Shadows of the Keeper (48 page)

Dezenial’s eyes burned crimson to
such magnitude, the cavern became engulfed with a red hue.

Drakar’s stance faltered. 
“Lumynari eyes are amber, not blood red.  What sort of beast did your
mother spread her legs for to create you?”

“Careful.  I might be tempted
to show you.”  Incisors lengthened.  Emily was not returning as
easily as he’d hoped.  He would have to taste her soul, forcing her from
her haven.  It had the added benefit of stripping Drakar of his casual
manner.

“Gods, what
are
you? 
‘Tis bad enough your mother actually granted you life, where she kills her
other get, but to allow a beast to live—ah, that’s it.  You were an animal
for her to toy with.  A favorite pet.”

Dezenial smirked before sinking
fangs deep into Emily’s neck.  Torturous not to close his eyes and savor
the taste of her, but he dared not remove his visual stake from Drakar.

“Dez?”

“Remain facing me.”

“Cold.”

“You have been touched by
evil.  Drink from me to heal your soul.”  Dezenial pushed his wrist
against Emily’s mouth until he felt her own incisors bite into him.

Drakar snarled with rage. 
“What manner of Lumynari are you that you drink blood, and from an animal?”

“The manner that is son of Hades.”

“Hades—“  Drakar stumbled
back.  “
No
!”

But, it was too late for
Drakar.  Dezenial’s hand morphed into talons, grasped the air in front of
Drakar and yanked.  Drakar lurched, clawing his neck.  Emily pulled
free from her bite, but Dezenial pressed her head against him with his free
hand, forfeiting her ability to view more horror.

Drakar screamed.  Spittle ran
from his mouth.  His body quaked as his eyes lolled.

“Flesh to brine, soul to burn, I
damn you, Drakar, demons to dine.”

Gurgling, legs buckling, Drakar’s
flesh began to pop and sizzle.

“River of dead, in Styx you will
drown—“

Drakar choked.  Great amounts
of water spewed from his mouth.

“Your name forbidden, your lineage
to ground.”

Abruptly, screams echoed throughout
Balkore as Drakar’s centuries of descendants fell dead.  Violent seizures
contorted Drakar’s body.

“To Otherworld, I damn you!” 
Flinging his hand, Drakar’s body stilled.  But the silence was simply a
crescendo before the final act. 

Hissing, screeching, horrific
snarling ensued as beings materialized around the Lumynari’s body.  Emily
tried looking.

“You will keep your face
averted.  Obey my command, Keer’dra.  You have seen enough without
this entrenched in your mind, causing you incomprehensible nightmares. 
These are not the Elites, little one.  These are the demons your realm
prays against.”

“Can you take away my hearing?”

Drakar’s soul wailed as it was
viciously pried from his chest by ravenous demons.

“
Please!
” Emily shouted into
Dezenial’s chest.  Muttering quickly, he touched her ears, almost smiling
as she sagged against him with relief.

“Be quick about your business,”
Dezenial commanded.  “You frighten your queen!”  A quick nod in
respect for their Dark Prince, and the demons grasped the struggling soul,
dragging it towards nothingness as they vanished.

“Keer’dra, follow my voice, little
one.”  A few seconds later, he asked if she could hear him.

“What
happened
?”

“You met Drakar.  He was under
the impression he could bring you to my mother.  Her precious soldier
won’t be doing her bidding any longer.  Desperate and furious, a bad
combination where Shadow is concerned.  We
must
leave.”

“What did you do to him?”

“Gave him to demons to feast upon,
killed his descendants,” Dezenial shrugged.

She looked up at him.  “You’re
as indifferent as if you did nothing more than go for a walk.”

“Were you not here, Emily, I would
have done far worse.  Eternity in the hands of demons is gentle, compared
to what I would have personally done to him.  As it is, my father has
stepped into the arena and is tormenting Drakar’s soul as well.  You see,
he made the mistake of threatening our unborn children.”

“Hades’ grandchildren.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh, my.”

“Lord Dezenial, flashes upon the
ridge.”  Eldaryn sniffed.  “I smell flesh and . . . demons
feasted!  You did not think to share?”

“Drakar’s hide is not something you
would have found pleasing to your palate.”

“Drakar?  Your mother won’t be
far behind.  He was her favorite pawn.”

