Page 34 of Of Nightmares & Fire (Elusive Umbra #1)

Chapter twenty-seven

Kyros

I’m pacing in front of the window when Mavros and Zinya walk into my chambers. Mavros is laughing, but Zinya’s smile falls when she sees me. She nudges Mav in the side with her elbow, and when his eyes land on me, he too looks just as somber.

“What is it?” Mavros says, all business for once.

“Did something happen?” Zinya adds.

“We are going to kidnap the princess.” Both of their faces pull into a frown before they look from me to each other, then back to me.

“Do you want to elaborate?” Mavros asks with his face quickly turning into an intense glare.

“I went to see her tonight on a hunch. I thought she carried the relic on her. We have all felt magick coming from her to some extent. I thought that maybe I could seduce it out of her.” I start explaining, but Mavros’ stern look cracks as he grins and interrupts.

“Well, that was your first mistake; you should know by now to leave the charm up to me.”

“Be serious for half a second.” Zinya quips with an eye roll.

“I caught a glimpse of a necklace; she acted as though it was special, so I tried to get close to her… to get a feel for the necklace.” Mavros chuckles and tries to hide it behind his fist, and I glare at him before continuing.

“The necklace does have magick, but from what I can tell, it's the princess I felt the most drawn to.” Mavros loses his divine mind.

“You don’t say?” He says, flopping into the armchair in the sitting area. Zinya groans, dropping her head back dramatically.

“Mavros, do I need to kick your ass?” Zinya punches him in the shoulder, and I growl, spinning away from the two of them and stalking to the window.

If they aren’t going to help, then I will do it myself.

A knock comes at the door, and Zinya looks between Mavros and me before she rolls her eyes again and answers it.

“The challenger must sleep in the soldiers’ barracks tonight to ensure there is no cheating planned before the journey.

” The soldier says from the doorway. I stomp across the room and wrench the door fully open.

I recognize the voice. The asshole who has been pissing me off since the first time I laid eyes on him .

“Why does he have to do that now, but we didn't have to before the last challenge?” I growl the question, looking down at the ugly fucker with the shit-eating grin on his face.

“I don’t make the rules, Mister Kahzal. I merely follow them, just as you and your brother are required to.” He sneers and then has the audacity to snap his fingers at my brother. Mavros attempts to push me back, his hand splayed wide on my chest, but I keep my feet planted and bare my teeth.

“Hey, don’t you worry your pretty little head about me, brother. You do what you gotta do here. Spend some time with that princess.” He winks before heading out into the hall. With a laugh, he slaps the guard on the cheek with a patronizing tap. “Lead the way, buddy.”

“My name is Pravin .” He growls, jerking his head back and baring his teeth.

“Yea? And?” Mavros laughs as he continues down the hall with a bouncing gait. “Come on, little bird, I'm going to get lost in this big ol’ castle on my own.”

“Pravin.” He growls again with a huff, giving me one last glare before following after my brother.

“Oh, I thought you said Raven… either way, it's a fitting nickname with a beak like that.” Mavros is going to get himself in even more trouble if he doesn't quit running his damned mouth.

“Follow them. I will send Tarin too as soon as I relieve him from princess duty.” I say to Zinya.

“You’re really going to kidnap her? All on your own? And get Mavros out of whatever shit he’s in?” She quirks a brow .

“Do you doubt me, Zinya?” I smirk just enough to show confidence, and she narrows her eyes on me.

“If there was ever anyone who I thought could pull something like this off, it would be you.” She checks her belt for the knives that she always carries, and without another word, she follows after the asshole guard, Pravin , and Mavros on their way to the barracks.

Taking a deep breath, I remind myself why I am here.

Connard is a tyrant. He has to be stopped.

This is a mission set forth by the queen and her cohorts.

I am the muscle, and I’m saving a lot of lives by retrieving the relic that keeps the unjustly usurper King of Eathian in power.

It's time that magick flows freely to its people again, and in doing so, we will take what is rightfully ours.

It’s been hours since I relieved Tarin from his duty guarding over the princess. Blending into the shadows, I fix my eyes between the door and the tapestry that I know hides the other entrance to the room.

With nothing but time, I’m forced to think about my plans and how I am going to execute them.

I’m going to kidnap the princess and somehow get my brother out of fighting in the damn challenge at the dunes.

I'm also forced to acknowledge the fact that every time I’m around her recently, she disarms me without even knowing it.

It should be interesting trying to kidnap her …

My eyes begin to fall heavy, so instead of standing in place, I begin to walk, pacing between the doors.

Astraea stopped making noises about an hour ago; likely fast asleep now.

Maybe I should plan to get my brother out and then worry about the princess?

Although the princess doesn’t have guards, I doubt the same is to be said about my brother. Not if they are worried about him…

A sound from beyond the door causes my feet to halt and my brows to drop as I listen. Is she talking?

The bloodcurdling scream that echoes through the walls next sets me into action without a second thought.

First, I try the door but have no success.

