City of the Sleeping Gods

by Olivia Ash

  Maybe out of all of her men, Andreas would be the most understanding, since he was a wraith and considered an outsider, unfairly, by many of the people in Nighthelm. What Winston had said about him still made her shake with anger.

  She looked up at him, intent on saying something about what she was going through, when they heard a cry from beyond the wall.

  It was faint but discernible. High pitched. Terrified.

  A child. Beyond the wall. Hurt, by the sound of it.

  Without a word, Andreas grabbed her hand and they ran together to the wall, then onto the rampart, where very few guards patrolled. Sophia spotted a little girl in the grass not far off, a commoner by the look of her simple frock and lack of shoes. The girl lay on the ground not far from the wall, maybe half-way to the edge of the woods, crawling through the grass. From the tilt of her ankle, it looked as though she had a broken foot.

  How and why she had gotten out there concerned Sophia deeply, but her protective instincts kicked in. This was a child of Nighthelm, and it was Sophia’s duty to protect her at all costs.

  “We have to save her,” Sophia said, her voice tense and urgent.

  Andrea nodded. “I agree, though this reeks of a trap. It’s a classic strategy, although I don’t know who would be laying a trap out here or for whom.”

  She hesitated only for a moment before she said, “Grimms.”

  He frowned. “Why would grimms be laying a trap, and for who? It’s not how they usually behave.”

  “There’s no time to discuss it.” She implored him with her eyes. “We can’t let her die out there.”

  “We won’t.” He gave her a soft look. “I suppose it’s pointless asking you to stay put and allowing me to go get her?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “That’s what I thought.” He unsheathed the two blades strapped to his back and handed her the smaller of them. “Let’s go.”

  They left the city through the secret gate that Edric had shown her after the minotaur attack. It certainly seemed like her dates were getting more dangerous by the day, but such was Sophia’s life. Never a dull moment.

  Silent and swift as ghosts, they hurried across the grass to the girl. When they reached her, the child immediately reached for Sophia to pick her up and soothe her. There wasn’t time for that. They needed to get her to safety, and immediately. Sophia’s skin crawled, and she could feel beady eyes watching them from the woods. Without a doubt in her mind, she knew she sensed the ominous presence of grimms nearby.

  She looked to the woods. “Haris,” she called softly, knowing full well her friend would be able to hear her even if he was miles off. Such was their connection—neither was far from the other. When she was in the city, he stayed close by in the event he needed her, like now.

  Within moments, Haris sprinted out of the woods, a green swirling blur of light and magic. Andreas flinched at the sight of the creature, freezing in awe as he watched it near.

  “A forest spirit?” he asked, surprise raising the tone of his voice.

  Sophia didn’t answer him. She didn’t have time. Quickly, she put the little girl on Haris’s back. “Hold tightly to the fur at his neck, little one,” Sophia said, trying her best to be soothing even though her body tensed, waiting for the fight she knew would come.

  The girl obeyed, whimpering and sniffling as she held on tight. Streaks of tears lined her face, and Sophia’s gaze quickly drifted to the girl’s twisted ankle. It jutted off to the side, the unnatural angle unquestionably broken. Sophia gritted her teeth in anger, disgusted that the grimms would stoop so low.

  Andreas eyed her with a frown. “A forest spirit doesn’t bond with just anyone, Sophia. And this one clearly obeys you.”

  “You need to take her to safety,” she said to Haris, ignoring the way Andreas was looking at her. They didn’t have time to play around and ask a whole lot of questions. The grimms would be upon them in any moment.

  “Who are you?” Andreas asked, his voice commanding and dark. “Tell me, Sophia. The truth. Now.”

  “Andreas, hear me out.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I—look out!” From the depths of the forest, five grimms bolted toward them in a flash of shadow and darkness. Haris darted around one hovering form that reached out with its hooked claws. Thankfully, her pet listened, bolting toward the city fast enough that he managed to get himself and the child out of the fray. Before disappearing into the trees with the girl on his back, Haris looked over his shoulder, clearly worried for her safety.

