Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (31 page)

The Coalition, highly trained, cut through the enemy forces with ease, too much ease. The fine hairs at the back of her neck rose. It was all wrong. None of the beasts below were skilled or strong, not a single Ikabrol or Ekasibe present. In a battle such as this one, the leaders wouldn’t have trusted the lesser Erritrols to kill Rhiannon. No, they would have come along to ensure the success of the mission.

“Evan, this isn’t the real battle. I’m sure of it.”
She threw the words at him, knowing she was right, and knowing with just as much certainty that he wasn’t going to listen, but she had to try.
“Have the men take Rhia out of the castle.”

Nothing but blank space followed her words, making her grind her teeth as she tried to swallow her fury. She didn’t bother sticking around to watch the battle unfold. She didn’t need to. Nothing was going to happen except distract the men from where they needed to be. Whipping around, she put on a burst of speed, heading toward the Dark Borders. Her pack would take the threat seriously and come to her aid even if her mate didn’t.

She made short work of locating her pack and enlisting their aid before turning back to the palace, leaving her men to follow from the ground. Each mile she covered had her breathing in thicker, more putrid air than the last.

“Rhiannon, please hear me. I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I must ensure your safety.”
She waited, holding her breath even as she careened through the sky faster than she’d ever flown. She would do whatever it took to keep Rhia—and Avalore—safe.

“Brienne, what’s wrong?”
Worry laced her words.

“I fear you’re no longer safe at the palace. Please, I beg you, tell Sebastian the men are being detained close to the border but the real attack is coming to you, and soon. The city reeks of darkness.”
She had yet to see a single beast even as she approached the castle, but she was right. Everything in her told her she was.

“There’s nowhere for me to hide that they won’t find me.”

“Without the scymin, they’ll not find you easily, but stay where you are and their odds are much greater. Please, Rhia, go to my home. The men will know where it is. There is a room beneath the basement floor. I have not accessed it in many years, but it will keep you safe. The magic will keep you within its circle, protected from enemy detection. Wear a gridom stone to disguise your energy as you go.”

Brienne descended in the castle gardens. Her tongue prickled with the heady metallic taste of the beast, and she had to fight to keep from gagging. If they hadn’t breached the palace walls yet, they were close. Three thermal images rose above the palace, one smaller than the others, and Brienne could finally breathe. At least Rhiannon would be safe.

She spun in a slow circle, watching the edges of the property for any sign of movement, yet all was still. She couldn’t be wrong. Her heart raced and she took another long, slow look, letting the dragon’s senses take over. She’d almost skimmed past the tree line when a movement just beyond the edge caught her attention.

The beast moved slowly but steadily forward, oblivious to her presence. Or, if it did sense her, perhaps it didn’t see her as a threat. Several others followed the tall, dark creature, but Brienne knew from watching them work that this group was not alone. They would never mount an attack of this magnitude with only a few Erritrols.

Maybe if she were lucky, her pack would arrive before it was too late, but she wasn’t going to count on it. If dying here this day was what it would take to keep her queen safe, so be it.

Soft growls and coughs sounded behind her. More beasts had arrived. Their stench fouled the air, making her want to hold her breath, but it wouldn’t help. Without uttering a sound, she turned toward the castle. Two Ikabrols rounded the corner of the west wall, crouched low. It took everything inside her not to drop her cloak and engage them in battle. They had no business in Avalore, much less so close to their queen’s home.

The odds of her making it through this battle were slim, but it didn’t have to end poorly for everyone.
“Drake, hear me now. The Castle is under siege.”

The line of communication opened instantly.
“Rhiannon
—”

“She is secure in my home and protected by my ancestors. She has taken her two guards with her. The spell caster’s shield remains to this day. No harm will come to her as long as she remains there.”
She watched the Ikabrol’s progress, aware that the others were creeping closer from behind.

“I’ve asked for assistance from my pack. They are on their way to the castle now. I ask that you be vigilant and not fire unless you are certain of the enemy before you.”
By the time any of them arrived, it would be too late for her, but she wasn’t about to allow her pack to be annihilated for lending their aid.

“How will we tell them apart?”
Drake’s voice grew stronger as he moved closer to the castle.

“Seek out their energies. They are less repugnant and less dark. There are two Ikabrols and at least nine Erritrols before me, and more behind. I have not engaged them yet, but they are close to breaching the palace. I can’t wait much longer before launching an attack.”
She sent the information, hoping to give the men a fighting chance against the enemy forces.

“Pull out—now.”
Evan’s voice boomed in her mind.

It came as no surprise that Drake had relayed the information to his commander.

“I will not. I’m not yours to command,”
she snapped.

“No, you’re my mate. I need to know that you are safe. Please, just do as I ask and leave the castle.”
His desperation beat at her.

“I cannot. I will not allow the castle to be overrun by monsters.”
She glanced behind her, her heart thudding madly as she saw the enemy pouring from the tree line.
“At least twice as many are pouring from the forest. I cannot wait any longer.”
She pulled strength from the air around her, the foul energy of the beasts making it more difficult than it should have been.

A deep growl resonated near her. The energy pull had alerted them to her presence, not that it mattered. In a few moments, she’d be opening fire on them, expecting swift retaliation.

An ear-splitting roar cut through the air, followed by an energy upheaval directly behind her. Spinning on her heels, she prepared to blast the enemy, but stopped short at the sight of Drake standing there. The small lick of flames burned in his eyes, and she could see the pointed tips of his teeth through his open lips.

“Glad you could make it. Where’s Evan?”
The snarls and growls of the beasts drew closer. The enemy still couldn’t see either Drake or Brienne, but the influx had drawn them closer to the garden center.

