Chapter 15 Lana
Lana
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
The only thing that could make this any worse was if Thames himself showed up.
“We should turn around,” Ian whispered. “We can’t win against five razorven and three strox. It’s suicide.”
“We can do this,” I whispered back angrily. “We don’t leave here without the journal. We need those answers.”
Kade glanced at me, then nodded once. I made eye contact with Ian next, then Jax. All were in agreement, albeit reluctantly, and readying themselves to attack.
Slowly, the beasts crept forward, taking their time while they assessed their prey. Their tongues flicking out, licking their lips as they made their way toward us.
A thought tingled in my mind. “Kade?” I flexed my hands. “Want to try something crazy?”
He looked down to where I pooled my light in my palms. This time it felt easier, like every time I called on my magic, it became more a part of me.
The connection to it strengthened with each use.
I wasn’t quite sure how it worked when my magic exploded out of me, but Kade’s shadows were almost like a faucet, pouring from him when he used them.
I imagined my own magic working in the same way.
Breathing deeply, I searched for the connection to my well of light and let the warmth spread over my body.
“Strox first, then razorven,” I suggested. “I think the strox are the deadlier opponents.”
“You think?” Jax asked, shaking his head. “Fingers crossed, I guess.”
I cursed under my breath, trying to remember anything I could from the nightmarish children’s tales that might help us. “Don’t touch the razorvens spines,” I shivered. “They’re poisonous.”
“Fates above, anything else?” Jax’s voice hitched. “Just so we’re clear, I’ll be sitting out next time, princess.”
“Get behind me,” Kade ordered Ian and Jax, refocusing us. He stepped forward, holding his hands out toward mine while his shadows pooled around him. I put my hands up, hoping my light magic infused with his shadows like I wanted.
Slowly, our magics collided, the shadows and light swirled together, creating a force strong enough to momentarily hold back the strox from advancing any farther.
I gasped, staring in awe at the shield-like blockade.
It didn’t last long though, as strox flew forward and a crack appeared in our magical barrier.
My light waned, blinking out.
“Lana,” Kade shouted.
I reached for my magic again, the energy draining from me too quickly, but I pushed harder.
One of the strox was almost directly in front of me when light and shadows collided again.
This time, their intertwined magical barrier held, withstanding the force of the strox relentlessly pushing against it.
After a minute or two, the strox cawed in anger and returned to the sky, flying south, deeper into the forest.
“Yes,” I shouted. Our magic was stronger together, but my light magic flickered again.
A few of the razorven in front of us hissed, retreating slightly as the onslaught of magic cascaded over the area. A magical shower of light and shadows fell from the sky, fizzling after an extraordinary display of magic.
“Whoa,” Jax whispered, his tone almost reverent.
We repositioned ourselves, preparing our weapons for combat against the razorven.
Using my magic like this depleted me, and I was unprepared for how much energy it took to wield this much power.
Everyone made it look so simple, like breathing, just an automatic extension of their bodies.
I didn’t have time to think about it though—we had more creatures to battle, and I couldn’t give up now.
Jax shifted, roaring in defiance as he lunged forward, attacking the closest razorven.
Kade followed, running toward the battle.
Meanwhile, a trail of shadows slinked up my leg and onto my chest, forming the shadow armor I’d worn once before.
I flipped my dagger in my hand and moved to follow the others when a caw echoed around us.
One that sounded eerily close to my head.
I froze, unable to move. Slowly, I looked behind me to come face-to-face with five strox.
The beasts had returned—with reinforcements.
They lowered their snouts, breathing a foul-smelling stench in my direction.
I felt the shadows harden against my chest, turning more solid as the beasts narrowed their deadly gaze at me.
Their eyes gleamed with malice as they slowly approached me.
Kade and Jax both were in the middle of battling razorven on the edge of the clearing, but Ian came running to my side.
“Great,” he muttered. “How did that not work to scare them away.”
“Looks like our magic slowed them down, intimidated them maybe, but didn’t harm them,” I replied, eyeing the giant birds. Their feathers flared, and they clicked their beaks angrily as they crept toward us.
“I thought my battle with these creatures during the marriage trials would be a once-in a-lifetime event, but lucky for us, I get to do it again. Better move fast.” Ian looked over at me. “Together?”
I nodded, pushing away my fear. There was no place for it here. “Together.”
We charged forward, blades at the ready to fight the ancient battle birds.
The strox were undeniably agile on their feet.
A talon swiped at my side but bounced off the shadow armor fortifying my chest. My breath lodged in my throat, the impact of the attack knocking me off balance.
The strox swiped at my outstretched hand, and its talon scraped across my palm. Blood oozed from the cut.
I grimaced, trying to push the pain from my mind. Jumping to my feet, I lunged forward, aiming my dagger at the bird’s chest, only to fall sideways as a wing knocked me over.
“Lana!” Kade called out.
Shadows crawled over the forest floor, and my light answered in response. Together, like extensions of my own arms, they held the strox at bay, while I moved to drive my blade into its side. I raised my dagger to deliver the killing blow.
“Stop!” The sweet sound of a female voice echoed through the forest, bouncing off trees, amplified and booming around us. “No more.”
A billowy figure, shimmered brilliantly against the dark forest, emerging from behind the strox. Instantly, the beasts stopped their attack, bowed their heads, and retreated to stand beside the figure. The razorven’s hissing ceased as they too approached the figure in white.
“Is that…” Ian started as Jax quickly shifted back to his Fae form.
“A spirit?” he asked, finishing Ian’s thought.
I blinked, still clutching the dagger. Kade moved to my side, out of breath from his own battle, his sword still clutched in his hand.
“There’s no need for those.” The woman gestured toward our weapons. She made her way forward, her feet appearing to hover above the ground, as she moved gracefully through the forest.
