Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
It was night on the other side. Of course, it was. But optimism swirled through me, and I reminded myself of who we were attempting to contact. Chances were, God Diredan wasn’t in a pleasant mood often.
“Last time it wasn’t hard to get his attention,” I told Kole. “All it took was making him angry.”
His eyebrow arched. “Wonderful. I love making labile gods angry.”
I snorted lightly, then flung my magic out.
Similar to the previous time I’d been in this Wood, hundreds of creatures of varying intelligence were in our vicinity, most of them hidden.
I latched onto their consciousnesses and grabbed ahold of their essence.
Following that, I forced them to march toward me.
A plethora of Silventine wildlings and animals appeared from around plants and vines, out of hollowed trees, and from underground burrows, all of varying sizes and species.
They all lined up around us, the Wood’s barrier still at our backs, and every single one of them stared at me, spellbound by my magic.
A part of me realized that I’d used my forbidden magic more times in the previous weeks than I had in my entire life, and I once again used it as easily as breathing.
But this time was different.
I wasn’t using my magic on these creatures at the demand of my uncle. I was using it in hopes of saving my mate, and I would inflict my horrific power on anyone in the realm if it meant saving him.
“Stars and galaxy,” Kole said softly beside me as he surveyed all of the animals before us.
I stretched my magic farther, searching for more creatures, and as soon as my magic located them, I grabbed them too.
Within minutes, I had hundreds of Silventine Wood’s dangerous and fearsome animals at our disposal.
“That’s not something you see every day.” Kole pointed to a pair of larpanoons. The huge magic-shredding predators snarled quietly to his right, and he shifted his sword in their direction.
“Don’t worry. I have complete control of them.”
He stayed on the balls of his feet, but he lowered his sword. “Now what?”
I shrugged. “Um, I guess we wait? Last time when I did this, Diredan grew angry and appeared suddenly.”
“That sounds . . . ominous.”
Kole’s statement had tension filling my shoulders. He was right. What we were doing was incredibly stupid, but without a god’s help, I didn’t know how we could stop the infection that was rapidly spreading through Kole.
As we waited, more creatures drew near, likely curious about what was going on, and I latched onto them too. Catatonic, none of the wildlings and animals under my control made a sound, and the Wood grew deathly quiet.
“What’s taking so long?” Kole asked. “You said he made himself known quickly last time.”
I chewed on my lip as power vibrated out of me. “He did, but the situation was also different. I was using his animals to protect myself.”
“Does that mean you should command some of them to attack us?”
I grimaced. “I don’t know. It would still be staged. Maybe that’s why he’s not responding. Maybe he’s already aware of us, but he’s not interested. Let me try a different tactic.”
To each of the creatures around us, I asked them mentally, Where’s Diredan? Do you know how we can find him?
They all turned at once and began walking, hopping, or scampering in the same direction.
“What did you do?” Kole peered down at me, his blue eyes looking like midnight in the dark forest.
“I told them to lead us to Diredan, and considering they all immediately began moving, it seems he doesn’t hide from his creatures where he slumbers.”
Kole and I took off behind the hundreds of silent sentries.
We steadily moved deeper and deeper into the Wood.
Tangled vines and roots tried to snare my ankles around every turn and dip in the landscape, and I didn’t know if I was imagining things, but it felt as though the Wood got darker the farther we went.
“No sign of him,” Kole murmured. He’d stayed quiet and alert at my side, the potion working to suppress his fever, but I knew sooner or later he would have to take another dose.
Ahead of us, the army of creatures under my command continued in their rustling movements.
“I don’t feel him either,” I replied, “but I suppose we keep following them.”
We walked, scrambling up hills and sliding down embankments. It felt like forever as we traversed the forest.
If not for my vampire strength and endurance and Kole’s warrior affinity, we would have grown tired.
Throughout it all, additional creatures we encountered joined us, falling under my control. Strangely, as had happened the other times I’d unleashed my forbidden magic, I didn’t grow tired. Instead, I felt amazingly energized.
It wasn’t until hours had passed that the animals finally stopped. They crowded around a bare crater in the Wood, about twenty feet wide and six feet deep. Black soil filled the hole. It was the only patch of land we’d encountered devoid of plant life.
Is this it? I asked all of them.
Yes. The collective reply from those that could form language floated back to me.
“He’s here.” Tentatively, I slid down the side of the crater to its pit. Kole called a warning, but desperation made me throw caution to the wind. At the bottom, I walked to the crater’s center and peered down. “I know you’re here, Diredan.”
