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BARON

Fae Realm

“Fuck!” I dive toward the ground as a shield attempts to bash my head in.

The ground begins to shift and churn with each blow that batters my body.

My jaw clicks and my back aches, but I continue to fight so the orcs can’t reach my companions.

Theren is a selfish bastard no matter how truthful his story may be, but if saving him saves Eilish from whatever Morrigan has in store for her, then I’m willing to swallow my pride.

“Do you fuckers breed like rabbits, or are you spawned in a sewer somewhere?” I grumble.

The orcs snarl and attack with a vengeance. A sea of grotesque faces and disfigured bodies flood the trees, blocking my view of the others as they retreat. And then a low growl catches my attention, pulling my focus from the fight. The orcs break rank, creating a path right toward me.

Variant.

The false king approaches on his great steed, white wings hanging low beside him in a show of power as much as the crown of gilded stag horns and pure diamonds on his brow. Variant unlatches and pulls off the majestic robes that cover his shoulders, letting the fine fabric flutter to the ground.

“You disappoint me, Baron.”

“Good. I live to disappoint you, asshole.” I twirl my dagger and saunter toward Variant. “You and Morrigan bring nothing but chaos and destruction to the realms.”

“I’m surprised you care.”

“I can admit to not giving a fuck before, but that was the past. Now I know what’s important. No more hiding, no more running... we bring the fight to you.”

“You’re standing in the way of things you don’t understand.”

“I understand a lot more than you think I do, Variant,” I chuckle darkly. “It’s you who’s clueless. We aren’t just a bunch of outcasts staging a rebellion. You forget that we were kings, warriors of our own right and men of power. Magic flows through my veins as much as it flows through yours.”

“Shadow tricks and poison? I’d expected more of a challenge.”

“Much has changed since our little run-in at the palace. I’ve got a whole new bag of tricks.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Variant scoffs. “In the end, you’re nothing more than an obstacle that stands between me and my quest. Which means you must be removed.” The false king spreads his wings, unsheathing his enchanted sword.

Variant hastens a step forward, and the orcs form a circle around me. The first hit strikes so hard it sends vibrations up my arm as I deflect with the dagger. I roll my shoulders and match him blow for blow until we’re both panting.

“Give up, Baron,” he warns. “Or I’ll kill you for the second time.”

That burns me like no fire ever could. I have to remind myself this isn’t the real Variant—the real Variant is trapped within himself just like Theren was. “I know the real you is in there, Variant. You have to fight Morrigan’s control.”

“Morrigan doesn’t control me.”

“Bullshit. She’s controlling you now, but you can break free just like Theren did.” The next swing knocks my dagger to the ground. I roll, evading another strike. “Open your eyes and see what’s going on, you dumb fuck.”

“Your words have no effect on me,” he responds. “You and I aren’t friends so stop acting as though we are.”

I shake my head. “You might be my enemy now, but we were once friends... brothers, bound by our oath. An oath you swore to uphold!”

Something flashes on the other man’s features and for a moment, I think I see the real Variant before he panics, blocking me.

I shove him against the tree and the orcs screech, ready to defend their leader.

Variant kicks me back. I stumble, but regain my footing.

There’s a pull between us, a string tethering our minds.

.. possibly remnants of our vows or even the real Variant trying to communicate.

Either way, I’m outnumbered and quickly running out of energy.

Feeding from Pyre helps, but it doesn’t last forever.

Flipping back, I grab my dagger while reaching for a second blade. Variant eyes my hands and advances. I manage to hit his arm, sending his sword clattering to the ground. But as I turn, a knife sinks into my belly and twists.

“Die, you wretched maggot!”

The laughter that bellows out from someplace deep inside me dislodges the smile from Variant’s face. “I’m already dead, asshole.”

Something about the blade acts as a sort of conductor.

I grab Variant’s arm and the tension grows, boiling the air in my lungs until I feel like I’m choking on it.

A blur moves from Variant’s body into mine—his soul.

I feel the life writhing inside me. Pyre told me this could happen, that I could act as a vessel.

Baron! Variant’s voice booms inside my head. The body I hold captive begins to fight the bond, wriggling as though in fear.

I can buy you some time, but it will only last for a moment, Variant says . When I give the signal, go as fast as you can and find the others!

The soul snaps out of my body and flies back into Variant’s. My old ally’s face contorts. He doubles over and shouts, “Run!”

A flare of magic freezes the orcs. They make no move to attack as I run as quickly as I can.

Eilish was right. Variant and Theren aren’t the enemies we thought.

I would do well not to let my guard down around them, but I find comfort in knowing all hope isn’t lost. Whether in the deserts of the mortal realm or in the frigid mountains of the fae world, we will stop Morrigan—once and for all.

My hand brushes the already healing wound in my abdomen and I wince. This is twice now that Variant has stabbed me under the influence of the Midnight Queen. If I can learn to master my new abilities, there may be a way of getting through to him.

***

DRAGAN

Fae Realm

I hear a twig snap. We should be far enough away from the fight that the orcs couldn’t have followed us, but then again, it’s not in the nature of orcs to be stealthy.

