The Shadow Games: The Chronicles of Arianthem VI (28 page)

“Thank you, Isleif,” Idonea said with quiet gratitude. “I never would have studied light magic if it were not for him.”

Idonea helped Talan to her feet, and the dragon breathed deeply. Her weakness fled so quickly it seemed hard to believe she had been near death moments before. Idonea commented on the phenomenon.

“I wonder if those restraints were truly meant to kill you,” she said, “or rather place you in some sort of stasis.”

Talan rubbed her wrists. “Volva said they were meant to kill me, and I felt near death. But Raine sustained me, I could feel it.”

This brought another smile to the raven-haired mage’s lips. “Raine told me she was bound to you. She felt like you had gotten the short end of that deal, but I told her I didn’t believe it was as one-sided a bargain as she thought.” Idonea paused. “I shall have to lord this over her when I see her.”

Talan kissed Idonea on the forehead. “You go right ahead.”

“Mother! You’re free!”

Drakar rushed into the room, gloriously happy to see Talan healthy and unrestrained. He rushed her, kissed her fully on the lips, then kissed Idonea in the same manner.

“Idonea was able to break the bonds.”

Drakar was proud of his sister, but a little glum that she was stealing some of his thunder.

“Well, I killed that fat fuck, Jörmung.”

“You killed Jörmung?” Talan said, her pleasure and pride evident.

“He did,” Kylan said, strolling into the room.

“Kylan helped,” Drakar admitted, “we pinned him in, right at Algar’s Bluff, and that fat fool couldn’t gain altitude or maneuver at all.”

“But Drakar went in for the kill,” Kylan said, “and finished him off proper.”

“I marked his body well,” Drakar said, “so we can retrieve his bones and you can make another sword.”

“Probably even an axe or two,” Kylan sniffed, “with Jörmung’s thick thighs.”

“And Volva?” Talan asked.

“She escaped,” Kylan said darkly. “She claimed she was going to help Jörmung, but she was nowhere near that fight. I imagine she fled the minute she left the ledge here.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Talan said, “she will still be dangerous, but she has few allies now.”

“Very few, because the counterattack at the Frost Straits was very successful. The elder dragons destroyed many of the lesser and a few of their own equal.”

Talan absorbed this good news, but Drakar was still thinking of Volva.

“Can you imagine that bitch, thinking that I was going to rape my own sister?” He glanced over at Idonea. “Now if you were to come to me willingly, that would be another thing…”

Talan cleared her throat while Idonea merely tossed her head and sent him that sultry look that drove him insane.

“God,” he muttered to himself, “why is my dream threesome my mother, her lover, and my sister?”

“He is a very confused boy,” Kylan murmured to Talan.

“Yes,” Talan said, “yes he is.” She patted Drakar on the cheek, then kissed him lightly on the forehead. “But one I am very proud of right now.”

“Are you all right?” Aesa asked.

Raine had stood motionless, silent, a study in concentration, for an interminable length of time. Her forehead grew damp with perspiration, her eyes remained violet, every muscle in her body was tense as if she were bearing an enormous weight. Aesa had no idea how long they stood there on that ledge, the Scinterian locked in her unseen battle, but she was thankful that Raine had already killed everything in the caverns, because otherwise they would have been vulnerable, so absorbed was she.

And then the weight was gone, the tension drained from her body, her eyes reverted to a pale blue, and she went to one knee, breathing heavily.

“Yes,” Raine said, taking another deep breath. “Everything is fine.”

And it was fine, for Weynild was safe, she could feel it, and for the first time in a very long time she could feel Skye as well.

“Are you going to be able to continue? Aesa asked, concerned, for Raine looked exhausted.

“I am going to rest for a while. I think we’ll be safe here.”

Aesa sat down next to the Scinterian, full of questions but unwilling to task Raine further. They sat in a silence broken only by the occasional drip of water from the craggy rock formations. Finally, Raine got back to her feet. She stretched her neck, shook her arms as if to loosen the muscles, rolled her shoulders, then cracked her knuckles.

“I should be fine,” she said. “But to be honest, as much as I love to fight, I’m really hoping that Pernilla will be willing to bargain.”