“He has in his custody the Book of
Hera.”

“I look forward to hearing this
tale, but another time.  Where Drakar lurks, his scourge follow.” 
Eldaryn studied Dezenial’s life-mate for a few seconds.  “How long before
the attack?”

“Drakar, as usual, does not guard
his thoughts.  Shadow calls for the death of the Keeper—and me.”

“Ah, the love of a mother. 
Makes me miss mine all the more.”

“Emily will need you, where she is
going.  Your loyalty has voided your debt . . .
friend
.”

“Dez?  What are you two
talking about?  Your growling and grunting is, well, creepy.”

The Dark Prince caressed the face
of his beloved.  “Our journey has just changed.”

Emily sniffed.  “What’s that
smell
? 
It’s sweet, but burning.”  Emily gagged, turning away and covering her
mouth and nose.  Shouts erupted from across the cavern.  Inzyr
morphed from shadow, his lithe form appearing up on the ridge.  He and
several Lumynari sprinted towards a ghastly formed bridge of rock. 
Emily’s eyes  raced ahead of them.  “Oh-my-
God
!”

“Keer’dra!”  Dezenial grabbed
her arm and spun them away.  “Run!” 

Acrid smoke angrily spewed from a
slashed opening in a granite wall, directly where her father ran towards! 
And from the smoke, a monstrous sized troll barreled towards them!  The
ground vibrated from its pounding clubfeet. 

“Your orchards,” Eldaryn
yelled.  “Chath!  They knew you would be there!”

“A trap?”  Emily hollered over
her shoulder.  They sprinted, retracing their steps.  This wasn’t
happening.  If only she could shake this daze, a darkness clinging to her
like sticky webs.  Bile threatened.  Again, she glanced over her
shoulder.  Troll bellowed. 

Emily screamed.  “Creatures .
. . flying out of its mouth!  What the hell?!!”

“This way!”  Dezenial suddenly
cut across the hard packed earthen trail, tugging her into a crevice. “Eldaryn,
our backs!”  They came out the other side, stopping so Emily could catch
her breath.  Too narrow for the troll to pass through, Dezenial’s
entourage began spilling out.  For Emily, it had been too much running in
her condition.  She spun away, quickly covering her mouth.  Nausea
intensified.  Her entire body began shivering.  So cold.  Her
armband radiated heat, but it wasn’t enough.  Flutters in her womb
succeeded in making her retch.

“Keer’dra,” Dezenial grasped her
shoulders from behind, turning her to face him when she’d finished. 
“You’ll reach deeply within you—“

“And wish for gum?”

“Pull forth the Lumynari battling
to rise.  Stop forcing it to remain dormant.”  Keeping hold of her,
he watched as gargoyles bounded out the crevice by twos.  Sixteen of them
surrounded their prince and his mate.  Mentally summoning more of the
Otherworld legion, the Dark Prince returned his focus on his life-mate. 
“Now, Emily.”

“Shouldn’t we just run, or shadow
jump?  I don’t feel well.”

“Terror consumes, and will continue
until madness sets in.  That is Drakar’s intent.  He poisons. 
Your body is trying to expunge what he’s done, but its power is stronger than
this side of you.  Keer’dra, I command—“

Emily’s head reared.  Eyes
glowed amber, her hair a luminous shroud of white fire.  “I won’t have
sudden urges for bloodletting, will I?”

“Would that be so bad?”

“Right now? Nope.”

“You are most beautiful.”  A
sardonic smile flitted, then vanished.  “The darkness?”

“Seems to be skittering back from
where it came.”

Shouting demolished their
reprieve.  Dezenial clutched her to him.  “Shadow spell.  Do it
now!”

“My father’s chambers.  I’ll
be safe—“

“No, Keer’dra!  This is
Shadow’s doing.  Nowhere in Balkore are you safe.  Go above. 
Forest Lords disassemble their camp.  I’ll join you.  Inzyr’s
quarters have been breached!  Do not go there!  Above! 
Now
!”

Chaos erupted.  A hiss so
close to Emily, her hair wafted.  A javelin struck.  Gargoyle shrieked
and furiously yanked free the weapon before rocketing over Emily and landing
with a sickening crunch atop a Lumynari warrior.  Before she could view
more of the ensuing battle, Emily found herself shoved towards a dark
alcove.  It was another sliced opening within rock.  Eldaryn’s cold
muzzle pushed her shoulders.  She could feel hot breath from his other
head right above her own. 

