WRATH (Rise Book 2)

by J. M. Kearl

  “Daelyn grew up in Hesstia not knowing who her parents really were or that she was Delhoon. The only reason she agreed to help with the plan was to save her father.”

  The guard raises his eyebrows and folds his arms. “That’s interesting. Is there anyone in Hesstia she cares for that we could use to draw her out, possibly surrender for?”

  Midlan shakes his head. “No one that I can think of. The only people she might surrender for are her parents, but they are both in Delhoon now.”

  Madison nibbles on her bottom lip. Her note said she was in the Outlands and to meet her there. Midlan knows she’s not in Delhoon at present. She has him. He fell for it, and evidently he’s heading north with the king so he’ll have a chance to meet her.

  “Then how do we stop her?” The guard asks Midlan.

  Midlan licks his lips before he answers. “Use kirune on her. Kill her. Just like you would anyone else. Even if her magic is more powerful, as you say, she has the same weaknesses.”

  Madison can see that those words hurt him. Midlan’s eyes fall to the ground and he fidgets with something in his hand.

  Madison looks to the others with a wicked grin. “He’ll come.”

  Nebba and Jordane both nod. “I think he fell for it,” Nebba says and laughs. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he realizes it was a lie.”

  Madison tries to hold back her smile. Me either, she thinks.

  Jordane, however, looks troubled. She hopes he’s not going soft. Asking Madison to let it go is something he would do, at least something the old Jordane would. As mad as he was about her killing Nadene, she doesn’t doubt it. “What’s wrong?”

  Jordane takes the bowl and dumps it out the window, cutting off their view of Midlan.

  “Hey, we could have learned more from that,” Nebba protests.

  Madison bolts to her feet, anger flooding through her body. “You better not be going back on the plan.”

  “I’m not,” Jordane says and sets the empty bowl down. “I saw that magic using slave walk up behind the guard. He may have sensed the spell if we kept it going. He’s the reason you were caught so he knows what he’s doing.”

  Madison opens her mouth to argue but then stops herself. He is right, and she wonders how she missed that wretch Jershon in the background. She was too focused on laughing with Nebba. “Good catch.”

  Jordane simply stares at Madison until Nebba clears his throat. “I’m going to get something to eat. You two need some alone time.”

  When the door closes behind Nebba, Jordane runs his fingers through his hair and lets out a huff. “Look Madison, I want Midlan to suffer as much as you do. Don’t get some thought in your head that I want to forgive and forget—” His voice cuts off. He clears his throat and in a low rumble he says, “I could never forget what he did to us. Never.”

  Madison nods, glad that he isn’t going lax on their vengeance. She can see it in his eyes that there is a deep hatred for Midlan, almost as if she’s looking at her own reflection. Madison briefly wonders, being the kind person he is, if he could ever have the level of rage that she is capable of. Seeing his face now; maybe he could.

  Madison suddenly feels aroused, her skin heating up at thoughts of Jordane’s lips on her. They are alone now, and hadn’t been alone in weeks. She slowly unties the knot holding her cloak around her shoulders and lets it drop. She pulls up on the bottom of her shirt and lifts it over her head. Jordane watches her, his expression going from anger to a soft half smile. Next her pants fall to the floor, leaving her in only a see through camisole top.

  Jordane advances and presses both hands against her breasts and then pushes her up against the wall. His lips crash into hers and both of their breaths come heavy as she tugs at his the waistband of his pants. She would tear them off right now if she could. Jordane hastily unties his pants and as they fall he pushes his body against hers.

  ∞∞∞

  Nebba comes back hours later peeking through the door. “Is it safe to come in?”

  Madison sits at the end of the bed, fully clothed and Jordane is stretched out asleep behind her. “I’m not naked if that’s what you’re asking,” Madison replies.

  Nebba steps in with a chuckle. “If I hadn’t seen my wife in ten years and we’d just barely been reunited, I’d want to have alone time as much as I could. It would be newlyweds again, or I can image anyways.”

