Текст книги "Eyes of devious burgundy"

Автор книги: Lacey Lehotzky

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Текущая страница: 41 (всего у книги 43 страниц)

60

After a few more silent sobs, I forced myself to pull it together. The Angels could return at any moment, and I needed to escape. Shrugging my shoulder, I dried my eyes and nose as best I could on the silky dress, not caring that I was staining it.

Then, I sat up again and tried to maneuver myself so that I could peer over the edge of the table. The legs were square but thin, and the earth beneath it wasn’t smoothed out. It appeared the Angels didn’t care about keeping this space particularly clean and tidy, which worked to my advantage. I didn’t have much weight to throw around, but I could certainly try.

Gritting my teeth, I twisted with all my strength, managing to rock the table.

Fuck yes, I can do this.

Again, I threw all my weight to the side, a small scraping sound accompanying it. I paused, holding my breath, to see if it drew any attention. When no one appeared, I did it again, feeling some resistance in one of the legs.

This is it.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I exploded against the chains on my exhale. The edge teetered for a moment, and then I crashed to the side, the entire thing thudding on impact. Unfortunately, the chains weren’t taught enough to prevent me from careening into the ground as well, and my previously injured shoulder smacked against a rock.

“Fucking Reaper,” I cursed as pain lanced through my arm.

There was no way that commotion went unheard, so I forced myself into an awkward pose in an attempt to slip the chains off the upturned table legs. Again and again I flailed my arm, only succeeding in bruising it around the shackle.

With a huff, I paused.

Think, Assyria. Use your big brain and figure out another way.

Arching my back, I studied the thin legs again. If I could shimmy the loop low enough and get just the right angle, I could break the wood with a forceful tug. Barely able to see what I was doing out of the corner of my eye, I slid the chain along it, trying to find somewhere between the midpoint and where it was attached to the table.

Again, I steadied myself, bracing for what would certainly be a deep bruise, and yanked. My shoulder screamed in protest, but then a telltale snap of splintering wood rang out. Popping my eyes open, I found that I had succeeded. I nearly released a whoop of excitement. Quickly, I slid the bind off the leg.

One arm free.

If these shackles weren’t made of fucking silver, I would have used my shadows to break the others off. But of course, as illogical as the Angels were about our species, they were still smart enough to lock down my magic. And my fucking mate magic.

How was that even possible? The bonds that mates shared were mysterious, and no one quite knew how it all worked, and yet the Goddess had seen to gift Hayyel with some sort of magic that created a drug that could interfere with it.

Just my fucking luck.

Continuing to grumble to myself about the whole situation, I worked on my leg. With one arm free, I had more range of motion to assist in the task. Breaking the second one was much easier. Which left me with two more to go.

How no one had heard the commotion and returned to investigate was beyond my comprehension. It wasn’t like I was being quiet in here.

Although, as the thought crossed my mind, I opened my ears to what waited outside. Even louder than the clanking metal, a dim roar of excitement filled the air. Voices shouted and song broke out, drowning out any sound from within this tent.

Hurry, Assyria!

Gritting my teeth, I flung myself to the opposite side, hoping to carry the broken table with me. I crashed again into the ground, but this time, the table splintered apart of its own accord, its construction too flimsy to withstand much abuse from me.

Thank you, Weaver.

“You, what’s your name?” a voice hissed in Demonic, and I froze, whipping my head up.

A row of cages lined one wall, and in each, a male crouched. The two closest to me gripped the bars tightly, eyes dancing as they studied me.

“What the fuck? Where did you come from?” I said, brows dipping together.

“They kept us under an illusion. Whatever is going on out there must be more important than hiding us from you,” a maroon-eyed one replied.

“How are you here in the first place? How are you not dead?” I questioned, mind spinning in a thousand different directions.

“We don’t have much time to explain. You need to get out of here as soon as you can. Return to the Halálhívó and tell him Banand and Zurronar are still alive,” a burgundy-eyed one said in a rush.

