Empire of Demons (The Moonstone Chronicles Book 4)

by Sara C. Roethle

  “I’m not made of coin!” Rissine called back.

  With an apologetic shrug to Alluin, Elmerah walked after her sister. The others formed a line behind and around them as they ventured away from shore, leaving the pirates to finish unloading their smuggled weapons.

  “Glad to be rid of those witches,” one man muttered in passing.

  Elmerah ignored him.

  As they moved farther from the shore, Alluin’s sense of unease only grew. He wasn’t sure if he was actually sensing the demons in the land, or if he was just wary of being so near the Capital. Or perhaps he was just dreading venturing off on their own, going through with their plan to assassinate the emperor . . . without Isara. They would have to kill him before he could even think to react and steal the air from their lungs. It was a long shot, but it was all that they had. Better than trusting Malon to not turn on them when the moment came.

  As if summoned by the thought, Saida fell back to walk at Elmerah’s other side. “Malon can sense a demon portal near here. We should be wary of where we decide to make camp.”

  “He probably tore the portal open himself,” Elmerah replied sourly.

  Saida stared at her, hardly watching her own footing.

  “I apologize,” Elmerah muttered. “I can feel the dark magic. It makes me uneasy.”

  “Me too,” Saida agreed. “I hope to never travel through another portal.”

  “Does he know which direction the portal is in?” Alluin asked, hoping to cut the tension. “We should veer away now. It’s not wise to travel far at night.”

  Saida withdrew something from her belt pouch. It took Alluin a moment to realize it was a small compass.

  She peered down at it, then pointed to her right. “The demon portal is that way.”

  “The compass told you that?” Elmerah asked.

  Saida put the compass back in her pouch. “I used it to locate you. Now it shows me whatever I want to find. I believe it is the blessing of Cindra.”

  Elmerah didn’t comment, but Alluin knew just what she was thinking. Was it really the blessing of Cindra? Or a trick provided by Malon.

  Brosod fell back to walk at Saida’s other side. The silence stretched on. Alluin wondered at what point things had started to go so very wrong.

  Elmerah

  Unable to sleep, Elmerah found herself at the fire late at night with Brosod. Zirin and Vessa stood watch out in the darkness.

  Brosod leaned her elbows on her knees, occasionally glancing away from the fire toward Elmerah.

  Having had enough of the silence, Elmerah caught her eye the next time she looked. “Is there something you would like to ask?”

  Brosod straightened, then nodded. “Yes. Or no. Rather, something I would like to say.”

  Surprised, Elmerah nodded for her to go ahead.

  “Saida went through much to find you, and you do not seem grateful.”

  Elmerah’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re rather blunt, aren’t you?”

  “I speak the truth.”

  She debated what to say in reply. Brosod was clearly loyal to both Saida and Malon. How could she explain that she was worried Malon was tricking them all, and that Saida would be hurt in the process?

  She supposed if the Makali could be so bluntly truthful, so could she. “Malon lied to Saida from the start. Then he summoned demons in order to distract me while he kidnapped her and dragged her across the Helshone. I was hacking apart spider limbs when I saw him carrying her unconscious body away from me. Can you see why I would not be supportive of their alliance?”

  Brosod hesitated. Her lips parted as she blinked her long lashes. “But they are chosen by the gods. None of that matters in the face of something so great.”

  Elmerah flicked a twig she’d been playing with into the fire. “And is it right for the gods’ chosen vessels to travel through demon portals? To summon demons?”

  “All of it was done to overthrow the demon emperor, and to save you.”

  She didn’t argue that she didn’t actually need the saving. With Brosod speaking so freely, there was something else she wanted information on. “Can anyone travel through a demon portal?”

  Brosod shrugged. “Malon pulled Saida through, and she pulled me through. I did not think to ask questions beyond that.”

  Elmerah thought of the one demon portal she had seen. At the time, she had been too busy fighting for her life to test it, but could she have walked through? Could she have used it to travel great distances quickly? “And how did you find your way through once you were there?”

