Page 20 of The Stolen Bride (Kings of Fury #2)

Chapter

Twenty

When Three is a Crowd: Downsizing Without Bloodshed

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

B ile burned my throat. If I despised Deco, I positively detested the dreamseer who called herself my mother. But. Valkara had given me a clue about her downfall, at least.

I shifted my gaze to Juniper. Come on, come on. Look at me, sis.

A second passed–and she did. Triumph bloomed, and so did a new flare of heat in my hands. I noted the fear glazing her eyes and did my best to project a message: I know you’re scared, but try to keep Deco and Valkara occupied. Okay?

Maybe it was the twin thing, but I was almost certain she’d understood. She gave a slight nod before erupting, struggling against her bonds. The gag fell out of her mouth just enough to allow her to shout, “You will pay for this! ”

Deco sighed and stood to reset her gag. “Must you always interrupt important business?”

Juniper gave him an exaggerated pout. “I’m thirsty. Give me a drink, and I’ll kiss you as you’ve so desperately wanted.”

Valkara pinched the bridge of her nose. “Deco, don’t you dare give her–”

“Water,” the shifter king called, snapping his fingers in the air.

While soldiers rushed to obey, everyone distracted, I took my shot. “Lure Deco to the cells,” I told my guys softly. “Viktor, you’re going to pretend to kill me. When someone enters to check, we strike.”

Viktor scowled at Bodi. “There would be no need for such theatrics if I had my key. It allowed for the primordials escape from any lock.”

The prince winced. “About that.” Radiating all kinds of guilt, the prince turned his back on our spectators and slashed a claw tip through his wrist. Crimson welled and flowed, dripping to the floor.

“What are you doing?” I gagged as he dug inside the wound.

To my shock, horror and admiration, he pulled out a thin, bloody hunk of metal that was notched at the bottom with an elongated shaft and vine-like alloy strips intertwining in an ornate loop at the top. “I’ve never trusted the Valkara, and I doubted the key did what she said. To prevent you from giving it to her, I hid it.”

“I don’t understand. If this key facilitates escape, you’d be free right now,” I said. “Why can’t you ghost out of the cage?”

“Because it must be used in a specific way, by a specific person.” Viktor stood in place, staring at his brother, anger draining, replaced by shame and regret. “All this time, I blamed you. And yet you protected me. Protected our people, despite the risk of my wrath.”

“You can ply me with thanks and apologies when we’re home. Until then, let’s win this war.” Bodi wiped off the metal as best he could, then extended his arm through the bars, handing the key to Viktor.

“Bodi, I will forever love you for this,” I exclaimed. “Like a brother,” I added when Viktor growled. “Always like a brother.”

The prince gave me a half smile. “Ja, I’ve grown somewhat fond of you too.” He inclined his head. “You are my soon to be queen. If you agree to wed my brother, of course.”

My cheeks heated as Viktor shifted the intensity of his focus to me. “When I told I was keeping you, love, I meant it. You might as well say yes.”

I smiled at him, probably as goofy as a golden retriever. “Yes.”

He smiled back. “Well then.” He pressed the key against his sternum–and it absorbed, soon resembling a tattoo. A slight glow framed the edges. He flicked it, and it began to spin like a dial on a clock.

A frowning Deco noticed our actions and scowled, while Valkara resettled Juniper’s gag in place. “What have you done?” he demanded.

At my birth mother’s urging, a guard rushed over to turn a crank on the rack, pulling Juniper’s limbs taunt. Her back bowed, and a muffled scream escaped her gag.

Deco’s scowl deepened. “Stop,” he barked. “I did not give you permission to harm her.”

“Enough!” I screamed, swiping up the dagger Valkara had given me and rushing to the bars .

Viktor rolled his shoulders, grabbed my hand, and I gripped Bodi’s through the bars. We became a berserker daisy chain. Together, we walked out of the cages.

Deco and Valkara cursed. The guards rushed at us. Bodi charged at them. The rage I’d been too drained to summon earlier torched me in seconds. But this time, I didn’t lose my thoughts. I remained present. Ice cold, but focused.

Knowing Viktor would deal with Deco, I locked my sights on Valkara, who paled.

“She’s all yours.” Without taking his gaze from the enemy, Viktor leaned down and pressed a quick kiss into my cheek. “Do whatever you like with her. I care not.”

“You trust me to win?” Wonder filled me for a thousand different reasons.

“From the moment I met you, love, you have always found a way to do so.” That said, he ran at Deco, who ran at him. They converged in the middle of the underground chamber, two wild animals determined to claim the title of king of the jungle. Despite everything I’d witnessed since waking up in a strange new world, their savagery shocked me.

“Consequences go both ways, mother dearest,” I purred to Valkara. High on Viktor’s confidence in me, I tightened my grip on my dagger and stalked toward her.

