Night of the Storm: An Epic Fantasy Novel (The Eura Chronicles Book 2) (26 page)

AFTER THEIR LATE SUPPER,
Lilae and Liam headed outside to the dark garden of plants and bushes absent of colorful flowers. Their blooms were of black and white, with the occasional yellow buds of a flower Lilae had seen in Avia’Torena.

Holding hands, he led her to a fountain that had statue of the Ancient, Telryd—the human god.

“We finally made it,” he said. “After everything in Gollush, I was worried things would have taken a darker turn.”

“Me too,” Lilae said. “Dragnor hasn’t tried to torment me in a few days. I just hope he’s given up. Though, I doubt he ever will.”

“I’m sorry you have to go through that,” he said, standing before her. He titled her chin up and kissed her lips. “But, as long as I am around, nothing will ever hurt you again,” he whispered against her lips.

Lilae smiled and closed her eyes, the effects of the wine warming her body from the shoulders down. She felt good, free, relaxed, and her desire for Liam was intensified. She let her hands slip into his hair as he held her by the waist.

“I know. I’ll never let anyone hurt you either,” she said. “Somehow, I think Telryd and the other Ancients approve of what we have.”

“Why else would they let us heal one another?”

Lilae nodded. “Exactly. They must have known we’d be so close.”

Liam stroked her cheek, the buzz of insects their ambient background noise.

“How do you feel about being apart tonight?” he asked.

She sighed. “Well, I haven’t seen my sisters in over a year. As much as I will miss having you in my bed, I can’t help
not
wanting to let them out of my sights again.”

“I understand. I think you should keep them close. I’ve never seen you so happy.”

She looked up at him, the blue of his eyes almost glowing. “I’ve never been so happy,” she said. “With you, with having them back, with the Elders having a solid plan to put this world back together. I almost feel like there is hope—that together we can do this.”

“I agree. I feel it too,” he said.

Lilae’s heart pattered in her chest as Liam kissed her again. She let out a moan as his tongue caressed her lips and found entry into her mouth. She closed her eyes and tasted the sweet honey from their dessert on his tongue.

Laughter came from the castle as Risa and Jaiza ran into the garden. Rowe chased them.

They stopped when they saw Lilae and Liam, covering their giggles.

“What’s this?” Risa said as Lilae pulled away and wiped her mouth.

Lilae glanced at Liam, blushing.

He kissed her again. “Sleep well,” he whispered and turned to Rowe. “We should turn in. Don’t you think?”

Rowe looked from Lilae to Liam and nodded. “If you have something…more important to do,” he said, clearing his throat. “I won’t get in your way.”

Liam put a hand on Rowe’s shoulder, turning him around. “Bedtime,” he said.

Rowe winked at Lilae. “Good night, ladies.”

Lilae watched Rowe and Liam leave, avoiding the questioning looks from her sisters.

Once the men were gone, their grins widened.

“Oh, little sister. You’re back to breaking hearts again, aren’t you?”

Lilae rolled her eyes and headed back to the castle.

She’d never hear the end of it. They’d done the same when they’d believed something romantic going on with her and Anic. It had embarrassed Lilae so much that she’d considered breaking things off with the poor blacksmith’s son.

She smiled to herself. This time she didn’t care who knew.

THIN SLIVERS OF SUNLIGHT
spilled through the window of her room inside Torgrid Castle. All throughout the night, faint creaks and what sounded like whispers kept Lilae awake.

Loud chatter and activity urged her to finally get up and face another day. She was exhausted, having barely slept.

Lilae’s head thumped with pain, and her stomach was unsettled.

Too much wine
, she thought, and groaned as she sat up on her pillow.

As she crawled onto her knees to look out the window, Jaiza also woke up with a yawn.

Rise still snored under the covers they shared.

To Lilae’s surprise, goblins were awake and swarming the streets with their daily tasks. Short and dressed in similar hues of blue and gray, they looked like children to Lilae.