  Sophia knew that expression: I’m coming back.

  Once Haris had vanished around a bend in the city’s defenses, Sophia lashed at the nearest grimm. Her blade cut across its chest. It shrieked as tar-like blood spewed from the wound. It didn’t slow it down, instead, advancing on her, forcing her to duck under the swipe of its talons. Beside her, Andreas took a grimm down, just as another launched at him from the side.

  “They are becoming more brutal, more desperate,” he said as he took a step back toward her. “I’ve never seen them act this way.”

  Sophia hesitated a second as her body convulsed. All her muscles seemed to twist at once. She knew that sensation. Her magic swirled inside her, ready to burst. Heat built in her center. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to control it. She couldn’t believe she was going to have another episode so soon. It must’ve been the stress of the situation pressing down on her.

  Shaking off the feeling, Sophia ran toward the grimm with her sword raised. As she rushed toward the creature, it turned and glared at her, its violet eyes glowing with hate. Before she could cut it, it hissed at her.

  “You will pay for what you’ve done,” it said, saliva spitting out from between its sharp rows of teeth.

  Andreas looked at her with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, even as he dodged out of the way of another grimm. He pressed his back against Sophia’s as the grimms paused, circling them, waiting for an opening to attack.

  His jaw tensing, Andreas snuck a glare at her. “What is it talking about, Sophia? Grimms only hold grudges against those who have severely harmed them.”

  Sophia shook her head, trying to think beyond the heat swelling inside her body. Her magic bubbled too close to the surface, and with her exhaustion, her recent discoveries, and her anger at having been lied to and used for years, she knew she couldn’t hold it back. It was too much to contain.

  He must’ve noticed her distress as he asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Run!” she shouted at Andreas. Her throat tightened, the emotion overwhelming as she tried to make him leave.

  He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “Run! Before I hurt you!” She dropped to her knees, as her hands began to glow blue-white.

  His eyes grew wide at the magic in her hands, but he didn’t back away. “I won’t leave you to die.” He reached for her, but she slapped his hand away.

  “Go. Now. I can’t… hold… it…”

  She clamped her eyes shut and curled into a ball as the swirling, chaotic energy exploded out of her. It burned. It consumed her. It fried everything nearby, reducing the world around her to ash.

  Exhausted, her body spent, she slowly blinked open her eyes. She lay on her side on the ground. Had she passed out? If she had, for how long? Everything around her was scorched, including the grimms. Naked, she pushed to her feet. She wobbled once, then stood firm. Her body was weak, but not immobile, as she feared the worst.

  Where was Andreas?

  Frantic, she searched the area for him, shouting his name, afraid he’d burned up like everything else that mattered. “Andreas?”

  A groan came from the nearby trees. She rushed over to find Andreas on the ground, his clothes burnt off like her own. He looked up at her, but she didn’t see fear and hatred like she expected.

  Instead awe and wonder filled his eyes.

  Sophia helped him to his feet, sure he was going to push her away in disgust. “Are you hurt?”
r />   “You’re an anima contritum.” His wide eyes moved over her, from her face down her body.

  She sighed and pressed her lips together, waiting with bated breath for his condemnation; his hatred. She didn’t know what she would do if he rejected her. It would break her heart, for sure. Instead, he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to him. Leaning down, he kissed her. It was so deep her whole body flushed with pleasure and she became fully aware that they were both naked and pressed together intimately.

  Before she could take another ragged breath, he shifted into his wraith form and whisked her up into the air. It was an odd sensation, floating above the trees, wrapped in shadow and smoke. She could still feel Andreas’s arms around her, feel the solidness of him, even if she couldn’t actually see his form.