  “Malon gifted Saida a compass. She used the magic of the circlet to enchant it. It led her to you.” Brosod’s back stiffened.

  A heartbeat later, Elmerah realized why. Malon stepped forward out of the darkness, his eyes on the Makali. “I’d like a moment alone with Elmerah, if you don’t mind.”

  Brosod hopped to her feet, then scurried away.

  Elmerah wrinkled her nose. “She pays far too much heed to your orders.”

  Malon took Brosod’s vacated seat on the ground. “She wants to see her homeland brought to life.”

  She tossed another dry twig into the fire, watching the small flash of flame its clinging leaves created. “And will you keep that promise? It seems to me you’re prone to breaking them.”

  “The only promise I have made is to protect Saida, and I have done just that.”

  Elmerah scowled. “If you call manipulation protection, then I suppose that’s true.”

  “You witches are absolutely impossible.”

  “Then why come for us? Why not convince Saida otherwise?”

  His reflective eyes glinted in the moonlight, making it difficult to read his expression. “Saida has helped me a great deal. She has saved my life on more than one occasion. I would not deny her any of her desires, no matter how foolish.”

  Elmerah snorted at the subtle jab. “We are the only ones gathered around this fire. Spare me the noble martyr act.”

  He swiped a palm across his face and shook his head. “Why Saida cares about you, I will never understand. But since she does, I will grant you a word of advice.”

  She flicked another twig, another small burst of flame. “I don’t need your advice.”

  “You won’t make it if you try to travel through a demon portal. If you try, Egrin will find you, and there, he will be at his full power.”

  “I said I don’t need your advice,” she hissed. Just how long had he been listening to her conversation with Brosod? “And you went through. Why didn’t Egrin come for you?”

  “He fears the circlets. Far more than he fears your magic.” He hesitated. “And it takes demon blood to travel through a portal. You may not have any.”

  She paused halfway toward flicking another twig into the fire. She straightened her spine, then looked directly at him. “Are you saying Saida has demon blood?”

  “No, I’m saying I have demon blood. Only a trace, but it is enough. I pulled Saida and Brosod through. Perhaps you have demon blood too, or one of the others. It’s more common than you think, but it’s still a bad idea to go through the portal.”

  She continued to stare at him. He looked like a pure-blooded Faerune elf to her.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I am just surprised you would actually admit all of this to me.”

  He turned toward the fire, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Saida already knows, and her opinion is the only one I care about. Honestly, I’m surprised you hadn’t already figured it out. You know I can summon demons. You know that Isara is human, but has demon blood too. Egrin is not the only greater demon to ever come through a portal. Their blood is mixed throughout the land.”

  She twirled the twig in her fingers, considering his words. “So if I even had a little bit of demon blood, I could go through a portal too?”

  “Yes, and you would die. Here, Egrin fears your magic. In the demon realm, he would be far more powerful than you. It was a risk even tr
aveling with the circlets, but Saida was insistent.”

  “He doesn’t fear my magic in any realm. He could steal the air from my lungs with a thought.”

  He leaned one hand back in the dirt as he looked at her, draping silver hair over his shoulder. “Isara has been missing for days. If he didn’t fear your magic, he would have taken you before Saida and I found you.” He straightened, turning to fully face her. “If you try to run off through a demon portal, you’ll die. And your death will hurt Saida. She may become so broken that she will not be up to fulfilling our task.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You keep assuming that I plan to travel through a demon portal. I was only curious.” Never mind that it was exactly what she had been considering. Egrin wouldn’t expect it, and she might be able to get the jump on him.

  “Have you noticed the small silver whistle your sister wears around her neck?” he asked.

  Her anger flared at the sudden mention of her sister. “What does that have to do with demon portals?”

  “Everything, if you plan on taking your sister with you.”

  She clenched her fists. The fire near their boots seemed to burn a little brighter. “What do you mean?”