“I hope there is something for breakfast,” Jaiza said, sitting up from her space in the bed between Risa and Lilae. “I’m craving bacon.” She pulled the covers over her legs and rested her back on the stone wall while Lilae continued to look out the keyhole-shaped window.

“Me too,” Lilae said, her stomach grumbling. She hadn’t had anything as delicious as fresh cooked bacon in ages. “That sounds good.”

“Bacon?” Risa called, pulling the covers from over her head. She stretched her arms above her and turned onto her side to face Lilae and Jaiza. “Lies,” she said with a yawn. “I don’t smell any bacon.”

Jaiza cracked a grin. “I never promised any, Risa. I just said I craved it. How about you get up and go make some?”

“No, ma’am.
You
were always better in the kitchen.”

Lilae turned to them, smiling. “How about we all go down and cook for everyone?”

Jaiza nodded “Good idea, Lilae. It’s the least we could do for Vaugner and for Ayoki especially.”

“You said that she saved your lives,” Lilae said as she pulled her nightgown over her head.

“Yes,” Jaiza said, but her eyes narrowed as she walked to Lilae. She reached out and touched Lilae’s tattoos. “Goodness, Lilae. What is this? What happened here?”

Lilae’s smile faded. She tensed under Jaiza’s touch and stepped away. Embarrassed, she quickly snatched her shirt off the bedpost and put it on. If only she could hide her tainted skin forever. But, the ink ran deep. She feared she’d never be rid of it, or the memories that came along with it.

“Dragnor did it to me. It’s a curse.”

Jaiza’s brows furrowed as she watched Lilae get dressed. “What kind of curse?”

Shrugging, Lilae buckled her belt and knelt down to put on her shoes. “It makes me ill. That’s all. Liam and I found a way to fight it.”

“You did?” Risa asked. She and Jaiza shared a look. “Tell me about this method you and Liam discovered.”

Lilae turned away, her cheeks growing bright red by the knowing tone in Risa’s voice.

“It’s nothing,” she muttered. “He and I can heal each other. Now, tell me what happened with Ayoki. How did she save you?”

Risa grinned and pointed to Lilae. “Changing the subject. Don’t think I didn’t notice. I knew there was something going on between you two. We weren’t too drunk to notice your kiss.”

Jaiza waved a hand at Risa, shushing her. “Hush, Risa. It’s none of your business what Lilae and Liam do to
heal
each other,” she said with a grin that matched her twin.

Sighing, Lilae stood tall and crossed her arms across her chest. “Are you going to tell me what The Seer can do or not?”

Lilae hoped her cheeks weren’t still red, but could still feel the heat within them.

Risa’s shoulders rose to her ears. “She ripped the skin off a bunch of soldiers.”

“And kept ripping them apart until they were nothing but dust. It was horrifying,” Jaiza said.

“I wasn’t horrified,” Risa said. “I was jealous.”

Jaiza rolled her eyes. “You were scared too.”

“Not really.” Risa shook her head, her eyes widened. “Seriously, Lilae. It was amazing. I just wish I had a power like that.”

“She’s lying,” Jaiza said, turning back to Lilae. “I have never seen anything like it.” Her brows rose. “Except that day in Lowen’s Edge. When you made the sky turn red and spit fire onto everything. I can’t decide which of you has the scariest power.” 

Lilae licked her lips, imagining the power they described. She also remembered how euphoric her power had felt the day Jaiza described in Lowen’s Edge. Something had snapped within her, turning her into a being driven by destruction.

Her hands began to shiver. She clamped them together, frowning down at them when they wouldn’t stop.

A gasp escaped her lips as her chest tightened, making it difficult to catch her breath. Jaiza’s image before her started to blur. Her skin grew hot, and her knees weakened, sending her to the floor with a loud thud. Lilae had no control over her body.

She whimpered, her entire body locking and shutting down.

Help. Help.
She wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. It was as if something unseen clutched her throat.

No.
Panic took over
.
Lilae couldn’t breathe, move, or regain control of her body.

What she
could
do was feel Dragnor activating his curse.

Liam.

