Page 4 of Shadows of Ruin (The Broken Prophecy #2)

Chapter 3

Lana

A dagger landed next to my feet, slicing into the ground with ease.

“Fucking assholes,” Storm grumbled.

Kade’s grip tightened on my arm, and he closed his eyes, wincing.

Two figures emerged from behind the rocks, and I bent my knees, trying, and failing, to yank my arm from Kade’s grasp.

“We’re the assholes?” the man said, moving fast. He pounced onto Storm, sending him toppling over. “You’ve been gone for months with no contact.” He swung at Storm’s head, but the fire-wielding warrior dodged, rolling away to keep himself from being pinned by the stranger. “No word. No, ‘Hello, my dear friends, everything is going according to plan.’ Nothing.”

Storm leapt to his feet, crouching down, and wielded a flame. The grin on his face made no sense as the two roughhoused like children instead of grown men fighting each other. I yanked again at Kade’s grip, attempting to free myself in case this rendezvous became too dangerous, and he finally relented.

A woman, just shorter than me, flipped a dagger in her hand, walking forward to pick up the additional blade, which landed at my feet a moment ago. She shoved her shoulder into Kade’s chest as she stood. “Oops,” she said.

A rumble sounded low in Kade’s throat.

“Don’t growl at me, you prick,” she said. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how many times we’ve had to cover for you?”

“You could have simply said you missed us.” Storm leaned over and clasped the male’s shoulder after helping him up from their tussle.

“It’s not funny,” she snapped, glancing in his direction before returning her gaze to Kade. She didn’t even bother acknowledging me.

“It’s not as if we’ve been playing tea party, we’ve had pressing matters to attend to,” Kade said, stealing a glance toward me.

What in the Fates is this about?

The female’s lips curled as she finally studied me. “Well, he isn’t pleased. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he meant to punish you for your extended disappearance and lack of duties. His list of traitors has grown tremendously in your absence.”

“So, no different than any other time we return.” Kade rolled his eyes, stepping around the female and taking a few long strides away from us as he scanned the horizon.

The unknown man with Storm snorted. “Right, except the tagalong you’ve brought with you might not fare so well.”

Kade jerked his body around to face him, shadows billowing outward. His eyes narrowed.

The man held up his hands. “Be as angry as you’d like. You better know how to explain your absence—and her, whoever she is. Actually…” He strode toward me and took my hand in his, kissing my knuckles. “Seeing as you’ve been in their company for so long, I can only imagine the lack of re spect and dignity you’ve been afforded. How about I show you how a real man of Mysthaven treats a lady?”

“ He will not touch her.” Kade’s menacing threat came out low and eerily quiet. “And neither will you.”

The behavior made it seem like these people weren’t friends, and yet they spoke like they knew each other.

“Kade?” Storm asked, taking a step closer to his friend.

The black in Kade’s eyes shifted from his normal beautiful grey. His darkened pupils growing so large, he looked more beast than man.

Something wasn’t right. Though his eyes had darkened like this before, the added tremor of his shadows was new.

Despite my hatred toward him, Storm’s concern only solidified that Kade’s rapidly shifting demeanor meant trouble.

“Fuck, not now,” Storm grumbled. He walked over, shoving the new man from my side.

As he stumbled, he threw up his hands and stood close enough for me to see the dramatic eye roll aimed at Kade. “I’m not going to hurt her. I merely thought you needed a reminder of who we’re dealing with now that you’re back?—”

The shadows around Kade darkened into pitch-black night, shuddering with what could only be rage.

“Kade?” I asked.

Though deep, his breathing choked out erratically, each time forcing the shadows to take up more and more space around him. The escalating situation made me fearful for him instead of angry at him for the first time since everything that happened in Brookmere. Whatever rage took root in Kade right now refused to let go.

I tried to step closer to him, but Storm grabbed me forcefully, holding me back and taking me by complete surprise.

Kade’s snarl rattled around us. “Get away from her.”

“Get yourself under control and I will.” Though firm, Storm’s tone held a compassion so unlike their hardened warrior exteriors.

The shadows around Kade intensified, not just in height but in density, their tendrils exploding in all directions.

“Shield!” the female in the group shouted.

Storm yelled Kade’s name as magic exploded. His shadows swirled around me, ripping me from Storm’s side before hovering around me in some sort of cocoon.

“Don’t you dare.” I slammed my hand through their haze, but the barrier they formed remained. “If you’re protecting me from whoever those people are, I don’t need it. I don’t need or want any help from you.”

“Get to her now,” Storm’s voice sounded from outside.