They entered the throne room at the peak of Mithril Caverns without knowing how many times the sun had crossed the sky since the beginning of their trek through the mountainside. It could have been a week of suns; it could have been only one.

And “throne room” was an apt description for the room at the end of their journey, for this cavern was the largest of all before, possessing a nocturnal splendor befitting its sole occupant. It was narrow at first, but gradually widened as they approached their destination. The walls were carved with terrifying yet beautiful depictions of violent deaths, and as the two women walked down the black tiled pathway leading to the cave-like opening at the end, skulls stared down at them from every angle. The cavernous room they approached was well-lit, but the light was not fire, rather something that burned with a green glow. The glow cast deep shadows in the corners and brought out the horror of the violent depictions on the walls in bold relief.

There was a raised dais in the cave-like room, and on the dais sat a throne. Altars bordered the throne on each side, altars about the length of a human body. As the two women moved into the cavern, the dark details of the throne came into focus. Skulls lined the top of it and bordered the bottom. The arms were stylized versions of skeletal arms rendered in meticulous detail, down to each bone of the fingers. The details of the woman sitting on this throne also slowly came into view, although her face was still in shadow. She was clothed in splendid dark robes that did nothing to hide voluptuous curves, accentuating lovely hips, a narrow waist, and full breasts that pushed proudly upward. She had one leg crossed over the other and leaned back in her throne, a casual pose that indicated she was fully at ease, even dismissive of her visitors. The only indication of anticipation was the steady drumming of her fingertips on the skeletal arm of her throne that accompanied their slow march forward. And as the Scinterian and the Empress stopped at the bottom of the few steps leading to the dais, she at last leaned forward. For the first time, Raine could see her face and looked into pale blue-green eyes that gazed at her with preternatural amusement.

It was Malron’a.

Raine stared at her wordlessly, turned to look at Aesa, then turned back to Malron’a. She paused for a moment, processing this most unlikely scenario, thinking through months of exchanges, then rethinking an entire series of events. She then sighed deeply.

“You,” Raine said, “are Pernilla.”

“Yes,” Malron’a, or rather Pernilla, said, “I am.” The paleness of her eyes faded and was replaced with the darkness of night.

Raine looked at the Empress to gauge her reaction, but Aesa was completely confused by their exchange, signifying she was not in on the deception.

“I’ve been dealing with her all along,” Raine explained, “as Malron’a.”

“A convenient fiction I use at times to get my way,” Pernilla said in her silky voice.

“So you manipulated me this entire time,” Raine said, more tired than angry, “to what end?”

Pernilla’s eyes caressed Aesa in a manner that promised both awful and wonderful things. “You have returned my treasure to me,” she said, “and rid the Shadow Guild of a number of undesirables, most of whom lie strewn along the path you took to get up here. A little winnowing of the chaff, if you will.” She turned her malign gaze upon Aesa, and her tone hardened.

“You will go to our room,” she said. It was not a suggestion.

“Aesa,” Raine said quietly, “you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

“It’s all right, Raine, I will go.”

Raine and Pernilla watched as the Empress left through the doorway just off the dais, disappearing into the blackness. Raine felt more than a little frustration and turned back to the vampyr queen.

“You will tell her she is not becoming a thrall.”

“What?” Pernilla asked, genuinely surprised.

“She’s in love with you,” Raine said angrily, “but thinks her lack of will towards you is because she is becoming your thrall. And I believe you have said a few things to encourage this misunderstanding.”

“I see,” Pernilla said thoughtfully, her eyes on the doorway through which the Empress had disappeared. “Yes, I might have.”

“Then you will tell her the truth.”

Pernilla did not respond, merely smiled to herself and returned her attention to Raine. Her eyes caressed Raine in a manner very similar to the Empress, although with slightly more ill intent and the promise of violence. Raine was out of patience.

“You will revoke the contract to kill a head of state.”

“But you did not live up to your side of the bargain.”

Raine was flabbergasted at this woman. “If you still wish me to kill the head of the Shadow Guild, I can certainly come up there and do that.”

Pernilla’s dark eyes gleamed. “I think you are very tired, Scinterian. And besides, then there will be no one to lift either edict. The Shadow Guild will chase you for an eternity, and it is only a matter of time before a head of state falls.”