It's locked from the inside. I run to the tapestry, fling it aside, and tuck into the tight space.

The area here used to feel so much bigger and brings back too many memories.

Memories I have tried hard to not relive.

I grind my teeth together and make my way through the maze within the walls before I finally spill out into the darkened bedchamber.

Astraea’s body is bent awkwardly off the bed as she cries out.

Her back is bowing toward the ceiling at an unsettling angle.

Pain and terror paint her face. Almost as if something is trying to suck her soul right out of her body.

I react immediately, and my magick spills out of me like a torrent of glistening black sand and smoke.

The storm that lives inside of me cascades from my skin and drenches the room in darkness.

As my magick fills every corner in the room, I drop to my knees and my eyes fall shut.

As I do, I am thrust into the space within her mind that is this night terror.

An echoing and haunting laughter bounces through my head.

When my eyes snap open, I am met by the white bone-covered face.

His curved horns bent down as he leers over me.

He leans in with his menacing claws stretching toward me like several blades aimed with the intent to skewer me.

The tip presses into my chest just above my heart, and I grind my teeth as it pierces the skin.

I growl in pain as I flip my hands palms up and push more magick into the room.

Forcing the nightmare to bend to my will, I bare my teeth and push my hand out to wrap around his billowy shadowed wrist. A deep radiating pain shoots through my arm as I make contact with his skin, and I roar with determination as I attempt to cast him out.

Squeezing hard at his wrist, I push my magick into the connection.

“Cessarenah!” I growl through my teeth with my face right in his.

With a powerful thrust, I rip his shadowy claw from my chest, and at once, the magick I cast into the room is pulled back into me.

The swirling shadows that live on my skin vibrate from the immense amount expelled, and I sag in relief as I look to the bed at the same moment that Astraea sucks in a sharp breath and her eyes fly wide.

I am at her side in an instant, crawling, but there nonetheless. Ignoring the painful wound in my chest, I push my arm under her shoulders and help her into a sitting position. Her head whips around the room in confusion.

“K—Kyros?” She says with silent tears streaming down her flushed face.

Little wrinkles of worry form between her eyebrows, and her mouth is pulled into a frown.

I grunt because as I look at her like this, I worry for what I might say.

I gently adjust her position so she isn't pressing against the wound that is burning at my chest. At least it's still dark, so I know she can't see it.

“Shhhh,” I breathe into the top of her head as I try to console her, attempting to study her trembling body.

I need to know if she is as wounded as I am.

“Are you hurt?” I force the question out as the shadows continue to recede back to their rightful place, while also still trying to scan over her body.

She begins to pull away, shaking her head as she does.

Her fear is so potent it threatens to choke me.

“Wh—why are you here? I—I didn’t.” Her eyes are wide as she looks between me and the door that never opened.

“Shula, listen. You are ok. I’m not going to hurt you.” I say softly, tucking a sweat-soaked strand of hair behind her ear.

“Why do you keep calling me that? What are you doing here? What did you do ?” She asks all the questions I am not ready to answer.

And I don’t. I stand with a grunt, pushing my hand to the wound on my chest. Astraea is still on the bed in a panic but awake and seemingly okay, so I cross the room and poke my head out the door.

No one. I guess in this situation, it's probably a good thing Connard is so doltish when it comes to keeping the princess safe.

Before returning to her side, I light the lantern that is on her vanity. The soft glow illuminates the room just enough, and I set it on her bedside. Silently, she waits for me to say something.

“You’re bleeding.” She whispers, adjusting on the bed to cover herself, but I can tell she wants to see the wound for herself .

“It's nothing,” I grunt. “Are you hurt?” Her face scrunches up, and she looks down at herself, where she has the blankets pulled up close to her chin, and she shakes her head.

“No. I’m okay. Confused, but okay.” Worry clouds her eyes, and for a moment I want nothing more than to brush her sweat-soaked hair away from her face and tell her that there is nothing to worry about, but what just happened…

It has even made me concerned about what is going on.

She still hasn't calmed. Her chest is rising and falling heavily, and tears still make lines down her cheeks ever so often.

I can't take her anywhere looking like I have just assaulted her.

“Stay here.” I order, turning and striding away.

She calls after me with fear in her voice, but I’m forced to ignore her as I make my way into the connected bathing chamber.

Using the hand pump, I let the warm water from the natural spring beneath the castle fill the tub.

The water is not hot by any means, heated only by the sun in the reservoir it runs through, but warm enough to relax muscles and calm her frantic mind.

I would heat it using my magick,, but it's going to take time to restore what I have used.

The thought brings a new surge of worry to my mind.

I won't be able to rend a portal out of here with its depletion…

I find tinctures beside her bath and open the first, lifting it to my nose.

Lavender and something sweet like vanilla.

I pour a measure into the water and also throw a jar of the bath petals into the water as well.

The room is filled with a sweet floral aroma as the water, oil, and petals mix, turning the water a milky lilac, and then I take a deep breath and turn to retrieve the princess.

“What are you doing, Kyros?”