Page 10

CAMBION

Mercenary Stronghold

The sound of fighting in the barracks is soothing.

It’s not real fighting, of course, just sparring.

But the sounds are soothing, nonetheless.

Scorching hot sunlight causes sweat to cling to my skin, but I don’t have perspiration pouring down my face like the other soldiers.

My balance shifts and before I know what’s happening, Aima throws me to the ground, holding her sword to my throat.

I knock the blade aside with a frown and flip onto my feet, circling her like a predator. “That was a good one,” I offer.

“You’re not on your game,” she responds.

“Says who?”

“Says me.”

I chuckle. “Oh, and why do you think I’m not on my game?”

“Because you’re too much in your head.”

“Too much in my head about what?”

She glares right back at me. “You need to go talk to your brother,” she says as she sidesteps one of my attacks.

“About what?”

“About everything that’s transpired between you two and Eilish.”

“What about you, Aima? Have you spoken to Theren?” I lunge for her and she shoves against my chest. I’m too distracted to spar, so I toss aside my weapon and sit on one of the benches. Aima joins me.

“No. I have nothing to say yet,” she replies. “Theren’s love for me was never real. It was just convenient. It was Eilish he always loved and Eilish he always wanted. I was just a way to pass the time.”

“I’m sure he didn’t intend for that to be the case.”

“Regardless, it is.”

I look at her and sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Cambion,” she responds. She gives me a small smile. “Dealing with the truth about Theren will take some time, but I’m not angry about it.”

“Why not?”

She shrugs and points to where Kolvar stands with the other soldiers. “The one person who has always been there for me is standing right there.”

“Kolvar?” I ask, surprised at her insinuation. At least, I think she’s insinuating that the two of them… are together?

She nods. “I may not have the history with Kolvar that I have with you and Theren, but history is no longer important.”

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“That looking back won’t get you anywhere.

You can dwell in the torture your father put you through and the guilt that caused you to lose your way or.

.. you can find a new way to move forward that might surprise you along the way.

” Aima cracks her knuckles and pulls off the gauntlets she favors.

“What are you going to do if Elioth rises like Morrigan said? You know he’ll come after you. ”

“I wouldn’t even believe he was still alive if not for Theren saying he could still feel our father’s presence whenever he stared into the mirror,” I admit. “If Elioth returns, I’m not sure this world can survive it. And if his loyalty still lies with Abedon, then we’ve already lost.”

She shakes her head. Fiercely. “Don’t be so quick to underestimate us.”

I chuckle. “What are we really, other than just a bunch of wayward rebels all clinging to each other?”

She glares at me. “We’re stronger than you give us credit, Cambion.”

“Maybe so, but I hate the unknown. Pyre’s prophecies were all we had to guide us from one step to another.

” I run a hand through my hair and watch the others training in the barracks.

They’re improving. From day to day. “If we do this, none of those established and known prophecies will be able to guide our next move. We’ll be vulnerable. ”

“Then you’d rather Pyre and I forfeit our lives for the sanctity of old prophecies that might not come true anyway?” she demands.

I look at her and shake my head. “That’s not what I’m saying. I support this decision, you know that.”

“Then?”

“I’m just saying I’m nervous about not knowing what the future holds.”

Aima shoves me playfully. “I’m scared too, you know? If this doesn’t work, then I die on an altar, fucking a guy I don’t have feelings for. If it does work, then I’ll most likely get killed in the battle against Abedon.”

“You think Abedon will free himself?”

“I know he will,” she says as she stands to leave as one of our soldiers approaches me with a message from King Galmer—the king requests my presence. Why? I’m not sure. I tell the man I’ll be there shortly and with a nod, he returns the way he came.

“The Abedon I remember used to toy with people’s minds far worse than Morrigan can and does,” Aima says, returning to our conversation. “I was always so afraid of being alone with him because his power… it’s like nothing I’d ever seen before.”

I study her with narrowed eyes. “Did Abedon ever try anything sexual with you?” I ask, surprised as the words empty from my mouth, but I ask them all the same.

She shakes her head and we watch as Kolvar catches a young soldier with a blow against the shoulder. I can see the pride in her eyes as she observes him. Then she faces me again. “No. His eyes were lecherous, but he kept his hands to himself. I can say that much for him. Little else.”

