Chapter 16Varos

Chapter

Sixteen

VAROS

W e continued our walk in silence, both of us sweeping our gazes over the forest floor, searching for any additional signs of the infection we had seen in the vipreth. After I had killed it, we decided it was best to burn the body to ensure no creatures tried to eat it and possibly spread whatever it had. Though I doubted anything except the truly desperate would attempt to eat something that smelled so foul. Most creatures had an innate self-protective instinct that would keep them from eating anything that would so obviously harm them.

While the vipreth was burning, I ran the dagger I’d used to kill it through the flames. The very last thing I wanted to do was leave any trace of the infected blood on the blade and then bring it through the portal. I didn’t know if the infection, if that was what it truly was, could infect another realm, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

As we walked, I opened myself to the land as much as possible, the way our mother had taught us when we were little boys. It wasn’t something that I had done much since that time long ago, and to be truthful, I was surprised I still knew how. I didn’t think I would have even thought about doing it at all if the overall sense of wrongness hadn’t been so overwhelming after I’d healed. I figured it was either from being so weak, or possibly from being encased in what was essentially a stone tomb for thousands of years that had cut me off from the land, but I was sure I would have sensed it much sooner. I had a feeling that rot that was slowly taking over the land had been doing so for longer than anyone realized. The important questions that needed immediate answers were what had caused it and, most importantly, how to stop it.

There was an occasional scent of the same sickly, sweet rot drifting on the breeze. I wondered if I was only catching it now because I knew what it was. I feared it had been there all along, and I just hadn’t noticed.

Movement from several yards away had both Sasha and I stilling simultaneously. My mate had already proven to be strong, resilient, and a fierce fighter. I hated to admit it since he was my brother, and we disliked ever having to concede defeat to each other, but Varek had done a fucking good job training Sasha. She was a fantastic warrior.

We both scanned the forest, taking in every sound, every little movement, from the twitching of a leaf on the wind to the rustling of the underbrush as a smaller creature scurried away. I was about to relax my alert stance when I saw what had grabbed my attention the first time. Within one heartbeat to the next, I had Sasha in my arms and moved off the path. I swiftly moved further into the forest, using the cover of the small, twisted trees as concealment. Once I was satisfied that we were far enough away from the small, seldom used path we had been taking, I released the glamor I had been holding. I allowed my wings to spring free, wrapping them securely around my mate as I sat with my back to a tree.

There was a soldier, wasn’t there?

I shouldn’t have been surprised that my mate would have known that we were capable of communicating with our thoughts now that our mating had been completed. I was finding it… difficult to come to terms with the fact that she had learned many of those things from my brother.

I do believe so.

It’s a pretty handy skill to have when you can literally use the shadows to conceal yourself from sight.

She was right. A soldier could walk right past us and would have trouble seeing where we were, especially in the darkness of the night. But the sun would rise soon, making it much more difficult to hide when there weren’t many shadows to pull from or conceal yourself within.

Max hopped off my shoulder and snuggled into the space between my chest and my mate’s. I quickly found myself jealous of a rodent as he nestled his face against her chest. Sasha let out a quiet laugh as she took in my expression before I could hide it.

Please tell me you’re not jealous of little Max.

That rodent looks like he’d like to climb into your jacket and snuggle right up against your tits.

He’s not a rodent! Her indignant glare had me biting back a smile. And maybe he’s just cold.

Trust me, a sonwhen is a type of rodent.

Her eyes narrowed even as she gently ran her hand over the top of the sleeping creature’s head. I still don’t believe you.

I leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her lips as I teased. You could always ask one of my brothers.

That is a fantastic idea.

It was my turn to narrow my eyes. I was quickly finding that I was a jealous and possessive demon when it came to mate. I didn’t want her going to my brothers for any reason.

We sat in silence long enough for Sasha to have a short nap before I felt it was likely safe enough to come out of hiding. I had been straining to hear anything for quite some time, but whatever footsteps there were had faded long ago. I wished at that moment that I had the same ability as my brother Vanthos. When we were children, he seemed to be able to communicate with the land, not just listen to it. It made it nearly impossible to play hiding games with him.

I folded back my wings and glared up at the sky that was already turning a dusky pink as night gave way to daylight. Hiding would be nearly impossible even inside the forest. We were already taking our chances with all the potentially deadly plants and creatures surrounding us.

At my movement, Sasha woke with a start, instantly alert and searching for trouble. I kissed her soft lips to reassure her that we were in no immediate danger.

“Is it clear to leave?” she questioned quietly, searching through the trees even as she asked.

“I haven’t heard anything in a while. If any soldiers remain in the area, we might have to fight them.” I had full confidence that my female and I could take on a dozen soldiers and win.

It turned out that confidence was woefully misplaced.

