Anger (2 page)

She could actually see them scouring the shrubs for her. She smirked every time. They were powerless, and no amount of human vision could pierce the wards. The dragon that was circling the area two weeks after she had entered the village did have her slightly worried. 13

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

The funny thing was, now that she was ready and able to take her revenge she was no longer as furious as she had been before leaving Orala's care.

When Orala had begun training her for this, the righteous rage that burned within her had been all-consuming. Mostyn needed to be humiliated then killed. The people of the village did not deserve to live under Altira's blessing. They had to be made to pay.

It was her destiny to be the instrument of revenge for her dead mother.

Only one more week until she achieved it. 14

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

Rhys and Devon had been visiting their brother and his family when the council contacted them. A mate of mixed blood was available. They were to present themselves at the Citadel as soon as they were able, if they were interested. They looked at each other and smiled.

"What are you two smirking about?" Lia demanded. She was their brother's mate, and currently was trying to ride herd on her two daughters while giving instructions on poultice-making to an eager acolyte of the Hospice.

"The council is alerting us there may be a mate available for one of us. A woman of mixed blood." Devon scooped up one of his nieces and twirled her around. Mala saw her twin swinging and jumped up, demanding her uncle spin her, too. Marcus eyed his brothers and scooped up Mia as Devon took her sister for a spin.

"So, what is wrong with mixed blood?"

"Yeah, what is wrong with mixed blood?" Lia's eyebrows rose over her golden eyes, and she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

The acolyte looked both delighted and horrified—everyone knew the lady of the keep had had a part-human mother, but rubbing that fact in her in-laws' faces was scandalous. No doubt he could hardly wait to tell the rest of his class.

"Absolutely nothing. In fact, I believe we will leave in the morning." He looked over at Rhys, and grinned at his solemn nod.

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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

The following morning, the hunters took their leave of the two sniveling toddlers and climbed to the top of the keep.

"Hey, Rhys—first one to the Citadel gets first crack at the woman."

"Are you sure? You had a lot of breakfast." Rhys' mouth twisted in a smirk. Devon's eyes were always bigger than his stomach.

"I'm sure. Let's go!" His voice ringing in the air, Devon flung himself off the wall, changing into his dark-green dragon form and growing to forty feet in length.

"Ah, shit!" Rhys shifted to jet-black scales. His powerful hindquarters shoved him off the roof of the keep and airborne.

They fought for supremacy of the sky, each driving harder and higher. Rhys, though, had a plan; and as they approached the Citadel, he folded his wings, dropping like a stone.

Devon had already begun a spiral descent, and was far too slow to react when Rhys shot past him. Rhys' wings boomed out to break his dive, and he shifted to warrior form as he touched down, his great wings folding tight as he rolled to get out of his brother's way, tail tucked.

As Devon shifted, Rhys folded his arms across his chest.

"I win. I am first in line."

"Actually, you are fifth and sixth in line." Their father Sirius stood at the entrance to the receiving hall. "What kept you?"

"We were at Marcus' when the courier found us, playing with the girls. Keeping them out of Lia's hair."

"And flirting with the servants." 16

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"Only Dev. I was busy helping Marcus plan the valley's crop rotation." Rhys felt smug as they walked through the halls. He smoothly shifted back to fully human form—and was glad that he had.

Beyond the entry hall was the audience hall, and within the audience hall were an elf and his wife. Those not familiar with dragonkind occasionally reacted badly to the wings and tail.

"Rhys and Devon, this is Kesler and his wife Celestyn. She is a warder, and it is her granddaughter we are here to discuss." Thoran was stone-faced. He was trying not to play favorites, but being their brother-in-law made him slightly biased.

"They are also candidates for your granddaughter to consider." He bowed gracefully and left the room.

"Sir, madam, I wish to ask why you are arranging for your granddaughter's mate and not her father?" Sirius was all business.

"Her father will not acknowledge her, and she is in danger. I don't want to see her fall prey to a dishonorable match," Kesler answered, but his eyes did not stray from the younger dragons.

Rhys could have sworn those leaf-green eyes were tearing him apart and seeing what he was made of. He met the gaze, and it was like falling into a cool green forest. Music and light were all around him. He blinked—and was back in the audience chamber, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Devon's whisper was harsh in the silence.

"Did you just feel...? Never mind." Rhys shook his head and looked at the couple once again. Kesler was smiling. 17

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"Sirius, I believe I have chosen one of your children for my granddaughter."

Devon's chest puffed up—he was by far the more handsome so he probably figured he was the logical choice. Rhys knew he had the features of a born scholar. The harsh planes of his face were a surprise given the usual pleasing appearance of his family. The silk of his black hair and his dark-brown eyes were the only softness in his features.

Their father nodded and left the room to retrieve the councilor. Thoran returned looking surprised. Kesler stepped forward. "Councilor Thoran, I have made my choice. It is Rhys. Will he abide by the conditions?" He seemed oddly concerned, and Rhys began to suspect this was not a typical matchmaking.

"I think you need to explain to him, and if he agrees, you have our word we will enforce the bond in order to retrieve her." Thoran's voice was solemn.

Celestyn stepped forward.

"I think it would be better if I explain. In part, it was my fault." She took her husband's hand, and as the dragons waited patiently, she began.

"I am a Warder. My clan has existed for centuries, as you may know." At their nods, she continued. "I married Kesler, and we had a daughter. A beautiful girl. Altira." Her eyes grew distant, seeing the past.

"I trained her as my mother trained me, and she became one of the great powers of our time. She could anchor her 18

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

wards with a piece of her soul, and nothing could penetrate them."