“Zurronar? Do you have a brother named Izgath?” I asked, attention bouncing between the two as I didn’t know who was who. Though as the maroon-eyed one crept closer, the resemblance to the male who had died protecting me became evident.

“Yes,” he replied, searching my face. “You know him?”

A lump formed in my throat and I nodded. “I’ll get us all out of here, and then we can explain everything to one another.” I couldn’t tell him his brother was dead because of me, not like this.

Using my anguish as fuel, I jerked the last two chains free, then dropped to my hands and knees. “Any ideas on how to take these off?” I asked the two.

They shook their heads, flashing their own silver bracelets at me. “We’ve tried to remove them for a long time. The Angels use just enough to keep our magic low without killing us. And those are a lot thicker.” The burgundy eyed one—Banand—gestured at the shackles around my wrists and ankles.

“Okay, what about the keys to these cages?” I asked, straightening and looking around the room.

“The sentries have them. Look, you should just go. We’re fine here. We’ve survived this long. We can continue to,” Zurronar said.

“I can’t–” I started to say, but Banand cut me off.

“Go, mate of the Halálhívó, while they are distracted. Everyone already believes us dead. They can’t get any new information out of us. We’ll gladly die for the Halálhívó and the Demon cause, otherwise we wouldn’t have joined the army.”

Tears pricked my eyes as I took in their dirty, torn clothing, the black lines under their nails, the wild way their hair had grown out. “I’m so sorry. I will tell the Halálhívó we need to save you. Is there anything else I can do?”

Zurronar shook his head. “Go.”

“Assyria,” I said to him.

“Go, Assyria. You are more important to this war than you realize,” he replied, offering me a sad smile.

Gathering the silver links as best I could, I hobbled toward the flap, lifting it ever so slightly in an attempt to check if the way was clear for me to move.

Instead, a pair of turquoise eyes met mine. “Ah, perfect timing. The show is about to begin.”

A scream ripped from my throat as Zaph yanked me forward and threw me into the arms of two waiting males. All around, shouts assaulted my ears and Angels raced down alleys, strapping on gleaming metal armor, slinging bows over their backs, and sheathing swords at their hips. I jerked in their hold, managing to free one arm before they trapped me again.

“Take the chains off her feet, I don’t want you to waste any energy carrying her,” he instructed them, his tone almost bored.

When one bent to remove them, I planted my hands on his shoulder and brought my knee to his face, just like Rokath had shown me. It collided with the Angel’s nose with a satisfying crunch. The bastard cursed me in Angelic, stumbling back and covering it with his hand. Ruby dripped between his fingers, and I offered him an innocent, saccharine smile. “Oops.”

He lunged for me, but Zaph shoved him back. “Now is not the time. She will have her reckoning soon enough. As will the fucking Halálhívó.”

Bands of light leaped from Zaph’s hands and locked my legs so I couldn’t move them. His other companion dropped to remove the shackles, and my expression fell from a sweet one into a feral, raging one. “I will free myself from your madness, and then, I will grab a dagger and slit your throat,” I hissed at the male. The violent promise should have frightened me, but I was mated to Keleti’s most dangerous Demon, and fuck if I wasn’t going to embody him now.

He laughed, throwing his head back and covering his stomach. But then, he snapped his attention forward and turned deadly serious. “Funny, I said something similar to your mate when he gave me this.” Slapping a hand over his face, he lifted his white hair away and offered me an unencumbered view of the scar Rokath had carved into him.

“And now look at me. About to get my revenge,” he giggled, like a fucking child receiving a toy it had been yearning for. Letting his hair fall, the H that mirrored the ones on my wrists was covered once again.

No wonder he cuts his hair that way.

Was his thirst for vengeance born of Rokath’s humiliation of him?

“Revenge for that?” I asked, indicating his forehead. I pressed my lips together and smothered a laugh. He narrowed his eyes in response.