Sasha had just stepped onto the path when several soldiers appeared out of seemingly thin air, making me believe they had been using some kind of concealment spell. Before I could shout a warning, even knowing my mate had already seen them the same as I had, the first arrow pierced the shoulder of her sword arm, rendering her primary weapon useless. With only a low grunt to indicate that she was in any pain, she pulled a dagger from one of the many hidden sheaths in her jacket. The first soldier fell with a gurgle as her dagger met his throat, and the one beside him fell less than a second later. My mate was pulling back her arm for a third target when the second arrow went through her left bicep, effectively causing the blade to fall to the ground.

As I roared my anger at the first arrow, seeing red as my mate bled from her wound, I tried to leap forward to protect her but was taken to the ground in an instant as a heavy metal net was shot at me from a device I saw one of the many soldiers holding.

I hooked my fingers in the metal and pulled, quickly realizing that it was the same unknown metal that the High General had forged into a weapon to use on me in recent years. It was spelled by witches to be used against demons. I already knew it caused lasting, if not permanent, injuries, but it appeared to be impossible to bend or break as well.

I roared again as I watched several soldiers rush forward to capture my mate. Though she fought like the trained warrior she was, Sasha was no match against so many while her arms were both nearly incapacitated. Still, I couldn’t help a savage grin as she managed to take one more life with nothing more than her teeth before one of the males hit her from behind with the pommel of his sword.

My roar shook the ground as one of them lifted her, quickly tossing her over his shoulder, and began to run in the direction we had come. I knew without being told that she was being taken right back to the dungeon she had rescued me from.

My fingers were being torn bloody as I continued fighting with the net as the remaining soldiers stalked over to where I was lying. One of them spat on me while another kicked at my side.

“Traitor scum. You and your whore will answer to the High General for escaping.” The one who spat on me ordered the others. “Go retrieve the wagon.”

"Traitor?" I laughed bitterly as I bared my teeth at the soldier. "I am a fucking prince, being held as a prisoner because of one male's greed for power."

The next kick landed against my temple, and I squeezed my eyes shut against the flash of light and pain at the contact.

"You're a prince? Yeah, and I am the Lady Lilith. Shut the fuck up." I had to bite back a grunt of pain as he sent another kick to my head.

“Do you want one of us to stay with you?” a young, nervous looking soldier asked as he looked down at me, still growling my outrage and fear for my mate.

The one who appeared to be the leader scoffed and narrowed his eyes menacingly at being challenged. “I need no assistance with this one. He’s as helpless as a babe even if he did manage to heal himself enough to get this far.”

The nervous one swallowed and then nodded his head quickly. “Yes, sir!”

The others quickly departed, leaving just the older, angry looking leader behind. Movement against my side had me realizing that Max was trapped under the net with me. Discreetly, I lifted my arm to allow him room to move out from where he was trapped, hoping he hadn’t been hurt by my struggles, or from the blows the soldiers had landed. My mate would be distraught with grief if her pet had been hurt or worse.

The leader turned his back to watch the others disappearing down the path. I was certain a wagon wouldn’t be able to make it on such a narrow, rarely used dirt track that was covered with debris from the forest. They were fools for even attempting it. But I couldn't fault them for being hesitant to move me without being fully secured.

I closed my eyes and thought about my mate. I hoped she would stay alive long enough for me to escape. I had no doubts she could rescue herself, but I wasn't taking any chances. I would be going after her as soon as I figured out how to free myself.

As I was contemplating my options, I watched in amazement as the rodent that was going to be fed nothing but the highest quality meat that the Earth realm had to offer for the rest of his life, squeezed through the metal net. Without a sound, he stalked toward the soldier before leaping onto his back. With his wickedly sharp teeth and lethal claws, he ripped through the throat of the soldier. Max was grabbed roughly and thrown to the ground as the soldier screamed in outrage.

Max scrambled to his feet and scurried back as the soldier’s screams turned to gurgles while the blood quickly pumped from his body and covered the forest floor. A moment later, he dropped to his knees, then face first into the dirt. My smile was savage as I watched the blood flow cease.

Without my frantic struggles hindering me, I carefully searched for the edge of the net, knowing that there had to be a way to get it off. I had to twist and roll, but finally, I was able to find it and then heft the heavy weight off of me. With a grunt, I stood to my feet before crouching down to let Max jump onto my shoulder. I walked over to Max's victim before reaching down and relieving the dead soldier of his sword.

“You will no longer be needing this, I think,” I told the body with disdain as I stepped over him and headed back toward the prison I had escaped from not long ago. My body wanted to freeze and tremble with the thought of going back to the dungeon. I’d never wanted to step foot into that hellhole again. But my mate was being taken there, and I couldn’t allow that.