Curse Of The Dark Wind (Book 6) (18 page)

“Won’t you get sick?” Zander asks while he moves to help Fizzle remove the gray shell that nearly enveloped the snoring warrior “I assume he’ll take some of your power for strength, but now the Dark Wind can infect you.”

A mischievous grin plays across the tiny dragon’s face. “Nope. Stephen aura involved. Fizzle bane of Stephen. Fizzle stronger than time man.”

“That’s good to know.”

Zander jumps and draws a knife when Sari tackles Fizzle, the man’s nerves at their breaking point. The weeping gypsy hugs the drite, her words of thanks barely recognizable. Sheathing his weapon, the hunter pats her on the head before carefully lifting Luke into the bed. He can already see a healthy glow returning to the forest tracker’s skin and the stuttering breathing has turned into a steady rhythm.

“I should tell the others what’s going on,” Zander says, feeling uncomfortable around the crying woman.

“I’ll do it,” Sari states as she releases Fizzle and struggles to her feet. “They should hear it from me and I need some fresh air. Thank you for everything, Zander. I’m entrusting Luke to you, Fizzle. I would say not to let me down, but you never have.”

The gypsy gives the tiny dragon a gentle kiss on the snout and smiles at the confused monster hunter. She yelps when she unlocks the door and several priests rush in with their simple weapons drawn. With a casual wave from Zander, she leaves the room and stifles the mix of crying and laughing that is caught in her throat.

*****

Nyx jumps as a female voice from the shadows says, “I never got the chance to tell you this, but I like your new haircut. Sari does good work and you pull off the short look rather nicely. Love the fire effect you’re doing now. Out of fear, anger, or are you trying to intimidate me?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you since Haven, Trinity,” the half-elf responds as she leans against the town well. “Been wondering when we’d get to go another round.”

“Technically, we met again in Gaia, but you were in a trance. Your knight and barbarian fended me off then your teachers caged me,” the chaos elf replies with a friendly grin. Cracking her knuckles, she approaches the well and relaxes next to her rival. “In hindsight, it wouldn’t have been fun if I defeated you that way. I want a real fight with you to see which of us is stronger. No limits or holding back. Full on spell duel until one of us surrenders or dies.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

The cobalt-skinned woman wraps an arm around Nyx’s shoulders, enjoying the tension that her touch causes. “If only that was the case, but I’m under orders not to battle you. I can tease you, torment you, and be a mischievous pain in your mediocre butt, but no fighting.”

Nyx stomps her heel onto Trinity’s foot, causing the chaos elf to curse and awkwardly hop away. Taking advantage of the situation, she charges forward only to get a swift kick to the side of her head. The half-elf leaps back to her feet and throws a punch, but the attack is effortlessly smacked away. Nyx has no time to back away as Trinity moves in and sends her to the ground with a kick to the stomach.

“I’m allowed to defend myself,” the chaos elf states, rolling her eyes at her grumbling enemy. She picks the half-elf up by the chin and shoves her against the stone well. “Try not to embarrass yourself. I’ve been trained to fight without magic while you’re nothing more than a bar brawler. So how’s Luke holding up?”

“You know damn well he’s dying.”

“I warned Stephen that a living curse might be too much for the Callindor,” Trinity replies with a sigh. She reaches out to stroke her rival’s face, a flash of concern in her eyes. “If it means anything, I’m really sorry about this. I’d prefer to kill you and be done with it, but Stephen wants you under his control. Whatever Stephen Kernaghan desires, he either gets or destroys so nobody else can have it.”

“I’m sure he proudly follows in his father’s footsteps.”

“Truth be told, Stephen isn’t even a quarter of the man his father is,” the Chaos Elf Queen states, surprising herself with the statement. “The Baron is cruel, but he can be compassionate and kind when he wants. He understands that ruling purely by fear and intimidation will lead to a leader’s downfall. I know it sounds odd to speak this way about someone who has enslaved my people. Still I begrudgingly admit that he has his a few good points.”

Nyx cautiously backs away and flicks a barrage of minor wind spells to keep her enemy out of reach. “And Stephen?”

“A manipulative monster who sees compassion and loyalty as signs of weakness,” she bitterly replies, the cold breeze helping her hide a shiver of disgust. “Stephen will search for a weakness in order to control or destroy. He loves to play games with people and break them before killing them. That’s why you’re in this position. Luke is dying a slow and painful death, which will bring you into Stephen’s grasp.”

