“The cages,” she whispered.
I counted the guards surrounding the iron cages, which were right beside each other, but lost count after thirty. Then my gaze shifted to the prisoners themselves, and my hands curled into fists as smoke trailed from my nose. So many were wounded, and many more appeared to still be under the sleeping curse.
A few yelled at the guards, cursing them out as they struggled to get free.
A creature I could only describe as a deformed troll leered at the cage and the elves inside, then drew back his spear and plunged it right into one of the elves’ chests. The elf gasped for air as the troll yanked it free, collapsing against his brethren.
“Keep quiet, or you’ll all go that way.” The troll grunted, ramming his spear back into the ground.
The elves glowered at him as the wounded one died in their arms. Mori glowed brightly beside me, and Sabella’s hands were filled with light. Kate already had the Vindicar shield out, and Tristan’s body kept shaking as he fought the urge to shift too soon.
Our plan had been to take out the guards as we moved, but most of them were in sight of the others and it would be noticed. Unless we could kill them without having them actually fall to the ground dead. I looked to Mori who frowned at me, tilting her head in question as I wondered how much power it would take for her to hold them up until we could kill the rest without their sounding the alarm.
And if the alarm was sounded, Baladon would come, I was sure of it. Then we’d be in more trouble.
“You look like you have an idea?” Craig said to me as he sidled closer. “What is it?”
“Mori.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Those six along the outer edge here, can you kill them from here and keep them upright?” I asked, pointing out the first six that were close to each other. “If we clear them, it gives us a chance to position ourselves nearer to the others.”
Her brow shot up, but she didn’t say no. “I don’t know how long I can hold them like that.”
“We only need a few moments to get down there, and then we can swarm the others.”
“And the troll?” Sabella asked, studying the hulk of a beast with wide eyes. “Who’s going to kill him?”
“I will, gladly,” I announced.
“No shifting, not unless you have no other choice,” Mori reminded me. “Tristan is small enough to stay out of sight, but not you.”
“I won’t.”
Kate promised to keep herself in human form, too. Two dragons would draw the attention of the entire camp and then our plan would go to shit faster than I could blink.
“Whenever you’re ready,” I said to Mori.
She moved further through the dead trees, shaking out her hands as she went. When she appeared to be in a good position, she looked at me and nodded, focusing on the six guards that made up the rear line of sentinels around the cages. I wasn’t sure what I expected her to do, but laying her hands on the ground was not it. The ground lit up at her touch and pulsed as it stretched outward in two straight lines, moving forward. When it neared the guards, the light branched out. I waited for them to see it, but none of them made a move, too busy watching the trees or the cages behind them to notice their death creeping closer.
Mori’s breath turned ragged from the effort, and I moved closer, resting my hand on her shoulder. Her head shot up at the added strength and her eyes flashed, filled with starlight, as the six lines reached the guards’ feet.
I’d never seen her kill something with starlight and watched in amazement—relieved that I was not her enemy—as six stars shot up out of the ground and struck each guard straight through the chest. The stars burned so hot they cauterized the wounds and left no trace of blood or injury, except for a hole in their shirts. Shirts that covered their bone and shadow bodies. When they started to topple, she pressed her hands harder into the ground and stars wrapped around their feet, sinking into their clothes and skin. Their backs were ramrod straight a moment later.
And from first glance, all appeared to be alive and well.
“Go,” she whispered. “I can’t hold them forever.”
Craig drew the Executioner blade from his back and snuck down the slope toward the camp, with Tristan, Sabella, Kate following close behind. I went after them, leaving Mori to be watched over by Luca and Lucy. The rest of our group followed me, and we hurried as quickly as we could to the cages. At the sight of us, those within started to smile in relief, opening mouths to speak, but we held up our hands, shushing them.
We needed to wipe out the rest of the guards, and then we could begin to celebrate this victory of ours. I pressed my back to a cage, next to Craig, as we peered around another cage, the only thing between us and the next fifteen or more guards. This was going to be much harder than I thought, but there was no turning back now.
Craig nodded, and I whistled one quick note.
“Huh? What do you want?” one of the guards around the cages called out. He came around the side and Craig grabbed him, running him through as he covered his mouth with his hand, cutting off any sound of dying. We shoved his body away, and Danielle dragged it further out of sight.
Hank and Nora were busy trying to open the few cages we could get to, but the locks were taking far longer than anticipated.
“Oy. Where’d that lazy ass go to? Get back to your post,” another guard yelled, bringing three with him this time as he came around the side. “I said get your ass back in line—what the hell!”
He tried to yell, but I grabbed him as Craig and Tristan took the other two.
Kate snagged the third just as he started to open his mouth and we quickly killed them all and threw their bodies out of sight with the others.
Hank hissed in triumph as he got one of the cages open and directed the prisoners up the slope and out of the camp. The original idea had been to take them all from right here, but if we could get them away from the camp, the fewer chances we had of taking the enemy with us. As they ran up the slope, I spied Mori rushing down to join us, the six guards she killed no longer needing to appear alive.
