by Bailey Dark
“Those women are from the same coven, sisters by blood and not just in name,” Nakarr explains. “Do you know why they fight?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Because they’re Bloodbane and Bloodbane live to hurt others.”
Nakarr chuckles. “They fight because six hundred years ago, the younger took the man the older was pursuing. She fucked him first, and the older has never forgiven her sister.”
“For six hundred years?” I gape.
“That’s the blink of an eye to most Bloodbane,” Nakarr says. She turns me to face her and grips my shoulder. “Every woman that becomes a Bloodbane aches for revenge, whether she knows it or not. You want to kill your enemy? Now you are a Bloodbane.”
She slips away from me, drawing her hood back up. I watch Nakarr disappear into the darkness as her parting words echo in my mind. I can still hear the Bloodbane witches quarrelling, screeching now about their past. Nausea sweeps through me as I picture myself as one of them.
Revenge, Nakarr said, is what the Bloodbane seek. It rots them to the core, making them angry and cold and heartless. She never told me what happens when they have their revenge, but if the two fighting sisters are any indication, their thirst for vengeance is never sated. One of the women is on the ground now, crawling towards her dagger.
I turn away as they scream and there’s a wet squelching sound. I shake my head. I’m not like them. I won’t let my thirst for revenge consume me for the rest of my life. When I kill Sadal, that will be the end of it. The ingredients for my spell are heavy in my pockets as I stomp through the mud. I lift my eyes to the moon, it’s full and swollen with silver light. In another life, I might have once thought it was beautiful.
Now, I simply think it’s a good night for a spell.
Chapter 8
Altair
Cleo’s words and her story are circling round and round in my mind. Thal is gone, he took four of my best men after Cleo gave us more details. I picture him now, riding east and cursing me. I shake my head, a wry smile tugging at my lips. He may be unhappy with his assignment, but he’s the only person I trust to carry it out.
I take the stairs to the tower two at a time, a spyglass in hand. Word has come from my scouts that Sadal’s army is pushing further into my borders. Our battle days ago meant nothing. Sadal was simply toying with us.
I burst out into the chill air; autumn is coming soon. Clouds roil in the sky above me and the sun’s rays streak through, giving the sky a cold, gray tint. I face east, towards the mountains and lift the spyglass to my eyes. I focus the lens, sweeping it out over the landscape. At the base of the mountains, a black mass moves slowly towards Desmarais.
“Shit,” I breathe, snapping the spyglass closed.
A massive horde of demons is on the march towards Desmarais. The countryside was evacuated before we had our first battle, the demons will find nothing out there except abandoned farms and wild animals. I feel my heart beating quickly with anxiety as I picture the demons in my mind. I’ll never forget their crooked, yellow teeth or their jaundiced eyes. I see them when I sleep in my dreams. And I see Verity in the Bloodbane camp.
As I descend back into the castle to find Haru, I think of my dream last night. I dreamt I saw Verity kneeling in a glamorous, comfortable tent. She had chalk in her hand and was drawing furiously on a clean slate. I shudder, sorrow settling in my bones. She’s a Bloodbane now. Whatever spells and enchantments she’s casting are threats to me now.
I stride quickly through the halls, heading towards my council room. Inside, Haru and Moritz are discussing the war in hushed tones. Moritz sits stiffly in the chair at the head of the table. I ignore the slight and head directly for Haru. She sits on the edge of the table, her long fingers tracing the map. Her black hair hangs like a curtain in front of her face.
“Haru,” I say as the door closes behind me.
She glances up. “Yes?”
“Your navy, how many people can it carry?” I ask, thinking of the tens of ships in the harbor.
Her brows furrow. “Is the army on the move?”
“A few days march maybe,” I confirm.
She stands, all business. “How many people do you need to evacuate?” She asks.
I move to the window and stare down at Desmarais. The city was once a bustling area of commerce. Fae wandered the sparkling streets, lights and music flared at all hours. Now, it’s quiet and solemn.
“All of them,” I say softly, watching the few Fae on the streets. “Get them all out.”