She stalked toward me, too. To block me from approaching Juniper? We stopped mere feet away from each other. I stared into gray eyes, missing only the hints of gold to match mine. We might share physical similarities, but nothing of importance. I had zero in common with this selfish woman bent on the destruction of her own children.

“Look at me, alive and well, despite your best efforts,” I said, spreading my arms. Heat unfurled deep in my chest and spread along my limbs, collecting in my fingertips, where claws sprouted.

I darted my gaze to Juniper. She struggled to free herself from the rack, and my rage burned deeper. Deeper still.

“I knew it would come to this.” As smug as before, Valkara added, “Just wait till you see what comes next.”

Let her intimidate me? No. Enough chit-chat. I swiped out my claws. With the grace of a gazelle, she leaned back, arching her spine, avoiding contact, ensuring I only sliced through air.

She brushed a piece of lint from her robe. “Is that all you’ve got? Honestly, I expected better.”

Must have vengeance! Must pour all the anguish I’d experienced wondering about who she was, what she was like, if she hoped to meet me as much as I hoped to meet her, into her body until she split apart at the seams. Yes!

A small, rational thought held me steady. Did she purposely antagonize me, hoping I’d lose myself in a berserkerage?

I settled for spewing a taunt of my own. “I might have mourned your loss the first part of my life, but I will celebrate your loss during the time that remains.” This evil woman would never harm my loved ones again.

“You think you can win because you haven’t yet read the writing on the wall. News flash. It spells doom. You cannot defeat me, Clover.” Smile widening, Valkara purred, “Time for Momma to deliver her first spanking.”

I blinked and suddenly she held my dagger, and I did not. Shock didn’t have a chance to form. She shoved the blade into my gut. Agony seared me, and stars flashed over my vision. Grunting, I hunched over. Liquid rushed up my throat, and crimson spilled from my mouth. I was getting really tired of being stabbed .

Juniper screamed and Viktor roared, the sounds seeming to travel through a narrow tunnel as my vision constricted. Dizzying darkness closed in…

“Love!” Viktor snarled.

“Clover,” my twin sobbed.

The darkness retreated, or I stepped from its path, their voices a lifeline leading me into the light. Inhale. Exhale. Good, that was good. My head ceased spinning.

I took stock. Valkara watched me, curious. The battle between kings hadn’t lessened. They used the entire space, doing laps around Valkara and me, sometimes slamming into Bodi and his opponents, the number of which had dwindled significantly. Juniper had released one leg from her shackles and fought to liberate her remaining limbs.

“You killed Lena,” Deco bellowed at the berserker king. “You will know my pain!”

“ You killed her when you believed her lies,” Viktor spat.

With gritted teeth, I straightened and plucked the bloody blade free from my stomach. Never had I been more grateful for supernatural healing. “You will pay for that, too,” I told my mother.

“I’ve wrangled primordials for centuries,” she said, oh, so casual. “I’m not new to battle. As you can feel.”

True, that knife thrust had hurt as if a thousand Labrador puppies tested their razor-sharp teeth on my insides, but thankfully my wound healed in a matter of seconds. “Maybe I won’t kill you. Maybe I’ll keep you locked up, so you can watch as I win the loyalty of the primordials. You had to chain them, but they’ll adore me, their liberator.”

Scowling, she swiped at me, moving so swiftly I couldn’t mimic her and avoid injury. Like me, she possessed thick black claws, and the tips scraped across my cheek .

Skin split and blood trickled, stings erupting. My rage burned hotter.

“Hurt her good, Clove!” Juniper called.

Valkara’s smile returned and widened. “Last chance to surrender.”

As she spoke, I tracked Viktor and Deco from the corner of my eye. They beat at each other without mercy, ripping out organs with their hands. Both failed to do a heart amputation, but not for lack of trying. Any love between them had died.

Juniper freed her other leg.

My mother wanted me to surrender. “No, thanks,” I snapped.

Valkara delivered a dramatic sigh. “Very well. I would’ve shown you a smidgen of mercy and let you say goodbye to your sister. Instead, I’ll let Viktor experience sudden loss exactly as Deco did. The results won’t be as pure, but I’ll find a way. I always do.”

Nothing but a blur, she latched onto my arm and flung me into the combatants. I slammed into Deco just as Viktor swung his claws at the beast’s chest.

I rolled out of the way as he pulled back. The actions cost us. Deco raked his claws through Viktor’s throat, and Valkara zoomed over. She grabbed a fistful of my hair and, rather than tossing me back into the fray, which had moved closer to Juniper, she threw me into a wall.

