The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (13 page)

“Why does it not attack?” Kade asked, not taking his eyes off the creature for more than an instant.

“It attacked several spiders when they realized it was an imposter,” Crayken said as he eyed the creature cautiously.

“How many killed?”  Kade said as he readied the fire.

“Actually…none,” the king said thoughtfully.

“Kade,” Darcienna said, worry in her voice.  “It may have been sent to kill you.”

“Then why has it not tried?  It could not ask for a better time than now,” Kade said as he studied it.  He glanced at Darcienna.  Her eyes continued to glow and then fade.  What did that mean?

“We almost had it until it changed,” Crayken said as he studied the creature.  Kade’s head whipped around so fast that the king flinched.

“Changed?” Kade snarled.  “It changed?” he asked again, putting emphasis on the last word as the muscles in his forearm involuntarily flexed.  He knew he should have picked up on this already when the creature was accused of being an imposter, but now that it was clear how it was trying to be an imposter, Kade was certain what was happening.  He turned his eyes toward the creature and the Divine filled him to over flowing.  The block was gone and he was pulsing with power as his rage flared.  The fire vanished.  NO!  He would not give this creature the satisfaction of a quick death.  This one he was going to tear limb from limb.  This one was going to die while he watched the life being squeezed out of it.  “You!” Kade spat, venom dripping from that single word.

“Kade?” Darcienna asked, but he was too far gone to hear anything she said.

Hate filled him.  Blackness covered his heart.  He took a step toward the creature and it shrank back further into the crevice.  The fear was palpable now.

“Get out here!” Kade hissed, the muscles in his arms flexed so tightly that he shook.  “Get out here now before I tear this wall down coming after you!”  There was not a person or spider in the room that doubted that Kade would try to do exactly what he promised.  The king and queen took a step back.  They were not afraid of him…not exactly.  But, they did not want to be too close in the event that this turned violent.  With the way Kade was acting, and the look in his eye, there was a very good chance of blood being spilled very soon.

“Kade!” Darcienna said more insistently.  He hesitated momentarily. “Kade!” she said as she laid a hand on his arm.

“What?” he snarled.

“Kade,” she said more softly.  It was barely enough to get him to forcefully tear his eyes off the crevice.  He turned his dangerous glare on her.  “You have to ask yourself why it is here,” she said.  The blackness receded slightly.  “It did not kill,” she said as she laid her other hand on his arm.  He felt like iron in her grip.  “I am not saying it should live, but…,” she said and then hesitated until she was sure he was actually paying attention to her.  “We should find out why it is here.  Don’t you think it could have gotten away if it wanted?”  Kade turned and spat in disgust.

“Change now and get out here.  This is the last time I will tell you,” Kade commanded, and he meant it.  The creature changed and stepped up to the entrance.  Kade locked eyes with the man.  It was the same man he had seen at the bar, talking with his father.  Darcienna gasped audibly. 

“Vell!” she exclaimed.

“I thought you died,” Kade said with a snarl.

“I did almost die,” Vell said as his voice shook.  “I barely escaped through the hole in the ceiling.  I hovered near death for days.  If I did not know a form that has the ability to heal, I would have perished.”

“Give me one reason why I should not tear you apart?” Kade hissed as he stepped forward to stand within arm’s reach of the creature.  He flexed, ready to attack if Vell attempted to change or retreat.  His hands balled so tightly into fists that they ached.  Kade glared daggers.  Vell glanced at the exit for a fleeting moment as he quivered in fear.

“Please, hear me out,” Vell pleaded.  “Just please hear what I have to say,” he begged.  Kade got the impression that Vell was on the verge of falling to his knees.

“Choose your words carefully, changeling, or they may be your last,” Kade warned menacingly.

He wanted nothing more than to rip the life right out of this creature for what it did to him and his family.  He wanted it to suffer long and hard for what it did to Darcienna.  It was all he could do to force himself to listen.  Darcienna squeezed his arm, and his mind focused.  She knew that if he decided to attack, there was nothing she could do to stop him.  She only hoped that she could get out of the way in time.

