Kerrigan's Race (The Syreni Book 1)

by C. M. Michaels

  The twelve foot coral reef I was using as cover angled away from the clearing for about the first thirty yards before it bent back sharply to the east and split, one section running parallel to the sheer cliff face that formed the backdrop of the gathering site and the other heading straight north, ending less than twenty feet from where they’d been speaking.

  I veered north. There was a chance fish scattering as I passed by would give my location away, but the mid-day sun was bright enough to cause most of the larger fish to seek shady inlets inside the reef. The honeytails and other baitfish I did swim past were small enough to assume I’d prefer larger prey, especially without a net.

  I reached the last outcropping of rocky coral large enough to provide sufficient cover just as the Fae queen assisted Serienne into her cage, using her hand to guide her all the way to the back before closing the metal bars behind her tail and snapping the lock into place. Naome was already secured within her cage, peacefully lying on her back, her shrouded head as still as the gleaming black hands resting on top of her stomach. Serienne almost immediately settled into the identical pose. If I’d had any doubt after the display I’d witnessed earlier, seeing that the always irreverent, free-spirited Naome was now perfectly content to be locked inside a tiny cage with her head shrouded made it clear they no longer had any will of their own.

  Bulrigaard had followed the Fae queen rather than leaving after their conversation had ended as I’d hoped. They were privately arguing again—over what I had no idea—leaving Cami wading in front of her cage appearing just as clueless as I was while she waited for the queen’s assistance. Based on the way they both kept pointing at her she seemed to be the source of the argument.

  What she could have done to offend Bulrigaard when she’d behaved flawlessly as one of the queen’s toy dolls the entire time rather than make any fucking effort to free herself in spite of being heavily armed was anybody’s guess.

  Damn it. I knew I wasn’t being fair. All her bravery, her incredible fighting skills, her determination, her devotion, underneath it all laid a human soul just as susceptible to the queen’s magic as any other.

  After passing along an update on the current situation to Taleoek and Sennika I instructed them to hold their positions. Bulrigaard was still far too close to Cami for us to move in.

  You are a foul, crude, stupid man! The Fae queen barked at him, a clawed finger jabbing toward his face to accentuate each word as her wings swept up high above her head, clearly trying to make herself look more intimidating.

  Never thought I’d agree with Hades’ whore of a witch about anything but she had his number. Whatever their squabble had been about, he’d managed to piss her off something good. She wasn’t even keeping her thoughts just between them any longer.

  Bulrigaard’s roundhouse, open hand slap rocked her head to the side, making her lustrous red eyes momentarily dim. You expect me to just take your word for it, you wretched little parasite? You promised once she was Fae she’d pleasure me however I wished. I’m not going to wait five months only to find out you can’t deliver on your side of the deal. She’ll either demonstrate her newfound desire for me, here and now, or I’ll kill them all and raze your precious Hive down to the gods-forsaken bedrock.

  The threat on Cami’s life was yet another reason why I’d really enjoy butchering the son of a bitch—which was becoming a very long list—but I didn’t take it seriously. He had far too ambitious of plans—plans he’d spent months carefully architecting—to abandon them now when he seemingly still had everything in his grasp. Even if he did make a move toward her or her sisters I was close enough to intervene. Assuming Cami didn’t impale me the moment I got within the range of her sword, of course.

  The part I couldn’t handle was hearing him confirm what Lanipas had shared just prior to becoming a eunuch. He planned to turn my compar into his personal whore. If that bastard so much as kissed her he’d get his pleasure in the form of my sword jammed up his ass. I’d fuck the fat pig with my three foot blade until I cut him in half. Maybe quarters.

  At some point while I’d been daydreaming Cami had removed her hood and drawn one of the daggers from a sheath at her waist. She was eyeing Bulrigaard like she intended to kill him if he dared lay another finger on her queen. But it wasn’t just protective rage coursing through her veins. Every ounce of her being was repulsed by the thought of him touching her. Even under the control of the Fae my woman still had taste. I was so happy to catch a glimpse of my compar still alive inside her mind that it didn’t even dawn on me I was feeling her emotions. Our bond hadn’t been severed, it was just weakened in her compelled state, allowing only our strongest emotions to be broadcast over a short distance.

