Dark Slayer (45 page)

I love you, Ivory
, Razvan sent gently.
More than life. Leave me now. Do not let them invade you as well
. Although these men would have knowledge of her as he did, the terrible things she had endured.
Wipe out the direction of our lair from my memory
. He knew she was capable. She was capable of far more than any of them knew.

Ivory complied and then she was gone, leaving him entirely alone once again.

Ivory had no patience for niceties. She marched onto the healing chambers, uncaring of the owls flitting through the trees and the grim-faced Carpathian males falling in behind her as she approached the series of caves. She felt the wrench of a safeguard and dragged the traitor through the mild barrier with her just to show those around her she didn’t need to stop and unravel their pitiful safeguard for either her or the spy.

She entered the caves, looking down her nose at the guards, her expression haughty as she stalked through the tunnels, following her lifemate’s scent unerringly. As she turned into the third cavern, making the descent, she was forced to protect her captive from the building heat.

Ivory moved through the tunnel, looking at none of the guards, her head up, her eyes unknowingly fierce, the boy, Travis, firmly in her grip. Her crossbow was slung across her shoulder, giving her wolves a clear view of front and sides as she made her way through the chamber.

Falcon made a movement toward her and she heard Sara gasp. She held up her free hand to halt them. “Take me to your prince, Falcon.”

“Put down your weapons, Ivory.”

“I am a weapon. I can bring down these caves and kill everyone inside, including your precious prince, and you know it. Do not argue with me. Take me to your prince
now
.”

Falcon stepped in front of her, leading her through the long entry, through the tunnel lined with warriors. “Travis,” he said gently, “you will be fine.”

“No thanks to you,” Ivory said with a sniff of disdain. “I hope you are a better warrior than parent, Falcon.”

He flashed her one emotion-laden look over his shoulder, promising retribution, but she merely continued walking. The council chamber was packed with Carpathians, both male and female. Many turned their attention from the trial in front of them to her. She caught a glimpse of Natalya’s face, bloodred tears tracking her cheeks, and she felt no sympathy for her at all. She would have liked to give her a reason to cry.

The lines of warriors opened for them, the men parting to reveal Mikhail, his face drawn and tired. Razvan stood to one side, and Ivory tried not to drink him in, tried not to show the relief sweeping though her.

She inclined her head regally at the prince. “I have brought you your traitor.” She pushed the child into the circle.

Falcon caught the boy to him, wrapping one arm around him and holding him protectively. “What are you accusing him of? Being in league with our enemy?”

“Exactly. Were you planning on killing my lifemate in your need for revenge against Xavier? How inconvenient that I found the real culprit.” She looked around at the faces of the counsel, her contempt obvious. “Whatever fate you chose for him, you now have an obligation to put on this boy.”

Falcon pulled Travis closer to him. “She lies to save her lifemate.”

Her eyes flashed at him. “I never lie. Healer, examine him. All of you, the entire mockery of accusers. The shadow of Xavier has found a home. The boy must have been hiding in the woods while we battled Xavier’s abominations and we only destroyed one of the four shadow fragments. He carries one. He is your traitor, not my lifemate, who has fought to save a species not worthy of life.”

Razvan said nothing as he looked upon his warrior woman. Fierce. Proud. Unbending. She looked far more regal than the prince. A queen among men, showing her utter contempt of their stupidity. She took his breath away with her beauty. With her absolute belief in him and her ferocious protection of him—in spite of his instructions. She didn’t mind very well, but it was worth it to see her dress down the ancient warriors in the room.

“I examined Razvan as you asked,” Gregori said, “although I was reluctant to put him through such an indignity when I already knew he was free of Xavier. I will examine the boy.” He was grateful that he had gone first and no other Carpathian had relived Razvan’s memories, although he felt it would shame them to know what the man had suffered, as it did him.

“You will not touch my son,” Falcon said. “No one will touch him.” He laid a hand on the hilt of his knife. His heart lurched. Startled, he looked at his belt. The scabbard was empty.

Travis snarled and flung himself forward, straight at Mikhail, his small arm upraised, his face a mask of hatred as he attempted to plunge Falcon’s knife into the prince. Gregori moved to intercept almost before anyone knew what was happening. He caught the boy’s small wrist, marveling at the strength in the child as he fought to retain the weapon.

The knife fell to the floor at Mikhail’s feet and Gregori held the child to him. “It’s all right, Travis. Everything is going to be all right,” he soothed, rocking the boy. “I’ve got to take him to the surface and remove Xavier’s fragment.”

“There are still two missing,” Ivory said. “You will need to check everyone who was there that day. If Xavier managed to find other hosts, everyone is at risk.” She turned cool eyes on Falcon. “Start with him. Perhaps the entire council should search him.”

Ivory
. Razvan said her name gently.

“Tell me of the progress, of your find,” Mikhail said. “I want to take you to Raven and Savannah. Will you come with me now?”

Ivory looked to Razvan for the answer.
It is up to you
.

We came here to save the unborn children
.

“I will return as quickly as possible,” Gregori said. “Let me help this boy.”

Mikhail nodded and then looked around the chamber. “We will need everyone to aid us in attempting to save our children. Those of you who do not care to keep your vow of allegiance, I free you from your blood-sworn vow. Go now and do not return.” He waited but no one moved. “I will call when we need to draw energy for the healing chant.” He gestured for Razvan and Ivory to follow him.

Ivory shot another look of contempt toward Natalya and her lifemate before walking beside Razvan, her head up as the prince led them through the crowded chamber. She disliked any public display of affection, but she deliberately tangled her fingers with Razvan’s to show solidarity. The entire lot of the Carpathian people could walk into the sun, for all she cared. She didn’t have a high opinion of them and so far, other than Gregori and maybe the prince, nothing had happened to change her mind.

