Beloved (41 page)

Altaria lowered her hand and stepped back. “It’s just what?”

Kira took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the sweet aroma from the fire-like bushes in the canyon. If only they were as sweet to the touch, her plan might have worked. Instead, she had to admit that Altaria was right. She needed their help and the sooner she accepted it, the sooner she’d be in Octavion’s arms and all would be well.

“Just me being stubborn. Nothing new. Now let’s hear that plan.”

Getting Althros to the other side of the swamp was like riding a bucking bronco through a portal to hell. The only way he’d let Luka on his back was if Kira got on first and tried to soothe his anxiety by stroking his neck and speaking softly to him. Once he was calm, she threw a blanket over his head and let Luka work his magic, transporting them to the other side of the swamp.

Kira held tight, keeping her legs wrapped tightly around her mount’s belly when his hind legs started kicking. Luka wasn’t as lucky—the first kick sent him air born. He landed a few feet away on his butt.

Luka swore. “How can you ride that beast?” He stood, brushing off the backside of his trousers. “If he were mine I would have put him down long ago.”

Althros finally stopped bucking so Kira could sit straighter and regain her balance. “Is that your ego speaking?”

Luka threw Kira a teasing glare. “Hardly.” He scanned the area. “Will you be okay for a moment?”

“Of course.”

“Wait here. I will return.” Then he was gone, reappearing a moment later with Altaria and Cade.

Altaria threaded her fingers together and stretched, cracking her fingers. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. You?”

Instead of answering, she morphed into a white tiger much larger even than Toran.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”
Can you still hear my thoughts in that form?

Yes.

Awesome.

Luka buried his fingers in Altaria’s fur and mussed it. “I think I prefer you in this form. No sassing.”

Altaria growled, whacking him with her tail when she turned away from him. No matter how much Luka tried to lighten the atmosphere with his teasing, the tension in the air was almost palpable. The new plan had just as many flaws as Kira’s had by going alone, but at least she had friends to back her up. While Kira and Altaria entered Kazedon, Cade and Luka would take opposite sides, watching from a safe distance. One thought from either Altaria or Kira and they would be at their side to help either defuse the situation or fight their way through.

Others were at the ready as well, but the details of their contribution were uncertain. All she knew was that Brenna, Blayde and the entire Lairdor Royal population had been alerted and were dressed for war—as was Nestor and Mara, though Kira couldn’t imagine her in anything but a fancy dress being waited on by servants.

Kira took a deep breath and patted Althros on his front shoulder. “Come on, buddy. Let’s do this.”

The main gate into Kazedon was hanging askew on broken, rusty hinges. The stench of rot and human feces was so bad it burned Kira’s sensitive nose and turned her stomach. She pulled the collar of her tunic over her face and tried not to breathe too deeply. As she and Altaria proceeded down the mucky road that led to the castle, not one person stopped them. There were no guards in sight, no Royals donned with weapons, only women and children so filthy you could barely make out their emaciated faces. Their clothes hung off them in rags—their feet bare, their hair matted to their heads.

Kira swallowed away the urge to gag and gave Althros a nudge.
We need to get through this before I barf.

You? It is all I can do to put my paws in this vile sludge.

I’m sorry about that, Al. Hot baths the moment we get back to Xantara.

Several hot baths.

As they continued, Kira couldn’t help but feel sorry for the people of Kazedon. It was more than obvious that King Tyrius didn’t care for them and did nothing to protect them from the elements or enemies. She wondered where they got their food and supplies, with only the swamp that surrounded the castle as their resource. No wonder they looked like they were starving. It infuriated her beyond belief, that someone could be so callous and barbaric.

The shelters—if you could call them that—ranged from lean-tos of scavenged material to houses of roped-together branches hoisted on stilts. The walls around the village were crumbling and in some places non-existent. No children ran in the streets playing and laughing. No merchants sold their wares. No clean clothes hung out to dry.

The people stared as Kira passed—not at her, but at Altaria and Althros. By the hungry gleam in their eyes, Kira knew it wasn’t her companion’s beauty that drew their attention, but the potential feast. It made her realize that the danger wasn’t only from King Tyrius and his band of Royals, but the commoners as well.

We need to get out of here, Al.

