Bound by Blood

Finally updating C:> Since AF has yet to put in any kind of 'email me when this story updates' feature, if you wanna keep up with this, if you go to my site, I have an email list I've set up: I have a handful of fics I still go and refresh every day to see if they're updated, and I know I'd love to have that button available, so there it is.

Thanks for reading! I promise I'm getting to the good stuff. This chapter might not be all that exciting, but the next one will make up for it C:

 

Vella –



 



Drust looked odd wearing normal clothes. He didn’t blend in, not by a long shot. His very presence was dangerous and dressing him up any other way was like putting ribbons in a lion’s mane and calling it a kitten. But still, it was better he played dress-up than if he wandered around in full gear and weapons. The same went for me. I’d felt stupid and awkward in a skirt since I’d never really been very feminine. I was playing dress-up just as much as Drust was.



My hair was down and draped over a shoulder, as was the fashion here. I never wore any earrings or other jewelry, it was too easy to grab ahold of in a fight and I rather valued my ears. Underneath the skirt I refused to remove my traveling pants. If I needed to move quickly, the skirt was a hindrance and it would be better to tear it off and fight in pants, than to tear it off and fight in my undergarments. I was practical, but I did understand modesty.



I took one last look at myself in the mirror, grimaced at my reflection, once again disappointed by my dark brown eyes, and strode outside before I changed my mind and tore off the entire ensemble. Drust turned as I entered and opened his mouth to speak. The words died in his throat and he stared.



I fidgeted and put a hand on my hip. “What?” This turned out to be a bad idea, because it drew his attention down to my hips as well. I was lucky he wasn’t interested in what I had to offer physically and otherwise.



He closed his mouth and shared a small smile, his eyes sparkling in amusement. “I wasn’t aware you were so attractive.” I stared back, my eyes widening, and felt my face flush. He added hastily, “Not that you weren’t beautiful before, but for a man that knows his preferences, you’re stunning.”



I punched him in the shoulder as I walked by and he winced. “No wonder Skaa loves you, you’re very charming.” I picked up the boots and sat by the now dead fire and laced them up, the fur on the inside warming my feet. The boots were almost as high as my knees, so I was going to be sitting there awhile.



He asked, “How can we know this girl is Tanus’s daughter?”



I shook my head and tugged on the leather to tighten it. “We don’t. All we know is she’s had a very keen interest in finding you, and she’s been trying to be subtle at it, and she’s failing.”



There was a tightness to his voice that I couldn’t identify. “How old is she?”



“From the descriptions, I’d say she’s barely an adult.” I finished tying my shoes, and when I looked up, Drust’s expression was so forlorn I couldn’t keep my curiosity to myself. “What?”



He asked a rhetorical question. “Have you ever thought you knew someone, and then it turns out you didn’t know them at all?” He looked like he was going to say more, but he cleared his throat and stopped himself. “Okay cover story. You’re myyyyy?”



“Wife?”



“Is that believable?”



I shrugged a shoulder. “It will probably yield fewer questions.” He nodded and took his traveling cloak from a wooden hook on the wall.



We took our cloaks and tied them around our shoulders. Drust threw his hood up to hide his appearance from any would-be bounty hunters. It wasn’t unusual for this type of weather, so he would pass by unnoticed.



He reached for the door and swung it open in an overly dramatic gesture. “Then after you.”



I gave him a glare and strode out into the snow. I barely felt it anymore, and while it had everything to do with Skaa’s species, for me, it was a little different. The cold simply didn’t want to touch me. It shied away from my presence the way a society shuns a leper. It was both practical, and yet another reminder of how I was different.



I ignored it and said, “We need to travel to the next village north. Gareth will get the message out that someone has information for this girl, and our next fence will hopefully have the means to lead us straight to her.”



“This sneaking business, I was never any good at it.”



“I’m a woman, it’s what we do best.”



