Dragonfyre (18 page)

“If there had been a way, that’s how I would have brought Aimery and Kyndra to begin with,” Lugus said.

“I know. I just can’t help thinking we’re missing something. “

“Isran will be waiting for us to bring in the army. He knows how much Aimery means to the realm.”

Theron shook his head. “I want to go in and save Aimery.”

“But you can’t. If anyone is going, it’s me.”

“Ahryn would never forgive me.”

“We either wait for Isran to attack us, or we go after Aimery.”

“Nay,” Rufina said from the doorway.

Both turned to face her. Theron rose as his wife walked toward him, one delicate hand on her stomach swollen with their second child. He took her hands and guided her to a chair.

“You’re supposed to be with our daughter.”

“And you’re supposed to include me on these schemes of yours.” She turned her gaze to Lugus. “Ahryn would be furious if she knew.”

Lugus held up his hands. “Easy, Rufina. Nothing has been decided. We’re just talking.”

“Neither of you can go into Thav,” she said. “I told Theron from the first moment I met Isran I didn’t care for him. He’s too devious.”

“That he is, my love,” Theron murmured.

Lugus leaned forward in his chair and propped his elbows on his knees. “I can’t leave Aimery to face whatever kind of hell Isran has planned for him.”

“I don’t think he wants Aimery for that,” Rufina suggested as Theron helped her into a chair. “I think Isran wants Aimery to stand with him.”

“By all that’s magical.” Theron swallowed and sank into his seat. “Aimery’s power is great. If Isran can get him to turn to the dark…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence, because just thinking it made his gut hurt.

“The army is ready,” Lugus reminded him. “They’re standing guard now, awaiting orders.”

Rufina placed her hand atop Theron’s. “I want to save Aimery, too, but we can’t. We have to wait.”

Theron looked from his queen to his brother. “I won’t forgive myself if Aimery loses his life in this.”

“Aimery is strong. He’ll pull through.” Lugus rose and walked to the window.

Theron prayed his brother was right.

* * * * *

Aimery wanted to stay in the pit of despair that had overtaken him. His madness, his insanity was better than what was happening around him.

But Kyndra’s sweet voice had broken into his mind and called to him. He had wanted to ignore her, but there was something in her voice that made him open his eyes. She had turned to black magic, she had chosen to stand beside Isran, but in her beautiful swirling blue gaze he had seen the woman he had fallen in love with.

He’d been about to answer her when Isran decided to move beside her. Aimery hastily closed his eyes and focused on renewing his strength. The egg hadn’t been broken yet, which meant there was a chance he could get to Isran.

“Aimery?” Isran called. “I went to too much trouble for you to lose yourself in your mind. “

Aimery didn’t move.

Isran stepped closer. “What of Kyndra? Aren’t you going to fight for her? I know you care for her. Perhaps you even…love her.”

It took everything Aimery had not to open his eyes. He had never wanted to battle someone as fiercely as he did Isran. The lies, the betrayal and now Kyndra.

“I know you can hear me,” Isran whispered. “Come out and play, Aimery.” Aimery cracked open an eye to see something in Kyndra’s hand. He recognized the scroll in her hand as the missive Theron had given him. Why did she have it?

Her gaze lifted to his, and he spotted the dagger in her other hand.

“It’s time,” Isran shouted. “I’m ready to receive my power and rule the universe.” Aimery found it difficult to watch as Kyndra walked around the altar to stand beside the egg. Isran knelt in front of the egg, his head lifted and his arms opened wide.

“Come, Kyndra,” he called. “Begin the ceremony.”

Aimery no longer cared if Isran knew he was awake or not. His gaze was riveted on Kyndra. She had set the scroll behind the egg on the altar and raised the dagger over her head.

Her lips moved as she began to chant in a voice that was more song than speech. The words were difficult to understand, as if she were channeling power from somewhere else.

He pulled at his invisible chains, urging the magic of the cuff to aid him. Of a sudden, he dropped to the floor, balancing on the balls of his foot and his hands. Isran was too occupied with Kyndra to realize he had gotten free. Aimery had to stop Kyndra. The egg couldn’t be broken, Isran couldn’t bath in the yolk and, above all else, Kyndra couldn’t complete the ceremony.

