Thirty-Three
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Kaden
T he halls of Yejedin groaned as I walked down the long corridor. I
stopped at the balcony edge, gazing into the pit of molten metal
below. Another large container of iron poured in, steam rising in waves to the open ceiling. The thick liquid bubbled and spat before consuming the iron. The Irvikuva clamored across the walls, their sharp talons carving away small pieces of rock as they jumped from one ledge to another. Some took flight, screeching and mocking the dead that continued to walk single-file toward the crater in the middle.
“You went to Onuna. Can’t stay away from her, can you?” Tobias said, joining me. I grabbed the obsidian rails, watching them pour even more iron into the pit. It wouldn’t be enough. I needed more.
“She is going to surpass you soon.”
He snorted dismissively. “Doubtful.”
Machines clanged and groaned, molding yet another batch of weapons.
“Your plan worked, it seems. I heard that a building in Silver City
almost fell.”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Good.”
“If he has caught her, he will keep her with him.”
My fingers tapped against the railing. “I know. Everything is going
exactly to plan.”
“Easier to take them both?”
I nodded. “Exactly.” And I would take them both, even if I had my own plans for Dianna.
“While they are busy, I’ll get more iron,” Tobias said before slipping back into the shadows.
I strode down the hallway, the Irvikuva trailing behind me. I summoned a portal at the end of the hall and stepped through into an obsidian room.
Torches protruded from the stone, illuminating a red and gold tapestry on the back wall, a stark contrast to the unrelieved darkness that existed here.
A large desk sat beneath it, flanked by stacks of chests. Ancient weapons displayed like art hung in groupings on the other walls. Fabric, the same colors as the tapestry, draped the raised dais in the middle of the room.
I placed my hands on the side of the dais, the shimmering black pool in the center prickling and vibrating. It gave me access to other worlds, connecting me to those beyond this realm. Irvikuva followed me, the portal closing behind them. They settled and perched around the room, looking expectantly at the dais.
“Is it done?” A distorted voice flowed through the inky pool.
“Nearly,” I said, dropping my head.
“The sister's death caused a fracture we needed, it seemed. I'm
delighted.”
I made a noise low in my throat.
“Are they keeping each other busy? He and the girl?”
The girl.
I felt the muscle in my jaw flex and my power mantle. The Irvikuva bristled with aggression and snarled, crawling toward me as if they could sense the threat.
I bared my teeth at them but otherwise ignored their posturing. “Yes, even if Samkiel trails after her like she’s in heat. They are at war with one another. Everything has returned to the plan.”
“Good, to be fair, it's all your fault, really. You turned her and then decided to care for her. I gave you strict orders, but you decided to listen to your cock instead.” The mirror rippled, the voice neither male nor female
but pure, unrelenting power.
My low growl echoed through the room.
The disembodied voice chuckled. “Keep your temper in check. It turns out it was a good plan to keep her around until the weapon is formed. I just wish they would stay apart a little while longer.”
“I told you that was a mistake.” My fingers tapped against the dais. “I didn’t summon him back.”
“They will be drawn to each other like magnets. I’m surprised they stayed apart this long, being in the same realm. But you know they cannot
be together. If they even get close—”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I assure you.”
The voice grew deeper, colder. “You preached that before, yet we all felt it here.”
“Well, I killed her sister, just like you wanted. Things change. She’s more Ig’Morruthen than she has ever been. You saw that as well. They are back to being on warring sides. Her only focus is revenge. She will hunt me down, and once she does, I plan to keep her here until it's time.” I paused, thinking of how to word my next sentence. “She is strong, my king. Perhaps we can use her for what’s coming.”
The mirror went flat. “Now, Kaden, you wouldn’t be propositioning me to let you keep her permanently, would you?”
“I am merely saying—”
“The ritual ends her. You know the outcome. The realms cannot open without it. Do you plan to fuck a corpse for the rest of eternity?”
“What if there was a loophole?”
Another pause. “You plan for Haldnunen to raise her? For you?”
“No, I can make the ritual take one part of her. The rest would remain.
She could be another Ig’Morruthen to ensure your reign. Think of it, of what she is. My power runs through her veins, her entire being. It would be as if you had two of us. That’s more power added to our ranks.”
