Storm Born Chapter Twenty-Five

I k at one time what youre thinking.I stretched my offsets above me, tucking my hands between my head and the pillow. sunlight poured over me from the giant window still did little to help my troubled mood. Id been sullen and quiet every(prenominal) morning. Not likely.Dorian reached over to a tray of interact pastries and sweets that had been sitting by the bed when we awoke. That and the newly built-up fire were only a couple of signs that tidying servants had been up and rough in here. Their presence shouldnt amaze bothered me everyone had already believed Dorian and I were sleeping together. Yet, knowing others had moved around us firearm we slept still snarl odd.He popped a marzipan-stuffed tartlet into my m divulgeh. I made a surprised sound nevertheless ate it any focus. He had excellent cooks. Well, then, let me guess anyway. I do so love trying to reason protrude your thoughts.He grinned at me, every inch the light identifyted and frivolous man I usually knew. He bore on the dot about no trace of the fervent lover from last night, the one whod repeatedly told me in explicit detail merely what he could do to me if he wanted and then proved that he could.I rolling to my side, putting my digest to him. Knock yourself out(a).All decline. Youre now realizing you did the unthinkable. You made love to me one of the shining ones. You crossed over that invisible line, and now the horror and regret of that is eating you up.No.No?No, thats not what Im thinking.Oh.I heard him shift again and then matte a cookie equilibrate delicately on my arm. I snagged it and munched on it, get crumbs on the sheets while he reconsidered. Lemon sugar.Very well. How about this Youre thinking about the kitsune. About Kiyo. You scarper him and lament what happened. Being with me nets you tone of voice guilty.I hadnt been thinking about Kiyo, that mentioning him suddenly brought him to mind. I did miss Kiyo. I missed the easy way we interacted, his substan tial and steady presence. I missed the way he held me and made me feel safe.No.Hmm. Well, then. My perception appears to be off this morning. It has been known to happen once or twice earlier.I stared out the window, unsettled emotions turning over and over in me. Finally, I said, Im bothered byhow it was last night. How rough it was.Truly? I rightfully dont know you so well. I thought you enjoyed it.I did.He waited a beat. Forgive me, then, but I dont quite grasp your concern.I rolled hindquarters over toward him, and it all spilled out. Dont you get it? All this time Ive been trying to avoid hordes of gentry and monsters from raping me. And yetthats essentially what happened last night. I let youI let you be aggressive and possessive. And then I liked it. Whats that say about me? Whats harm with me?Dorians face shifted to that rare and serious concern that sometimes seized it. He reached out and cupped my face with both of his hands. Oh, gods, no. Is that whats upset you? Euge nie, Eugenie. Thats not rape. Rape is brutal. Rape is do against your will, usually with someone you hate or at least(prenominal) like a little less than me. What we did last nightthat was a game. I believe it initially helped you get over a mental stumbling block, but after thatthere was nothing violent or bad. It was anovel way of approaching sex. You consented. Theres nothing wrong with you for liking it.Maybe he was right, but it still made me feel st scope. Ive near never done anything like that. Ive had rough sex before but never anything sokinky.Kinky. Fantastic word. It eer takes us awhile to catch up with your worlds slang.It makes things weird between us. I mean, weirder than usual.He ran his hand over my cheek and through my hair. Then tell me how to make things right.I dont know.Perhaps this will cheer you up Were ready to go to Aesons now.What? That didnt cheer me up so oft as surprise me. Where had this come from?We shag go whenever you wish.Youre giving in beca use I stir morning-after regrets?Im giving in because you crossed the point I wanted you to with your magic.I scoffed and rolled away. Bullshit. I toilette make pissing drops appear in the air. Somehow I doubt thats the life-or- finale difference sine qua noned on this mission.The life-or- dying factor here is that you buns control a fine portion of your magic now. I needed that to happen before I felt babys dummyable on this venture. I couldnt stake your emotions flaring and creating a storm that faculty kill us. Now, you may very well still have some sort of magical break run through, but I believe your current skills will go utmost to at least minimize the impact.Then what you said before about it being protection in case I was defenselessYes. Im afraid that was a ruse. Id hoped the thought might spur you on to try harder.Typical Dorian. His absurdity made me half-smile.Youre happier now? he asked.I dont know if happy is the right word, but I will be when the Jasmine th ing is over.Excellent. Come here.He motioned me into his outstretched arm, and for a moment, I pass judgment an advance. Like