Kingdom of Ruins

by Jen L. Grey

  Kingdom of Ruins

  Stones of Amaria

  Jen L. Grey

  Kingdom of Shadows Copyright © 2019 Jen L. Grey

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  About the Author

  Also by Jen L. Grey

  Chapter One

  Cinder

  An arctic blast coursed through her as she focused on flying to the top of the volcano, dodging rocks. It was some kind of shitty game the Seer liked to make them do. The ancient woman had proclaimed that if my bond with Fury was strong enough, we’d come back without a scratch.

  If that hag wasn’t so powerful, I’d let her risk her life like this. Fury’s deep voice vibrated with anger. We’d see how in sync she was.

  If she hadn’t shared the same sentiment, she might have laughed. She wasn’t sure which one was worse, being the one dodging sharp volcanic rock or having to watch your beloved do it. It can’t be much longer. That was one of advantages about the mate bond. You could mind speak even if you weren’t in the same form.

  The blast seemed to follow her every move and chilled her to the bone. If this kept up, her flames were going to extinguish. She tried to keep her panicked thoughts to herself now that Fury and she had completed their mating bond. If she was distressed, he could pick up on it, and she didn’t want to worry him more than he already was.

  “Use your mate bond.” The Seer’s musical tone was like rain on a fire. It once seemed magical and all-knowing, but no longer had that same quality.

  Cinder hated the ancient woman now. “We’re bonded. I’m not sure what more you’re looking for.” Something dark brushed against her mind, but she had to pay attention to what she was facing and break through the Seer’s barrier, which kept her from landing.

  "You both can be stronger than this together." The Seer's tone took on a darker edge, and her clear eyes flashed with flames. "Why are you holding back?"

  The air around Cinder began to change. The flames of her wings began to flicker as if they were fighting not to go out. A darkness entered her mind, descending over her, and she fell.

  Fury

  A loud anguished cry rang in his mind right as Cinder's phoenix extinguished and she dropped.

  The Seer stood there, watching with a smile on her face.

  He had to help Cinder now. He couldn't lose her.

  Something isn’t right. Pele’s stern voice shouted in his mind so he could hear it over Cinder’s scream. Get to her; I’ll take the hag.

  He released his phoenix as Pele turned and jabbed the Seer right in her face. The ancient woman fell backward and screamed. The back of her head hit the smooth black ground hard, causing her eyes to close.

  It was perfect timing because Fury’s phoenix took flight right when the invisible barrier flashed and dissolved. His wings beat hard until he reached Cinder and wrapped a wing around her. Because only one wing was flapping, they were still falling to the ground, but no longer at such a rapid rate. These were the times he wished he could speak to Pele in her human form while he was still an animal, but only mates were able to do that. You had to be in the same form with non-mates in order to use mind speak.

  As they dropped, Cinder seemed to curl deeper inside his wing. So… Her voice was weak and almost undetectable. Cold…

  Those weak words from his mate were his undoing. He’d never seen her so weak before, and if he had anything to do about it, he never would again.

  The ground appeared, and Fury curled his body around Cinder’s to protect her from the impact. All too soon, his back hit the solid ground hard. His flames lengthened as he used his power to protect himself and Cinder. However, magic couldn’t protect him from everything. Jagged pieces of stone tore into his body, and pain throbbed everywhere.

  “Oh, my Hades.” Pele ran over but stood a few flickers back because Fury was still in his phoenix form. “Please tell me she’s okay.”

  At those words, all of the pain seemed to recede as adrenaline-filled his body. He unwrapped his wings, and his breath caught as he took Cinder in. Her normal beautiful creature was almost solid black and limp.

  You need to shift. If her flames went out in this form, she’d begin a new life cycle. But right now, they all needed her. There wasn’t time for her to have her rebirth. Come on baby.

  Cinder opened her eyes ever so slightly. Can’t… Her head fell to the side… Sorry.

  Fury had to help her flames before there was no fire left inside her. He closed his eyes and opened himself up to their bond. He didn’t know what to do, but hell, they’d saved Pele that one time together. Come ice or high glaciers, she wasn’t going anywhere.

  For a moment, it was hard for him to find their connection. He tried to calm his rising panic and kept searching. Just when he thought she was gone, the darkened connection infused with orange for only a moment. It was strange, it reminded him of the black phoenixes, though now wasn’t the time to question that thought.

  Shuffling footsteps broke through his concentration. It sounded as if Pele was handling the Seer, so he should still have time.

  Not wasting another moment, he channeled all of his power inside his animal and pushed it into the bond. Bright orange charged into the darkening amber of her magic. Nothing seemed to happen despite his efforts, but there was no way he was giving up on her.