Her words did nothing to placate the feeling that the beasts would attack us again. None of us put our weapons away.
When she stopped in front of our group, I stared at her in awe. Her hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders, but it was the color that startled me.
Rose gold.
Exactly like mine.
“Who are you?” I breathed out the question more than demanding it, my eyes widened in shock.
She smiled and reached her hand toward me.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Kade growled, raising his sword as shadows shot out before us, creating a barrier. Ian and Jax moved in closer, ready to fight our way out if necessary.
Instead of the spirit being offended, she smiled at Kade before raising an eyebrow. “I mean your mate no harm.”
Goose bumps skittered across my arms in anticipation.
Surprise flickered across his face before he caught himself, narrowing his eyes as they filled with distrust. “My mate asked you a question.”
The spirit laughed, her face appearing genuinely joyful while her bright eyes danced. “Is he always like this?” She moved through the shadow wall with ease and reached forward, touching the side of Kade’s face.
He sucked in a sharp breath and froze in place, almost as if captivated by the strangeness of this spirit touching him. How had she gotten through the shadows? My pulse quickened, trying to wrap my head around who stood before us.
“You look so much like my Jasper.” She patted his face once and pulled her hand away. “I’ll finally get to see him soon, now that you’re here.”
“Who is Jasper?” Ian whispered to Jax behind me.
Kade’s brow furrowed. “Jasper Blackthorn?” he asked.
The spirit nodded. “My name is Evelyn Everhart.” Her gaze flicked toward me. “The first Queen of Brookmere but, I suppose more importantly, your quite a few times great-grandmother.”
I swayed on my feet, silence falling around us. My heart rate skyrocketed. How was it possible the spirit of our first queen haunted the Southern Forest? And why?
“Wait,” Jax gasped, breaking the silence. I turned to look at him, his lips curled in a confused expression. “If your Jasper is our Jasper and you’re Lana’s great-great-great-grandmother, then you two…” He pointed between Kade and me, eyebrows raised. “Did you not check a family tree?”
Evelyn’s melodic laugher hit my ears and I jumped, noticing she now stood directly by my side.
Seconds later, she glided toward one of the strox standing guard, the creature’s beady eyes observing the entire interaction. She reached out her hand and the deadly bird eagerly lowered its head. Evelyn ran her hand up and down its beak and the creature purred.
“What in the Fates’ names is going on?” Ian said under his breath, absolute shock at what was happening clear in his tone.
“The animals here listen to me. They protect our line,” she replied softly.
“It didn’t feel like protection a few minutes ago,” I argued. “Pretty sure they wanted to grind our bones into their next meal.”
Evelyn tilted her head as she moved her hand from the strox’s beak to its neck, scratching under its feathers. "It assumed you were here to harm me and reacted accordingly. They understand now, and never again will one cause you harm.”
“Wait,” Ian interjected. “During the battle at Ellevail, the strox attacked us. I had to fight one with my own sword and barely made it out alive.”
She ran a hand down the bird’s neck as the creature nuzzled into her.
A strox cozied up to this woman like a pet.
I blinked several times, wondering if I was actually seeing the scene before me correctly.
“Like I said, it was protecting our line. If you acted as if they were there to harm you, they will defend themselves against such attacks. Nothing is as it appears at first glance.”
Ian gave her an incredulous glare, muttering to himself, “Unbelievable.”
“Come,” she said, finally pulling away. “We have much to discuss.”
I hesitated, unsure of what to think anymore, and looked at the others, wondering if they were just as confused. “Hopefully one of the things we’ll discuss is if we’re related?” I whispered under my breath to Kade.
Kade grimaced. “There’s no way, Little Rebel. We’re mates.”
“Might want to make sure,” Jax mumbled, his brow furrowed like he had no idea what to think.
Ian stared, facing forward with a look of bewilderment.
I moved first, leading the way. Together, we followed Evelyn.
The razorven skittered away, but the strox she had pet earlier walked elegantly to the side of our group.
I was too scared to ask Evelyn questions as we moved to our destination, just in case the strox changed its mind.
Kade’s hand slipped in mine and squeezed reassuringly as we allowed ourselves to be escorted deeper into the forest.
We walked for what felt like a mile until we arrived at another small clearing, a path of flowers and moss leading to a semicircle of rocks. Evelyn clasped her hands in front of her and turned to face us.
“You may be seated.” She pointed to the rock formations around us. “Not you, my dear,” she clarified, stopping me. “You step forward here.”
Tentatively, I let go of Kade’s hand, and when he didn’t loosen his grip, I nodded, indicating it was okay. He took a deep breath and eventually let go, allowing me to move before Evelyn.
“Payment must be made. A sacrifice in blood.”
Why was everything always in blood? “Fine,” I sighed, just wanting to get this over with so we could move on to obtaining answers.
The white dagger hummed on my side, practically trembling in its sheath to be free. I cut my palm, just like the others had during Mysthaven’s Blood Oath, and let my blood drip onto the forest floor at Evelyn’s feet.
The droplets sizzled as they landed against the mossy surface.
“Did I pass?” I asked, raising an eyebrow when Evelyn didn’t answer.
Smiling, Evelyn raised her hand. “Let’s see.” She snapped her finger once, and a worn leather journal appeared in her palm. She stepped toward me, holding it out. “I believe you’re here for this?”
“My mother’s journal.” I stared at the book in Evelyn’s hand. Hope and fear collided, within me as I beheld what might be the final piece of information we needed to win against Thames.
She clicked her tongue. “This is not just your mother’s journal. Every woman in our line has written in it and been tasked with keeping it safe. All leading to this very moment.”
I frowned, watching her as my confusion grew. “What moment is that?”
“For the light to destroy Thames’s darkness for good.”