  My euphoria was short lived, as the renewed connection announced my presence to her louder than Chancellor Venerack would’ve prior to a council meeting. Cami flew into action, ushering the queen and Bulrigaard into a small crevice in the cliff face I hadn’t even noticed before, inaccessible without going through her. She raised her shield up beneath her chin and exchanged her short dagger for a Spartan style sword, the blade narrow near the hilt before widening along the bottom edge and rising to a point across the top, the last foot of the massive weapon curving upward.

  I ordered everyone to close in as I drew my own sword, edged out from behind the coral and moved far into the clearing to confront her. Strategically she was in an untenable position. If she went on the attack, she’d be abandoning her queen, who would quickly be slaughtered by the troops that would soon surround her, but if she stood her ground the best she could hope for was a stalemate, one we’d eventually win without bloodshed when she was too hungry or tired to hold up her vigil any longer. Feeling trapped, she reluctantly turned to the only ally available to her, slipping a dagger past Bulrigaard’s defenses to hold against his exposed throat. Whatever threats she privately issued him as her blade bit in and sent a trickle of blood trailing down his neck had him fervently nodding his head. The instant Cami left the mouth of the small opening he drew his sword and took her place.

  I needed to get to her so I could keep her occupied and ensure she remained safe while our warriors dealt with Bulrigaard and the queen. Unfortunately she had other ideas, and darted off to the west to engage the oncoming troops. The first of Taleoek’s men to reach the western edge of the opening was dead before he even raised his sword. She collided with him at full speed, her body pirouetting fluidly around the shield he’d used to absorb the impact as she sank her blade through his back.

  Two others were on her immediately, closing in from opposite angles. With a rapid spin, she sent the edge of her black shield into the mouth of the larger male, crushing his face while her sword scissored down into the neck of his partner, almost decapitating him. She was on the injured warrior before he even retrieved the weapon he’d dropped, her wicked blade sliding home beneath his chest plate on an upward angle so the tip came out of his shoulder.

  When three warriors closed in she chose to flee into the thick coral fields we’d used as cover for our approach, luring them in after her. The dense jungle of porous rocks quickly became a killing field. Shrieks and cries echoed through the tropical water as she methodically hunted them down. She emerged less than five minutes later, still wiping the blood from her blade as she approached the last of Taleoek’s men.

  Kelvin was an up-and-coming lieutenant credited with several griffin kills and a skilled instructor Taleoek relied on to assist with his classes. He was nimble, lightning quick and always thinking five moves ahead. He chose to confront her armed with a dagger and his sword, opting for the additional offensive firepower in lieu of his shield. After briefly circling each other—his experience forcing Cami to exhibit a degree of caution for the first time rather than going for an immediate kill—he launched into a barrage of well-choreographed attacks that forced her to remain on the defensive and counter with repetitive blocking maneuvers, allowing him to study her tendencies. Like a chess master methodically po
sitioning his pieces across the board, he was setting her up for the killing blow.

  When he attempted the coup de grace move, elevating above her to feign another overhead strike—which should have caused her to raise her shield like she had the last five times he’d executed the maneuver, allowing him to dive beneath her guard and bury his sword into her exposed stomach—Cami spun her black tail around instead, catching him just below his hips and flipping him backward. She’d been playing him the entire time. Before he could reorient himself she cleaved off almost a third of his tail, took hold of his head from behind and slit his throat.

  She’d wiped out half our soldiers—including a lieutenant who’d been one of her favorite instructors—without feeling the slightest bit of remorse or suffering so much as a scratch. This was no longer a rescue mission. Even though our souls were still bound together, I’d lost my compar the moment she’d been enchanted by the Fae queen inside the grand ballroom. Whatever feral creature had replaced her needed to be put down before I lost any more of my men.