Breath abandoned my lungs, but I didn’t let the lack prevent me from diving into her when she approached, driving her to the ground. We rolled one over the other, striking and blocking without mercy. Adrenaline surged until I felt nothing but the icy frost of my rage. No, no, this wasn’t rage but fury, and it burned so hot it left me cold. I maintained my wits, and yet, still she delivered injury after injury. Strength began to drain, weakness taking its place.

I slowed gradually until my knees collapsed. Down I went, unable to do anything but huff and puff. What the—I scanned my body and gnashed my teeth. She’d cut me open from hip to hip. Things had spilled out, and the sight revolted me.

Juniper gave a cry of denial. Viktor released a guttural roar and headed my way. When the shifter king moved into his path to strike, the berserker king ripped out his trachea. It would have been his heart, but Deco repositioned at the last second. Dropping the bloody mass as the shifter collapsed, Viktor resumed his sprint to me.

How long before Deco recovered?

At my side, Valkara grinned, drawing back her elbow, claws spread. “Told you I’d win.”

I spotted Juniper, sneaking up on us and smiled. “Wrong.”

With a high-pitched war cry, my sister slammed into our mother. Both flew to the ground. On the way down, Valkara swiped her claws across my twin’s throat, just as Viktor had swiped at Deco’s. Juniper’s yelp of pain died a split second after it began.

“Nooo!” Despite my weakness, I threw myself at the pair at the same time Viktor threw himself at me. My hand latched onto my sister’s, who reached for me. At the moment of contact, a bolt of pure power shot through me.

Wounds healed in seconds. Strength flooded me. No part of me was left untouched. But there was too much to contain, a glowing light flickering with various colors shooting from my pores. It hurt as much as it helped, and I screamed from my deepest depths.

The same power must have hit Juniper. She reacted similarly, the torn skin across her neck knitting back together. Our lights drew together and snapped into place like two lost puzzle pieces finally connected. A ball of light formed around us, lifting us both off our feet and blurring out the rest of the world.

My sister and I hovered mere inches apart, eye to eye. Health and vitality had returned to her cheeks. Locks of dark hair with hints of red floated around her.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” I replied.

We shared a tentative smile. When we both reached out, offering the other our hands, a little laugh escaped me. We linked fingers.

“Any idea what’s happening right now?” she asked.

“If one is good, two is better?”

Like me, she gave a little laugh, and oh, it did my heart good, seeing her happy. But she sobered all too swiftly.

The gravity of the situation sobered me as well. “I want to get to know you more than anything—except saving my future husband. Help me dial down our, um, whatever this is, so I can jump back into the fight.” No telling what was going on out there right now.

“Maybe if we separate?” she suggested.

Excellent idea. Though I hated to do it, I released her, then flapped my arm and kicked my legs, as if swimming in air. I must look ridiculous, but I didn’t care. As the distance between us widened, we floated to the stone floor. By the time we stood upon the foundation, the bubble of light faded completely. The chamber came back into view, and my jaw nearly unhinged. Oh, Great Dane!

Everyone else laid strewn upon the ground, either unconscious or—No! I rushed to Viktor’s side and pressed two fingers into the hollow of his neck.

Relief washed over me. He was alive and well.

Juniper glanced at Deco before hurrying to Bodi to check him over.

“He still lives,” she called.

How long until everyone woke up? “Let’s get Mommy Dearest and her fiend into the cage.” They might be able to pass through the bars for reasons I didn’t yet know, but they’d have a hard time getting out of their bonds.

We worked together to drag both Valkara and Deco inside a cell, shackled both, and anchored their bonds to the hooks hanging from the ceiling.

When we finished, we looked at each other and grinned at a job well done. I almost threw my arms around Juniper and hated that I couldn’t. What did this mean for our relationship?

I returned to Viktor and patted his cheek. “Wake up, baby. It’s time to celebrate. Your firebrand and her twin saved the day.” No response. I patted with a bit more force. “Pudding pop. Come on now. Wake up and kiss me.”

Again, no response. Apprehension prickled my skin. “Viktor, I mean it. Wake up.”

Juniper stood off to the side, her arms wrapped around her middle, watching. “What do you want me to do?”

I didn’t know. No images flashed over the walls, so this wasn’t a sleep caused by the vargbane root. Plus, no one else had awakened, either.

“Viktor.” I hit him hard enough to jolt.

Still nothing.

A lump grew in my throat. What had we done to everyone?

Valkara’s words whispered through my mind. You think you can win because you haven’t yet read the writing on the wall. It spells doom .

Something about her tone. In the heat of the moment, I’d missed it but now…My gaze flipped to the walls. The scratches I’d believed were tick marks…did they resemble letters?

I popped to my feet and raced over, intensifying my study. When the message breached my understanding, I sucked air between my teeth. On the stone, the Valkara had carved the words:

To awaken all, a twin must fall.

This deed you’ll do, if goodness you eschew.