Guardian (Book Two of the Spirits' War Trilogy)
Page 32
I train my eyes upon Patercius. “You!” I scream, and all eyes are on me: Covenant, Knight and shapeshifter alike.
“The sleeping beauty finally awakens to rejoin the battle!” Patercius crows, aiming another swing at Nwyfre. Flint easily dodges the blow and spins around with astounding grace for a hulking bruin.
I strain to see where he’s indicating.
I breathe a sigh of relief, sinking into my best imitation of a warrior’s stance as I ready myself for the looming onslaught.
“Die!” a nearby soldier yells, thrusting his blade against my neck. I summon the flames, intending to rely on the elements rather than Shifting; I haven’t mastered the animal forms yet, apart from wolf.
“Step back,” I retort, “or I’ll scorch you!”
Patercius laughs – a bloodcurdling, malicious chuckle that chills the souls of every living thing in his vicinity – even those of his allies.
“Ru-Yeva, you are not yet strong enough to take on my Knights. We are numerous, having joined the ranks of the Covenant—”
“The Covenant has no say in this,” I spit, glaring at the young man. “They do not get to choose which races live or die on this earth. That is solely for nature to decide!”
“You think yourself worthy of the gods’ powers? You think yourself righteous?” Patercius inquires, staring into my eyes with his deep, dark pits. He simultaneously counters a blow from Flint. The dragon seems to be making no headway in the fight.
We need to get out into the open where Flint can utilize his dragon form.
“I could ask you the same thing.” I narrowly dodge a thrust from the soldier in front of me. Three others are closing in, and if I don’t do something soon, we will all perish here just like Flint did sixteen years ago.
I chance a glance at the imprisoned Loch Ness Monster in the pit below.
Nessie scoffs.
Not yet, I want to tell her. This was supposed to be a scouting mission. Flint was going to show me all he knows. Sejka’s memories were going to guide me.
The Father of Lycans chuckles.
Aelshen clears his throat.
Earth.
I peer at the shackles restraining the Loch Ness Monster. Shutting my eyes, I focus on the material, sensing its intricacy. The shackles are strong and tough. Years of struggling could not free the poor spirit.
They’re coated with the same material as the weapon that had hampered Aelshen’s and my abilities. That’s why Nessie can’t make a move against her captors; the metal cuts into her skin, affecting her ability to reach her magic. But if I can destroy them somehow…
I clench my teeth as I dodge an oncoming blow, and not a moment too soon. The flames in my hand growl with deprivation as they latch onto the soldier’s skin. Howling in pain, he leaps back. I use this break in the conflict to slide into Nessie’s pit, pulling on the energies of the riverbed and the grotto.
I kneel, reaching into the rock-hard clay below my bare feet and clawing at it until I can get down deep enough to sense a sufficient amount of water. The earth parts before me like putty.
The ground is full of moisture; if I can elevate it and manipulate its energy, I can create a cloud of cover just like Sejka did in her final battle with Saint Patrick.
“She’s in the pit!” a soldier cries, and the others let out a series of incoherent babbling. All I am listening to is the energy of the earth. I have no time for the escapades of mere mortals. Not anymore.
As the first soldier scurries into the pit, I meet his eye, giving him a smirk as I utter the Gaelic word for water. I raise my hands and move them in a pattern so as to stir the newfound mist around the cavern.
“Down here!” I gasp at our Yeva’si companions as an afterthought.
“Xáan,” Koyah grunts, “to the pit.”
I don’t much fancy the thought of Xáan being loose in the pit with me, shrouded in fog like he’d been the day he’d threatened to kill Xunnu and Sejka. But if I am to gain the trust of Xera’s father – Xunnu’s little brother – then I’ll have to trust him.
I roll my eyes.
That wasn’t the only reason for her to lie still; as I pull upon the moisture of the riverbed, the liquid in Nessie’s veins calls to me. It’s all I can do to keep the Loch Ness Monster’s blood at bay as I summon the will of Uisge to do my bidding.
The fog swirls like a monsoon around the mouth of the pit. I bite back a whoop as Xáan, Xera, and Koyah leap down, taking up their warriors’ stances by my side. Koyah grins at me and Xáan dips his head with respect, Shifting into bear form and starting towards the stream of soldiers that’s swiftly descending.
Jutting my tongue out in concentration, I reach into the riverbed, pulling up a wad of earth and soothing it, shaping it into a sharp stone. Nessie’s wild eyes lock upon the object and she turns her head away. I begin to jab at her restraints, willing Talamh to work its way into the metallic shackles. Bit by bit, the stone splits the material, but it’s slow going.
