Chapter 28
Twenty-Eight
B efore the sun rose, Vaelor and I were awake.
His best armor was on him, and his sword was belted at his waist. He looked like a warrior, though one who had seen too many battles.
He tried to hide the effects of the poison with his stiff shoulders and clenched jaw.
But the worry in his gaze lined by the dark circles under his eyes was also evident.
I handed him the root. The leaves were stored in my pocket. He’d agreed to try one more time before his last battle. “Take it right before you fight. Let me know when you are ready, and I’ll cast the spell.”
Do you have the poison ready? Vaelor’s voice sounded in my mind.
I do . I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small bottle filled with a mud-colored substance. It should be enough as long as Throk and his two officers ate it. And as long as Mira followed through.
Gods, I hoped everything went well.
You’re out of your mother’s potion that hides your scent, aren’t you? Vaelor asked .
I nodded. We’d known this would happen.
Vaelor reached out. When his fingers brushed my cheek, I felt their cool clamminess, and my worry spiked. Be careful, Denara.
I pushed it aside and stepped into him, grasping his armor and jerking him down to my level.
Raising onto my toes, I pressed my lips to his.
This wasn’t the end. This wouldn’t be our last kiss.
I refused to believe it. Pulling back, I gave him my fiercest stare.
Y ou’ll win today. You’ll claim the position Throk offers. I… I know it.
He touched his forehead to mine, his grip tightening on me a little too much. I will win.
Releasing me, he stepped toward the door. I twisted my fingers so hard it hurt, stepping after him, telling myself this wasn’t the last time we would be together. I love you.
He paused. Then spun and came back. He picked me off the ground and pushed me onto a nearby table, knocking the vase to the floor.
And kissed me forcefully. His hands roved over my frame, taking in every inch of me.
He released a low growl and deepened the kiss.
My body raged with desire. I opened my mouth, allowing his tongue to sweep inside and claim me.
He pulled back and set me on my feet, his breaths coming fast and heavy. I am and will forever be yours, Denara.
With one last longing glance, he stepped to the door and swung it open. My chest ached as the opening shut, leaving me in the blackness of the front entryway, trembling with fear and desire. “Please don’t lose,” I whispered.
I waited there in the dark for a few moments after he left before slipping out of the manor. Being careful not to get too close to any demons that were awake at this ungodsly hour, I made my way quickly to the kitchen tent.
Mira was already up and inside, bustling about. She scrubbed a pot with quick, almost frantic movements, her shoulders tight and her jaw set as the metal rang softly beneath her palms.
“Mira,” I hissed as I snuck into the tent.
She jumped and glanced up at me. After checking to make sure we were alone, I pulled out the brown potion bottle and placed it in her hands.
Mira’s eyes grew wide. “What is this?”
“It’s a poison that will weaken the demons.” It wasn’t as strong as the venenum I’d used to kill the mercenary army, but I couldn’t kill Spiritu Malignos demons, anyway. All I needed to do was incapacitate them for a bit. And the feast designed after the tournament should do it. I hoped.
Mira’s hands shook. “Another poison—Denara, I?—”
“Just mix it in with the other spices and serve it to the army. Make sure you get it in Throk and the other leaders’ food.
There’s too many other cooks. Nobody will know it was you, and even if they do, it’ll be too late.
” I clenched my jaw, fingering the blade at my waist. Vaelor wouldn’t be wielding this sword.
Once Throk and the others were weakened, it would be up to me.
Up to me to finish off Throk and the other two leaders of the army once the poison weakened them.
I took a slow breath. That would be later.
I looked at Mira. “Please, I can’t do this without you.”
She trembled but then nodded.
“Thank you, thank you. I’ll watch from the trees at the edge of the clearing.
” I left the poison in her hands and snuck out of the tent, hurrying over to the tree where the boy and I had watched the tournament the day before.
The sword clanked against me annoyingly as I climbed, but I found a spot and settled down to observe and wait.
As the sun ascended in the sky, the camp came to life.
Demons gathered around the area in the middle of the field to view the end of the tournament.
Throk lumbered in and assumed his place in the center of the dais, followed by his two commanders—the two gargoyles and their thick, rock-like skin with the black cracks.
Once the poison weakened them, I’d have to take off their heads.
That was the only way to be sure I’d finished the job.
My heart rate picked up and my stomach churned.
Even from a distance, the trio appeared large and nasty, and suddenly I was feeling my serious lack of experience with a sword.
Something pulled my gaze over to the pole where the human had been tied the day before. I’d avoided looking at it, but a demon walked over and slashed at him, and it brought my attention.
The human didn’t move, didn’t react. It hung sagging and lifeless, pale and cold. His battered body, a testament to the horror of his last hours.
I swallowed. I could do this. I would do this.
Creedan soon joined Throk. I noticed how he gazed at the Spiritu Malignos demons warily and with more than a little disgust on his face. He still must be in negotiations with Throk to stick around for another round of fighting.
Raxus and the other two demon contestants arrived as well.
