Chapter Eleven

A sher carried Liana on his back to get to the farmhouse where they sat with Luciano in hiding for hours on end.

Liana sustained a spying spell right through the rebel's privacy spell the entire time. Not much happened during the day which left Liana bored. When she got hungry, she summoned food that Philipa prepared for them.

She'd periodically speak to Damien, pleased that their connection worked even from so far away.

It wasn't until late in the evening that anything interested started. Liana and Asher had been leaning back-to-back on each other when the voices coming through her spell finally had something worthwhile to say.

The door slammed shut followed by multiple pairs of heavy boots stomping through the house. Scrambling of everyone inside could be heard then a deep voice said, "We cannot wait for the Fall Festival to make our move. That is over a month away. We must act now."

Another male voice responded, "We must wait. We don't have enough people in the city yet to lead a full attack on the castle."

Luciano gripped her arm. "Summon Damien and a host of soldiers, at least thirty. Now. We have what we need, and we must take them tonight. We can't risk them getting away."

Liana nodded and connected to Damien while Asher and Luciano continued to listen.

"Don't panic ," she started.

"When you lead with that, I panic. What?"

"We've got proof. Luciano said we need to attack right now. Bring at least thirty soldiers."

"Understood. Stay out of the fight, Liana."

She didn't respond.

The rebels' conversation continued. "The Fall Festival will also disguise our movements. We have a lot of supporters planning to attend and the Festival is the perfect cover."

"I suppose that is true. They will be prepared for an attack at the Festival though. It's too expected. We need an opportunity where we catch them by surprise."

"There is no catching them by surprise anymore. That bitch always has a guard on her, even when walking around the castle. The King is also protected by whatever enchantments protect her and her guards too. The soldiers that duel with him for training have tested his defenses. There is some type of shield around him. Even the King's cousin had the same… that potion just poured around him."

"It's got to be from the girl. Her power display at the lake and the wedding… something ain't natural about her. Whatever she is, this prophecy better prove true, or we have to put that witch down."

"You know we can't kill her. He said she is the only thing that ensures we are successful in taking Triaedian."

Liana had been so absorbed in their conversation that she hadn't noticed Damien getting closer until he crouched behind her.

"I've got fifty soldiers surrounding the place. What's the plan?"

Luciano turned in his squatted position. "Rush them. Try to keep them all alive. We don't know which ones know the most but two males certainly know enough."

"Wait. I have to go first." Liana lifted from her crouched position on the ground into a kneel, ready to sprint.

"Over my dead body," Damien declared. Rolling her eyes, she prayed to the Goddess for strength.

"I have to test for spells unless any of you can sense magic like I can and dispel it without triggering an alarm."

Damien frowned. "Fine. I'm right behind you. Let me spread the word first that they should wait for our signal."

When he returned, he helped her to her feet, and they began their advance on the house. There was no tree cover, but it was a new moon and dark as death as they creeped forward. Liana kept her magic at the ready and scanned the area in front of them repeatedly as they went. She had to cast a wide net to encompass the entire house so anyone from any angle didn't trigger anything.

She found a few spells but nothing too advanced or alarming. When they made it to the side of the house, Liana didn't have time to think before Damien signaled his soldiers.

"Please, for my sanity, stay here." He disappeared around the corner, soldiers charging at the house. The vampires were just blurs while the shifters ran faster than the few mage that tagged along.

Telling herself that she was fine staying there, she listened to the chaos breakout, trying to tune in specifically to Damien which proved far too difficult. She also told herself that she had been useful, but now it was time for others to be useful. That's how things worked. No one could do everything, and her role had been to safely clear a path so the enemy wouldn't get spooked.

Liana jolted out of her pity party when the soldier beside her that had been climbing in through the window was blasted backward. A male jumped through the window, another one following. Both landed with curses before scrambling to their feet. Their soldiers were on them so fast they couldn't make it one more step.

She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wooden home. Everything was going well for them. The rebels were being captured and the noise inside lessened with every second. She had been instrumental in getting this win for them and Damien would be okay.

