“Sage!” Camden cried out in his mind. “Hang in there. I’m bringing help.”
And he was. While Sage had been busy distracting Talbot, Camden had run into his family, who had already been trying to find a secondary way into the dungeons. Prince Sareltae was with them, which was both fortunate and worrisome. But if Sareltae knew about this, so did Karein. Sage would be receiving reinforcements any moment now.
“Are you still hoping that your general will come to lend you a hand?” Talbot asked, as if guessing his thoughts. “Have you truly not learned that your precious Prince Shtamakarein isn’t as powerful as you all believe him to be? You’ve made a serious mistake, Lieutenant Zager, and it’s too late, for all of you.”
Talbot wasn’t completely wrong. Recently, Ornoz relied a lot on the power and near invulnerability of black dragons. They’d grown arrogant, maybe even complacent in some respects. Sage himself had never truly believed that there would come a time when he’d meet someone immune to Karein’s abilities.
However, Sage was strong in his own right. He didn’t want to think it was too late, not while he still had breath in his body. Camden’s presence in his mind strengthened him, and he pushed back against the power invading him. At first, it didn’t seem like it would work, but Camden was a part of him now, and his love swamped their bond, fueling Sage, awakening that part of him that had survived and recovered after a shooting that should have killed him. Camden’s blood might have given Fallon a boost in abilities, but it had done the same for Sage.
This was his fight. He had to keep his friends and family out of it. Karein might or might not be able to take Talbot down, but it didn’t matter, because this task had fallen onto Sage.
Summoning the full extent of his magic, Sage straightened his back and sent a wave of ice magic at Talbot. Talbot’s eyes widened, having obviously not expected Sage to be able to retaliate. In a more shocking development, this time, the spell didn’t shatter. It was as if Camden’s love had fundamentally transformed Sage’s magic, giving him the ability to stand against this man, whoever he was.
Of course, since Sage had put a lot of strength behind the blast, expecting resistance, the spell ended up sending Talbot flying at the other end of the corridor. Sage shook himself, and walked toward where Talbot lay fallen. The naga tried to get up, but Sage didn’t let him. He felt empowered by Camden’s trust in him, by the desire to protect his mate and to find out what was truly at the bottom of this.
Another ice bolt from Sage pinned Talbot to the floor. Sage felt it then, that his magic was no longer how it had been. He sensed the change that had already been brewing inside him from the very first moment he’d taken Camden as his mate. He was different now. Both he and Camden were different, and they were a force to be reckoned with.
“You’re the one who’s made the mistake,” Sage said. “It’s not Karein you needed to fear, but me. I won’t ever allow you to hurt Camden, or my family.”
“You’ll regret this, Sagenamadeen Zager,” Talbot said, his power trying to reach out to Sage but failing. “This isn’t over.”
“Oh, but it is,” Sage replied with satisfaction.
Behind him, footsteps sounded, and Sage briefly glimpsed away from Talbot’s face to see Camden approach, followed by his family, Sareltae, Karein, and Rachen. “What’s going on here?” Karein asked.
“He attacked the vampire,” Sage reported. And that reminded him of something he’d forgotten throughout the battle. “Fallon needs medical assistance. He’s badly injured.”
Rachen and the naga made their way to Sage’s side, and Camden hugged Sage’s neck, trembling. Sage buried his face in his mate’s neck, inhaling Camden’s clean scent. “Oh, Sage,” Camden whispered through their bond. “I thought I’d lose you for sure.”
Sage kissed his mate’s temple, smiling as he met Camden’s slitted gaze. “You know better by now. Thank you, beautiful. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He might have spent forever lost in Camden’s eyes, but suddenly, Nikhil cleared his throat. “It looks like Talbot might need medical attention, too. What exactly did you do to him, Lieutenant Zager?”
Sage turned toward his foe and gaped when he saw Talbot had gone completely still. The darkness had drained out of his eyes, and they were now covered by a milky layer. His skin had started to grow pale. He looked, for lack of a better word, dead.