“Faster, Skye!” Koyah cries.
“Aye, I second that!” the Loch Ness Monster growls, clenching her fists. “They’re weakening! I can feel it!”
I pull upon the strength of the riverbed once again, forcing all I have into the pounding of the stone into the shackle. At last, it cracks, falling to the earth in disintegrating shards.
“Three more,” Nessie whispers as I manoeuvre to the next binding.
A sudden wail tears at my heartstrings and I recognize it as Xáan’s. Without looking up, I sense that he and Koyah are struggling to hold the line.
With a roar of exhilaration, Flint surges up the stairwell. I sense the spirits of the soldiers on his tail, but without the flow of the earth’s energy to aid them, they fall behind. Nwyfre emerges at the top, breathing heavily and bleeding profusely. But he’s made it; I can sense the connection he’s made with the grass of th
e castle’s bailey.
One final blow upon Nessie’s shackles and the monster is free – not a moment too soon. I glance up just as Xáan collapses, a blade protruding from his jaw. He wails in agony as Koyah leaps onto the perpetrator, pinning the soldier to the ground.
“You alright?” I glance at Nessie as the woman flexes her muscles, smoothing out her torn gown.
“You wouldn’t believe how flippin’ good this feels!” The Loch Ness Monster subsequently releases a slew of profanity at the soldiers, causing me to wince at her colourful vocabulary.
I smother the mist to aid the shapeshifters in finding their way up to the bailey.
“If I’m not mistaken, you just swore in sixteen languages, Nessie.”
The spirit spits upon the riverbed, sending her palm alight with her own surge of flames. She closes her eyes, sighing with delight at the feel of the fire against her skin again.
“Didn’t think I had it in me, now did ye?” she says with a wink before turning back to the soldiers. Raising her voice to a banshee’s scream, she hollers, “NOW, DID YE?! SIXTEEN OATHS FOR SIXTEEN YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT AND TORTURE! YOU ARE ALL SLEEPIN’ WITH THE FISHES, TONIGHT, LADS! MARK ME WORDS!”
I’m going to have to introduce Nessie to Elspeth if we make it out of this. They’ve got the same temper.
As Nessie and I pass Xáan, I place my hand on the fur nearest his injury, sending his body alight with the most healing energy I can muster. I grasp the handle of the blade that’s deeply ensconced within his skin, working it out as I mend the cells. Sending a surge of flames against the fur, I cauterize the wound. I try to ignore the scorch marks from the duel we’d partaken in long before this war with Saint Patrick.
“I really am sorry, Xáan,” I tell him sincerely in Yeva’si, projecting my voice above the clatter of claw and sword. “For everything.”
He nods weakly, meeting my eyes. “I am sorry you were accused…” he gasps, “of causing my father’s death when it was he who did not accept your offer of friendship. I could not forgive Sejka and I could not forgive you. But we must stand together now. You are our Guardian. I pledge my loyalty to you. To the Spirits.”
“Rest here, Xáan,” I whisper, catching the spark in his eye as his skin continues to heal. I withdraw my hand and follow Nessie, Xera, and Koyah as they drive the retreating soldiers up the steps.
Nessie cackles, tossing back her head of matted brunette locks, wildly beautiful even in a state of disarray.
54
CONVERGENCE
Aelshen
The harsh wind buffets me face as I pump my wings with ever-increasing difficulty.
Adhair, I command, willing the wind to divert its attention elsewhere. Out of me peripheral vision, I glimpse Elspeth banking sharply, her riders clutchin’ to her neck and to each other with increasing difficulty. The great she-dragon peers at me through half-lidded bestial eyes.
Whoops. Didn’t mean to send that gust yer way, Mrs. Elspeth. ‘Twas an honest mistake.
Ace grunts something rather inaudible, but even so, I can guess what he be askin’: are we there yet?
Just as the thought crosses me mind, I finally glimpse a welcome sight. Well, it would be a welcome sight if it didn’t mean certain death fer me and me passengers. Conwy castle rises upon the horizon. Once upon a time, Nwyfre and I had used this castle as a refuge; now it has been taken over by our greatest enemy.
Patercius, ye’d best not be harmin’ me friends or yer about to have a great jet of flames comin’ yer way. And, I add, glancing at Elspeth’s expression as she pumps her wings even harder against the storm, ye’ll have an irate she-dragon upon ye. Shouldn’t have messed with the Ddreigiau, Patty. They be creatures of teine, an’ it’s never safe to play with fire.
As we descend towards the adjacent river, I gauge the size of our wee playin’ field. I reach out fer Flint’s spirit amongst the legions of Covenant soldiers an’ Knights o’ Saint Patty.
