A Warrior's Quest (9 page)

“They were after
me
, weren’t they? Me or Cerridwen.
And
Cerridwen. I don’t understand why. Where is she? You should be with her now.” She tried to sit up, but Ren held her down as gently as he could. She could not afford so much loss of blood. He cursed her Girl Goddess for making her own people so weak. So damned helpless. Had they not been able to see the consequences of their earlier far-too-rash actions? Would every world suffer because of their youthful foolishness?

“Cerridwen is fine. Phelius has ordered her taken to Danae
’s suite, where the healer girl can tend to her.”

“Bronwen is ok? She and Kinney…were they hurt?”

“No.” He didn’t know for certain, but Phelius shook his head no. Ren nodded at his cousin. They would speak of more in a moment. “Just you. The attack was centered on
our
location. Kindara and the healer girl were unaccosted.”

“I need to check on Kindara. I gave my word to Rathan that I would protect her.”

Ren held her down on the bed. And he would be speaking with his brother as soon as possible. If anything, this stubborn girl needed far more protection than his brother’s consort. Perhaps he needed to make that more clear to his brother.

And from this moment forward, even while in the walls of the castle, she would have a detail of
his
Warriors nearby to protect her. His
best
warriors.

Because he knew it just as well as she did. Probably
more
than she did.

The Shojo hadn
’t been after his spawn. They’d had ample opportunity to get to Cerridwen if they’d wished it.

But no; the red demon bastards had focused most of their energy on the warrior girl.

Because it was
her
they’d wanted.

Why?

***

He finally left her side once Kindara was settled in the chair next to the bed. If his brother
’s
gamata
couldn’t keep the girl alive, then probably no one could. He had that reassurance; plus Kindara had made it clear that the warrior girl had sustained relatively minor injuries at the hands of the Shojo.

But the question still remained—why?

He had checked with the scholars; no Shojo attack had ever been orchestrated on the Malickus line—and for good reason. The odds of a Shojo attack succeeding were so astronomically pathetic that no band of Shojo had ever been that
stupid
in all of Relaklonos’ history.

So why had these?

He would get those answers now.

He had Banbolk bring the first of the prisoners to a room far different from the one Koios had been kept prisoner in. Shojo dirt deserved no respect, even as a prisoner
s of war. Banbolk stood silently at the door while Ren studied the Shojo male. It was probably large for a Shojo at nearly five feet.  A full foot or so shorter than his warrior girl. Yet far more vicious and deadly. It was lean, as Shojo often were, but its claws were razors atop hands that could vise a larger species of demon to death if given the right opportunity.

Shojo were also known to frequently kill their own Kind, just for the three hells of it. Ren had never qui
te understood that. They would be far more formidable foes than they were if they could just organize themselves into some sort of an army. But Shojo consistently failed at that.

So why had more than
four dozen managed to attack his brother’s lands? Banbolk had brought him an updated number of Shojo dead a few hours earlier. Attacks by Shojo of even that number had happened only a few times throughout Relaklonos’ history.

“Why.” It was all Ren said. He knew the Shojo understood what he wanted.

The red bastard didn’t answer. Ren walked around the desk; the only piece of furniture in the barren room. He needed little else; the desk was empty of all but a few things. Ren lashed out, knocking the Shojo’s head to the desk. It wouldn’t kill the beast; or even do much damage.

But it spoke to Ren
’s intent.

“Answer.”

The Shojo keened, a typical sound for one of their Kind. But he did not answer.

The door opened and Ren paused. He hadn
’t expected interruptions of any kind. Had something happened to the warrior girl? An image of how she had looked on the muddied ground earlier flashed in his head and he struck out with the back of his hand.

The Shojo hit the stone wall and slid to the floor.

There was approval in the her brother’s eyes.

When had the Dardaptoan arrived in Relaklonos? Ren bowed a small bit, an acknowledgement of the other
Warrior’s status as royalty—near a prince—of the Dardaptoan people. He respected Aodhan Adrastos. A great deal. The male was a true credit to the title Warrior.

His one issue with Adrastos was how the male had coddled his sister, and allowed her to continue believing she could compete in the world as
Warrior.

Her brother had done her a great disservice with that mistake. Did Adrastos realize that?

Ren stepped aside. “Honored to have your assistance in this matter, Warrior Adrastos.”

Adrastos nodded. “I see you
’ve begun already.”

“Yes. My impatience got the best of me.”

Adrastos studied the Shojo for a long moment. “They are not large, are they? And only thirty? I am surprised my sister did not kill more of them.”

“
Near fifty. Had she not been surprised, and protecting my spawn, she probably would have.”

“Once she is recovered we shall give her the chance. Perhaps starting with this one? I can prepare him a bit more for her.” Adrastos moved lightning quick, breaking the Shojo
’s left arm with ease.

The red demon keened louder and gasped for breath, now on his knees. Ren kicked him square in the chest. “He
’s not answered my questions. Yet.”

Adrastos was quiet for a moment. He pulled the Shojo to his feet then released him. “He will.”

Ren laughed.

He and Adrastos had many things in common.

The desire to make this bastard pay for the warrior’s girl’s suffering was just one of those things.