A chill crept down my spine. Raxus’s armor wasn’t forged leather like it had been the day before, it was made from bones taken from fallen champions and somehow fused together.
Vertebrae formed his breastplate, giant femurs guarded his shoulders and a crown of sharpened ribs framed his head.
Crimson coated the bones and every movement Raxus made produced the sound of grinding skeletons.
He stretched and shook his horns—appearing too well-rested, too confident.
My eyes narrowed. I hoped Vaelor crushed his guts into the dirt.
Vaelor soared in, dropping from the sky. He gripped his sword and threw a quick glance my way before facing the others.
“Good. We are all here,” Throk said. He paired Vaelor up with a tall, lean demon with pale, corpse-colored skin and Raxus up with a demon with a hawk-head, feathered wings, and long hair braided with iron rings and bone.
I tensed. The tall, lean demon curled his long fingers, which ended in black claws.
He had thin horns that rose from his temples.
Although he was thinner, he moved with an easy grace, and he held his weapon with an experience that told me he knew how to fight.
I glanced at Vaelor. Despite his attempts to conceal it, the poison clung to him like a shadow—his movements were slower, his shoulders heavier than usual.
Even though we had a plan for the final battle, Vaelor still had to make it through this one.
Vaelor and his opponent entered the ring of rocks, squaring off against one another. The other demon gave an unnerving smile as the horn sounded.
The demon attacked, and Vaelor had to move quickly to block the blow. Their swords banged together, the sound of the crashing blades sounding like cracks of lightning ringing across the field. Vaelor fought, his steps a little too shaky, his hits a little weaker with each strike.
The tall, lean demon’s smile only grew as he pressed harder, seeing Vaelor struggle to keep up.
In a move that was a desperate act to end the fight, Vaelor dropped and swiped his sword at the other demon’s legs.
His opponent lunged to the side but took a sharp cut to his calf, though it was clear it wasn’t deep.
He too easily climbed to his feet and stepped forward.
The demon let loose a hiss of pain but charged toward Vaelor.
Worry gnawed at my insides. The longer the fight went, the quicker Vaelor would fade. The other demon, despite the cut on his calf, still appeared fresh, as though he could battle all day.
The demon charged again, striking out with such a fury, Vaelor fell back. He rammed a fist into Vaelor’s wing, and it cracked. Vaelor snarled in pain, and the demon struck, slamming his sword into Vaelor’s armor with such force that Vaelor crumpled to the dirt
I jammed my fist into my mouth and bit down to stifle the cry rising up my throat.
Vaelor didn’t rise, didn’t move. He lay on the ground, his armor dented and a massive crack showing through.
The tall demon leered. He twisted his blade in his hand and sauntered up to Vaelor. He grasped Vaelor by the horns, getting his limp body into position. The sword raised.
My throat clenched. No.
Get up.
Get up!
Get up, Vaelor. Now! I screamed through our connection.
Vaelor’s eyes flew open, and he moved. He swung his own sword, and it sliced directly into the demon’s neck, severing his head. It landed on the ground with a soft thud, the sickly smile of triumph still on the demon’s lips. His body toppled over, spitting black blood.
An abaddon spirit rose out of the body. Vaelor lunged forward one more time, his weapon glowing as he sliced the spirit demon in half.
Vaelor staggered on his feet, his wounded wing pulled close to his body. He moved sluggishly as he turned to face Throk on the dais and to see who his last opponent was.
Raxus had defeated his opponent much earlier and stood, uninjured and almost bored.
“Very nice,” Throk said with satisfaction. “Final match will be in one hour between Lord Vaelor and Raxus.”
My heart sank. Only an hour? Vaelor was on the verge of collapse.
I wanted to go to his side, but that wasn’t an option now. I had no way of hiding my scent.
Vaelor, that was…
Desperate?
Amazing. You’re such a good fighter.
Vaelor grimaced. Something tells me Raxus won’t be so easily fooled.
From my spot in the tree, I could see the exhaustion in his movements as he peeled off his broken armor.
Promise me, he thought . If it looks like this next round is going south, you will get out of here.
You won’t lose the next round, I ? —
Promise me. Go to Misophae, get your family, and go somewhere safe. I’m barely standing, Denara.
We both knew it was damn near impossible, what he was suggesting. If Raxus won, it would be too late to get away. But Vaelor needed this. Needed the reassurance that his death wouldn’t also bring my own. That he wouldn’t fail this one last time.
But it was too late to give him that reassurance. I wouldn’t give him that reassurance.
If I go, then it will only be a temporary peace. They’ll attack Derand. If we leave, they’ll hunt us down. Nowhere will be safe. Maybe we lose here. Maybe we’ll fail miserably, but Vaelor, we have to try.
He leaned on a nearby tree and rested his head against it as he thought through my words.
Finally, his jaw clenched, and he gave a nod. We rise or fall together.
A small bit of lightness slid through me. A sign that Vaelor wasn’t giving up. That he saw that winning this last fight was the only way we could be together in the end.
And it was worth fighting for.
Together we overcome, I thought. A curse, a prophecy, a promise that our days would be bound no matter the outcome.