“Silence, you whore. Be as you are supposed to—silent and awaiting command from the male in charge of you. The only reason you aren’t dead yet is because you are the ultimate weapon against the Halálhívó,” he snarled.

That pissed me off. I bared my teeth at him and released a growl to rival any of my mate’s. “The Halálhívó would let me die, so your plan is pointless.”

“We’ll see about that.” The shackles on my ankles now removed, he wrapped a hand around my upper arm and tugged me forward again. I’d been unconscious when they brought me to the Angel’s camp, and when Zaph marched me into the heart of it, I wished again to be anywhere else but here.

A trickle of awareness pricked the back of my mind, and despite the silver around my wrists, the shadows in my chest began to move again.

Hayyel’s magic must be wearing off.

I yanked on the tiny tendril of the bond that appeared, hoping Rokath would feel it.

Thousands of eyes in every shade of blue stared back as Zaph paraded me like a fucking prized hog. Most held a disgusted sneer to their lips. Wad after wad of spit flew in my direction, most missing me, but some stuck to my dress, my legs, and my arms. I snarled back, no doubt confirming their suspicions about the barbaric Demons. But they were so fervent in their belief, there wasn’t anything I could do that would change their minds.

So I rolled with it instead, showing them I wasn’t afraid despite the blood rushing in my ears and the sick feeling roiling in my stomach. Like Hayyel, many seemed to regard me warily as I loosed crazed laughs and spit right back at them. Fuck these Angels. They weren’t better than me, better than any Demon. There was nothing about them that was superior or special. Each of us, in our own way, was unique, with powers gifted by our deities, and all trying to survive in this cruel world.

Why we had to fight was beyond me.

So I let them parade me like the animal they thought I was, right up to a podium in the center of two armies facing off. On one side, a sea of red greeted me, while the other was a mass of white. Zaph dragged me up the stairs, not caring when I stumbled, but rather, jerking forcefully on my right arm and sending pain shooting through it again. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about binding it to set properly again.

Lifting my chin and my gaze, I looked forward toward my fate.

And locked eyes with Rokath.

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61

Assyria was tossed forward onto the platform with the type of care I would expect from a fucking Angel. A growl rumbled in my chest, and the Parancsok with me tensed.

But then, our eyes collided, and our bond flooded with emotion.

“Assyria!” I shouted down it.

“Oh, Fates, Rokath, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Assyria, I am so sorry.”

“They knocked me out with some sort of drug that prevented me from contacting you. It must have finally worn off completely.”

The male Angel stepped forward, and a flash of recognition swept over me. My eyes narrowed on his forehead. Through the wisps of hair, I saw the raised H in his forehead.

The fucking irony.

But then, a realization settled over me. Kiira’s vision had been wrong. Unless I planned on carting Zaph’s head from Lutsk to Sivy, I wouldn’t carry it through the streets, proclaiming my victory.

If I killed him now, would we lose?

The thought tightened my throat, making it even harder to breathe. I forced my attention to Assyria, my beautiful, bold mate. “I am so sorry, Assyria. I should have protected you better.”

“They want to sacrifice me for the Goddess.” The way her voice broke told me just how terrified she was. Anguish tore through me, and I wanted nothing more than to capture her in my arms and tell her it would all be okay.

But I couldn’t make that promise, not when this insane male had my mate locked in his grip.

Zaph yanked a blade from a sheath at his side.

I flicked my attention to the Angels standing with triumphant grins behind Assyria. Then, I turned my head ever so slightly to the side and dropped my voice low so only the Parancsok beside me could hear. “They plan on making a spectacle of her sacrifice. If they should succeed, you know what to do to end them. I will help however I can.”

“Aye,” he whispered back, and I was grateful we had donned our full-face masks that covered our mouths. Not like the Angels could hear or understand us if we spoke Demonic. Only a few spoke the language of the other, given our intense hatred. The common tongue was the usual choice for any diplomatic communication.

Not like this encounter was one of those.

