Page 27 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)

TWENTY-SEVEN

Valen

I sigh in relief as my magic courses through me, letting me relax for the first time in days as I release the tight leash I have on my control and let my magic run rampant. I watch the small symbols etched into the stone gleam to life as my magic races over the castle's surface, reinforcing the wards carved into the stone over a century ago.

Reaching out, I place my palm on the cold gray building, feeling it hum with power as Father adds his magic. It's almost like it’s alive, welcoming home its master as Father's power increases, building up the protections he and my birth father created all those years ago. I had felt my father's magic lingering inside the castle walls when I first reinforced the wards weeks ago; the feeling was strange but not bad as my magic mingled with his. I’m so used to Versipellis’ magic that something different feels foreign, like a dream of what could have been.

Letting my hand fall away from the stone, I turn, moving to join Nox and Father on the battlefield, but stop as the brush of dark magic gently courses over me. Frowning, I turn back to the wall, eyeing the new structure as I tilt my head to the side. The wall is a brighter gray than the rest of the castle, the stone I personally used from the mountain to fix the damage done when the Rogue Hunters broke through our shields and stole the other half of Inanis’ tomb.

The symbols I created to match the ones already in place are glowing. The odd color is a mixture of green and black, as Father uses my magic to strengthen his and Varak’s old wards that pre-date Inanis' fall. But the flash of red, the gleam of something not right, causes my breath to still in my lungs as I take a slight step toward the wall. Hesitantly, I reach out, dusting my fingertips along the glowing symbols, eyes searching for the red, but it's like searching for a needle in a haystack. Letting more of my magic out, I press it into the walls, moving around Father's magic and sinking it deeper, searching for whatever that was.

It takes a moment and lots of concentration to find it, but finally, I spot the spark of magic at the center of the stone. It's there, like a pulsing heartbeat, a fleck of familiar red magic that hums and vibrates, full of dark hate and bitterness. Like a bad taste in my mouth. I slowly reach for it, knowing it has to be Jesthren and praying there is something I can do in order to change this whole situation. I’m not going to lie; it's torn me up, ripped me to shreds, and utterly decimated some of my self-control to accept that my brother, the man who helped raise me and had always been there for me, has been the traitor in Father's house.

The Jes I know, the one I grew up with would have rather died than betray Father. But everything changed when his betrothed, the female Demon he loved and was ready to mate with, died in a Beastia attack. We all thought he would die from the heartbreak. He wouldn't eat, talk, or even acknowledge a person in the room with him. Mother had sent for every healer possible in order to help him. Jes wasted away, becoming a ghost of himself, and we all prepared for the worst.

But one day, it was like he just woke up a different person. Still the Jesthren we knew, but more guarded and sad, withdrawn from the family but fiercely protective of us all, especially Mother. I chalked up the newfound protective instinct to the recent loss of the woman he loved and his need for control. But perhaps that event had only been the beginning of the end. Everything seemed more tense with Jes from that point on. Father’s relationship with him became more combative, and when Nox had been born... mayhem.

“Jesthren,” I whisper, coaxing the red spark closer, watching as it pulses with life, all while the sense of dread hangs from it. “Brother, please,” I call to him, closing my eyes and letting my magic talk for me, showing him how much I still care despite this betrayal and how it’s crushing me. Like a viper ready to strike, red and black magic lunges at me, slicing my magic and cleaving it in two as the tiny spark doubles and then triples in size.

Shit. I should have known better, but I tried to help him like a fool. I double over, gasping as pain lights up my body, thick black tar wrapping around my magic and tugging it deep into the wall, my eyes widening in shock as I try and fail to fight back.

How the hell is Jesthren this strong?

I try to remove my hand from the wall and curse when I can't, feeling myself get pulled toward it despite how hard I try to get the magic to release me.

“Jesthren!” I scream, my vision darkening as his magic cords around me. Magic that’s not just his but more. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, relinquishing myself to the magic holding me in order to study it. The only way to defeat this magic is to understand it. “Brother,” I whisper to the magic, letting my own out in full force, feeling the shift of my Shade as I allow the foreign magic to bind me, tightening around my chest until I find it hard to breathe.

Jesthren's magic is at the front, followed by something similar but far more powerful. Inanis . I grit my teeth at the burn of the Devil's magic as he tries to force his claws through my mental shields, tearing into my magic with poison-tipped claws and raking through my magical reserves. Grunting, I move past his magic, finding not one but more than a dozen threads of magic, most Demonic, some Umbra Hunter. When I touch one I know personally, I growl in disgust, my hate for my brother growing as I try to grab onto the thread and pull it back.