He glanced at me, realized I wasn’t serious, and smiled. He asked in a hushed voice. “What will the Bloodhelm do now that their primary goal no longer exists?”



I raised a brow, both cautiously and playfully. “Are you asking as a friend, or as an enemy?”



He said, “You know I consider you a friend.”



“You hardly know me.”



He said wearily, “I know that I can trust you, and that’s what matters most.”



I looked down in thought, my gaze wandering to the activities of a local blacksmith. “The Bloodhelm has been and will always be a safe haven for lost souls. Destroy what should not be.”



“I’ve heard that from prisoners before. A saying to live by?”



“A creed.” I hesitated. “What happened to the prisoners you took?”



His voice was flat. “Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to.”



I dropped it, I knew we all did what we needed to, and now wasn’t the moment to deal with the past. I focused instead on getting out of this town and onto the road. We had a meager supply of Trins and Trindits left and instead of buying most of our supplies we decided to rough it and fend for ourselves. We were certainly capable, although maybe a bit lazy. Maybe lazy was the wrong choice of words. Unmotivated seemed more appropriate.



Drust looked a bit lost without Skaa by his side. He’d spent the last few weeks taking care of him, and it had become a routine. Now that he wasn’t here, he seemed even higher-strung than usual. To any onlooker he would seem bored, maybe even I bit tired. But I could see the tension in his spine and the tightening of his jaw whenever someone stepped too close for comfort. He was a soldier at heart and he couldn’t be comfortable in a sea of strangers any more than Skaa had been.



It was a blessing when we finally stepped back into familiar territory and set on the road towards Ferrun. It wasn’t a long way away, and the odds that we were going to run into anyone else were quite slim. We walked in mutual silence for quite a long time before Drust broke the silence. “Why did you join the Bloodhelm?”



The question startled me, I hadn’t thought he’d cared. I could have just brushed him off, but no one had ever asked before, and I felt compelled to tell him. “My father. He didn’t want this life for me, but once I started to grow up, he realized I was…special. I didn’t behave like a little girl should, and that scared people. He hid me away to protect me, but I didn’t see it that way. I hated him, I thought he was trying to control my life. Now I understand.”



I felt his eyes on me and I swallowed. I brushed my fingertips over the dagger hidden under my skirt and strapped to my thigh in habit. “I started picking fights, I was so angry. After my father was killed, all my anger and hate turned into this void. I realized my power when I killed for the first time. It was just an accident. I didn’t-“ I anchored myself, the sudden flood of emotion startling. “That was when the Bloodhelm decided they could use me. It was only a matter of time until I climbed in rank. I ended up with my husband a couple of years before he was promoted.”



Drust was quiet for a time before he asked, “I think you turned out alright, if that means anything.”



“The opinion of a bloodthirsty general turned fugitive? Why not.”



I was surprised when he laughed, though there was a bitter edge to it. “Vella, you certainly can put things in perspective.” He slowed his pace so we were walking side by side. “I know I wanted you dead, but the world really would have been worse off without you.”



I felt the heat creep into my ears and I covered it up with suspicion. “Why are you being so nice to me?”



“You were nice to me first. You didn’t have to keep me from freezing to death and you didn’t have to stick around. You’ve been nothing but helpful these past few weeks and I would be a dick if I didn’t recognize that.” There was a bite to his words, like he was angry with himself. “I’m in a bad place, but I do still have Skaa. You…” He stopped and glanced up, his eyes wide in fearful sadness. Yeah, I didn’t have anyone left.



He stopped with a gentle hand on my wrist. “You have us, for better or worse.”



He was serious. My throat tightened and I swallowed. “Yeah.” I started forward and cleared my throat. “We should walk fast, we need to get there before nightfall.”



“Sure thing, princess.”



“Don’t call me that.”



“Sure thing…princess.” I scoffed, but I had to work to hide a smile. I’d never had a friend before. It was stupid and juvenile, but the small fact that Drust and Skaa were around to back me up felt pretty good.



