She touched his face. “I got you.”

  His eyes locked onto hers. “Love you.”

  “Don’t give up. I can fix this,” she whispered, not totally sure she could.

  “Let me free and I can heal him,” a woman said.

  She turned to find someone who could be Jackie’s twin, all except the eyes, though those were pretty damned close.

  Kellan nodded. “I can’t free her. Get her out, and she can.”

  “Can you get this contraption flat so I can get those spikes out?” Isa asked.

  “Yeah, get Marielle free, then we’re going to have to work together.”

  “Let me help,” Scotty said.

  Kellan looked down at Damha and back at Scotty. “Bond should be broken. Get Marielle out first.”

  She waved her hand over the bars then slammed through the bars, shattering them like ice. “If you heal him, I’ll do anything in my power to repay you.”

  “Freeing us is plenty,” Marielle assured.

  The man beside her nodded his head. “Aye, she’s right.”

  Isa turned and went to the other side of the cage, doing the same to the bars. Scotty stepped forward and took her face in his hands.

  The haunted look on his face tore at her heart. “What did I do?”

  She shook her head. “Only brought Toryn here. This isn’t your fault.” Isa had no clue if that was all he did, but if he couldn’t remember she hoped like hell it stayed that way.

  Scotty looked past her. “This is going to hurt you. We have to remove the spikes. We have to put him back together.”

  “I’ll be fine. I need him whole. And I’m going to kill that bitch when I find her.”

  Scotty gave her a grim smile. “Not sure you can block this. I’ll be here to help you too.”

  “Just do it.”

  Isa turned around. The man nodded at Toryn. “Can you create a flat surface beneath Toryn?”

  She didn’t ask questions as she stepped to the rack. She placed her hands on the boards and imagined a board that went from top to bottom, all one piece. The wood reformed to fit her vision.

  “Impressive,” the man said. He swept his hands out, over Toryn, and closed his eyes. Chanting, he lifted his arms and all eight spikes pinning Toryn to the wood came out with a tearing sound.

  Toryn screamed in pain, his body twitching and convulsing.

  Pain hit her, and Isa covered his face and pushed sleep at him.

  His body relaxed as blood stained the table.

  Fear trailed through her. She placed her hands over Toryn’s body and pushed as much healing energy into him as she could summon.

  Her limbs began to tremble as his body pulled in on itself. The bones popped into place and her knees gave out.

  Scotty caught her and placed his hand over her heart. His gaze locked on hers and he pushed memories of their night together into her head.

  She could feel his and Toryn’s hands on her, their mouths, everything. Orgasm washed over her and she cried out. Scotty crushed her to his chest, hugging her tight.

  “You’re using too much energy. Take a moment. He’s going to make it.”

  Marielle spoke up, “You’re Reance and Aeryana’s daughter, aren’t you?”

  Isa turned her head and found the blond woman. Nodding, she answered, “I am.”

  “I’m Marielle. And this is Miles. A mage. I know you’re friends with my daughter.”

  Isa’s thoughts swirled in a mist. She couldn’t grasp at what she was thinking moments before. Her brow pinched. “I’m sorry. Who is your daughter?”

  “Jacqueline Oceans.”

  “Right, that’s what I was thinking.” She sucked in a breath and pulled away from Scotty, looking down at Toryn.

  He looked a hell of a lot better, but all she could think about was her other half.

  “I’m sure you have more pressing matters on your mind.” Marielle dipped her head at Toryn.

  Isa nodded. “Does he need to be awake for your portion of the healing?”

  “Yes. I can heal the things you can’t see. But he’s going to have a similar reaction to what you just had with Endiscott.”

  “Don’t care. Just heal him. Whatever it takes, and I truly mean that.”

  Marielle smiled. “I won’t need more than to touch his skin and make eye contact. What happened in the past will stay there, but it will take the memory.”

  Isadora took Toryn’s face in her hands and willed him to wake up.

  Toryn’s eyes flew open and he reached for her face, but dropped his arm with a pained grunt.

  Isa bent down and kissed his lips. “Shh, let Marielle help you.”

  He shook his head slightly.

  “I don’t care if she gets you off. I don’t even care how she does it. I need you whole.”

  Tears formed in his eyes. “You mean it, don’t you?”

  “Don’t ever question that. I love you. You’re mine. I can handle anything if it fixes whatever I didn’t.”

  Standing, she locked her eyes on Marielle. “Do it, please.”

  Marielle leaned down and touched his collarbone. “Toryn, look at me.”

  He directed his attention at the siren.

  Toryn’s pleasure rocked through her, the memories playing through her head. He cried out as his back bowed, then he flopped back, his eyes closing as his chest heaved.

  Isa touched Marielle’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you for ending Saressa’s reign of terror. You’ve ensured the Water Realm can survive. You gave us a chance.”

  Shaking her head, she glanced back the way they came. More of the castle crumbled into pebbles. “I destroyed the castle.”

  Her aquamarine eyes sparkled. “There’s another, in the ocean. One untainted by Saressa’s evil.”

  “Good, though I don’t believe most Fae can visit.”

  A laugh bubbled out of Marielle. “You can, but not as easily as here.”

  Alenathos, Fuerah, Aquila, and Ororo walked down the stairs, as more of the walls fell away.

  Toryn sat up, and Isa’s attention landed on the white scar on his chest. It looked like twisting fire on top and swir
ling water on the bottom, but it wasn’t finished.

  Isa looked at Marielle. “That can’t be removed, can it?”

  She shook her head. “No. Cursed blade. I know of no way to remove it.”

  Toryn looked down and shrugged. “Could carve something more to it?”

  “Hell no!” She took his hand and pressed it to her thigh. “Could have Fallon hide it beneath a tattoo.”

  He grinned. “You’re amazing. Have I mentioned that?”

  She grinned. “We should find the rest of the people who came to help, then get back to the Air Kingdom.”

  “There are others in the dungeons. Please, help us free them first?” Marielle asked.

  “You okay?” Isa looked into Toryn’s azure gaze.

  “Yeah, good as new.” He reached out to touch Marielle’s shoulder. “Thank you.” Then he nodded at Miles. “Sorry it had to come to that.”

  Scotty coughed. “I did the same for Isa when she nearly tapped out her magic trying to heal you.”

  He laughed. “Oh, those memories will have to last, since I don’t think Jayde will let us join.”

  Scotty chuckled. “Don’t want to share. Sorry.”

  Isa turned to him, touching Scotty’s face tenderly. “Thank you, Scotty.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead.

  Doubt crept into his brown eyes. “He wouldn’t have suffered if I hadn’t—”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips. “Don’t finish that. You were not in control.”

  Jayde stepped up beside them. “She’s right. You were taken by a dragon. I couldn’t counter Gebiet. It happened so fast.”

  “Still—” he started.

  Jayde kissed him, stopping further argument.

  Preston stepped beside her and looked over Toryn. “Shit, I’m glad they fixed whatever the fuck they did.”

  Toryn ran his hand over the scar. “Except this.”

  Preston lifted a single shoulder, light in his eyes. “I know someone who can cover it.”

  A crash sounded as more of the castle fell.

  Marielle spoke up, “We need to hurry to free the others.”

  Isa nodded. “Lead the way. And we may as well take the most direct route.”