Demon Slave (Shadow Quest Book 2) (16 page)

After taking a few exhausting steps, she complained, “Bastian, this is completely unnecessary.”

“
I disagree. You’re warm and safe.” Blasé, he added, “And, if anyone touches you I can engage an electric charge that would run along the outer lining.”

“
But I can hardly move.” Through the bluish window of her helmet, she tried to convey her irritation. She hadn’t gone four steps before she was completely winded. Cale should adopt this absurd thing into his training regimen, but she wasn’t going to be the one to suggest it.

“
It won’t be for much longer. Marik isn’t here. And we will get nowhere in this storm.”

While keeping Anya in his constant line of sight, Sebastian had been all over the plateau looking for clues. Unfortunately, the surface had been pounded with snow, so there was little evidence left for them to go on.

A few feet away, the shuttle awaited them. Anya had hoped her gift for reading energies would help them to quickly find Marik, but she wasn’t sensing him or Nadua at the moment. She had thought she caught a glimpse of his energy to the north, but it vanished, as though from existence.

Please be alright
.

Sebastian guided her back to the shuttle and it wasn’t long before they were hovering over the planet’s surface. “We’ll need to wait out the storm. Did you get any feelings about which way Marik might have gone?”

Freeing herself of the chunky suit, Anya said, “North, maybe, but I’m not sure.”

He glanced back at her. “Don’t get too comfortable outside that suit. It’s going back on as soon as we land.”

“
Uh uh. No, it’s not.”

* * *

The palace was dark in mood, its people mourning the loss of the false queen. Tamir tried to match their temperament, but in private he couldn’t help but let his pleasure beam.

Emblems of the House of Dion mocked him as he walked the halls. Soon it would be his house’s name that decorated the palace.

The true queen would rejoice with him. The prospect sped his step, as he was on his way to see her now and receive due praise for his success. How would she thank him?

As the day progressed, the light through the windows grew dim, and servants began tending lanterns. They bowed as he passed. He easily ignored them.

Straightening his tunic, Tamir tapped on his queen’s door. He was greeted by a short-haired servant in a simple gown.

“
I seek the lady’s audience,” he announced.

The small woman disappeared, returning moments later to usher him in.

“
Leave us,” a female voice commanded.

Offering an obedient bow, the servant girl rushed away, softly closing the door behind her and leaving Tamir alone with his lovely mistress.

Stepping farther into the room, he found his soon-to-be bride resting leisurely at her dressing table fixing her hair with the help of a large mirror. As always, she looked prim and elegant. Soft features surrounded piercing eyes. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever had the honor to behold.

“
Your Majesty,” he cooed.

“
Not yet,” she snapped. “Avaline has yet to choose a successor. Daft child probably hopes Nadua has survived somehow.”

Tamir remained silent, which only worked to alarm his mistress. He knew he was being studied when she glanced at him through the mirror.

She turned to face him, her pitch high. “Tell me she is dead, Tamir.”

“
There is no doubt that the demon would have disposed of her.”

“
Would have? You said you witnessed it.”

“
I said that so the men would stop searching. Their devotion is gravely misplaced.”

“
Yes, it is, isn’t it? So, what did you seen then?”

“
I believe the demon carried her into the caves.”

His mistress looked thoughtful. “So, it is possible,” she trailed off.

“
But she was taken by a demon—”

“
Don’t underestimate her. She is...wily.”

“
Apologies, my love, I had planned to do the job myself that very night, and blame it on a rebel we had captured.”

Or rather, I planned to have Nakul do it.

Her back went straight. “You idiot,” she hissed.

“
My lady?”

“
I cannot have the rebels implicated. How would I justify bringing our people together once I am queen? It would be impossible, and all my planning would be for naught. It is a lucky thing indeed that the demon thwarted you.”

“
I was not thinking—”

“
Obviously.” She turned her back. “I want our spies notified of the threat. If she lives, I want it taken care of quietly. Now get out of my sight.”

The dishonor of his dismissal was grating, but he bowed respectfully and made his way to the door.

“
And Tamir?” she called.

“
Yes, my love?”

“
Do not fail me again.”

Tamir pushed past the servant waiting outside. The female let out a grunt of pain as she fell into the wall. The sound of fabric rustling and the door closing indicated she had swiftly recovered.

His thumping footsteps projected his anger as the severe words chanted in his mind. She would not speak to him so when he was king.

* * *

Rex and Nadua had been correct: the storm quickly turned hazardous. The snow was so thick in the air that Marik had difficulty seeing through it, and inhaled a little with each breath, dulling his sense of smell. The volatile wind made the trees thrash around him, and though it was close to midday, the black clouds shrouded the harsh landscape in an odd darkness.

He’d spent much of the morning hunting, but it seemed the weather had driven any useful prey into hiding. Eventually he’d given up on the prospect of finding food and focused on gathering kindling for a fire, instead.

Marik returned to the cave with a cache of wood and was surprised that Rex had not yet returned. Nadua hunched in a corner, shivering with her knees to her chest. If she was shaking like this now, how would she fare when night fell? He had to admit, even he was starting to feel the chill in the air.

He sparked a fire near to where she sat; she’d wisely chosen a corner that blocked much of the wind.

He would need to make several more trips to ensure that they didn’t run out of wood. About to demand gratitude for all he was doing for her, he looked up, but paused after seeing the misery in her eyes. Had she been crying? His harsh words came back to him. Was it he who had caused her this grief?