The obsidian mirror went still, vibrating lightly.
“Hmm. And you think she will listen to you after you killed her sister?”
“She will once she learns the truth.” I shrugged. “Besides, feelings can change after a few hundred years. If she doesn’t listen, we can keep her locked up until she does.”
Another long pause of silence. I chewed at the corner of my lip as the Irvikuva yipped above me, sensing my nervousness.
“I would like more weapons to use against those trying to rebel. Given what she is, it is promising.” The voice seemed to soften and grew
thoughtful. Hope flared in my chest.
“It will be done. I swear it.”
“Very well. Open the realms successfully, and you may keep your pet.”
Triumph filled me, and a smile spread across my face.
“Now,” the pool rippled, “do I have my spellcaster?”
I scratched behind my ear and glanced to the side. Fuck. I could not lie.
It would be so much worse if they returned and discovered the truth.
“Santiago is no more.”
Silence fell, and I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. The dark material in front of me frosted over. My shoulders tensed, expecting wrath, but a small ripple formed instead as that voice flickered through.
“If he was so easy to kill, then he is useless to me. What of the other one?”
I pondered the question, my clenched fingers releasing the edge of the dais as the tension left me. Other one? My mind raced, and then I paused.
“Camilla?”
“Yes,” the voice purred, “Camilla. Bring that one to me.”
“As you wish.”
I knew exactly how I could get Camilla. It was just a matter of timing it right. I slid a hand over my jaw and nodded. Compared to our last conversation, I felt good about this one. Maybe the broadcast was just what we’d needed for The Order to see I had this under control. Alistair’s death had halted plans and brought fear to the fearless.
My fingers tapped a rhythm against the dais, and I asked, “Where is Isaiah?”
“He should be back soon. I have him taking care of a minor problem.”
“A problem? Is this about The Eye?”
“Worry not. Stay focused. You focus on opening the realms. The Eye is
pointless if those do not open.”
I smiled. “Of course, my king.”
“One more thing, Kaden.”
I paused.
“Do not fail me again. We will not wait another thousand years. If I have to rip the realms apart with my bare hands, you will not like the
outcome. Are we clear?”
“I miss you, too.”
A slight chuckle flowed through the connection. “See you soon.”
The mirror jumped before going still and smoothing out. I pushed away from the dais and opened a portal. The room I stepped into was an assault after the obsidian room. It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the richness of the colors. I sat in the twisted bone chair and propped my feet on the carved, clawed desk. A small coin glinted at me from the desktop.
Leaning forward, I grabbed it, twirling the aged metal between my fingers, the ridges worn smooth.
“Not that much. You’ll kill him, and we don’t need a body trail.”
“I did it. This is the first time I fed and didn’t accidentally kill someone,” She practically squealed.
I couldn’t stop looking at her hair. It was inky black and fell in glossy waves past her shoulders. She cradled a man in her arms, blood dripping from her new fangs.
She noticed my focus, and her face dropped. “What? Did I get blood in
my hair?”
“Not at all.”
I didn’t feel the encroaching darkness that normally prowled beneath my skin. She’d ingested enough that the beast should be in control when she rose, but the other part of her stubbornly remained. I knew she was accumulating too much power, even given her lineage. I kept waiting for it to backfire and destroy her from the inside out. A part of me feared that, and it had been a millennium since I had felt fear. She smiled as she leaned down, picking up the crumpled man. I kept my hands behind my back. She needed to learn and become stronger, especially if I intended to keep her.
She steadied the man on his feet. He had followed after her willingly, beguiled by her beauty and charm. Now, even as he swayed and his hand covered the puncture wounds on his neck, he gazed at her adoringly. He groaned and tipped his head to the side.
“The compulsion works if you concentrate hard enough. You can not affect their will, but you can convince them they are fine and safe. It is like a suggestion.”
She smiled at me, the wind ripping at the long layers of her dress. Her coat floated around her like a dark cloak. A goddess, I thought. She was a dark goddess, and I had created her. It shouldn’t have aroused me as much as it did, but she pulled at me in a way that even Tobias and Alistair were starting to worry about.