“Overlords…” Sage whispered. “What in the world happened?”
“There was nothing wrong with him earlier,” Camden gasped out.
“We need to get a healer here, too,” Anais said. “If Talbot was involved in the vampire’s ploy somehow, he’s the only one who could shed some light on why he did all of this.”
“Maybe Prince Sareltae can help,” Zaire suggested, “once he handles the injuries of—”
Zaire didn’t even get the chance to finish the phrase, because a small cry sounded from Fallon’s cell. It was Sareltae’s voice. Sage shared a look with Camden, and together, they rushed to see what was wrong, leaving the group of naga to watch over the fallen Talbot.
They found the fae in Karein’s embrace, trembling and looking quite pale. “What’s wrong?” Sage inquired.
“I… I don’t know,” Prince Sareltae said, looking toward Sage over Karein’s shoulder. He pointed toward Fallon, whom they’d released from his chains. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s like… he’s there, but not really, and I can’t reach him. There’s this darkness that’s keeping me from it.”
Karein shushed his mate and took him in his arms. “I’m taking Sari to our rooms,” he told Sage. “I’ll leave you and Rachen to do some damage control here.”
Sage just nodded. Prince Sareltae shouldn’t have been using too much of his healing magic in the first place, given his delicate condition. As Karein abandoned the cell, Princes Kaelezrin and Talrasar made their appearance. Talrasar checked on Talbot first, but there was nothing he could do now. Just like Sage had thought, death had already claimed Talbot.
Unable to help Talbot, Talrasar entered the cell and immediately knelt next to Fallon to try to heal him. Meanwhile, Kaelezrin joined Sage and Camden. The draechen prince’s expression was glum, but somehow, unsurprised.
Sage remembered Talbot’s earlier words and asked, “This isn’t over, is it?”
Kaelezrin didn’t answer. Instead, he just watched his mate pour healing energy over the vampire. At last, when Talrasar pulled away with no palpable result, Kaelezrin finally focused on Sage. “I can’t tell you that, Lieutenant. But I am certain of one thing. There’s much more going on than we’ve learned.”
The comment didn’t surprise Sage. He’d pretty much guessed that, too, although he’d have preferred it if at least his superiors had some idea on what was happening. Either way, he had a feeling that when they did find out the truth behind this entire story, they wouldn’t like it. They wouldn’t like it at all.
Chapter Fourteen
The cold winds of the mountain ruffled Camden’s hair as he stood on the cliffside, watching his parents prepare for their departure. It felt strange to know that he wouldn’t be going with them, that Patala would no longer be his home, and if he ever went back, it would only be as a visitor. But he had no regrets, other than the fact that he hadn’t taken this step sooner.
His family, however, seemed reluctant to leave. All of them gathered in front of Camden, glancing at him with nearly identical expressions of regret. By Camden’s side, Sage gently nudged him toward them. “Go,” he whispered through their bond. “Whatever they think of me, and whatever happened here and in Patala, they’re still your family and they love you.”
Camden shot his mate a small smile. Sometimes, Sage’s generosity truly awed him, as did the way their minds and souls were completely in synch. He took a couple of steps forward, facing his parents and siblings. For a few moments, they just stared at each other in silence. The awkwardness was ridiculous, so Camden broke the uncomfortable quiet. “When will
I see you again?” he asked softly.
His mother’s eyes filled with tears, and she pulled him in a close embrace. “You can always come visit. And we’ve spoken with Emperor Hareematek. We’ll try to travel here from time to time.”
It was really more than Camden had expected, but not a real answer. Camden supposed visits wouldn’t be a priority right now, not with everything that had happened. “Are you going to be all right, in Patala?” he asked his sire. “With Talbot’s father?” After all, Lord Jarrod Stervos remained a friend of the Isaiat.
Zaire sighed heavily. “It wasn’t your fault, or ours. It wasn’t even the draechen’s fault. I do think he got mixed up in something too powerful for him. I’m not sure what that is, but once we figure out, perhaps Jarrod and his family will get closure, too.”
