Darkness Falls: Cirenthian Chronicles (Book 2) Read online

  I said breathlessly, “Good morning.”

  They giggled and said it back in stereo. My eyes almost popped out as they licked each other’s face clean of the seed that had sprayed their faces as they passed me from one to the other. I swear they were trying to kill me. All I knew was that if I ever took these two women for granted I’d be a damned fool.

  Sienna said in faux surprised innocence, “Oops, I think we got him hard again.”

  Ari nodded and licked her lips unconsciously, “Wasn’t that the plan? He lasts so much longer on the second round.”

  Sienna laughed, “Yes, but he wasn’t supposed to know that.”

  Needless to say I was eager to pleasure them both and we arrived at breakfast very late that morning…

  The day was pretty much the same as most others, except Alethea stopped by for lunch and wound up dragging off Nia, Ari, and Sienna for some girl only time. I spent the time to do my daily scrying and to do a little studying. The language used for spells was extremely complex; I would compare it more to an ancient language that used symbols for words. There was no real alphabet, so literally thousands of symbols to learn as opposed to just a limited amount of letters.

  Every symbol had a different sound and sometimes the difference between two separate words was simply an inflection to indicate the meaning instead of different sounds. I’d learned a couple of hundred of them over the last few weeks, but that was barely scratching the surface. The actual grammar on how the words fit together in a spell was similarly a nightmare.

  Mixing up the order of the words could lead to vastly different consequences. No wonder it could take a couple of years, and I had a feeling it took two years to get a basic understanding for easier spells like lighting a fire, and sending a message. It would be a task that would take a lifetime to truly master.

  The ladies came back a few hours later all smiles, they were all dressed attractively.

  “You all look amazing ladies.”

  Nia blushed, but the rest of them took it as their due. I got ready myself and we made our way to the meadow. It was a large area, approximately the size of a football field. There were a number of tables with food and drink. There were a few Elves playing instruments. They had something similar to an acoustic guitar, a pan flute and a harp.

  There were at least a thousand Elves there, if not more. Some were showing emotions though most were not and I made a mental note to find out about that. They were standing around in small groups for the most part, and there was an open area for dancing, though there weren’t too many Elves doing that yet. I also noticed a lot of Elves had elementals around them. Most of them one, a few of them had two.

  There must have been some signal I missed, because the music and talking stopped, a moment later Levi stepped up on the raised dais the musicians were on taking the crowd’s attention.

  He said, “Today we celebrate the addition of two new beings to our clan. Marcus and Sienna, please come forward.”

  We walked across to the dais together and stepped up.

  He asked, “Are you ready to take your places in our community?”

  We both said yes. I almost expected an objection of some kind, but if any were against it they held their tongue as Levi started to chant the spell. I suddenly felt watched and shortly after I felt the strange elemental enter my mind. I took Sienna’s hand when she fidgeted a bit. It was an uncomfortable feeling and she didn’t have the advantage of going through something similar before today as I did.

  The elemental must have been satisfied by what it found; I felt a click in my mind, similar to bonding to my elementals, but this felt a little different. It was the spell I was connected to directly, not the elemental.

  Levi announced, “Welcome to clan Arinith, tonight we celebrate this joining.”

  The three of us stepped off the dais and the musicians started to play songs again. I looked around a little surprised that Ari hadn’t come over with us, both Nia and Alethea were there waiting for us along with our new parents.

  Sienna must have thought the same because she asked, “Where is Ari? She wouldn’t have missed this; it was all she talked about all afternoon.”

  Aja frowned and looked around as I extended my magical senses. Thousand plus Elves or not, I knew I’d easily pick out Ari. I couldn’t feel her at all. I opened up a scrying and growled causing everyone to step away from me, except Sienna.

  Sienna asked, “What is it?”

  I enlarged it so we could all see. Ari looked unconscious, and she was over someone’s shoulder. Her hair was hanging straight down from her head and I could see the blood dripping along it. The only reason I hadn’t completely lost it yet was I knew she was alive. It was Elwood who carried her. Basil his younger brother along with Alton and two others I didn’t recognize.

