“Not dead?” She frowned and clutched at her forehead as the knowledge of all that she was and ever had been flooded into her mind. For a moment, it hurt so much that she was convinced there was just too much information for her brain to contain.
“Jaden is alive,” the woman said. Nerya somehow knew her name was Asumi, and she was her friend. “Don’t get upset, Nerya, everything will be fine.” Asumi slipped a grey garment over her head. “Let’s get you dressed.”
“Jaden is alive?” How could he possibly be alive when she’d seen him die? “I don’t understand.”
As Asumi forced her arms into the garment, Nerya realized she was naked and Chang was here—he was the man Asumi had been talking to. Chang had an arm draped protectively around Brion who appeared scared. Another man stood beside Chang, wearing the uniform of Naga’s prison guards. Blushing in embarrassment, she pulled the gown down to cover herself. Her mind hadn’t fully connected with her body, and her movements were still a shade clumsy, as if her limbs didn’t quite belong to her any more.
“Go.” Chang addressed the guard. “Rescue your sweetheart. At the same time, tell any of the concubines and servants you see that they must flee. It won’t be safe for them to remain in the citadel much longer.”
“You said that Jaden isn’t dead?” Nerya asked in confusion as the guard bowed to Chang and hurried off.
“Yes. He’s alive.” Chang smiled. “You’ll see for yourself, Nerya.” He pulled Brion even closer, patting his shoulder reassuringly. “Jaden is not far away. I’ll take you to him, but, as I told the guard, we need to get out of here as soon as possible.”
Nerya sat on a blanket on the stone floor of a narrow chamber. Chains hung from the ceiling and dangled from the walls. It appeared to be a torture chamber of some kind. The place had a sinister air about it. Somewhere far in the distance, she could hear shouting and even the sound of fighting. She shuddered as she heard a sudden, high-pitched scream. “What’s happening?” she asked Chang. “And where are we?”
“Deep in the bowels of the citadel,” Chang replied. “Lord Naga’s amulet was destroyed, and all the released souls are taking control of their bodies again. Those who can find them, of course.” Chang’s features were tight with concern. He rarely displayed any emotion, so this must be very bad. “You have to try to pull yourself together, Nerya. We have to leave. It’s possible the poor creatures will take revenge on anyone they can lay their hands on. I’ve no doubt some will have been driven quite mad by their confinement.”
Jaden crouched on the black sand, his head in his hands, consumed by abject misery as he forced himself to face the fact he’d lost Nerya. Chang had told him, when Jaden had miraculously arisen from the dead, that Naga had taken Nerya’s soul. At that moment, Jaden couldn’t think of anything but revenge, and he’d stormed into the cavern to slay as many as he could. But that was over now, and he no longer had the will to live. It had died along with all the mercenaries he’d slaughtered. Their blood-soaked corpses surrounded him, some with limbs, or even heads, missing, while their blood coated his body and dripped from his fingertips. Yet he didn’t care. Nothing mattered to him anymore.
He flinched when a hand touched his shoulder. “Go away,” he said bleakly. “Leave me be.”
“We have to leave, Jaden.”
He dropped his hands from his face. He couldn’t believe he was hearing her voice. “Nerya?”
Jaden’s gaze fastened on the face of the woman he loved. Was this all some wonderful dream? Maybe they hadn’t defeated Naga. Maybe he was still dead. He closed his eyes and opened them again, but, to his infinite relief, she was still there. Her beautiful face streaked with tears, she pressed her lips to his. He felt the dampness of those precious tears on his own cheeks as he inhaled the sweet scent of her body. This was no creature from the underworld. This was his Nerya.
“Get up, Jaden,” she insisted, pulling at his arm.
“There are all Lord Naga’s guards to contend with yet. You can’t sit here all day.” Sarin smiled down at him. “And you’re not dreaming. Nerya is here, and she’s fine. Tarn saved her when he destroyed Naga’s stone.”
“All the souls that still had bodies returned to them,” Nerya explained as Jaden rose shakily to his feet. “The others—who knows. I just hope that, whatever happens to them, they’re finally at peace.”