  Madison peeks at Jordane’s serene face. She remembers what it is like to be newlywed to Jordane. Back then they could hardly keep their hands off each other. One evening, after their second battle with Hesstia during the first war, Jordane came back, dried blood on his face and with a cut across his left calf. It wasn’t deep as far as battle wounds go, and as Madison wiped his face clean he leaned over to her ear and whispered, “Let’s go over behind those bushes. I’ve been thinking about lying with you all day.”

  Madison laughed and dabbed at the cut on his calf with the damp cloth. “You’ve been fighting all day, I doubt that.”

  “I got distracted, clearly,” he said, gesturing toward his cut. He stood then and took Madison’s hand to lead her away from the other soldiers. They ended up behind the trunk of a nearby tree. Even in wartime the freshness of their relationship couldn’t be diminished. He made love just as well as he ever did, and for a moment she felt like that young new bride again.

  Nebba sets down a bag and pulls out a couple of apples. “I went to the market. Also talked to the owner and got a larger room for the two of you. I can stay in here. It’s ready now if you want to go. I told him we are going to be here a few weeks and we’d pay well.”

  “And it will all be for nothing if Midlan doesn’t show.” Madison catches the apple Nebba tosses and takes a bite. The crispiness of the fruit snaps under her teeth and the sweetness of it bursts on her tongue.

  Nebba tosses his apple back and forth between his hands. “He’ll show. He’s blinded by his jealousy for Jordane and even if he thinks this might be a trap, he won’t be able to help himself. At least that’s my assessment given all that has happened. I watched Midlan’s envy for years, even if Jordane didn’t see it, I did.”

  Madison had noticed the angry looks when Jordane and Madison flirted, the frustration on his face when Jordane accomplished something Midlan couldn’t, but despite that he had been a friend. They were nearly inseparable all through childhood and beyond. She would have never thought Midlan capable of such treachery if Jordane hadn’t told her the truth.

  “I think you are right, Nebba.” Madison stares at the ground thinking of how she’ll make him suffer. A quick death is too good for him.

  47. Boaden

  The battle for Filda left dead to be buried or burned and structures to be repaired. The wall has a gaping hole near the top and is cracked down to the ground. If it is hit again, it will crumble and the city could be invaded. Both sides called a temporary truce to collect their dead. Delhoon lost one hundred and eighteen while Hesstia’s numbers are much higher.

  Boaden watches them pile bodies high in horse pulled carts. The stench of the dead hasn’t set in yet but it will if the temperature rises. At the moment there is a frosty chill to the morning, he looks up at the gray sky, storm clouds threatening and he senses snow might fall.

  He wants to leave before Warlord Colden can talk with them but Boaden sees him heading toward himself and Daelyn. He knows it’s him because of the bright red cape hanging off his shoulders. All the warlords wear them, as a symbol of their status. Word will have reached him about Boaden’s presence and he surely saw what Daelyn accomplished with her magic during the fight.

  Warlord Colden is accompanied by four soldiers, two on each side. He holds his hand out to Daelyn. She takes his forearm and he gives her a sharp nod. “Quite impressive what you did last night Daelyn Magnevera Exavior. I didn’t know you were the wife of Boaden Exavior until a few minutes ago. Why has no one heard of you until what happened in Hesstia? With your abilities you should be widely known throug
hout Delhoon.”

  Daelyn’s eyes flick to Boaden, he can sense her hesitation. He knows she hates telling everyone her story. “I didn’t attend the academy. And well, I never had a chance to prove myself until recently.”

  Colden eyes her for a moment. “I find it strange that as the daughter of Jordane and Madison Magnevera you didn’t attend the academy. Why didn’t you accept your invitation?”

  “We were undercover in Hesstia for twenty years and my mother needed me, and my father was thought to be dead. He is not, however.”

  The first snowflakes begin to swirl around them and Colden glances about the battlefield. “I had heard that Jordane was alive. Both your parents were under my command during the last war, did you know?”

  Daelyn shakes her head.

  “They too saved Filda once. Perhaps fate sent you here last night.”

  Boaden wonders about that story but they don’t have much time for it. They need to get moving west before Lord Everon can find out what happened here.