“Release Elaine’s magic!” I snarl, shoving against Inanis’ hold and letting more of my magic flow, tangling itself deep into the magic holding me hostage. I can feel Jesthren’s control slip just the slightest amount, and I yank on Elaine’s magic again, feeling it budge, the bright red and blue strands loosening from the multicolored cord Jesthren has woven with the magic he stole.

“Valen,” Jesthren’s voice echoes in my ears and I grind my molars together, hating how his voice still comes with the sense of family and comfort. Jes had been my brother, the first bright spot of light in my life after the shadow wars and the murder of my family. He was there through the night when nightmares plagued my dreams as a young boy. He was there for my first shift into my Shade form, helping me through the conflicting and terrifying magic shift I had. He’s always been there!

“Why?” I ask, voice cracking as tears prick my eyes. I can feel them slip through my lashes; my eyes still closed as I attempt to study the magic Jesthren has managed to keep hidden from me for so long. A magic so powerful he must have been cultivating and harvesting it for decades. “You’re our brother, Jes!”

“No. I’m not. I belong to a different Sire. Stolen from him and magically clipped and bound for Orcus to gain control of the Demonic realm,” Jesthren hisses back through the darkness surrounding me. I shake my head at the lies and yank harder on Elaine's magic, determined to set it free. I can do nothing for the Umbra Hunter; there is no way to bring her back from death, but I can ensure her magic is at rest with her soul.

“That's a lie, and you know it. Father didn't touch your magic until the hunt when it almost killed me,” I growl back, shoving the memories at Jesthren’s magic. There is a pause, a moment where the magic and Jesthren’s heavy presence waver, and I press forward with my intent. Jesthren’s magic claws deep into me, the dark shadow of Inanis lingering beside him as I push harder and like a horror novel, the memory plays through my mind, letting Jesthren rewatch our history.

Me walking through the northern forests, the sun glinting through the heavy branches above. Jesthren at my side, teaching me how to hunt and stalk the Beastia that attacked the night before. Our goal was to protect the village nearby and press the Beasts back to their breeding grounds. I leaned down, grinning in excitement when I locked onto their trail, pointing to the east, Jesthren clasping my shoulder, a proud smile on his young face. Then pain, magic wrapping around me in a similar way as now, attacking and draining my reserves. Trying to snuff out the light, making me scream and fall to the ground in pain. Jesthren pale and wide-eyed as he stares down at me in horror, red and black magic sparking at his fingertips.

“No!” Jesthren roars, shoving the memory back with pain riding the action, coating our entwined magic, making me hiss out a pained breath. “That wasn't me. Orcus has blinded you to the truth. I never harmed you! I’ve only wanted to protect you. To protect the ones I care for. As I am now, Valen! You have to see that, to see Orcus for who he is!”

“He’s the rightful King of our Realm.”

“A realm he stole! He wants it all for himself. The Demonic realm, his mate, children that don't belong to him! Everything. He’ll take Earth next! Mark my words.”

“His mate? You mean Mother? Of course, he has his mate, Jes. You’re not making any sense,” I respond, more confused than ever. The shadow of black expands at my words, and I groan as the magic nearly suffocates me. Shit!

“She was with Inanis! He stole her!”

“No,” I whisper back. “She was betrothed to Orcus. You know that. Yes, she loved others, but Father decided not to share, which was his choice. One I wish he could have done differently, but Mother was Orcus’ betrothed and mate. She could have said no to him and chosen another, but she stayed. And if Father wanted the Demonic realm for himself, why would he offer to help me restore the Dream Walker kingdom and allow me to rule? Why would he create the Umbra Hunters and allow them to rule their realm without his presence if he wanted Earth? Brother, listen to me,” I try, reaching for his magic and throwing out a shield in an attempt to place it between the black tar of Inanis and Jes. The confusion I now feel lingering on his magic lights a small flame of hope in my chest, but it’s instantly crushed in the next moment as the darkness immediately attacks, and I flinch back, almost losing my hold on Elaine’s magic. Fuck!

“No!” Jesthren roars as I scramble to keep hold of the blue thread of magic. “You would choose him? The man who stole you from your own family?”

“Orcus didn't steal me, Jes! He took me when Inanis killed my family!” I roar back at him, the anger I thought I had dealt with over a century ago rekindling into a blazing flame of hatred. “It's not me who is blinded, brother. It’s you.” I whisper sadly, feeling the shadow of Inanis cover Jesthren, sweeping away the pain and doubt he had begun to feel and replacing it with anger and hate.

“Kill him.” The words are whispered, almost like a breeze brushing against me. It’s barely audible, as the magic around me, which had slowly started to loosen, snaps back into place. “Kill him now!”