  They sailed over the big oaks, across the stream and settled down in the relative safety of a nearby knoll. Rays of sunshine bathed the soft, green grass with warm, yellow light. As Andreas shifted back into human form, Sophia ran her hands over her arms. Her body quivered, her limbs loose and weak, but she knew it wasn’t from the slight chill. It was being here with Andreas, completely vulnerable and naked in every way.

  “You’re not disgusted with what I am?” she asked when he moved toward her.

  He didn’t speak, he just pulled her to him again and kissed her as an answer. She liked his answer, it made her head swim and her heart thunder against her rib cage. And there was no mistaking his interest in her, as she could feel the hard length of him pressed against her belly.

  “You’re the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met.” He peppered her face with kisses, and then nibbled on her bottom lip and along her chin. Her belly clenched with raw desire from his touch.

  While they kissed, his hands explored her body. A little gasp escaped her lips as he caressed her breasts, lightly pinching her nipples. His hand moved down lower and a swell of pleasure rushed over her when he cupped her between her thighs.

  She shivered, and he wrapped his arms around her and gently lowered her into a warm pool of sunlight on the carpet of soft green. He covered her with his powerful form. She should’ve felt small and fragile beneath his large hard body, but instead she felt invincible. He did that to her, made her feel like she could do anything, like she could conquer the world if she wanted, with him at her side.

  Burying her hands in the silkiness of his dark hair, Sophia rolled him over, until she was on top, straddling his body. His already dark eyes darkened further, becoming dark as the blackest night as he gazed up at her. He groaned low in his throat as she stroked her hands down his torso, feathering fingers over his rippled stomach, and lightly tracing the dark hair that lined his pelvis. She made him gasp when she boldly wrapped a hand around the hard length of his cock.

  He had discovered the truth. He knew what she was, and yet he accepted her. Loved her as she was, for all her flaws and fractures.

  This man was a treasure, and she was entirely lost in him. She couldn’t wait even one more minute.

  She needed him. Now.

  Lifting up on her knees, she positioned herself over him. As she slowly lowered herself onto his shaft, Andreas gripped her hips in strong hands, guiding her, supporting her. When she was fully seated, licks of pleasure fluttered over her body. There was no sharp sting of pain as there had been with Edric, but only the euphoria of being intimate with a man she adored.

  Andreas bit down on his lip as she started to move, undulating her hips. She saw how he struggled to let her lead, to hold back. But she loved him for his restraint. Heat swelled inside her with every stroke, until she thought she would burn up from the inside out.

  “You are a fierce warrior, Sophia,” he said, his voice low and raspy. “My warrior.”

  His words spurred her on, until she panted and gasped, every muscle in her body on fire and quivering like the string on her bow when she shot an arrow. Unable to hold herself up any longer, Sophia fell over Andreas’s chest, burying her face in the curve of his neck.

  He cupped her face with his hands and brought her mouth to his. He kissed her hard, tasting her and teasing with his tongue and teeth. She was languid and liquid, fever and fire from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Right before she could handle no more pleasure, Andreas grabbed her ass and flipped her over, rutting hard between her legs.

  She dug her nails into his back as he buried himself deep inside her and groaned out her name. She bowed her back as a wave of heat and light slammed into her, forcing a grunt between her lips. It was a powerful orgasm, strong and overwhelming, beautiful and fierce. Closing her eyes, she let the wave carry her away until they were panting hard, bodies shaking from the passion that had consumed them.

  When she was able to move again, Sophia opened her eyes to see Andreas next to her, looking at her, smoothing a hand over her hair. She smiled at him, feeling love blossom in her heart, grateful that he’d accepted her. Grateful for his understanding.

  “You’re not Sophia Oxford, are you? Lord Oxford’s niece?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Sophia, yes, but not the Oxford part.”

  “And the training? Where did you learn to fight so well? It was obviously not from your non-uncle.”

  “From Matthew Grindel,” she said.

  His eyes widened. “Professor Matthew Grindel? Who teaches history at the academy?”

  “Yes. There’s a lot more to him than just boring history.”

