83. Chapter 83
CHAPTER 83
Lucenna
L ucenna kept close to the tail end of King’s Leif delegation as they were escorted into the courtyard of the Blood Keep. She couldn’t see Klyde beneath her invisibility spell, but she sensed him beside her and Keena was doing well to stay quiet in her pocket. They had caught up with them at dawn at the West Wall. It had been a long tense morning as they rode the rest of the way to the Blood Keep in silence.
Being here now made her magic react to the tension in the air.
The soldiers of Greenwood were on high alert. Lucenna’s stomach rolled at the many bodies hanging from the keep’s walls. The blood of many had stained the brick as if dripped with dark russet paint. Crimson flags with a maple leaf blew from tower pears. A dais of wood adorned with yellow flowers was the only thing in the courtyard.
And she sensed magic there. They were being watched.
“Welcome!” A red elf with a gold crown and crimson robes greeted them as he climbed down the main steps of the tower. “I hope the journey here wasn’t too difficult, Leif.”
The King of Greenwood smiled though it didn’t reach his eyes. “None at all, Altham. I thank you for allowing this treaty between our kingdoms. It is time peace has been brought to the Vale and it can only start with unity.”
“I cannot agree more.” Altham approached with a couple Castle Guards in black armor at his back. Only a few for a sense of protection or decorum. He glanced at Raiden and his smile widened. “This must be your nephew. He takes after his father, doesn’t he?”
“He does.”
Raiden’s expression remained blank and indifferent.
Altham chuckled. “Just as well. My daughter is beautiful, Raiden, I assure you. I believe this is the first union between our kind since the separation of the Vale some ages ago.”
“And where is the princess?” King Leif asked.
“Graeae should join us soon.” Altham shot a look at the guards standing by the main doors and they disappeared inside the Blood Keep. He went on to say. “I think you will be pleased with my desert flower.”
“I care nothing for your desert flower,” Raiden said tersely. “I want Rawn Norrlen returned. For which we rode in haste across the desert for, yet he is not present as well.”
Leif laid a hand on Raiden’s shoulder, giving him a look. “Forgive him for his lack of etiquette. He is anxious to be reunited with his father as are we all.”
King Altham chuckled. “Well, you need not wait any longer. He is right here.”
He waved a hand at the dais set up for a wedding and the illusion magic there rippled as it faded away revealing Rawn.
Lucenna stifled a gasp.
He sat on his knees in only torn trousers, many wounds and scars on his chest. He was thin, pale, and gaunt. Barely alive as blood spilled from the fresh wound in his side. Lucenna could feel the power hovering off the red prince standing beside him.
Must be at the level of a Magi Master.
Curses and growls surged from the Greenwood soldiers. Raiden stared at his father, frozen in place. And Rawn stared back at him. He made a strangled sound that was caught in a weak groan.
King Leif’s jaw clenched. “You gave me an oath not to harm a single hair on his head, Altham.”
“And I did not.” At Altham’s nod, the prince holding Rawn captive pulled up a golden strand and he laughed. “There see? A stand unharmed.”
“You’re despicable,” Raiden hissed.
“Now, now, let’s not be tetchy. Your father is alive to bear witness to your blessed union to my daughter.”
Rawn’s eyes widened and he tried to say something but Anon gripped his shoulder hard enough to make him wince.
Lucenna hissed under her breath.
“Ah, there she is.” Altham smiled as a beautiful she-elf was escorted to his side. One of the guards murmured something in his ear and Altham’s delight faded. His hard eyes glanced at the keep before saying, “What do you think, Graeae, are you pleased with your intended?”
The Red Highland princess briefly glanced at Raiden, then dipped in a courtesy, keeping her gaze lowered. “Yes, father.”
But when she straightened, her amber eyes flickered to King Leif. They exchanged a look, and her head shook slightly. So subtle Lucenna almost missed it. Leif’s expression shifted.
“I will not marry her,” Raiden repeated. “I am already promised to another.”
All heads snapped to him, including Graeae’s.
“What is the meaning of this?” Altham asked Leif narrowly.
King Leif shrugged. “I know nothing of what he speaks, be that as it may, I must agree, for I find you have not kept up your end of our agreement.” He said this while looking at Geraea, and she grew anxious. Leif rested a hand on his sword, facing Altham. “You have broken the oath that you have made before the God of Urn, thus, our treaty ends here. I do intend to take Rawn with me. Let us go peacefully, unless you wish to start another war.”