“I’m surprised and relieved, Aima. Some women were not so lucky.”

“What did you think of him back then?”

I thought about that for a bit, running through every memory I had of Abedon. “He was powerful, handsome, intelligent, and cunning. But his anger was like a raging wildfire that destroyed everything in its path. I was scared of him.”

“We all were scared of him,” Aima groans as she works out a cramp in her calf. “Any chance he may come out of his prison reformed?”

“Slim to none,” I reply with a laugh.

Aima and I return our gear to the armory before I head to the Hall of Clans.

Once there, I walk through the double doors and spot the king at the far end of the room.

He tosses his long mane and bellows at his son.

The young centaur storms out of the room.

I stand off to the side, not wanting to interrupt, but King Galmer notices me quickly.

“My son is headstrong,” he says. “He feels you and the others in your company will bring the destruction of our home. I tell him it’s merely a matter of time before our enemies find us and they will bring the true destruction of everything we’ve worked for.”

“Do you have a way to evacuate in case of an attack?”

“Yes. All clan leaders have their evacuation protocols,” the king answers with a clipped nod. “But that isn’t why I called for you.”

“And why would that be?”

“I understand you’ve been assisting the artificer with the new communication devices and weaponry?”

“I have.”

He nods. “Would you mind helping the Mage’s Guild with their arcane experiments as well?”

I bow my head slightly. “I will offer whatever aid I can.”

King Galmer nods and gives me a quick grip on my shoulder that turns into a pat before he goes after his son. Meanwhile, I leave the Hall and head down the road, toward the guilds. Zir has been given an office above one of the smithing shops.

When I walk in, Zir tosses me one of the upgraded communication rings that allow the wearer to locate and speak with someone else using telepathic frequencies. The design is sleek and more durable than the last prototypes.

“Did the schematics I gave you work?” I ask.

“Yes, all of the com-rings are active.”

I feel accomplished and proud that my research into the technology of the ancient humans is finally useful. Zir and I pour ourselves over the plans for the vehicles. The com-ring chimes in my ears and suddenly Dragan’s voice begins to spew an endless stream of profanity at Flumph.

I suppose all technology has its downfalls.

***

THEREN

I grip the edge of the window and fight against the sheer terror that comes each nightfall.

It’s too quiet and far too cold. I don’t wish to be in the darkness any longer.

Morrigan held me captive within my own mind for far too long.

That and my body still hasn’t fully healed from everything I’ve endured.

My healing comes day by day but it’s slower than I’d like. I feel weak and I don’t like it.

My fingers dig into the terracotta beneath my hands. Muscles jerk and twitch until I cramp. The urge to scream for help rises. And then the door opens…

I release the windowsill with shaky hands and follow the sound of a clattering dinner tray. The young house brownie, Noni, sets the table and pours a bit of tea.

“Noni knows you like this kind,” she supposes. “She watches you when she visit the Unseelie Kingdom.”

“You... watched me?” My voice is hoarse, but she hears my question on the second try. She nods. “Why would you do that?”

“Master tell Noni all the time, he say ‘You listen, Noni. You go there and make sure the naughty fae isn’t hurting nobody.’ And Noni always listen to her Master.”

“Your master is Pyre?”

She bobs her relatively large head, causing her curls to bounce as she blinks her large eyes up at me. “He tell Noni to watch, but not to sit with you. Noni do that on her own. She watch you sleep so monsters no come and steal your dreams. She bring you tea.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“It was long time ago,” she says with a wave of her hand as if the particulars don’t matter. “Noni help you, but she still angry.” The house brownie climbs onto the table, gesturing for me to sit.

“Noni, did you ever see a dark male that looks fae but isn’t?” I ask. “Someone who shifts into the form of a hideous beast?”

“Oh! You mean the cockadoodle?”

“The cockatrice, yes,” I snicker as I lift the tea to my lips.

“Noni seen him.”

“What do you know about him?”

“Him reads from a big book and say scary stuffs in the dark. Noni get scared, so she leave. When Noni return, she see him on your throne and think he big stupid chicken. Then all the Unseelie Court have different leaders and Noni hurry to tell Master. Noni love her Master.”

“Can you describe what the book he was reading from looked like?”

