Aligning Stars (Fate's Intent Book 1) (2 page)

I stepped aside once more and let Troy handle it this time. Troy agreed with a slight nod and stepped toward the General, pulling his sword out at the same time. He was our master sword fighter and easily proved it. He swung his precious weapon in a single swift almost unseen motion and put it away instantly.

General Balwin had dropped to his knees with his hand on his side. He was bleeding badly.

“Let’s end this humiliation. Just say the word and you can turn back.”

He was breathing fiercely but his breaths were inconstant from the wound. I could hear it in his voice when he spoke. “No. I will not forfeit my honor, not to the likes of you.”

Great. I took a step back in aggravation and put my hand on my head to cool myself down before I ended up killing him myself. That wasn’t my plan. “Darius, would you deal with this please? His honor means nothing here.”

Darius smiled, a kind of malicious smile, already feeling the joy of it. He was the center of our strength and shown it in the way he carried himself, being more robust than Troy or myself. He stepped forward while cracking his knuckles with intense pleasure.

“Try not to kill him. I want to send him back alive.”

My command caught Darius’s attention and he turned back towards me. “Send him back? Why can’t I just kill him?”

“This is not his fate and as he did not intend to die here, I will give him one last opportunity to say good-bye to that daughter of his before he dares to venture out here again. I won’t feel so lenient having to do this a second time. That’s when you will get your chance.”

Darius sighed in disappointment but General Balwin actually laughed.

Darius turned to him and grabbed his hair, lifting up his head. “And what is so funny?”

General Balwin seized from moving, looking up into the very burning topaz of Darius’s eyes. “Dead or alive, this will be avenged. My daughter won’t show generosity as you do.”

That did it. That one little remark sparked Darius with anger and he punched the General in the face but kept him steady in front of him. “Be grateful I don’t kill you now but we will meet again and you’ll be introduced to your fate.” He looked over at me for approval and I merely nodded. Darius didn’t hold back. He punched the General in the face several more times and kicked him in his sides.

“That’s enough!” I shouted, holding up my hand so he would indeed stop before he killed him.

Darius stepped back and General Balwin was helpless. He fell to the ground.

“All of this could have been avoided if you would have just admitted your defeat. Someone retrieve this man’s horse. It’s time for him to go home.”

Troy nodded and steadily approached the Kaluian horse who’s been watching. He kept it calm and walked it over to us. Darius lifted the General onto the horse and secured him tightly to it.

“Carry him swiftly home so he may survive to tell of this tale.” I slapped the horse on the rear end and it went running back toward Kalu.

We watched.

The horse managed to make its way through the fallen dead until it ran completely into the dark and out of sight.

“Now what?” Darius sighed, disappointed that he didn’t get to kill anyone in close range. It was something we were all disappointed in.

“Once more we wait.” I turned from the west and started walking back down the road to our campsite just a little farther into Seni. “I’m undoubtedly sure the Queen will be furious with the General’s defeat that she’ll send others before his return.”

“That’s when we’ll both get our chance, Darius, to taste Kaluian blood.”

He smiled at Troy’s remark. Just the thought of future blood that will be spilt by his massive broadsword made him yearn for it even more. I knew how he felt. I knew what he wanted and it was completely justified. He finally looked away from the west and followed us, his footsteps being just a little louder. “Glad to see you’re not worried about the daughter threat.”

“Of a woman? Please. He’ll rue the day he made that claim, at least when she goes back to him bearing that of an enemy child in her womb.”

They smiled wider. The thought of a close kill was nice but the thought of having the pleasure of a woman revisit us after patrolling for so long would have been a great reward to add to our victory. All we had to do now was wait for it to come to us.

Chapter 3

Adele

Cold.

I woke from that dream again. His eyes have burned an impression in my mind and it couldn’t be undone. Sometimes I wish it could but I was a different person then. I grew and this growth brought me farther away from things like kindness and hope.

I looked next to me at the sleeping man in my bed. Ryon was a beautiful blonde who was always there for me but I couldn’t talk to him about the things I dream. He wouldn’t care for it. He doesn’t care for much but a place in my bed whenever he wants and he’d probably take offend to it.

“Adele! Wake up!”

Jaylyn came bursting into my room, almost giving me a heart attack. Her voice was extremely anxious and she even woke Ryon.

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s your father. He has returned but he was the only one. You better go to him.”

I looked at Ryon quickly and he nodded to me, just trying to get me to move. It was hard to. I think I panicked. They had to get me out of bed but once I found my feet, I went on my own.

I was worried the whole way. I didn’t know what this meant. Was he okay? I wanted to know when I got downstairs but even when I did I was stopped.

“Hold on.” Ruby said, taking my shoulders before I entered my father’s room. “You should be prepared for what you might see. He’s in bad shape. Your father’s company was ambushed. He’s the only survivor.”

Now I was even more hesitant.

“It’s okay, Adele.” Ryon said, guiding me forward. “Go ahead. He needs you. We’ll wait here.”

They waited in the hall and let me walk in alone.

I did it slowly, preparing myself like Ruby said and saw him laying on the bed. At least it had to be him. I could barely recognize him at first. The bruises and cuts that covered his face caused it to look disfigured and I rushed over to his side with a pit of worry aching in my stomach. “Father?”

