Page 78 of Shadows Ascend (Remnant Archives #2)

“Always my queen but you and I both know it will not be needed,” the demon cooed smugly behind us.

Another explosive wave hit my shield and I panted against the power splintering more of the shadows under its massive force. My brows pulled inward, even a permanent weave could be destroyed by the Sanguine…could nothing stop it?

“Are you two done chatting now?”

Avalon bristled, studying the skies, “Right, be right back.”

She launched herself sideways off the ship outside my shadow shield generating a rush of air that forced my hair to blow across my face, covering my look of disbelief. “I’m all for confidence but I am not entirely sure that was the best strategy.”

The demon behind me chuckled, “Wait for it.” Turning, he winked at my daughter, “Hey little fae queen.”

“Hi Zaz!” Riella beamed at the demon, despite the gravity of the situation we were in.

“Little chickadee, go back to Lir,” I commanded, seeing the Sanguine power recharge.

“Okay maedere!” Riella hummed, skipping over to the sea king and grabbing his hand. Lir laughed and then met my eyes, regret burning in them, understanding that it was not easy for me to trust him now that I knew where his allegiance lay.

“I am trusting you to keep her safe,” I said to him as my eyes dropped to the lilin still surrounding her, “You too, if we fail here, she must be brought back to Sheol with Emon,” I called to them silently.

Zazion studied me curiously, a dark frown pulling on his features, “where is your shifter king, your mate?”

I stiffened. “He is not dead, so do not worry that your debt was not fulfilled properly.” I seethed.

The demon grunted, “I can see why your thoughts would navigate to this fact, but this does not seem like a time where someone as devoted as your mate would leave behind his two most cherished possessions.”

Startled, I looked up at him but a sudden blast stole my next words, the aftershock of the blow sending the entire boat lurching out from under the protection of the barrier, and slamming the demon and I both into its unforgiving sides .

I groaned with a curse and the demon's eyes lit with fire as he growled towards the dark sky, his hand outstretched to assist me to rise.

Only Lir and Riella had stayed put. Neither one had been affected by the impact.

Gripping the demon’s hand, feeling his heat sear my skin like the fires of Hell, I stood, feeling the first splatter of hot viscous liquid on my upturned face. Then another and another until it rained heavily down upon us.

I grimaced at the smell, a mixture of putrid death and iron. Swiping at my face, I stared at the black and red essence that stained my fingertips.

“It’s blood,” I whispered, glancing over at Riella who was staring at my hands just as I had been, the lilin shadows protecting her from the carnage. I eyed the grinning demon, “She destroyed them all?”

Zazion’s speared tail curled around his leg with pleasure, “Now you know how she has kept the throne since she was seven, fae. This power costs her much but I have a feeling, she felt inspired by a certain little faeling.”

“She sees herself in Riella.” I said knowingly.

The demon snarled, “She sees what she could have had if someone had protected her sooner.”

Loud splashes and sharp pinging sounds drew our attention away from each other—my eyes widening as hundreds of blood crystals fell with the rain of blood.

Several of them skidded to where we stood and I resisted the urge to shift away fearful of its dark power, still feeling their effects from Bay’s death.

Zazion bent to examine them and I quickly pulled him back. “Do not touch them, demon. If you know what is good for you, you and your queen will bury these in whatever infernal pits of Hell you have to never be seen again.”

Straightening, Zazion's wings twitched with agitation, but before he could speak a flurry of feathers and blond hair dropped beside him.

The demon queen crossed her arms in front of her chest, drenched in both wraith and demon blood. “I give the orders here, fae, these weapons are now mine to do with as I see fit.”

I quirked a brow at her, “Fools are the ones who think they can harness blood crystals without repercussion. They will destroy you, cousin. What you should really be asking yourself is how this territory, under your rule, obtained them?” Swiftly, I kicked one over the edge of the ship, its splash barely heard over the churning waves.

Avalon’s lip curled with uncertainty, “I’m starting to think the quicker you leave this place the better off Hell will be.”

I grinned, knowing now that wasn’t the true reason, keeping Riella safe was.

Emon and I’s prodigy was gaining allies just as fast as we ourselves made enemies.

“I knew you would see it my way.” Turning towards the sea king, I flippantly waved my hand down my blood soaked body.

“If you please, Lir, while you all may love the feel of your enemies’ death on your flesh, I do not. ”

He chuckled, “Aye lass, ye be a sight right now.” Waving his hand, I gasped when I was drenched with salty water and then blasted by his north wind daughter Fi, drying instantly with her concentrated gale forces on my person.

“Thank you, Lir, thank you Fi,” I said, smoothing back my wind blown hair, my eyes falling on my daughter, reaching out to her.

Riella instantly jumped into my arms, exhaling slowly into my neck.