“It big.”

“Anything else?” I ask with a tight lipped smile.

“Black and purple on the outside. Red words on paper.” Noni sits on the table and pouts in deep thought. “Oh! It make smoke when he say the words.”

I set the tea aside and reach for the food, not wanting to offend the tiny creature even when I have no appetite.

“My suspicions are true, then,” I say, more to myself.

“The cockatrice has my father’s journal.

” I take in a deep breath as the truth dawns on me.

Abedon and Elioth were working together before Morrigan and Silvanus trapped Abedon within the Hall of The Gods.

It was once a light place, but it was later known as the Tomb of The Gods, because it was the same place where the gods were slain by Abedon during his first siege.

Noni scurries around the table nervously, causing the teacups to rattle.

“What else did you see Noni?” I ask. “I need to know so I can make sure nothing bad happens again.”

Noni sits on the edge of the table. Much closer to me than before and twirls her finger around a chestnut curl. “Noni see them hurt you. She see the Midnight Queen do bad stuff and tell the soldiers what to do and then talk to the naughty king about hurting us little fae.”

“The naughty king,” I repeat. “You mean Variant?”

She nods. “Variant.”

“Did the recipe for the talisman and the Threst come from the book?”

She bobs her head once more. “And the ice knife used to hurt Mr. Vampire and the mirror Silvanus gots to hold Morrigan’s power and… some other stuffs Noni can’t remember.”

“The spell used to trap Variant and me? Did that come from the book?”

Her eyes open wide.

Morrigan has been using the teachings of my father’s dark magic as if it were her own. She used the very thing she swore to protect me from in my youth to control me.

“Morrigan is a fraud and a liar,” I say as I stand up and move towards the window to get air as the panic overwhelms me once more, but, instead, dizziness takes over and I fall to the floor.

Searing pain in my abdomen moves through my body.

I am still unwell and my services to Eilish may have pushed my healing back by a few days.

Noni hurries over and takes a look at my injuries.

“Why you no ask Noni to heal you?”

“The mages already…”

She sticks her little tongue out at me. “Silly mages don’t heal like Noni.”

I stand long enough to collapse onto my bed. Noni climbs up using handfuls of bedding to get a firm grip. She pitter patters over and prods along my ribs with her tiny fingers. “Tell me more, Noni. Tell me what has been happening here before I arrived?”

“Well, they all been learning about what happened to them before they all came to The Veil. Fae was being killed so Morrigan can make her necklace with the big stone. The naughty king’s soldiers catch all of them and Master the only one who could save them, but saving them hurt him.

When they in the palace, the pretty angel get taken by the naughty king.

She cries a lot when she talk about what happen. He took away her control.”

I feel each word like a slug to the chest.

“Soldiers raid houses and take the angels’ wings, fae kept in cages, folks getting killed cause they don’t bow.”

“Killed?” I repeat. “For not bowing to Variant?”

She nods. “Noni not talking about knife killed or rope killed. They soul killed,” she sniffles. “Even Noni was hurt. Master saved her, though. Other fae not so lucky to have a Master like Noni’s.”

“Did I... ever hurt the fae?”

She bites her bottom lip for a moment, hands glowing as she holds them over my body. “You hurt lots of fae. But mostly the pretty Unseelie lady, Aima. She was hurt real bad and blame you for her sister.”

“Her sister?”

“The Midnight Queen kill Aima’s sister for her magic. It was used to make tricky dungeon spells and bad magic. Aima blame you because her sister was given to the naughty king as a slave to keep the peace.” Noni finishes up the spell and sits cross-legged on my chest. “She is hurting inside.”

“I thought she was upset with me because of Eilish…”

Noni shakes her head. “Aima confused. You did not mean to get her sister killed and she know that, but she angry and her heart bleeding. Only the giant satyr help her.”

I reach up and take Noni’s little hand. “I am so sorry for the pain my ignorance has caused. And I will try to correct the mistakes I’ve made.”

“Noni forgive you under one condition.”

“Yes?”

“You has to promise her that you gonna free all us fae when this is all over.”

“I promise to free all fae once the balance is restored and honor those who lost their lives to Morrigan as heroes.”

Noni hugs my hand. “Then Noni forgive you.”