Starfire (26 page)
Authors: Kate Douglas
Tags: #Romance, #Man-Woman Relationships, #Fiction, #General, #Paranormal, #Demonology, #Revenge, #Paranormal Romance Stories
Artigos the Just paused at the final portal, the one leading into the levels where the free folk lived—the one that would put him, once again, among his people.
And yet he’d never once set foot in this new Lemuria. Had no real idea what Lemurians were like anymore, how they functioned as a society, who their chosen leaders were, what their politics were like. All he knew were the bits and pieces of information he’d stolen from people’s minds over the years. Mere snips of what Lemuria was like in this modern era.
Would they even remember him? His son had led Lemurian citizens ever since the great move from a dying continent—led them with a mind ruled by demonkind.
Artigos knew many in the Council of Nine must be compromised as well, and, if what Selyn and Dawson had reported was true, his grandson, the one he’d hoped would support his claim for leadership, was currently imprisoned in a jail cell, along with those who’d sworn their allegiance to the man.
Unless, of course, Dawson and Selyn had succeeded in freeing them. So much depended on luck.
Luck, and skill, and the power of crystal.
He glanced behind him, at the men and women standing ready to fight—willing to lay down their lives for an old man whose time might have already passed. Their amazing loyalty alone should give him the strength to move forward.
’Twas not luck that gave them the courage to stand behind a once-proud king. No, it was loyalty to Lemuria and the magic of crystal that empowered this small but magnificent army.
With that thought in mind, Artigos the Just stepped through the portal and left his thousands of years of imprisonment and exile behind him.
Stepped away from his lost life, into unimaginable chaos.
Men and women running in blind fear crowded past. Many were bleeding, covered in deep scratches and bites. Screams rose all about them, and the stench of demonkind was thick within the halls and tunnels of this strange, underground world.
Light overhead reminded him of the sky he’d not seen for thousands of years, and yet the light was false, manufactured by technology he’d heard was long forgotten by the people who still made use of it.
Wisps of black sped by, pursuing the Lemurians who’d just passed. Artigos caught the hint of talons and sharp fangs before the wraiths disappeared down the long passage. The stench of sulfur remained, a foul stink he’d never forget.
Demonkind. But how? There were demon wraiths here, inside Lemuria? He’d expected to fight against possessed Lemurian guards and possibly members of the Council of Nine, but demons flying free, aggressively attacking Lemurian citizens? Demons obviously capable of inflicting injuries while in wraith form?
That hadn’t been part of his plan!
He turned as his army spilled through the portal. Men and women took their places, lining up along the tunnel. For now, the panic-stricken flow of Lemurians had ceased, though screams and shouts echoed in the distance.
Artigos stood tall and gazed at the anxious faces of the men and women before him. “I have no idea what scourge we face, but there are demons herein. Go forth and fight bravely. Not for me, not for any ruler, not for any political party or ideology. No. We fight for our world, for our people, for Lemuria!”
He raised his sword high, as did each of his soldiers. The shout rose, loud and clear from many voices, from former slaves and the formerly possessed.
“For Lemuria!”
Light flashed from the shimmering tips of blades joined, and then shot along the tunnel, a brilliant arrow of energy flying in the direction of the sounds of battle.
Artigos watched the light, tracked its direction, and gave a mighty shout. Then, raising his sword, he led his army down the trail set by crystal.
Eddy leapt into the thick mass of demonkind with her blade flashing and snow falling all around. She was careful of Mari—the most amazing, magical Mari—standing tall within the mass of wraiths, still chanting her spell. Blood ran down her arms from long, deep scratches, and her face was marked as well, but Darius fought beside his woman like a man possessed, and he protected her as best he could.
With Artigos, Dax and Eddy helping, they managed to clear a space for Mari, but the wraiths kept coming and the snow kept falling, and Eddy couldn’t help but wonder how long they could hold out.
This wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen! She and Dax were supposed to take Artigos and Gaia and join the fight in Lemuria, but here they fought on Earth’s soil, and the demons continued to arrive in an unending, unrelenting stream.
Were Ginny and Alton all right? And what of Dawson and Selyn? There were others as well, Roland and his men—brave men who worked within Lemuria, fighting not only demonkind but their own government, their own leaders. Did Alton still hold the chancellor’s position? Did Artigos the Just truly survive?
She’d not asked the prior chancellor Artigos about his father. Not yet, though that question could not be put off forever.
Neither could her attention to the fight! Sharp talons raked her arm. Eddy ducked away from a demon with more form than most. She caught a quick glance of teeth and eyes and a long, forked tail before the foul creature shrieked and disappeared into the falling snow.
“Dax? What’s going on? They seem to be gaining strength, not growing weaker.” She glanced his way. He ducked beneath a pair of demons, but still managed a shrug.
“I don’t know.” Frustration leant an edge to his voice as he slashed DemonFire through that foul, oily mist, leaving a trail of flames and sparks behind. “Mari’s spell is supposed to slow them down, not make them more vicious.”
What the hell was going wrong? Eddy felt the emotional tug of her sword.
DemonSlayer?
she asked.
How can we help Mari?
DemonSlayer?
she asked.
How can we help Mari?
Her blade’s familiar voice whispered in her mind.
She needs the power of crystal. Touch your blades to her body, your hands to her flesh as well. Share with her of your life force. Empower her to tap into that great well of strength that lies within your world.
She needs the power of crystal. Touch your blades to her body, your hands to her flesh as well. Share with her of your life force. Empower her to tap into that great well of strength that lies within your world.
