The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (14 page)

Well, I have two things,
Kade thought quickly and prepared for battle as he flexed his muscles hard.  He put on his fiercest scowl, and in his most commanding voice, hissed at Vell.

“Change!” Kade said with force.  “Change back NOW!” he commanded as though he had nothing to fear.  His heart pounded hard but the anger of the betrayal infuriated him.  All he needed to do was get just a little room between him and this beast and he would turn it to ash where it stood.

“As you wish,” Vell said, uncertainty in his voice.  He melted back into the form of the man.  “But, they are threatening you,” he said, not taking his eyes off the advancing spiders.  His form shimmered, threatening to change back into the beast.

“Do not change out of this form unless I allow it,” Kade said, his tone giving no room for debate.  Vell’s form solidified. 

Kade spun as the first spider got close enough to pounce.  His mind, again, recalled how the queen had put one of her own on its back.  He even recalled that he had killed a few of the spiders, and yet, she had put her own kind down.  It was not that she was defending him, Kade realized, but that she was enforcing her rules.  He threw his hand into the air dramatically and light exploded to fill the room.  The power filled him and he drank from it deeply.  For a moment, he lost himself in its glory, and then his eyes stopped on the spider just in front of him.  Kade stalked forward, his eyes never leaving his target.

So, this was the way it had to be,
Kade thought as he closed in on the spider.  Always showing them who is in charge.  Always having to prove that he was willing to put them back in line.  Yes, this was the way of the spiders. 

Fine.  I can prove to them that I am in charge,
he thought as he propelled himself into the air with his all his strength.  He landed on one knee with both hands on either side of the spiders head.  It flinched and ducked, putting its chin to the ground.  Kade’s eyes came to within inches of the spider as he glared hard.

“I said he is NOT to be harmed,” Kade hissed dangerously.

“But, he attacked us,” another spider buzzed quietly.  Rakna translated so smoothly with her mind that Kade forgot it was not the spider speaking.

“Did it kill any of you?” Kade asked.  He thought back on the brute he was chest to face with and knew that Vell could have torn many of the spiders apart before being overrun.  There was a loud buzzing of chatter between the spiders, but it did not take long for it to die down.  The queen did not translate.  Kade took that as a no.  “You have to allow room for the possibility that it was defending itself.  It came to see me, and even though it was a mistake, it felt that its best chance was to disguise itself as one of you until it could make contact with me,” Kade said as he turned to look askance at Vell.  The shapeshifter nodded firmly.

The spider started to edge back.  Kade considered holding it in place, but his point was made.  He allowed it to slide back to blend in with the crowd.  If he had to pick it out of the clutch, he would have failed miserably.  It did not matter.

“Does anyone else want to ignore my command?” Kade asked as he glared a challenge to any who would stand their ground. 

His eyes sought out the eyes of the council and found nothing but approval.  The elder spider that had stood against him previously, now had a look of respect.  At least, Kade thought it was a look of respect.  The spider’s body language was still something he was working on.

“You have all seen him bow down before me and swear his loyalty,” Kade said.  “No one is to touch the creature or they will have to go through me, and…” Kade said as he turned to say the next part while looking Vell in the eyes.  “If he betrays me, I will make a trophy of his head,” he said firmly, wondering how the shapeshifter was going to react to his threat.  “Is that clear?”  He put heavy emphasis on each word.

Kade had proven he was in charge.  The spiders, begrudgingly, backed off.  Rakna and Crayken glided up to stand next to him.  Kade felt the light touch of Darcienna’s hand on his arm and reached over to cover it with his own.

“Is there a chance this is a trap?” Rachsin asked.  Kade easily recognized the council spider.

“There is always a chance,” Kade said as he glanced at Darcienna.  Her eyes were still glowing.  Kade tried to ignore it, but he could not.  Nothing had presented itself…yet, but he knew it would be a mistake to forgo her warnings.  He eyed the shapeshifter, again, but nothing in his gut warned him of danger.  “We must always be cautious, but at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that it could be useful,” Kade said as he appealed to the old spider’s wiser side.  “The creature may have important information that could make the difference between winning this war,” Kade said as he paused for emphasis, “or losing it,” he finished.