“On his way. I was ahead of the others.
”

The high-pitched whine of energy coming at her had Brienne ducking and turning away from Drake. It went flying past them, the originator obviously hoping for a lucky strike.

“I’ll hold them. You go up and—”

“No chance. You’re trying to keep me from harm. I’m of more use to you on the ground.”
Glancing at the tree line, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“My pack is closing in. Don’t hit them.”

With one long battle roar, Wesken drew the attention away from the castle and back to the trees. The other warriors echoed his cries, drawing the dark energies, plucking them from the air to use against the very beasts emitting the repulsive power.

“Damn it. Don’t be obstinate. Go up—now.”
Drake dropped his cloak, leaping from her side, drawing the battle-crazed glare of the enemy to him.

“Hit the Ikabrols with all you’ve got.”
Dropping her cloak, she slammed her energy into the Ikabrol closest to her. She was still a good fifty feet from him, but close enough to hit with precision. The bright red energy encrusted with black flew straight and true, hitting the beast in the chest and making it stumble back. It wouldn’t be enough to kill it, but if she could incapacitate it even a little, then it was worth the drain on her body.

“Stubborn woman.”
Drake did the same, only hitting the second Ikabrol with a much larger mass of energy. That one stumbled to the ground, heaving for a few moments before it lifted its bulbous head, spittle dripping from its long canines.

Energy crackled in the air, pinching at her skin. The sounds of battle erupted around them as they fought. She didn’t look to see how her pack was faring. They’d take care of themselves. Like family, she’d known they’d come.

“Coming in.”
The fury she’d heard earlier in Evan’s voice had gone.
“I thought you’d left.”

“Why in Goddess’ name would you think I’d leave Avalore in its time of need?”
She didn’t look behind her. She didn’t have to. He was there, covering her back.

“I saw you go toward the Dark Borders.”

“You wouldn’t listen. I had to get my pack to help.”
If Evan trusted her half as much as he should, he wouldn’t have questioned her motives. The knowledge stung more than she cared to examine.

A bright red ball of energy sailed past her head toward the tree line, and then a low keening wail pierced the air as it hit its target.

“Pay attention or leave.” Drake glared at Evan then at her.

She nodded once and turned to face the enemy once more. Drake was right. They needed to focus. They’d deal with their issues later.

The sounds of battle drowned out everything else. Power, both light and dark, flew through the air in all directions. The raucous cacophony pounded with each strike. Men she’d never set eyes on poured from within the castle as well as the city to come in defense of Her Majesty. Of course, they had no way of knowing she wasn’t within the castle.

The battle raged on with casualties on both sides. Men lay in the charred garden next to the fallen bodies of the beasts. Brienne’s energy waned, but she moved on. Only when the last of the dark creatures fell would she quit, not a moment sooner.

The deep grunt directly behind her gave her pause. Sending the energy she’d amassed sailing through the air toward an approaching beast, she turned her head in time to see Evan fall to one knee.

“Are you all right?”
Her heart pounded, and her mouth went dry.
“Evan.”
She screamed at him when he didn’t respond.
“Damn it, Evan, status, now!”
She took a step in his direction just as his gaze came up to meet hers. A flash of flame erupted over his skin, and his eyes changed color to the coldest blue, but then she blinked, and they were as they’d always been.

“I’m all right,”
he said, his voice more strained than she’d ever heard it.

Her dragon rose, snarling and growling as it fought for supremacy, but she held on.

To her left, snarling beasts surrounded Drake. To her right, her pack fought to keep those still standing away from the castle wall. Gathering her energy close, she threw a massive burst into one of the beasts threatening Drake just as Evan did the same. Its deafening roar cut through the sounds of battle. The stench assailed her nose just as wisps of smoke rose from its fur and flame burst over it, covering every inch of its body, burning hot and fast, taking the creature to its fiery grave.

Watching the tree line, Brienne groaned. As soon as one of the creatures fell, two more appeared. “Behind you.” The energy she sent past Evan wasn’t nearly as strong as she’d have liked, but they’d already been fighting far longer than her body tolerated. The men fought hard, but even they didn’t move as quickly as they had.

When a large beast came rushing from around the castle, roaring as it ran, Brienne’s heart skipped a beat. If the pale ring of fur around its neck and wrists wasn’t enough to let her know they were in trouble, the short mane at the back of its head was.
“Evan.”

“I see it. We just need to hold it back until the rest of the Coalition arrives.”
Evan didn’t look to be tiring, but the weariness in his voice was unmistakable.

Shortening the distance between them, Brienne gathered as much energy as she could.
“On three?”

The beast barrelled toward them, saliva dripping from its long, pointed teeth. Dark energy clung to it like a thick, oily sludge. Its paws clenched into fists as its massive feet pounded the ground, bringing it closer and closer.

“No time. Now!”
A bright orange ball encrusted in pale blue flew from Evan’s palms, whistling through the air, straight and true, making its steps falter. Brienne’s energy hit it moments later, sizzling over every inch of the beast, sapping its strength, but not enough to keep it from coming at them.

The beast threw itself at Evan, knocking him off his feet. Its sharp claws swung wildly as it tried to deliver a killing blow.

Without hesitation, she threw energy at the beast, her small blasts hitting it in rapid succession. They were more of a nuisance than a great threat, but it gave Evan the reprieve he needed to blast the Ekasibe away from him and straight into the path of the energy blast Drake shot at it. The beast’s eyes grew wide and its lips curled up, exposing its wicked teeth before it threw its head back and roared. One more strike from Drake, and the creature turned to ash.