Chapter 39

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

M essene differed vastly from their last visit. The legion of soldiers lining the streets as Terena and Daris led the way into the heart of the city was a big reason. Another was the fact none of the citizens so happily thronging the streets on their previous visit were anywhere in sight.

They neared the main square, soldiers watching them as they dismounted and brought their horses to a hitching post.

Feeling better knowing they’d have protection, Terena still worried for Sonah and Croak back at camp. Daris had assured her before they left that Jason and a hand selected group of Liodari would guard them.

Terena’s stomach sank when they stopped in front of a group of Heylisian soldiers and they parted to reveal General Peleon.

He sneered at them, his hawkish nose looking even bigger than she remembered, his eyes like slits. Terena kept her face blank. Daris and Rydon flanked her, with Melanos a few steps behind and the Liodari at their backs. Peleon stared at her a long while before spitting on the ground. Without a word, he motioned with his hand behind him and the soldiers parted again .

Two people were brought forward, hoods over their heads, one of them struggling against the grip of a massive soldier while the other was hunched and broken. Terena knew right away from the soiled robes the smaller figure was Pytho, so different now from the ethereal woman she’d met months ago.

Terena’s hands dropped to her sides, her thumbs tracing the pommels of her short swords. Her face heated, and she pinched her lips when Pytho was thrown roughly to the ground.

“Such a fucking coward, Peleon,” Terena seethed, taking a step forward. The guards closest to Peleon reached for their swords.

“Can’t say I’m surprised to see you here,” Peleon spat again, his eyes narrowed so far she wondered if he could see her at all. “Hiding behind the Liodari isn’t going to save you.”

Daris stiffened at her side. She gave the general a nasty smile. “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

Peleon continued to sneer at her, but didn’t rise to her taunt. He turned his head to the men guarding Pytho and the other prisoner. The guards removed their hoods and Terena cursed inwardly to see the young acolyte, David, with Pytho. He had a large bruise on the left side of his face and blood crusted his mouth. His clothes were filthy, like Pytho’s, and Terena wondered if Peleon had even bothered to allow them to bathe or change their clothes since their capture.

Knowing what an asshole he was, Terena doubted it.

“Where’s the shroud?”

“I’ll give it to you after you release them,” Terena said, feigning boredom.

“Oh, no, tracker scum,” Peleon said and clicked his tongue. “Only this bitch is being traded. This bitch,” Peleon said as he grabbed David by the back of his neck and shoved him to the ground, “is incentive.”

“What?”

He unsheathed a dagger inside his cloak and Terena quickly pulled out her short swords. Peleon grabbed a fistful of David’s hair and yanked his head back. The acolyte inhaled sharply as the general put the dagger to his throat .

Looking across at Terena, his face dark, Peleon roared, “Where is the shroud?”

“Fuck, there’s no need to shout! I have your shroud,” she said as she turned to Melanos, who produced a small rucksack. Taking the bag from him, Terena raised it, shaking it for Peleon’s benefit. “See? Put the dagger away.”

“Bring it here.”

“Fuck that,” Terena snorted. Her eyes sparkled as she gave him a flirty smile. “You come get it.”

He stared at her, his face going slack.

Then he slit David’s throat.

Pytho cried out, her shrieks drowning out Rydon’s curse, and Terena lunged forward, ready to strike Peleon down. The soldiers on either side of them dropped to a knee, lifting shields as the row of archers behind them trained arrows on Terena. Swords unsheathed behind her, the Liodari readying for an attack.

“Understand now?”

“You fucking?—”

“Enough!” Peleon shouted, his face mottled. Behind him, two men wearing cloaks and plain trousers, their black shirts opened at the throat to reveal a jangle of pendants hanging off of silver and gold chains, stepped forward.

“Cyphers,” Melanos hissed as the cloaked men spread their arms. Their pendants glowed.

“What’s that?” Terena asked, turning to look at Melanos over her shoulder.

“Mortals with powers gifted by the Olympians. Those pendants are runes imbued with those powers. And there are two of them.”

Like the woman in Sparta that had attacked her and Rydon.

Well. Fuck.

Terena stared at the cyphers. She took a step forward. Daris’s hand shot out, grabbing her elbow. “I’ll take it,” he said, pulling her close. His eyes were inches from hers. “I don’t want you giving Peleon a chance to take you. ”

She was about to argue when Melanos’s large hand gripped her shoulder. “I agree. Let the commander go.”

Terena hesitated, then gave Daris the bag with the shroud. Daris stared at her a moment more before striding toward Peleon.

“Here it is,” he said, holding the bag up when he stood a few feet from the general. “Now give me the oracle.”

Peleon did not respond as he watched Daris step closer. He snatched the bag and Daris darted for Pytho, his hand outstretched.

Terena watched Peleon the whole time and saw the moment his face changed. Her hand shot out, and she opened her mouth to scream a warning, but no sound came out.

Peleon lunged, stabbing Daris in the face.

Chaos erupted.

