Beaming, she wriggled in an exaggerated struggle to free herself from his embrace. “Let me go, you brute,” she told him with mock severity.
Totally ignoring her words, he scooped her completely off her feet and cradled her in his arms. “Not a chance.”
“So I take it that you are pleased?”
“Pleased? Pleased? Are you joking? I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
With her still in his arms, he set off toward his chambers, his eyes locked on hers. Those they encountered on the way passed by totally unnoticed; every bit of his attention was focused exclusively on the woman he loved. Only after they eventually reached his quarters did he place her back on her feet.
His room was comfortable, though not particularly lavish. The furnishings were of excellent craftsmanship, as he would have expected after being informed that they were mostly elf made. The walls, however, had been left deliberately bare of any décor so as to allow him to personalize his surroundings. So far, he had neglected doing this. Practical matters had held a far higher priority than creature comforts.
Lylinora walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. “It’s a bit drab,” she remarked.
Kneeling in front of her, he took hold of her hands. “But not for long. The first thing we’ll be needing is a crib.” After glancing quickly around the room, he nodded toward an empty spot just a short distance away. “We can put it right over there. A perfect spot, don’t you think?”
Lylinora leaned down and kissed his cheek. “There is time for all that later.”
Her tone was strange. Markus furrowed his brow. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m just afraid of what the future holds.”
He rose and sat beside her, pulling her close. “Don’t be. We’re going to win.”
“You can’t know that. Ethan has already been beaten once. And when he faces Shinzan again, he’ll be doing so alone.”
Markus lifted her chin with his finger and smiled. “He might not.”
She narrowed her gaze. “What do you mean?”
“Normally, I wouldn’t be able to tell an outsider.” His tone was lighthearted and playful. “But for you maybe I can make an exception.” He paused for effect, but then quickly continued when he could see that she was becoming irritated. “I think there might be a way to help Ethan.”
“How?”
“I don’t want to say just yet. Not until I am sure. But I should know more soon.”
“When you do, you had better tell me.”
He brushed her hair from her brow. “I will. But right now, I need you to promise me something.”
She twisted her mouth into a frown. “What is it?”
His voice became gentle, though with a definite firmness running through it. “Now that you are with child, your war is finished. Surely you can see the sense of that? I want you to promise me that you’ll stay here safely out of harm’s way until it’s all over and done.”
Lylinora’s look of defiance showed clearly. This faded, however, and her brow creased heavily as she thought on his words for well over a minute. Throughout, she held both hands over her belly as though seeking to protect the precious gift inside. Markus could see that she was conflicted.
Eventually, a long sigh of resignation slipped out. “Very well, I agree,” she told him. “A mother must place the welfare of her child above all else.” She looked into Markus’ eyes and then added: “No matter what other duties may be calling her.”
Chapter Six
At the beginning, there was nothing but utter disbelief on Kat’s face as she listened to Ethan’s words. For a second or two, perhaps even the hint of a confused smile appeared. But then, on finally realizing that he was most certainly not playing some cruel joke, her fury erupted. With fists clenched so tightly that her raised knuckles appeared like large white boils on the very point of bursting, she glared at him.
“And you’re telling me you agreed to this?” she demanded, her features contorted with rage.
Ethan was unable to meet her gaze. “Please believe me, I had no other choice. And there is more. But I just can’t tell you yet.”
Her scornful laugh sounded loud. “More! What more could you possibly say? You might not have had a choice, but I most certainly do.” Spinning sharply on her heels, she headed toward the small clearing where her father and his escort were waiting.
“Wait!” Ethan pleaded, racing quickly up beside her. “I know what you’re planning. You can’t do that...you mustn’t.”
Kat didn’t break a single stride. “Watch me.”
By now, King Yularian had already dismounted and was moving to intercept his daughter. “What’s happened?” he asked her.
She tried to move around him, but he caught her shoulders, and held her fast. “My dear fiancé has agreed to marry Queen Berathis,” she snapped. “Can you believe that?”
The king’s eyes shot accusingly over to Ethan. “Is this true?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, his voice quiet. “She wouldn’t commit her forces unless I promised to marry her once Shinzan is defeated.”
“The cunning bitch!” Veins bulged from his neck. “And you have the gall to stand there and tell me you went along with it? Does my daughter mean nothing to you?”
Ethan could feel himself shrinking under the man’s gaze. Even with all the powerful magic at his disposal, a better way of explaining himself simply would not come to mind. Telling either of them the truth at this point was out of the question.
Kat jerked away from her father’s grip. “Cunning, is she? We’ll see how fucking cunning she is when I’m roasting the bitch alive.”
“You can’t do that,” Ethan told her, desperately thrusting out a restraining arm. “If you do, without her army to aid us, tens of thousands of people will die.”
His dramatic words, although seeming to make some kind of impression on Yularian, went completely unheeded by Kat. “I don’t care,” she snapped. “After everything we’ve been through…after everything I’ve been through, I’ll be damned if I’m going to just stand by and let some conniving whore ruin my life. For what? So she can brag about having a mage as a husband?”
