Chain of Illusions (Bringer and the Bane)

Chain of Illusions

a bringer and the bane novel

Boone Brux

Also by Boone Brux

Shield of Fire: Book One of The Bringer and the Bane

Kiss of the Betrayer: Book Two of The Bringer and the Bane

Suddenly Beautiful

Tweet: Love Knows No Bounds Anthology

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Boone Brux. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

Entangled Publishing, LLC

2614 South Timberline Road

Suite 109

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Visit our website at
www.entangledpublishing.com
.

Edited by Erin Molta

Cover design by Heather Howland

Ebook ISBN 978-1-62266-036-0

Print ISBN 978-1-62266-037-7

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition November 2013

I want to dedicate this book to my street team, Boone’s Bane. You ladies keep me laughing when I want to throw my computer through the window: April, Debbie, Tammy, Holly, Emma, Melissa, Weggie, FranJessica, Lizzie, Crystal, Wendy, Liesa, Karen, Tracie, Michelle McM. And Michelle McK., Heather, Lindsey, Jessica, Patricia, Cindy, Kim L., and Kim E., Cheryl, Teri, Cynthia, Jennifer, Gwenda, Sheri, Jaime, Chrystal, Gemma, Stephanie, Anna, Christy, Laura, Katrina, Sonia, and Maria. Here’s to many more great times together.

Prologue

A thousand years ago fire scorched the earth and the rivers of Inness ran red with the blood of humans, Bringers, and the soul-sucking Demon Bane…

The Bringers, an ancient race of powerful people from Bael, fought a war against the demons called the Bane. The Bringers were victorious over the Bane, freeing humans from the demons’ deadly grasp. Though the Bringers won the war, the Bane were not so easily defeated. Vile, a power-thirsty demon, claimed the Bane throne. Gathering forces deep within the icy caverns of the Shadow World, he bided his time until he could rise up against the Bringers again.

In order to keep both Bael and Inness safe, the Mystic Arch between the two worlds was sealed. A few hundred Bringers—Shields who were protectors, healing Redeemers, and Tells who were endowed with the
Knowing
were left on Inness to protect the humans from the threat of the Demon Bane.

For a millennia humans lived in peace. The legends of the Bringers and the Bane fell into myth. Truth became lost and stories of the Bringers valor and the Demon Bane’s treachery became nothing more than tales to be spun around the campfire.

Still the Bringers watched and protected, ever vigilant. But like a brewing storm, the Bane’s return was heralded by nothing more than a quiet breeze. One by one, Vile assassinated the Bringers who had stayed on Inness, until only one remained—Rhys Blackwell.

Believing he was the only full-blooded Bringer left, Rhys scoured Inness for humans whose bloodline had been mixed with the Bringers. Together they formed a rebel band of mixed-blood soldiers whose goal was to subdue the Bane threat that was spreading across the lands.

When their fight seemed desperate, a new hope appeared on the horizon. In search of the kidnapped Bringer King, full-blooded Bringers emerged from beyond the Mystic Arch. Joining forces with Rhys and his followers, the group strengthened the Bringers’ fight against the Demon Bane. In a fortunate twist they discovered the bodies of several of their brethren frozen deep within the Shadow World. One body saved was that of Rell Kendal.

Set upon by the demons thirteen years ago, Rell had been transformed to a demon and forced to live among the monsters that had stolen her life. Fearful that her younger sister would meet the same fate, Rell saved Jade and secretly raised her within the caverns of the Shadow World. But as the years passed, the taint of the Bane threatened to steal what was left of Rell’s humanity.

With the arrival of the full-blooded Bringers came the revelation that transforming Rell back to human might be possible. Captured and held in a Bringer cell Rell learned that one of her captors is the man she had helped escape from the Bane prison—the man she loved, Siban.

Chapter One

Siban lifted his chin toward the gray sky and inhaled. Crisp air filled his lungs, clearing his head. The time had come for him to take his place among his people, the Bringers. Past time, actually. They needed him in the fight against the Demon Bane—a fight the Bringers seemed to be losing.