  He glanced around, then leaned in close, meeting her waiting gaze. “Merwyn recognized it, and he confided in Saida. Like Brosod, the tiny Akkeri follows the will of the gods. The whistle was a gift from Hotrath. He can hear its call from any distance.”

  A chill ran through her, and the fire died down. She wanted to believe he was a liar, but Killian had seen Rissine with the Akkeri. “And what will he do if he hears that call?”

  Malon shrugged and leaned away. “I do not know your sister’s bargain with the High King, but you should stop wasting your time worrying about me, and worry more about her.”

  She took shallow breaths. She knew it was a possibility that Rissine would betray her again, but she didn’t want to believe it. Not after everything they’d been through. “Hotrath wants Saida. The deal must have something to do with her.”

  Malon glanced around again, then nodded. “My army is not far. All I ask is that you give us a few days before you go after Egrin. With your magic, the circlets, and my army, nothing will stand in our path. Don’t get yourself or Alluin killed with your foolishness, and don’t give Rissine a chance to betray us all.”

  He stood and retreated before she could answer either way. It was just as well, because she had no idea what her answer might be. Rissine had betrayed her before, and now she had made an unknown bargain with the Akkeri. But Malon had betrayed her too. He had let the Dreilore into Faerune, and he kidnapped Saida.

  She knew she could trust Alluin and Celen, perhaps even Killian, and the list ended there. She stood, casting one final glance at the fire. It had died down to almost embers. With a thought, she brought it roaring back to life, then shivered. Her magic was back, and if Malon was to be believed, Egrin feared it. She needed to figure out what to do with that fear before her sister blew her little whistle, and before Malon’s Makali arrived. She simply wasn’t in the habit of letting anyone—even her own sister—fool her twice.

  Chapter Ten

  Saida

  Saida woke the next morning to find their group had greatly decreased in size. All of the Arthali were missing, including Elmerah. Killian and Alluin were gone too.

  Brosod returned to where Malon and Saida waited near the remaining embers of the fire. Her dark features were grim. “I tracked them to the edge of camp, then their footsteps simply disappear.” Brosod shook her head. “I do not understand it.”

  Vessa leaned against a nearby tree, her arms crossed. Her shaggy hair shaded her features from the morning sun. “I told you they wouldn’t be found so easily.”

  “And what do you know about it?” Malon asked.

  Vessa glanced at the remaining Valeroot elves, then back to Malon. “My brother said as much. He said don’t even bother looking.”

  Malon started toward her, but Saida grabbed his arm to stop him. “Being angry with her will make no difference. Elmerah and the others chose to go.” Her throat tightened, choking off anything else she might have said. Perhaps if she had been more open to Elmerah’s worries, she wouldn’t have left. Had Malon’s presence chased her away?

  Malon patted Saida’s hand, then stepped back, turning his attention to Merwyn, who huddled in the shadows of a large crag. “Did they tell you they were leaving too?”

  Merwyn tugged his hood a little further over his face, then shook his head. Covered up as he was, he appeared like a child. He was always so quiet, sometimes Saida forgot he was there. “No.” He looked at Saida like he dearly wanted to tell her something, but his crooked mouth simply could not form the words.

  She stepped away from Malon and approached the Akkeri, lowering her voice as she reached him. “What is it?” It was difficult to not react to his fishy smell, just another facet of the Akkeri’s alleged curse.

  Merwyn’s chin drooped. “Does Elmerah know—about the whistle?”

  Saida’s eyes went wide. She had nearly forgotten about Rissine’s little whistle. Merwyn had recognized it and confided in her, and she had informed Malon. “I did not tell her. Elmerah and her sister already have issues. I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions before we knew the truth. Do you think that’s why they left?”

  Malon sighed heavily at her back “I told her last night.”

  Saida whirled on him, her heart suddenly racing.

  “I didn’t think—I just wanted her to be wary, I didn’t think she would take her sister and leave.”

  She stepped closer, searching his silver eyes for answers. “I don’t understand. When did you speak with Elmerah?”