“It’s not that,” Ethan said. “She’s afraid Ralmaria will become too powerful if I marry the daughter of its king.”
Kat planted her hands on her hips. “Not my problem. And I don’t care what you promised. You’re not doing it.”
Her father touched her gently on the arm. “I feel just as angry as you do over this, Katyana. But think for a moment. Listen to what Ethan said. Your rage will settle in time, but being responsible for the death of thousands will live in your heart forever. You know that as well as I do.” He paused until Kat calmed a bit more, then pressed on. “Let me speak with the queen – one ruler to another. I will try to reason with her. Maybe I can convince her to change her mind.”
A lengthy silence followed as Kat considered his words.
“What if she won’t listen?” she eventually asked. Though her voice still carried much of her previous anger, her expression was now pleading.
“Then we’ll deal with that later,” her father said. “But don’t give up hope. For now, I think it would be wise if the two of you were to rejoin King Halvar and Keira. I’m sure your help is going to be needed.”
A feeling of huge relief washed over Ethan. He had been certain of Kat’s reaction, which was why he had hurried out of the city to meet them before they arrived. He also had no doubt that she would have followed through with her threat had it not been for her father’s intervention. He said a silent prayer of thanks to the King. Though at first as angered as his daughter, his humanitarian nature and common sense had eventually saved the situation. Of course, he would not be able to convince the queen to change her mind. Ethan was sure of this. Possibly Yularian himself knew it as well. Whatever the case, a potentially dire situation had been avoided, and the king was wise enough not to push Queen Berathis too far before yielding on the matter. Now, all Eth
an wanted was for Kat to be far away from here as quickly as possible.
Maytra was lazing on a thick patch of grass some yards away, seemingly unconcerned with the turmoil unfolding around her. Her mind was on the wild boars she had spotted along the way. Though she actually did not need to eat – young dragons could go months without food and the elders almost indefinitely – her rapid growth had stirred her hunger to unnatural levels. But a hunt would have to wait.
Ethan quickly gathered their belongings and mounted the dragon while she was still laying on her belly. Kat saddled in behind him, her face still tight with anger. Ethan could sense Maytra’s displeasure. She did not enjoy being ridden. But even the traveling spell could not rival her speed. And every second counted. Shinzan’s army was moving – a relentless storm savaging the land.
In spite of this urgency, the voice that had started to whisper every now and then into the corners of his mind told him that this was not his fight. He closed his eyes as the dragon shot skyward. The wind roared in his ears as the chill wrapped around him, penetrating his clothes and stinging his flesh. Kat had wrapped herself in a protective cloak of warm air. A simple spell, but very useful when traveling in cold climates. He chose to allow himself to experience the brutality of the wind in full.
Unwanted memories began pressing in. Martok would have hardened his heart by now. Knowing what was to come, what choice would there be? But Ethan refused to do this. He would feel every moment of his pain. Both the pain he would suffer…and the pain he would cause. He would not lose himself as Markus had done. The horrors his friend had experienced split his mind into pieces. Nor would he believe himself to be of greater standing than those around him in the way Martok had, even though his ancestor’s attitude had merely been an amplification of the mindset that all mages of his age carried. People were right to fear their return. Shinzan might have distorted the truth, but there was no denying that a return to the days of mage domination would only cause a great deal more suffering.
Why do you delay?
The call persisted. He squeezed his eyes shut. Flames flashed through his mind. Flames swirling in a vast tempest that were now revealing a door with the twelve symbols of Arkazhi painted in blood across its face. Not even the elves truly understood what these symbols meant. Only one creature could decipher them properly. As he pictured the dragons, their desperate howls resonated through him. They had become the voice of Lumnia. Their words spoke only of pain. They pleaded for him to come; to release them from their suffering.
A hand on his shoulder snapped him back into the moment. Glancing back, he saw that Kat’s anger was replaced with concern.
“You’re trembling,” she said, the spell keeping her warm allowing her voice to carry easily over the roar of the wind. “What’s wrong?”
Ethan forced a weak smile. “Nothing. I’m fine. I was -”
Without warning, Maytra dove hard left, nearly dislodging both of them. A blast of black flame streaked by, missing them by only a few feet. Ethan clutched at Maytra’s long spine, trying to get his bearings. The dragon swooped straight down as another blast shot up. This time Ethan was able to catch a glimpse of the attack’s origin.
A lone figure was standing near a thin line of pines at the outer edge of a forest. Ethan could see the soft magical glow surrounding her hands and the white glimmer of her vicious grin.
“Who the hell is that?” shouted Kat. She was already throwing up the wards she had learned.
Ethan fixed his gaze. Even from a distance he could identify the figure easily. Anger raged through him as he realized what had happened. His father’s fears had been justified. “It’s my mother,” he said.
“Your mother?”
Ethan nodded sharply. He sent a mental instruction to Maytra, then reached back to squeeze Kat’s hand. “I have to deal with her…alone.”
Before Kat could utter a protest, Ethan leaped from the dragon’s back and began plummeting to the ground. In a near simultaneous motion, Maytra’s wings pounded the air to send her and Kat soaring high into the cloud cover. While descending, Ethan recalled the first jump he had made in the Airborne. This felt different. This time there was no rush of fear. No uncertainty as to the outcome. He simply waved his hand and slowed his descent.
