Child of Blackwen (An Artemis Ravenwing Novel Book 1) (40 page)

“Good. You haven’t found the pathways to Avilyne just yet.”

“I’d rather be in the presence of the goddess of death than in yours,” Karesu said, his violet eyes now locked with Arlina’s gray ones.

“Spare me,” Arlina groaned. “We both know I’m not going to let you die, Karesu. You’re far too valuable for me to dispose of.”

“Even if you treat me,” Karesu began, “I would not aid you. I want no part in your twisted world any longer.”

“Well, suck it up, because you have no other choice,” Arlina said. She suddenly smiled. “No pun intended.”

Karesu coughed, and flecks of blood spotted his lips and chin. Despite her earlier gorge, Arlina felt her bloodlust rise once more. She shook away the feeling by dangling the pouch inches from Karesu’s face.

“You intend to feed me the cordial,” Karesu stated.

“Yes.” Arlina was disappointed when she couldn’t detect any trace of fear in his voice. “I know you won’t die or encounter the side effects. You are a mage after all…and a stubborn prick to boot.”

“Then get it over with,” Karesu snapped.

“Uh, uh, uh!” Arlina wagged a finger. “Not so fast! I have some spare time before the sunrise, and I want some information.”

Karesu rolled his eyes. “You’ll find that you are wasting your time. Torture me all you wish, Arlina.”

“Oh, I plan to.” Arlina stood close to Karesu’s body and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. “To think, I had such high hopes for you to become my Second. Avilyne’s hell, you were bedding the half-breed!” Karesu glared at her, and she laughed. “Does that anger you, my calling your precious love a halfbreed? It’s the truth, mage. What was so exotic about her, anyways? Did you have something against a full-blood woman? Are we too pure for your liking?”

Karesu cursed once Arlina moved his face away and traced the outline of his neck with her lips. Her fangs were elongated, and Arlina chuckled when she felt Karesu trying to wrench away from her.

“I’m sure you enjoyed this when you had Netira wrapped around you, doing what I am now,” Arlina whispered into his ear before nicking the lobe with a fang.

“Believe me when I say that I will enjoy watching you die, whether it be by my hand or someone else’s,” Karesu threatened. “Each…slow…moment of life that slips from you.”

“So you say.”

He hissed when she bit into his neck. His blood tasted so sweet; she wanted more. “How long have you been sleeping with your precious dhampir wench, mage? How long have you helped her hide from me?”

“Does it anger you, Arlina?” Karesu smirked. “Does it anger you to know that you were bested by your own subordinates of all people?”

Arlina bit into his neck once more, only harsher this time. Snatching his face in her hands, she glared at the violet eyes that showed nothing but hatred toward her.

“I could have given you everything, Karesu,” Arlina growled. “Everything. Why betray me?”

“Blackwen City has lived with your taint for far too long,” Karesu replied. “It’s time someone wiped it away.”

“Shut up.” Arlina smacked him, and Karesu laughed at her. “I said shut up!”

“What’s the matter, Mistress?” Karesu asked. “Is that fear I sense?”

“Silence!” Arlina cried as she gripped his neck.

It would have been so easy and simple to choke the life from him, but she knew she couldn’t. She needed the bastard alive for now. “That’s better.”

“Aerios blow you. Kill me now,” Karesu said in between breaths. “Why do you hesitate?”

“Haven’t you been listening? You’re far too valuable to be disposed of,” Arlina replied, releasing him. “For now, at least.”

The look on Karesu’s face brought a strange joy to Blackwen’s Mistress; it was realization mixed with fear and loathing.

“You plan to use me as leverage,” Karesu said after a moment of silence. “You intend to lure Netira here. And since Shadow was with her,
you intend for him to follow. If they come, then you’re certain the one you desire most will too…you want Artemis to come to you.”

Arlina yawned. This was getting boring.

“Perhaps.” Arlina removed the stopper from the cordial. “Perhaps not.”

“You hope that offering a trade to Netira will make it even easier to obtain Artemis. You could kill me now and still make the offer, but you enjoy torture so you’ll stay your hand. You always did like killing one’s loved one in front of others,” Karesu continued. “Netira won’t do it. My life isn’t as valuable as the other remaining Ravenwing woman in Arrygn.”

“Oh, shut up.”

She pinned Karesu against the tree trunk and forced the cordial in between his lips. Once she removed the glass vial, Arlina held a firm hand over his mouth. She moved it only when she knew Karesu had swallowed the milky liquid.

Once he fell unconscious, after the brief moment of his body violently shaking, Arlina inspected the vial and noticed she had given him nearly half of it.

“Well, this will prove to be interesting,” Arlina said as she pocketed the vial.

Netira rubbed her chest, feeling odd sensations of pain. Karesu was suffering; she knew that much.

She couldn’t believe he had sacrificed himself so that she and Shadow could flee. Netira punched the ground; Karesu should have been here with her. He would have been treated, he would have gained some rest, and the two could have run away by now, just like they once dreamed of.

And yet, she couldn’t abandon Blackwen City. She and Karesu swore to one another that they would save their home. She couldn’t give up now.

There was the matter of Artemis to consider as well, and the part Tamina wanted Netira to play in this game of revenge. She wanted to help Artemis, that much was true…but Netira didn’t like the feeling she was getting ever since her dead mentor visited her prison cell. Something very dark was coming, even though the whole point of guiding Artemis to the Dark Fortress was to be rid of the evil.

Goddesses
, Netira thought.
I don’t like this at all
.