No, this was a confrontation with a singular purpose: revenge.

“What are you going to do?” she asked, a hint of hope leaking into her voice.

“Halálhívó,” Zaph said, lifting his dagger higher and letting it glint in the sunlight. “It appears you can follow instructions after all.”

“I don’t see why that was ever in question,” I growled, crossing my arms over my broad chest to emphasize my physical prowess. “If I remember correctly, during our last altercation I told you to fly away and tell the Koron you started a war. It appears you too can follow instructions. Now can we get on with this or do I need to give you another lesson? Perhaps a nice H on your cock?”

His triumphant grin slid into a hateful jeer. “I have the upper hand here.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Do you?”

Turquoise was not the most powerful eye color in the Angel Realm, and the male still only held the equivalent rank of a Százados, given the armor he wore. I nearly huffed a laugh. Not only was this plot one borne of revenge, but also one to show himself off to his superiors, no doubt to atone for his past mistake of starting the war in the first place.

His face reddened at my nonchalant attitude, and he swept the dagger to Assyria’s throat.

“Trust me,” I quickly told her down our bond.

She closed her eyes briefly like she was steeling herself to do just that.

“Do you want her to die?” he hissed. “Because I will kill her right now. Sacrifice her to the Goddess and thank Her for the gifts she bestowed upon us to help win this war and exterminate the Demons.”

“I have no doubt you think you will. But where would that leave you? Her blood wouldn’t even hit the ground before our forces would overwhelm yours. You are outnumbered two to one at the very least,” I pointed out, turning slowly to face the horde of Demons at my back and sweeping a hand over their expanse. They bared their teeth in turn, flashing thousands of pointed canines in the sun.

“You came unarmed,” he retorted, sticking his nose in the air.

“So? Our magical prowess far exceeds yours. And besides, I am the Halálhívó. The moment there are bodies on the ground, they become mine to wield as I please.” I rolled my neck and sighed, acting like the conversation was boring me.

“You make a fair point. Which is why I am offering you a parlay,” the male said, his tone filling with something that gave me pause.

This was why I had come, and finally, we were getting to the heart of what he wanted.

“Your mate’s life, or the lives of all your soldiers here. Choose.”

Ice shattered through my veins as my blood went cold. Assyria too, blanched, those big burgundy eyes immediately brimming with tears.

His trade was not what I expected it to be in the slightest, and I had no idea how to proceed.

Giving my life for hers, sure, I could have gotten myself out of that handily. Readily, with chains on my wrists too. That was what I expected of the Angels. Slice off the head of the snake to win.

This wasn’t it. Not even close.

But I couldn’t falter, not now. “Are you serious? That’s it? I am the greatest general in the history of Ravasz, and I pity your commander for having to lead such an idiot. I’ll give you another chance to come up with a better offer, since this was so pitiful.”

“If it’s so awful, why don’t you take advantage of it?” he asked.

I gritted my teeth. He had to know more than he let on.

“Banand and Zurronar are alive. They were being held where I was, and they said that others had been captured too. That’s how they knew about me in the first place. I assume those males told them about your conscription plans too,” Assyria said in a rush. She must have been reading my thoughts.

Shock raced through me. Yet another twist to add to the events of the day. “Of course that’s what happened,” I grumbled, trying desperately to think of a solution, a way out of this. If the knife wasn’t pressed against Assyria’s neck…

She was too far away for me to use my shadows to free her, and with the line of Angels between us, and the desperation of this group, I didn’t trust that knocking Zaph away would truly save her life. The zealots would each leap at an opportunity to slice into her and deliver a killing blow.

“You realize if I choose my mate, and these fifty thousand males die, I will raise them all and slaughter you anyway?” I forced a condescending laugh.

Zaph offered me one in return. “I am not that stupid.” With his free hand, he produced two silver stakes from his pocket and waved them around. Cackles rose from the Angels around him. “Once you agree to the bargain, I will force you to your knees and hammer these through your hands.”