“Speak!” Kade demanded.

“I came here to find you,” Vell said, trying to muster the courage to talk with confidence and failed miserably.   Darcienna gasped for the second time.  Kade ignored her and continued to bore holes in the shapeshifter with his glare.

“And…why would you want to find me?” Kade asked, clenching his jaw as he struggled to keep from lashing out and ripping the spine from the creature.  A small voice somewhere deep inside him warned of the danger of hate.  He heard the warning and hated himself for hearing it.  He wanted to kill this creature without giving it the chance to speak, but the voice inside him would not leave him alone, so he allowed Vell another moment of life…for now.

“I want to join you,” Vell said as he glanced from Kade to Darcienna, then to Doren, only to come back to Kade again.

“You…want to…join me?” Kade asked incredulously.  He was so shocked at what he heard that his jaw hit the floor.  The anger was instantly replaced with shock and disbelief.  Was it curiosity that made him want to hear more or was there something else to this?  “You tried to kill me,” Kade said in a growl, but his curiosity had a firm hold on him.  “You were ready to turn me over to Morg.”  He watched Vell closely.  The shapeshifter flinched hard at that one.  “Give me one reason why I should not tear you apart,” Kade demanded, feeling the rage threaten to return.

The creature’s eyes fell to the ground as it wet its lips, trying to get the courage to continue.  This once arrogant, fearsome creature was reduced to begging, and Kade could not decide if he was disgusted or felt pity.  Something about this reminded him of another situation.  After a moment, it came to him.  The veteran fighter, who he had killed in revenge, flashed through his mind.  The fighter was helpless, full of fear, and Kade had destroyed him.  A pang of guilt stabbed at him.  The anger was receding again, but he was still cautious.  He glanced at Darcienna and froze.  Her eyes were almost back to normal with the faintest pulsing still showing.  The more Vell spoke, the less her eyes warned of danger.  He was telling the truth, Kade realized in amazement.

“Why would you want to help me?” Kade asked as he narrowed his eyes, watching for any signs of deception.

“Because…you are my only hope,” Vell said as he glanced up and then back to Kade.

The Apprentice Chosen actually felt sorry for this…thing.  He waited for Vell to explain.  Silence was a tool that Zayle had used on him many times.  Kade recalled how he used to spill his guts, trying to tell the Master Chosen what he was looking for.  He would always talk too much to the point of babbling until Zayle was satisfied with what he heard.  Now, it was his turn to use the same technique on Vell.  The shapeshifter started to fidget.  Kade smiled to himself.

“Morg tried to kill me,” Vell said in a rush.  And there it was; the reason why he was here.  Morg wanted him dead and Vell thought Kade could keep him alive.

“I should toss you out,” Kade said in disgust.

“Please.  I have nowhere else to go.  My own peop
le won’t even accept me back,” Vell pleaded as he glanced at the ceiling, looking for a way out.  “They say that since you were able to beat me in battle, I am not worthy of leading.  The one you let get away delighted in telling how you bested me so easily,” Vell said, working his tongue as if he chewed on something that tasted rotten.  “I told them of your immense power, but they did not care.  I was exiled.”

“How do I know that you will not try to kill me as soon as I turn my back?” Kade asked accusingly, as he locked eyes with the shapeshifter.  Some of the fire returned.  Vell glanced behind himself at the crevice and then turned to face Kade, once more.  “Or maybe you will seize this opportunity to capture me and take me back to Morg so he will accept you back,” he said as he advanced on Vell.  The shapeshifter glanced back again, and this time, retreated a step.  “Maybe capturing me will help reinstate you as the leader of your people,” Kade said as he glanced at Darcienna.  His breath caught in his throat.  Her eyes were a steady blue.  Not strong, but not faint.

“I will not serve someone who tries to kill me when I have been loyal!” Vell shot back with such vehemence that Kade stopped his pursuit
. 

