Prince by Blood and Bone: A Fantasy Romance of the Black Court (Tales of the Black Court) (37 page)

He wanted only to kiss her again, distract them both and keep them isolated, but he too heard the sound of a hunting horn. And beyond that the sounds of battle.

Reality slammed back. The stone prison they were in. The smell of Agrona’s burnt body lying on the floor. And Logan, still possibly imprisoned. He released Bryanna and crossed to the window. “We have to go.”

“Oh Danu, I left everyone down below. Can you see what’s happening?” Bryanna joined him at the window.

“Look down in the courtyard. Logan and Solanum are fighting Agrona’s soldiers.” Outside the gates he saw the curl of mother’s black banner climbing the hill, the silver gryphon glinting in the torchlight. “I need some clothes.” His wedding attire was shredded and burned, his singed and bloody plaid would have to do. He laid it out and pleated the long piece of fabric in record time, wrapping it around his waist and tossing the end over his shoulder. “Give me your sword and stay behind me.”

They ran down the stairs and into the main hall. It was empty. He crossed the hall, paused at the open door, and turned to Bryanna. “I want you to stay here.”

“But you need me, you need every fighter you can get.”

He wiped a smudge of soot off of her face and kissed the tip of her nose. “Nay.” He smiled down at her. “I’ve seen you fight, you’re willing, but if Agrona hadn’t been already wounded you wouldn’t have stood a chance. I know you’re willing, but if you’re out there I won’t focus on anything but protecting you.” He kissed her lips, wishing they had the time for more. “You are a serious distraction for me.”

She smiled. Despite the danger of their situation he felt like they were suspended in a bubble. Like he could take the time to kiss her and reassure her and be the man he wanted to be. But there wasn’t time to do any of that. Logan needed him.

“How many of those spells do you have left?” he asked.

She dug into her bag. “Just one.” She shivered. “But I’m not sure I want to use it, now that I’ve seen what they can do.”

He gripped her arms and put his face inches away from hers. “You bloody will use it if you have to. I don’t want to come back here and find you dead.”

She nodded. “Stay safe.”

He pulled her into his arms one last time, squeezing her far too hard, until she made a small sound. He pressed his lips hard to hers, pouring everything he couldn’t say into the kiss, and taking everything she didn’t have time for back from her. He let her go and she stumbled back, her lips swollen and her expression soft. “Don’t run off,” he said. “I won’t be long.” And he turned before she could answer. Seeing her response in her glowing eyes. She would wait for him this time. He lifted his hand and called for Falin’s Rage and it fit itself into his grip as he walked into the main courtyard and saw his loyal man, Logan, swinging a sword and lopping off a soldier’s head.

Adrenaline surged through him and he grinned. “Logan Ni Brennan, I’m here!” he called, the joy of finally being able to fight like a man rushing through his veins and taking away all his aches and bruises. He raised his weapon and laughed.

There were too many of the troll-kin, and the Black Court was outside the gates. The odds were against them but he’d been bred to fight this battle. He had his best man on the field, his woman to back him up, and for the first time in years, his Gift flowed in his veins. He let the glorious joy of his magic pour into his sword and waded out into the fight.

“Good of you to drop in.” Logan spun around and took out another guard. “Be careful, their spears are tipped with iron.”

“Well that’s hardly fair,” he said, and laughed again. The familiar stench of war, of blood and guts and oiled metal floated through the air, and his Gift and pleasure surged. “Or maybe it only evens the odds.” He laid into a troll-kin, slashing and hacking and taking him down.

He fought beside Logan, until they were cut off from each other by a small surge of the brutal soldiers. He cut and sliced and jabbed his way through, the battle lust zinging in his veins.

“Kian!”

The huntsman was on his knees, fighting two men and too far away to get to easily. Blood dripped down his arm and for the first time Kian realized that the huntsman was fighting injured. Across the courtyard, Solanum blurred into movement, mowing down soldiers as the black dog moved relentlessly to Logan’s side.

