Chapter 9
Ara
The dragon shifters roared,each of them charging toward the Fae King, but they came up short, freezing in place in front of him. Wearing bewildered expressions, they glanced back at the rest of us.
“Why didn’t they shift?” Vanth asked.
The Fae King held up his hand, a purple stone gleaming and sparkling on his middle finger. “It’s nice, isn’t it? A gift from a friend of mine.” He turned his attention to his children. “You might have stolen your mother’s magic from me, but I found alternatives that might be even better. I don’t even need the power of the gods. With this magic, even they can’t defeat me.”
He walked to the dragons, then shoved Bahar with an unnatural force. The Dragon King fell backward, unable to hold himself upright. The Fae King laughed and his audience laughed with him. This time, it felt a little more like they approved of the joke.
“They can’t shift. This whole room has been warded. I can’t have a dragon sneak up on me and burn me alive.” He kicked Bahar just as he was getting up, knocking the king to the ground again. “What a pathetic mess.”
Shadows billowed around us, darkness quickly enveloping the Fae King. Vanth charged, his blade drawn. The crowd screamed but made no move for the exit. As I backed away from the fight and the increasing shadows, I noticed that the doors were barred, multiple guards standing at them. None of us were getting out of here easily.
Grunting and the sound of clashing metal told me a battle was underway, but I couldn’t see the fight through the thick shadows expanding in front of me.
The dragon shifters were on their feet, but they were only visible for a moment before they were smothered by the darkness.
Laera stood next to me, focused on something I couldn’t see, doing whatever it was that she could to aid our cause.
Guards moved closer, awkwardly staring at the increasing dark cloud. I heard them arguing, trying to decide if they should join the fight, or if they’d accidentally harm the king in the process.
“Enough!” The Fae King’s voice echoed around the room.
The shadows cleared and I saw Ryvin on the ground, Vanth’s blade at his throat. The shifter quickly raised his weapon and turned to find his target. Both dragon shifters were nearby, weapons in their grip. Everyone was breathing heavy.
“Kill the princess,” the Fae King said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“No!” I ran, knowing I was the closest. Guards quickly intercepted me, capturing me and holding me in place.
It was as if everything was moving in slow motion. The dragon princes were running, but they were too slow. Ryvin and Vanth charged forward, even Laera was making her way toward the guards holding the woman captive.
Her head was on the floor before anyone reached her.
The scream of pain from the dragon princes nearly tore me in two. It was as if someone had splintered their very soul. They probably felt like someone had.
“Kill them all!” the Fae King shouted.
The crowd erupted in cheers, the sound deafening.
The guards descended upon my friends and the guards holding me released me so they could unsheathe their weapons.
I pulled a dagger from my thigh and stabbed the first guard in the neck before he knew what hit him. I swept my leg under the foot of the second one just as he pointed his sword at me. He landed with a thud and I didn’t hesitate to plunge my knife into his neck.
Bright red blood coated my hands and arms. I could taste the copper tang and I knew I had to be covered in the stuff. There wasn’t any time to dwell as more guards charged toward me and I had to fight.
The crowd started throwing things, and I had to dodge as I was avoiding the guards coming after me.
My friends were all surrounded, attacking soldiers wearing tunics of various colors. Ryvin stood out in black, making him the easiest to find. His shadows billowed around him, taking down any fae who was stupid enough to challenge him. Vanth was larger than most of the fae he was fighting, and he was taking out two at a time. Laera had a sword drawn and was holding her own well.
With the number of guards who continued to charge Ryvin, I couldn’t bring myself to test out using any of his shadows for myself. I was insignificant, likely not seen as much of a threat as the others. I knew that could work to my advantage and I weaved around the fighters, searching for anyone who was distracted. My kills weren’t dignified. Stabbing them from behind wasn’t going to get me any accolades, but we were outnumbered and fighting for our lives.
Laera was starting to look worn down, her swings getting slower, her moves sloppier. I moved closer to her and tripped one of the soldiers making his way to join her attackers. He didn’t go down like I hoped. Catching himself, he spun to face me, not hesitating before lunging toward me. I dodged, but not before his blade sliced my upper arm.