“There’s too many,” Craig breathed to her. “Can you do it again? Otherwise, they’re going to catch on.”
She hesitated for half a second, then she nodded and backed up, knelt, and pressed her hands flat to the ground again. Behind her, I caught sight of Hank opening a second cage, Nora a third.
I willed them to work faster, waiting for our luck to run out any moment now.
Mori lowered her head, and light rushed into the ground, stretching out toward the remaining guards at the front of the cages. The troll who appeared to be in command was around the far side, but he started walking back just as the stars shot out of the ground, striking the guards remaining in the front line.
She cursed as she struggled to keep them upright, more than six this time, while the troll stalked closer. We had to move quickly, but there were still so many cages filled with prisoners.
I waved to Hank, motioning for him to have more help opening cages.
He nodded, and two other fighters broke off, aiming for more cages. Too long, it was going to take too damned long.
The troll stopped at the front line, saying something to one of the guards.
Mori cursed. She could hold them upright, but she couldn’t make them talk when they were already dead.
The troll waited for a reply, and when he didn’t get one, he whirled around furiously and punched the guard in the face.
The dead body crumpled to the ground and didn’t get back up.
It was now or never.
The troll had bent over and was examining the body. When he found the hole through the minion’s shirt, he stood and turned to the others, checking them. Just as his mouth opened wide, ready to shout out they were under attack, Tristan growled from behind me and launched himself over our heads, tackling the troll to the ground.
I rushed in behind him as the troll kicked him off and he yelped in pain, so
aring over the guards that were rushing to the other side of the cages. The bodies collapsed as I neared them, but there was no time to see what Mori was doing, I was on the troll, engaged in hand-to-hand. He charged that spear at me, but I dodged it, blocking it with my blade. I snarled at him as he charged in closer.
Large as he was, he moved too damned fast and that spear tip sliced right through my shirt just as I jumped back to avoid being slashed open from chest to navel.
All around the cages, fighting broke out, and it wasn’t long until panicked cries and dying screams drew the attention of troops and monsters nearby.
The troll cackled with glee as he came after me again and again, bearing down on me with that damned spear of his. I ducked under another swing and hacked at his legs. They were so thick, my sword became stuck in his hide. He bashed me in the face with his spear, sending me falling back into the bars of another cage. I spit blood, growling at him as he yanked my blade free and snapped it in two.
More and more were coming to the guards’ aid.
I heard Mori yell and watched as she and Sabella made quick work of the cages, blasting them open as fast as they could. But there were still too many left. If we left anyone behind, Baladon would kill them. Her gaze latched onto mine and I saw the same realization in her eyes a moment, then the troll grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off my feet.
“You are going to die.” The troll leered. “I’m going to crush you into dust.”
“You… think so, huh?” I gasped. “Not if… I kill you… first, asshole.”
He cackled in my face, but then his smile fell, and I grinned, feeling my dragon reaching toward freedom. There was no point trying to hide now. The troll tried to release me as I shifted right in his grasp, my dragon form massive, overtaking him easily. When he took off, I drew on my fire and breathed it at him, setting him alight.
I planted my claws in the ground and reared my head back for another blast. A second dragon roar tore through the air.
Kate had shifted. Now, both of us were holding off the advancing minions and beasts.
Through the flames and smoke, several more trolls appeared, more commanders, some were the cloaked figures from the night we escaped.
And appearing behind them, out of a swirling storm of shadows, was Baladon. His gaze latched onto mine and those red eyes flared to life as he bellowed the order to charge.
Craig was bellowing for everyone to pull back, among the screams and pleading from those trapped in their cages. He yelled for Sabella and Mori to get moving, but Mori shouted that she wasn’t going anywhere.
I whirled around, growling at her fiercely to do as he said, but she ignored us both, shoved past Craig, and before I could stop her, slammed her hands into the ground one last time.
For one horrible moment, I thought she was trying to take on the advancing troops alone, but then she shrieked, and stars shot up out of the ground, striking at the locks on the cages.
One by one, they popped open until everyone was freed, rushing toward the slope and up into the trees.
Mori stood still, frozen in place.
Craig was shouting for Kate and me, but I kept my eye on Mori.
When Mori turned toward me, there was blood dripping from her nose, then her eyes rolled back into her head. She hit the ground with a thud.
Shifting back as quickly as I could, I cursed, and kneeled to scoop her up into my arms. Kate covered our retreat with one final blast of Darrah dragon fire, then charged after us, remaining in dragon form.
I ran with Mori tucked against my chest, willing her to open her damned eyes and cursing her at the same time for being a fool.
“Hurry!” Lucy was waving at us.
I reached her side, out of breath and trying to wake Mori up.
“The orb, where is it?” Lucy’s tone was panicked.
“Here,” Mori whispered, though her eyes remained closed. “Get everyone… everyone together… have to be touching.”
“Mori,” I cautioned.