Jaden wasn’t even listening to what she was saying as he pulled Nerya into his arms and held her close. “My love,” he murmured. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“Well, you haven’t.” She hugged him back and kissed him tenderly. As she pulled back from him, she wrinkled her nose. “You’ve got blood all over me.”
“What?” Red stains streaked the front of her gown. “Sorry.” Without thinking, he reached out to rub the blood smears from her cheek, then pulled back when he noticed the sorry state of his hands. He was drenched in the stuff, and if he touched her again, he’d just get more blood on her.
“Here.” Tarn pulled off his black surcoat and held it out to Jaden. “Clean yourself up with this. There’s no time to be fastidious. We need to get out of here, and fast.”
“Chang says we shouldn’t chance leaving by way of the citadel,” Nerya added, picking up one of the swords he’d dropped, testing its weight before she shoved it in her belt. “Most of Naga’s soldiers are no doubt fleeing for their lives by now—that’s if they’ve survived, of course. The poor people who’ve just had their souls returned are running amuck in the citadel, and Chang fears that at least some of them will have totally lost their sanity. Here.” She planted his dragon sword in the sand at his feet. “We need to go. Judging by what I felt when I was trapped with them, I’ve no doubt some of them have gone insane. They’ll be capable of anything.”
Jaden rubbed his hands and arms, trying to wipe off as much blood as he could. To his relief, Chang entered the cavern, holding Brion in his arms, Asumi walking beside him. “It appears everyone is safe,” Jaden murmured. The gods had been on their side after all. He’d never expected all his friends to survive, although he’d prayed they would. Asumi carried a lidded wicker basket. Judging by the loud mewling emanating from the basket, it contained two small, rather unhappy kittens.
Jaden tossed aside the soiled cloth, grabbed his sword and took hold of Nerya’s hand. He’d let her be the warrior she truly was, but he’d never allow her out of his sight again. No doubt there would be a battle about that. Tarn had stepped back a few paces when Chang appeared, almost as if he were fearful of seeing his son again.
“Brion.” Chang set the boy down on the sand. “We’re safe now, and there’s someone special here you’ll want to see.” Chang beckoned Tarn forward.
Tarn, clearly apprehensive, stepped toward Brion. When the child saw him, he frowned. Jaden feared the spell might still be in place and Brion might not recognize his father. Tarn would be devastated if that happened. To Jaden’s relief, Brion’s face suddenly lit up. Smiling, he held out his arms. “Father, I knew you’d come for me.”
Even Jaden felt moved as Tarn clasped his son to his chest, tears of joy filling his eyes. So Naga’s spell was broken, just as Chang said it would be. Knowing Sarin as well as he did, Jaden was certain the mage hadn’t survived. There was no sign of his body, but no doubt it was somewhere close by. What had happened to Senshu? Not that he cared a jot for her fate. She deserved whatever awaited her. His hand tightened on his sword. When he’d come to and discovered he wasn’t dead, he’d been overwhelmed, hardly able to believe he’d denied the hand of death itself. Jaden had spent three years in Acheron, and he’d never heard even a rumor or fanciful tale of any such things happening before. His innocent love for Eridea had been destroyed during his painful indoctrination, but he had cause to thank her now. She’d gifted him with something quite miraculous.
“We must go that way.” Chang pointed to the far side of the cavern. Jaden was just able to make out a narrow doorway cut into the rock. “It leads into the passageways under the c
itadel. Once we reach the city, I know a place where we’ll be able to obtain fresh clothing and horses.”
“We should hurry,” Sarin said to Jaden. “No doubt the chaos will soon make its way down here.” He held out his hand to Asumi. “Come, little one—don’t look so fearful. I will protect you.”
Jaden smiled. Sarin could never resist a pretty face, even at a time like this. “In that case…” Jaden let go of Nerya and prized a sword out of a dead mercenary’s hand. “You’ll need a weapon,” he said, handing it to Sarin.
Nerya smiled at Jaden as he removed the dragon amulet and placed it securely in the silver box. “I’m glad it’s over.”
He snapped the lid shut. “Here, you can keep it.” Jaden handed her the box. “I hope I’ll never have need of it again.”