He slowly opened his eyes as much as he could but could only get one of them open. “Adele.”

“Who did this to you?” I looked him over almost in tears to see all of his wounds. I was even more saddened but filling with rage towards who was responsible.

He took a gasp of air like he was having a flashback and only said one word. “Zayden.”

My mind was going to the mention of that name. I heard it before. Everyone has. “Zayden? Of the Great Seni Fighters? I will revenge your honor, father.”

I bowed my head to turn away but my father grabbed my arm with what strength he had. “Adele. No one has ever stopped them before. It can’t be done. They are too strong.”

“It has yet to be proven who’s stronger, father. I will not allow this to go unanswered. You know that.”

“But I’ve seen them and I know what they are capable of. You cannot win with pure bravery. It’s a miracle that I got away with my life at all. They don’t take prisoners. This country can’t afford to lose you and I can’t afford to lose you, not like that.”

I remained silent. He knew what I was and knew that I was strong but he’s always seen me as a child. Since my mother died when I was young, he has always been protective of me. I guess he believed the Great Seni Fighters were stronger and he felt he had to protect me from them. I could understand why.

“What shall you have me do?”

“Let the Queen decide the right path. It’s not up to you. Wait until she makes it so.”

“Very well, father. You must rest now.” I put my hand over his face and closed his eye. I wanted him to rest to get through this.

He laid still and was breathing more calmly. I didn’t want to but I left the room with my eyes down on the floor, trying my hardest to close the door quietly behind me.

“So?” Jaylyn asked.

“Where’s Ryon?”

“He went to tell Trever. How bad is he?”

I sighed and hated even saying it. “Bad.”

“Damn Senians!” Ruby bursts out in anger to think that we weren’t there to stop it. I was thinking it too. We always seemed to be a step behind them. “They must be punished!”

“They will be but the Queen has to decide
it. For now we have our own part or Jaylyn does.” She shifted her eyes to me and looked worried. “I know that I said we shouldn’t use our gifts around others but he needs you right now and I need you to do it. The quicker he heals, the quicker the Queen can make her decision and we all know what it will be. She’s been waiting for something like this to happen too. It’s time we know for sure.”

It would be us. We were the Queen’s Assassins.

“All right, Adele. I’ll do it. Right now I don’t really care what others think about it either. He’s the only one that can tell her what happened.”

I nodded in return and all we could do now was wait for the perfect time.

Darkness. That was it.

We used the cover of night while the manor slept and snuck down into my father’s room. It was dark except for the light coming in through the windows from the moon and we could see him laying on the large bed in the center of the room.

Jaylyn took a deep breath, seeming nervous and tucked her blonde curls behind her ears. She slowly took off his blankets so she could see the wounds while Ruby and I could only stand by and watch. This was something only she could do but we had to be careful and make sure no one saw her do it.

She put her hand on my father’s forehead and was able to get a sense of his injuries. She looked up at me with worry because there were so many but I merely nodded and she started with the deep wound on his side. She put her hand over it and her bright green eyes had begun to glow, filling the room with even more light. This was a sign that it was working and we remained to wait in silence.

My father started to move half way through and Jaylyn immediately stopped. Her eyes faded and we all held our breaths in hopes that he wasn’t waking. He would surely disapprove of our method of fixing things. He knew what each of us possessed but never wanted us using our gifts where it would affect the thoughts of others in a negative way and bring up questions, possibly exposing us. That was something he always made sure we were careful about and even now we had to be.

He moved around for just a second longer then stopped and Jaylyn looked to me. I nodded and signaled for her to continue.

She worked on any internal damage she might have sensed before moving to the injuries on his face. From what I saw, he was lucky to have survived the journey home but I was glad he did, not just because he’s my father but this meant we would finally get the meeting we’ve anticipated over the years. Everyone has heard the stories of the Great Seni Fighters and their
greatness
but I wanted to show them ours and who really owned this world.

Chapter 4

General Balwin

I woke in a completely different state from the day before. I felt normal again. I touched my face. Strange. I could no longer feel signs of my wounds. It didn’t make sense. I got out of bed and walked over to the mirror to see for myself. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Nothing looked wrong with me.

I looked at the bloody bandage on my side but felt no pain. I unwrapped it and the wound was gone. It was like none of it ever happened but I knew better. I could never forget.

“Jaylyn.”

I tried to remember the night. I remembered seeing blurry images of the girls at my bedside and thought it was just a dream but after seeing myself now, I realized that it wasn’t. Adele has gotten Jaylyn to heal me for sure. I should have known she would have done something like this but now it could cause problems as to how I recovered so quickly.

I reached for the bandage and wiped it on my face, getting some of the blood to discolor patches of my skin so I appeared bruised again. Clothing would cover up everything else and I got myself prepared to see the Queen.

I was sure that was Adele’s intent and part of me was saying it was the right one. I knew the Queen would be furious just with the news and I was the only one who could speak the true details.

She sat with a look of disdain on her face as I entered into her presence in the throne room and got down on both knees in front of her. “What do you have to say for yourself, General? Your humiliating failure has cast a bad shadow over this country. Explain your actions.”

“I have not the words to describe my sincere apologies, your majesty, as we were unprepared for the recent events and I regret allowing three men to wipe out an entire company of your soldiers.”