The demand is like a whip, and I grab tight onto Elaine's magic as I feel Jesthren hesitate. “I can save him,” I hear Jesthren nearly beg as his magic slowly moves to do Inanis’ bidding. “I will show him the way, Father.” There is a small voice in my head, crying out to help him. Jes doesn't want to kill me! He’s hesitated, yet I know if I linger, I’ll sign over my death, and my magic will be the next added to the powerful cord Jesthren now wields.

Releasing all my magic, I pour it into my attack, feeling Jesthren’s magical presence whip back as I grab the cord of magic he wields and unravel it, doing as much damage as possible as I withdraw. My eyes well with tears as Jesthren screams in pain, his pleas for Inanis' help something I know I’ll never forget as I try to shove myself free of the bindings wrapped around me.

My eyes widen at the caress of unfamiliar soft green magic moving around me as a pained scream is ripped from my lips. I almost lash out as a hand wraps around my wrist and yanks me back into the sunlight, ending the dark pool of despair I had found myself in. The magic Jesthren used to hold me hostage breaks, sending me flying back onto my ass in the snow.

“Holy fucking shit! Are you alright?” Jordan asks, his eyes wide as he stares from me to the castle's wall. I nod, somewhat dumbfounded, as I look down at the small strand of blue magic in my hands. It shines and moves over my palms like glistening water, and I smile, stroking it with my magic and guiding it into the air. My throat tightens as it drifts upward, sparking in the sun just before it disappears from view.

“Rest well, Elaine,” I whisper as Jordan shoves himself to his feet from where he landed beside me and holds out a hand to help me up. I slap mine in his as he starts to curse, and I frown, looking at the red-sparking wards of the castle. The color shifts from red to green to black, and I groan, knowing whatever just happened royally fucked up all the work Father and I had done over the last couple of days.

“Yeah, that's weird, but we have bigger problems,” the young Hunter says just as a deep and disturbingly familiar roar sounds through the air. I freeze, lips parting in disbelief as I look at Jordan, who nods to the sky where…

“Aw fuck!” I growl as the Dragon swoops toward the castle walls, aiming for a group of Hunters. The Hunters scatter, some rushing to the right, others to the left, while a few throw themselves from the wall seconds before the Dragon's talons come into contact.

“Yeah. So are we letting the Demon Daddy take care of that, or is that an us problem?” he asks, hands on hips and looking way too fucking calm with a Dragon flying around. I open my mouth to respond and frown as his words register.

“Demon Daddy?”

Jordan’s eyes widen just the slightest amount, and he rolls his lips together as he shrugs, looking at least a little embarrassed about his words. “No offense, but your dad is kinda hot. Theo and I have been calling him that since he showed up. But I didn’t mean to say it out loud,” he admits with a grimace, and I cringe. Gross.

“That is an us problem. Or rather a me problem.” I answer his question with a sigh. “You stay here and don’t get hurt, or I’ll get in trouble.” Reaching down, I grab one of the blades at my side as I rush around the castle and run directly into utter chaos. Rangers and Hunters move toward the steps of the wall to protect the castle, yelling orders and getting into a different formation. I shove them out of the way, not bothering to tell them there is not much they can do to protect themselves or the castle with a Dragon in the air.

“But I can help!” Jordan calls after me, and I shoot the boy a deadly glare. I’m tempted to magically bind him to the courtyard and ensure he can’t go up on the wall, but I choose not to, just in case something goes wrong and he needs to get out.

“Valen!” I hear Creed yell, and I glance to my right, finding him on the ground with a large spear in his hand as he nods to the west. I glance over, seeing the Dragon circling back around, his chest inflating, the scales beginning to glow, making my stomach drop. I hurtle up the steps of the wall, praying I can get to the monster before it releases a stream of fire on the castle wall.

“I see it!” I yell back. “On my count,” I command as Creed braces himself, drawing the spear over one shoulder. “One!” I shove two Rangers out of my way, hoping I didn't knock them off the steps. “Two!” I watch the Dragon circle and soar high above before it tucks its wings in and begins its descent.

Movement to my left captures my attention for a split second, and I watch the Beastia and Wraiths attack, blood and magic flying through the air. Father and Nox barrel through them like a wave of power, knocking them down with each swipe of their weapons.

Well, at least I don't have to worry about that right now. No, just a bloody Dragon that Jesthren somehow brought into the realm without tripping any of Father's alarms.

I clear the last step of the wall and shove another Hunter out of my way as I squeeze the hilts of my blades and eye the weak points in the Dragon’s scales as it opens its large jaw.

“Three!” I yell as I sprint and jump from the wall, shoving myself into the air and using my magic to propel me straight at the fire-breathing beast.