“You’re okay,” she said, forcing him to focus on her. The crimson shine of her pupils glowed hypnotically. “You slipped back here and fell. You were alone and scared and ran back inside. That’s all.”
“I-I fell. I’m clumsy like that.” The man smiled as she released him. He stumbled and ran past me, still holding his throat. I adjusted the flat cap on my head but didn’t have a chance to congratulate her before her lips slammed against mine. It was a forceful yet chaste kiss. I grunted as her arms squeezed me tight. She did not yet realize how strong she was.
“I did it!” she exclaimed, her smile bright.
It took me a moment to even remember what she was talking about. She did that to me every fucking time, sneaking past barriers no one else had ever breached.
“Yes. You did.” I felt myself smile, and shock flowed into me. When was the last time I’d smiled? Certainly long before I’d been sealed away in the pit. “Now you will be able to feed without leaving bodies in your wake.”
She nodded and glanced behind me, tracking the fleeing man.
“I like the way it makes me feel,” she whispered.
“Feeding?” I asked, my hands resting on her hips.
“Yes, I thought I’d hate it, but if I can control it,” a small tremor went through her, “it’s exciting.”
I tipped her chin up. “You will need more practice. You have to be careful not to overindulge. Where I am from, a single Ig’Morruthen could destroy an entire city if they became lost in blood lust.”
“Lust?” she practically purred, running her hands over my chest. “Yes,
I feel that, too. Is that normal?”
“Very.”
“I guess I need more practice then.”
Her eyes burned ruby red. She pushed up on tiptoe, her hand cupping the back of my head as she lifted her lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around her, one hand tangling in her long hair. My mouth took hers, my fingers fisting in her curls, holding her in the kiss. I slipped into the inbetween, taking her while I could. I knew I couldn’t keep her, but damn the old gods, I would try.
We made it back to the small stronghold on the newly formed island. We walked into the crumbling building we had been calling home. She flipped a coin, the smell of blood overriding the scent of metal. She smiled up at me
and tossed it to me.
“What’s this?”
She shrugged. “A souvenir. For tonight. Something we can remember it
by.”
“Why?”
She shook her head. “Where I am from, gifts for those you care about mean something. You helped me and keep helping me. So thanks.”
I curled my fingers tightly around the coin. A flicker of some emotion brushed against me, and the beast inside me hummed. An emotion I no
longer recognized stirred to life, soothing something long broken in me.
I reached out and brushed my fingers along the silken curve of her cheek. “Okay.”
She pressed a kiss to my palm, her eyes warm. “I am going to go wash up.” She disappeared into the small bathroom. I opened my fingers and
stared at the coin.
I felt the darkness near me tear.
“What are you doing?” Alistair glanced at my hands.
“What do you mean?”
“You smell like her.”
“That’s because I fucked her in an alley. Why would I not?”
“You know what I mean.”
The stench of death filled the room as Tobias appeared at my side.
“You’re infatuated with her,” he sneered.
“She is a beautiful girl, yes.”
Tobias scoffed. “She is not yours.”
Rage erupted in my gut, and I slipped the coin into my pocket. “I made her. She’s mine.”
“That is not how this works. You cannot keep her. That’s not the plan. It never was. You changed her. It’s different. How much longer are you going to parade around like this? As if being stuck here isn’t important to opening the realms and going home?” Tobias snapped.
Reality slammed its way back in, and my rage eased. Alistair folded his arms but said nothing.
“I know that,” I growled, fighting not to sound defensive.
“If they find out you’d rather have your hands up her skirt than find that damn book, you’ll wish you thought with a different head.”
I felt my eyes blaze. I grabbed Tobias by the front of his shirt and lifted him, my face inches from his. “What makes you think you have any dominion over me? I am your king. Just because you have a crown means nothing to me. The only reason either of you are here is because of me. You have a job because of me, a reason because of me. You’d still be holed up in the Pit if it wasn’t for me. Do not forget who and what I am.”
Like the rest of the Kings of Yejedin, Tobias hated being outranked, but it was a truth he would accept.
“We haven’t,” Tobias said, his tone an octave lower as he dampened his temper. “But you seem to have.”
I placed him back on his feet, running my hands over the crumpled fabric of his shirt before patting his shoulders hard enough to shake him.