Dezenial?

Screams, roars and shrieks, though
muted between these towering walls, was still loud enough to propel her forward. 
She lifted her hem, about to sprint.

She stopped.

Eldaryn nudged her hard.

“No.  Quiet.”  She calmed
her breathing, clutching a handful of the beast’s chest fur for comfort. 
Standing under his heads, she listened.  Ahead of them, where they would soon
spill from this chasm, something waited.  In her Lumynari state, she saw
hovering forms above them as well.  “Spinners,” she whisper-hissed.

“Treachery scents the air,” Eldaryn
grumbled close to her ear, his hot breath making her wince.

“Friend or foe?”

Eldaryn sniffed.  “They are
not those residing under Dezenial’s protection.”

Shouts from the battle chased
them.  Closer.  Metal scraped against metal.  “I cannot pass
you,” Eldaryn said.  “There lacks room, yet I cannot allow you to proceed
either back, nor forward.”

“I can’t shadow jump.  I
haven’t practiced distance jumping yet.  We’ll have to go back.”

Spinners hissed and plummeted
towards them.  Emily hollered.  Fire emitted from her palms. 
Screeching from the onslaught of light, they scurried back towards their dark
havens.  If only her hair had remained afire, they’d have not dropped to
begin with.  “That was too close.”

“They’ll regroup and begin shooting
us with their arrows,” Eldaryn warned.  “Crawl under me.  You’ll be
safer from their shafts there.”

Keer’dra!  I command you
into the light!

“Ahhhh!”  Emily palmed her
temples, fierce pain jabbing her skull.  She felt tossed, stretched. 
Floating.  An in-between, neither light, nor dark—frigid air seized her
breath.

“Cold . . .”

“Emily!”  A male shout rose
above a strange hum.  Air.  God, it was so
loud
! 

“MacLarrin! ‘Tis Lady Emily!” 

I know that voice
.  The
accent curled around her like an old quilt.  “Garreck?” she
squeaked. 
What the hell’s wrong with my voice?
  “So . . .
cold.”  She gasped, true panic seizing her when she realized her eyes had
been opened, yet—

“I can’t see!” 
Blind!
 
She began groping.  “I can’t see.”  Handfuls of snow.

“I doona’ recognize yer’ language,
lass.”  Hastily wrapped, she was cloaked in something heavy.  Light
began penetrating.  Why hadn’t she been able to see? Disquieting. 
Hands swept hair from her face.  Shimmering white sleeves of a tunic, her
gaze righted.  For long moments, Emily stared up into Urkani’s eyes.

“You are safe with me, Lumynari
princess, as are the twins you will birth,” he whispered in her language of
Balkorian, keeping their words private.  “We have suspected your heritage
long before the Outlanders were apprised.  You’ll not find an enemy in
me.”

Reaction to his words smothered,
for strong arms wrapped around her, lifting and whisking her away from
Urkani.  Wood smoke filled her nose, assailing her senses with
familiarity.  Acclimation was happening too quickly.  “Put me
down.  I’m not helpless.”

“Nonetheless, you find yourself
suddenly exposed to air and cold you have not experienced in some time. 
Your current garb hardly enables you to fight hypothermia,” her bearer
countered.

Yanking and struggling, she found
herself nearly dropped.  Righting herself on her own feet, she whipped
around.  “
You
!  You’re that damned limo driver—the bastard in
the photo!”

“You may refer to me as
Pendaran.”  The druid bowed deeply.

Emily punched his face.

Hoots, hollers, and cheering
disintegrated the hypnotic awe over her sudden appearance.  Strong hands
grabbed and spun her, encompassing her in a bear hug.

“Lass, ye’ scared me near ta’ mi’
grave!”  Aedan clutched her to him so tightly, her lungs fully exhaled
before he let go.  Hard pats upon her back, he held her at arms-length,
giving her a visual onceover.  “The druid thinks ta’ have his revenge for
the smacker ye’ placed upon his face.”

“He’s welcome to try.”