He yanked Assyria flush against his chest as if he were anticipating my immediate retaliation for the addition to his bargain. Yet instead of fury, calm acceptance settled across my shoulders.

Kiira’s vision would come to pass; Zaph’s time to die wasn’t today.

But he would die. Slowly. Painfully. I’d carve my name and Assyria’s into his flesh before I peeled it from his bones. Then, I’d snatch those out too, one by one, until he was as spineless as he had always acted. His heart would give out long before I stopped slaking my thirst for blood on his body.

Assyria’s burgundy eyes met mine, shining and sad.“I know how much these soldiers mean to you, Rokath. How much they mean to the safety of all the Demons. You never wanted me to begin with. You only tolerated me because I wore you down. You can recover and fight soon enough after they kill me. Just please get it over with. And if you can, make it quick. Burn my body so I can be with my sister in another life. Find love in another life.”

The sorrow and defeat in her voice ripped my soul in two. What she didn’t know, because I’d been unable to tell her, was that the moment I realized she was missing was the moment I realized exactly how much I wanted her. Needed her. Craved her. Loved her. How I felt when I tried to tell her before was nothing compared to the depth of my devotion to her now.

“I will not let you die,” I growled in her mind.

“I’m not worth fifty thousand males, Rokath. I know how much is at stake.”

Those words gutted me.

“Little imposter, you are worth a hundred thousand, a million, lives to me. There is no number big enough for me to trade for your life. You are mine, to claim, to hold, to protect. To love. Because, Assyria, I fucking love you. Love that you smell like a garden even after days without bathing. Love how you care for Grem and Zeec. Love the way you scream my name, my real name, as you shatter. Love how you push back on my horseshit, burn me with all the fire you have to offer. I should have been better to you before. Should have been good to you all along. Because you deserve it. The Fates knew what they were doing when they brought us together. You are perfect for me in every way. I’m sorry I didn’t force you to listen to me when I wanted to tell you before.”

Tears cascaded down her cheeks, and her lower lip trembled.

“I want you. I need you. I love you. You will not die today.”

A storm of emotions swept through her and down our bond. She believed she was cursed by the Reaper to have everyone she loved killed in some way. So when she said those four words I’d been dying to hear, they struck me like a bolt of lightning. “I love you too, Rokath.”

These fifty thousand males had fought well, and I knew there was no way to save them both. I’d done everything I could to wind Zaph up in hopes he’d make a mistake. Ten years was a long time to think a plan like this through, and he had, in fact, thought of everything. That understanding didn’t slake the guilt settling in my gut.

Swallowing down all the emotion that had worked its way up my throat, I said, “I choose her.”

An audible gasp ripped from the throats of the Parancsok. Zaph cackled like he’d been suddenly named Zahal of the Angel army. “The deal is done. Step forward, Halálhívó.”

I didn’t look at my officers as I left them. I couldn’t, not when I needed to ensure our victory came to pass. I had to trust Kiira’s vision; I had to trust the Weaver’s path. Besides Assyria, it was all I had left.

The Angels jumped them immediately, pinning them to the ground while I ascended the stage. Zaph threw Assyria away, and I wanted to leap out and catch her, but two Angels snatched her before I could. They held knives to her before I could blink.

As chaos unfolding behind me, I knelt at the feet of Zaph, the fucking insect continuing to buzz around my life, and flattened my palms on the wood. Glee shone in his eyes as he bent down, the first stake poised over the tendons in my hand. I gritted my teeth and braced for the pain, trying to shove up a barrier around my mind to save Assyria from it.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” she snapped in my mind. “Look at me.”

I lifted my head, our gazes colliding with the force of an earthquake.

“We’re in this together. Let me share the pain,” she pleaded, a line forming between her brows.

Her words speared straight to a soft part of me that I’d hidden so deep I wasn’t sure it would ever see the light again. “You have no idea what that means to me.”

“After this is over, you’ll tell me,” she said, conviction threading her tone.