Hookay … that wasn’t quite what she’d expected. Eddy reached high for a demon, caught it with her blade, and watched with grim satisfaction as it shattered and scattered into foul smelling sparks. In the lull between attacks, she passed on what her blade had told her must be done.
“DemonSlayer says Mari needs more power, from us and from our swords. Touch your blades to her shoulders, your hands to her body. Share what you can to strengthen her spell.”
No one questioned her instructions. Eddy pressed the flat of her blade to Mari’s back and rested her hand upon her friend’s shoulder. Artigos, Dax, and Darius did the same, connecting Mari to their human and Lemurian life force as well as to the power of crystal.
Mari shuddered, as if she’d been jolted by a powerful shock, but her voice never faltered.
“Demon’s spawn in dark of night,
I charge you—lose your will to fight.
Be thou afraid. All, rush to flee!
Return to Abyss. So mote it be.”
Again and again she repeated her spell, a simple rhyme that was merely a framework to hold the magic she was still learning to control. But now, with the power of crystal, with the strength of her companions’ life force, there was a ring to her voice that hadn’t been there before.
Now, as she chanted the simple words, the dark wraiths milled about. They seemed confused, as if unsure of their goal. Mari stood tall and unwavering, though she’d held her arms aloft now, had spoken her spell continuously, for over an hour.
Eddy felt the drain on her energy and knew she fed into Mari’s. It was the strangest feeling, as if something were being sucked out, and yet at the same time, that power was being replaced. DemonSlayer? Was her sword finding the balance that allowed her to give without giving up, to share of herself without depleting her own reserves?
“Mari?” Darius sheathed his sword and pulled Mari into his arms. She stumbled into his embrace, but he caught her as her legs gave out.
Eddy blinked and looked around, aware the snow had stopped falling, that the sky was actually growing lighter as the cloud cover thinned. How long had they stood out here in the freezing cold?
And why wasn’t she freezing? Had Mari’s spell kept them warm as well? “Are they gone? I don’t see any demons.” She sheathed DemonSlayer, noting that the light of her blade had dulled. She looked up at Dax. He blinked as if he were just waking up from a long sleep. Artigos leaned on his yellow sword, and his breath came in deep pulls that left a frosty cloud in front of him.
Darius brushed Mari’s hair back from her face. “You did it, my love. You ran the bastards off.” He leaned close and kissed her.
Mari shook her head. “Barely.” Her voice cracked, as if she fought tears. “I couldn’t have done it without all of you, your energy … life force, whatever it was you shared with me. Thank you. But they’re not gone for good. They’re growing much stronger.” She held up her arm and stared at the blood running from her wrist to her elbow.
Eddy noticed that all of them were covered with numerous small cuts and bites. What looked like insubstantial smoke had enough solid form to inflict injuries. All of them were bleeding.
Spirit opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. Bumper raced past her and sniffed the ground, her tail wagging full speed. “I’ve got coffee on and a late breakfast cooking,” Spirit said. “Come in, clean up. Get some food and some rest. You were all absolutely amazing.”
She hugged Mari. “I’m so proud of you! Even covered in scratches you look powerful. Sweetheart, you are truly a skilled and powerful witch.” Spirit chuckled and wrapped an arm around her daughter’s waist. “My daughter the witch. I never dreamed this would come to pass.”
Laughing, Mari grabbed Darius’s hand, and they headed inside with Dax and BumperWillow following. Artigos brought up the rear, but he’d not spoken since they’d joined the battle and seemed unusually quiet.
Eddy stopped him at the door. “Are you okay?”
He raised his head and stared at her out of eyes clouded with grief. “I’ve brought this on, haven’t I? How can I ever forgive myself, much less ask my people to forgive me?” He stared down at the yellow crystal sword grasped tightly in his hand. “Will my son ever forgive me? My father?”
Eddy gazed at the man who had literally condemned an entire world by his actions, and yet it was difficult to lay all the blame on his shoulders. After a moment, she focused on his sword—a sword that had served him well throughout the long night.
“Crystal won’t serve a warrior it doesn’t respect. If your blade feels your heart is true, isn’t that what matters? And won’t your people, the ones you love, accept that?”
Artigos raised his head and frowned. “It has served me well, but it has not yet spoken to me. I have much to prove before my blade feels I am worthy.”
Eddy smiled and linked arms with him. “Then I guess you just need to keep doing your best, don’t you agree? You’re certainly not going to prove anything by wallowing in self-recrimination. Or, by missing one of Freedom’s really good breakfasts.”
She tugged, opened the door, and they entered the house that way, linked arm in arm. The sun was breaking through the clouds behind them, casting its light over the snow-covered peak of Mount Shasta. Eddy glanced over her shoulder as Artigos shut the door, and wondered how they could get to the nearest portal and find their way to Lemuria.
How in the hell were they going to stop this blasted invasion that kept expanding in numbers as well as strength?
The feeling that Alton and Ginny needed their help grew stronger by the minute. The sense that everything depended upon the battle she knew must be underway, deep inside the mountain in Lemuria.
Eddy wandered into the big, bright kitchen and glanced up as Dax handed her a cup of steaming coffee. Her dad grabbed the remote and turned on the small TV sitting on the counter near the table, slipping through channels in search of local news. Finally he found a familiar station.
They all gathered at the big kitchen table while Freedom brought platters of eggs and fried potatoes, bacon and sausage, and hot cornbread right from the oven.
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