  Sennika’s troops weren’t having any issues holding Bulrigaard and the witch from hell at bay. I was glad to see they’d settled for containment. At least I’d have an outlet for my hate and anger after I’d sent Cami, Naome and Serienne’s spirits on to Cealum. I needed to be at peace before I took my own life to ensure I’d be united with the two females who possessed a piece of my soul. I almost laughed as I imagined how that living arrangement would work. Cami and Pulchra were far too much alike to ever get along. Then again, I’d gotten both of them killed along with their unborn daughters. Maybe their mutual hatred of me would give them something to bond over.

  By the time Taleoek emerged from the coral maze behind the sleigh, Naome and Serienne had removed their hoods and were rattling the bars of their cages, pleading with their sister to free them so they could fight by her side. He gave Camithia a wide birth as he circled around to meet me, having carefully checked each of his fallen soldiers to determine if their wounds could be treated. I’d never seen his radiant golden eyes look so lifeless. His violet lips were cast downward, the grim expression confirming what I’d already assumed. All of them were dead.

  We didn’t speak. He just gripped the hilt of his sword, issuing a silent offer to spare me the pain of having to kill the incredible woman who’d somehow pieced together my obliterated heart and made me fall in love again.

  I remembered how fiercely she’d fought the first day on the ocean surface when I’d tried to drug her, landing a wicked elbow to my ribs, how I’d stopped on the way to the birthing chamber just to free her chocolate brown hair from her swim cap so I could take in the heady fragrance that was uniquely her. I’d become hopelessly infatuated with her before I’d even learned her name.

  I shook my head. Even if I’d been confident he could defeat her it wasn’t his burden to bear. I knew I’d never forgive him if he took my compar and unborn daughter away from me. And if he fell to her sword, the guilt from his death would only further tear at my soul. Instead I ordered him to protect the others—in case Cami wasn’t content to square off with me—and to immediately kill both Bulrigaard and the Fae queen if it appeared I might fall. I had no false pride. There was no place for arrogance when you were fighting an opponent who’d been trained by the Goddess of war. She’d toyed with experienced soldiers it would’ve taken me a sustained encounter to defeat. While I didn’t fear her, I respected her abilities, and accepted there was a good chance I’d soon find myself in Caelum.

  She seemed to ponder her options while she slowly advanced toward the center of the alcove where I waited. Her queen didn’t appear to be in any imminent danger. And while I doubted even Taleoek and Sennika’s presence among the remaining eight guards concerned her, if she fought them while I was still a threat, they could certainly distract her enough to get her killed. When she raised her shield and closed the remaining ten feet between us I knew she’d reached the same conclusion I would’ve in her place. Her best option was to take me out first.

  Up close, it was almost hard to look at the abomination she’d become since she’d been bound by the Fae queen. Every inch of her jet black body that was visible beneath her rudimentary armor sparkled as if tiny specs of gems in a multitude of colors had been embedded directly into her skin. She wore no helmet, which left her once gorgeous face in plain view along with her shimmering onyx lips. Besides her chest and back plates, which appeared to have been forged several decades ago based on the visible rust and wear, she wore only an ill-fitting layered metal skirt around her hips, woven together pieces of chain mail covering most but not all of her tail, and leather gauntlets, all as black as her skin. Even her impressive sword had huge chinks in the edge of the blade. It was a miracle she’d managed to kill anyone with it given its condition. The large, haphazardly soldered over crack down the center of her shield would compromise the integrity of the metal under a firm blow, and it was far too heavy for her, obviously having been crafted for a much larger male. Apparently the Hive was in desperate need of a blacksmith. If I hadn’t just watched her cut through half our forces with ease I would’ve considered it dishonorable to fight such a poorly equipped opponent.