I’d managed to forgive Skaa for killing my husband because the honest truth was that I hadn’t really loved him. He’d thought I was beautiful and strong, but the attraction and appeal ended there. He hadn’t accepted me the way Whinter had, or even Drust and Skaa could for that matter. That meant something to me. It meant a hell of a lot.



 



 



 



 



Drust –



 



We made it to Ferrun just before sundown and we were lucky no one recognized me. It was probably more due to the fact that no one seemed to care and no one was looking. It was the end of the trading season and most were celebrating in pubs or simply relaxing.



She left me near the edge of town near a stable. The smell of horses was overpowering, even in the cold, and I couldn’t imagine how bad it would be if it had been hot, and for that reason alone I didn’t curse the cold while I started to shiver. The temperature plummeted now that the sun was slipping behind the mountains. If she made me stand here too long I was going to be more than uncomfortable.



I paced by a rotting fence, my gloved hands tucked under my arms while my breath started to fog in front of my nose. The sky was turning a deep violet when I heard footsteps behind me.



Vella trotted over to me and waved me over. “You won’t believe how easy this was. She’s practically shouting your name in the streets.”



I lifted my brows. “You saw her?”



“No, but I arranged a meeting for us at sunset. Sooner rather than later, right?” She saw the shiver run through my shoulders. “You going to be okay?”



“I’m fine. Where are we meeting her?”



She turned and waved a hand. I followed close on her heels and did my best to ignore the anxiety building up in my chest. Why was she looking for me? There were a number of reasons flitting through my head, but none of them seemed to end well for me, so I stopping thinking.



Vella walked briskly and with purpose. “You’ve been to Ferrun before?”



Her answer was hesitant. “Yes. A long time ago. It hasn’t changed much.” And that was the end of that.



Walking helped get some heat back into my limbs and made the cold bearable, but it didn’t keep me from craving a warm mug of mead. Damn did I need a drink.



I was still a fugitive, that wasn’t any different today than it was yesterday, and Skaa was romping about playing hostage with some random ass dragon. A dragon for fuck’s sake, and I was about to meet the daughter of a man I’d considered a brother and I hadn’t even known she’d existed until recently. “Fuck.”



Vella made a sound of agreement in the back of her throat. It wasn’t like the cause of my problems was a secret. Luckily I didn’t have to brood on it any longer, because she stopped short next to a building build with stone walls and supported with thick wood beams. In the dark it was hard to tell, but I figured it must be a mill.



She slid the door open and stepped in first. I agreed with her decision wholeheartedly, if this was an ambush, she might as well take the grunt of it. When she wiggled a beckoning finger, I trusted her that there was no hidden danger.



We stepped inside and she shut the door behind us. I drawled sarcastically, “Yeah, it’s not like it’s dark or anything.”



A flare of light bloomed from the shadows in front of us and sent deep shadows from equipment crawling up the walls of the building. The light was coming from the stranger’s hand, their fingers washing in cool fire that rippled over their skin like the heavens lights. The hand was feminine, and I could only hope this was Tanus’s daughter.



The hooded figure stepped forward, her voice smooth and gentle, and more obviously, young. “Are you Drust?”



“Who’s asking?”



She was quiet a moment, her head dipping forward, though still deeply obscured by shadow. “My name is Lithia, my father…was Tanus Hearthsul.”



My brow creased as I stared at the fire rippling across her palm. “But you…”



“Can use magic? Aren’t you the sharpest tool in the shed.” I frowned. She had a tongue like her father. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain it, but since you’re so brilliant, it couldn’t hurt. I’m half elf, like you. My mother was elvish, though she died in childbirth, so I never met her.”



Her control was astounding for someone so young. I was assuming she was young, from the tone of her voice. “Who taught you?”



