Chapter 9
‘It is day one hundred and eleven after The Division.
The mating bonds have ceased to exist.’
— Written entry from Tinyrah Kazimyr’s personal journal
(Post-Division)
Taryn
Usually, when Taryn managed to get himself arrested, his power wasn’t muted by donstenyte poisoning. He had always gotten himself out of these situations. The last time he was chained with donstenyte, Eryx had come to his rescue, much to Taryn's displeasure.
Getting out of this situation was going to be a real bitch.
The guards rounded the corner and approached the prison cell. Taryn counted six guards, more than before. Their armor bore the sigil of a coiling serpent branded onto their breastplates. From Taryn’s intel, these were the best-trained guards the Luciens had to offer.
He frowned. Never before had he been in such a dire situation. Bound and powerless from the poison, it would take an act of the Gods to escape now.
Taryn was so fucked.
“Get up,” a guard demanded as he pulled out his key out and unlocked the door.
Two guards grabbed Airess, hoisting her up to her feet.
A growl rumbled in his throat, possessiveness coursing through him as he watched them manhandle her.
Why the hell did he do that? The Lady Airess was an Elven female, there was absolutely no reason he should be feeling this type of way, especially about her.
He clenched his jaw, wishing he could will his natural animalistic instincts into neutrality.
Again, he felt himself wobbling on his mental tightrope, struggling for balance. Struggling to do the right thing. If he got away from these guards, what would he even do? Would he return to the Guild with this female, or would he desert them all?
Jaw clenched, he withdrew from his thoughts.
That would be a problem for later. Taryn was hoisted to his feet, and a guard grabbed him by the tunic.
He and Airess were dragged out of the cell and down a hall, passing prison cells on either side of them.Taryn focused on Airess’ silver hair in front of him, her messy locks tainted with dirt.
He needed to think of a way to escape, and quickly.
Taryn looked around for anything he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing but dirt and stone. The chains, however…
Who are you without your Magick? Taryn recalled Eryx’s words in a training session from the past. You must learn to use yourself as a weapon, without your power and blades.
They veered down a hallway and burst through a door, walking into a forest blanketed by the night sky.
Taryn looked to the stars, a ray of moonlight touching his face as they walked under the trees.
Not a single light was visible beyond the fyrelit caravan, riders saddled atop the plethora of horses attached to it.
“Load 'em up!” an older guard called out as he opened the door to the back of the caravan, a solid wooden box with two barred windows on either side.
A prison wagon made for dangerous criminals.
They shoved Airess in first, two guards following behind her.
Taryn took a deep breath in. This was his last chance to try and escape.
His grandmother’s words from the distant past echoed in his mind. No matter what, you always go down swingin’!
Taryn slammed his head back, his skull colliding with the guard behind him, resulting in bone crunching and a cry of agony. Taryn spun around, a wicked grin on his bloodied face. He lunged for the Eleven male, wrapped his chain around the guard's neck, and squeezed.
They struggled, the guard flailing beneath Taryn’s grasp. The guard beat his hand on Taryn’s forearm, gasping for breath. Taryn tightened his grip and snapped the male’s neck.
Crack!
The guard fell limp.
Taryn backed away, narrowly missing a swipe of a blade from another guard. It was hard to maneuver with his limbs bound, but he pivoted in time to only feel the metal graze his abdomen. He grunted, gritting his teeth together to stifle his cry.
Taryn scrambled to his feet, moving quickly to move onto his next victim—
Firm hands gripped Taryn’s shoulders, slamming him flat against the forest floor in a matter of seconds. Taryn gritted his teeth, baring his canines as he was pressed hard against the dirt. He laughed sardonically as they restrained him.
“Cowards!” Taryn managed to grit out, his lungs crushed under the weight of the guards that held him down. “Unchain me and put up a real fight!”
“Aye! Quit messing around and get him inside the caravan!” someone commanded. They lifted him back up, and a meaty fist struck Taryn’s face.
“Fae trash!”
Stars clouded his vision. He felt his body being dragged inside the van. They shoved his shoulders down as they forced Taryn to sit on a bench adjacent to Airess. Her eyes were wide in fear as they shackled her ankle to Taryn’s, a six-foot chain connecting the two.