Kian sliced through his opponent’s throat, scooped up the downed man’s shield, and took a quick survey of the situation. Half the troll-kin who’d been in the courtyard when he’d arrived were down. They’d almost won. “Hang on, I’m on my way.” He turned and stabbed into another soldier, his point sinking under the man’s breastplate and deep into his flesh.

The horn sounded again and the wooden gates disintegrated. The wide black winged form of the Morrigan flew in, dragging a small, grey figure. Behind her, more troll-kin pushed to get into the keep, and behind them, flew the banners of the Black Court.

All the fighting stopped as the queen spoke, “Prince Kian, you disappoint me. Again.” Her massive wings batted the air as she landed, the breeze drying the sticky wetness on his skin. She landed in the only spot in the courtyard that wasn’t covered in blood or gutted bodies.

“I see you have your lackey with you.” He nodded at the gnome cringing at her side.

“He’s been useful.” She let Beezel go and gave him a small push. “But letting you escape Cairngloss was his last mistake. When we return to court, he’ll be watching the death of his wife.” Her purple eyes whirled. “I think I’ll let at least
some
of the children live, so I have someone to kill when I feel angry.”

The gnome took a few stumbling steps, before collapsing and lay on the ground. He lay on the ground, his pitiful shoulders heaving. Kian felt sorry for the bugger, but he’d chosen his side.

“Now, enough of this nonsense.” The queen raised her voice. “It’s time to marry your cousin and be a good boy.”

He could see that she was trying to stay in control, but the warning signs were there. The wings that never kept still, the wildly spinning eyes, and the hair. Always the hair. The barometer of his mother’s moods writhed and coiled up into the air.

She was close to losing it, but he had never felt more in control.

“No, Mother, it’s not time for me to marry Agrona. It’s time for me and mine to leave.” He waved at Bryanna who hovered by the large doors of the keep. She nodded and darted next to Logan. The two of them moved to his side. “Logan, open a portal.” Solanum took out the last few Brethren in his way, and took up the post behind them.

“You might think twice about leaving.” She waved a hand. “Bring out the prisoners.”

From around the corner of the massive curtain wall, Haddon and a soldier dragged three women. One was Logan’s wife Trina, and he could guess the other two were Bryanna’s sister and mother. The queen’s right-hand man pushed the women through the hole where the gate had been, and into the courtyard, moving them next to the queen.

“You see, we have your human friends,” the queen purred. “Though only the Gods know why you would want to keep company with such commoners. But I can see your little girl-friend next to you is distressed.” Her wings snapped out, spreading to their full width, electricity crackling off of the tips. “Now, you will marry your cousin, and we’ll have no more fuss.” She looked around the courtyard. “Where is Agrona?”

He wasn’t waiting for his mother to discover that her plans were shot to hell. “Bryanna, remember your promise to use everything in that bag? Now!”

Bryanna pitched the grenade. It sailed through the air straight at Haddon. He ducked and let the older prisoner go. The small explosive flew past him and into the soldier holding the red-head and Trina and burst into a flame. Sulfur flared and the soldier screamed, letting go of the women and batting at his flaming arms.

“Open a gate!” he called to Logan. Logan moved closer to the keep and the purple-grey haze of a portal began to form between their tattered group and the keep’s front door. But Bryanna wasn’t moving behind him towards the gate. Instead she rushed back, heading for the trio of women heading toward her across the courtyard.

Fear iced his battle-warmed veins.

“Bryanna!” He faltered, his confidence shaken by dread. The woman he’d finally figured out he needed by his side was running straight for the queen who wanted her dead.

Bryanna reached her family and the group headed back across the blood slicked cobblestones. Bryanna stretched out a hand toward him. “Come on, Kian, let’s go.”

“No!” The queen raised her hands up, palms flat. The battle-rush flared and he used the adrenaline to fuel his Gift, getting a shield up as the blast of power slammed into him. It hit him hard, and he lost his balance. Another one came, the familiar black energy lashing into him and knocking him to the ground.

Someone screamed and he lost sight of the women.