“No one. I taught myself.” My eyes widened. That was simply unheard of. Anyone with magic as strong as she was displaying now should have killed themselves without proper training.



I took a step forward and she flinched, her feet shifting under her shoulders in case she needed to defend herself. It seemed Tanus hadn’t fallen short on that front. “So, Lithia, why were you looking for me? This is going to sound wrong no matter how I say it, but you don’t know me.”



“I know! My father told me that if anything-“ She stopped short and sucked in a pained breath. When she started again her voice was barely concealing pain. “If anything happened to him, I should find you.”



“Did he? Did he say why?”



“He said that I would be in danger, and to kick back my pride and ask you for help.”               



I took a step closer and stretched out a hand. “Give me your hand.”



She withdrew, the fire fluttering with her agitation. “What? Why?”



“Please. Take my hand.” She stared from the depths of her hood, considering. She knew what I wanted from her, she could feel it, I knew she could. Slowly, she outstretched a hand, the fire curling around her fingers and palm and she stepped forward and took my hand.



The magic inside me protected me from the heat with little to no conscious decision on my part, but that wasn’t why I’d needed contact with her skin. I let my power flare for the first time in a while, and I heard her gasp in surprise and try to jerk back. I closed my hand around hers and didn’t let go. I said, “Now you know I am who I say I am.”



“What are you doing?”



“You’ve never been around anyone else with power, have you?”



“No.” I thought I heard regret in her voice.



“When two magic users share contact while they’re both using, they can share a connection. It prevents them both from lying or deceiving, among other things. It’s stronger the more powerful you are.”



She sounded breathless. “You really are half elf.”



“Why would you say that?”



She took a small step back and flicked her wrist. The fire in her palm leapt and spiraled in the air above her like it was waiting for an order. She pulled back her hood, and I saw her for the first time. She looked so much like her father, it was in her eyes and the determined set of her jaw. In the blue hue of the light it was difficult to see her hair, but it seemed pale enough to be blonde or maybe a light brown. It was to her shoulders and framed her perfect oval face in a light wave.



It was pulled back by a thick headband, and when she removed it, I saw why. She had inherited the curved ears of her mother,  so it was no wonder she chose to have long hair. On top of all of that, she couldn’t have been older than 16. I set my jaw and asked, “Did Tanus ever explain why he kept you a secret?” Didn’t he trust me? Hadn’t he trusted me…



Her brows creased, “I didn’t know. He talked about you all the time. I thought you knew.”



I shook my head, aware of Vella’s presence hovering just behind me. I asked, “I’ve only heard second-hand, but if it’s not too painful, can you tell me what happened?”



Her eyes watered and she looked to the wall and tugged at a strand of her hair. “My father was home for a couple days, and the whole time he seemed…off, just different. That was when he told me to find you. He said if something ever happened to him, I could trust you. He went up to the fortress and he never came back.” She clenched her jaw and squelched the tears that wanted so badly to fall. “I heard about it the next day when Kane took his place. I saw the wanted posters.” Her voice shook. “Did that man kill my father?”



“I know he did.”



The fire floating above her glowed brighter as her eyes hardened with rage. “Then you’ll help me kill him.”



“Lithia, as much as I’d love to see that bastard choke on his own liver, we can’t just attack him without a plan.”



“I did what my father asked, I found you! I don’t owe you anything, I’ll do what I want.” She started to turn away.



“Lithia! Listen for a moment! You go after him now and I don’t care how strong you are. You’ll end up dead and he’ll laugh over your corpse and have the satisfaction of knowing no one will be able to challenge him. Is that what you want?”



She looked like she wanted to punch me, and I shifted so I was on guard. Suddenly, the fight just rushed out of her, and she looked like she might burst into tears. Her voice wobbled with emotion, and my heart twisted with the effort she put into hiding her pain. “My father is dead and I can’t even avenge him. How worthless is this power if it can’t even do that?”