  He laughed. “Obviously.”

  She laughed with him, relief flowing out of her at finally being able to share her secret with someone.

  “Do Edric and Zeke know?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, and you won’t tell them, will you?” Her voice was low, pleading.

  “Never,” he said.

  “Thank you.” She sighed.

  He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, as if he sensed her unspoken concerns. “You are so beautiful and perfect to me. I could never betray you.”

  She wanted to cry with joy, the emotions welling up to the surface. She realized that she had fallen in love with him, with Edric, and with Ezekiel. All in different ways. She wondered what on earth she was going to do, and what the bloody hell she was going to tell the oracles.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Sophia

  The next day, Sophia returned to the training hall under the castle to find Headmistress Mittle waiting for her with another device similar to the last one. Surprisingly, Grindel was also present, looking on from afar, without comment. She glared at him, not yet having a chance to interrogate him about the lies and omissions he’d been feeding her over the years. He hadn’t even been back to the cabin to sleep or anything. He’d obviously been avoiding her, like a coward.

  She took a step toward him. “I need to speak with you.”

  He looked like was going to say something to her, but the headmistress blocked Sophia from going to Grindel by stepping between the two of them. “I’m sure whatever it is you need to say to Grindel, you can do later. Now, is about healing you. That’s more important, don’t you think?”

  Sophia nodded.

  “Since you had an episode yesterday in the forest.” The headmistress looked at Sophia with a pointed expression. How had she known about that? She didn’t think it had been witnessed by anyone. Someone was spying on her and reporting it to the headmistress. “Today, we can begin to explore the cracks without fear of destroying the castle above us and hurting innocents within a fifty-foot radius.”

  Her comment about innocents rattled Sophia. It plainly said to her, that Sophia didn’t belong in that group. She probably didn’t, but in her mind, neither did the headmistress or Grindel, for that matter. As far as she was concerned, they were both culpable in what had happened to her in the past, and what was happening to her now.

  Headmistress Mittle gestured with a hand to the simple, wooden chair next to the machine inside another glass box. Sophia suspected the glass helped the machine direct its power or en
ergy toward Sophia by keeping it contained. Although the last one didn’t do its job whatsoever. Sophia had nearly blasted it back into sand.

  Sophia sat in the chair while the headmistress adjusted some dials and switches on the machine. Those were definitely new additions. Then she picked up a leather strap with wires connected to it and then secured it around Sophia’s head. Also, something new.

  “What is this?” Sophia asked. Bile in her throat starting to rise.

  “I know it’s uncomfortable, but it needs to be done,” the headmistress said as Sophia fussed in the chair, not wanting to be bound to the machine. “After the last time, we need to focus your magic even more. The alchemists assured me this would help.”

  Once the head strap was secure, the headmistress stepped out of the glass box. For a moment, Sophia thought that maybe the machine wasn’t going to work, that the headmistress hadn’t hooked it up properly. Then a bolt of pain speared her in the right temple, and she screamed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Grindel flinch. It was the first honest emotion she’d seen from him in years.

  She pitched forward as another bolt jabbed her in the left temple. The skin on her hands lit up like a shooting star as her magic came to the surface. She reached up to tear the strap from her head, when Headmistress Mittle shouted.

  “Stop! I know it’s painful, but it’s necessary to heal you.”

  She looked to Grindel, the man she trusted her whole life, as he watched stonily from nearby. Obviously he’d gained his composure. But she knew him. His body was rigid. She saw the pain etched on his face, and in the way he regarded her. She could see how much her torture hurt him too. She knew he cared.

  And yet he did nothing to stop it.

  She wanted to scream at him, “Help me!”

  But as always, Sophia had to save herself.

  Sophia gritted her teeth as surges of electricity bombarded her body. Pain zipped from her head down to her toes and then back again. Blood filled her mouth as she bit her tongue to stop another scream from ripping from her throat. She was locked in, forced to endure the worst.