I see their hungry eyes as well.
Altaria took the lead and quickened her pace. Althros followed, speeding to a full on gallop.

Moments later they crossed a bridge that spanned a large river where they entered a completely different class of people. Their clothes and homes appeared to be cleaner and more structured and they milled about a bustling marketplace.

Altaria, however, didn’t slow her pace—and for good reason. All eyes were on the two of them as they rode by, some people pointing and whispering, while others gave chase. She wondered if they were angry because she killed their prince or if they wanted to collect on the bounty. By the time they reached the castle gates, a crowd of several dozen men and women followed them yelling profanity and throwing rocks and sticks. Thankfully, they stopped short of the castle gates, most likely afraid of the guards that flanked the entrance.

Altaria nearly slid to a stop when two of the six armed guards pulled out their swords. Kira pulled back on Althros’ mane, making him rear up. His front hooves slammed into the stones beneath his feet. She regained her balance and sat straight, making sure she appeared confident and in charge, even though she felt miniscule compared to the men standing before her.

“I am here to see King Tyrius.”

The guard nearest her took a step forward and raised his sword toward the gate as if pointing with it. “He sees no one without prior permission. You will have to gain his audience another day.”

“He will see me. Send word that I am here.”

“And who are you?”

Kira laughed—a deep throaty sound that almost sounded menacing and evil. “You know who I am. Now tell him or I will use my powers to cause you so much pain you will wish for death.”

His eyes widened and Kira realized for the first time that people really did fear her. Maybe it was the red hair or that she was from another world, but regardless, at this moment she would take any advantage she could get. After all, several Kazedonian’s had hunted her and failed so perhaps to save face they had fabricated stories where her gifts rivaled that of a god—talents no mere human could hope to stand against.

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

The guard lowered his sword and turned to whisper something to the man at his left, then slid his sword back in the scabbard. “Dismount.”

Altaria growled.

It’s okay, Al. I can’t ride Althros into the castle, so I have to get off anyway.
Kira swung her leg over the horse’s neck and slid off his back to the ground. “I will need someone from your livery to take care of my mount.”

“You may leave him here,” the guard said.

“No, I will not. He needs protection from your people.” She pointed to the crowd still milling several yards away. “Preferably inside the castle grounds.”

The guard grunted. “You are not in a position to demand anything, especially for a worthless beast.”

Kira took a step forward, touched the man’s arm and gave him a jolt that made him stumble back and double over in pain. “That is only a fraction of what I am capable of. Are you sure you want to anger me? Now bring me your best stableman, instruct him to treat my horse as if it were royalty and open the gate so I may enter.”

The dozen or so guards spaced on either side of the gate grabbed the hilt of their swords in unison, but didn’t draw. The guard she’d touched reached for his sword, but his hand shook so badly he couldn’t grip it. He swore, and then reached for Kira’s neck, stopping short when Altaria let out a ferocious roar. He stepped back, mumbled something under his breath and motioned for one of the guards to open the gate.

“Allow her and her . . .
companions
to enter, and then fetch the stableman.” Though his tone was more than a little sarcastic, Kira couldn’t help but notice the shakiness of his voice. She almost laughed when the other guards took a step back as she passed them to enter the castle grounds. Step one accomplished. She’d convinced the guards that she was to be feared. Next target—the king.

After making sure Althros would be well cared for, Kira and Altaria were led through the magnificent gardens bursting with more flowers and ornate shrubs than Kira had ever seen, even in Xantara. The pathway on which Kira walked was made of stones with flecks of shiny metal that seemed to shift and move beneath their feet. Even with her boots on she could feel the energy they gave off seeping into her feet like a magical massage.

The contrast between this place and what she saw in the outer parts of the city revealed the selfish, greedy nature of the king that ruled it. What riches he possessed he kept for himself, while his own people wallowed in filth and starvation. The commoners that lived closer to the kingdom—the ones who had chased her—were probably servants or those favored by the king. The whole situation made her blood boil.

By the time they reached the stairs leading to the castle’s main door, they’d managed to pick up a few extra guards in their escort. When they began, one led the way while another followed. Now two walked in front and a dozen or so trailed behind. Kira didn’t actually turn around to count them, she could tell by the sound of heavy boots pounding against the stones.