He exhaled and walked to the closest outbuilding. His hand hovered on the cold metal of the door handle, his determination wavering. Could he go through with the ceremony that would finally bring him to full power as a Bringer? Perhaps if he hadn’t seen Luc’s conversion firsthand, hadn’t watched the blade drive into his friend’s chest, and hadn’t felt the life draining from Luc, he wouldn’t feel so anxious now. But there was no turning back. Hopefully he’d be able to control the power that came with being a Bringer Tell. Endowed with the
Knowing,
he would sense things more strongly. Would know truth from a lie. Saints willing, the darkness that still tainted his soul from his years of imprisonment in the Demon Bane’s Shadow World wouldn’t grow stronger as well.

Chilly wind whipped his hair, bringing with it the smell of fall and the hint of snow. The sky echoed his mood. For a year he’d been dealing with the dark memories of being held captive the only way he knew how—alone. But now he’d found Rell again and she needed him to be strong. He’d been the one to change her mind about being put to death by one of the immortal daggers of the Bringers. As the only weapons that could vanquish a Demon Bane, it was the only way to kill her, but Siban wouldn’t let that happen. For too long he’d grieved the loss of her. Nothing would stop him from helping her survive the
healing
that would transform her from a Demon Bane back into her human form—and into a Bringer.

Inside the building waited the other full-blooded Bringer warriors, newly transformed and ancient, planning to face down Vile, the Demon Bane’s King, and his efforts to overrun Inness with his Bane. No longer could Siban avoid his destiny—or his past.

He yanked on the door but the wind beat it closed again, as if sensing his apprehension. He pulled again, this time opening it and slipping inside. A cloud of warmth and the smell of lavender and sage enveloped him. All eyes turned toward Siban, the Bringers’ conversation halting. He closed the door behind him and exhaled softly, stilling his urge to turn around and walk back out. Dozens of candles lined the wall and burned on every available surface, lending a calming, golden glow to the room. But the ambiance did very little to reassure him about the impending pain he was about to experience.

“You came.” Rhys Blackwell, his best friend, approached and held out his hand. “I was afraid you’d change your mind.”

For years Rhys had thought he was the only full-blooded Bringer left after his parent’s had been assassinated by Vile. He’d roamed Inness, protecting humans against the Bane and building a small army of mixed-blooded Bringers, those whose bloodlines had been diluted by humans. Thankfully, Rhys had recognized Siban for what he was and had taken him in, even though he was tainted by the Bane’s evil darkness. Since then Siban’s loyalty had never wavered. He gripped Rhys’s forearm in a show of solidarity. “And miss all the fun?”

“My apologies for doubting you.” Rhys laughed and released Siban’s arm. “Come, Gregory has everything prepared.”

Gregory, the King of the Bringers, met Siban halfway, a smile creasing his face and brightening his eyes to the color of liquid silver. “You look like a man facing his own execution.”

“It feels a bit like that, yeah.” Siban scanned the room. Most of the faces he recognized, but there were a few new Bringers he hadn’t been introduced to yet. That could wait until he was through the transformation. Siban nodded and exhaled. “All right then, let’s get this over with.”

“Of course.” Gregory placed a hand on Siban’s shoulder and guided him toward a long wooden slab in the center of the room.

A smaller table had been erected about four feet from where he was to lay. A white sheet covered it. Siban stopped and stared at the form pressed against the cloth. The outline was of a woman—Rell’s human form lying in perfect repose.

“We thought your transformation would be easier if you remembered what you were fighting for,” Ravyn said from beside him.

“Thank you.” He glanced at her. Ravyn watched him with understanding. She’d already gone through the transformation to become a Bringer and understood the risk. He looked back at the body on the table, refraining from voicing the fact that the person on the table was a stranger to him. His Rell was a Demon Bane with smooth green skin, leathery wings, and small delicate horns. He released a heavy breath, pushing aside the dark thought that he might not be able to accept her as a human. It had been the
demon
who risked so much to help him escape the Shadow World. Would the human female be different from the demon he’d fallen in love with? “I’m ready.”

“Remove your shirt.” Gregory turned to examine the immortal dagger lying on a small table.