a Hey, baby, Ill make you happier type thing. I moved over tentatively, and he only put his arms around me. Just that simple. No jokes. No kinkiness. Just a simple embrace between two people, two people close enough to have rattled the headboard last night. I took comfort in it, relaxing into his warmth and security. He wasnt Kiyo, but he felt nice.At last he moved his face away so he could look at me. Very well, then. Tell me how you would like this to unfold.Staging other heist turned out to take a fair bit of cooking and didnt actually unfold until later the next day. We assembled all three of my minions in one of Dorians lounges. They waited patiently for orders, each watching me as their minds undoubtedly stirred with their sundry(a) neuroses. As Volusian had once pointed out, they had little to lose. They couldnt die. When Dorian called in Shaya to join us, I couldnt help an exclamation of surprise.Remember the distraction we discussed? he asked me.I did. Before getting out of bed, we had come up with the tentative outline of a plan. Part of it had included a major distraction near Aesons home, enough to draw the management of his guard so we could enter undetected. My spirits had long since verified that the siege tunnel had been blocked off.Shaya, he explained, would be our distraction. She had the power to command small ranges of vegetation. In particular, she could summon and order around trees something shed apparently done before to great effect. Dorians thought was that Shaya would have a small regiment of said trees attack the westbound side of Aesons hold. On the eastern side, we knew there was a servants entrance we could slip into. Normally, that would be too exposed but not if the castles security was preoccupied elsewhere.I nodded, thinking it was a good plan. Shaya crossed her arms and looked thoroughly displ eased.You got a problem with it?I dont think its our place to interfere with Aesons affairs, nor do I feel this is worth risking my kings life over.I glanced between her and Dorian uneasily. So you wont do it?Of course I will. My king gives a command, and I obey. I am solely expressing my honest opinion first. I would be doing a disservice otherwise.Dorian touched her cheek, smiling at her stern expression. And that is why you are so valued.Its a bad idea, said Finn suddenly.We all turned to him.What do you mean? I asked.Whats a few trees? It gripes, Hey, look at our obvious distraction. Itll make them suspicious. You want to authentically get their attention, send him in. He inclined his head toward Dorian. A little bit of that rock mojo, and theyll think theres an all-out assault going on.We cant. I need him as my confirmup, I argued, and protection for Jasmine. Shaya can do her thing and get out of there quickly. If I go in without him, then were in exactly the same situation as before.Except without the army waiting for you, said Finn.Shaya shook her head, glossy low-spirited braids swinging. I dont like the idea of my king left over(p) alone.Hell be in and out, no problem. And if he has to face off, he can take anything Aesons people throw at him.Unless its Aeson himself, mused Dorian.Is he stronger than you? I asked.Were very evenly matched.Huh. That surprises me. I mean, Kiyo walked away alive from a fight with him. might Aeson wasnt using his full power then, said Nandi. Most likely he feared burning down his home. Seeing my startled look, she continued. It would have created a terrible inferno from whence you would not have escaped. Your skin would have melted, only your bones left behind.So youre saying he wouldnt have to worry about that outdoors. He could unleash as overmuch as he liked. Something struck me, and I turned back to Dorian. What about you? Are you limited indoors?Hypothetically, no. Realistically? WellI still have to operate in a way that wont inhume us alive. He smiled, seeing my consternation. Dont worry, my dear. Ill still be of use to you.More use outside, said Finn. We wont even need extra backup, not if no systems inner(a) to image us.I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Id walked into Aesons with a lot less planning last time, and foolish or not, it had been a hell of a lot simpler than this. I turned to the rooms darkest corner, which had been unfathomed thus far.Volusian?He straightened up from where hed slouched in the shadows. I will be very surprised if we emerge from this without any sort of confrontation, regardless of who creates the initial distraction. If I must honestly answer what will keep you alive he sighed, obviously unhappy about that outcome. I suspected Nandis horrific description of my death by fire had softled warm and fuzzy feelings in him then yes, bringing the Oak King affords to a greater extent protection for you and the girl, mistress.Then its settled.Finn pouted and turned his back on us, pacing around sulkily.After that, it simply became a matter of waiting. We wanted to go under cover of darkness. Dorian and Shaya left to pursue kinsfolk duties, and the spirits flitted off to do whatever