“He’s right,” Alistair pushed. “She’s here for a purpose. We all know it.
You made an Ig’Morruthen, so use it. Break her, starve her of affection, and train her to kill like the old ways. That’s the whole fucking point. Not to make her a love-sick fucking mutt. Use her. Make her a weapon so we can kill him and go the fuck home.”
I glared at them until they both looked away and left. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I withdrew the coin, staring into the shadows of the darkened room. They had spoken the truth. It was the simplest truth. I was getting distracted for the first time since arriving in this cursed realm. I knew my purpose, knew what I was supposed to do. They were waiting for me, counting on me to get the realms opened. What was I doing?
This woman woke a part of me I never knew existed with her smile. A spark ignited in my chest at the first touch, the first caress, the first glance.
My hands fisted, blood dripping onto the floor as my claws dug into my palms. Tobias, while out of line, was right. She was not mine. I could not keep her. She had a purpose here, and I was fucking it up.
I opened my hand, watching the puncture wounds quickly heal. The blood-soaked coin stared back at me. I was what he made me, and I needed to remind them all of it.
The following weeks turned into months. Those evolved into years of bitter hate, cruelty, and distance. The smiles faded, the laughter died, and Novas grew. It all shifted, but it was that one night that everything changed.
It was only then that it truly ended.
“You know, I remember the night I broke her. When it all changed,” I said, still tapping the coin on the table. The tall figure looming in the doorway waited for me to continue. “I remember hearing her footsteps and her voice calling my name. She wanted to talk as she always did about something she cared so much about. Even with her bloodlust, she was this iridescent shining girl. Full of life. And I needed to break it. So I did. I called her in, and I remember her walking into the room and stopping. The look on her face is something I will never forget. I had someone between my legs, my hand gripping her hair as she pleasured me. The color drained from Dianna’s face, but it was more than that. Something bright and precious in her died. At the time, I thought it was for the best. We both
needed a stark reminder of the world we lived in and how we could trust no one but ourselves.”
The coin tapped on the edge of the table.
She turned and ran. I pushed the female away and flowed from the bed, not bothering to fasten my pants before going after her. I grabbed her arm and spun her toward me. Tears turned her eyes liquid and stained her
cheeks. A final straw, perhaps.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“How could you!” She tried to jerk away but to no avail.
“I think it’s time we set some ground rules, don’t you? This isn’t a getaway for you. I’m not your boyfriend or whatever you’ve concocted in your head.”
“Let go of me,” she growled from between clenched teeth. “I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not. You know the rules. You work for me, remember?”
“Work for you? Kaden. Why are you saying this?”
“Because I made you, and I think you’ve forgotten your place.”
“My place?” She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks as her face crumpled. “I thought…”
“You thought wrong. You are nothing but a weapon to me. That’s all you have ever been, and if you want to keep that precious sister of yours breathing, you do what I say when I say. Is that clear?”
Pain flashed through her eyes, her chest heaving.
“And you just fuck whoever you want and treat me like trash?
Absolutely not.”
I gripped her jaw. “You belong to me, but in no way do I belong to you.
Is that clear?”
She was silent, so I squeezed harder. “Is that clear?”
“Crystal.” She nodded, her body stiff and unyielding. I released her, pushing her away with more force than I should have, but I had to. I had to put distance between us in more ways than one. She rubbed her hand over her bruised jaw as if trying to wipe away my touch. She glanced at me once more, then turned and walked away.
The world came screaming back, pulling me from the memory.
“Everything was different after that night—no more gifts of coins, soft smiles, or laughter. The halls of that cavern grew as cold as the rocks that formed it. She was a weapon then, my weapon. And the rest is simply
history.” I spun the coin on the table and watched it. “The King agreed to let me keep her, which changes everything. I will make her love me again, erase what I’ve done. It will be easier once Samkiel is permanently out of the way. I’ll make sure of it.”
I stood, placed the coin back into my pocket, and strode around the long obsidian desk.
“We just need to meddle a little more with that spell for it to work.
Don’t you agree, Azrael?”
The long-feared Celestial of Death stared blankly ahead, his arms behind his back. I patted his shoulder as I strode out of the room.
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