  “Perhaps. We came to save Boaden’s sister from the Hesstian’s,” Daelyn says and then she looks him straight in his green eyes. “She was captured during the battle in Norhila. We went against orders to do so and are not supposed to be here. I would ask that you do not report to Lord Everon of our presence.”

  Boaden bites his tongue by accident and tastes blood. He can’t believe that Daelyn just came out and said they deliberately went against Lord Everon’s orders. He could be thrown in prison for that. Colden could, and by law, should do it himself.

  Colden’s mouth forms a hard line, but then the sides of his mouth turn up. “You let me deal with Lord Everon. If you hadn’t been here we might have lost the city. With the fall of Sanlaiya in the south, Queen Kyria has been forced to move many troops their way instead of ours. She also can’t leave the center of the country and Delmar without protection. Warlord Khana is moving this way as we speak, but Asger needs to get her ass in the fight.”

  Boaden relaxes his stiff shoulders; they won’t be punished, but the news of Sanlaiya disturbs him. They had been there not long ago and now it is under Hesstian control. That is where Daelyn got her wedding dress and close to the beach they were married on. “We are going to speak with Warlord Asger and convince her to join.”

  Colden looks to Boaden. “Yes, we can’t lose Delhoon because she’s angry about Queen Kyria’s decision to send you both on the mission to assassinate King Rolland. It's too late for all that now. That can be dealt with after we win.”

  “I agree,” Boaden says and then shifts. He wonders what the soldiers under Asger are thinking. They must know we are at war and they won’t like sitting idle when they can join. She might have a rebellion on her hands before Boaden and his companions can even get there. “Have you gotten word from Warlord Asger?”

  “I’ve written to her several times over the past week but she replied only once and said she won’t be joining.”

  “I ask because I want to know what I’ll be walking into. Will the soldiers be upset she isn’t allowing them to fight?”

  Colden looks away and closes his eyes as the wind picks up. “Her soldiers are the most loyal I’ve ever seen.” He looks back to Boaden. “They will do anything for her. Be careful on your methods to get her to comply. Don’t do anything public, if you know what I mean. I assume since our queen is angry you have permission to use force?”

  Boaden nods. “Any means necessary.” Boaden doesn’t say that Kyria commanded him to kill her family until she submits, which he won’t do. It may get her to comply in the moment but it could also start a civil war. Boaden has done things for Kyria in the past, things he knew to be wrong, and he won’t compromise his soul for her any longer. “I’m hoping to be able to inspire her rather, and put into perspective what is at stake instead than use force.”

  Against a sudden gust of wind, Colden pulls his red cloak tighter around his body. His green eyes fall on Daelyn. “I think you are the best hope of getting her to join the fight. She generally likes women more than men, and she’ll be impressed with your magical power.”

  Daelyn turns her head toward Boaden then back to the Warlord. “Me? Oh, no I’m not diplomatic like Boaden is.”

  Colden shakes his head. “Her former husband was horrible to her but no one knew until she killed him. Soon after she took his place as Warlord. Ninety percent of her soldiers are women. Did they not tell you any of this?”

  Boaden is irritated that he hadn’t been more informed before meeting this woman. The royals were in such a rush they put him at a disadvantage. If he had known he’d have brought more women with him. Although, he’ll have Ehvas and Daelyn, he hopes that is enough. “Thank you for the information.”

  Colden waves for them to follow inside the city walls. “It’s too damn windy to be standing out here.” He strides for the doors, stopping and shaking hands with some of his soldiers who are collecting the dead. Then he turns back to Daelyn. “You should be fine now that I think of it. Asger has an attitude much like your mother Madison.”

  Boaden and Daelyn meet each other’s gaze, and Daelyn frowns. “Wonderful,” she says in a drawn out tone.

  Colden bursts out laughing.

  They decide to stay the night at the Warlord’s request. Ehvas is exhausted, as are the others, from the battle and being up all night. Boaden takes out a map and spreads it across the table. Daelyn sets down a cup of hot herbal tea for him. “Warlord Colden says that this will ensure we don’t get ill from the cold.”