“I can begin the evacuation today,” Haru says.
“Bring them to Stellium, I’ll pay whatever you want to let my people take refuge until this war is over,” I say through gritted teeth.
Haru takes my hand and squeezes it tightly. “Don’t speak of it. I’ll organize it right away.”
I watch over my shoulder as Haru slips from the room, heading for her navy. I sigh, shoulders sagging. We can’t stay in Desmarais much longer, I’ll need to move my government elsewhere before the demons arrive. But I won’t abandon this post until my people are out of danger. I just hope Thal moves quickly.
I glance back out the window towards the large sails on the horizon. Retreat was never the plan. The plan was to defeat Sadal in the first battle, drive him back and show him he can’t win. But it’s not just the demons or the witches we must fight; we have to fight a god. A god I underestimated.
Alnembra is my home, but I care more for my people than this land. If I have to abandon it for a time, I will. Moritz joins me at the window. I glance at him from the corner of my eyes. The cowl of his cloak is lifted up just under his nose and he stares imperiously at my city.
“When I was young, I heard it was called the City of Glass,” he says. “Imagine my disappointment when I saw it for the first time.”
I chuckle low. “Trust me, I had the same disappointing revelation.”
“It’s too bad,” Moritz sighs. “It’s a beautiful city.”
“The jewel of the continent,” I murmur.
Moritz eyes me, but I know he doesn’t care for beauty. “Some might disagree,” he says, keeping his tone light.
A flash of light in the distance catches my eye and I see the navy positioning themselves near the docks. I leave the room without another word. There’s one thing on my mind. Someone I can’t leave behind.
In the dungeons, I pause in front of Navi’s cell. She melts out of the shadows wordlessly. Her eyes are shadowed by purple circles, her short hair matted. She wraps her thin fingers around the bars gently, never taking her eyes from me.
I stare at her, feeling sick to my stomach. She betrayed me, I think. This is the woman who fed information about Verity to the Bloodbane. In a way, Navi caused all of this. Navi told the Bloodbane Verity was here. Navi brought them to my house.
My eyes narrow as I stare at her. She’s thinner now, I wonder vaguely if she’s eating properly. “We’re evacuating the city,” I say with no emotion.
Navi’s eyes widen. “It’s come to that?”
“It has,” I murmur. “I’m letting you go.”
“Letting me go?” She echoes quietly. “I can help you. I can fight.”
“No,” I snap. “Absolutely not. I want you on the ships to Stellium.”
Navi presses closer to the bars. “Altair, I’m the best fighter we have. I’m not some weak Fae woman or child in need of rescuing.”
“That’s not why I’m sending you.” I cut her off, glaring. “They will need someone to protect them; someone to lead them. Do that, and I may forgive you.”
The metal keys in my hand jangle as I thrust the key into the lock of her cell. It screeches loudly as I pull it open, the cold of the metal seeping into my palm. Navi stands in the open doorway, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Altair,” she whispers.
I hold up a hand, silencing her as I feel a wave of anger and confusion. “Why?” I ask. “Why did you do it?”
She smiles sadly. “Someti
mes we do stupid things for love.”
I don’t answer as she steps around me wordlessly. She straightens her back, ever the soldier. Without another word or backward glance, Navi is gone. I listen to her footsteps echo up the staircase, trying desperately not to slam my fist against the stone walls. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I wait for a moment until I feel my chest relax before turning back to the stairs.
In the darkness behind me I hear cackling. I turn towards the Bloodbane witch, Cleo, with narrowed eyes. I see her eyes glimmering in the faint light. “She was devastated to betray you,” she says.
I approach slowly and her face comes into view. Cleo is smiling broadly in the dark. I stoop low, bending over her with a sneer. “Must you always dig the knife in a little deeper?” I snarl.
She flashes her teeth at me. “Sensitive, aren’t you?”
“Angry is a better word,” I say, eyes flashing.
Cleo looks at me thoughtfully. “You saw her, didn’t you? Your mortal?”