I let out a heavy breath and moved closer, my hands at my sides in the least threatening posture I could manage. “Sweetheart, you’re stronger than you should have to be. No child should have to avenge a parent. It’s okay to cry.”



I was shocked when she lurched for my chest and wrapped her arms around me. She sobbed like the little girl she could no longer be. It broke my heart to hear her cry, and I didn’t even know her. Even then, this responsibility I was feeling for her safety had to do with more than a sense of duty. She was like me, half elf and confused.



I’d once felt just like her. Hell, I still did. I’d seen it in her eyes. I saw it in mine whenever I looked in a mirror, and I know Skaa saw it too. The disconnect with those around me because I was different.



I hesitated, then wrapped my arms around her shoulders in what I hoped was a comforting hug. I looked at Vella and mouthed, ‘Do we have someplace to go?’ She shook her head, her eyes unfocusing when she looked at Lithia. Her shoulders shook and I could smell her tears, but from the control she had over her sobs I could tell that this girl was no stranger to stifling the sound of her tears. No one should have to do that.



I said, “Unless you have someplace discreet you were staying, I’m afraid we don’t have anywhere to go.”



She rapidly stepped away from me, wiping at her eyes in embarrassment. She sniffed. “No, no I only paid for one night, I was planning on moving on tonight.”



I dropped my head and rubbed my neck. “Well, I hope you don’t mind roughing it in the woods, because I don’t see any other option.”



Lithia only nodded, her eyes falling to rest on Vella. “Who’s she? Your wife?”



Vella blushed, I could hear it in her voice. “What? No, we’re just friends.”



I offered, “Her name is Vella.”



Lithia looked between the two of us. “Okay. Never heard of you before.”



“I’m umm…new.” I couldn’t even imagine explaining that, so I stuck with Vella. At least Lithia was calming down.



“In case anyone cared, I’m freezing, so if either of you don’t mind, I’d like to go get warm, and maybe get some sleep. What do you say?”



They both just stared, so I took the initiative and turned towards the sliding door. The instant I had it open, Lithia put out her Fyrelight with a casual twitch of her fingers. The very fact that she had kept it under control even with her emotional breakdown was almost alarming. I couldn’t even imagine how strong her mother must have been if this is what her daughter could do as a child.



We had just as much ease leaving town as we did entering it and it wasn’t long before we started a discreet fire. Vella and I gathered twigs and I let Lithia start it. She seemed proud of herself that she was useful, and I figured she needed the reassurance.



Not much was said until we all had time to hunker down by the fire. Vella couldn’t care either way, but I don’t think she wanted Lithia to know how different she was. If anything, the woman was nervous. I’d never seen her so nervous, and not in the battle ready sense that I’d see her before our fight with Zielyr, she seemed terrified of the girl.



Instead of putting her on the stop I let it slide until we could get a moment alone, but as soon as lithia seemed comfortable I said, “I know you don’t want to hear this Lithia, but it’s not a question that can wait.” Her eyes met mine over the glare of the fire in seriousness. “Is Kane a good leader?”



“How can you say that?!” She was on her feet before I’d even finished speaking.



I kept my voice as calm as I could and stayed where I was, my hands folded in my lap. “I’m not going to put the people into chaos just because I want revenge.”



I could feel Vella’s eyes burning into me and I stifled the urge to look. Lithia’s disapproval was almost tangible. “You’re supposed to be his friend!”



“Calm down-“



“Don’t tell me what to do! You weren’t even here when he died!”



Vella jumped to her feet, her voice laced with iron. “You have no idea how out of his way he’s going for you. He risked a lot to find you, and he just found out you existed a few days ago.”



Lithia ground her teeth, but turned her full attention back to me. “Even if you don’t know me, I know you cared about my father. How could you just let his death go?”



I stood and said, “I never said I’d let him live. I asked you if he was a good leader.”



She swallowed her words and gave a quick shake of her head. “I-I don’t know.”