Well, shit.
Taryn peered across from him, his left eye already beginning to swell.
Two guards sat on either side of Airess, and two more on either side of him.
To have them escorted with such heavy security raised Taryn’s suspicions.
Yes, Taryn was a notorious spy and assassin for the Mrkynian Guild, but the amount of soldiers they sent for his and Airess’ retrieval was odd, to say the least.
What about us were they so afraid of?
The questions repeated in his mind. The caravan began to move forward, his weight shifting with the movement, only the sound of hooves beating the ground occupying his mind.
Finally, a guard broke the silence, directing his words towards Airess, “You’ve stirred up quite the commotion with your stunt back in the capitol. From future queen to traitorous noble, your social status has plummeted beyond reconciliation. You best prepare yourself for the trial of your life.”
Airess’ face tightened at the words, her eyes hardening as she looked at the guard. She lifted her chin. “What happened at the ball was not my doing. I am innocent.”
The guard laughed. “A traitor and a liar, too. Tell me, girl, how did you end up working with the Mrkynian Guild?”
Taryn’s chest constricted at the implication.
He realized if they didn’t find a way to escape, they both were heading straight towards their deaths.
Perhaps they would both be beheaded at the guillotine together, the monarchy’s favorite method of public execution.
He heard her heart beating rapidly in her chest, no doubt due to her rising fear.
“I am not working with anyone,” she said tersely, lowering her gaze to her hands.
“How dare you lie to an official guard?” the male sneered. “You don’t exactly have the social standing to deflect my questions, mutt.”
Taryn watched the words hit her like a physical blow, Airess flinching at the words. For the first time, he considered what it must have been like for her to live as a halfling in a noble society. Shame passed through him as he remembered accusing her of sharing those same beliefs.
He shook his head, admonishing himself internally. I am such an idiot.
Slowly, the corners of Airess’ mouth upturned in a subtle, sly grin. “Did Arzhel say that?” she asked hopefully. “Did he say I have lost my social standing?”
“He is the prince to you, not one of your socialite friends!” the guard yelled.
Airess flashed her eyes to Taryn momentarily before turning to the guard, her facial expression now smug. “Fuck The prince.”
Shocked, Taryn couldn’t help but laugh. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Has this female lost her mind?
The guard drew his arm back and struck Airess’ cheek, marking her face with an angry slash of red. Her head whipped to the side, her chained hand touching her bruised cheek.
This time, an audible growl escaped Taryn’s lips, his face contorting with disgust with an emotion he couldn’t explain, not even to himself.
Taryn didn’t think twice as he sank low in his seat.
He wrapped his feet around the guard’s ankles, and twisted, dragging the guard down to the caravan floor.
The Elven male hit his head hard, and fell on the ground unconscious.
Taryn smirked as he was pinned against the caravan wall by his shirt, his head smacking against the wood.
“This Fae isn’t worth the trouble!” a guard sneered.
“Take him out,” another guard ordered, nodding in agreement.
The guard next to him drew a dagger, swinging it straight toward Taryn’s throat. Before he could register what was happening, the air charged with electricity, growing stagnant like a calm before a great storm, as if time itself slowed by a millisecond.
A golden hand grabbed the wrist of the guard, stopping his arm mid-swing. The caravan was illuminated with light, its source coming from none other than Airess. Taryn turned his attention towards her, mouth parting in shock as he beheld her.
Her white hair transformed into an iridescent gold, from the root to the tips of her hair, her stray locks beginning to float in the air as if she were underwater.
She looked at Taryn, holding his stare, the whole of her eyes glowing gold.
Even her brows were gilded, along with her skin.
She looked ethereal, her skin glowing a warm hue, encasing her like an aura.
Her hair resembled rays of sunlight floating around her.
Airess’s face contorted into an ancient rage, the space between her brows creasing as she took her gaze off Taryn.
She slowly cocked her head to the male she had gripped by the arm.
She squeezed and his gilded armor melted from her touch.
The Elven male screamed as molten metal dripped onto the floor.
The moment she looked away from him, it felt as if a thousand weights lifted from Taryn’s chest.