“It did injure several of us,” Rachsin said, but there was no strength to his words.  Kade studied the spider for a moment as it lifted its chin, waiting for a reply.  Kade gave a sly smile as he quickly realized what Rachsin was doing.  He gave an ever so slight nod and Rachsin responded in kind.

“Yes, he did.  And, I would have, also, to keep from being killed.  He was defending himself,” Kade said.  Rachsin nodded as if analyzing the information.  Several of the other spiders were watching Rachsin closely.  “If he has important information that I can use, then I can accept his actions,” he said as he looked at the old spider and continued on.  It was clear what Rachsin was doing, and Kade could easily see why the king was so fond of him.  “Would you have allowed him in or anywhere near me if you knew he was a shapeshifter?” Kade asked.

“Oh, clearly not.  I would have chased him out myself,” Rachsin buzzed confidently.  Several spiders nodded their agreement and turned to watch Kade.

“Then, possibly the ends do justify the means,” Kade said, nodding as though the spider had been the one that had worked the conversation around to this.”  The spiders turned to watch Rachsin.

“It would appear that way to me.  At least, that is how I see it,” Rachsin said and settled down.  Kade had to fight to keep the grin from showing.  Oh, how he did like this one.

“Then it is settled,” Kade said.  This seemed to quell any further turmoil.

Not one spider opposed or even showed any dissension at all.  They settled down as they regarded the shapeshifter.  Now, instead of being a fearsome creature that needed to be destroyed, it was a tool to be used in their fight against Morg.  Many of the spiders even started to nod and buzz to the spider next to them.  It spread around the room quickly.

“And, I am sure it is safe, now?” Rachsin asked.  The old spider must have caught something said in the crowd.

“As safe as I am,” Kade said and nodded his head for emphasis.  “As you saw, I, myself, almost ended its life when I thought it was a threat,” he said and then smiled as something occurred to him.  “Do you still fear the dragon?”  The room went still as the question hit home.  “No, you do not.  And now you have another that you have no need to fear.”

“I agree with the Chosen,” Crayken added.

“As do I,” said the queen in all her regal glory.  She was an impressive sight, her snow-white fur swaying with her every move.  Kade was certain that she was fully aware of her appearance and had cultivated a way of moving that maximized its effect.

“It is plain for me to see that your decisions have merit,” the old spider said as he gave a respectful bow of his head.  “We shall trust your judgment, but know that if it is deceiving us,” the spider said as it paused to look at Darcienna’s glowing, blue eyes for several long seconds and then back to Kade.  “It will die a horrible death,” Rachsin finished with confidence born of years of experience.  The warning was meant for Vell and Kade knew it.  He felt respect for this spider grow
.

If Rachsin was born twice his size and covered in black, flowing fur, he could easily have been a king himself,
Kade thought.

“No you will not,” Kade said, causing the spider to pause as it regarded him, “because the shapeshifter’s head will already be on display for all to see.”  He held the spiders gaze.  If spiders could smile, Rachsin would have been grinning.  Kade could definitely feel a connection growing with this one.

The rest of the spiders relaxed completely and the tension in the room evaporated immediately.  Kade felt himself relax, also.  He turned toward Darcienna and studied her eyes again.  They continued to glow softly but steadily.  There were times when her warnings brought more questions than answers, and this was one of those times that the questions would go unanswered…for now.  Until he knew why her eyes warned of danger, he was not going to be able to untie the knot in his stomach.

“I hope never to have your head as a trophy,” Kade said as he reiterated his threat.  “But, betray me one time, and I will end you.”  Vell seemed to be a mix of emotions.  Kade was expecting the shapeshifter to grouse at the threat, but Vell’s next words had him speechless.

“No one has ever defended me like that,” Vell said in confusion.  “Not even my own kind would do that,” he said as he grappled with the new concept of true trust and naked honesty.  “We do not even trust our own kind,” he said as he saw the look of shock in Kade’s eyes.  “We are, by nature and instinct, not trusted.  Who can truly trust a shapeshifter?  When I am not around, will your mind wonder if I am hiding in a corner or hanging in a web over your head?” Vell asked.  Kade opened his mouth to answer but Vell cut him off.  “No need to answer.  Of course you can’t trust me,” he said but Kade held up a hand.