I bit back a scream, channeling the pain into rage as I swung for him. He was fast and avoided my blade far too easily. I crouched, avoiding his next swing before stabbing my knife into his thigh.
He howled in pain, then kicked me before I could retrieve my blade. I went down, landing hard. Another kick landed in my side and I braced for another, but nothing came.
I felt the cool caress of shadows and looked up to find Ryvin with murder in his expression. The guard who’d injured me was on the ground, blood pouring from his face as he clawed at his neck, desperate for air.
Ryvin offered a hand, helping me up. As I got to my feet, my attacker fell, his chest going still.
“You alright?” Rvyin asked.
I leaned down and yanked my knife from the man’s thigh. Blood oozed from the injury. “I’ll live.”
Ryvin glanced around, then returned his attention to me. “I’m going to help Laera and Vanth. Get to the back door. Take the dragons with you.”
“Got it.”
He ran off, and I fought my way toward the fallen princess, where the dragon princes were hacking their way through every guard stupid enough to attack them.
My heart ached and I held in the rising bile as I stepped over her head. It was so fucking disrespectful. She deserved better. I never even met her, but I felt like I owed her more. I had to help her get her brothers out.
Dark shadows began to swirl around me, rising from the ground like tendrils of smoke. They were increasing quickly, taking over the whole room in fluid, graceful movements. I knew what Ryvin was doing and I knew we didn’t have much time before darkness would consume everything. I sprinted toward the dragons.
I came to Kabir first, just as he fatally wounded his opponent. The soldier was clutching the gushing stomach wound, staring at Kabir wide eyed. I grabbed the prince’s upper arm, pulling him to me, quickly stepping back away from his weapon as he attacked on impulse.
“What are you doing?” He hissed, stilling his blade before it could harm me.
“We gotta go,” I said, as quietly as I could. I leaned my head toward the small back door.
He shook his head. “These monsters killed my sister.”
“I know, but you already got the ones who did. And we can’t win. Not right now.” I gripped his wrist. “Please. We have to go. She wouldn’t want you to die like this.”
Another soldier charged and we both moved forward, causing the guard to hesitate. My knife bit into his side as Kabir sliced his sword across his throat. The man made gurgling sounds as he fell to his knees.
“Brother!” Kabir called.
Bahar spun to face us, then returned to his opponent. He punched the green-clad soldier in the face, then kicked him down before heading over to us. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, his eyes wild. But as soon as he reached us, he noticed the darkness that was quickly making visibility difficult. Even the soldiers were starting to back away, hesitating rather than risk attacking one another.
“It’s time to go.” I said through gritted teeth. I was expecting an argument, but Bahar glanced around the room, then nodded.
Bahar grabbed my hand, and Kabir grabbed the other, just as the darkness swallowed us. Screams and grunts filled the room. Swords still clashed, but the sounds were less frequent.
We carefully moved toward the door. At least, I hoped we were. I was counting on the dragon’s knowing where it was. When Bahar stopped moving, I waited, my skin tingling in anticipation and fear making my chest tight. We were unarmed. The darkness the only thing preventing us from being completely exposed and vulnerable.
It felt like forever before Bahar pulled on my hand and we moved. As soon as we were through the door, I could see again. He closed it behind us and I started to look around for Ryvin.
“I assume this means there’s a plan,” Bahar said, still gripping his sword.
“We lost in there. You know that,” I replied.
He growled.
“Don’t growl at me.” I glared at him. “Our choices were die in there, or get the fuck out and find another way.”
“He can’t be killed,” Bahar snarled. “We might as well take as many out as we can.” He took a step toward the door and I grabbed him, knowing my hold wasn’t going to do anything to stop him if he really wanted to leave.
“Becoming a martyr won’t bring her back.”
He stilled.
“If we can get it so you can shift, you can kill him. We have to get him in the open. That gem can’t have that much power,” I said.