“In red, with Sadal,” I growl. My stomach drops as my thoughts flash back to that moment. My bones aches, as if they’re still broken despite being fully healed only yesterday.
“Don’t be angry with her,” Cleo murmurs. “The cloak doesn’t mean she betrayed you.”
“How do you know?” I ask bitingly, imaging Sadal draping it around her shoulders.
Cleo turns away. “Sadal has a way of taking what he wants.”
I wait for her to speak more, but Cleo is silent. She slips back into the shadows and kneels in the corner, eyes turned away. I spin and head back towards the stairs. Cleo’s words echo in my mind and I wonder if she’s telling the truth. I wonder if Verity has been trapped by Sadal.
I slam my fist into the wall, fury overwhelming me. It doesn’t matter if she’s complicit or not. Verity is mine, she vowed to bind her life with mine, not Sadal. Whatever it takes, I will get her back. And when I do, I’ll find my Verity again. I’ll help her find herself. And together, we’ll rebuild Alnembra.
My knuckles are bleeding, throbbing with pain. But I feel renewed vigor, new hope with thoughts of Verity. I close my eyes, picturing her in my mind. I think of a day before she broke the curse, when she spent her days with me under the guise of Acubens. I remember her with a smile on her face, laughing loudly while a book tumbled out of her lap. She shoved me playfully and it felt like electricity.
She looked nothing like that woman I got to know. She looked afraid, thin, and sorrowful. If I leave her with Sadal, I know she’ll wither away slowly and eventually be nothing more than a husk of herself.
I open the door and step out in the sunny hall of the main floor. Servants bustle through the halls, looks of fear on their faces. I watch as they ignore me, hurrying towards the main doors where my carriages are waiting to ferry them to the harbors. I feel my heart swell with determination in my chest as I watch my people run. We won’t run forever. And someday, I will have Verity by my side again. In a week, in a year, maybe even in fifty years when she has aged as all mortals must. But I will have her again.
Chapter 9
Verity
The war camp has moved closer to Altair’s palace. Every day, the Bloodbane pack their tents and soar above the marching demonic army towards Desmarais. The moon is high overhead now, waning, and casting a dim shadow over the hastily erected camp. We’re closer than ever now, but I can’t yet see Altair’s castle in the distance. I’m grateful for that.
I huddle under the heavy blankets of my bed, listening to the Bloodbane whisper through the heavy linen walls of the tent. Their quiet now, the jubilee of their first victory against the Fae is old now. Behind their quiet murmuring I can sense their anticipation of taking Desmarais, the greatest city in the Fae kingdoms.
My stomach churns at the thought of the Bloodbane soaring into the beautiful harbor, striking down fleeing Fae with their poisonous arrows. There are children in that city. I slip a hand beneath my pillow, to the dagger that I keep hidden there. Lately, Sadal hasn’t made an appearance in front of me longer than it takes to transport me to the next campsite. After that, he disappears. I hear whispers that he’s in the ether, communicating with some dark power.
I shiver, a chill slipping down my spine like melting ice. If there’s something darker and more powerful than him, I can only hope it stays content in the ether. But knowing Sadal, he might raise whatever darkness it is to destroy Alnembra completely – and then the rest of the Fae kingdoms.
Holding the dagger in my hand brings me some comfort. Right now, it’s useless against Sadal, but soon it will be enough to defeat him. I hope. I’m almost finished with my enchantment, but it’s a complex spell. Nakarr has seen me steal supplies from the Bloodbane tent three times now, and each time she merely grins at me. I frown to myself, staring at the tent wall. I’m lucky she hasn’t reported me, but I doubt she ever will. She seems to enjoy watching me spiral further into my thirst for revenge.
I close my eyes, summoning the cold, quiet anger that’s settled in my chest since I watched Altair plummet to the ground. He’s dead, I remind myself. He’s dead and it’s my fault for letting myself drift away when I was the one who could have saved them all. I picture Sadal’s leering grin when he returned after murdering Altair. My anger swells in my chest and I clutch the dagger tighter. Three evil people will be the victims of this cold fury when my enchantment is finished. Sadal first, in front of all his beloved brides so their hearts will break when he bleeds out in front of them. Maaz next, crumpled beside Sadal. And then me.