Camden still couldn’t explain Talbot’s death, since he’d been watching the entire battle through his connection with Sage, and his injuries and the spells Sage had cast shouldn’t have had such an effect on him. In fact, just seconds before Camden’s arrival, he’d been engaged in conversation with Sage. None of this made sense, and Camden had to admit that it hurt, too. He might not have loved Talbot, but a long time ago, they’d been very close. He couldn’t imagine what had pushed Talbot into such actions and what had actually determined him to attempt killing Fallon.
Their only hope of finding out the root cause of all of this was Fallon himself. Sage had interrupted whatever spell Talbot had been using to kill the vampire, but Fallon was still comatose. Not even Talrasar, with his great abilities, had been able to give a better answer than Sareltae’s, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
With a sigh, Camden hugged his sire. “Take care and good luck. I’ll miss you.”
“We all will,” his brother said as he joined the embrace.
His entire family surrounded him in a group hug. Camden absorbed their affection for him, knowing that soon, he wouldn’t be able to have that again. When they finally broke away, Camden had to fight so that he wouldn’t tear up. He was grateful when his mate’s arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close. “I’ll take care of him,” Sage said. “I promise you.”
“I know you will,” Camden’s sire said. “We wouldn’t leave him if we weren’t convinced of that.”
In Camden’s opinion, his family still didn’t love Sage, and probably never would. What had happened with Camden’s brother would always be between them. However, they had accepted him as Camden’s mate and had realized their mistake in trying to push Camden into a relationship with someone else. It was regrettable that so many horrible things had needed to happen for them to reach this point. But Camden counted his blessings for even this tentative connection between the people he most cared about.
In his heart, he hated that he had to separate himself from his family. He knew that it would be a terrible blow for his parents, more so if he took into account the fact that they’d already lost a son. But as much as it hurt him, Camden had made his choice.
Finally the time for his family’s departure arrived. With a few more hugs, they boarded the plane. Camden leaned against his mate and watched the jet take off, carrying the Isaiat away from him. He had to admit it wasn’t easy, but with Sage there, he withstood it strikingly well.
When the plane disappeared into the distance, Camden and Sage headed inside. Prince Shtamakarein, Rachen, and Sareltae, as well as Princes Talrasar and Kaelezrin had come to see Camden’s family off and followed Camden and Sage into the palace. “So what now?” Sage asked them.
“For the moment, we’ll focus on strengthening Draechenburg defenses,” Shtamakarein replied. “We know for sure that a vampire was in here once, and the dungeons shouldn’t have been so easily penetrated. We’ll probably have to enter lockdown for a while. There have been too many strangers wandering around here lately.”
Sage shot Shtamakarein an ugly look, and the black dragon arched a brow. “Don’t take it personally, Sage. I didn’t mean your mate. It’s just a general issue that needs to be addressed.”
“Quite,” Sareltae replied. “Remember I used to be a stranger, too, but the people here are not the problem.”
Sadly, Camden knew what the fae meant. With a million parties for a million different occasions, Draechenburg had been too open to its foes. Camden had to admit that his own family had unknowingly taken advantage of the circumstances and brought inside a foe who had killed a lot of draechen. He wouldn’t be surprised if the naga were forbidden to step on draechen soil for the near future. Visits between him and his family seemed increasingly unlikely.
But that aside, they were completely correct, and Camden wanted to offer his assistance with whatever needed to be done. “How can I help?” he inquired.
For a few moments, no one answered. Prince Kaelezrin guided the entire group in a nearby receiving room and ensured their privacy. Only then did he break the silence. “I for one would like a straight answer as to what exactly your blood can do.”
The inquiry made Camden a little uncomfortable. He knew that his family had given some explanations to the draechen. After all, they couldn’t have kept secrecy after everything that had happened. Still, speaking about it with someone who wasn’t Sage made Camden balk. The fact that these men were on his side didn’t change the dangers these revelations brought upon the naga.
He shook off his irrational musings. “My parents must have told you that it’s said to hold the essence of immortality. What it does… I suppose it depends. We haven’t exactly given blood transfers until now.”