“I’m not going to let Kane get away with this, I can promise you that much.” I sat back down, and gave Lithia a prompting look. She sat back down, pushing her feelings aside long enough to listen. I glanced at Vella and she reluctantly joined me, but she still seemed uncomfortable with the entire situation. “Thank you.”



I continued, “Depending on his supporters and his popularity this could be difficult.”



“You can’t just come back and tell everyone what he did?” She sounded so hopeful it actually hurt me to tell her the truth.



I folded my hands and sucked in a sharp breath. “I wasn’t the most likeable person, Lithia, your father was the only person I really trusted. You know better than anyone what it’s like to be half human. People didn’t trust me, they never had, so I gained their respect with fear. That doesn’t rank me at the top of their list.” I paused, “What do you know about me?”



“Rumors mostly. When my father talked about you it was usually to complain.” I didn’t hide the small bit of humor I felt at that. I’d spent most of his days annoying him if I remembered correctly. “Everything he ever said about you, it didn’t match with the rumors, so I wasn’t sure if I should believe them.”



She watched me curiously, hoping I would continue. I considered lying to her, but decided with a personality like hers, lying to her would only make her distrust me. “A lot of the rumors are true. I killed a lot of people, it wasn’t always the right thing to do.”



She nodded slowly. “He said you were like this.”



“Like what?”



She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared into the fire. “Straight forward, to the point.”



“He always hated that part of me.”



 



 



 



 



 



Skaa –



 



                  The cave Terrun and I sat in was mostly natural, and any effort on the dwarves part to excavate and mold it was slight, and elegant in a way I’d never seen, even beyond the elves. For all the faults other races seemed to find with them, they understood architecture in ways I’d never dreamt.



Terrun had taken us along a route half flooded with water, just in case his brother thought to send any kind of hound scenting after us. It was a nice touch, and I doubted Terrun had wanted to do it. Down in the depths the air was still and cold, shunned by sunlight for decades.



We were sitting around a small magical fire, nothing fancy, just something Terrun had thought to bring at the last second. He’d brought with him a small bag of what looked and smelled like condensed ashes. With a simple word augmented with intent, it created a small fire. According to Terrun the little fire would only last about six hours, then it would flicker out and die. It was an ingenious little thing, and with his legs soaked from the knee down he needed the warmth.



For the majority of our walk we’d remained silent, and only now, sitting in the dark with nothing but the crackle of fire and my thoughts, the silence started to weigh against me. It was oppressive in a way I hadn’t thought possible. With Zeilyr, it had been a constant roar, his insanity refusing me a second of peace. The polar opposite seemed just as torturous.



I stared at Terrun, the dwarf’s brows drawn as he glared into the fire, his thoughts tumulus behind amber eyes. I willed him to speak, anything to break the silence pressing in around us. I couldn’t bring myself to shatter it, like it was the most terrifying thing in the world.



I pressed my thumb into my palm, my claw breaking the skin and drawing blood. I closed my eyes and focused on the scent, the sound of my heartbeat fluttering against my ribs. Terrun’s heart was a slow, steady beacon in the dark, and I focused on that instead. The rhythm was slow, calming, and soon my panic of the silence began to fade. It certainly wasn’t gone, but it was manageable.



I opened my eyes to Terrun’s concerned gaze. He glanced down to my hand then back up. I was still digging my claws into my hand, the blood still dripping. I flexed my hand as it healed and audibly sighed when Terrun spoke. “How’re you holding up?”



I blinked slowly and decided to confide in the dwarf. He’d kept my secrets so far, and I knew I needed to talk this out. Drust wasn’t here, and I was still far from okay. My voice came out quieter than I’d intended. “I’m not.” His mouth turned down into a stiff frown, but he waited for me to continue. “I feel like I’m drifting, or falling, or both. It started the second time I died, and it’s never been the same. I’m in pain, but I’m also numb…I’m not making any sense.”