“Any touching mi’ Emily, and they
breathe their last.  Fey power is no’ ta’ be trifled with.”  Aedan
visually raked everywhere at once, seeking wounds upon her body.  She
didn’t miss the way he stopped at her abdomen.  “Are ye’ hurt?”

“Only my heart.”

“Och, we ken the laird’s words ye’
heard.  ‘Twas spoken in anger—“

“Your laird’s words lack priority
with me right now.  A battle that will cost many lives comes to pass far
below us.”  She reached out, clasping his shoulder.  “Your mother is
well?”

Solemnly, Aedan nodded.  “She
frets, since ye’ vanished.”  His expression changed.  “Yer’ eyes,
they are auld.”

“I’ve seen much. 
Too
much.”  Emily raised her face, hoping he wouldn’t ask for details. 
Colorless skies were as white as the terrain.  A black dot fluttered and
dove.  “The falcon tires.  Perhaps it is your mother you should
shield guard for the remainder of her days, my old friend.”  She released
him.  “You were kind to Aurelia, memories having come back to me.  I
am most grateful you never turned on me.”  She turned suddenly. 
Tenderness changed into contempt.

Pendaran.

“For all that you have meddled, the
least
you can do is show me how I might assist Dezenial.”

Livid, the druid ground his jaw as
if misaligned.  Lightning arced in place of pupils.  The only thing
saving her life for her assault was that fact that, in another lifetime, before
these fools existed, she’d been his sibling.

“Be that as it may—“

He stared, complete surprise on his
face.  “You read my mind?”

“Lucky me.  You’ve involved
yourself in my life since my birth, then vanished, but not before cloaking my
memories.  Tell me, Pendaran, was the woman who feigned to be my aunt
handpicked by you?”  Emily grinned evilly.  “Her kindness was repaid,
Lumynari style.  Seems my
kin
lack fear to protect their own.”

Murmurs created a humming
background.  Never had she noticed how quiet Balkore truly was until
thrust back into the presence of land-dwellers.  Did they not grasp just
how clamorous even their basic movements were?  An enemy, hidden miles
away, would be alerted to their whereabouts. 
And what’s with all the
bonfires?  It’s like numerous beacons
.  Flapping of tent skins
sounded like crazed clapping.

Pendaran obviously loathed
answering her questions.  No matter.  ‘Twas more a statement of
observation anyway.  Clutching the heavy cloak tighter around her with one
hand, the other lifting the hem of her skirt several inches above the sludge,
she turned away from them and backtracked towards where she’d made her
appearance.  She glanced Kavan, nodding as she passed.  Strange
silence engulfed them.  Their numbers had grown, she noted.  Scrutiny
deciphered the others were not immortals. 
Henry?
Jeeze, what
are they thinking, bringing moderns here?  What the hell is going on?
A group of unshaven senior men, garbed in heavy, ragged, black robes remained
huddled, oblivious to her.  She was no fool.  Their cursory glances,
hidden by pretense of packing their horses with gear bore scrutiny. 
Something about them disturbed her.  Knots of men she passed openly
gawked.  Feeling like a sudden blot upon their landscape, she turned from
them, halting her purposeful strides.

Dezenial?

She didn’t want to be here. 
These were strangers to her.  Even the air seemed to weigh her down. 
No mental connection replied.  Was she too far above ground?  She
refused to face the alternative.  Fluttering in her abdomen.  She
caressed the slight swell. 
Be still for now, he will return to us.
Hopefully, her babies heard her mental reassurances just as they heard their
fathers.  Men glanced, wide-eyed, searching for guidance.  She knew
they sought composure, and guidance from the one they followed.

She felt him; had since being
whisked into the druid’s powerful arms.  Watching her.  Wary. 
Nervous.  Grief.  Relief.  Exhilaration.  Fury.  His
emotions tangled themselves around her, knotting and threatening to choke her
if she so allowed.  The men were flummoxed as to how to react.  Her
self-assurance confused them.  Her survival of captivity stunned
them.  That she could feel their emotions was difficult to pretend
indifference to. 

The sight of him still had the
power to make her heart squeeze.

“Ye’ fair well, lass?”  His
hair billowed golden in the strengthening glacial winds.

“Better than my husband who battles
for my life.”

There it was.  Laid down like
a gauntlet, her claim upon a Lumynari.  Broc nodded, but remained silent.