The guard dropped the knife and fell to the ground, grabbing his melted arm in agony.
“What is she doing!” a guard yelled, the two on either side of her grabbing the chains connected to her arms, pulling her arms apart.
Airess let out a low laugh, her voice layered with others: young, old, voices of other beings he had never heard before. They all blended into one and came out of her mouth. Shock and fear coursed through him as he watched her.
She looked predatory now, her movements fast and calculated. “You dare restrain me.” The voices poured out of her as she yanked her forearm up, the chains on her arms immediately cracking open. She slammed herself back, sitting all the way up despite the guards actively trying to hold her down.
She lifted her head towards the sky, light bursting from her chest. A gust of wind blew Taryn’s curls as the roof of the wagon blew off completely.
She was up in a matter of seconds, grabbing a guard’s armored shoulder before throwing him against the back of the wagon, bars denting from impact.
A handprint glowed where she touched him, his armor completely melted through.
Yelling had erupted from in and outside the caravan. She—and all the voices coming out of her—laughed. Taryn had no other choice but to watch in horror as another burst of light emanated from her body. The caravan exploded into a thousand wooden splinters.
Taryn was temporarily blinded as he flew through the air and hit the ground. He blinked, regaining his sight, and realized all his chains had been blasted off… besides the one connecting his ankle to the female. Of course.
Airess stood six feet away with her back towards him.
Four guards already lay dead on the ground around them, their faces and bodies burnt beyond recognition.
She gripped the male who struck her by the neck with her fist and slammed him down.
The male began to scream, but his cries were in vain.
Airess’ Magick was so hot, his neck disintegrated into nothing, leaving the male decapitated and lifeless.
Taryn watched her, a wild grin on his face. Perhaps he should be afraid, but he couldn’t help feeling enthralled with her power.
He sensed an attack from behind. He grabbed a blade lying on the ground and met his opponent, a guard younger and obviously not as skilled meeting his blade.
Their blades clashed, but even Taryn knew he outskilled this young Elven male.
A flash of guilt thrummed through Taryn as he thrust his blade into the neck of his opponent.
Taryn ripped the sword out. Blood splattered as he turned, ready for another opponent, but the screams had faded into an eerie silence. He looked around, every guard killed, their bodies mutilated.
He dared to face Airess, turning slowly, his eyes meeting hers.
She looked like a vision of murder, crimson blood staining her face, neck, and clothes.
She heaved for breath as she took a step towards him.
Taryn backed away, eyes wide at what she might do to him, but her eyes softened, all that ancient rage slipping away.
She reached an arm out to him, as if she was reaching for him, pleading to him. Her hair faded back to white, her eyes back to normal. That golden aura dissipated.
She fell to her knees as her eyes rolled back into her head. Taryn was already moving, catching her fall so her head wouldn’t slam onto the ground. Her face was void of any light. Any emotion. His heart beat rapidly as he looked around for more guards, but he found none living.
Around them lay shards of blasted wood, the metal bars from the caravan lay half melted against the forest floor, the metal still so hot it was glowing orange. The smell of burnt flesh infiltrated his nostrils.
He looked down at her face as he held her, that raging power now void, leaving only her Elven humanity behind. He could see it even as she was unconscious. Despite whatever power she wielded, she was scared and alone. He blinked.
What the hell just happened?
And what was he going to do now?
He stared down at her beautiful face. He could take her to the Guild right now, turn her in as requested and be done with this. But could he do it, after witnessing and hearing everything they both just went through?
A decision was to be made, and he didn’t know what he was going to do.
All he knew was that he held a mysterious female in his arms. Everyone around them was dead, and if he didn’t move soon, more of them would be on the way.
Gods save me, he thought as he put one arm under the back of her legs and lifted her up, carrying her bridal-style. Her body was limp, arms splayed out, head hanging back. The chains connecting their ankles clanked in response to the movement.
Taryn cradled her head towards his shoulder as he began to sprint as fast as his body would allow away from the massacre. For the first time, he had no plan. No resources beyond his elemental abilities.
Yet, here he was, fleeing with the power of the Gods within his arms, only the sheer determination to live guiding his way.