For some reason, logic abandoned me and the thought of Kade’s shadows coddling me in some kind of fight infuriated me.

Good . The angrier I remained at him, the easier the hate building inside of me could flourish.

I tried whipping my hands through his shadow magic, but I couldn’t see a damn thing. A male shouted in pain. Tits and daggers, were these friends or not? Why wasn’t I allowed to see what the hell they were doing?

“Let. Me. Go,” I said, emphasizing each word. “You dragged me here and I will not be kept in some sort of shadow prison.”

The shadows dissipated moments later.

“How dare you—” My words fell short as I stomped toward the last place I’d seen Kade.

Except, he no longer stood menacingly in front of the group. Instead, he kneeled hunched on the ground, propped on his hands. Tremors skated over him and his breaths came in ragged, rapid pants.

My reckless heart hurt at the sight.

Storm and their two “friends” were crouched behind a ring of fire, clearly coming from Storm’s fire magic. I’d seen him wield his fire magic before as we fought the dark ones in Brookmere. The flames receded slowly, and the man I didn’t know stood from their midst, clutching his arm to his chest.

It was only then I noticed the charred surroundings we found ourselves in. The few trees hadn’t been vibrant before, but they were charcoal now. The little bit of greenery burned. Everything surrounding us had been destroyed. Even the reddish tinted ground had a cracked grey look to it.

A few remaining shadows retreated from my feet toward Kade, leaving that same charred wake in their path.

All the dead earth, the damage—it stemmed from him.

This was Kade’s power. In all its glory. A power unfathomable, and, well, unbelievable had I not witnessed it now for myself.

Wielding that amount of power hurt him though. Or so it seemed. Frowning, I watched the still hunched figure of Kade on the ground.

Unsure of what set him off, I stepped closer to him and away from the strangers. Storm could handle them for all I cared.

Kade’s head snapped up, his gaze scanning me with an intensity that made me feel exposed. “Are you hurt?” A sheen of sweat glazed his furrowed brows.

Why would I be hurt?

I looked back toward Storm and the others. While he didn’t seem at all concerned by anything, the others gawked at me.

Though furious at the shadow-wielding prick at my knees, this hesitant behavior was so unlike the man I knew. The man I thought I knew.

“Fates above,” the strange male muttered through a sigh. He watched me, looking over me from head to toe like I shouldn’t be standing here.

What the hell is going on ?

I narrowed my gaze to him. “Why are you staring at me like you’re surprised I’m not dead?”

“Well, while I’d like to keep from ruining our friendship before it begins, to be blunt,” he said, “you should be dead.”

I frowned. “From what? His little temper tantrum?” I pointed at Kade. “Unfortunately for you all, it’ll take more than that to kill me.”

He blinked a few times before his shock morphed into amusement and he laughed. The deep sound was filled with pure joy, so much so that I fought my own smile. Laughter made the least sense in this moment.

But here we were.

The male laughed again, unable to stop himself it would seem, standing and letting his arm fall to his side, twirling it. The destroyed leather showed his skin beneath, turning from purplish blue back to his natural golden-brown color.

“Lana?” Kade rose from the ground, taking my hand and pulling me toward him. He cupped my face, capturing me with his stormy grey eyes, normal once more. He stared at me expectantly.

His nearness soothed the wretched pain of grief ripping me open. I let it wash over me, not caring if I hated myself for it later, as I momentarily took stock of him. His breathing steadied and the pain from earlier didn’t seem as prevalent.

“I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth before pulling my face from his touch. I forcefully reminded myself of my fury. Anger made it easier to stay away from him. This man had murdered my father and kidnapped me. This feeling in my heart that wouldn’t catch up to my logical mind had to be quashed. I shoved a finger into his chest. “I don’t need your protection. I’m not some weak helpless thing. Don’t you ever wrap me up in your damn shadows like that again.”

“If he hadn’t wrapped you up in his shadows you’d be as decimated as the land around us,” the woman’s voice drifted toward me. She stood with her arms crossed, glancing between Kade and me. “Quite frankly I thought he was killing you inside of them. We all did.”

A knot in my stomach twisted. Like jealousy. What did she know about his shadows? About his power?

My body tensed, jaw clenching. No, that was asinine. Kade could be around whatever woman he desired. My time with him was done.

Which made her words stand out clearer. “Killing me?”

“I would never hurt you.” Kade’s retort was quiet, softer and reminiscent of the male I’d met in Brookmere. The response was meant for me, even if everyone else could hear.

But that was a lie, wasn’t it? He had hurt me in ways even Andras hadn’t managed during the years trapped in the dungeons.