“You ungrateful bastard.” His mother had gotten stronger. He wondered how many men Agrona, in her quest to be a princess, had devoured and given over to the queen. “I’ve given you everything, and when I need you to give me one simple thing, this is how you repay me? With rebellion?” She struck again. He rocked back, landing on his burnt arm, and she took another step forward while he reeled from the agony.

“Get them through,” Logan yelled, behind him. For the first time, fear raised its ugly head inside his gut, but he was too busy fending off blast after blast of his mother’s power to see what was happening.

He pushed back against her assault, digging deep into his store of energy and pushing back at his mother he was able to rise to his feet and check on Bryanna.

Logan had the portal open, and he and Solanum fought to protect it from the stream of soldiers pouring into the courtyard. The flags of the Black Court still waved outside of the wall, and he realized, with some surprise, that the court was waiting to see what happened before throwing their support behind the queen.

Bryanna and her family were now separated from the portal by the fighting. There was a flare of yellow-green flames, and screams, and his sight of the women was cut off behind a cloud of sulfuric smoke.

“Run, run, little boy. Run as fast as you can.” His mother laughed. Her laughter grew louder even as her blasts of power became wild, shooting off a pillar next to his head.

“Trina, go!” Logan shouted.

Another blast glanced off the stones near his feet. Kian risked a glance. He had to know what was happening to Bryanna. The queen’s advisor, Haddon, had his weapon up, the bloodied tip ready for a killing blow. Logan lay below him, the shaking tip of his sword falling fast. The portal’s energy flickered and collapsed. Solanum howled and turned, his massive jaws hinging wide, he lunged at Haddon.

A new rush of soldiers poured in, cutting off the puca from reaching the queen’s advisor.

Kian struggled to see what had happened to the women. A shock wave of power, blacker than his own, blue-black aura hit his shield and exploded. He flew backward, and lay stunned, on his back, searching for the remnants of his tattered Gift.

“I’ll end you once and for all.” The Morrigan stood over him. He stared up at her towering form. Her eyes blazed and all of the skulls on her necklace chattered their rage and in her eyes he could see his death.

He’d never truly understood it before, never truly wanted to see it, but he saw it now. She hated him. He’d always thought it was just neglect, but it was more than that. When he’d been small he’d never really known who this woman was, who came into his quarters occasionally and used brutal tests to evaluate his education and his Gift. It had taken years to understand what others thought a mother should be. To him, his nanny was the person to love, a mother was someone to fear.

Her hair was a wild nimbus of black, crackling static. “I never wanted you.” Spit foamed at the corners of her mouth. “All you’ve ever been is trouble. I’ll have you married off to that girl and then we’ll drug you and torture you until you think you want to give her your Gift. You’ll be begging to give it, and when you do, it will all be mine.” His mother raised her voice. “Agrona!” she shrieked.

The name echoed around the courtyard.

Kian lay on the ground, blood in his mouth and the smell of defeat fresh in his nostrils. He mustered his energy and raised his shield, but its power was nearly translucent. His mother knew too much about his magic, she saw every move and countered it. He had no recourse, no way to defeat her, and no defense against the blow he knew was inevitable.

“You can’t win against me,” she said and raised her hands. “I’ve been wielding our family’s magic for thousands of years longer than you and I can see exactly how little power you have left. Surrender, or take the consequences.”

Power crackled along her fingertips. She wouldn’t wait for him to give in, he could see it in her eyes. She wanted to strike at him. She had enough hatred built up that the only thing holding her back from killing him now, was that she would lose his power.

She thought he was defeated, but he refused to be finished. If he was finished, Bryanna, Logan, all of them were dead. He closed his eyes and dug deep for the gleam of golden magic hidden underneath the blue and black of his aura. The strand that—now that he knew it was there—glowed under everything, supporting and holding up his Gift.

He pulled on the new magic. It was strange and familiar all at once. Strong—much stronger than his weakened shield. He tugged at it and the power poured out, easily forming a rich, golden ball that glowed and surged into his palm.