No attacks came from below. He wasn’t really expecting any. No. She had simply wanted to capture his attention. And now she had it. Through his father, he knew her to be a formidable mage – likely made considerably stronger through Shinzan’s influence. But she was no match for him. This was nothing but a mind game meant to throw him off-balance. One that would not work.
He set himself down roughly twenty feet in front of her. The glow around her hands never dimmed, and her smile was definitely not that of a loving mother.
“Did you not wish me to meet your mate?” she asked, shooting a quick glance skyward. “How disappointing.”
“Why are you here?” he demanded in a low, even tone. Though he was certainly the more powerful of the two, he would not be caught off-guard. His wards were in place, and though outwardly there was no sign of magic, he was ready to roast her in an instant.
“Is this how you greet your mother?”
“My mother is dead,” he replied. “Only her form remains. So do not think you are deceiving me in the slightest.”
“If you truly believe that, then why not kill me now? Surely you have the strength.” She took a step forward. “Is it because you have hope that I can be saved? Given what I have learned, that sounds very much like you.” Her mouth twisted into a frown. “Such a soft-hearted whelp you are. Your father would be so ashamed.”
His anger began to diminish, replaced by a mild amusement. Not at her words, but at Shinzan’s foolishness. “You really think I won’t kill you? A mother I have never known who is now possessed by my mortal enemy?” He clicked his tongue. “Shinzan really has no clue about human nature, does he? He sure as hell doesn’t know anything about me. And neither do you.”
Now he allowed the magical storm swirling inside him to become visible; a deep emerald glow encompassed his body. Tiny golden sparks popped and sizzled as if the power he held were begging to be released. At once, Illyrian stepped back.
He was, in fact, perfectly prepared to kill her. But she was right about one thing: If he could save her instead, he would. Though he felt no strong emotional ties, the idea of matricide did not sit well.
“If you have something to say, then say it,” he commanded.
There was a long pause before Illyrian spoke. “I only came here out of curiosity. Shinzan has no more words for you. And now that I see you…neither do I.”
Her hands shot forward, sending a stream of black fire streaking toward him. Ethan easily turned the attack aside and forced it harmlessly into the ground. If anything, he was a touch taken aback by the weakness of her assault. Even if he had allowed it to strike him, his wards were more than strong enough to keep him safe.
He countered by attempting to contain his mother with a simple binding spell. He only needed her to be immobile for a moment, then he could cast a more powerful spell from which she could not escape. But it was as if nothing was there. The spell collapsed instantly and flickered out.
Realization came quickly. She was an image, though a clever one to be sure. He had been speaking to nothing more than an illusion. His eyes darted back and forth. Such magic would be taxing, so she had to be somewhere nearby. Simple images could be projected great distances, but those capable of physical interaction required the mage to remain close.
Wherever she was, she was well hidden. A swirling of dust and a rush of wind, telltale signs of a traveling spell, then came from behind a patch of thistle to his right. Ethan tried to contain it, but he was too late. She was already away and out of range.
He plopped down under a thin pine and closed his eyes. The call was persisting. There is no other way, it kept telling him. And as much as he wished it were wrong, he knew in his heart that it wasn’t. He’d kno
wn that since he had heard Lumnia’s voice.
A pounding of wings followed by a rumbling thud brought him back into the moment. Keeping his eyes shut, he listened to the light crunch of soft boots on grass approaching.
“I really wish you would warn me before you do things like that,” Kat’s voice said.
He leaned into her as he felt her sitting beside him. “I was afraid you would insist on being there. I needed to see her alone.”
Kat sighed. “I understand. I really do. But I can’t help worrying.”
“She’s not a threat to me,” he assured her. “No one is really. No one except Shinzan, of course.”
She stroked his hair. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. I never knew her. I hate what’s happened, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Is there any hope of saving her?”
Ethan took a long breath. “I don’t think so. From what I can see, Shinzan’s magic has corrupted her beyond repair. There is only one thing I can do for her now.”
“I see.”
Ethan opened his eyes and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “Don’t think about it. It’s my problem.”
Kat furrowed her brow. “Your problems are my problems.”
“I know. But she’s my mother. It should be I who deals with her.”
“Can you?” she asked, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “Can you really kill your own mother?”
“Like I said. I never knew her.”
As he stood up, he could see she was struggling to hide her revulsion. Understandable. To kill your own parent was far from a natural act. But he had already destroyed the body of his father, so was this current situation really any different?
Almost immediately, the answer barged into his mind like an unwelcome guest. Yes. It was. Her soul might be twisted and filled with the corrupt evil of Shinzan, but somewhere deep inside the essence of Lady Illyrian still existed. There was a possibility, however slight, that she could be saved. The only thing preventing him from attempting to do so was the knowledge of how much he would be risking if he failed. This disturbing insight drew a deep frown. Was he becoming as hardened and cold as Martok after all?
Dragonvein Book Five Page 9
