Betrayed By Blood

by Tiffany Shand

  Chapter 9

  Kaylan gasped, finding herself back in her living room, as bright white light flashed around her. Geth and Sierra stared back at her. “What did you do?” Kaylan demanded.

  “You didn’t answer our calls, so we summoned you,” Sierra replied, brow creasing. “What’s wrong?”

  “What’s wrong is that you just left Elijah at the hands of Ena.” She ran her hands through her hair. “We have to go back. Right now.”

  “What happened?” asked Geth.

  “I tried contacting Freya but we got interrupted.” She sat down and recited the spell once more, letting herself sink into unconsciousness.

  Light flashed around her until she found herself in near complete darkness. Only a small shaft of light radiated down the wall from a hanging crystal.

  “Freya?” Had the spell worked? She hadn’t expected the spell to take her into a prison cell. Then realised they were inside Freya’s mind. Why would Freya imagine herself to be in a place like this?

  “Kaylan?” a voice came out of the darkness.

  It took Kaylan’s eyes a moment to adjust to the gloom. Freya sat huddled in a corner, her face smudged with dirt.

  “Freya.” She rushed over, her arms passing through her sister’s body. “Damn, I’m only here telepathically. Freya, listen. We don’t have much time. What happened to you?” she asked. “Why are you working with Ena?”

  “I came here to find out about the Stardust drug. It killed my friend Nolan.” Freya sat up, wiping the smudges off her face. “I met Ena again that night and she told me she’s been trying to work her way up within the Order to–”

  Kaylan’s eyes narrowed. “Listen to me, Freya. Ena killed our parents.”

  Freya snorted. “That’s ridiculous. She’s been trying to find a way to restore our family name. She wants the Zegans gone just as much as we do.”

  “No, she’s going to kill the High Lord so she can take control of the Order. She knows how powerful they are — once she gets hold of the Amaranthine Chronicles there will be no stopping her,” Kaylan said. “She’s responsible for the recent string of deaths in the city. She turned Elijah into a shifter.”

  “Why would she do that?” Freya laughed.

  “Because she knows she needs power and force over the rest of the Order. Having an army of shifters would make her unstoppable,” Kaylan replied. “I know what she did Freya; I saw her stab Dad to death.”

  “Ena said you wouldn’t understand. This city is crawling with evil and crime. Ena wants to put an end to that.”

  “By destroying the Order?”

  “You know how corrupt they are.”

  “Yes, but I don’t think murdering them is the answer.” Kaylan stared at her sister. This wasn’t the gentle, fun-loving Freya she knew. “What did Ena do to you?”

  Freya laughed again. “You think she tortured me, don’t you? She made me see the truth, Kaylan. Why can’t you see this is the only way to stop the Order’s corruption?” she said. “You’ll see the truth too soon enough.”

  Kaylan’s brow creased. “What do you mean?” She’d suspected Ena had been planning something given how the deaths from the drug seemed to be increasing. “What is she going to do? Freya, she almost killed Elijah. She turned him into a beast, and she’s been trying to do the same to others.”

  But Freya only grinned.

  It sent a chill down Kaylan’s spine. “She’s already made more shifters, hasn’t she?” Realisation formed in her stomach. “So why is she using your blood then?”

  Her sister didn’t answer, turned away from her and stared at the wall.

  “I’m guessing they’re not as strong as Elijah is. That’s why she’s been hunting him so much. Did he really kill those guards?”

  The answer didn’t matter. Kaylan can see now that there was no reasoning with Freya. She looked around, but there was nothing in the room to indicate where they might be. No windows. Only a locked door and white washed walls. The only light came from the blue crystal hanging from the ceiling.

  She felt a tug at the edge of her senses. “I have to go. The spell won’t last much longer.” She reached out as if to touch Freya’s cheek. “I’ll be here for you soon.”

  Freya’s smile widened. “I know.”

  Kaylan gasped as her eyes flew open. “We need to go. I have to get Elijah and Freya back before Ena does something stupid,” Kaylan told them. “We’ll need reinforcements. I don’t know what Ena’s planning but I’m guessing it’s something big.”

  “Do we know where they are?” asked Geth.

  “Somewhere in the High Lord’s house.”

  “Cedric won’t give us backup unless he has proof,” Sierra said.

  Kaylan frowned. “Is my word not good enough?”

  “It’s too much of a risk. We have no idea what we might be up against.”

