Forged of Fire (35 page)

“No prisoners are allowed guests, my Prince.” The rotund faced male stated as if reading from a script.

Zander grit his teeth. “As you just stated, I am your fucking Prince! Go get my sister!”

The guard looked worriedly down the hall before lowering his voice. “There would be dire consequences from the King if I were to break protocol.”

Zander leaned in close to the door. “Then you better do so without him finding out.” The large Vampire furrowed his brows in contemplation. “Look, after today I will no longer be behind this door. Do you really want to meet me on the other side of this cage if you don’t do as I say?” Zander growled.

The guard, clearly persuaded, turned and swiftly headed away. Zander walked over to a chair and snatched up his shirt, dragging it over his head. He had to make Katara see reason. They needed to work together. He began to pace the small cell mentally reviewing the events of the last twenty-four hours. Someone had snitched, Kielyn and the Air-bender had been released. Well, released only to be hunted. He would need his sister to fill him in on if they had escaped or not. And, Ash was in custody. He rubbed his eyes wearily. It was like the stars had aligned perfectly to destroy him.

An aggravating and expected delayed thirty minutes later he heard the cell lock being jostled and the door opened. His sister leisurely sauntered in looking bored already. “What? Want to memorize my face before I kill you?”

Ok, off to a typically bad start. Check.
At least she was consistently annoying. “I know this is going to be hard on you, but I need you to think Katara.”

She narrowed her eyes. “So you want your death to be slow?” Zander shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was like rationalizing with a brick wall. “Originals can’t get headaches brother. You should leave the dramatics to me as it is clearly another thing you suck at.”

He looked up. “You just made my first point for me.”

“That you suck? Yes, point made.”

“That you are the one prone to dramatics,” Zander corrected. “You can never run Hell alone.”

Katara’s nostrils flared. “I will do so a lot better than you could! You’re not strong enough.”

“And you’re not smart enough,” he volleyed back. She opened her mouth, but he cut her off. “How many soldiers do we have on the east embankment?” She snapped her mouth closed. “How many new recruits were enlisted last month and what is our debt to profit return on manufactured supplies?”

“These are all numbers that I could have at my hands with a snap of my fingers,” she said. “It’s called an accountant.”

“No, it’s called being informed.” Zander folded his arms. “Our allies, name them all and their mates. Better yet, tell me which ones would stab you in the back first?”

“Again, all things that can be learned!” She waved her hand.

“When?” Zander walked towards her. “Before or after they find you inadequate and muster the forces needed to dethrone you?”

“They would never!” She huffed!

“They would gladly. You have spent your life like a pampered little brat, your only claim to fame is that you are untrustworthy and insane.” Zander stopped in front of his sister. “Sure, they will fear you, but it only goes so far when you are looking at the bigger picture. Our father, damn his soul, has earned the right to this empire by being both evil and smart.”

Katara folded her arms. “Except that Ashdon LaGoryen has made him weak. You saw him bend to Ash’s will yesterday.” She rolled her eyes. “The bastard was bleeding out, close to death with the whole town watching and father still did as my brother asked. He obliged a slave.”

“He obliged a Dragon,” Zander corrected. “Which brings me to my next point. How long do you think it will be before Ash kills him? And please, save the tough girl act. The bruise on your neck yesterday was all the proof you needed to know he is far stronger than you. Hell,” Zander chuckled. “And that was even without him releasing the Dragon that lives inside him.” He studied his sister, looking for any signs of understanding. “You are correct in one thing. Ashdon is our father’s one weakness. If we work together, he will also be his death.” Zander leaned in so that his nose was only a few inches from his sister’s. “I for one would rather have him on our side after he does.”

Katara’s chest rose with a deep inhale and fell with a resolved exhale. “What do you suggest?”

Finally!
Zander paused. “I suggest we rule together.”

“That’s not possible,” she said. “There is only one throne.”

“There is only one throne currently for one King. A duplicate could be made to sit beside it for a Queen.”

Katara recoiled. “You are not suggesting? Ewe! I’m kinky, but you are far from my type, brother!”

“And trust me, you are far from mine,” Zander scoffed. “It would be for appearance sake only. We would only have to be together long enough to provide heirs. Think about it. We could do more than just rule together, we could build a family empire together. Instead of pitting our children against each other, we could do the smart thing and bind them together creating an ultimate force.” He stepped back. “With my intelligence and your passion, we could be unstoppable.”

Katara stared at him in silence for a long time before lifting her hand to rest under her chin. “Ok.” Zander released the breath he had been holding. “Now, how do we provoke a Dragon?”

****

Kielyn jerked, scaring herself. Damn it! She had fallen asleep against a tree root. She ran a hand through her tangled hair. “You needed the sleep.” Kizer said as he stood and walked over from the ravine’s ledge. “My mother would sleep for hours at a time when she was carrying my brothers and sisters.”

He extended his hand to help her up. “Yea, but it’s only been a week, surely I should not be tired this early on.”

He laughed and cocked his head to the side. “You’re an immortal now. Everything is accelerated. Your vision, hearing, speed, pregnancy. All of it.”