Siban slipped his tunic off and handed it to Ravyn. Shivers from the chilled air ghosted across his skin. When Gregory lifted the dagger, Siban’s heart began to pound.
I can do this.

Ravyn spread a linen blanket over the wooden slab and placed a small pillow at the head. “Lie down, please.” She patted the table. “I promise we’ll take good care of you.”

Without replying, he slid onto the table and rested his head against the stiff pillow. The blanket did little to cushion the hard wood pressing against his back, though he doubted he would have been able to relax. Unsure where to place his hands, he interlocked his fingers and rested them against his bare abdomen. He shifted his shoulders, trying to find a more comfortable position and ignoring the awkwardness of being everybody’s focus.

Four Bringers he didn’t know approached, each carrying two small sacks. In evenly spaced positions they emptied the contents of the bags onto the table.

Cloves, lavender, and a piney scent rose up around the edge of the table. Siban swallowed and stared at the ceiling. He mentally counted the dark beams above, forcing himself not to watch the Bringers working around him. Another shudder rippled through his body. Three months ago, allowing somebody to cut or stab him would have been unthinkable. The nightmares from his time among the demons still haunted him. He pushed away the dark thoughts, unwilling to give them power over him. After having been tortured with everything from talons to shards of rusty metal while in Vile’s prison, Siban’s consent to be brought to full power was a testament to his devotion to Rell.

It helped that
he’d
made the choice and that Gregory’s action would be done with gentleness not malice. Still, when the man turned toward Siban bearing the knife, it took all of his self-discipline not to hurl his body from the table and flee the room.

A low, healing chant kindled to Siban’s left. The song flowing around him was one of the most beautiful Siban had ever heard. Clear and pitched surprisingly low, the notes resonated along his body and sent tingles skittering along his skin. Another voice joined the melody, deeper in tone.

The light in the room shifted, altering Siban’s sight. Ribbons of blue and white drifted from the Bringers, encircling them like lace, binding each together. The lyrical composition surrounded him and burrowed under his skin, winding its way to what felt like his soul.

More soft voices mixed with the song, and the light from the ribbons grew stronger, pulsing inside him and creating a halo of light around the table.

Ravyn and Rell’s sister, Jade, joined the circle and each placed their hands on one of his shoulders. When Rhys and Ravyn had brought their friend Luc Le Daun to full power, Siban had held his legs down in a similar manner. Luc had fought them, almost escaping their hold. Siban wondered how Ravyn and Jade expected to keep him restrained if his control broke.

The two women joined the chant and instantly warmth flowed into his body. Streams of light spiraled from their hands and entered his shoulders at the point where they touched. Tension eased from his muscles, the mantra lulling him into a relaxed state. Even when Gregory approached, fear did not grip Siban.

“In death there is life,” Gregory said, circling the blade in front of him in a looping pattern. “In sacrifice, return.” Heat traveled down Siban’s torso and his eyes remained steady on the king. “All barriers destroyed and evil be spurned.” Gregory lowered the knife and laid the blade against Siban’s chest, directly over his heart. Despite the relaxing chant, he couldn’t help but tense when the cold metal touched his skin. “No hindrance remain, from our blood be renewed.” Gregory dragged the edge downward, lacerating Siban with a shallow slice. In an effort not to cry out, he bit down on his lower lip. The metallic taste of blood coated his tongue. “That which was taken, settle in those who Bring true.”

Fire danced along the cut and Siban braced himself, waiting for Gregory to plunge the dagger in his heart as they had done with Luc. Instead of stabbing him, Gregory set the knife between two piles of herbs on the wooden platform and placed his hands next to Ravyn’s. Again the king spoke, but they were words Siban did not understand.

The heat burning along the slice spread across his chest, eating up every inch of Siban’s body. Searing pain ignited his organs as if incinerating him from the inside out. He gasped for breath, but couldn’t inhale as wave after wave of pain gripped him.

The chant around him grew louder and more hands pressed against his legs and arms. His muscles convulsed. It was as if his very soul was being pulled from his body through his chest. He choked against the tightening at his throat. His mouth opened in an effort to suck in air, but none could pass.