  Come on, baby. He searched for more magic inside him, but it felt as though it was bone dry. Skatá, he had to do something and fast. The only thing he could do was pull from his human side, but they were taught not to do that at an early age. It would decrease his life cycle, which was a big deal when this was his last. But this was Cinder, and he couldn’t live without her.

  His phoenix circled around his center and latched on to the human part of him. His magic began to merge with his human side, and he felt more connected than ever to his phoenix. They were usually compartmentalized, but not now. The animal thoughts blended with his human ones. Hurry, we have to save her. Stop holding back. His phoenix growled in his ear.

  Not sure what to do, Fury stopped grasping and let his phoenix take control. The bright orange flames swirled inside him as well as out, and something strong began to thrum through him. It grew so loud it vibrated throughout his mind and his soul.

  For the first time, Fury saw the threads that had stitched their souls together. The magic seemed to weave in and out of already threaded holes, causing them to grow stronger and become stitched more securely.

  As it weaved through the last few stitches, Cinder’s black phoenix body jolted, and she screamed.

  Cinder

  All her life, Cinder had heard that death w
as peaceful and that when your energy released back into the world, it was gratifying. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

  Her body became frigid, colder than ice, which shouldn’t have been possible. Her insides turned harder than volcanic rock and her soul darker than icy black. She felt her magic being ripped from the inside, and it almost grated from her body.

  Now she understood why you could only come back one time. It never made sense until this moment. Her energy poured through the air, and her magic was only strong enough once to keep its form. The second time, too much of the power was gone to keep herself intact.

  Her mind grew fuzzy, and she realized these were her last few seconds left in this life. Not sure what her death at this point would do to Fury and the others, she tried to hang on to this life.

  Something orange brushed against her, but her eyes were too heavy to stay open. If only she hadn’t fought Fury so long, if only she had been a better daughter, if only… If only…

  Her phoenix cawed angrily as the inside of her heart began to feel empty. The black inky touches that had been grazing her mind strengthened and attacked her, making her feel drunk and dizzy.

  As the brush began to transfer into something more solid, it grew harder and penetrated her already injured mind. It had seemed like she might be getting a reprieve from the pain, but this new attack wasn’t like anything before.

  Feelings of greed and power began to fill her and turned her stomach rancid. Just when it began to clutch her too tightly, something bright orange and warm slammed into her.

  “AGHHHH,” her phoenix shrieked as life seemed to slam back into her.

  The black power that appeared to have gotten hold startled back and loosened its grip on Cinder. She breathed deep as the warmth chased away her fears while her soul mate’s presence filled her soul once more.

  His bird appeared between her and the darkness. She’d never seen his bird like this before, and her breathing quickened. He had to do this in order to save her.

  Flames erupted from Fury as he aimed them at the darkness. The blackness seemed to hesitate only a moment before retreating.

  She wasn’t sure where it went or when it would come back, but right now, Fury was by her side. Not able to waste another moment, she nuzzled into him and enjoyed each flame that rekindled her inside.

  What the hell happened? Fury’s voice soothed her mind.

  I don’t know, but the Seer wasn’t letting up at all. Cinder still remembered the raw panic when she realized that the ancient woman would let her fall. And that darkness. Cinder wasn’t one for letting things haunt or consume her, but there was something evil and ruthless about that black magic that tried to fill her.

  Fury’s touch seemed to weaken and his flames flickered. I don’t know how much longer I can stay like this.

  There was no doubt it took a lot from him to be with her like this. I think I’m strong enough to shift back.

  Not wanting to waste another moment of his strength, she began the shift back to her human self. Her body ached and shifted back slower than usual. It felt as if she might not have enough magic left for the shift.

  She felt Fury’s hand grazing her arms as she changed, helping her complete the transition. When she’d completely shifted and opened her eyes, both Fury and Pele were leaning over her.

  “Your highness, are you okay?” Pele’s blue eyes filled with soot, and her hands shook on Cinder’s shoulder.

  Cinder blinked a few moments, coming back from wherever the skatá she had been. Her voice was soft and raw. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Fury, she wasn’t sure she’d be okay right now, but that was a discussion for another time.

  “I can’t believe that dimmy did that to you.” Pele’s hand balled into a fist. “What the ice was she thinking?”

  “Oh, she’ll pay, but right now, I need to take care of my mate.” Fury bent and lifted Cinder in his arms. “We’ll meet in a few ashes because right now she needs rest.”

  “Wait, what happened to the Seer?” Not able to help herself, she wrapped her arms around Fury. She glanced around the area and realized that she couldn’t see the woman anywhere.