“You’re not immune to my power, and yet the vampire was, and now Sage seems to be,” Shtamakarein said. “We need to know how it works if it’s going to be an issue.”
Camden could tell where this was headed. More tests and more bleedings, even here. His heart fell. He didn’t want to be a tool in this war. He wanted to be appreciated for his value as a person, not the magic in his blood. His parents hadn’t even left Draechenburg for ten minutes, and the draechen were already trying the same thing the vampires had.
“No one is going to touch you again,” Sage promised through their bond, his hold tightening around Camden’s waist. “Never again.”
Camden took a couple of deep breaths, struggling to calm down. Sage was already furious enough on his behalf without Camden adding fuel to the fire. This was war, and really, Camden had a responsibility to his new home. Whether he’d wanted to or not, his presence had given the vampires a weapon, and it was likely that the enemy had other naga at his disposal who could give him an edge over the draechen.
“I’m not sure how it works,” Camden replied as calmly as he could. “We have done genetic testing on it in the past, but it’s not the same for different species or different people.”
Just like Camden knew would happen, Kaelezrin suggested, “Perhaps we could try some testing of our own.”
Camden twitched, unable to fully hide his frustration with the situation. Sage went as tense as a bowstring, and might have actually said something scathing had Talrasar not intervened.
“Look, I understand you’re upset,” Talrasar said, reaching for Camden’s hand and squeezing it. “It’s not your fault that you got pulled into any of this. But as things stand, we’re at a clear disadvantage. There’s a lot we don’t know, and if you can shed any light at all on the matter, it would be very useful.”
Camden wanted to ask Talrasar to put himself in his situation. He wasn’t a frail flower to have his feelings hurt so easily, but his experience with the vampires hadn’t been exactly pleasant. As he thought this, though, Camden realized something else. Talrasar did know what it was like to forgo his own welfare for something greater. Camden tasted bitter guilt in his mouth. Once, the legendary Talrasar and Kaelezrin had sacrificed everything to save the world from the plague brought about by vampires and werewolves. Since he’d spent a little more time with these two men, Camden had begun to believe that they were legitimately who they claimed to be. It was unfair of him
to selfishly withhold knowledge that might one day save lives.
“I still don’t like it,” Sage told him. “You know what they say about good intentions. Besides, I very much doubt Talrasar or his mate would be inclined to further sacrifice.”
“That’s beside the point. We have a dangerous enemy, Sage. I can’t refuse.”
Sage reluctantly agreed, and Camden finally addressed Talrasar. “You’re right,” he said. “As long as it’s just tests, I’m okay with it.”
“I’m going to be watching over this process closely,” Sage added. “It’s not that I don’t trust you…”
“But you don’t trust us.” Kaelezrin actually grinned. “I get it, Sage. I would do the same thing.”
Rachen cleared his throat. “Tell you what? You go spend some time together. Just… be selfish for a while. Overlords only know you need it. Let us take care of the rest. And then, we’ll figure everything out. All right?”
It was almost funny. Out of all the possible people who could have made that comment, Camden hadn’t expected Rachen to do so. Shtamakarein’s mysterious twin struck Camden like the harshest of the Tersain brothers, and that was saying a lot. But it seemed that even Rachen had his own softer side. Because really, the thought of doing that, of taking a break with Sage in the midst of all this, sounded like pure heaven.
“Are you sure?” he asked just the same.
“Absolutely,” Shtamakarein replied. “You’ve both been through a traumatizing experience you can’t deny. And don’t worry. None of what’s been discussed here is an urgent matter. Your first priority right now is to heal.”
There were a lot of ways Camden could interpret that, but mostly, he was relieved. The truth was that he felt tired, so freaking tired. He hadn’t gotten the chance to truly enjoy his mating with Sage without always looking over his shoulder or worrying about what others would think. The situation hadn’t changed much, but if they could have at least a few days of peace to explore their bond, Camden would be forever grateful.
Naga's Concubine [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 21