“You aren’t. What do you mean, when you died?”



“It’s complicated, but I died. The first time was just surreal, but the second time, everything changed.”



“You don’t look dead to me.”



I smiled. “Of course not. He brought me back.”



“Who?”



“Zeilyr.”



“Who’s Zeilyr?”



For the most part, Terrun seemed to be going along with me, but from his perspective, he was humoring a madman. That didn’t matter to me, what mattered was that he bothered at all. “Zeilyr was the god of chaos, of darkness. He needed my body as a host, but when he took it, something in me broke, and I don’t know if I can ever fix it.”



I pulled my legs in so I was sitting cross-legged and leaned forward onto my knees.  “I close my eyes and I can still see all the people he killed. I can still hear his voice in my head. I remember his thoughts, his urges, the things he made me do.”



“How’d you kill him if he was in your head?”



“Another god sacrificed himself to destroy him. I knew him well.” Thinking of Mekot, I still felt nothing. No sadness, no regret, he was just a name, and a fading memory.



“I don’t know how you expect me to believe that.”



“Then don’t.” I startled myself with how much emotion I betrayed through my tone. I swallowed and pulled my tail in close. “I hate the silence, I hate it. There’s nothing left between me and my memories…Listen, I know what I sound like, but just listen for a moment. Something big is starting, and you and I and a handful of others are right at the center of it. I can’t fix this alone, just how you can’t kill Medrin alone.”



“What are you getting at?”



“I can’t afford not to trust you, with everything, and I know I’m probably the least trustworthy soul you’ve ever met. I’m begging you to trust me.”



“I do.”



I rolled forward to my feet and jumped the fire. I had Terrun’s short sword drawn before he could even flinch. “You say you do, but I need you to trust that everything I tell you is the truth, and right now, you don’t.”



His eyes were on the sword, and I didn’t blame him. “You can’t just make someone change their ways.”



“If you want to make a difference, I suggest you start trying.” I knew this might come back to bite me, but I needed this, for my own sanity and for Terrun’s own safety. “I want to make a blood oath.”



His eyes widened a fraction. “Is that really necessary? Blood oaths are dangerous, you don’t just throw those around like a handshake.”



“Maybe I’m a little mad, but I’m not stupid. You saw what your brother did to me, if we want to stop that from happening again, we have little choice.”



“And how does a blood oath help?”



“I’ll swear that no harm will be done unto you by my doing. I made a blood oath with my mate’s father, and no amount of magic can break it.”



He stood and I remained in a crouch, my eyes at chest height on him. He said, “What’s my end of the deal?”



“Promise me that once your brother is dead, your control is revoked.” I’d seen power corrupt, I’d felt it twist me and shape me into something I loathed. When Terrun took back his power, he might change, and if he decided to keep my oath, that could put me in a terrible situation.



I saw him draw the same conclusions I’d drawn and he said, “You want me to trust you, but you’re still keeping secrets.”



“Only because I think you won’t believe me.”



“Try me.”



“Terrun, the Gods are scared, and I can only imagine why. Whatever it is, it has something to do with whatever you think your brother found. There are a lot of maybe’s, but I can promise you, it’s not sunshine and daises.”



He scowled, struggling to come to a decision. “There’s still the possibility that you’re just playing me, and you haven’t revealed your real motives.”



“You’re giving me too much credit, all I want is to be left alone, but I don’t have a choice.”



“What makes you think you don’t have a choice?”



“There are no coincidences. At least, not for me. The Gods aren’t going to let me back out of this.”



He argued, “But why you?”



I shrugged and sat back. “Maybe because I’m in their debt. Maybe they’re holding a grudge. Maybe it’s just because I’m strong. Does it really matter?”



“Show me some shred of tangible proof that what you say is true, and I’ll make your oath.”



I fattened my ears in irritation. “Faith is never good enough for your lot, is it?”