“The answer is yes.  I can.  But…only once.  If you ever prove to me that my faith in you was misplaced, I will never trust you again, and if I do not kill you myself, I will most assuredly cast you out into a world where you will be alone once more,” Kade said, guessing correctly that the latter threat was likely the one Vell would be concerned with the most.

“I can truly understand why Morg fears you so much,” Vell said, his voice full of awe.  “Now you will see what your trust has brought you,” he said with a sly grin as he knelt down on one knee.

Kade glanced over at Darcienna and her eyes flashed danger.  Kade was about to tell the shapeshifter to stand and that there was no need for the show of fealty when Vell launched into the air.  Kade was caught off guard and stumbled backward.  The shapeshifter became a blur as it twisted and contorted and then quickly expanded.  Wings shot out and started to beat furiously.  Vell’s claws were like daggers and his teeth as sharp as razors.  He screeched so loud that Rayden answered back with a roar that shook the ground.  Kade could hear the dragon crash into the tree.

The Apprentice Chosen threw his hands out in front of himself and prepared to race through the moves for the Divine Fire Calling but held.  He was not sure why, but…he held.  Vell hovered for just a moment, and then with a screech that set Kade’s ears to ringing and every nerve on fire, the shapeshifter shot up thirty feet, slamming into the rock celling.  Rayden roared again, but this time, the sound echoed in the tree.  Kade was afraid that the dragon was trying to squeeze through the entrance.

Rayden, we are safe
, Kade sent. 
You need to go back out or you may bring this tree down on us.  We are safe.
The link between them was filled with indecision.  Kade sent the message again more forcefully, and the dragon backed out of the entrance. 
I will be there shortly, when we get this sorted,
Kade sent, again trying to reassure his ever so protective dragon.

The spiders erupted into a fury of buzzing as they prepared to kill.  Kade moved to stand under the shapeshifter and watched closely while the room continued to explode in panic.  He ignored the clutch as he focused on Vell.

“Kade!” Darcienna shrieked.  “What are you doing?  Kill that thing!” she screamed as she jabbed a finger in the direction of Vell.  She grabbed him by the arm as if to shake him from a dream.

“No,” Kade said.  Darcienna’s shield sprang around them.  “Drop it,” Kade said.  Darcienna looked at him as if he was a mad man.  “Drop…it,” he said firmly.

Darcienna froze, certain Kade had lost his mind.  He placed his hand on her wrist and pulled her arm gently down to her side.  The shield winked out.  He turned and continued to watch the shapeshifter bounce off the ceiling and then the walls as it grappled with…something.  The spiders buzzing reached a deafening crescendo.

“Silence!” Kade boomed as he rounded on the clutch.  Rakna did not need to translate this.  The king and queen moved a step closer to Kade, giving him their support while watching the clutch.  This was enough to quell any arguments that might have started.

Kade was expecting to yell again, but to his surprise, the spiders quieted.  That was not to say they calmed down, though.  Their hearts beat wildly with the promise of battle.  Kade turned and continued to watch Vell twist and contort in the air just over his head.  Doren was watching the apprentice with searching eyes, but Kade ignored him, too.

“I hope you know what you are doing,” Darcienna said as she turned her eyes up to watch.

Kade did not respond as he continued to observe the aerial display.  He was not sure how this thing was able to stay airborne, but it did.  It was not lost on him that he was the only one calm in the room.  Even the king and queen had assumed a battle-ready pose.

The shapeshifter stopped its gyrating and slowly started to settle back toward the ground.  Darcienna raised her hands, and Kade grabbed them without looking and pushed them back down once more.  He gave her an extra squeeze that was meant to convey that she was not to try again.  Everyone looked back and forth between Kade and Vell, waiting.  The shapeshifter settled softly onto the ground and then bent to one knee.  Vell shimmered back into his humanoid shape.  He bowed his head and held out his hand to display what looked like a lizard about ten inches long.