  Malon chewed his lip. “I caught her asking Brosod about demon portals. I was afraid she would run away because she doesn’t trust me. I wanted to let her know she couldn’t trust her sister either. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  “Now wait just a—” Vessa interrupted, pushing away from her tree.

  Malon held up a hand to cut her off, his attention still on Saida. “Elmerah believed that any deal Rissine might make with the Akkeri would concern you, but she also believes she needs her sister’s help to defeat Egrin.”

  “So?” she pressed.

  Malon rolled his eyes. “In leaving, she keeps Rissine at her side, but away from you. I believe that is why she has gone. I swear, if I had known this would be the result, I wouldn’t have told her.”

  Saida opened her mouth, then shut it as she processed his words. She shook her head. “I should have been the one to tell her about the whistle. I should have told her the moment we found out. Elmerah didn’t trust me enough to come to me about it before leaving.”

  Malon moved toward her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “It’s me she doesn’t trust. She left because she’s trying to protect you from her sister.”

  She raised her chin, sealing her emotions away to deal with later. “So what do we do now?”

  “We continue as planned. We find our army, and we march on the Capital. If the gods are truly with us, we will arrive in time to aid Elmerah.” He glanced over his shoulder at Vessa and the other waiting elves. “You five are free to do as you wish. Return to Faerune if that is your choice.”

  Vessa shook her head. “Oh no, we aren’t going anywhere. Without us, you won’t have anyone to show you the way into the Capital. That’s the only reason we stayed behind instead of going with my brother. He wanted us to show you.”

  Malon let his hands drop from Saida’s shoulders as he turned to fully face the other elves. “What do you mean?”

  Vessa grinned. “I spent most of my life in the Capital. I know the city like the back of my hand. I also know all of the secret ways into the city.”

  Saida’s thoughts raced. She had gone through one of the secret passages before, but she hadn’t even thought of it. She hadn’t thought that there might be others. The Makali could attack the city and create a distraction while she and Ma
lon went straight for Egrin. Her compass would show her the way to the demon emperor—and to Elmerah.

  But then what of their army? Could they both abandon the Makali, leaving them to fight Dreilore and demons? They might be slaughtered. But Elmerah . . .

  She brushed her fingers across the circlet at her belt. While her own plans might have changed, her friend’s plans had not. Elmerah would go after the emperor herself. And somehow, Saida would ensure that she too was there to see him fall.

  Elmerah

  Elmerah yawned, forcing one foot after the other. She had never gone to sleep the previous night, instead slowly organizing their departure. It had gone off without a hitch, each one leaving with a few supplies when they would not be noticed. Having Vessa and the elves in on the plan had helped, though Elmerah could have done without Vail’s judgmental glares. She was glad to be rid of her.

  And not so glad to remain with Rissine.

  She glanced over her shoulder down the path to where Rissine and Zirin walked behind her and Alluin. Further back were Celen and Killian, the former covering up their tracks with his earth-mover magic. The ancient trees of the deepwood surrounded them, casting dappled shadows across the earth.

  She felt Alluin watching her as she watched the others. “We did the right thing.”

  She nodded and turned forward. “I hope Saida understands.”

  As soon as she had learned about the whistle, she knew she needed to get Rissine away from Saida. She would not give her sister a chance to betray the priestess. Instead, she would use Rissine until the emperor was dead, and then she and her sister could have it out. About everything.

  She inhaled deeply, scenting a storm on the air. “I just hope I’m right about Malon. He cannot be trusted with many things, but I do believe he will protect her. She is safer with him than with us.”

  “He has kept her alive thus far,” Alluin answered. “Better than we were able to do with Isara.”

  His words hung heavy in the air. She straightened her fraying coat and kept walking. There was nothing else to do but keep walking forward. She had decided to listen to Malon’s advice on the demon portals, not because she thought he cared for her well-being, but because he and Saida knew the demon realm. They would be able to catch up. And there was a good chance none of them could pass through the portals regardless.