The words grew louder and above the unified chant he heard Ravyn’s voice. Separate from the other Redeemers, she spoke the Bringer’s ancient language. Her words demanded and coaxed the darkness from inside him. His vision blurred and his head pounded as the need for air became desperate.

Ravyn placed her hands on his forehead and raised her voice, shouting, “
Avec mea
!”

From Siban’s throat rose a white vapor. It hovered a foot above his mouth and then descended to cover his face. The sensation of being branded scorched the skin under his lower lip. After a few seconds, the white vapor evaporated completely. Siban gasped, drinking in the cool, perfumed air, and collapsed against the table. All traces of pain and the ribbons of healing light disappeared. The blood pounded in his ears, and his heart raced. He waited, expecting another wave of agony, but none came.

Gregory stared down at him and then smiled. He touched his index finger against the skin directly below Siban’s lower lip. “A Tell.”

The spot burned and Siban flinched away, pressing the back of his hand to the area and trying to numb the sting, knowing he now bore a the single black line of the Tell. “Are you finished?”

“Did you want something more?” Gregory smirked. “Perhaps you would have preferred I plunge the dagger into your heart?”

Siban’s craned his head to look at Ravyn. “Expected, not preferred.”

Ravyn cleared her throat. “It seems actually stabbing somebody in the heart isn’t required to bring a person to full power.”

“That would have been nice to know.” Luc scowled at her and rubbed his chest.

She shrugged. “Sorry. If it’s any consolation, I did it to myself as well.”

Siban struggled to sit up, spreading the herbs along the edge of the table and knocking some of them to the ground. He looked at his chest. A thin red line stretched from his sternum to his left side, but there was no blood. “What was that white smoke? I felt like I was choking.”

“Think of it as a net that encased your powers. Due to generations of Bringers breeding with humans, the Bringer essence within us becomes bound. The ceremony severs that bond.” He pointed to Siban’s cut. “It will be healed by morning and the only evidence of the ceremony will be your Tell mark.” Gregory placed a hand on Siban’s shoulder. “How do you feel?”

How did he feel? It was difficult to put into words. New vitality hummed through his body, as if a million tiny sparks had snapped against his skin, leaving their tingling reminder. Even his head felt clear, unfettered from the nightmares and dark thoughts that had been his constant companion since his imprisonment in the Shadow World. “Better.”

“You are a master of the understated,” Rhys said, handing Siban his shirt.

“Thank you.” Siban slid the tunic over his head and shook his chin-length curls from his eyes. “When will you heal Rell?”

“Tonight.” Gregory placed the dagger back on the table. “That will give you time to rest. She will need all of our strength.”

“I will be there.” Nothing would keep him from Rell’s side.

“Good.” The king faced him. “I don’t foresee her transformation to be as easy as yours.”

“I’ll give her whatever strength I have.” He scooted from the table. His legs quivered, and he grabbed the edge of the wood in an effort not to stumble. Gregory reached for him, but Siban waved him away and straightened. “I’m all right.”

“Then come to the house and eat.” Willa, Rell’s mother, stepped from the shadows. Her white-blond hair glimmered in the candlelight and her eyes sparkled with determination. “We’re all going to need to fortify ourselves if we plan on saving my daughter.”

Though he wasn’t the least bit hungry, under no circumstance would Siban contradict Willa once she’d made a command. The woman was fire and ice mixed into a tiny, unassuming package. He was fairly certain Willa would have gone into the bowels of the Shadow World herself to bring back her daughter’s body if Luc and Jade hadn’t beaten her to it. Such fierce loyalty was a trait he understood and respected.

He nodded. “I am coming, my lady.”

…

The wind beat against the thick, murky glass of the window, its low howl like a consoling friend. Rell dragged her talon through the dirt on the floor, circling the point in an endless design of interconnecting loops. Though the Bringers had provided her with a comfortable bed and blankets to warm her against the nip in the air, she preferred to feel the cold. Material comforts were something she hadn’t had since she was a human and using them now somehow poked at her like a lie.