  I could only imagine they planned this while everyone else would be distracted, especially Sienna and I who were never far from her side. But why attack her and not Sienna and I? Jealousy and because she brought us here? I didn’t recognize the area, so I knew I couldn’t fast travel, because that required a destination I’d been to before. Like other spells I couldn’t cast it through a scrying. But I had my nose.

  I heard voices and focused on what they were saying, but it was all worthless chatter about why and what was going on. I heard Aja reading the riot act to Levi, and both Aysha and Alethea looked to be in shock because their son and brother seemed to be involved. I grabbed Sienna’s hand and fast travelled us to Ari’s dwelling to grab our weapons.

  I growled, “Climb on.”

  She threw her arms around my neck and wrapped her legs around me from behind. I had to take her with me, but any other way would slow me down too much. I ran full speed to the clearing and circled it, forsaking magic for the moment as it wouldn’t help find them. I was using my nose instead. I caught Alton’s scent mixed in with Ari’s, Elwood’s, Basil’s and two strange scents and I took off.

  I pushed my magic sense as far forward as I could and ran, tracking the scent like an animal. My anger was cold, determined, and implacable. It was simplicity itself and they were dead Elves walking. When I got into range I knew my spells would work, so I used fast travel but in reverse. In seconds Ari was in my arms. I put her down gently and checked her. They’d hit her hard, but she should be fully healed soon and awake shortly after that.

  I put down Sienna who nodded at me. No speech necessary, she would protect Ari in case they doubled back. I could hear them shouting and heading back in this direction already. I tried a new spell, more like a specialized ward directly on Sienna’s bow.

  A mage could still easily stop one of her arrows indirectly, by summoning a wall of dirt, or ice. But magic directed at the arrows shot from her bow would fail. I’d created the ward to surround any arrow shot from the bow with the elemental wind, which would dispel any magic directed at the arrow itself. It wasn’t perfect, but if the mage didn’t expect it and was taken by surprise…

  Remembering Friesa I put a similar spell on my sword. Metal may be earth, but no mage could touch my sword directly now, and I was pretty sure it would slice right through a protection spell as well with the elemental air nimbus surrounding it. If they even saw me coming.

  I had no doubts about my course of action; they had harmed Ari and taken her away against her will. They also meant harm to Sienna and I simply because we were human. I knew I had a tendency to overreact protecting what I loved, but I was assured by Sienna’s grim visage and silent assent to my plan that I was justified to seek their life’s blood. I sent one more prepared bit of elemental magic, another specialized ward; just in case I died it would send Ari and Sienna far from here.

  I trusted my elemental, so I set up a personal ward with a quarter of my magic and the simple thought; protect me, which should take care of any offensive spells cast my way. I charged forward wanting to meet them before they closed in on this location.

  I went for Elwood first. His eyes widened as I closed the distance
impossibly fast. I saw the earth rise up between us and with a thought and a bit of magic both of my elementals answered and a burst of air followed by water burst the wall of earth apart. I stepped through the dirt and mist and swung my sword at his neck. This wasn’t an untrained bandit, so he managed to parry my blow but nothing stopped my follow up left jab to his Adam’s apple.

  He choked and bent over in pain coughing. I kicked the wrist of his sword hand and caught his weapon in my left hand and then took his head with a downward strike against his neck with my right hand sword. I brought up Elwood’s sword in the same movement to parry Basil’s sword. I was moving at full speed, and though Basil was an even better swordsman than his brother, he just couldn’t keep up with both lightning quick swords.

  I felt both a fire attack, and water, coming from behind but ignored it, leaving it for my ward to deal with as I buried my sword in Basil’s heart and twisted viciously. I heard the sound of an arrow piercing flesh and breaking bone and smiled at the scream. She had to be a hundred yards away from us and still hit.