Jaiza touched her, her frantic voice nothing more than a dull whisper as all light faded despite Lilae’s eyes being wide open.

Something crashed through the window, and yet Lilae couldn’t move. Whatever towering creature had entered the room tossed Risa and Jaiza to the walls with a thud of broken bones.

“Lilae!”

DAWN CAST ITS FAINT GLOW
on the city, waking Torgrid’s interesting breed of people. The goblins left their buildings in hordes, as if someone had rung a bell and made them leave their homes.

Curious looks lifted to Liam and Rowe, although no one spoke to them. Children smiled and waved, their little faces brightening at seeing the strange glowing men outside the castle.

Liam nodded at them and waved back, returning their kind smiles.

In just a few days, they would embark on their next journey, one that would determine the fate of Ellowen.

Such a heavy notion weighed on Liam’s mind as he and Rowe sat outside of the Keep, enjoying the fresh air as they waited for the others to awaken. Memories of Lilae’s laughter the night before put Liam at peace as his eyes followed the goblins down the road to the mines outside of the city.

Liam’s smile faded as he watched a young mother shuffling her four children toward a large stone building separate from the tall towers that served as their homes.

If only his mother could give him a sign that she was alive. His stomach churned each time he thought of her.

Seeing Lilae smile with such vibrancy was enough to pull him from his dark thoughts of plagues and death back home. He’d give anything to see that smile every day—for the rest of his life.

Such a notion should have frightened Liam, but it didn’t. It made an excitement brew inside that he had never felt.

Was it possible to feel such strong feelings for a girl he’d just met only weeks ago? Sona had destroyed his heart with her betrayal, but the moment he’d met Lilae, it was as if she was an instant remedy and renewed him.

Knowing that she was willing to return to Oren with him one day brought a smile to his lips. Liam pictured her walking through the palace gardens in a beautiful dress, her long hair styled in the Oren way; her smile directed at him made his smile widen.

“We should probably wake Lilae and her sisters,” Liam said to Rowe. “Get started with preparing for our Gate.”

“Maybe,” Rowe said. “But, they were pretty drunk last night. I’d let them rest a bit. You know nothing of the headache a night of too much ale or wine can give a person, especially someone as small as those women.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Liam said, glancing to the left when Ayoki stepped from the front door. She didn’t look their way, but graceful, yet shy, she walked over to a stone bench and sat down with her back pressed against the wall of the keep.

She drew her legs into her chest as she watched the sky above, a perplexed expression on her face. She leaned forward, as if focusing in on something.

Ayoki was a mysterious creature, one that intrigued him. After what they’d learned about Pretica’s betrayal, he also felt pity for her.

“So,” Rowe said, breaking Liam from his thoughts. “Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Lilae last night?”

Liam cleared his throat, drinking the brew the castle cook had prepared for him that morning. It was potent and lifted his spirits within moments of his first sip. He drank to stall answering Rowe’s question, all the while hoping his cheeks didn’t blush at the memories of the night before.

“What’s that?” Rowe said, breaking Liam from his thoughts.

Liam looked up, following Rowe’s gaze to the clear night sky. His eyes narrowed as something flew across the sky—a flutter of fabric. Was it a dress? Or robes?

His eyes followed the movement, warnings brewing in his belly.

“It’s a woman,” Liam said, incredulously. His eyes widened as she flew closer, her black dress fluttering with the wind, her long black hair wiping around her body.

Her eyes fixed on him.

Ayoki stood and looked to Liam, her face paled in comparison to her usual dark complexion. Her brows were furrowed.

Liam stepped backward as the woman grew closer. A whistle filled their ears. Loud and shrill, it resonated through the entire city, making the lines of goblins stop their trek to work. They turned to look up at the gray sky.

Where had the sun gone? Darkness fell as the clouds blocked out the sun, and the air grew cold, sending goosebumps up Liam’s arms and neck.

“Get Delia and the others,” Liam said to Ayoki, drawing his sword as, from the dark clouds, something large fell through them.

A goddess.