“There’s nary an opening.  How
did ye’ get out?”  Kavan asked, daring to pull away from the group, and
approach.

“Dezenial.  His magic is way
more powerful than the few puny tricks I know.  He commanded me into the
light.”  Finally, she pulled her gaze from their laird, acknowledging
Kavan.  “I’m going back.”

Garreck sputtered.  “By the
goddess Danu, we canna’ allow ye’ to go back down there!”  He freed his
sword.

Emily took a step back. 
“Garreck?”

“Something . . . bodes ill.” 
Slowly, he turned a full circle, nothing left unexamined.  “It’s as if
something slithers against mi’ spine, then bites the back o’ mi’ neck.”

Elves suddenly positioned
themselves in two’s, back-against-back.  Long bows loaded, others with
their silver blades raised, they stood battle-ready.  Immortals freed well
used swords, they too now poised.  Shrill scream curdled the air. 
Eyes darted upward, seeking the falcon.  But Emily’s attention diverted
elsewhere.  Movement within a distant tent seemed out of sync. 

That was no falcon cawing down to
her comrades.

Inhumane screams burst across the
sea of snow.  Humans and immortals froze into pillars of fright. 
Final gurgles of the hapless victim’s life followed, blood spraying the tent
Emily scrutinized.  It was likened to fat drops of rain smattering canvas awnings
she’d heard long ago at summer camp.

No children would squeal with
delight here, singing ridiculous songs of rhyme and nonsense.  “Broc—move
your men!”  Fisting a handful of fabric, she lifted her hem nearly up to
her knees and ran like hell, leaping over numerous travel packs in various
stages of being filled and rolled for departure, she shouted again, waving her
arm for Henry and the moderns to arm themselves and make ready.

Balkore’s battle had surfaced.

Piercing whistle stung her
ear.  A Forest Lord calling to his horse.  She was never more
wrong.  A deadly arrow, barely a foot away from her next step pierced the
snow.  If she’d not veered, that arrow would now be in her back.  As
had been done to Aurelia.

“Mi’ lady!” Aedan shouted
out.  “Catch!”

Emily quickly turned, arm raised,
hilt landing tightly against her palm.  She’d reflect later her sudden
skill.  Instinctively, she spun and sliced.  A momentous move. 
Enemy Lumynari dropped his cutlass in order to clutch his midsection.  A
midsection currently spilling innards.  Emily lacked time to assimilate
the gore.  With his last breath, he grappled for her.  She deftly
sidestepped his attempt.  He plunged, face-first into the snow.  She ran,
zigzagging to evade arrows.  Metal clashing against metal, men crying out,
Emily heard her name yelled again and again. 

The grizzled men flung ragged robes
from their persons.  Their bodies were lithe!  Strange black garb
they adorned themselves in hugged very masculine contours.  These were no
ordinary elders. 
Elders
!  Sudden insight filled her.

“Emily!”  Pendaran shouted,
closer to her.  “This way, now!”  He jabbed towards a clear path free
of warring bodies.

“You wish me to run?”

“I wish you to save your twins.”

Since when?  She ran
from
him.  Didn’t all here despise Lumynari?  What the hell did he care
about her twins?  A trap!  Must be.  She galvanized herself
further away from the druid, and deeper into the thick of battle. 
Tightening of her scalp could no longer be ignored.  The change was
coming.  Acute awareness trampled her limited skills, taking over with
such force of power, she stumbled.  The charge within her was akin to
electrocution.  She dropped, swung her legs and tripped a Lumynari. 
Unsuspecting a human to have such agility and cunning, he was easily felled and
silenced.  His partner was not so gullible.  His long blade made
hacking motions aimed at Emily, forcing her to jump back or be cleaved. 
Shouting broke out close to her, a blur of blonde hair and cream leather suddenly
in front of her.  Urkani attacked with lithe and speed, leaving the
Lumynari dumfounded.

It would be his final expression,
carried with him in death.

“Apparently, they weren’t expecting
mountain Elves?”

Urkani chuckled at Emily’s
summation. “More’s the pity, highness.”

“Who is
she
?” one of the
moderns hollered from somewhere behind Emily.  She glanced him, then the
direction his bulging eyes stared in.  Chaos erupted.  Emily hardly
grasped his frantic yelling before her own arm raised, sword clashing against
sword, another fight to the death.  Lumynari were determined to kill the
quarry they were sent to capture. 
Not today, buddy
!  She
granted him no quarter and fought with such ferociousness, he was forced to
retreat.  His rage amplified.

