Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (19 page)

“Rishiki?
He
caused you this pain?”
Pale blue fire licked at his skin.
“He forced his way into your mind?”
Evan’s furious energy beat at her, making her stomach roll again.

As heartwarming as his protectiveness was, she couldn’t allow it to jeopardize the mission.
“The pain is gone now.”
She sent as much reassurance with the words as she could muster and forced herself to look him in the eye again.
“Do you know him?”

Fists clenched, Evan nodded.
“Tell him to show himself and address me like a man. Then I’ll speak with him.”
His fury pulsed all around them.

“How? I don’t even know how he got in. One minute I was fine, the next he was there.”
Just the idea of Rishiki invading her mind again had her heart rate spiking.

Evan released his fists and brought his fingertips to her temples, soothing her pain, easing her pounding heart.
“Follow the path back to him. You’re not alone this time.”

Unlike Rishiki, Evan’s presence eased her fears. He was there, but not invading her as the other male had.
“Evan wants you to uncloak. He says he’ll speak with you.”
Allowing the vile creature back into her mind made her stomach roll, but she braced herself and ignored the rising bile.

“I’m not a fool. We can speak through you.”
When the male’s voice reached for her again, Evan was there, pushing it back, holding the pain at bay.

“Say what you have to say and leave my mate out of this.”

“I mean your woman no harm. My people are being held captive, and I need your assistance to release them.”
A dull ache throbbed behind her eyes, but the stabbing pain didn’t strike.

“You expect my help after you attack my mate?”
Evan’s jaw clenched.

“I’ve allowed your passage through our city without hindrance for years. Permitting the use of the portal we protect between our world and the lands of men has come at a great cost to us over the past three decades. I will collect the debt owed to me and my people now.”
The soft hiss of the man’s voice grated on Brienne, making her shudder.

“What would you have us do?”
Evan took her hands and helped her to stand, placing her left hand on Argram’s back as he did the same for Wesken. His cloak enveloped the beast, letting her know without words what he needed from her.

“My men and I can get our people out, but our defenses are weak against the Erritrols. You must keep them from us while we do the extraction.”

“Then our debt will be paid?”
he asked.

“In addition, I can tell you that the item you seek is not where you expect it would be.”
Rishiki waited for a moment before continuing.
“It is kept in the large tent on the left. The structure is but a decoy. The enemy awaits inside.”

“How do you know this?”
Evan’s entire body tightened.

“The same way I can stand next to you without your knowledge. I can move in and out without detection, but I cannot fight the beasts.”

When Evan didn’t answer right away, the creature spoke again.
“Time is running short. I do not wish animosity between our people, but make no mistake, I will ensure your cooperation by any means necessary.”

Pressure rose in Brienne’s mind, making her whimper. Had it not been for Evan’s presence, she doubted she could have remained upright.

“Harming my mate will ensure nothing but death to your people. Choose carefully, Rishiki. I concede that my people are indebted to the Radrens, but I will not tolerate her pain.”
Venom dripped from Evan’s voice.

“I’m okay, Evan. Let’s do this so we can be rid of them.”
The repaid debt to the Radrens was more important than her momentary discomfort.
“He won’t hurt me. He’s just desperate for our help.”
She had no way of knowing for certain, but the gangly creatures had never harmed her when she had been in close proximity before. She could only hope they would not do so now.

Evan’s gaze held hers for a moment, jaw ticking before he answered.
“Get into position. You have five minutes to have your men in place before we storm the camp.”

“Understood.”
The Radren hesitated for a moment before addressing Brienne directly again.
“I am truly sorry. Your mate’s shields are too strong to penetrate. Had the situation not been so dire, I would not have opted to take from you what was not freely offered.”

The sincerity in his voice was genuine, but she could not keep the ache from throbbing deep in her soul. Biting her bottom lip to keep it from quivering, she took a shaky breath. For any Avalorian, the ruthless invasion was almost as depraved as violating an innocent’s body, but she would be damned if she’d let him see her crumble.

Rishiki hovered in her mind waiting for a response, but when one didn’t come, the link severed, leaving her reeling. The moment he withdrew, Evan’s presence grew stronger. Though she wasn’t the one doing it, thick psychic walls rose, brick by brick sheltering her, protecting her.

“This will help until you can meet with Clayton Matthews and build proper defenses. He’s a gryphon and the best at building telepathic shields. He’s not Coalition, but I trust him.”

She wanted to scream and keep screaming until her throat was raw, but she couldn’t do that. Not now.
“I’ve heard of him. He and his mate have a son, do they not?”
She tried to hide the tight strain in her voice, but the look Evan gave her told her she had not succeeded. His soothing heat filling her mind was like a balm on her frayed psyche, pulsing in time with her own heartbeat. What the Radren had done was reprehensible, but it couldn’t be top priority just then. She had to get herself together.
“Thank you.”
Tucking her trembling fingers into her pockets and out of Evan’s sight, she took a steadying breath.

His gaze held hers for a moment longer before he nodded and turned his attention back to the mission.
“We’re going in two minutes. Protect the Radrens as well as you can, but our primary mission remains to recover the scymin.”
His instructions, sent to each member of the Coalition, were then whispered to their Erritrol counterparts.

The muscles in Argram’s back tightened beneath her hand. For a moment, she thought he would object, but he nodded before turning his attention back to the quiet camp.

“Are you going to be okay to complete the mission? If not, say so now.”
Evan’s sharp tone was like a slap to her face.