The Greenwood soldiers behind him drew their weapons and Lucenna braced.
But Altham didn’t look perturbed by the subtle threat. He didn’t even seem angry the wedding would no longer occur. He was … pleased.
Prince Anon tossed a flare of orange light into the sky. It burst like a firework.
No … like a signal.
“I have not broken my oath, Leif,” Altham said, resting his hand on his sword’s hilt as well. “For it was not by my hand your Red Shade was harmed, and I was not the one who ordered for more armed forces to the keep.” He sneered, enjoying his ability to find ambiguity around his promise. “Regardless, I never did intend to let you leave. For alas, I have always chosen war.”
Red elves took aim at them from the tower. There were three times as many guards as Altham agreed to bring.
Shadows passed overhead. Lucenna’s heart sank at the sight of Lord Gadriel and an armed host of Celestials.
King Leif looked almost relieved a moment until he recognized the sigil of Nazar on their breast plates.
Altham laughed, drawing his weapon. “They are not here for you.”
“No,” Raiden said. “But they are.”
Lucenna dropped the invisibility spell. Valkyrie soared over the Blood Keep and clashed into the Nazarians. She couldn’t help but grin at the sight of a bright blue comet speeding toward them in the far distance.
With it came a legion in gold.
Altham snarled and swung at Leif. Their swords clashed and fight broke out among the elves. Arrows rained down and Lucenna threw up a shield.
“Go for Rawn!” Klyde shouted at her.
Lucenna blasted a red elf swinging for her head and sprinted for the dais, following on Raiden’s heels.
“Cover me,” he told her.
Raiden conjured a bow in his hands made of pure teal magic. She watched in awe as he aimed an arrow of teal light at Anon. Lucenna threw out volt of purple electricity, striking down every red elf and arrow that came their way.
Seeing they were closing in, the red prince chanted a spell. It flared out beneath his palm, an orange pentagram filled with runes. Rawn tackled Anon, but that did not stop him. “Arreita revlov!”
Orange light blasted toward them. In the instant before it struck, Raiden called up a lightning-fast spell of his own. “Ramrased!”
He released the arrow, and the two enchanted forces collided—and exploded. The blast catapulted them away, simultaneously shattering the atmosphere.
It threw Lucenna and she landed with an off in the sand. She gaped at Raiden. The magnitude of power behind that spell. He was a Magi Master, too.
Anon began to sit up but Rawn rammed his elbow into the prince’s face, and he dropped unconscious.
They ran to him. Raiden reached him first and began undoing the rope at his wrists.
Rawn stared up at him in confusion and concern. “Son…”
Raiden fleetingly met his gaze then looked away. “We must make haste.”
He and Lucenna helped his father stand, bringing Rawn’s arm over his shoulder.
Then Rawn looked at her and Lucenna gave him a watery smile. “At last we found you, Lord Norrlen.”
He smiled tiredly. “It is good to see you, my lady.”
“Talk alter,” Raiden said. “Let’s move!”
She caught sight of Keena’s tiny form flying in front of them with her staff. Every elf she hit burst with gold dust and were thrown out of their way.
“Where are we taking him?” Lucenna asked as they stumbled down the steps with Rawn.
“The Elder Tree. It’s the only way to escape here quickly.”
“Do you have the Tanzanite stones?” she asked.
“Eldred has them.”
The old Magi Master was caught up in the fight, but he seemed to be making his way toward it.
Klyde and Keena caught up to her. “Zev and Von haven’t left the tunnels yet,” he told her, striking down another elf.
Lucenna searched the chaos for a black wolf among the swarming bodies or for man in an auburn coat. All she saw were elves fighting elves.
“They must be caught down there,” Keena said in alarm.
“Head for the tree,” Eldred appeared with Princess Graeae at his side.
“What is she doing here?” Lucenna demanded.
“The king is granting her immunity, and she also has the stones we need.”
Klyde grunted, “Then that means she’s coming with us, lass.”
They fought their way through the battle and scorched feathers rained down as the Celestials battled overhead Eldred led the way, clearing their path earth shaking spells. Klyde’s blade of smoke cut down spells raining down, staying by her side as she cast out spears of electricity. Graeae conjured two yellow blades of magic and covered Raiden’s back as he dragged Rawn with him.
