Page 102 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Callan

C allan took the hit he saw coming. He knew it was going to hurt. The Earth Prince was as brutal as Eliza was when it came to training and sparring. Then again, so was Arantxa when the Witch joined them.

So he took the blow to his ribs, leaning into the hit and doubling over.

To grab the knife from his boot.

He sucked in one quick breath before he snapped back up and threw the knife straight at Azrael. The prince’s eyes widened slightly. It was the only surprise he let show as he managed to twist to the side at the last second, the knife grazing along his shoulder and drawing blood.

“Good,” was all the Earth Prince said as he swiped at the blood before wiping it on his pants. The cut would heal in an hour or two.

The bruise on Callan’s ribs would not.

But he’d long since learned he would never be stronger than the Fae. He would never be faster. He would always be outmatched, so he had to be smarter. Use distractions and technique to his advantage.

They were about to start another round of sparring when a sharp whistle sounded that had them both turning to the trees. A moment later, Mordecai and Nuri appeared. The seraph was in fighting leathers, and Death’s Shadow was in her hunting attire.

“We don’t have much time,” Mordecai said by way of greeting.

Nuri stood beside him, still as the death she looked like she was about to bestow. Her hood was up, mask in place. Only her eyes were visible as she scanned the surroundings.

“One of your camps was discovered in Rydeon,” Mordecai continued. “Instead of killing them all, they were taken to the Necropolis.”

“For what?” Callan asked, the grip on his sword tightening involuntarily.

“I told you the innocent were being used,” Nuri said. Her voice didn’t carry the usual arrogance, but there was an edge of accusation.

“We are doing the best we can,” Callan replied.

“Then your best is not enough.”

“She’s coming,” Azrael said. “Scarlett is coming.”

“And she will be too late,” Nuri said simply.

“If you two want to come with us, I can take you. Drop you in a secluded area, but we need to go now,” Mordecai said.

“Go to Rydeon?” Callan repeated.

The seraph nodded. “Not sure what you’ll be able to do, but I’m told you know the Necropolis better than most.”

“I have only been there a handful of times.”

“Which is likely a handful more than the rebels being held there,” Nuri replied. “They’ll never find their way out on their own. They’d at least have a chance with someone there to follow.”

“We should get Drake then. He is their king,” Callan said. “He should go with us.”

“Drake is not available,” came Juliette’s voice as she appeared with Arantxa and—

Ezra?

Callan took a step towards him. “Is Tava here?”

The guard shook his head. “It’s why I am here. Drake and Tava have been locked away at the Lairwood house.”

“Excuse me?” Callan said, and even he didn’t recognize the viciousness that rang in his tone.

“The Rydeon and Toreall kings are here to discuss the growing rebellion with Mikale, Alaric, and Balam,” Ezra explained.

“Balam refused to have Drake or Tava at the castle or the manor. He didn’t want them anywhere near the other Maraan Lords.

Mikale offered to have them kept at his home, where they are now locked below.

Balam is growing suspicious, and refused to let me accompany Tava. ”

“Are you saying he has them locked in a cell?” Callan asked.

“Yes. I came here to get you. See if the Earth Fae can possibly Travel there to get them,” Ezra said, glancing between Callan and Azrael.

“Are they in danger?” Azrael asked. “Aside from being locked in a cell?”

Ezra appeared to hesitate, scratching at the back of his head.

“I don’t know. There has been tension at the manor.

Drake and the Lord have been arguing a lot.

I’ve overheard bits and pieces. Something about wards and costs.

Things have gotten heated on more than one occasion, and I was ordered to escort Tava from the room.

I think the disagreements have contributed to the Lord’s suspicions.

What’s more, Alaric and Mikale have picked up on the tension.

I think Mikale offering his home is a cover, but I don’t have proof. ”

Callan had to use every ounce of control to clamp down on the surge of panic that rose up in him. The thought of Tava in a cell. What he knew Mikale was capable of. What he knew all the Maraan Lords were capable of.

“We have to go,” Mordecai said, holding out a hand for Nuri to take.

“Make a choice, Callan,” Nuri said.

And he felt every pair of eyes settle on him.

The woman he loved or innocent lives in a kingdom that was not his.

He’d like to think he would have made the same choice a year ago, but he knew that wasn’t true. A year ago, he would have chosen the woman he loved. He had chosen the woman. The choice would have been easy.