She shook her head and finally opened those eyes, overflowing with stars.
“The orb, give it to me. Quickly!”
I placed it in her palms while Lucy grabbed hold of my arm as the others around us all did the same, linking to each other.
The orb pulsed with bright white light.
Craig yelled out a warning for Kate to shift back, before she was left behind.
Just as she shifted, and her hand grabbed hold of Craig’s, Mori screamed, and the orb erupted with white brilliance.
I felt us leave the ground, tumbling end over end, until we slammed back down.
I glanced around, trying to get my bearings. I half expected Baladon to be with us, but he was nowhere in sight.
But we had not come alone.
Amongst the prisoners, starting to rise to their feet were minions. Minions and one nasty spider clicking its fangs as it attacked the unarmed prisoners.
Tristan shifted and threw himself at them, with Craig right behind him.
I started to go help but stopped, turning back with Mori still in my arms.
“I’m alright,” she assured me. “Go, save them. We can’t stay here forever.”
I set her down and joined in the fight, ridding us of the few vermin who managed to get caught up in our transport away from the encampment.
The fight was over quickly enough, with only a few more casualties. But none of the prisoners had remained with Baladon, and that was the point of this whole mission.
I glanced around, taking in the number now with us. It would take a while to get everyone back to the mountain fortress by foot, but we had no other option. I hurried back to find Mori sitting up, wiping the blood from her face.
“What were you thinking?” I scolded as she tucked the orb safely back into its pouch.
“I was not leaving anyone behind, and before you lecture me for it, you would’ve done the same.” She shoved away the arm I offered to help her stand, and she managed to get to her feet. “See? Perfectly fine, now let’s get going before Baladon sends his army after us for that stunt.”
She took two steps, her legs gave out, and I caught her up in my arms again with a sigh.
“Don’t sigh at me,” she mumbled. Though, she didn’t try to push out of my arms, either.
“I’ll sigh at you all I want, woman,” I growled. “But you’re right. I would’ve done the same, so you’re off the hook. This time.”
She smiled up at me as her lids drifted shut.
We gathered up the refugees in a tight group as Danielle took point with Hank and we began the long march across the land, back toward the mountain fortress. We were nowhere near where we’d walked to reach the frontline, but as we pressed onward, I noticed several more healed trees amongst the burnt ones.
Flowers had popped up, here and there in bunches, as had moss that was now covering blackened boulders and rock faces.
Others noticed it as well, and I felt an uplifting sensation of hope flooding our ranks.
Baladon might have tainted this world, but he had not killed it, not yet.
Hope remained.
I held Mori closer to my chest, clinging to that feeling that perhaps this wouldn’t end with her death after all.
15
Mori
I jerked upright and into Forrest’s arms as I gasped in pain, holding my throbbing head. “Ow, damn it,” I muttered.
He chuckled.
“Not funny.”
“Hey, I promised no lecture, so I won’t give you one.”
“How long was I out?”
“Few hours. Take it slow.”
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, wincing with every move as if someone was bashing a hammer into my head over and over again.
“You sure you don’t want to keep lying down for a while?”
I opened my eyes wide and managed to sit upright, meeting his worried gaze. “No, I’ll be alright. Walking around will be good for me.”
I was a b
it wobbly at first, but he wrapped an arm around my waist, and we managed to get out of our room and down to the hall.
The fortress was filled with music and celebratory cheering and laughter. There were certainly more people here, and I was thrilled to see them out of those cages and alive.
“What of the ones under the sleeping curse?” I asked, remembering some being carried out of the cages, right before I’d collapsed.
“Some have awoken. The rest are in the makeshift infirmary, sound asleep. But they’re alive, thanks to you.” He paused and drew me in closer to his side as he kissed the top of my head. “You hungry? I’ll round you up something to eat.”
“Sure, just set me at a table somewhere.”
“Yes, my lady,” he teased and led me over to a table with Kate, Sabella, and Lucy.
They lifted their glasses in a toast as Forrest sat me down and promised he’d return with something edible. Once he was gone, I rested my head on the table and groaned.
“You look wonderful,” Kate said with a laugh. “Need a drink?”
“Need something, my head’s killing me.”
I thanked her as she slid me a mug, and I drank it down. The ale was strong, and I sucked in a breath as the women laughed.
“Shit, how long has that been here?”
“Few hundred years at least.” Kate winked and drained her mug. “After a mug or two, you really can’t taste it anymore.”
“Good to know.” I drank more of it down.
The first battle back inside the realms had been hard, but it was worth it. For one night, we could enjoy the celebration of having freed everyone from Baladon.
The darkness was still lifting, and only a few remained under the sleeping curse. Forrest returned with Craig and Tristan in tow, carrying a bowl of steaming stew.
I made short work of it, emptying the bowl in no time. It woke me up even more.
There was singing and more dancing as the music played late into the night. Outside a war raged on, but in here, our people could let loose, not think about tomorrow or the next day. For seven long months, they’d suffered and now…
Realms Page 11