Kielyn digested the words. She had never considered the pregnancy would be less than nine months. “So how long does it…”

“Six months is typical.” Kizer read her mind. “However, I’m not sure what a Dragon’s gestation period is.” He smiled.

Kielyn felt herself blush and she had to look away.
His gaze, how Ash always held her captive. His voice, it haunted her memory and his touch, was etched into her skin like a brand…She was his. Mind, body and soul…
God, she missed him so much. Being separated from Ash felt like a physical loss, as if someone had painfully removed a limb from her body. And what was worse than the pain, was the mourning over the loss, like it had no end. With every minute that passed, her heart cried. She wondered if it was possible to ever stop the invisible tears and the unquenchable void. She was not whole and deep down she knew if anything happened to Ash, she would never be again. The light would dim in her soul and she would fade into…no one.

Kizer reached out as if to comfort her but froze in place, his eyes turning from compassion to all business. His hands flew to his temples as if he were trying hard to concentrate. As if the pressure of his fingers would force clarity to a puzzle unseen. “What is it?” She asked.

“Skyler! I can hear her.” He waved his hand for silence. “She is in trouble.” Without another word he was running towards the denser tree line. “She needs me!”

Kielyn charged after him, grabbing his forearm. “Kizer, no! We can’t leave this spot.”

He brushed her off. “You stay, but I have to go to her.” His eyes looked worried. “She is in pain.”

“It could be a trap? We need to keep our cool and wait here.” Kizer winced as if he was experiencing pain and Kielyn grabbed his arm again. “Are you ok? Are you in pain?”

His eyes began to grow hard with anger. “She is in pain!”

“Kizer!”

“I have to help her.” He looked down at Kielyn, his stare boring into hers. “She is not Ash!” He spat. “She has nothing that Dante wants! They will kill her without even blinking. If Ash were as insignificant to Dante as the others, if his life was worthless in that monster’s eyes and you could get to him, would you stay here?”

Kielyn dropped her hold on his arm, understanding dawning. “No!”

She turned and began to lead the way into the forest, but Kizer’s hand shot out to stop her in her tracks. “My maker. My mission. You cannot come with me. You are the only key to everyone getting out.”

“I’m also the only one that could stop you from being killed. If Dante harms me, he will face Ash’s wrath. You need me to go with you.” She said firmly.

Branches snapping and tree tops swaying cause both their heads to turn. Something or someone was moving through the thicket. Kielyn looked back to the clearing by the canyon. They had moved in too far to leap back over from where they stood. “Kizer.” She took a step back. “Get back to the edge.”

No sooner were the words out, Skyler’s broken body landed at Kielyn’s feet as if tossed from the sky. Kielyn heard herself scream as Kizer bolted past her to scoop up the lifeless body. “Run!” He ordered as laughter began to ring out from the multiple voices sounding like hyenas on a hunt.

Kielyn turned to flee but collided with the equivalency of a mountain. Her vision raced up the gigantic male’s chest as her hands shot forward. The blast that followed sent her would-be attacker’s body, encased in blue fire, flying across the ravine before it disappeared into thin air. Her path cleared, she ran. She ran until she was one step away from jumping, one step away from freedom, and one step away from living the rest of her life as…no one.

That was when reality set in, she heard it
. Nothing… She heard nothing. No trampling pursuit. No yelling. No laughter. No fighting. Nothing…
Kielyn looked back over her shoulder. It was just as she suspected and at the same time, nothing she could have prepared for. There, where she had just run from stood the nightmare she had just escaped. All looking mutely at her. Her heart pounding in her chest was the only sensation around her.

One of the captors standing beside Kizer moved a step forward, breaking Kielyn’s trance.
Just one step.
He extended his hand, palm side up in her direction. The Original then slowly stretched his other arm backwards towards Kizer and what looked like the slain body of the Water-bender’s maker. “And here is the million dollar question,” he addressed her. “Do you save yourself, Kielyn?” He tilted his head. “Or do you save your friends?” He knew who she was.
He said my name!
“None of us will judge you if you take that leap and seal this one’s fate.”
This one’s fate?
They did not know about the army…

Kielyn looked back over the canyon. There was no way she could get back in if she jumped. Not now that they were onto the security breach. There was likewise, no way could she live with herself if she sent Kizer to his death. It was not even a question. With her resolve gathered she faced the menacing Originals surrounding Kizer and walked towards them. All she could hope for now was a miracle.

****

Ash stepped onto the raised dais as the deafening applause rose up to greet him. He surveyed the massive crowd. Thousands filled the stadium, all eager for the tournaments to begin, all vying for the best vantage point in which to observe. The same Originals that had cheered his public beating yesterday now clamored and pushed for a chance to see him take a seat beside their ruler as the coveted and honored guest of today’s sick festivities. Ash’s gaze skimmed over the dignitaries and generals all dressed to the nines as they gazed up at him from their appointed seats directly below the throne box. Yes, this is what they were all here for, to slake their perverted curiosity. To feed their demonic bloodlust with the demise of others while they stared on like a pack of hungry wolves, all foaming at the jaws but still too weak minded to challenge the alpha.

“Take them in, Ashdon,” Dante purred as he stepped onto the dais beside Ash and more cheering went up. “They all love you as much as I do.”