  “She’ll be out for a while.” Pele adjusted the waistband of her pants where one of her long daggers hung.

  “Keep an eye out.” Fury turned and began his descent toward their shared room. “I’ve always thought she was up to no good, now we both know that’s the case.”

  That was an understatement, and it took Cinder getting to this point for her to finally recognize what they both had come to understand over the past few months. The old woman undoubtedly had something up her sleeve, and they had been coerced into trusting her. Now they were stuck in a volcano with no way out.

  Chapter Two

  Fury

  Each step he took was harder than the last. He had allowed his phoenix to take what he needed and didn’t regret a second, but he had to hold it together a few more flickers since he had precious cargo in his arms.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Cinder’s orange glow was much dimmer than ever before, and her voice was hoarse.

  “Of course I am.” There was no way she could move right now, and she was right where she needed to be. “We both need some rest.”

  Thankfully, she laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Aidan appeared in the hallway and stalled when his eyes landed on them. “Where the Hades is Pele?”

  Skatá, Fury didn’t have the energy to deal with this. “Somewhere back in the training grounds, taking care of the Seer.”

  “And you just left her there?” Aidan bellowed and clenched his hands. “She would have never done that to you.”

  “She’s fine.” Fury began to take a step but stopped. The momentum was gone, and he couldn’t go any further.

  “Wait, he’s right.” Cinder dropped her arms and twisted out of his grasp. “We need to go back for her. There is no telling what the Seer could be up to.”

  Cinder spun and began walking back into the room they had just left. Her color was returning to her, so her strength was building.

  Taking a deep breath, Fury pushed off the wall but could only take a few steps before his vision clouded.

  After a moment, Cinder turned around and arched an eyebrow toward Fury. “Are you coming?”

  Aidan’s eyes flashed with anger, and he shook his head. “You fried yourself, didn’t you?”

  That jackass needed to keep his mouth shut and now. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Despite his quivering insides, Fury held himself tall and sullen.

  “What’s fried?” Cinder’s focus landed on Aidan as she tilted her head. “Why haven’t I heard of that before?”

  “It’s what only desperate people do in their time of need.” Aidan pushed past Fury, making him fall hard against the wall. “He let his phoenix tap into his human side.”

  “You did what?” Cinder’s mouth dropped open, and her breathing increased.

  To say he and Aidan didn’t get along was a serious understatement, especially now after he revealed Cinder what he did. Anger fueled Fury enough for him to regain some of his strength.

  Cinder

  Her heart seemed to be beating at a near-constant speed. However, it wasn’t due to an adrenaline rush like it usually was. All of the other times, she had enjoyed what caused that feeling, like when she was connected to Mount Cinder and flying high overhead while the volcano erupted. But this time, it was from sheer panic.

  Eyes fixated on Fury, she barked a humorless laugh. “Please tell me he’s joking.” Even as she said the words, she knew Aidan had told the truth. Fury had given some of his life force away in order to save her.

  “Thanks a lot, man.” Fury’s usually handsome face was creased with anger.

  “I don’t have time for this.” Aidan walked around them and increased his pace to the training area. “I’ve got to get to her and help.”

  “Wait for me.” Cin
der wasn’t sure what to do, but she knew, in that moment, they shouldn’t have left Pele behind. They couldn’t get cocky or the Seer would truly win with whatever black magic was trying to infiltrate them.

  “Don’t.” Aidan’s voice lowered a little as he took in Cinder. “I appreciate it, but right now, you both are more of a liability than a help. Let me go get her, and we’ll meet you back in the girls’ room.”

  Everything inside Cinder told her not to do it. Fury needed her right now whether she liked it or not. “Fine, but if you aren’t back in several flickers, we’ll be coming for you.”

  Without another sound, Aidan slipped into the dark toward his mate.

  “I can’t…” Cinder’s words were barely above a whisper.

  “Don’t start.” Fury sighed and leaned his head back on the wall. “You’d have done the same if it were for me, so I don’t want a lecture.”

  If he thought that would prevent her from speaking her mind, he’d better think again. “I have another life cycle left.” She stuck out two fingers and pointed them at him. “I don’t need you losing any other moments, do you get that?”

  Fury

  When the truth of the last few words hit him, all of his self-righteous anger released. She was right. He had only this life left, and they’d found each other. “We couldn’t lose you now.”

  “We can’t lose you either.” Her voice strengthened, and she shook her head. “It’s more important that you stay strong so we can fight and win. There has to be some reason why we, the heir of North and the heir of South Pyr, are bonded. You can’t forget that this is beyond us.”