“What does Luke and the living curse have to do with me?”

“Everything,” whispers a sinister voice in Nyx’s ear.

The caster whirls around to face Stephen, who grabs her by the throat and slams her to the ground. Trinity leans down to grin in Nyx’s face and reach out to run a hand through the half-elf’s black hair. With a hint of movement, the hungry-eyed man catches the chaos elf by the neck and lifts both women off their feet. Licking his lips, he strokes their throats with his thumbs and presses them against the solid well.

“I’m very disappointed in you, Trinity,” Stephen coos, leaning in to kiss the tip of her pointy ear. He digs his finger into her neck and stops the bleeding with his magic, but the pain remains at full strength. “I did not want Nyx to know the truth behind my curse. I’m going to make you suffer when we get home. So many delicious punishments that I have planned for you.”

Trinity tries to speak, but the agony from Stephen moving his finger in her flesh takes her breath away. With a sickening pop, he pulls his digit free and blows the wound off her cobalt skin. He callously tosses the chaos elf over his shoulder and turns his full attention to Nyx, his eyes burning with terrifying desire.

“What is it with your crush on me?” the half-elf asks, struggling to hide her fear. She freezes when his hand strokes her arm. “Don’t touch me!”

“Something about your scent drives me wild. So much fresher and sweeter than our dear Trinity,” he answers as he glances at the groaning woman behind him. “I assume it’s part of your nature as a channeler. You’re such a rare breed, so you give off an intoxicating scent to attract compatible mates. Imagine what I could do with two of you under my control.”

“A channeler?”

Stephen kisses her on the nose, enjoying how Nyx makes a chortled whimper and her body tenses. “It had to have crossed your mind if you read about them in your studies. A child with your magic couldn’t possibly be a normal caster. You’re descended from those that were so powerful, the ancient dragons destroyed them before starting the legendary Race War. You can craft spells with a thought and access the aura of Windemere as naturally as breathing. I’m sure you don’t even need to use actual spells. If you were truly unleashed then only the gods could claim to be stronger and it wouldn’t be by much. Such delicious power at your fingertips, dear Nyx, and I’ll control it before long.”

“Let me go!” she shouts. She transforms into mist and explodes, sending the man flying into a tree. The half-elf reforms on the other side of the well, cautiously watching as her enemy stands. “If I was a channeler then my parents, my teachers, or Isaiah would have told me. I shouldn’t be hearing this from you.”

“Unless they had no idea or wished to keep you in the dark,” Stephen explains while wiping the smoke and ashes off his clothes. He casually walks to the well and hops onto the rim, balancing on the edge. “It is strange that Isaiah is clueless about your lineage. In fact, it’s his job to know about such things. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s refusing to tell you until he deems it the proper time. That old fireskin can be a real bastard when it comes to handling the champions. Strange to hear something like that from me.”

“Isaiah would have told me.”

“I’ve known him longer and he has a habit of keeping secrets.”

“Not from me!”

“Especially from you,” Stephen laughs, crouching on the rim. He eyes the caster with a predatory stare, his tongue running along his lips. “If you knew what you were at a younger age, you could have destroyed cities. These days the old lizard probably fears you’ll do something foolish and challenge my father alone. I can’t blame him for worrying because you wouldn’t be able to win that fight. Not with your temper, which is why I’ll take you under my wing and use you alongside Trinity. I’m your true key to victory, so abandon your friends and conquer Windemere with me. I promise you’ll become my favorite queen and I’ll only use Trinity when you’re unwilling.”

Nyx puts her hands on the well and sends a jolt of electricity along the stone. The spell knocks Stephen off his feet, but he flips and safely lands next to Trinity. He uses her as a shield when his enemy hurls a spiraling ball of ice and snow, the blast sending the chaos elf crashing through a nearby birch. Stephen chuckles as he draws a bastard sword from behind him, the blade seeming to appear out of thin air.

“I’m not going to play games with you,” Nyx declares, throwing a fireball at the black-haired man. She throws up a barrier when he catches the spell on the tip of his blade and flings it back at her. The explosion shoves her back and leaves a burning swath through the snow.