  I spun and saw one of the Elven men I didn’t know fall with an arrow through his chest. I could feel Alton’s cowardly presence fading rapidly toward the city, and faced the last man, or should I say Elf, standing.

  I spat out as I stalked forward, “What is your name, I’d know whom I am about to kill.”

  He said, “Nase,” as he threw a ball of fire at me.

  I ran straight at it, my elemental doused it in water and I started to swing my sword as I ran through the steam. He tried to impale me on his by lunging forward and going to his knees, but I used my left handed sword to parry it and adjusted the angle of my other sword. I did miss his neck, but the blade of my sword sunk into the side of his head. I heard his skull crack and his body violently flew sideways and into the ground.

  I gritted my teeth and considered running after Alton but I couldn’t leave Sienna behind, and leaving Ari unconscious and alone wasn’t an option. I cleaned off my sword and dropped Elwood’s on the ground before sheathing mine. There was no one else even close to us. I dismantled all my wards taking the magic back in and still had way more than half even with the two fast travels earlier.

  I rejoined Sienna and sat on the ground, cradling Ari in my arms. Her head looked healed but she was still knocked out.

  “You okay?”

  Sienna nodded, “What now? Was that Alton that escaped?”

  I sighed, “Yes it was Alton running like a coward, and I don’t know. Do you think Levi had anything to do with it?”

  She sighed, “I am not sure, he did seem a little disappointed the spell connected us to the wards. But why would he go after his own niece?”

  I shook my head, “Prejudice and blind hatred makes people do stupid things. I guess the Elves are more like humans than anyone would ever admit. Amazing shot by the way.”

  She smiled grimly, “I never imagined anything like this that night we met, and I signed up to be your mistress.”

  I asked, “Regrets?”

  She shook her head, “No, never. I regret that the killing was necessary, but I’ll never regret the act of defending you or Ari. My life is so much more than I thought it could be now, and helping you to defend that life is a good thing.”

  Ari moaned and started to stir. All my irritation and anger fell away as I held her tenderly against my chest. Her eyes popped open and she struggled for a moment until she saw me.

  “What happened?” she demanded.

  I said softly, “I was hoping you could tell me. Your cousin Alton, Elwood, Basil, Nase and one other guy knocked you out and carried you off as we went through the ritual spell to add us to the ward. I tracked you via scent since they were already too far away for magic. Alton escaped me, but the rest are dead.”

  Ari blanched, “Dead?”

  I nodded, “They attacked you and kidnapped you. They don’t get another chance to try again. Besides, when I took you away from them they came back for you and attacked me instead of running. I get why Elwood took you, jealousy and all that, but what about the others, especially your cousin. We were wondering if your uncle could have been involved.”

  She shook her head, “I have no idea, and I’m pissed they took me unawares. It must have been Alton that actually did it, any of the others I would have noticed getting too close to me. You actually beat four of them?”

  I shook my head, “Sienna got one, and I kind of had surprise on Elwood. The other two took some doing, but with my speed…” I shrugged.

  She frowned, “We should get back, I wouldn’t be surprised if Alton is telling tall tales.”

  I sighed, “Well, mom, dad, Nia, and Alethea all saw them carrying you off, with blood in your hair; I don’t see how he could pass that off. Can you walk?”

  Sienna helped pull Ari off my lap and onto her feet.

  Ari nodded, “Sure, I can walk fine.”

  When we got back to clearing most of the Elves were gone. Our family was still there along with a number of Elves with swords. Alton was standing behind his father and Efrain was arguing with Levi. A silence fell among them as we stepped out.

  I waited patiently not speaking, though I wanted to demand justice on Alton. Sometimes it was better to wait and see.

  Levi turned back to Efrain, “I’m telling you they have to leave, they are a disruption and will be a magnet for trouble because of it.”

  I cleared my throat, “So it’s the human’s fault your son attacked your niece, and carried her off with her stalker and three other men? While we were on the dais proving we were loyal… It’s nice to know how human the Elves truly are. And when we leave what will happen to Alton? Anything? Or was he under your orders to create a disruption to justify throwing us out?”