Raine felt her frustration peak, and it was only the sound of a low, throaty voice, one that she adored, that stayed her hand.

“Pernilla, are you quite through toying with my love?”

A stunning, silver-haired woman in red scale armor stepped from the shadows behind the throne. She moved to the front of the dais where Pernilla could see her.

“Talan,” Pernilla breathed out with pleasure, and her tone was one with which Raine was well-familiar. Raine turned a sideways glance at Weynild.

“My love, have you slept with everyone in Arianthem?”

“You know that I have,” Talan said mildly.

Pernilla was entertained by the mock exasperation of the Scinterian and the dragon’s unrepentant response. “She has been a tremendous diversion, Talan, thank you.”

“I apologize, my love,” Talan said, leaning down to brush a kiss on Raine’s lips, “Pernilla loves her games. She would not have let me get close. Which leads us back to the matter at hand,” Talan said, turning back to Pernilla, “What did the dragons offer you?”

“Their blood,” Pernilla said, giving Talan a languorous look. “I seem to have acquired a taste for it.”

Talan started to speak, but Pernilla stopped her. “Before you say anything, know that I cannot take your blood in stead. The Shadow Guild forbids the same payment twice.”

“And so what do you want?” Talan asked with a knowing look.

Pernilla’s eyes drifted back to Raine. “I want hers.”

Talan sent Raine a sideways glance. “My love, must you tempt everyone in Arianthem?”

“You know that I must,” Raine said mildly. She addressed Pernilla. “Just so I am clear, I will give you my blood and in exchange you will rescind the contract on the heads of state?”

“And your contract as well,” Pernilla said, “just as an added benefit.”

“Then I will do it,” Raine said firmly. “Now?”

“Now,” Pernilla said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. She stood and motioned to one of the altars. “You can lie down here.”

“Lie down?” Raine said uneasily, “all right then.” She sent an apprehensive look in Talan’s direction, hopped up the steps and moved to the altar. She examined it with some misgiving, then jumped when Pernilla came up behind her. Talan hid a smile. Her love was fearless in the face of all danger, but unnerved when confronted with a pair of large breasts. She settled comfortably on Pernilla’s throne, crossing one long leg over the other to watch the show.

“Just lie on your back,” Pernilla directed, and Raine pulled herself lithely onto the slab and lay down. She jumped again when Pernilla pulled herself on top of her, face-to-face, pinning her. Raine shifted her weight to get comfortable, but unfortunately that merely settled the vampyr’s hips between her legs, pinning her even more securely. It took every bit of Raine’s control not to glance down at the breasts pressed against her, and Talan muffled laughter.

“Oh, so we’re going to do it this way. I see.”

“Yes,” Pernilla said, her lips hovering just above Raine’s, “we’re going to do it this way.”

And then she bit Raine on the neck, not gently, and instinctively the arms came up to hold Pernilla in a defensive posture. And Pernilla was in heaven, for that Scinterian’s body was so hard and strong she was not certain she could have restrained her had Raine given more than the impulsive resistance. And the blood that flowed into her was magnificent, far different than the dark magic of the dragons, possessing light and power that flowed from the Divine.

And for Raine, the feeling was almost pleasant as she relaxed and grew lethargic. The act had a rhythm and a pulse to it that was definitely sexual. She turned her gaze to Talan, and her eyes turned violet when she looked at her love.

Talan was enjoying the sight of her lover in her semi-compromised position, but she would not let the act go too far.

“Pernilla,” she said drily, “if you come on top of her, I will bite you in two.”

Pernilla merely smiled as she continued feeding, for even the slightest movements of her hips would have caused that to happen, so aroused was she. But the blood was enough, and sated the one need enough for the two. At last she pulled away, blood on her lips, and gazed down into the most gorgeous violet eyes she had ever seen. She hovered there, briefly, then smiled a wicked smile and rolled off her prisoner, getting to her feet.

“Satisfied?” Talan asked.

“Our contract is complete.” Pernilla glanced at the young woman whose eyes were now closed, her breathing deep. She was pale, but by the gods that one was strong.

“It’s a good thing she cannot be turned,” Pernilla said, “or you would have a battle on your hands for that one.”