In all the chaos of the last few hours, Nerya hadn’t had the chance to find out how Asumi had escaped Senshu’s clutches. Somehow she had, and she’d recovered the box and brought it along with her when they’d fled the citadel.
“In time you can purge them from your mind completely,” she said to Jaden as she slipped the box in the pocket of her breeches.
“I can’t even feel them anymore.” Jaden sighed. “Now their link with me is broken, it will be far more difficult for them to track us.” He glanced over at Tarn and Sarin. They were with the soldiers, who’d been waiting for them in the hills all this time, getting ready to leave. “We should be on our way as soon as possible. Before I took off the amulet, I sensed there were men on their way to Usaka. A detachment of troops and a small contingent of Dai’Shi-en.”
“Thank goodness Asumi managed to persuade her family to leave when we did,” Nerya said. “I’d hate to think of her being in Usaka when the emperor’s troops arrive.”
She’d been sad to say goodbye to her friend, but Asumi’s life would be quite comfortable from now on. Chang had managed to break into Naga’s treasury. He’d brought with him as much of the mage’s gold as he could carry. With the money Chang had given them, Asumi’s family would have more than enough to settle somewhere else. Jaden had suggested they go to the far north of Acheron. He knew it was safer there, far from the reach of the Dragon Lords and their followers.
Jaden smiled. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Brion is depending on her to look after his kittens.”
Once they’d reached the relative safety of Usaka, they’d purchased new clothes, supplies and fast horses from the trader Chang knew and trusted. By that time, the disruption had spread from the citadel into the surrounding streets as the former soulless ones sought their revenge. Of course, Jaden had wanted to go back to the citadel to find his stallion Barsan, but it hadn’t been safe to do so. He hadn’t said anything, but Nerya knew he’d been sad to leave his beloved horse behind.
“Here.” Jaden handed Nerya the reins of her horse. It was not long after dawn, and she felt incredibly weary. The city had been in such chaos, they’d been forced to remain hidden in the house to which Chang had taken them until first light. They’d all tried to sleep for a short time, but with all the horrifying noises outside, it had been impossible. By the time dawn came, the mayhem had calmed a little, so they’d left the city and headed for the hills to meet up with the soldiers. “We’ll make straight for the plains of Sonmara. It will be a long, hard ride, but at least we’ll be going home.”
“Home, yes.” She’d no idea where that was anymore. Once they were safely out of Acheron, she and Jaden would have to talk about the future, but she had no wish to even think that far ahead at present.
“Ready?” Sarin and Tarn rode up to them as Nerya mounted her horse.
“Of course.” Jaden sprang into the saddle of his mount. “Sarin, there’s a troop of soldiers on their way to Usaka right now.”
Sarin frowned, but didn’t question him. “And?”
“If they learn all that happened in the citadel, they’ll send men out to try to hunt us down.” Jaden didn’t appear concerned, although Nerya suspected he was.
“If they learn. Shouldn’t that be when?” She frowned. “They’ll use torture, won’t they, Jaden?”
“Yes. We must move fast. I don’t think we’ll be wholly safe, even when we reach Kabran territory. Boundaries won’t trouble them now.”
“Then we should find a way to block the ravine so they can’t get through the mountains.” Tarn pursed his lips thoughtfully. “How, I’ve no idea, but we have to do something until I can contact my army and have troops sent to guard that part of the border.”
“Blocking the ravine. That’s easier said than done,” Sarin interjected.
“Not necessarily.” Chang nudged his horse up beside the three men and pointed to a small white sack attached to his saddlebags. “It’s the same powder Naga used to create the blue fire. He used magic to ignite it and blast it across the cavern, but it works quite well for the ungifted, if you know how to use it properly. With this much, I can cause an avalanche of rocks that will block the ravine, once we are out of it and on Kabran soil.”
“Chang,” Sarin said, his interest focused on the man. “I’m certain I could find a use for you in Percheron, and I pay those who serve me very well.”
“Perhaps.” Chang’s expression softened as he glanced over at Brion, who sat on Tarn’s horse, held safe in his father’s arms. “We shall see.”
“Chang is coming home with me,” Brion insisted. “He’s my friend.”