Ivory
. Razvan said her name again. Gently. A reprimand.

It is merely my opinion, lifemate
.

He hid his smile from the others, but she caught the brief flash of male amusement.

18

S
avannah half sat in a bed of rich soil, her face swollen, her body bloated. Raven sat next to her daughter, holding her hand. She looked up and relief flooded her face when she saw Ivory. “Thank God you are here! Lara cannot come. Syndil, Skyler and Francesca have been doing their best without her, but Savannah’s body is filled with toxins.” She pushed down the little sob in her voice. “Can you help us? I told Mikhail to find you. I just have this strong feeling that you can help us.”

Ivory forgot all about her anger at the Carpathian people and she crossed the chamber in a rush. Several of the women moved aside to make room for her.

“I am Francesca. We met when we were but girls. It was brief, you probably do not remember.” Francesca smiled at her. “You were in the middle of ten strong warriors and you were difficult not to notice.”

She drew Ivory away from the bed and the suffering woman, and lowered her voice. “I have done all I know how to do. Gregori, the greatest healer among us, will not be able to save this child. If you know anything I do not, please give us aid.”

“If I can counter the effect of the microbes on Savannah’s body, can you stop her labor?”

Francesca shook her head. “She is too far along. But we will have a chance to save the babies. The microbes are in the twins as well as Savannah, and they work to kill the babies. One is very weak and the microbes are working against us, shutting down her ability to live.”

Ivory frowned. “I have never tested the reversal spell on Carpathians. Razvan was going to infect himself so I could try it, but we have not had time. I do not think it is a good idea on a woman already under duress. If I knew it worked . . .”

Razvan put a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing Ivory was uneasy with the idea of trying an unproven experiment on a living person. “Do it now,” Razvan said. “We know where to find the microbes. I will just let them attack me.”

Ivory shook her head. “If Savannah is infected, doubtless they are well entrenched. I need someone who has had them for some time.”

The woman she recognized as Syndil stepped forward. Tall and elegant, she had that same serenity that Ivory had noted before. “I am not pregnant. I know I am infected. Try your experiment on me.”

“Syndil.” Raven’s voice was gentle. “You have given us too much already. You are so tired and worn. I am the prince’s lifemate and Savannah is my child. I should be the one to do this for her.”

Ivory’s gaze dropped to Raven’s swollen, very pregnant belly, and she shook her head. “No. Not you.” She stepped back away from the prince’s lifemate. “I will not risk a child.”

“Please,” Savannah choked out. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it now. The contractions are increasing. I am fighting to give Gregori and Shea time to prepare the incubation cubicle, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep the babies from coming.”

Syndil flashed a calming smile, very reminiscent of Razvan. “Clearly it should be me.”

Ivory closed her eyes. Her scientific need to experiment dozens of time, dozens of ways under dozens of conditions battled with the desperate maternal need to save Savannah’s unborn children. To risk precious lives . . .
I cannot do this, Razvan. They cannot ask me to experiment on human life without other trials first
.

Perhaps the rich soil will buy us the time that we need
. Razvan slid his hand from her shoulder down her arm to tangle his fingers with hers.

Gregori came striding into the healing cave, going straight to his lifemate. He took her hand, brought it to his heart and stood quietly looking into her eyes, obviously encouraging her.

“Gregori,” Razvan said, “we brought you a gift of pure, untouched soil. We can bring it to the laboratory and have your people examine it to make certain it is fit for your lifemate. Perhaps the soil will buy you the time you need to prepare for the children.”

Gregori inclined his head, his attention remaining on holding his daughters to their mother while they struggled and clung to life. “You must hurry.”

The weariness in Gregori’s voice shook Razvan. He knew how difficult it was to remove a fragment of evil, and Gregori was already stretched thin from trying to keep his children and lifemate alive.

“Can you hold off the birth three or four hours to give Ivory the chance to test whether or not she can neutralize the mutated microbes within Syndil?”

“She is advancing fast. I will try.” Gregori sounded doubtful.

“What of the boy, Travis?” Razvan had great sympathy for the child. Travis obviously loved Falcon and tried to look and act like him. He followed the Carpathian everywhere. He would be ashamed at having attacked Mikhail, even though he wasn’t to blame.

Just as you were not
, Ivory pointed out, her fingers tightening around his.

“Travis will be fine,” Gregori said. “I removed the fragment and destroyed it. There are two left. We checked everyone who was there. I know you are clean of the mage’s taint, but are you certain one did not enter Ivory?”

“Ivory is clean of his evil as well.”

“Then two more fragments are making their way back to Xavier. They will need hosts.” Gregori sighed. “That was my mistake. I wasn’t fast enough to incinerate them.”

“I doubt you could have done much in the midst of an all-out battle,” Razvan said. “I am glad the boy is all right.”

“He loves Mikhail as well as Falcon.” Gregori stopped abruptly and shook his head. They both knew the psychological damage the child would have from the incident.

Razvan took a breath and his gaze met Ivory’s across the room, knowing she was thinking exactly what he was—Xavier had to be destroyed. He started to clap Gregori on the shoulder in sympathy, but let his hand fall to his side. He’d never had friends, and was unsure the protocol one used.

Ivory looked around the healing chamber. “I need a different place. Somewhere quiet. Healer, you must have a laboratory.”

“Shea does,” Syndil answered. “A very good one. I can take you there.”

“Hurry,” Gregori urged. “Francesca and I will do what we can.”

Savannah let out a muffled sob and shook her head. “The little one, Gregori. She is so weak. I am losing her.”