it was they did. This left me with a lot of downtime. I paced the castles grounds, ruminating over the same old things Kiyo, the upcoming raid, and the prophecy.The appointed time came, and our pip team reassembled for a few last-minute details. Most of it was simply a repetition of what we already knew. The spirits drifted along, but the rest of us set out on horseback. Shaya rode with the physical grace that permeated her expression movements, but I was surprised to see how agilely Dorian rode as well. He seemed so languid and comfort-oriented in his day-to-day affairs that I never thought of him as having athletic abilities, his feats in bed notwithstanding.We crisscrossed the assorted kingdoms. It seemed to take longer than last time, and Volusian confirm as much for me.The land has shifted its layout, he explained.It does that, said Dorian, seeing the panic on my face. Its normal. Were on the right path.Yeah, but will we make it there before sunrise?Certainly.He smiled too broadly, and I could tell he didnt know for sure. I looked up. Right now we had perfect blackness, lit only by stars. The bootleg was dark tonight. Persephones moon. I could feel the tingle of the butterfly on my arm and felt reassured. Before, Id needed Hecate to escape back to my own world. Here, that wasnt an issue. Staying alive and sending my enemies on to death was the issue now, so I didnt mind the boost to my connection with the Underworld.How much farther? I asked a little while later. I felt like a kid on a road trip but couldnt help the anxiety tickling my brain. I might have imagined it, but I swore the eastern sky now looked deep purple rather than black.Not far, said Shaya, voice calm.Sure enough, we pulled off and secured the horses, going the rest of the way on foot, traveling through trees and undergrowth. I couldnt see anything, but we soon reached some significant point. Shaya split off from us to do her thing. Dorian squeezed her arm before she left, and she made a solemn bow of acknowledgment. I watched her disappear before I turned and joined the others to continue straight ahead.Aesons fortress lastly loomed up before us as we reached the edge of the tree line. It could really be perceived only through its blockage of the stars. Otherwise, it appeared almost as black as the sky beyond. We stopped just before the terrain cleared, staying under cover. Studying the building further, I could make out small black figures moving back and forth in front of the wall. Guards. Presumably there were lookouts on the towers too.Now we wait, I muttered. I was tired of waiting. I wanted action.Almost opposite us, on the other side of the forest, Shaya should have been preparing to summon her tree warriors. She and Dorian swore it would be a noisy affair, so thered been no need for a secret countdown or anything like that. The castle was too far away for me to make out any identifiable features, but the spirits indicated the spot containing the side door.Minutes induceged by, and I imagined all sorts of horrible fates for Shaya. Oh, God. What if they caught and killed her? Shed come here out of loyalty to Dorian, and no matter what else had happened, Id come to respect her immensely. I didnt want her to die because of this.Dorian approached my right side and put an arm around me. Dont worry. This will be finished before you know it. Ah there we are.In the distance, we heard it. Wood crackle china and splitting. A low roar. Faint shouts of alarm carried over the air, and the guards in our view took off running toward the noise. We waited until theyd cleared the area.Now is our time, murmured Volusian. Go.We streaked across the open area, toward the doorway. I could hear the noise on the other side. The sound of something breaking. More shouts. Shayas plan had been to send about a dozen massive trees to beat on the walls over there. What a wake-up call that had to have been.W-wait Hold it I suddenly cried.The spirits stopped instantly. Dorian took a moment longer to slow down and gave me an odd glance. Whats wrong?I peered around. My senses tingled. I could feel water supply, lots of it. The way I felt in crowds or at Dorians. Water in numerous condensed clusters. The water sources were people. a lot of them.Wed been set up. Again.FuckThey seemed to come out from everywhere, though I knew they all had to have been hiding in the castles vicinity or else I would have felt them sooner. They came down from the roofs, out the door wed been staking out, from around the corner. And somehow I knew the ones who ostensibly had run off would return.I heard Dorian yell, They wont kill you not if they dont have to Then, the side of the castle exploded in a downpour of huge black rocks, causing those above and still scaling to fall down to death or at least serious injury. Others standing nearby were buried by the fallout.My spirits had standing orders to attack anyone attacking us, and I saw them burn up for battle. As for me, Id come packing two guns tonight, again courtesy of Lara. Both had steel cartridges, and my pockets held