I clutched her to my chest, exhaling slowly with her.

“All will be well now, my chickadee. The demon queen is going to let us leave.” My eyes lifted to bright violet ones that were staring at my daughter with the same flickering of haunted memories as before. “Isn’t that right, Avalon?”

Her eyes tore away from Riella and refocused on me, blood still dripping down her face. “I thought fae could not lie?” she hissed.

A slow smile spread across my face but before I could reply, Lir’s laughter boomed out across the seas.

“We cannot, your majesty, but we are masters of wording, while The Goddess o’ The Well may have agreed t’ return, the lass did not specify her time of return or if it was with ye.” He winked, “With all due respect lassie, always be specific when making deals with the fae.”

Black stained lips pulled back into a sneer, “The Goddess of The Well? As in The Well of Souls?”

The lilin fell off of Riella and draped around my shoulders with their comforting darkness while the queen of Hell tracked them with her scrutiny. “Yes.”

“You could have told me you were its goddess.”

My brow arched, “Would it have mattered? ”

A small smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. “Not at all, fae. I would have still imprisoned you, but you would have become much more useful to me had I known what you were.” But she could not stop her eyes from falling on Riella. The unspoken words were just there on the tip of her tongue.

She would not have made an exception for my status but she would have for my daughter. That was a weakness she could not expose, not even in front of her demon second who understood her more than she gave him credit for.

Swiping at the blood on her face, she stared at it, murmuring, “No matter, this blow against Wrath’s territory has been…

. satisfactory .” Curling her fingertips in a tight fist, she glared before stepping back with her wings spread wide but then hesitated, her eyes falling on Riella once again before she reached back to pluck a light red feather from her wing, holding it up in front of her. “Fi, if you would be so kind.”

The wind picked up gently around us, snatching the small feather up in the sweet breeze and delivering it to us.

“For you, fierce warrior,” Avalon nodded, smiling as Riella’s eyes widened with awe. “Take it. It is a gift for you.”

Riella’s small hand reached outward and grasped the feather. A bright smile lit up her face. “It is beautiful! Thank you! It is so very soft,” she said, running her hand along the edges.

Avalon smiled gently at her, her wings stretching before she tilted her head up to the sky. “Do me a favor, cousin. Don’t bother returning, like ever. I shall inform the council you were lost in Wrath’s seas.”

I snickered before Avalon launched herself back into the night sky, twirling in her flight, her unique wings a wondrous display of power and beauty.

Zazion cleared his throat, and I glanced down at him. “Whatever happened to your shifter mate, I know that he will not allow his absence to be long. He will always find you, Goddess of the Wells.”

I swallowed hard, not expecting a demon of Hell to care about my shifter soulmate. Their time together must of had an impact on him. “Thank you Zazion.”

He nodded, his tail twitching, “I meant what I said before, Remnant Dark.”

I sniffed. “Yes, I understand your loyalty to your queen demon, you guiding us into the den of the demon mother of snakes made that clear enough.”

He chuckled darkly, “Yes, thank you for that, one less thing I need to take care of in my lands. Besides, her lair was the quickest way to The Well and I knew both you and your mate could handle it.” Shaking his head, his horns glittering with blood, he regarded me seriously, “What I speak of is in regards to your daughter, Remnant Dark. The true queen of Faerie will always be welcomed in the realm of Greed. You have my word as a demon.”

I pursed my lips, “What of your word as a prince ?”

He grinned evilly then, sharp fangs shining brightly in the crackle of lightning spreading across the sky. “Princes covet shiny things, especially the prince of greed, and your daughter is a treasure I shall always keep safe should she seek it.”

Riella lifted her head, still holding her feather tightly, and I winced when her crown caught in the windblown tangles of my hair. “Thank you Zaz.”

He nodded and then pointed at the sleeping spirit guide who was not at all interested in our conversation. “Except that thing is not,” he snickered. “It’s a menace.”

Peeking one eye open, Zaki hissed before nestling back into the crook of my daughter’s neck, slumbering once again.

Laughing, his wings spread, his head tilting up to watch the acrobatic flight of his leader, dancing with lightning. “I trust you can take care of the blood crystals, sea king, and deliver them safely to the queen’s palace.”

“Aye, if that is what ye wish.”

His black eyes never left the sky when he whispered, “It is. This territory has experienced a huge blow, but I would not linger here much longer, Lir. Fi will not hold it against you if you visit another territory for now.”

The sea king grunted, a small tear falling from his eye and into his blood stained beard. “Thank ye, Zazion.”

The demon grunted and then easily shoved his great body back up into the air, meeting the flight of his queen circling back for him.

The blood crystals slid across the deck when the ship rocked gently as if bidding them goodbye, their silhouettes disappearing into the dark ominous clouds.