An awkward silence stretched taut between us before Storm sighed too loudly, running a hand over his face.

He stalked toward Kade and gripped his shoulder. “Better?”

Kade nodded to his friend and turned his back on me, not meeting my studious gaze. Walls that hadn’t existed in him before, now erected before my eyes. His distant demeanor surprised me, especially directed at Storm.

Hadn’t Storm previously told us during our drop that Kade acted differently in Ellevail? Kade had told me during our dance at the bonfire that who he was with me was who he wanted to be. I didn’t know what truths would come to play here in this new land. However, something about the Kade Blackthorn I knew had vanished since crossing the void.

The thought turned my stomach.

Kade’s voice broke through my thoughts. “I’ll figure out how to explain her presence to the king on the way.”

Right. They had a king. Here .

Kade and these Fae must work for him. My mind raced, desperately trying to piece together why he’d brought me here. Which was hard to ascertain when I lacked any details and didn’t even really know where here was.

“As exciting as this reunion has been, you’ve got some explaining to do. If we don’t get back to Mount Legion hastily, we’ll probably all be dead soon,” the man said. He approached me, holding a hand to his chest and bowing slightly. “I’m Jax. The polite, attractive, well-mannered male of this lot. So you’re in good hands now.”

A low grumble came from Kade’s direction.

“You wish for death, Jax,” Storm muttered under his breath.

I stared in quiet shock, processing the sudden reverent introduction. I wondered if he knew my title or if this simply served as the typical form of greeting here.

“Lana,” I said, bowing my head but not mimicking the hand gesture.

“That’s Raya.” Jax smiled, a dimple popped on his cheek, giving him a boyish look underneath his mop of sleek, curly black hair, completely at odds with the dark stubble and strong jawline. He stood slightly shorter than Kade and Storm, and yet still a few inches taller than me.

Raya nodded, appraising me. I took the time to size her up as well. She started it, after all.

The female's entire physique screamed predator. Her braided strands of hair were pulled back, woven into a bun on top of her head. Her dark skin shone with sweat underneath her leather tunic. I caught sight of the same inky mark I’d seen on Storm and Kade disappearing at her collarbone.

Raya was all warrior. Her face showed no hint of emotion. Hardened. Unshakeable.

“We need to move,” she said, her gaze flitting away as if she’d discovered nothing of value in me.

“Where were you holed up?” Storm asked the new Fae.

Jax rubbed his neck. “Sleeping on rocks just half a mile west. The screams of the beast sent us running this way. I’ve got plenty of antidotes if anyone needs?—”

“We’re fine,” Kade cut him off. He moved wordlessly in the direction Jax pointed.

What crawled into his shadows?

Raya and Jax followed behind Kade closely, but Storm stayed still, watching me.

“Being here is hard for him. He?—”

“Stop,” I said, abruptly cutting him off. “It can’t be harder than watching someone you lo—” I stopped myself this time. Adjusting. Love was not what I had felt for Kade. “Someone you trusted kill your father and take you from your home against your will.”

I looked back at the void we’d passed through. Somehow, I had to get away from them and find a way back to Brookmere. If I went with them traveling around their world, how would I ever know how to make it home?

“You’ll need him to cross it again.” Storm’s voice made me jump. He remained beside me, a small smile playing over his lips.

I scowled, hating it. Hating that he thought we could continue to develop the companionship we’d begun to forge.

“Don’t,” I said. “We aren’t friends anymore. I don’t want your fake smiles. You successfully deceived me, so you can drop the act now.”

His shoulders slouched. “It wasn’t an act.”

I turned on my heel, reluctantly moving in the direction of the others, but paused. “If I get home and something is wrong with Ian, I’ll slit your throat and feed you to the beasts of this void myself.”

“One day, you’ll care for me just as you care for Ian, Princess. I wouldn’t mind another fiercely loyal friend.” He bowed his head and moved, taking the lead as though he knew I’d made up my mind to go with them. Maybe he had been babysitting to ensure I didn’t run .

But where would I go?

The void wouldn’t let me through alone, and I doubted I’d be a match for these four Fae.

Still, I looked back over my shoulder once more. The painful questions I tried to ignore thrust themselves to the fore, spilling into my mind.

What happened in Ellevail? Did Andras get captured or did the dark ones take over?

Had my mother survived?

Kalliah? Leif? Corbin?

Ian?

I stifled a whimper.

I’d get back across the void to my home. Back to the people I loved, or I’d die trying.

Kade Blackthorn had no idea the agony I’d inflict on him should I be kept from Brookmere much longer.