“My lord.” Sarin’s tracker spurred his horse toward them. “Someone is following us.”
“Someone?” Jaden asked, turning toward the distant hill, behind which was Usaka. “Only one horse, by the look of it,” he added, screwing up his eyes as he concentrated on the small pall of dust rising above a clump of trees. A white, riderless horse appeared from the cover of the trees and galloped toward them.
“Is that Barsan?” Nerya asked.
“I believe it is,” Jaden said, smiling broadly.
Senshu groaned in agony. How much longer would they leave her here in the dungeons? They’d stripped her naked and chained her just like she’d chained Jaden. The manacles bit into her wrists, and blood dripped down her arms as she hung, helpless and so very afraid, unable to even touch the floor to relieve the pressure, every muscle and sinew strained. In no time at all her arms would be wrenched from their sockets. She’d never known agony such as this. How dare they treat someone of her importance in this terrible fashion?
Nothing had worked out as she’d planned. Jaden rushing to the protection of his whore had surprised her. She’d made Naga aware of Nerya, thinking it would be a good way of getting rid of the whore but she’d never expected Jaden to put their entire plan in jeopardy by making an insane effort to save the bitch. He’d fought with amazing skill, but he’d succumbed to the overwhelming odds and she’d thought all was lost.
His miraculous reappearance had terrified her. He wasn’t just a Dai’Shi-en. He was a far more powerful being, one she didn’t know at all. Fearful of what Jaden would do to her after Naga had been killed, she’d fled and taken refuge in her rooms. She’d been unsure what to do next, but she’d still hoped to somehow find a way to take control of the citadel.
What she hadn’t counted on was the behavior of the newly restored soulless ones. She’d been forced to cower in her room for a day and a half waiting for the furor to die down. When she’d at last ventured out of her refuge, she’d discovered the citadel was empty. All she’d seen everywhere were terribly mutilated bodies and copious amounts of blood. Most of Naga’s men were dead, and those who’d survived had fled. She too had been preparing to flee when the emperor’s troops had arrived in Usaka.
At last she heard the cell door open—someone had come to release her. Relief flooded through her. Senshu’s eyes widened as a tall, muscular and commanding man walked toward her. His hard, angular features were not unattractive, and the long, puckered scar that marred the left side of his face gave him a dangerous, rather alluring air that she found compelling.
As he eme
rged from the shadows, she spotted the dragon amulet around his neck. He was Dai’Shi-en! She’d already been planning to offer herself to him in order to gain her release, so how brutal and passionate would his lovemaking be? She shuddered as his gaze casually roved her voluptuous, naked body.
“Please release me,” she whimpered. “I’ve been hanging here for hours, and it hurts so much.”
“Hours?” He gave a cold laugh. “It’s been only a short time. I often leave my prisoners hanging like this for days.”
“Days? That’s not possible,” she stuttered. Perhaps he was just trying to frighten her. “I’d die. Would I not?”
“I’ll not let you die—be assured of that.” He slapped the keitan he held against his gloved hands. “Not until you’ve told me all I want to know. Lord Naga betrayed my master, the emperor. He’s vowed that the mage and all those close to him will suffer untold agonies.”
“Lord Naga is dead…”
“He is indeed.” His eyes were dark and frigid, as if there were no feeling behind them.
“And I’m just one of his many concubines—I know nothing at all. I was taken from my family and forced to serve him against my will.”
“A concubine who had in her bags, when she was captured, a king’s ransom in gold and precious stones?”
“I stole them to help my escape,” she stuttered. “And of course to give to the people in the city who’d suffered under Lord Naga’s rule.” She knew a Dai’Shi-en wouldn’t care about the people, but she’d heard the empress was a kind and magnanimous woman.
There was a sudden loud whimper that didn’t come from Senshu. A soldier appeared, dragging a terrified girl by her hair. He threw the bruised and battered creature at the Dai’Shi-en’s feet. She was probably just one of the servants, and of little importance to anyone.
“Well?” the Dai’Shi-en asked the girl.
“Yes, that’s Lady Senshu, Lord Naga’s consort,” the girl said haltingly, her face tight with fear.
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