It was easy now too, but not in the way he expected it to be.

“Rydeon,” he said. “We go to the Necropolis.”

“What?” Ezra demanded, mouth gaping. “She is a princess.”

“And it is her people we go to save,” Callan replied, taking the weapons from Azrael that he was pulling from some pocket realm. “She would make the same choice. They both would.”

“And what of her? The woman you supposedly care so deeply for?” Ezra asked, his face reddening with anger.

Callan paused, turning to face him fully. “You can question my motives and my character. Frankly, you should. But never question my feelings for my wife again. Am I clear?”

“Your wife?” Ezra stammered, jerking back a step. “She never said … When?”

“Not important,” Callan said, taking the cloak Juliette had gone to retrieve for him. “I need you to go back and learn as much as you can about what is happening at the Windonelle Castle. When we return, we will figure out our next move.”

Ezra was still staring at him in shock. “You expect me to leave my queen locked up?”

“No. I expect you to gather information so that we can figure out the best plan to retrieve her when we return. Can I entrust that task to you, Ezra?” Callan asked, moving to stand next to Nuri.

Ezra stared at him a moment longer before giving a sharp nod.

In the next blink, Callan was standing in one of the passages of the Necropolis. Mordecai and Nuri were gone before he had a chance to ask where exactly they had dropped them.

“Thoughts?” Callan asked Azrael, scanning the dark alcove and trying to get his bearings.

“I can scent them,” Azrael said. “Mortal and immortal scents alike.”

“Lead the way,” Callan gestured, palming a dagger to have at the ready.

They crept along the passages, and it took far longer than he would have liked to figure out which part of the Eternal Necropolis they were in.

North of the royal crypt if he was calculating right, and the farther Azrael led him on, that’s exactly where they were heading.

The only plausible explanation Callan could come up with for why they were there was the mirror gate.

He didn’t know much about them, but he’d spent some time trying to research them in Avonleya.

The task proved rather difficult with most of the books written in languages he did not know.

But from what he’d picked up from their various meetings and from Scarlett, they could connect to other places in the realm and possibly other worlds, which would explain why Alaric would want to use it.

It did not explain the people being herded here though.

They stopped when they came to a passage that would lead directly to the center. The sounds of the people growing louder. Crying children. Women trying to console them. Men demanding answers. Guards and seraphs barking orders.

“Can we get closer?” Callan whispered.

“Not without being detected,” Azrael murmured back.

“Nuri and Mordecai are there. They have to know we are coming,” Callan argued. “They will provide a distraction of sorts.”

“You are going to put our fate in the hands of Death’s Shadow?” Azrael deadpanned.

“She has cared for these people longer than I have,” Callan said, ignoring the sting of truth at those words. “She came to get us to help in the only way she could work around her orders.”

“Valid point,” Azrael said.

“Let’s get closer. If things go to shit, you Travel us out and we regroup,” he urged.

They changed positions so that Callan was leading the way now, sticking to the walls as much as they could. When they neared the end of the passageway, Callan realized they would have a perfect view of the mirror.

Until a seraph stepped into their path.

Azrael was yanking Callan back by the shoulder, but they both immediately relaxed when they realized it was Mordecai.

The seraph’s gaze connected with theirs for the briefest of seconds before he turned his back on them.

His wings flared, blocking the view of the passageway and effectively hiding them.

“We are not wasting innocent blood until we have figured out what is wrong with the mirror,” the commander said.

“Maybe innocent blood is needed to fix it,” argued another seraph.

“Are you arguing with your commander?” came a silky purr.

“No, Contessa,” the seraph immediately replied.

“Have you not already wasted innocent blood? Is that not how we discovered the mirror gate had stopped working to begin with?” she demanded.

“Yes, Contessa.”

“Then why are you suggesting we continue to waste finite resources?”

“We have tried everything else—”

Nuri’s laughter rang out through the chamber. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“We have. And they’re not finite. We can get useless mortals from anywhere.”

Callan could hear the seraph’s temper rising in his voice.

“Perhaps we try your blood,” Nuri said. “Maybe that will fix it since we appear to be fine experimenting with useless beings now.”

“Touch her, and I will personally pour your blood on the mirror glyphs,” came Mordecai’s dark warning. Callan could only assume the seraph had made a move towards Nuri.