The bruises had yet to fade from her body, but Aureliana didn
’t care. She had spent far too much time bedridden in this demon world and it had been four days since the Shojo attack. It was time she rejoined the living.  Her progress was halting but with the wall to help support her, she made it to the inner courtyard. She hurt like three hells but she was healing.

Ren was there, sparring with several of his top warriors. No signs of injuries were present in the way
he
moved. Kindara and Danae rested in the shade, Danae’s daughter sleeping in her mother’s arms. Though Relaklonos was far colder than Gaia, summer temperatures in this territory would soar far into the one hundreds with just a shift of the weather pattern. Kindara was so uncomfortable now; she preferred to just sit and rest. Cerridwen chased the canid pet her father had given her, giggling and squealing her enjoyment in the puppy’s antics.

It was so beautifully normal. Hard to believe an army of shojo demons had attacked the castle just four days ago. Or that four of Rathan and Renakletos
’ guards had been killed.
Three
had died defending
her.
Aureliana did not understand it, nor would she ever forget it.

Wild clapping rang out from
the courtyard occupants. Aureliana stopped, stared.

They were clapping…for her.

Why?

She had done nothing to deserve such recognition.

Cerridwen ran toward her, skinny arms outstretched. Aureliana hoped the child’s momentum wouldn’t send her tumbling on her ass. She bent forward, ready to catch the little girl. Cerridwen was close now, and the love and welcome on her face warmed Aureliana’s heart. This little child was fast growing to mean more to her than anyone.

“Cerri, babe…”

The little girl was within fingers’ length of touching Aureliana’s outstretched hand. Her laughter rang out again as the little pup scampered between them, sending Aureliana back a foot or so.

Purple mist surrounded the child in half a heartbeat.

Aureliana heard the shouts, recognized the confusion on the little face—and the fear on her
Rajni’s
as he ran toward them.

Aureliana lunged, barely aware of moving, barely feeling the pain of nowhere near healed injuries. She jerked Cerridwen into her arms a
s the mist surrounded them both. The last sight she had of the demon world was Renakletos. And the absolute terror on his face.

She tightened her hold on his daughter and the darkness took them.

***

His heart disappeared into the purple cloud. Just gone.

A roar escaped, drowning out the screams of his womenkin. His sword was drawn, but so useless. How could he fight such an ethereal enemy with just a metal blade?

The cloud was gone, seconds after it had appeared. Just gone. With his daughter and the warrior girl. His roar next was one of mingled fury and agony.

Hands clamped on his shoulders when he started to rage like the Warrior
demon
that he was. Rathan and the bloodsucking prognosticator—brother to young Bronwen. They tried to hold him back. Back from
what
? He could not fight what was not there! The warrior girl’s brother was raging at the spot where they had disappeared, his own impotent fury eerily like Ren’s.

Kindara was crying, yelling at him and his brother. Pleading with them to find her friend. To do
something.

Sentiments he echoed in his mind.

“What was it? What’s happened?” Bronwen asked.

“Passage key.” Danae wrapped her free arm around her friend, and cuddled the babe in her other arm closer. “It just took them.”

“Who?”

“Aureliana…and my niece.”

A passage key. And he had no idea where.

The prognosticate spoke, drawing eyes his way. “They will be returned to you.” It was his words Renakletos focused on. “You shall be given them back.”

Damned right he would.

As soon as he knew
where
they had gone. He’d be
given
them back, because he was damned well going to go
get
them.

***

Cerridwen was crying, the child’s sobs ripping through the darkness. Aureliana felt around until her hands landed on Cerridwen’s shoulders. She pulled the child into her arms. Held tightly. “Shh, baby. Shhh. I’m right here.”

“I want my Daddy!” Cerridwen clung.

“I know. I kind of want him myself.” Where were they? It had been a passage key. She was certain of that. But who had opened it, and in which of the seventeen realms were they? She tried to orient herself, though the dark made that impossible. There were no sounds, either; wherever they were was empty and hollow. Dead. A cave? Some sort of basement?

No. They were not in a building. The temperature around them was neither hot nor cold. The smells were completely void of anything recognizable.

No sound, no temperature, no smells, no light. They were in a complete
void
until she found some answers. Why? Had the passage key been aimed at her? Cerridwen? Someone else? Had
she
somehow made something go wrong with someone
else’s
entry to the demon world?

“Auri? Can we turn the light on now? I don
’t like the dark.”

“Baby, I don
’t know if there is a light. But we’re ok.” Were they? In this darkness, she had no way of knowing. She could try to feel her way around, but for all she knew—she could be walking them right off a cliff. Or something equally as dangerous. Deadly.

She took the scarf from around her waist. “Baby, I
’m going to put something around your wrist, ok? So we can find each other. I need to put you down, so I can explore some. And I don’t want us to get separated.” She set the little girl on the floor or ground or whatever it was, and slipped the loop around the tiny wrist. She tied the other around her own non-sword arm.

“Oh, that will not be necessary, my dearest.”

Aureliana refrained from screaming. Barely. She scooped Cerridwen back into her arms. “Who’s there? Who are you?”

“Don
’t you mean
where
are
you
?” The voice laughed, the sound far more chilling than even the Beansidhe’s death cry.

Cerridwen was crying, clinging to Aureliana
’s neck.