77. Kami

77

Kami

Twenty minutes ago…

" N ow, my sexy little dryad, go look for our enemies while we wait here for you. Use your trees." Malkar nods toward the thick oak standing over us all.

I hurry to the tree and rush up through its branches before merging, becoming one with it.

I am seriously freaking out.

Malkar is keeping me? Keeping all of us? What the hell does that even mean?

I'm excited yet nervous because belonging, not being alone, is all I want. And now that my dream is so close, I have a feeling it's about to be shattered.

Why? Because I'm currently on a mission to spy on our enemy—a massive, deadly group of psychotic elves and fae who want nothing more than to wipe out anyone who doesn't fit into their world. Namely, me and my friends.

Whom Malkar is intent on keeping .

I have no idea what to do with that, and since it's killing my focus, I push thoughts of it to the back of my mind and let my consciousness flow while my physical form is bonded to the tree.

After moving through several connected trees and grasses, through the water grasses of Lake Divine, and back into more trees—a headrush for sure—I see something that scares me spitless.

The monarch has gathered Rilitar, Dwyknae of Asrai, Eskyn of Godtown, and the heads of the militia, in addition to Algraas and Daleyne, to form an attack on us.

Folas and his elven horde will be the first wave.

Then we'll be hit again and again until we are no more.

The five of us against the might of Sacred Lakes.

Oh, and the war god is simmering in some pot of red goo made from the bones and blood of a small pool of sacrificed victims in between possessing his willing host.

Enwiss, unfortunately, remains alive though unsteady. Every time he recuperates, Beyrthnel takes hold of him again to offer advice and make jokes about wearing my skin like a battle scarf.

Apparently, mine and Malkar's deaths are what he needs to finally Become.

I leave before anyone notices the trees leaning in toward their meeting at the arena.

The one good thing I've learned is that the Radiant Trials weren't enough to bring Beyrthnel back fully.

Perhaps they might have been if we hadn't escaped. But not finishing the rites hurt him.

I'm glad.

I'm also shaking like a leaf—dryad humor, for what it's worth—because we can't possibly win against all those fae, most of whom are warriors. And our loss will bring about the end of the world as we know it.

All this drama.

I'm so over it.

Not so Goras Vamyar and all his psychotic fae followers.

As I rush back to the guys, I ponder all I've learned.

The stadium emptied days ago of all the excited fae awaiting the war god's rebirth. In the time since, the town of Sacred Lakes has been on lockdown.

Godtown has been spooling up their mercenaries and soldiers. Asrai has been collecting rations and setting up logistical fortifications on the skirts of Lancer.

And Lancer has been collecting magical potions and armor for use by the commanders of each district's army.

I'm not sure why they think they need so many people to fight the five of us. Unless the reputation of a real dragon in the fight is that scary. I have no idea.

Once returned, I step out of the tree and share with the guys, wondering at the argument I interrupted.

Then I remember Malkar's weird announcement that he plans to keep us.

Yet that isn't nearly as important as the fact we're all about to die.

Perhaps we should escape while we still can.

But escape where? Because after Beyrthnel steps into the world, we're done for. No matter where we go, he'll soon come to destroy everything.

No peace for that god.

Memories of my time caught in his mind rush back, and I sway on my feet, scared out of my wits.

It's like I can feel him inside me, hurting me, tearing me up while he forces me to endure over and over again. There is no time in a god's mind, no respite from the friction of being forced to feel and think contrary to your own thoughts.

I ate children and raped and tortured thousands. Pillaged and ruined the lives of so many on the whims of atrocious leadership. Anything to keep the rhythm of the ravaged ongoing.

War, war, war.

Blood everywhere, and always a drop to drink. Beyrthnel got a kick out of the archaic phrase, yet I have a feeling he bastardized it somehow.

But no one here is taking me seriously.

Instead, they keep looking at Malkar, as if he has the answers.

"Didn't you guys hear what I said?"

As one, they look at me.

"Kami," Malkar says, his voice soft. "There is something we've decided."

"Yeah?" I take a step back, not trusting the conniving look on his face.

"As I am keeping you, you are to be the Kept."

"About that, can it wait? We're clearly going to lose if we don't get serious about either escaping or pulling some magic out of our asses." I ignore Ries's grin at "asses."

"Exactly." Malkar nods. "We've been discussing it. We can't win as we are. I can't show what I am or our lives, after we win this battle, are forfeit. Even if they think they know what I am, I might be able to fog their memories with my magic."

"You don't have to kill them all?" Oz asks.

"Maybe not." Malkar pauses. "But Folas still has our magic tied down." He nods at Crash. "So we need to power up." To me he says, "And we need you to be the necromancer who held Serl by the throat and scared him. "

"That wasn't me. It was Caethybdue. She's not really helping now."

Isn't she? A voice—Sebastian—says inside my mind.

"Okay, so what's this powering up?" I'm all for it. Anything to give us at least a slim chance to survive.

The others look at each other, and I feel like I'm missing out on the joke.

"So Kami, the thing is," Oz pauses.

"Yeah, tell her." Ries nods.

Oz continues, "I think the five of us already bonded." He holds up his hand, where he nicked himself with a shard of rock. "When we made our blood pact, something happened. None of us have truly healed."

I glance at my own palm, which is scarred. "So?"

"So we've shared blood."

Malkar steps forward. "And we've shared seed with you."

I blush. I can't help it.

He grins. "I've decided to keep all of you. As my Kept, you will be stronger and more powerful than any common fae. Even stronger than you are now."

"Oh. That's good. Right?" Then why do they all, except for Malkar, look nervous?

"I have to bond with you all, to accept you into my keeping."

"O-kay. So what does that mean? And can we do it fast, before the hordes get here?"

"Yes." Malkar seems satisfied and excited. "Take off your clothes. All of you."

"Huh?"

The guys look at each other, shrug, then strip.

Until they're all naked but me.

"Kami, we're waiting. And we're on a time crunch." Malkar taps his foot .

I'm blushing, trying not to look at anyone too much, though I've already felt and seen them body-to-body up close.

"Wh-why are we undressing?"

Oz and Ries come close and start stripping me, slowly. When I don't fight them, they move faster. I'm not wearing much, so I'm naked pretty fast.

"So we can fuck." Malkar licks his lips. "We're going to bond through your delightful little body, my dryad. Now who wants to go first?"