Before his arrival, she had been a queen, which usually included luxurious living and fawning servants. She must be feeling the loss now that she was stuck with him, surviving in a dank cave.

“
Do you need anything?” he asked, not sure what he could do to cheer her.

Studying the flames, she gave a small shake of her head.

“
Then I must go back out for more wood.”

She looked at him then. “You won’t go too far?”

Was she worried for him, as she had been for Rex? More likely, she feared what would happen to her if he didn’t return.

“
There’s plenty of wood just down the slope. I’ll be quick.” It wasn’t really a lie, but the good logs, the kind that would burn slowly, were a little farther out. No need to worry her further, though.

She nodded, but then shivered again although the flames were now high.

“
Why have you not made use of your blanket?”

She glanced over at the pile of supplies, still a mess from when the men had rifled through it. Marik shook out the blanket, crossed to Nadua, and wrapped it around her.

“
Thanks,” she said, gripping it tight to her chin.

Feeling there was nothing more he could do, Marik stepped back into the blizzard. When he came back the second time to drop off his load, her stark expression was coupled with exhaustion.

“
Sleep. I will know if anyone approaches.” Then he noticed a shiny object peaking from under the blanket. “What do you fear that has you clinging to a sword like that?”

“
It’s dark, and there are noises coming from the cracks.”

Marik listened. There were small gaps in the wall, no bigger than a fist, that could be connected to a thread of passageways. Each one seemed to moan eerily.

“
Just the wind.”

She nodded but kept hold of the hilt. “Could be.”

He recalled her initial fear of the caves. She had said the Cyrellians told stories about them. Probably legends of monsters and such. Marik opened his senses but found nothing ominous close by.

“
Look, I just need to make a few more trips.”

“
Then please hurry. The storm is getting worse and I don’t need you dying out there.”

“
Ah, my little Faieara can’t wait till she can be in her demon’s arms,” he teased, knowing it would rile her.

“
That is not what I’m waiting for!”

Her sweet blue eyes flashed with indignation, and Marik held back a grin. He preferred her angered over distraught. He could deal with her anger.

After another trip of wood gathering and a renewed, but failed, attempt to catch dinner, Marik returned to the cave again. He warmed by the fire and studied Nadua. The sword had made it to her lap as she held her hands out to the flames.

Marik scented Rex just before he entered, covered in a thick layer of white, his arms full of pelts. With an accomplished grin, he dropped the furs near the fire.

Nadua expelled a relieved sigh. When Marik noticed the smile in her eyes—aimed at Rex—he had to restrain himself from attacking the other male.

I have kept her safe, kept her warm. And she smiles for him!

“
We need more wood. Join me,” Marik barked.

“
But, Rex has been out there this whole time. Give him a moment to rest and get warm?”

Rex went tense. Marik gave a smug smile. Nadua just saved him the trouble of having to order Rex out of the cave. She didn’t realize she’d just insulted him, by supposing he wasn’t capable of gathering a little wood.

“
I’ll be fine.” Rex smiled at Nadua.

After just a few trips, their stock of wood was a full days’ worth, at least. Utilizing the new pelts, Marik arranged a pallet for Nadua and himself, leaving enough for Rex to make his own. Rex was proving to be helpful for the moment, but Marik would be watching the demon closely.

Releasing her death grip on the sword, Nadua allowed Marik to place it with their other belongings.

But when he stretched out on the pallet, she didn’t move to join him. He thought it wise not to push her, though she looked near passing out.

Cocooned in her blanket, Nadua stared into the fire as if she could meld with it. She did that a lot. Marik wondered what was so fascinating about the flames. Then her eyebrows twitched and he realized she was deep in thought. Oh, how he wished he could know what was going on behind those pale eyes.

“
Stare any harder and I do believe you’ll become one with the flames, luv.”

A hint of amusement lit her irises. “It helps me to focus on my thoughts.”

“
And what’s on your mind?”

“
I’ve been thinking about Tamir.”

Marik remained quiet. The last thing he wanted was to start arguing with her again.

“
Can you tell me exactly what he said? I wasn’t really in a...trusting mood when you first told me.”

He raised a sardonic brow. “And you trust me now? Even after running from me earlier?”

“
I only ran because...” Her gaze shifted to Rex, then back to Marik. “Come on...meeting not one, but two, demons after four hundred years alone on this planet? It’s a one in a million coincidence. You can’t blame me for being skeptical.”

“
Alone?”

Nadua looked confused for a moment, retracing her words. “I didn’t mean alone, I just...I don’t know, maybe I did. Do you know what it’s like to be without physical contact for so long that sometimes you thought you’d go mad?”

If she needed physical contact so badly, why had she still not come to him? He feared the reason was because he’d been too harsh with her.

“
Yes, I do.” Rex sighed, answering her.

Nadua turned her compassionate gaze on him.

Marik knew it, as well, but he wasn’t about to bring up his past—which rankled him, because his instincts were telling him to outdo this male in every way, as if they were in competition for Nadua.

And in a way, they were.

Nadua was a beautiful, sexy, available woman. But Marik had a taste of her, and he would be the one to have more. Shaking his head, he worried his thoughts were turning dangerously possessive.

“
So what were Tamir’s words, exactly?”

“
I may not recall exactly, but he mentioned something about the
true queen
. He and that Naky—”

“
Nakul.”

“
Well, he and Nakul planned to kill you while you slept, and place blame on the rebel.” Marik couldn’t help a small growl. “Who, by the way, was happy to participate. Apparently, he and his clan prefer this true queen as well.”