Something clicked in her
mind.  What the villager had been frantically pointing at.

A
priestess
!

Her strangled cry of fear for those
surrounding her not fully realizing the new danger upon them was interpreted by
her current enemy as weakness.

“I lack time to play with you
today,” she said in Balkorian.  Sardonic chuckling from her attacker gave
way to gurgled wheezing.  His throat no longer would pass oxygen to his
lungs.  Emily sliced again.  “Just for good measure.”  She spun
away from him, lest another attack be to her backside.  Garreck and
Finnegan fought valiantly against three Lumynari and a beast she’d yet to be
introduced to.  The horn protruding from its forehead looked
excruciating.  As if on cue to her observation, the creature thought to
charge and ram his head into Garreck.  Swift of foot,
Lancelot
leapt to the side while at the same time swiping his ancient claymore through
the beast’s thick middle.  Emily grimaced and turned away; however, not
soon enough.  Upper portion of the creature fell into the snow, black
blood spouting like Texas oil. Seconds later, its legs folded, spilling puffy
intestines and other atrocities into the snow that would never again be
pristine.

“ ‘Tis no place for a lady,” Broc’s
captain yelled.

“If I see a lady, Garreck, I’ll be
sure to voice your concern!”  She charged onward, towards a worse killer
than Lumynari: Shadow’s priestess.  The bitch was fast collecting
souls!  Sensing danger, the deceptively beautiful handmaiden swiveled her
gaze, her eyes widening when she spotted Emily.  Piercing screeches
emanated from her blood red lips, ghouls halting their massacre.  Hollowed
eyes turned to Emily, swords of the undead lifting.  Collectively, their
newly battle-killed bodies charged towards her. 

Terror seized Emily. Her armband
hissed, jerked a few times then fluttered to the ground.  Emily offered a
mere glance. 
No time to retrieve Dezenial’s gift
—

Her eyes jerked back down to the
ground.  Her armband flipped over and over like a fish out of water. 
Ghouls gained on her.  Burbling at her feet recaptured her attention.

Emily’s sword lowered, as did her
jaw.

Her gold armband grew and grew into
a towering golden demon.  Wings unfurled, its tail snapping like a
whip.  It mewled down at her, then whipped around and swept enemies aside,
its talons mincing the ghouls.  Their screams, coupled with the shocking
appearance of a towering gold demon, were the only sounds for long moments,
skirmishes and battles paused. 
Everyone
gawked. The priestess used
this to her advantage.  Leaping over dead bodies, she sought escape.

“Pendaran!”  Emily
shouted.  He sought who called him, spotted her, then followed where she
pointed.  “Your magic! Stop her, or she takes all these lost souls with
her!”  How she knew that, she could only assume something from her
Lumynari heritage.  She could see Pendaran’s lips moving, his gaze intent
on the priestess.  If he succeeded and she died, the ghouls she’d created
would drop, the souls released to find either God, or Hell, depending upon the
life they’d lead, or so Emily surmised.  A shrill scream erupted and
abruptly silenced, the evil incarnate sorceress slumping into a heap of green
flames, the rest of her entourage joining in the fire Pendaran had called
forth.

“Emily,
down
!” Kaven shouted.

She dropped.  Overhead,
something hissed.  She lifted her face, spitting out bits of snow. 
Kavan stumbled several steps towards her.  Numerous black arrows protruded
from her favorite sentry’s abdomen and chest.  Blood frothed from his
mouth.  His stunned eyes held hers.  He collapsed to his knees, head
bowed, his arms hanging limp.  Before she inhaled her next breath, he was
dead.

Fury unsheathed from deep within
her.

Buzzing in her head pulsated. 
She felt heat in her eyes.  Around her, gasps penetrated the tingling
sensation coming over her.  She knew.  Whispers abounded of her hair
burning like white flame, her eyes amber fire.  Slowly, Emily rose to her
feet. Several mortals fell away, crossing themselves.  Lumynari, however,
thought to charge her by twos.  Easily, they were mowed down as she cut a
path towards a group of Outlanders fighting fearlessly against too many
Lumynari.