“I need some proof, hellion.”



So we were back to hellion. I glanced down, my claws tracing the edge of the blade. It hadn’t ever been used, the edge was perfect. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”



“So many secrets, what harm is there in proof?”



I looked up. “Your sanity.”



“Is that a threat?”



“You know it isn’t.”



He shifted, his eyes returning to the sword. “I don’t see this going any other way.”



He was serious; he really did want to know. Dwarves could be more human in their need for proof than they ever realized. “Fine. I’m going to show you my memories. It isn’t going to be pleasant.”



“Get on with it then.”



I gave him a tight-lipped smile and reached out so my hand hovered just by his temple. “Don’t fight it.” I dredged up the memories I thought would make him best understand and kept them bound inside my power. I touched my fingers to his temple and let it go. His face scrunched into a pained grimace, and he fell back, unconscious.



Replaying the memories was far less dangerous than actually using the darkness. It reminded me that I desperately wanted to lose myself in bliss, real, pure bliss, but I resisted. Not just for my sake, but for Drust’s.



Hopefully when Terrun woke up, he didn’t want to kill me. I needed him to find Medrin, and he needed me to kill him. It sounded simple enough, but things were getting more complicated with each passing moment.



 



 



Drust –



 



I slept later than I’d intended, and the sun was already up when I finally sat up and stretched. I hated sleeping in the dirt, it twisted my neck all the wrong ways and gave me headaches I would rather do without.



I glanced across the charred remains of our fire at Lithia, and wasn’t surprised that she was still sound asleep. I couldn’t imagine how much stress she’d been under, and this might have been one of the few nights she’d actually slept a full night.



I moved my gaze from her back and scanned the small clearing for Vella. I found her form among the trees sitting on a young, fallen oak. I stood, winced at a pain in my hip and started for her.



I joined her on the log and sighed, leaning forward on my knees. Unseen birds called to each other under the shallow roar of the wind in the pines and the cold breath of morning. The sky was bright and grey with the promise of snow.



“What’s on your mind?”



Vellas brow was knit in tension, something that I’d noticed building for days. She was quiet for some time, her eyes unfocused and dark. “I think something horrible is about to happen.”



“Why do you think that?”



“The Gods feel different. There’s this tension in the world and it’s getting worse. I’m sure Skaa has noticed, even in his condition. I’m full of this anxiety, like there’s something terribly important that I’ve forgotten to do.”



“What scares a God?”



She glanced at me with wide eyes. “I don’t know.” She twirled a lock of hair around her finger and yanked it tight. “Also, I’ve been thinking, Skaa brought us someplace seemingly at random, and at that exact moment, a dragon with a bone to pick sees him use the darkness? Then we find Tanus’ daughter, and she’s a walking powerhouse. You have two demigods on your side, and you’re a swordsman with no equal. Don’t you see what’s happening?”



I didn’t like where this was heading. “Spell it out for me.”



“We’re an army. There are no coincidences, not like this.”



“What makes the Gods think we’ll just play along as their puppets?”



She closed her eyes and shook her head. “If they want something done, they get it. We might have been able to slow down one God, but several? We don’t stand a chance.”



“What are the odds that you’re wrong?”



“You can feel Skaa’s heart through your bond, can’t you? You’ll find your answer there.” She got up and brushed off her pants. “I’m going to go into town to see if there isn’t something to eat. You should be here when Lithia wakes up. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.”



She left and I turned my full focus to the bond that ran like a spider’s web through my heart. It was faint because he was so far away, but I could still feel his presence. She was right though, the undercurrent of his feelings were filled with anxiety and a whole confusing jumble of emotions that I couldn’t name.



It was confusing, but from what I could understand, he felt like he was being hunted. I wanted Skaa back by my side, but there were still things to be done. Like Vella said, there were no coincidences, not with us, and I had to hope that if the Gods needed him so badly then I could count on them to keep my hellion safe.