Chapter 32 #2
They strolled beneath a tunnel of purple flowering trees, their fragrant perfume thick in the air. Moths darted in between the blooms, the subtle glow of their white wings like moving stars.
Maeryn stopped before a shrub and picked a white flower, twirling it in her fingers. Her bright eyes were full of emotion and he resisted the urge to touch her, comfort her. For he could see she was in pain.
Just like him.
“Growing up the way I did was challenging, as I told you. But I didn’t tell you everything. Our people were hurting. Many of the fae of Igneothenia were killed when our home was stolen from us. So we were urged to repopulate.”
Raine studied her closely. She continued to twirl the flower, gathering her thoughts.
“We had arranged marriages and I was willing to do my part. I would do anything for my people.” She took a deep breath.
“I married. And though it took time, eventually we fell in love.” Her eyes were full of sorrow.
“Twenty years ago, he was killed. On a mission to gather more supplies. A group of daemon soldiers murdered their whole party. We never had any children together.”
Maeryn’s eyes glistened with tears.
Raine sucked in a breath. “I’m so sorry, Maeryn.”
“Thank you. And I’m sorry for your love as well. For whatever happened. Please know you may speak to me about it whenever you need to. When you’re ready. I would never judge you.”
“I know you wouldn’t.”
They stood in the garden, facing one another.
Raine couldn’t help but get lost in her beauty, allowing his eyes to drift as he drank in her delicate features.
Pert nose, lush lips, full lashes. He longed to pull her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.
Wanted to tuck her away from the hurt of the world and keep her safe from her sorrows.
Lifting an arm, he tentatively cupped her face, wiping a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. A small sigh left her lips as she leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering shut.
“Maeryn…” he murmured, unsure of what he was about to say.
“Hmm?”
The moment was gone when Sabriel’s frantic voice sounded in his head.
They took down the guards in the tunnels! Daemons are entering our capital!
“They’re already here?”
This seems to be a smaller force. Testing our weaknesses.
“We must get to town,” Raine said to Maeryn. “Now.”
Without a word, Maeryn sprinted through the garden and out the gate, Raine at her heels.
Screams echoed in the distance. Running toward the cries of terror, they halted at the edge of town. Monsters barreled through the streets, pouncing on defenseless citizens, while a group of about fifty soldiers marched toward the castle.
“We mustn’t let them get past us,” Raine said.
Sabriel barreled into the chaos, ripping out the throat of a smaller wolf-like creature. More beasts appeared, their black skin reflecting the moonlight, fangs dripping with venom. A family of gnomes cowered against a shop, wailing in terror.
Raine met eyes with Maeryn, not needing to speak to communicate their plan. They took off after the daemon hounds. Raine raised his arms and entrapped one in a ball of roots. Maeryn melted it with her lava.
“Again!” she called, as they raced through the cobblestone streets.
“Everyone get inside!” Raine yelled at the townsfolk, frozen in fear.
He snatched another hound with roots. Maeryn burned it. Repeating the process, they took the rest of them down quickly, ensuring there were no more nearby.
Raine stopped, kneeling before the family. “You must hide.”
“Thank you, captain,” a small woman with big brown eyes sobbed.
“Inside. Now.”
Dozens of boots signaled the arrival of their own soldiers, Thorne and the rest of their friends in tow. Including Jareth.
“You’d better help, you bastard,” Raine barked.
Jareth glared at him, then launched a ball of starlight at a daemon soldier, setting him aflame. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Now is not the time!” Thorne shouted, plunging his sword into an advancing daemon.
Another enemy soldier ran forward, solely focused on the king. Thorne’s sword cleaved the air, severing his head from his shoulders, before whipping around and halting a blow from another. Their weapons locked together, the daemon soldier pushed forward. Thorne staggered back.
Raine released an arrow, spearing straight through the daemon’s throat. He collapsed in a heap.
“I had him,” Thorne growled.
“You’re rusty,” Raine chided, clapping a hand on Thorne’s shoulder. “You should have trained with us more, Your Majesty.”
Thorne raised his hand, his eyes darting behind Raine. “Move.”
Raine spun to the side, bow drawn. A heartbeat later Thorne snapped the neck of a soldier with thorny roots. “Rusty?” He raised a brow at Raine.
“I take it back!”
A soldier ran forth, sword held high. Maeryn whirled, a whip of lava in her hand. With a snap of her arm, she cracked it, wrapping it around the daemon’s neck. His screams were cut off as it burned through his flesh, his head thumping to the ground moments later.
“Impressive.” Raine gave her a feral grin as another soldier lunged with a dagger.
But Raine was quicker, releasing an arrow into the daemon’s eye. His friends were now lost in the melee. All he could see was the multitude of magic as they fought their enemies.
They were making quick work of the small force, cutting down soldiers and monsters left and right. It was almost too easy.
“Something doesn’t feel right!” he shouted, wrapping vines around a daemon as Maeryn used her magic to melt him.
The daemon dead, she paused. “What do you mean?”
“Why send such a small force?”
“Do you think it’s a distraction?” she asked.
“Possibly…but from what?”
Raine shook his head, scanning for more enemies to fight but his soldiers had it handled for the moment.
The fields, Sabriel suddenly said. They’re burning.
“Shit!”
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re trying to take out our supplies. Our food. We must get to the farms.” Raine searched the chaos, attempting not to panic. His father was a farmer. Which meant his home could be burning at this very moment. Locating who he was looking for, he shouted, “Ava!”
She rushed over, Casimir and Jorrar on her heels. “What’s wrong?”
“I need you to make a portal to Jorrar’s house.”
“My house? Why?” Jorrar clutched his sword, out of breath.
“There are enemy soldiers burning the farms and your house is close.”
Jorrar went pale. “My grandchildren…”
“Is Isolde with them?” Ava asked.
He shook his head. “She’s been at the castle all evening, preparing supplies with Kai.”
“Who’s watching them?” Raine asked.
“Your sister.”