"When she was old enough to be on her own, she left us, stating she had to find her own destiny. We heard nothing more from her. One year later, I felt her die, and my heart ripped in two." A tear shimmered on her cheek, and she took a deep breath to continue. "Kesler and I traced her energy to a small village called Talleth. There was no sign of her, save for the great wardstone in the center of the village. It contained enough of my darling girl to have ended her life if she was parted from it. She obviously had meant to stay there."

"It took some doing, but we found out she had been driven from the village when she became pregnant. The father refused to admit his responsibility, and the village already had a permanent wardstone, so they didn't need her anymore.

"The dragon in charge of the village was her lover." Sirius's face was contorting with fury. "What was his name?"

"Mostyn. The bastard's name is Mostyn. He had her thrown out of the village once he had what he wanted." Another shuddering breath.

Kesler squeezed her hands and continued for her.

"My daughter left the village, her soul literally bleeding to death as she got farther and farther from the ward. She was headed home, but must have needed medical help—a local abbey remembered her as a patient. She and a friend entered and stayed for several months until her baby was delivered. A healthy girl."

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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"My daughter died that same day. All of her remaining energy had gone into her daughter, and she had none left."

"One of the nuns overheard Altira begging her friend Orala to bring the child to us. That was the last anyone saw of Orala, or our granddaughter. We don't even know her name." Thoran asked the question they were all thinking. "How do you know she still lives?"

Celestyn looked at him with teary eyes. "Because, I can feel her—it is the gift of the Warders. She is part of me." Her husband continued again. "Every time she casts a ward we trace her. Always arriving too late—she moves swiftly. But we have seen the traces of training implements at the sites. She is preparing to break her mother's ward on Talleth. She is the only one who can.

"As the ward has not yet been broken, the village remains intact, but not for much longer. They are in the middle of a migratory path. The wild oxen will trample anything that gets in their way, and the packs of wolves that follow will take care of anyone who's left."

Thoran spoke again. "It was Mostyn's duty to protect the village. He latched onto the Warder as the easy way out—it saved him driving off the oxen for two months of the year. Taking her as a lover was just a bonus for him. The council will deal with him.

"Rhys, after you have secured the girl, send a message to the council. We don't want Mostyn to know he has a daughter he can use to barter with."

* * * *

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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"I believe Rhys has yet to agree to this—he has not said anything since he arrived." Kesler was almost amused. The young dragon was perfect for her—her energy and his would blend seamlessly.

Rhys pondered for a moment. "So, I have to find my mate, who is hidden by wards, stop her from destroying an entire village and make sure her father doesn't figure it out. Is that it?"

"If you find her, use this."

Kesler handed him a small bundle.

* * * *

Rhys lifted it to his nose. Ah, aphrodisiacs for elves. He could smell the magic in them.

"Do you think I will need them?"

"There are five amulets there. She has sufficient sensitivity to be susceptible to them. You need to make sure she is fully attached to you before you return here. If you are not fully mates, Mostyn will know and assert his rights as her father. We cannot allow that."

"Is that how you caught your wife?" Rhys wanted to set them at ease—the banter was a little stilted, but well-meant.

"No, she caught me." Kesler and Celestyn smiled at one another. "Now, bring me my Altira's child." Then Celestyn's smile faltered, and she clutched at her husband for support.

"Kesler! She's dropping the ward!" 21

Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

With one week to go before their deadline, there was still no sign of anyone evacuating the village, and the first of the oxen herds had trampled by. She sighed heavily. This was going to be harder than she had thought. She heard a rustle in the shrubs near her camp and looked up, expecting to see another hunter. She was surprised to see Orala. With a flick of her thoughts, she opened the ward to let her guardian in then flicked them back into place.

"You have become proficient at that." Orala complimented her. "I never even suspected you were here." An unhappy grimace at the level of ability Alethea possessed crossed her features.

"Thank you. Can I offer you some tea?" Politeness was always something to fall back on. She reached for the pot she had just prepared and dug another cup from her pack. Orala took a seat across the fire from her and settled her skirts with another grimace of distaste.

"Yes. Please." She was obviously not happy to be there.

"Orala, why have you come? With the migration underway, this is not a safe place to be."

"I checked the village, and it is a very safe place to be right now."

"I gave them a month to clear out."

"Why? They didn't give your mother any time." A cold tone had entered her voice. Alethea shuddered—she knew what was coming.

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Wardstone: Anger [Seven Sins and Virtue Series]

by Grace Viola

"No, but they didn't kill her, either. I want revenge, but I will take it by removing their safety, not by killing them."

"Do you need a reminder of what they did?" Orala reached into her tunic and withdrew a small black stone.

"No!" Alethea drew back and jumped to her feet. Keeping distance between herself and her guardian, she circled the fire. She hated the stone—the lack of control ... and what happened after.

Orala stood and advanced on her. "I do think you need to be reminded. And there is no time like the present." The stone flew, tendrils of dark energy expanding from it, to land over her heart.

Memories of her childhood came rushing back. Then they took over.

Alethea screamed. Anger, powerful and overwhelming, flowed into her, finding the resentments and the memories of insults heaped upon her during her lifetime and blossoming them into full flowering rage.

She kicked the wardstones around the camp out of the way, striding through the woods wrapped in energy. The hunters had been nearby. She made no effort to silence her steps. They came running. The first one who tried to touch her drew back hands covered in blue flame. The flames engulfed him, and the energy surrounding her flared in response.

It was consuming him, body and soul. She drew it in and used it to strengthen her protective shields. The next one to touch her flared even more quickly, his energy joining hers. She heard his screams dimly and smiled. 23