His jaw tensed and a vein in his temple bulged.
“Where’s your prince?” Kabir asked.
My stomach twisted. “He’ll be here.”
“We can’t wait too long,” Kabir replied. “I refuse to be ambushed and captured while fleeing.” His grip tightened on his weapon.
Ryvin would tell me to run. He’d tell me to leave them behind. “We wait a little longer. Not much. If he’s not here, we find our way out.”
Every heartbeat was excruciating. Every breath was a reminder that we were waiting in a hallway, unable to help. And giving our enemy more time to notice we were gone and find us.
“Princess…” Bahar said.
We’d already waited too long. I knew they’d given more than enough time. Reluctantly, I nodded. Ryvin and the others were on their own. They’d find their way out. I had to believe that.
We got a few steps down the hall when I heard footsteps behind us. My pulse raced and for a horrible moment, I thought the guards had found us.
It was Ryvin, Laera, and Vanth. All of them bloody and panting as they chased us down the hall.
“Don’t stop!” Ryvin called. “Keep going!”
I ran, but my friends caught up to me quickly. All of us were racing down the hall, blindly following Bahar and Kabir. Thankfully, this was their home. They knew every exit.
Down stairs, through rooms, into servant hallways, down more stairs. Finally, we emerged into the kitchen and Bahar stopped, catching his breath. My sides ached and my lungs were burning. Keeping pace with shifters and fae wasn’t easy. My legs felt wobbly and I wasn’t sure I could sprint like that again.
A few servants stared open-mouthed at us. Then one of them started pushing a table toward the door. It screeched against the stone floor, making me wince. Two more servants joined in, aiding the first in moving the table. When they were finished, they walked toward the chairs and started carrying them to the table, adding them to the top. They were making a barricade.
One of them paused in front of Bahar. “What are you waiting for? We’ll hold ‘em off as long as we can. Get out of here.”
“We’ll be back with reinforcements. We will not allow him to hold Drakous,” Bahar said.
“We know,” the servant said.
Something slammed into the door and we all turned. My heart hammered against my ribs. They found us.
Kabir pushed open the exterior door and we left the kitchen, ending up in a massive garden. Before I could get my bearings, the dragon shifters bolted ahead, then stilled. Their bodies rippled and cracked. Similar sounds came from next to me where Vanth was changing into his wolf form.
Two massive dragons rose into the sky, flying away from the castle in the opposite direction we’d come from.
“They’re causing a distraction,” Laera said.
“We better use it then,” Ryvin said, he looked over at the wolf. “Stay with Ara. Get her to the caves.”
“Where are you going?” I was furious he was planning on leaving me.
“Right down the street, for all to see.” He grinned, a vicious smile that sent a chill down my spine. This wasn’t my Ryvin standing in front of me. This was the dark prince who brought fear and death in his wake. The warrior I’d seen ruthlessly kill his enemies.
“Finally, time to play.” Laera pushed her sleeves up, then winked at me. “See you soon.”
Vanth made a huffing kind of sound, then impatiently pawed at the ground. I got the message. “Fine. Don’t die,” I called to Ryvin and Laera.
Ryvin leaned forward and gave me a soft kiss. “Stay with Vanth and don’t do anything heroic.” He took off at a run before I could respond.
I sighed, hating that I was hiding away while my friends put themselves in danger to draw attention from me. I allowed one more breath of feeling sorry for myself, then started walking, following Vanth toward town.
It wasn’t long before we were running again, taking breaks behind shops and ducking between carriages. We cut through alleyways, turning when we heard noise, and hiding behind anything we could find to slowly make our way back through town.
By the time we finally returned to the cave, Ryvin and Laera were waiting for us. I looked skyward, expecting to see a pair of large dragons swoop down to join us. Then I realized how stupid that would be. They’d draw everyone here. “The dragons aren’t joining us, I’m guessing?”
“They can find their own way back to camp. Just like us,” Laera said. “Now, let’s get the fuck out of here before my father’s men find this tunnel.”
This time, I entered the cave first, with the others behind me.