Aimery pulled his dagger from its sheath and readied it to throw at Kyndra. The thought of killing her made him ill, but he had no other choice. It wasn’t just the Fae realm in danger, but every realm in the universe. He had an obligation, regardless of his feelings toward Kyndra, to stop them in whatever way necessary.

The metal from the dagger was cool in his hand. He wanted to aim for her heart, but she was turned to the side. The only spot available to him that would give her a quick death was the neck.

Her eyes flew open, and she arched her back. Aimery lifted his arm, ready to throw the dagger. He reared back just before she plunged the weapon into the egg. As he moved his arm forward to throw the dagger, he realized her blade had missed the egg and sunk into the seal on the scroll.

Aimery turned his hand to make sure the dagger missed Kyndra. He jumped to his feet as lightning filled the room, striking him again and again. Only it wasn’t pain he felt, but magic, beautiful, pure magic.

* * * * *

Kyndra smiled as she saw the magic pour into Aimery. He had freed himself from the chains and, by the dagger sunk into the stones behind her, he had intended to kill her. Yet, it didn’t matter. Aimery stood with his head thrown back and his arms out wide as the magic struck him repeatedly.

“You bitch,” Isran shouted and jumped to his feet.

Kyndra didn’t run. She might not have the power to defeat him, but she would battle him until Aimery was able to take over. She wasn’t expecting his hand to connect with her cheek.

“That is the first and last time you will betray me,” he snarled.

“Do your worst.”

He smirked. “And I know just the thing,” he said as he raised his palms toward her.

Kyndra screamed as the fire flew from his hands and surrounded her. She glanced at Aimery. The fire ate away at her, sucking her life force until she couldn’t fight the darkness closing in around her.

“Aimery,” she whispered just before the light went out.

Chapter Twenty‐Four

Aimery fell to his knees, his breathing ragged. The tower was quiet, too quiet. He looked up to find Isran enclosing Kyndra in a ball of flame. He rose and started toward her, when Isran’s voice stopped him cold.

“Move another step toward me and I kill her.”

Aimery glanced at Kyndra. “What are you doing to her?”

Isran shrugged and faced him. “I could kill her with just a thought. For now, she’s my prisoner. The fire is made of pure magic. Try to touch it, and it’ll burn you.” Kyndra looked as if she were asleep, but Aimery wanted her out of the fireball before Isran did kill her. Magic rushed through him, demanding he let it loose. But Aimery held fast and waited. Isran was confident, mayhap too confident. Aimery would use it to his advantage when the time came.

“What? No witty remark?” Isran taunted. “I would have thought you’d be on your knees begging me for her life.”

“Why, when it’s me you want?”

Isran chuckled and shook his head. “I always thought you were more intelligent than any Fae I knew, but you’ve proven that I was wrong. You’re thinking with your cock instead of your mind.”

“What would you know about it? The only way you could get a woman into your bed was through magic.” Just as Aimery expected, Isran’s lip curled in fury. “Did I make you angry?”

“I can see I was wrong about you. You aren’t the warrior I want by my side when I take over the universe.”

“
If
you take over the universe,” Aimery corrected.

Isran growled and took a step to the left. Aimery moved with him. They circled each other, each waiting for the other to strike. Aimery wasn’t sure what kind of magic was inside him, but he knew it was strong. Possibly strong enough to defeat even Isran.

“You know I’m going to kill you.”

Aimery shrugged and halted. “Maybe. Maybe not. I’m ready to find out.”

“Suit yourself.”

Aimery used his magic and called a sword to each hand and swung them around himself.

The blades glowed blue and sung as they sliced through the air.

“Impressive,” Isran said with raised brows. The next instant he held two swords with flames as blades. “Where did you get the magic?”

“It’s a secret.”

“One I intend to discover.”

Aimery shook his head as they began to circle each other again. “That was always your problem, Isran. Everything you wanted was in your grasp, you just didn’t want to work toward it.”

“Why work for it when I can get it for free.”

“Because the cost is your soul.”

Isran threw back his head and laughed. “Do you think you can kill me? The Fae you called brother?”

“In a heartbeat.”

Aimery ducked as Isran stepped toward him and swung the sword at his head. Aimery straightened and pivoted, slicing downward. He grinned when Isran yelped in pain and blood ran down his leg from the cut across his thigh.