  I’d been wearing my perfectly-fitted suit of polished golden armor for so long it felt like a second skin. The leather lining inside my spiked metal gauntlets had long ago adopted the shape of my knuckles, making them incredibly comfortable, and my double edged broadsword was forged from only the finest steel, capable of cutting through solid iron. Even my helmet was so worn in it felt weightless on my head. I’d killed more griffins than I could hope to count, several of the beasts with far more experience than the hell spawned creature before me. The sooner I killed it the faster I’d release Cami’s trapped soul.

  The first powerful swing of my blade came down right on the soldered crack in her shield, breaking the shield in half and cutting deep into her left arm. Whatever offensive maneuver she’d planned was quickly aborted as she scurried away and freed her arm from the remnants. Blood was gushing from the gash in her forearm, but based on the way she gripped the dagger she drew from her waist, she still had use of her hand.

  Her pain flowed into me through our bond along with her concern she might fail her queen and even a trace of fear. Knowing my compar was afraid of me felt like she’d buried her dagger in my heart and twisted the blade. I had to tell myself over and over again that this wasn’t really her. That Camithia had died the night of the ball.

  She spun to her right as she shot forward, her sword arching around toward my neck to draw my attention while she thrust her dagger straight into my ribs. I ducked her sword and deflected her dagger with my blade, leaving us facing each other in close quarters with both of her arms outside my body. A sharp left cross to her unguarded face snapped her head back, my spiked gauntlets cutting deep into her cheek from her ear all the way to her nose.

  Rather than stumbling back from the punishing blow like I expected she countered it, capturing my wrist in her left hand and boxing my elbow with her right forearm. White hot pain shot up through my shoulder as bones snapped. Before I could retreat a safe distance to assess the damage and regroup, I felt her sword tear into my back beneath my armor. My quick lunge had managed to get me far enough away to keep it from being a killing blow, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch to have my back flayed open like a tuna.

  My arm hung limp at my side as we studied each other like two battered boxers wondering if the other was going to make it back to their feet after they’d hit the canvas. I doubted she could see anything out of her left eye. Her left cheek was carved into meaty strips of flesh and black skin and her nose was crumpled, the cartilage shattered. With the deep gash on her arm still bleeding profusely she was losing a ton of blood. All I’d have to do is wait until she weakened to finish her. That’s assuming she didn’t kill me first. Now that I only had one functioning arm, I didn’t like my chances of surviving another round. Maybe we could kill each other and make the trip to
Caelum together. I’d even give her the window seat.

  The last thing I expected to feel mixed in with her jumbled emotions as she advanced with both weapons raised was regret. If she didn’t want to see me die, my Cami had to still be in there somewhere. Whether she had enough control of her mind to keep her from killing me rather than just making her feel sorry about it afterward was anybody’s guess, but if there was even a remote chance I could save her that was a chance I was willing to take.

  I sheathed my sword and lowered my right arm. I need you to fight for us, babe. I don’t know what that Fae bitch did to you, but beneath her mind control you’re still in there. I can feel your imprisoned soul calling out to me. Just put down your weapons, Cami. I love you.

  Defend yourself, warrior. Don’t make me kill without honor.

  Okay. Not exactly the mushy terms of endearment I’d hoped to hear in return, but at least she was speaking to me. And she hadn’t killed me yet. That’s always a bonus. I’m not going to fight you, Cami. You’re my compar. I’ve loved you since the moment we met on the ocean surface back when you were still human. Our little angel, Vanessa, is growing inside your womb. If there’s really so little left of you that you’d be willing to kill me than I have nothing left to live for anyway.

  When she lunged forward and pressed her sword against my throat I thought whatever tiny spark I’d sensed of my Camithia had been lost. The blade dug into my skin, drawing blood, but went no further. After several seconds her dagger slipped from her free hand, her brows furrowed and tiny creases formed between her grayish-white, ice-colored eyes. Cami’s uncertain gaze shifted from my face toward the crevice where her Fae queen was being held, as if seeking her guidance. Whatever the demon witch shared in her mind seemed to steel her resolve. She took a deep breath, drew back her sword and swung it at my neck—only to stop herself before it reached my skin. After three failed attempts she finally tossed the blade aside and backed away.