A shift in magic had her glancing back to the window. A small figure climbed out, their feet silent when they landed. Pressed against the side of the house, the boy was barely visible. A little flicker of a mage light illuminated him enough to see that it was the country boy recently inducted into the mage school- the one that offended her during brunch. He turned the exact moment a spell flew out of the window, lighting them both up.

Big brown eyes widened in his sunken face. She didn't know what to do. A knockout spell would be the easiest.

He shouted through the window before she could decide. "The Queen is outside!"

Liana hit him with the spell, the force of it a bit too much as the kid went flying. Seconds later, people started climbing out the windows, some rebels, some soldiers. A vampire got to her first, launching at her from behind and running off with speed. She screamed at the surprise. Not knowing who had hold of her, she zapped them with a sleeping spell.

The vampire collapsed, their speed sending her flying. Rolling uncontrollably, a scream left her when her tumble halted thanks to the trunk of a tree. If she hadn't had her shield, she suspected she would have broken her neck. As it were, she likely had a few broken ribs. It took her a moment to gather her bearings. With a few shallow breaths, she got her hands and knees beneath her and pushed to standing. Staying hunched over because it felt easier to breathe that way she glanced around. They were just beyond the clearing around the farm, the forest arising abruptly around her.

"Liana!" Damien roared into the night. He jolted from spot to spot around the farm, his face turned upward in the wind trying to catch her scent. He'd catch nothing though since her shield blocked everything, including the sound of her heartbeat and her scent.

She flared her magic, lighting her body with that odd golden glow and called out to him. "I'm here."

He was by her side in a second. "Are you hurt?" he growled, his vampiric side in full control.

"No," she lied. "I could use a taste of your blood though."

Growling, he sliced his wrist and held it to her mouth. "Don't lie to me, Liana. Where are you hurt?"

She took a drink from him then sealed his wound shut with magic. "Just a few bruised ribs. I'm all better now. Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Once again, I have failed to protect you."

Sighing, she grabbed his hand to lace their fingers together. Pulling him along, she walked back toward their soldiers. "You did not fail me, Damien." Her words were not a waste of breath even though she knew Damien wouldn't believe her. They weren't a waste because at least they put a sliver of doubt into his mind. Eventually she'd wear him down to understand that he was not solely responsible for her well-being.

"Your Majesty, isn't this the mage boy that pissed you off at your parent's house a few months ago?" Asher questioned as he tossed the boy next to the line of other incapacitated rebels.

"It is," she confirmed. "What do we do with all of them now?"

"Bring them back to the castle for interrogation," Damien answered.

Luciano joined them. "We need the two that were discussing their plans. They seem to know a lot about the rebel's plans."

"I will meet you in the dungeons," Damien said then lifted Liana into his arms. They were back at the castle in no time, Damien running them directly to their chambers. "Would you like a bath or straight into bed?" He hovered by the bed, waiting for her answer.

"I think we both need a bath." She tried to drag him down for a kiss but he resisted.

"I don't have time for that, Liana. Besides, I'm going to get dirty again once I gut the bastards that dared harm you."

She shivered at the lethal promise in his voice. "If you must. Let me know if you need any truth serum. Otherwise, I'll be enjoying a hot bath and a good meal." Pulling her shirt over her head, she glanced up at him from beneath her lashes. "Can you undo the binding before you go?"

Glaring down at her, his fingers made quick work of the hooks along her front. "Temptress, why must you torture me?" he asked when she let the trousers, and her underthings fall to the floor.

"I'm doing no such thing. You can leave instead of ogle me." Sliding into the water which had gone cold, she heated it with her magic. A heavy sigh escaped her, and she leaned back, resting her head on the lip of the tub.

Damien kneeled, his fingers tilting her chin up to him. "You destroy any self-control I ever worked to create." His lips claimed hers in a slow, sensual caress. "You are my everything, Liana. I shall devour you when I return."

A contented smile light up her face as he raced away. He was her everything too.