“Does it hurt?”

Isran’s lips peeled back in a sneer. “You will pay for that.” Aimery brought his left arm up, using his sword to block a downward swing from Isran’s weapon. His right arm jerked up to halt the thrust of Isran’s second blade, but still the point of the sword penetrated his thigh.

“An eye for an eye,” Isran said as he stepped back.

Aimery’s leg felt as if it were on fire. He glanced down at the tear in his breeches and grimaced when he saw the scorch marks on his skin and clothes.

“Does it hurt?” Isran mocked.

In answer, Aimery lunged toward Isran. One arm blocked Isran while the second thrust into his side. Isran howled in pain and spun away from him. Aimery barely had time to raise his swords to stop Isran’s blades. Aimery jerked his arm out and, with a flick of his wrist, nicked Isran’s wrist so that his sword went flying to clatter on the stones across the tower.

Isran attacked, his sword a blur he moved it so deftly. Aimery hissed as he lost one of his swords. He ducked and rolled to his feet when Isran swung at his neck. As Aimery stood, a bolt of pain ran through his arm. When he looked, he saw Isran’s blade sticking through his arm.

Isran knocked Aimery’s second sword from his hand, his laughter filling the tower.

“I thought you might last longer.”

Aimery jerked his arm off Isran’s blade and faced him. Isran thrust his blade, but Aimery gripped his wrist, stopping him instantly. Aimery turned and elbowed Isran in the face. The crack of bone shattered the silence. It felt so good Aimery did it a second time before he backhanded Isran.

Isran crumpled to his knees, blood pouring from his nose and lips. It wouldn’t be long before he began to heal. Aimery reached for his sword and grasped Isran’s shoulder.

“I did call you brother, but you must pay for your crimes.” Aimery knew the likelihood of getting Isran back to his realm was almost none. His punishment must be carried out now and, though Aimery was loath to do it, it was his duty. He reared back his arms as Isran’s eyes widened. Before Isran could gather any magic, Aimery plunged the blade into his heart.

Isran clutched at Aimery’s arm as his life faded from his eyes. He fell to the side, his gaze now on the egg. Aimery didn’t want to watch him die, not someone he had thought of as family.

He wanted back in his realm, with Kyndra in his arms.

He walked to Kyndra and laid his sword on the altar. Just as he reached for the fire that surrounded her Isran began to laugh. Aimery turned his head to look at him. There was a loud crack, and Aimery whirled around to see the egg shatter, spilling the yolk on the stones.

A glance at Isran confirmed that he was indeed dead, but Aimery wasn’t about to take any chances. He rushed to Isran and tossed him onto the altar so the yolk couldn’t touch him.

Then he faced Kyndra.

The sphere of flames didn’t diminish with Isran’s death. Aimery gazed at Kyndra suspended in mid
‐
air, her long, dark locks floating through the flames as if they were water. She had sacrificed everything. For him.

And he would do the same.

Aimery took a deep breath and stepped into the sphere. The flames licked at his skin, scorching him with burns that laced across his body like whip marks. He gathered Kyndra in his arms and hugged her to him.

“I’m sorry, my love. So sorry I failed you.”

Aimery stepped out of the sphere and closed his eyes as he thought of his realm. In the next breath he found himself standing in a corridor of the palace. He smiled as he took in the beauty of the Fae. They had made it.

“Aimery?”

He looked up to find Theron and Lugus running toward him.

Lugus was the first to reach him. “What happened to her?”

“I’ll explain everything once she’s settled.”

“Is she dead?”

“Nay.” Aimery could still feel her heart beating in her chest. It was power he had never had before, power he had never thought to experience.

“Come,” Theron said. “There’s a chamber for her.”

But Aimery shook his head. “She’s going to mine.”

Theron and Lugus followed him to his chamber. After Aimery had her on his bed and covered, he motioned them out and closed the door behind him. He leaned his head against the door and sighed.

“You look like hell,” Lugus murmured.

Aimery snorted. “I feel like it.”

“Are those burns?”

He turned to Theron and nodded. “They are. Let’s leave Kyndra in peace. I’ll tell you everything over a feast and a case of wine.”

An hour later Aimery pushed his platter away and leaned back in his chair with a goblet in hand. “That’s all of it.”