I pull upon uisge for a cover of fog even though the storm is sufficient enough to keep most humans at home. Better safe than sorry, lest three enormous dragons be seen by prying eyes.
I raise me draconic voice above the relentless storm so that me passengers – Ace, Damian, and a few unfamiliar Lycans – can hear me commands. “Listen, ladsss and lassesss! I need ye to all hop off me back once I reach the ground. I’ll go fer Ramsey an’ the rest o’ ye go for the nearest soldiers. Ssstay away from their weaponsss!”
“What?!” Ace demands, leaning forward so abruptly that I nearly lose me balance. Spiralling down in dragon form is difficult enough as it is without ten passengers weighing one down. Should’ve skimped a bit more on the biscuits, but it’s too late now.
“Stay away from their weaponsss!” I roar.
When we reach the walls o’ Conwy, a flurry of arrows is loosed. Two bounce off me thick scales, but one lodges itself deep into me draconic skin.
“Take cover!” Damian cries, gripping more tightly to me great neck.
I release a spurt of white-hot flames upon the soldiers. The men scatter, seeking escape from this new threat. Another volley of arrows follows, but I serpentine quickly enough to keep me riders safe. Quinn shrieks an’ I wince at the sound, glancing at the she-dragon. She lands heavily, shaking her neck. Her passengers slide to the ground, as do mine as soon as me claws hit the earth.
Once I’m out of their range, I whirl around, knocking aside the foremost soldiers with me thick tail. A horde of vengeful Yeva’si strikes the ground around me, Shifting into bear and puma form.
I grin at the wondrous sight of our three races fighting together as one. Then I dive into battle, seeking out Ramsey, Flint, and Skye. I catch sight of Flint first; he’s locked in combat with Patercius himself. Skye fights next to a brunette beauty with long, matted hair and a ravaged gown. The Loch Ness Monster fights fiercely, holding her own as she parries blow after blow.
Sixteen years of pent-up rage can’t be good fer a woman. Patty had better keep his arse guarded.
One thrusts with his blade and Skye cries out in agony. I feel her desperate plea to the earth to give her the strength to carry on. The soldiers tumble across the bailey lawn as Skye’s surge of water runs its course.
She squeals as another soldier rounds upon her. I Shift to man and summon a ball of flames. There’s barely sufficient time to thrust the fireball at the soldier. He sizzles to a crisp, collapsing where he stands.
I chuckle.
Right as rain, I sense the shapeshifters reaching Skye’s side, helping her to fight her way towards Flint and Patercius.
The great brute must be taken down if we are to win this war.
I sense Quinn’s spirit withdrawing; she’ll be heading back to pick up more Lycans.
“Ramsey!” I call out as I sprint up to the elderly gentleman. I yank out the arrow that was lodged deep within me ski
n and initiate the healing process. “We’re here for ye!”
“Right he isss, fer once!” Elspeth chimes in, head-butting a trio of heavily-armed soldiers aside as if they were a wee lass’s dollies. “I’ll be doin’ the rescuin’, here, Mac Tíre. No need to worry ‘bout that!”
“After you, then, milady.”
Ramsey lies in his human form, bindings tossed across his limbs and back and bolted to the metal sheet below him. He canna’ move a muscle save fer his lips, which curl into a gratified grin at the sight of his wife and friends.
I nod at the two Yeva’si – Xera and Koyu, I think their names were. I was never good with names… “Don’t touch the metal! ‘Tis sharp; ‘twill give you a good shock and keep ye from Shifting if it cuts into yer skin!”
“Aye,” Elspeth grunts. “It’ll render ye useless, just like that lump o’er there,” the she-dragon crows, swinging her great head around at me. I roll me eyes but say nothin’ in response.
“Focus on the task at hand, madam. Let’s get yer loved one free.”
Afore long, Ramsey is free an’ stretching his aged limbs. Elspeth Shifts to her womanly form, shoving past me and into her husband’s arms. The two dragons meet in an embrace, and although every contour of their naked flesh is exposed to the elements, their convergence is as timeless an’ beautiful as the spiritual world itself.
I tear me eyes away. “Get a room or get a-fightin’, ye lovebirds.”
Elspeth breaks away to glare daggers at me, an’ then she’s suddenly airborne, having Shifted and launched herself upon an approaching Knight. I give Ramsey a nod and the two of us share a quick grin.
“That’s me wife, Mac Tíre. Don’t ye be stealing her from me, or ye’ll have these to deal with,” the dragon jokes, pointing at his fangs as they begin to elongate with his transformation.