Anger boiled up to the surface. Who did he think she was, some rank amateur? Evan had no idea of what she was capable. Sure, Rishiki had violated her, but the mission always came first. She would deal with the fallout later.
“I’m fine.”
She couldn’t keep the bite from her words.

“You’re certain? You seem a little testy.”

Her nostrils flared and she clamped her jaw.
“I’m testy because you’d never ask your men the same question. You have no faith in my abilities.”

“Your abilities are not in question, and no, I wouldn’t ask the same of my men. I’m not destined to be joined to any of them.”
His no nonsense tone grated on her already frazzled nerves.

A soft growl rumbled in her chest, making Argram glance back at her. His gaze flicked between her and Evan before he rolled his eyes and turned back toward the camp.

The fire churning in her chest doused a little.
“I’ll be fine. Let’s get this done so we can go home.”

“See to it that you are. I don’t think I can take another scare.”

And just like that, what was left of her anger retreated. He really had been afraid for her. Now that she wasn’t so defensive, she suspected that his needling her was more to keep her focus on the mission than to undermine her.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry.”
She sent the words to him with calm determination. She would not let him or their people down.

“Be safe, mate.”
With that, his right arm came up into the air with three fingers raised for the benefit of the Erritrols. He folded them one by one, counting down the moment of attack.

The second the last finger lowered, bright flashes of light burst around the camp. No one moved as beasts erupted from their tents, growling and grunting in the way of the Erritrol. More still came in from the forest at a run, eager to join in the battle, yet Evan waited a few moments more before lifting his left hand.

When he dropped it, the cloaks dropped as well, all except for hers. She was to retrieve the scymin and leave the battlefield as soon as she had it.

“Remember, no harm. Not even a single hair.”
She blew him the mental equivalent to a kiss before sprinting away from the group.

“Understood.”

The ground shook as blast after blast hit the camp. The beasts roared and fought, uncaring whether they hit one of their own. More than once, she had to duck or dive to avoid a strike. By the time she reached the large tent Rishiki had insisted hid the scymin, the battle raged all around them. Inside the tent, all was quiet.

Pulling the flap only enough to allow her entrance, Brienne ducked in, resettling the flap as soon as she was inside. Other than four wooden crates piled to one side, little else littered the tent.

She had taken a step toward the boxes when a muffled sound caused her to falter. Her heart raced as she gathered energy. If a beast lay in wait, it would be in for a surprise it hadn’t bargained for.

A blast of light then heat made the inside of the tent brighten for a moment before throwing it in darkness once more, but it was enough to show Brienne the outline of a small, huddled form.

She knew better than to speak or drop her cloak in the middle of the enemy camp, yet she did just that. “My name is Brienne. I will help you if you’ll let me.”

The moment the words left her mouth, the walls Evan had erected in her mind began to crumble. Pressure unlike anything she had ever encountered had her stumbling to her knees and a moan slipping from her lips.

The child’s overly large, bright green eyes widened as it came toward her. Its lips moved, and she was certain it was speaking, but no sound came from its mouth. Darkness threatened to overtake her when Rishiki’s voice boomed in her mind.
“My daughter is not with the others. She must be found.”

The terror in his voice had her rallying.
“Rishiki, stop. She is with me. You are hurting me. I can’t help you if you kill me.”
Knowing it would put him at risk, Brienne was careful not to allow her pain or fear slip to Evan.

“Where? Where is she?”
The pressure in her mind eased a little.

“In the tent you pointed out. I came looking for the scymin.”
Brienne breathed through the pain, pushing herself up onto shaky hands and knees. She shoved the fiery haze threatening to take her over aside. As angry as she was that he’d force himself upon her again, she wouldn’t let the child suffer.
“Tell her I’m a friend and that she should come with me.”

“I cannot. She is too young.”

Brienne looked at the gangly Radren and tried to smile though pain stabbed through her. “Your father says to come with me. I just need to find something first.”

The child’s unblinking eyes never left her, but she moved slowly toward the stack. “You want.” She pointed to the bottom crate on the left.

“What I want is in there?” Brienne kept her tone soft and soothing. The poor child had to be so frightened.

Nodding quickly as an excited child does, the girl extended a long finger, pointing again.

“Okay, let me see.” Brienne stumbled to her feet and had to blink a couple of times to focus her eyes.

With a little effort, she moved the heavy crate on top and placed it on the ground away from her escape route before lifting the lid to the second box.

A loud, thunderous explosion not far from the tent had her ducking her head and sent the child skittering behind her to hide.

Her heart thudded loud in her chest as she lifted her prize from the wooden box. There within her grasp was the artifact that had caused her people so much pain, so much grief. She had to fight the urge to crush it beneath her feet and rid Avalore of the threat once and for all. Rather than give in to her desire to destroy it, she strung twine through one of the many intricate openings and fastened the triangular object to her belt.

“Okay, sweetheart. It’s time to go home.” She turned to the child, smiling encouragingly.

Wicked blasts and roars echoed all around. The girl looked at Brienne, her lower lip trembling.

“What’s your name, honey?” Brienne crouched before her.

The girl swallowed once but didn’t respond.

“Rishiki, what’s your daughter’s name?”
If she wanted to get them out safely, she had to get the girl to trust her.

“Resha. Her name is Resha.”
Rishiki’s pressure eased a little further.

“Resha, your father has asked me to bring you to him. I will let you hold my magic necklace, but you’ll have to be brave and come with me.”