They were swarmed as they fought to stay alive.
Lucenna’s heart hammered, her vision veiled by smoke. Cries and clash of steel rang all around her and she lost sight of her group. A red elf tackled her. He chanted a spell and hit her chest with his glowing palm. Pain shocked her veins, and she fell with a scream. She called on her Essence, but only weak purple light sparked in her hands.
Whatever he did, their magic must have mixed.
Her Essence was somehow snuffed.
The elf snatched her throat and squeezed. Lucenna gasped for air, kicking and flailing. Twitching, she grabbed the knife strapped to her waist and slashed him across the eyes. He dropped her with a shout. It cut off at the black sword swiping through his neck. The elf dropped, revealing Klyde standing behind him.
“On your feet, lass!” Klyde grabbed her arm and hauled her up.
They ran through the chaos, fighting to stay alive. But they were surrounded and slowly began backing away. Green elves backed with them toward the Elder Tree, but regardless of their efforts, they were still outnumbered.
And losing.
That is, until a blast of blue fire tore through Nazar’s ranks, throwing Celestials across the sky. The reinforcements of Valkyrie hit them next. The air turned into fire and Gadriel fled with his forces.
Altham snarled a curse. “That coward.”
Then Cassiel arced through the air for the courtyard and landed with a boom . A wave of blue flame broke across the sand and incinerated half of Altham’s forces. It was instant. They didn’t even have time to scream.
Lucenna muttered to Eldred, “If you were looking for your chance, now is the time.”
Eldred and Geraea began inserting the Tanzanite crystals into the grooves into the carved stone circle surrounding the Elder tree.
Cassiel walked through the scatters of fire, his eyes molten blue. Embers drifted off him with every flap of his wings. His face didn’t betray a hint of emotion, while his palpable power coated the air.
The three kings faced off.
“High King of Hilos, I assume,” Altham stated tightly. A high window in the Blood Keep shattered and elves fell screaming. A flash of green light flickered from inside. “That must be your little queen.” He smirked. “Yet I am the oath breaker?”
Cassiel exchanged a look with Leif. “Do you need further assistance here?”
The King of Greenwood chuckled as he readied his sword. “You have leveled the field. I can take it from here.”
Crouching, Cassiel blasted like a flare of flame for the keep.
“Are you almost done?” Lucenna asked Eldred urgently.
He glowered at her and continued the incantation. The center of the Elder Tree began to glow. Leif slashed his sword for Altham, and they continued their fight. Green elves clashed into red once more.
“There, look!” Keena pointed at the south end of the keep. Zev came out of the smoke, covered in blood, with Von and Elon on his shoulders.
“Oh, they made it.” Lucenna sighed in relief, and they ran to him.
“We need to go,” Zev said when he caught to them. “Where is Dyna?”
“She is still up there.”
Zev’s head whipped around to the keep. “She hasn’t come down yet?” he said in alarm. “The explosives are set to blow any minute!”
“She must have been caught,” Klyde said. “Cassiel went after her.”
A flash of orange from the corner of Lucenna’s eye had her whipping around. Anon had regained his consciousness, and he was conjuring a spell. His voice rose in an eerie wave as a hexagon of runes flared around his palm.
He pointed it at the Elder Tree.
“Oh, gods,” Lucenna gasped, and she ran back to Eldred, waving her arms. “Get down!”
The world ripped away with a massive explosion.
A force struck her. Brick, stone, magic. She didn’t know. The world spun, and she slammed into a solid surface. Whatever it was, agony shattered through her entire body.
Lucenna twitched on the sand, gasping for the breath that had been torn from her lungs. Ringing filled her ears, and all sound went dull. Someone shouted her name, but it sounded so far away. She gagged on the taste of blood. In her mind, she tried to crawl, but she couldn’t move or think past the pain in her body.
he couldn’t feel her legs.
“Lucenna!” Klyde’s voice cleared, and he took her face. “Can you hear me?” He looked her over and his face crumbled. “Oh, love...”
She whimpered, afraid to ask why she couldn’t move. Blood coated her mouth. “It hurts.”
“It’s all right,” he said, his voice breaking. “It’s all right.”
Her vision wanned, but she managed to look down at her legs. They were twisted in the wrong direction. Past Klyde, the smoke cleared.
The Elder Tree was gone.