Suddenly, I hear fabric rustling and see silvery light slice into the room as the door opens. I close my eyes, relaxing my features so I look fast asleep. Soft footsteps approach and I recognize Sadal’s gait. My heart pounds with mixed emotions of anger and fear. This is the first time he’s come to the tent without Maaz. The first time the two of us are alone together in the heavy gloom of night.
The bed dips as he slips into it. I feel the blankets shift and I know he’s beside me. I can feel power radiating from him. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end, nerves heightened as he sidles closer to me. I clench my eyes closed, forcing my lips to part rather than twisting them in a fearful grimace.
My palms are slick with the cold sweat of fear. I relax my grip on the dagger, hoping Sadal won’t notice it beneath my pillow. It’s all I have. He sighs, a hand slipping over my hip and running along my ribs. I nestle deeper into the pillow, wishing I could slip the knife into his heart here and now. But my spell isn’t ready yet. He wouldn’t die, he would just be pissed off.
So, I let him run his elegant fingers over my body. I fight the nausea welling within me and the urge to tear away from him, screaming. Sadal’s body eases closer to mine. When he presses his chest against my back, I feel no warmth, no heartbeat.
“I know you’re awake, little Verity,” he purrs. I don’t move, hoping he’ll fall for my ruse if I can only ignore him. “Have you wondered why I’ve waited so long to join you? Why I’ve waited to consummate our covenant?”
I can’t help the shudder that washes over me. I bite back the bile rising in my throat as I try to imagine the ritual he forced me to do. I can’t remember it. I don’t remember kneeling in the Well in the Holy Rite. I don’t remember letting his blood soak through the thin, white shift I would have worn. I don’t remember speaking the words. And I don’t remember letting him take me in his own blood.
“I don’t know if I can wait any longer,” he continues, his deep voice rough and needy. His hands rove over my breasts and I clench my eyes shut. My breath is trapped in my throat, panic flooding through me as his fingers tweak at my breast.
“Stop it,” I whisper, breathing shakily. His hand slips down my belly, towards my hips. I wrench away from him, trembling violently and almost toppling out of the bed. “Stop it!”
He rises onto one elbow and leers at me. “What’s wrong, Verity? Honeymoon jitters?”
I shake my head and clamber uneasily from t
he bed. I feel violated, exposed, and almost naked in the thin nightgown I wear. I drag the Bloodbane cloak from a nearby chair and wrap it around myself. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss, meeting his gaze. I glare at him, trying to look strong even though my knees are shaking.
In one swift move, Sadal is in front of me. His tunic is loose, exposing his chiseled chest, and his trousers are unbuttoned. I take a hesitant step back and almost trip over a chair. He narrows his eyes and grips my chin in his hand. Pain throbs as he squeezes me, pulling me closer to him. I stumble but catch myself before falling into his chest.
“You would deny me?” He asks coldly.
“I don’t want you,” I say through gritted teeth. “I don’t love you. Don’t ever touch me.”
He flashes his teeth at me in a cruel grin. “You think love has anything to do with it?”
I curl my hands into fists at my side. “It does to me,” I hiss.
“That’s where you’re wrong, sweet, innocent Verity.” Sadal strokes a hand down my ribs, lingering at my waist. His eyes close as he touches me softly and then they fly open, filled with fire and passion. I can’t help the jolt of electricity that flows through me as his eyes drink me in. “See, Verity, love is meaningless. Your body has betrayed you.”
I jerk away from him, but he holds me fast. I wince as his fingers dig into my jaw. “I don’t want you,” I say, desperation washing through me like a tidal wave. I have to get away from him. “Once, before I knew who you were, I thought you cared for me. But I know you don’t care about anyone but yourself and I could never be with someone like that. I could never be with someone as heartless as you,” I spit out, lips twisted into a scowl.