  “Fine then I’ll go by myself.” Kaylan grabbed her jacket and pulled it on, arming herself with more knives.

  “You can’t go alone,” Geth protested. “It’s suicide.”

  “I’m not an Amaranthine anymore, remember?”

  “But we’re still your friends, and you’re not going anywhere without us,” Sierra insisted.

  “What about Cedric?”

  Sierra grinned. “Screw him.”

  “Fine, then let’s go. Sierra, there’s something I need you to do.”

  Kaylan tried not to sigh as she stood in the training courtyard, shifting uneasily from foot to foot. She wanted nothing more than to burst into that mansion and find Elijah and her sister instead of watching Flynn making an idiot of himself at this tournament. Watching warriors graduate from the academy was a big event in Ormere and she knew if Ena planned to strike at the Order this would be the place. She had to be here for the plan to work successfully and not raise any suspicions.

  “We are already outside the mansion,” Geth’s voice echoed in her ear.

  “Everything is ready,” Sierra added.

  “Are you alright, Anne?” asked Flynn.

  She turned her attention back to him. “Yes – I’m just nervous.”

  Today, the High Lord was coming to watch the progress of the students. She watched the gathering crowd and scanned each face. She was certain she had spotted Ena. What kind of twisted game was the Glistan playing now?

  Flynn bowed to his opponent then stood, feet spread.

  He’s going to get himself killed! Kaylan resisted the urge to cover her face and instead looked at the crowd. She watched Flynn’s opponent. A sorceress. Her mane of blonde hair fell past her shoulders and her blue eyes fixed on Flynn as she smiled. Kaylan’s hand went to the knife concealed underneath her jacket. She forced herself to remain calm. If she reacted, Ena would know and her disguise would no longer offer any protection.

  Light flashed as a bolt of lightning slammed into Flynn, hurtling him to the ground.

  To her amazement, Flynn scrambled up, despite the pain etched on his face, and raised his hand. Light flashed as he tried to strike but his magic fizzled out.

  “Come on, Sierra,” Kaylan murmured.

  “Three, two, one.” Sierra counted down.

  “People of Ormere this is the voice of the Amaranthine.” Everyone’s attention turned to the two large screens that sat on each side of the stadium. A pair of glowing eyes flashed across the screen. “We are the justice of this city. This recording cannot be traced or stopped.”

  Just as the recording started to play, a scream rang out. Kaylan turned her attention back to the crowd. High Lord Thedric slumped to the ground, blood dripping from his throat as a Freya stood over him, knife raised. Freya turned, smiled at sister then vanished.

  Kaylan gasped before pulling a glamour tight around herself and taking to the air. She used the currents to propel herself to the High Lord’s house and landed by the open back door.

  Sierra and Geth stood inside waiting for her. They had already stunned the guards and bypassed the wards with a new invention: the distorter. O
r as Kaylan like to think of it, the “Ward Off Button”.

  “I can’t believe she just did that,” Geth murmured, watching everything play out on his porta-crystal which streamed broadcasts. “Why would she do that?”

  “Because she’s lost it. Ena needs to know we won’t take this lying down.” Kaylan drew a knife. “Let’s go.”

  A scream echoed around them.

  “Right, that doesn’t sound like a trap,” remarked Sierra.

  Kaylan’s feet pounded on the stairs as she hurried up to the great hall. She had to get to Elijah. Heart pounding, she pushed open the doors.

  The hall stood empty, no sign of Ena or Elijah.

  “Kay, are you sure Freya was here?” asked Sierra.

  “Yes, I sensed her. She has to be here.” Kaylan glanced around the room.

  “Or maybe it’s a trap,” said another voice.

  Several figures with bright glowing golden eyes advanced towards them. Fangs and claws bared.

  Shifters. Kaylan grabbed her knife and drew magic. So this was the army Ena had spent the last year creating.

  “Wonderful, aren’t they?” Ena appeared on the balcony above them with Freya beside her.

  “Why are you doing this?” Kaylan asked. “You already helped Thedric gain power by murdering my family. What good does it do killing him now?”

  “Thedric hired me to do it, but I didn’t do it for profit. Then the bastard had me locked away in an asylum. I thought I’d be his prisoner forever—until I found this.” Ena held up a piece of yellowed parchment. “At first the magics were useless to me but now I have someone who can help me. Thanks to your sister I’ll finally have my revenge on everyone who ever wronged me.”