  They’d been granted rooms at Colden’s mansion and the place is almost as nice as the castle in Delmar. Not nearly the size of it but the tapestries, the marble flooring, exotic foliage, expensive furniture, it all reminds him of it. Perhaps one day Boaden and Daelyn will have a place like this of their own. Daelyn squats down in front of the crackling fire. “How long is the ride to Warlord Asger’s city?”

  “The city she lives in is Arohem. If the weather is good we can be there in five days.”

  “It’s snowing.” Daelyn rubs her hands together and picks up her cup of tea from the fireplace ledge. She blows into the lip of it and steam rises. “I wouldn’t say that is good weather.”

  “The snow might prove useful. Neither Hesstia or Delhoon will want to rush into battle with the bitter cold. That gives us more time to get to Arohem and we won’t be pursued either.”

  Daelyn takes a sip of her tea. “So the war will be put on hold for the winter?”

  Boaden stares at the tiny marker that signifies the city of Sanlaiya. “No. It doesn’t usually snow much in the south. It just may be stalled up here for a while. I, however, think we should push into Hesstia and take the Outlands. They are weakened after the battle last night, but it’s not my call.”

  Daelyn sets her cup down. With fire in her eyes he’d only seen in battle she says, “Yes, they took Sanlaiya so we should take the north. We need to show them what it’s like to lose their land.”

  Boaden picks up his own tea and takes a drink. It’s pleasantly sweet and the perfect temperature after sitting for a few minutes. “That’s up to the queen and the warlords. We have our own mission to attend to.”

  A note drifts out of the fire and finds it’s way to Boaden. He swallows hard, seeing the red royal seal. What if Colden already told Queen Kyria we are here? He tears it open.

  Boaden,

  Bring Asger’s troops to the south. They’ve taken Sanlaiya and will move to Galantee next. – Lord Everon

  Boaden knows they need to get there as soon as possible now. Had he followed orders, he’d already be in Arohem and possibly moving the troops. Hesstia could take Galantee in five days. Yet, it will take a couple weeks to get Asger’s soldiers to Galantee. They are behind schedule.

  Then something hits him as he watches Daelyn stand before the fire. Magic doesn’t cost her energy, it might be possible for her to take them to Arohem using the appearus spell. Any other person would fall short, ending up where their energy ran out and possib
ly dying but perhaps for Daelyn it will be different.

  “Daelyn, have you ever attempted the appearus spell?”

  She glances over her shoulder and pushes her golden hair behind her ear. “No.”

  “Do you want to?” His mouth goes dry thinking of what it could do to her to attempt such a long jump, and with another person… he can’t imagine it being possible but he’s seen her do the impossible already.

  “The concept of it is simple but it’s a difficult spell. It requires faith in one’s abilities to disappear and reappear in another place entirely. Especially a place you’ve never seen with your own eyes, so let’s start small.” Boaden takes her hands in his. “I want you to appear on the other side of the bed. Close your eyes, think of where you want to go in your mind, believe that you are already there, and say, ‘appearus’ aloud.” For most, spells are easier the first time if a person speaks the word aloud. He releases her hands and takes a step back.

  Her eyelids flutter, “appearus,” her face strains but she doesn’t move. She opens her eyes with a frown.

  Boaden gives her a reassuring smile, “Again.”

  He thinks back to the class they practiced this spell in during year three of the academy. Professor Heinroche was a short fellow with hair like a lion’s mane and round glasses as thick as a bottle’s bottom. He walked with his arms behind his back, purple robe trailing on the grass, surveying each student as they lined up. “The first student to get the appearus spell won’t have homework from me for the rest of the year.”

  The student’s murmured their excitement; Boaden and Rorin looked at each other with a silent challenge. Both of them assumed they’d be the first. Rorin leaned in close. “Bet you lunch’s dessert I get it.”

  Boaden took his hand. “You’re on.”

  Professor Heinroche explained how to do the spell exactly as Boaden described it to Daelyn. Boaden closes his eyes and with confidence he said “appearus” aloud, the other students echoed him but not a single one of them moved. Boaden opened his eyes expecting to be at the top of the grassy knoll. To his and Rorin’s disappointment they found themselves standing next to each other in the line of students.