Agony ripped up my arm as the stake drove into my hand. I clenched my jaw, refusing to show him a single flicker of change in my being. Zaph sniggered, then pinned the other one without so much as letting me suck in another breath. The shadow swirling in my chest leeched of color and halted all their movement.

Still, I kept my attention on Assyria’s devious burgundy eyes. I could endure this for her.

I’d do anything for her.

Including giving up what I’d worked so hard to build.

The screams started then as the Angels moved on the Demons. Zaph hadn’t even given me the decency of watching my brave soldiers die for my decision. It was the least I could do.

“I will watch for you,” Assyria said, and then, I was looking through her eyes.

Not like any of them would ever know.

The officers were slaughtered in quick succession. An Angel slashed each of their throats from behind, sending blood spraying over the salt flats. The Demons yelled at once another to move, to flee, but it was too late. From the rear, more Angels floated over the ridge, and with grim acceptance, I realized the healers and wounded were likely already dead.

Surrounded from all sides and weaponless, the Demons used their magic to defend themselves, exploding bits of rock here, using their blood however they could, rendering nightmares to the oncoming Angels.

It was useless when they had blades and Amplifiers.

A blinding white light burst from a group in the sky, and combined with the sun, most were forced to shield their eyes. Arrows showered them like acid rain, killing in droves.

Nausea churned in Assyria’s gut, and still, she watched for me.

I sliced a glare in Zaph’s direction, a sadistic smile playing over his face. Like the death of fifty thousand of us was amusing to him. The Angels were sick fuckers, and his attitude, the way he seemed to vibrate with triumphant energy, made me want to redouble my efforts once this was all over.

At least we’d sent the more powerful ones off for further training.

It was the only solace I took in losing what I’d worked so hard to gain.

By the time the screams died, along with the last of my soldiers, my knees ached from where they pressed into the wood, and the blood spurting from my wounds had dried on my skin. I didn’t dare shift, not wanting to risk permanently injuring my hands. I’d have some wicked fucking scars there regardless. But the muscles, the tendons, the bones? I needed those to wield a blade and slice Zaph’s head clean from his shoulders.

The male turned to me as Angels streamed past into their camp and made quick work of tearing it down. “I could kill you right now, you know.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, though I doubted it was visible through the slits of my helmet. “No, you couldn’t. You’d have to get close enough to remove my armor, and then I’d yank these stakes out of the wood and stab them through your heart. Then, I’d twist them so they shredded it to pieces as you bled out from the injury. It would be extremely painful, and after what you just did to my battalion, there is nothing I would enjoy more.”

Zaph blanched as I painted the brutal picture for him. “Well, I could. But I won’t because we need to rejoin the rest of the Angel army and inform them of our great victory here today. The infamous Halálhívó on his knees for me.”

Assyria jerked against the males holding her, offering Zaph a feral growl. He whipped around and stalked toward her, grabbing her face in his hand and pinching her jaw. “Do. Not. Touch. Her,” I snarled, shoulders flexing as I prepared for the pain that would come with following through on my earlier threat.

He laughed and threw her head to the side. “Tie her to that pole.” He jerked his head to one at the rear corner of the platform, out of reach from me. Silver bangles still adorned her wrists as the two secured her to it, hands behind her back.

Clearly, they planned on being some distance away by the time we managed to free ourselves from our predicament. The Angels walked away, laughing at their exploit. Already, the far reaches of their camp had moved out, and the rest weren’t far behind.

Assyria and I locked eyes, and the sheer love I saw in them made me even weaker at the knees. I wanted nothing more than to hold her against my chest, feel her skin against mine, and inhale the garden-like scent that called me home.

Emotion hadn’t been part of my life for centuries. Yet this bold, brilliant female smashed my walls to pieces and forced me to feel again. I knew why the Weaver had laid this path and why the Giver had blessed us with a mating bond.

Because I needed to change, and all of the Demon Realm did too.

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