Terena ran for Daris. Pytho crouched on the ground near him with Peleon screaming at his soldiers to attack.

Rydon dove for the men on their left, grunting as an arrow slammed into his shoulder. He roared, dropping to one knee. A soldier attacked on his right, and he thrust forward, snarling as he embedded his sword in the man’s leg. The Liodari engaged as well. They fought fast and fierce, but the Heylisian soldiers were faster, stronger.

Another soldier approached Rydon from the left. He gained his feet and stumbled, yanking his sword free of the man’s leg when the earth shook.

His eyes fixed on Terena, an eerie glow overtaking her eyes. Light arced back and forth over her short swords, revealing symbols etched into the blades he hadn’t known were there. She moved like lightning, her swords invisible as they cut through the soldiers closest to her, the speed with which she attacked impossible.

He turned, intending to reach the oracle before Peleon. His steps faltered when he saw a man dressed in flowing black breeches and tunic with a matching hood raise his scimitar and cut down a guard standing behind Pytho. That must be the missing Magi.

Rydon heard a grunt behind him and he rolled to his left, spinning in time to block the blow almost taking his head from his shoulders. He blinked up at Melanos as he grabbed the soldier’s head and twisted. The man fell to the ground. Melanos whipped a dagger at another soldier over Rydon’s shoulder.

Melanos winked at him as he passed, his movements fluid and graceful for such a large man. Rydon gained his feet, running for Terena. She was hacking away at the men guarding Peleon, her swords an extension of her arms as she slashed and spun, dropping the soldiers with ease.

Rydon knelt at Daris’s side. Pytho cried as the Magi cut at her bound hands as they reached for Daris. He lay unmoving in her lap. Glancing over at Terena, Rydon saw her stalking the general; her steps were slow and deliberate as the man stood behind the last cypher.

“Don’t!” Peleon screamed, the sword he held up toward her shaking. “Let me go or I’ll have the?—”

Terena twisted her wrist, stabbing her sword in the ground. Her hand shot back out so fast Rydon barely registered the motion. The cypher rose in the air as Terena approached. She made a fist and yanked, tearing the cypher’s throat out before he fell. Peleon made a strangled noise, his wild eyes darting from the dead cypher to Terena. His face shook and he whimpered, waving his sword at her.

Rydon turned to Daris and his heart stopped.

“No,” he whispered as he shoved his fingers into the commander’s neck. “No, no Daris, no, not now.”

“He’s dead,” the oracle cried, her chest heaving as she slumped back, covering her face with shaking hands. The Magi hovered over her, his eyes catching Rydon’s.

“Terena!” Rydon roared. He turned back to Daris. General Peleon had stabbed him in the eye, the dagger still embedded deep, and blood poured from the wound down his cheek and into his hair. Someone shoved Rydon from behind and he whipped his head up to see Jason bending over him, his face white .

“No,” Jason said, shaking his head as his mouth opened and closed again and again. Out of the corner of his eye, Rydon saw movement and turned to see Terena running to them. He yanked the dagger out, not wanting Terena to see it, and rose unsteadily.

The sounds of battle died down, a few shouts or cries snuffed out as Spartan soldiers poured in, killing off the remaining Heylisians alongside the Liodari.

Rydon’s shoulders were heavy as he watched Terena slow, her steps faltering as she stared down wide-eyed at Daris’s lifeless body. A small circle of Liodari formed around them, the despair and shock on the men’s faces reflected in Terena’s eyes.

“What… why isn’t he moving?” Terena asked, her voice shaking as she dropped to her knees beside him. Rydon looked away, his eyes aimless as he glanced at the surrounding carnage. He saw Peleon ride off with a handful of his men.

“Daris,” Terena choked, her hands on Daris’s chest, shaking him. “Daris! You can’t die. You can’t die!”

The cry torn from her was primal, and it scared Rydon. She’d already lost her prince. To lose Daris now…

Terena buried her head in his neck and sobbed. Rydon was helpless. Standing there watching her break all over again was gut-wrenching.

“I need you,” Terena sobbed, “please don’t leave me. Not when I just found you again. Please.”

Rydon raised his eyes, finding Melanos, who watched the scene with a scowl.

“He’s not dead,” the god said, stopping a few feet behind Pytho.

“He took a dagger to his head,” Rydon snapped.

“You took a dagger to the heart; you’re not dead,” Melanos scoffed as he motioned at Rydon with his hand.

There was movement near his foot, and Rydon looked down to see Daris’s fingers twitch. Rydon jolted, his hand snapping out and catching Jason’s arm as he stared down at Daris. The commander’s head moved so slightly he would’ve missed it had he not been so focused on him. Then Daris’s hand reached up to stroke Terena’s hair.

Terena pulled back, her face streaked with tears and snot as she blinked at Daris, the lid of his good eye fluttering open.

“How?” she asked so softly Rydon barely heard it.

Melanos looked at her as if she’d asked something idiotic.

“He’s Eudaemon.”