“Of course you will play my games. The alternative is that I kill you and your friends. I would get robbed of fun, but if you’re not going to play then I have very little interest in keeping you alive.”

“You’re either a liar or an idiot,” the caster bravely states. Her body quivering, she marches up to Stephen and smacks him across the face. “I despise you.”

“As if I-” he begins to ask before Nyx punches him in the nose. “This is fairly amusing, yet pointless.”

“Stop smiling at me!” the half-elf screams as she slaps him again and kicks him in the stomach. “Leave me alone and die!”

“I’ll teach you respect, stupid girl,” the red-shirted nobleman growls, knocking her away with a wave of his hand. He charges Nyx with his blade held high for a downward slash. “I shall be kind and only take an ear.”

“Pineapple!”

“What?”

Nyx’s left arm jerks into the path of the swinging weapon, the thick bracelet around her wrist acting as a shield. A blast of light and sound erupts from the jewelry’s gem-encrusted grooves, leaving Stephen stunned. With a muttered curse, his sword falls to the ground and his arm hangs limply at his side. He tries to flex his muscles, but all he can do is make the limb twitch.

“Smart move, but now you have no magic,” the man points out as he recovers his mobility and weapon.

“Damn Chronos,” Nyx mutters. She steps forward and swings her foot into Stephen’s groin, knocking the air from his lungs. “Touch me again and I’ll fry them off.”

“Not a good move,” Trinity says while she stumbles out of the trees. She takes in a sharp breath, feeling the pain of broken ribs. “You made him mad.”

Stephen lunges at Nyx and swings his bastard sword with enough force to blow the snow off the ground. She creates a shield of ice that deflects the blade, but crumbles under the power of the attack. With a cruel grin, he kicks the half-elf in the stomach and strikes her in the head with the pommel of his sword. Trinity tackles Nyx out of the way of the crazed man’s stab, the weapon slicing across the chaos elf’s back. The wound sprays blood onto the exposed grass when Stephen snaps his fingers and makes it bleed faster. Her senses fuzzy, Nyx runs a fire-coated hand along Trinity’s back to seal the cut. The flame leaps through the air and knocks the bastard sword out of Stephen’s hand, giving the half-elf enough time to charge him. Her magic-infused punch is caught by the wrist and he violently twists her arm, snapping the bone in half.

“Just for that, I’m going to torture you for months while your precious Luke dies an agonizing death before your eyes,” Stephen says in a feral voice. He pulls back his fist while deciding where he wants to hit the cursing caster. “Let’s see if I can give you a punctured lung in one hit. I promise it won’t kill you.”

A roar of pain erupts from Stephen’s throat as his severed arm falls at his feet. He whirls around to face Delvin and gets cracked in the jaw by the warrior’s shield. The stunned man stumbles back, quickly regaining his balance and pouncing at his attacker. A loud gurgling rumbles from the well before a hammer of icy water bursts out of its mouth and swats Stephen away. The enchanted liquid hits him again and grinds him into the frozen dirt, finishing its attack with a solid strike to his face.

“Leave Nyxie alone,” Sari says, stepping out from behind Delvin. She sends the water back into the well, but creates a cage of whirling snow around their enemy. “Luke is going to be fine now that Fizzle saved him.”

“I’m sure he’s merely delayed the inevitable,” Stephen casually claims, his tongue tasting the blood that is dripping down his face.

“At the very least we have time to stop the living curse,” Delvin declares, helping Nyx to her feet. He goes to help Trinity, who bats his hand away and crawls toward her companion. “Guess you’re going to have to find another way to kill Luke.”

The grinning man laughs and walks through the snow cage, his flayed skin repairing as he steps free. “To be honest, he really wouldn’t die. All the other creatures will, but the Callindor is having a much different reaction to the Dark Wind. His body will become entombed in a hard shell, which will lock him in a state of pure agony. Imagine being contained in a tight cell when pain urges your body to twist and contort. Only I will be able to release him from his suffering by either death or the cure. The final choice will be up to Nyx.”

“This is to get Nyx?” Sari asks, staring at her terrified friend.

“I want her and the person she cares the most about in this world is her precious little brother,” he mockingly replies. The severed arm appears back in place and he rolls his stiff shoulder. “I do find it interesting that he is her weakness. Normally, it’s a romantic connection that I have to manipulate. Then again, who really knows what lurks within the hearts of the young halfers?”