I summon my shadow blade, causing Theren and Pyre to regard me with caution.

Sneaking through the underbrush, I lift my sword to the throat of the newcomer.

When Baron collapses against me, I dissolve the blade and help him back to camp. “You should have said something. I could have stabbed you.”

“Too late,” he says with a smile and glances down. I see the huge red blood stain on the front of his shirt and I take a deep breath. “Jesus.”

“Good thing I’m already dead.”

I toss his arm over my shoulder and we limp toward the circle of bedrolls arranged around the fire. The light illuminates Pyre’s face as he continues to heal Theren.

“Baron?” Pyre says as he stops tending to Theren and stands up, concern on his face.

“I’m fine,” Baron says and glances down at his stomach. “Just a flesh wound.”

“You’ve been gone a long time,” I tell the vampire. “We intend to get moving again at dawn. If you need to—”

“We can head out whenever you want, I’m starting to heal already.” He takes a deep breath, still leaning against me, as Pyre turns to face us.

“Why the sneaking around?” asks Pyre.

“Saw fire. Had to make sure it wasn’t an orc camp.

” Baron hisses as I set him down on one of the bedrolls.

His eyes close for a moment as he lifts his tunic to show off a collection of wicked bruises and a gash that’s healing itself as we watch.

“More and more orcs kept coming. Thought I was done for.”

Cocking my head to the side, I smirk. “You look like shit. Are you sure you aren’t part orc or something? Because I can see the family resemblance.”

“Well, you ain’t all that handsome either, sunshine.

” The vampire grits his teeth and prods the hot kindling with his knife until the metal glows a bright orange in the night.

He presses the tip to one of his many wounds.

The skin sizzles and closes itself as the smell of burned flesh permeates the camp.

“Variant and I had a little discussion,” he says. “And by ‘discussion,’ I mean he tried to kill me again.”

Part of me is actually glad Baron made it out of the fight intact. Variant could have easily made Baron’s life hell, but the vampire is clearly more powerful than I thought. It strikes me then that I’m the least powerful among the four of us, in terms of magic. At least until I locate the grimoire.

“Did Variant give anything away?” Pyre asks.

Baron shrugs. “We were fighting. I was getting weaker after fighting against the horde. Then he saved my life.”

“Variant saved your life?” I ask.

“Maybe he’s lost too much blood,” Theren adds.

“Good Variant saved me,” Baron responds, glaring at us both.

“What the fuck does that mean?” I ask.

“It means Variant’s soul is imprisoned by Morrigan same as mine,” Theren responds.

Baron shrugs indifferently and grabs the water canteen out of Pyre’s hand. He dumps the water all over his chin and chest.

“I absorbed Variant’s soul into my body after I felt a strange channel open up, and then the real Variant bought me enough time to get out of there before the orcs tore me to pieces.”

“And now?” Pyre asks.

Baron shrugs. “We should be able to make it to the volcano without any more trouble, if we leave now.”

“Woah! What do you mean, you absorbed his soul?” I insist.

“Any form of leech species that feeds off the life force of others has the potential to be a vessel,” Pyre informs us.

“Baron is able to host souls or even large amounts of magic.” Pyre continues to explain.

“Unless the individual is particularly strong like Eilish, it takes years to fully master this ability. Baron, however, already shows promise.”

I run my hand along my jaw with a scowl etched onto my face.

Theren seems less confused than I am as he nods along with Pyre’s words.

“One training to be the next Guardian of The Veil, another a hybrid destined for great things, an elf with great arcane abilities, a necromancer... this rebellion has power.” Golden eyes fall on me.

Theren jerks his chin towards me and asks, “What about you? What’s your mission in all of this? ”

“Gargoyles were killed by Variant during a raid in the shadow realm. I wish to make more of my own kind, but I can’t do that without the help of a witch’s grimoire.” I kick a stone and it rolls into the fire. Sparks fly with a crackle.

“How do you know that?” Theren asks.

I shrug. “One of my kind, Myerdoth, was the first gargoyle. At one time, he was a statue sitting atop a palace wall when a witch cried out for help as a battle raged beneath him. It was her pleading for a guardian and the spell on her lips that brought the statue to life. And the statue became Myerdoth. He saved her and—”

“And in return she blessed the earth, making sure any gargoyle created of the stone would come to life and rule the night? Yeah, I’ve heard the legends,” Theren finishes.

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“I can show you where the grimoire is,” he offers.

Hope dares to stir within me. “And I’m sure you want something significant in return.”

“Of course,” Theren admits without hesitation. “The stone grimoire creates life out of practically nothing. With enough time, you could have another army of gargoyles at your command. What I want, the grimoire can’t give me. But you can.”

“I’m not as skilled with magic as some of our other companions. I’m sure Cambion or even Pyre would be of more help.” My boots tap rhythmically against the ground, matching the constant thrum of my erratic heartbeat as excitement flows through me.

“No, they can’t,” he says.

“What is it you want, exactly?” I ask.

“Darkness. Shadow. And lots of it.”