  Kaylan knew it must be a page from the Amaranthine Chronicles. Freya had helped their parents’ murderer to use forbidden magic. She was responsible for taking Elijah away from her and destroying so many innocent lives.

  “Why would you do this?” she demanded, staring up at her sister.

  “Because I’m tired of being overshadowed my you all the time. You’re second in line to become the Amaranthine leader and I had nothing.” Freya gripped the railing. “You stood idly by while that bastard Thedric ruled our city and did nothing to avenge our parents’ deaths.”

  “That’s not true!” she protested.

  “Kaylan!” Sierra muttered as the shifters moved closer.

  She’d almost forgotten they were there. Her sister’s betrayal stung, but there was no time to think about that.

  “Why did you turn Elijah?” She knew it was pointless to ask, but she still needed to know why.

  “With Freya’s help, I discovered something fascinating in his DNA. Elijah is a true shifter. He had to die to make the transformation complete.” Ena grinned. “My new creations don’t last long, but they will last long enough to kill you both.”

  “Freya, don’t do this. We’re family.” Kaylan gave her sister a pleading look.

  “No, we’re not.” Freya folded her arms. “Goodbye, Kaylan.”

  The last thing she saw was the gleam of gold eyes as the shifters surrounded them.

  Continues in Dark Revenge

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for reading Betrayed By Blood.

  I hope you enjoyed this book. I’d love it if you could post a review about it on Amazon or another book site. Getting reviews for my books gives me a big thrill and I look forward to hearing what you thought. Perhaps you can mention who your favourite character was and which parts you liked best.

  For updates and news about my books signup for my author newsletter and get a free gift at tiffanyshand.com/newsletter

  I look forward to hearing from you.

  Tiffany Shand.

  Excerpt from Dark Revenge

  Kaylan Avilion watched the golden glow as seven shifters surrounded her and her friend, Sierra. She watched her sister, Freya, turn away from her and knew there was no reasoning with her, while her former sister-in-law, Ena, only smiled.

  Her breath caught in her throat as the beasts snarled, fangs and talons bared as they advanced towards them. Killing one shifter was hard enough, she’d never had to fight off so many before and she had no idea where her ex-fiancé, Elijah, was. As a shifter himself, he might have been able to help, but she’d lost contact with him after their last encounter.

  Her mind automatically reached for out for Elijah. She’d lost track of him after her last attempt to save her sister.

  Kaylan and Sierra backed away. Kaylan pulled out one of her knives with one hand and drew magic with the other. What chance did they have? If they were anything like Elijah, they were immensely strong and fast with claws and talons. Magic would only get them so far.

  “Freya, don’t do this!” Kaylan said, giving her sister one last pleading look, but knew the plea was futile.

  “Goodbye, Kaylan.”

  Elijah! The inner cry came out of nowhere as panic made her heart pounded like a drum. She didn’t want to die. Not here. Not now. Not without seeing him again.

  Kaylan threw a fireball at the first shifter as he came at her. He winced as it hit him in the chest, but it didn’t slow him down.

  Sierra raised her hand. A burst of static shot out from a crystal. Another shifter yelped as he staggered backwards, shaking his head to fight off the effects.

  Kaylan would’ve been impressed if she hadn’t been so afraid.

  The doors to the hall banged open as a blur of darkness shot into the room. It lunged at the nearest shifter, followed by a loud growl as the shifter slumped to the floor in a pool of blood. It took a moment for her to realise the blur was Elijah.

  Her heart leapt and some of the fear melted away. At least now they might have a fighting chance.

  Sierra continued stunning their attackers, barely keeping them at arm’s length.

  Kaylan, using her flying ability, leapt into the air as another two came at her. Using the height advantage to the fullest, she kicked them both in the head and knifed another one in the back.

  Elijah moved as a blur of claws and a flash of golden eyes. His mop of brown curls looked an unruly mess when he stopped to strike one of their assailants.

  Ena and Freya were making their escape from the hall. Kaylan flew at them. She wouldn’t let Ena escape so easily. This woman had murdered her family. She knocked the other sorceress to the floor in one swift move, using her power to keep her airborne.

  Ena yelped and Freya threw a strike at Kaylan.

  She dodged it, throwing the knife at Ena. Ena raised her hand, palm flashing with light as the blade bounced off and she smiled back.

  Anger burned through her blood like never before. Anger at her parents’ and brother’s deaths, fury at Elijah being taken away from her by turning him into beast. Kaylan landed, hurling a fireball at Ena.

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