  Levi growled, “You go too far, I am clan chief here.”

  I nodded, “You also neatly avoided answering my question, when those around you will sniff the truth. So was it your intention to throw us out because we are human? Did you betray your office and the people, namely us, who swore to protect Arinith? Did you order your own niece, my intended mate, to be assaulted?” I asked the last in a deadly whisper.

  Levi shook his head, “You must leave, now.”

  Efrain frowned, “Answer the question Levi, they are clan, you can’t banish them for defending their family.”

  Levi shouted, “Guards.”

  When they moved forward Efrain yelled, “Halt.”

  The guards stopped and looked really uncomfortable.

  I said softly, “Maybe we should leave.”

  Sienna and Ari both said in disbelief, “What?”

  I shrugged, “He’s behind this and I can prove it. But there is prejudice and hate here. So what happens if that’s proven, the clan chief is displaced and judged? His son banished or killed? It doesn’t matter who is right, that will cause even more to hate us no matter how justified. There is no way to win against prejudice. If there are truly that many that don’t want us here… It drove your own uncle and cousin to attack you Ari. I don’t think I can risk it happening again, because if anyone dares touch you again I’ll kill them all and damn the consequences.

  “I swore I would protect you and the clan. Our parents and little sister have to come first. How can I allow myself to be what tears it apart? Still, I’d like to be mated at the temple first before we leave if you are still willing. If you will come with me, we can always come and visit whenever we want. Or talk me out of it if I’m wrong. Am I wrong?”

  Ari blew out a breath and looked with disgust at her uncle and Alton. I couldn’t help but notice Alethea and Aysha were standing with Efrain, Nia, and Aja. It both heartened me and made me a little sad. If their family broke up it was clearly Levi’s fault for being a prejudiced bastard, but it was still over Sienna and I that it was happening. It bothered me because I liked my aunt and cousin, the female cousin anyway.

  I really wanted to kill that cretin Anton as well, he deserved it. But I knew it wasn’t going to happen, n
ot without a whole bunch more bloodshed. I’d have to be satisfied taking Ari out of their grasp.

  Ari took my arm and moved closer to me, “Of course I will come with you, you’re my future. I’m just… angry. I know you’re right, but at the same time it’s so wrong.”

  Ari’s face turned to stone, “Levi, we will leave in the morning, after our mating. Alton, if I ever feel you closer than twenty feet to me it won’t be my mate you’ll have to watch out for, I’ll take your worthless head first.”

  We turned and walked away despite Levi’s high pitched objections… It was hard to walk away. Prejudice should be fought and I felt the injustice of it. Worse it was tearing families apart. Was it worth it to be proven right if it tore the clan in half? If it was about many humans being mistreated perhaps it would be, but not just for Sienna and I.

  I’d grown to respect the Elves even if some didn’t respect me, and the thought of putting Aja or little Nia in danger turned my stomach. It’s never good to run from your problems, but sometimes it’s better to retreat from someone else’s. The cost of proving myself right was just too high and would ultimately destroy what I wanted to preserve.

  So what comes next? I wasn’t sure. I used the messenger spell for the first time, it was one of the simpler spells and my vocabulary of two hundred or so was more than enough to pull it off. I sent a message to Serina asking if there was anything we could do to help in spreading the word and stopping the attack from even starting. I also asked if we could stop in for a visit or if we should stay away, and that I missed her.

  It was ironic that my first thought was to find a way to help the Elves as I went into our self imposed exile. But I’d also be helping Cirenthia as well.

  Maybe this would be a good thing. Or at least, I could make some good come of it. I didn’t know anyone, what to do or who to contact to help, but Serina did and I wasn’t sure why I didn’t think of that earlier. She could send messages to those receptive, but a face to face contact would be more believable as they’d discern if we were lying or not. Maybe I had just wanted to step away from all of it, or maybe I just wanted to take the time to make Ari my mate officially.