I didn’t raise my voice. There was no need to since he was a god. Even if he’d lost the ability to leave our realm, Diredan’s power was still magnificent, which meant he was aware of everything happening in this Wood.
“Prim?” Kole called from the top. “Shall I join you?”
“No, I have a feeling I need to do this.” When Diredan continued to ignore me, I kneeled at the center of the crater and placed my hands on the soil. My eyes widened. Beneath my palms, it felt as though the land positively roiled with power.
Diredan? I extended my mental magic downward, spiraling it through the layers of soil beneath us, searching for where the ancient god remained.
Deep beneath the Wood, my magic brushed against something powerful. Mighty. Just as fast, a scoff came. You’ve returned, the god said into my mind.
I stilled, then I pulled my magic back just enough not to touch the god further.
Through the bond, I knew Kole became aware of the god’s presence the second that I did. My mate didn’t move. Not one muscle. Both of us knew it was futile to try to fight Diredan should we unintentionally provoke him. Still, it was best not to make him angry. If that was possible.
I have, I finally replied. It was on the tip of my tongue to apologize for bothering him, but something told me the God of Vengeance would not respect anyone who portrayed weakness, and something also told me that the god would find apologies weak. So I didn’t say anything further.
Silence came from the soil, but I didn’t dare caress my magic against him again.
Minutes ticked by, and I thought perhaps Diredan was going to ignore me once more, but then he said, You’re different. No heartbeat. No breath. You’re a dead creature, yet you still walk.
I licked my lips and tried to keep my mental response steady. I am.
And tell me, former fairy, how did you become one of the Goddess of Light’s creations?
So he knew. Of course, he knew what I was. My uncle turned me against my will.
And where’s your uncle now?
Dead.
I felt another shift in the soil as the ancient god stirred. Interesting. And who killed him?
My mate and me.
Ah, your mate. The same male who was outside my Wood when you claimed the Wishing Stone.
Yes. I didn’t speak of Kole more since I knew Diredan still grieved the loss of his own mate, Nuleef, the Goddess of Luck.
Diredan rumbled, and the soil vibrated beneath my palms. His slumbering entity grew in power around me, brushing against my own.
I wouldn’t have thought it possible for another vampire or vamfeer to roam this realm.
Tenevris is long gone, but that’s what your mate is turning into, is he not? A vamfeer?
He is, and I wouldn’t have thought it possible either, but my uncle contacted Tenevris for help, and the god responded.
Diredan scoffed. Tenevris is an egotistical waste of the universe. His ego was probably stroked by your uncle’s interest in him.
I didn’t respond since I wasn’t sure what to say, and I didn’t want to say the wrong thing, so I waited.
Moments ticked by again, and I wondered what it was like for Diredan to have an endless existence. I imagined that time held no meaning for him. What felt like hours to me was just the blink of an eye to him.
I glanced at Kole over my shoulder. All of the Wood’s creatures that I still controlled were circled around the crater behind him, but the warrior’s attention was fixed entirely on me.
I returned my attention to the soil just as Diredan said, And why have you come today? The Wishing Stone is long gone. Not to be here again for many centuries.
I know. But it’s not the Wishing Stone I’m seeking today. It’s you.
The god laughed. Foolish girl. I can see that hasn’t changed even though you’re now a vampire. And what were you hoping to accomplish by bothering me?
I winced but also knew we hadn’t come this far only to retreat. I wanted to ask for your help. As you’ve noted, my mate is turning into a vamfeer, and only a god has the ability to undo the curse that’s been placed upon him.
And why do you want to keep him fae? You’re no longer fae, and some don’t see Tenevris’s magic as a curse.
Perhaps not, but it’s not who my mate is. It’s not what we’re meant to be. My uncle has condemned us with these curses.
The god laughed. You had a clever uncle if he was able to harness Tenevris’s power. Tell me, how did you kill him?
I described Arnel’s death in detail, at which Diredan laughed even more.
A gruesome death. A vengeful death. I approve.
I froze, hoping against hope that his approval of Kole’s vengeance would amount to something, and I dared to dream that perhaps when I walked out of this Wood, Kole would be wholly fae once more, but Diredan’s next words depleted all hope rising inside me.
If I’m to help you and return your mate to fae, you must do something for me. Bring me my mate. If you can bring Nuleef to where I slumber, I will grant you your wish, and I will save your mate.