Looking back at the cottage, she wondered how the famed Talisa would receive her. Karesu apparently kidnapped her, which caused Talisa to swear to kill him on sight. Shadow and Artemis wouldn’t let that happen, but Netira wasn’t sure if she could rely on the two to help her rescue her lover should the time come.

Once I make it to Blackwen City and lead Artemis to Arlina
, Netira plotted,
my part will be over. I can rescue Karesu myself
.

It’d be her way of thanking you for the help you’ll be giving us
.

Netira shook her head to rid her mind of Shadow’s earlier statement. When the time came, she would leave them behind to deal with Arlina so that she could free Karesu. She wouldn’t regret it.

“Someone should really fetch this Netira woman from outside,” Callypso suggested once Jack returned to the library with Talisa, along with a tunic for Shadow.

Talisa stared at Callypso, surprised at her presence here. She then frowned once she noted Shadow’s arm. “Shadow, you’re bandaged. That means you have been here for some time.”

“Artemis felt it prudent to attend to me,” Shadow replied, while having a hard time fitting into Jack’s clothing.

“Did you now?” Talisa’s grin widened at me.

“He needed treatment,” I explained. “I was going to wake you when I was finished.”

“Well, at least it’s still dark outside, so I can believe that,” Talisa replied with a shrug. Ignoring the glares from both Shadow and myself,
Talisa focused on Jack. “What are you doing just standing there? Fetch us some tea and snacks! We’re going to be up for some time.”

“Why do I have to get it?” Jack grumbled.

“Because you’re my apprentice and you belong to me until I say otherwise!” Talisa said, while clenching the fingers of her right hand. “Hurry up!”

Jack disappeared while the rest of us tried not to laugh at the display we had just witnessed. I did feel bad for him though. I knew the feeling well enough from my weapons training with Shadow.

“Shadow, be a dear and fetch the Blackwen City dhampir as well.” Talisa ordered, as she took a seat at the table.

“Shall I wake Lady Clarayne while I’m at it?” Shadow said, still fumbling with the ill-fitting tunic.

“No. Leave her to rest.” Talisa replied. “I will return her to the ruins of Ellewynth myself at dawn. Lords Celstian and Destrius will worry about her if she does not return.”

“Thank you, Talisa,” Shadow said, as he too, disappeared.

Callypso and I glanced over to her in confusion.

“For keeping her safe,” Talisa explained.

“Does he not realize that we all have the knowledge that she and he are tied by blood?” Callypso asked.

Talisa looked at me, horrified. I waved her off. “I already knew, Talisa. Lady Clarayne told me herself.”

“Lady Clarayne was awake?” Talisa asked, alarmed.

“Yes,” I answered. “She’s fine. She was just worried, and she returned to rest quickly enough.”

“I finally get some sleep, and I miss
everything
,” Talisa whined as she swatted her leg in annoyance.

“Don’t pout, Talisa.” Callypso laughed. “There will plenty more opportunities for such instances to occur again.”

“What instances?” I asked, confused. Callypso and Talisa beamed, and I knew then what they referred to. “Soleil burn me…nothing happened!”

“Artemis, Jack and I walked in to you being restrained by a bare-chested Shadow,” Callypso said as her grin widened from ear to ear. “That image speaks volumes.”

I buried my face in my hands, and the women practically cackled. “It meant nothing! He refused to let me dispose of that bloodied rag he arrived in.”

“You mean to tell me that a bare-chested man grabbed you from behind and you felt
nothing
?” Talisa exclaimed, aghast. “Willow be damned, we have so much work to do with you! That action alone should have excited you somehow!”

“These things take time, Talisa.” Callypso dramatically sighed. “You know this well enough.”

“I’m an impatient being, Cally!” Talisa pouted. “She needs to learn these things, and fast. No woman should live with such ignorance!”

“I’m still standing here!” I said, my face flushed.

“You’re a woman now, Artemis.” Talisa sighed. “For your own sake, do something about it.”

“I’m
not
talking about this!” I yelled.

Talisa was about to speak until Jack returned with a tray filled with teacups and cookies. He was horrified when he noticed all three of us staring at him.

“Did I interrupt something?” Jack asked, taking care to set the tray on the table as fast as possible.

“Not at all,” Callypso answered.

“We’re merely discussing how Artemis is ignoring her womanly desires,” Talisa said, snatching a few of the cookies.

Jack doubled over in hysterics. I rolled my eyes.

“I give up.” I raised my hands in defeat. Jack was choking now. “There is nothing wrong with me!”

“Artemis, don’t get me started about that,” Jack said, trying to regain his composure as he took a seat. “Talisa, can you fill me in on the details as to why she is doing such a thing?”

“Jack, if you dare to add to this ridiculous conversation any more, I won’t hesitate to mention a few things of our own conversations to these ladies,” I threatened, as I moved to stand behind him. I gripped his shoulders and gave a few harsh squeezes. “You
know
of what I speak.”

Jack froze and cursed in the Elvish tongue. Callypso and Talisa were confused, and I found a small smile of satisfaction forming on my lips.

“You can be evil sometimes, Artemis,” Jack whispered.

“You would do well to remember that.” I released my grip on him. I took a seat beside Jack and snatched a few cookies myself. “What shall we speak of now as we wait for Shadow and Netira?”

“I’m rather intrigued of these conversations you’ve just mentioned,” Talisa said, resting her chin in her hand. I could feel the irritation from Jack, and Talisa raised an eyebrow at him. “Can’t we know
something
?”

“I may be your apprentice,” Jack began, while glaring at me, “but there are
some
things that are considered sacred. I expected more from my dear friend here.”

“I’m just casually reminding you that I, too, can make your life miserable within seconds.” I smiled as I took a bite of a cookie.