But, why would her eyes be warning of danger, if Vell wanted to serve me?
  Kade asked himself. 

“If you will just give me a chance, I will prove that everything I am telling you is the truth,” the shapeshifter said with such fierce determination that Kade actually paused.

Doren says he believes the shapeshifter
, Rakna said in his head.  Kade glanced at the queen.  She gave a slight nod.  He looked at Doren, who stood without moving as he regarded the shapeshifter thoughtfully.  He almost looked as if he was amused with all this.

Kade felt his muscles relax.  He took a deep breath and studied Vell for several long seconds, watching for anything that might be out of place.  Kade even found himself hoping to see something, but there was nothing.  Even that little voice inside his head did not speak of any danger. 

But, why would Darcienna’s eyes be warning of danger?
he wondered again as he glanced at her once more.

“Do not every betray me, or I will find you, and you will rue the day we met,” Kade vowed in an ominous tone.  “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes,” Vell said firmly.  “I will serve you with my life.  You will not regret your decision,” he said as he stood tall, squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest.  “I will serve as your personal guard and protector.  I will stay close and keep you safe,” he promised and then hesitated before continuing on.  “If…you ever need it.”  Kade nodded once and turned to face the spiders.

There was an audible gasp from the clutch.  They started to buzz furiously.  Even though he could not understand the words spoken, he was certain they were warning him not to turn his back on the shapeshifter.  Darcienna raised her hands casually, ready to bring her shield to life.  Kade noticed the move and gave a slight shake of his head.  She hesitated but did not drop her hands.  He mentally sighed, not faulting her and turned back to the spiders.  They were quickly working toward a frenzied level as their beloved second in command put himself in danger.  Kade held up his hands for silence.  The spiders fell deathly quiet, ready to hang on his every word.  Kade let the quiet fill the room as his eyes scanned the clutch, looking for the elder spiders of the council.  He found each and held their gaze for just a moment before moving onto the next.

“If you would please translate for me.” Kade asked of the queen.

“I am ready,” Rakna said.

Kade cleared his throat as he took a firm stance with his hands together behind his back.  It was something he had seen Zayle do, and it always gave him the impression of someone who knew what they were talking about.  Of course, Zayle always did know what he was talking about, but the image was there, regardless.

Kade had been around the spiders long enough to know that they expected him to give them another dead creature as a trophy.  Another conquest for them to sing his praises.  The spiders were already raising him to an exalted status with the telling of his victories.  Of course, they tended to embellish a little too much.  To listen to the clutch tell it, he single handedly destroyed half the Morphites by himself.  That was just not possible.  Or…was it?  Regardless, if this kept up, he was certain that in just a year’s time, this creature would have been the fiercest of monsters.  They wanted its head.

“No one is to harm the shapeshifter,” Kade said in what he hoped was a commanding and impressive voice.  “He has sworn his life to me.”

It was only a fraction of a second, and then the spiders erupted.  The buzzing made his ears ring, but he showed no reaction.  Kade turned his head back and forth as if to sweep the crowd with his eyes, but what he wanted to do was to look at the king, queen, Darcienna and Doren for their input.  But, he could not look back.  It would have been seen as a sign of weakness.  NO.  He needed the clutch to know this came from him.  They were going to accept his decision.  Several of the spiders started to approach angrily.

There was a gasp from the crowd and all eyes went over Kade’s head.  It only took a moment for him to realize what had happened.  He spun and attempted to glare at the shapeshifter but looked right into the chest of a creature he did not recognize.  Its chest muscles heaved.  The creature reeked of strength and power.  As much as Kade did not want to admit it, it put a lump in his throat.  This thing was dangerous.  It was right on him, and he was never going to get through even one move before it had him.  There was no way Darcienna was going to get her shield between them, either.  Her glowing eyes flashed in his mind and he cursed himself for a fool.

Kade knew he had only three things that were going to save him: his strength, Doren’s callings, and oddly enough, his confidence that he could handle this…somehow.  In just a fraction of a second, he had seen that Doren still had his hands down at his side.