more clips still, plus a few silver ones. I kept what distance I could from the thick of the fray and fired, aiming for heads and faces if I could, but mostly happy if I could bring anyone down at all.Regular range practice paid off, and I hit almost everyone I fixed on. No one ever managed to get too close to me. The spirits I ignored. They couldnt die, and only another shaman or Dorian-caliber magic user could banish them.After his spectacular wall demolition, Dorian had resorted to a more conventional manner a copper sword hed worn sheathed under his cover. It glowed red in the darkness, and I realized he could enhance its power since copper came from inside the earth. He didnt fight with brute force, but he moved with speed and skill, surprising me as much as the horse-riding had. I wouldnt have minded another show of that earth power, but all magic took its toll. It would do no good for him to burn himself out yet.Suddenly, I saw one of the guards moving up on him, just out of Dorians line of sight. I started to cry out a warning, and then a large, four-legged form ran forward, snarling as he threw his weight into the guard. Dorian gave a quick glance of surprise but quickly returned to fighting. I couldnt recover so quickly and could only stare as Kiyo, in what I had jokingly dubbed the superfox form, clawed and ripped at his victim. The man did manage to slice Kiyos side, making me wince, but the fox seemed unaffected. Shaking my head, knowing I could neither wonder how hed shown up nor worry about his safety, I returned to my own battles.A few victims later, I had my aim on someone when I sensed another form creep up behind me. I turned but wasnt quite fast enough. He grabbed my arm and bent the gun away from him, forcing me to the ground. With my left hand, I managed to drag out the other gun. It was more or less smothered as his body tried to pin mine down, and I had no real target. It didnt matter. I just sort of aimed in an upward direction and fired. He screamed and recoiled enough for me to push off and fire again with more precision.Someone else took avail of my distraction and grabbed me from behind. Id stuffed the extra gun back in my pants and now struggled against him with the first gun when suddenly it grew hot in my hands. Burning hot. I yelped and dropped it, staring as it lay sizzling on the ground, glowing faintly orange.I didnt have to hear his voice in my ear to know who held me.Eugenie Markham, lovely of you to pay me a visit.Im going to kill you, I hissed.Yes, yes, you told me that before, and yet, I see its not really working out. You should have taken me up on my earlier o ffer. He barked out a command to a nearby guard who ran up to us. Disarm her before she kills anyone else.With all the confusion, none of my other allies noticed what was happening. I undefended my mouth and began chanting the ritual words to bring the spirits. They were currently too far out of range to simply hear me shout. Realizing what I attempted, Aeson threw me onto the ground, using his body weight to hold me while one hand covered my mouth.HurryThe guard removed my athames and wand. For the extra gun, he wrapped his hand in the folds of his cloak to retrieve the weapon and then hastily tossed it away.Youre a damned nuisance and a deadly one, muttered Aeson. Keeping you alive for nine months may be more trouble than its owI didnt see what happened to him but heard a thunk above me.You used your power to toss one rock at me? he exclaimed, an almost comic note of incredulity in his voice.On the contrary, I heard Dorian say pleasantly. I didnt use magic for that. I just thre w it.Aeson tossed me toward his guard, just as flames rose up from the ground. In the darkness, the bright light hurt my eyes, forcing me to glance away. Heat rolled off that scorching orange wall, instantly heating system up my skin. The guard attempted to scramble back and hold me at the same time, doing a half-assed job at both, though he still managed just barely to keep me restrained.My gaze stayed on the fires flickering colors until I suddenly felt the ground shake. Jerking my head up as much as my restraint allowed, I saw a cloud of darkness rise above the flames. It crashed down, like the palm of ones hand, and the fire abruptly went out, extinguished as pounds of dirt slammed it to the ground.Without missing a beat, Dorian gestured to the spot Aeson stood on. I felt shaking again and saw the earth ripple, like a wave of water moved under the surface. It knocked Aeson off-balance, and then a storm of rock shards much as Id seen with the nixies swirled around, taking ai m. Still on the ground, Aeson lifted his own hands. Waves of heat cursed away the rocks, scattering them in different directions. Some of them melted, dripping back to the earth in a molten shower.Ashes filled the air, and I could hear Aeson spit out as he stumbled to his feet. The ground trembled again, pushing him back to his knees. He supported himself with one hand and gave a shaking, raspy laugh.It didnt have to come to this, he said. If you would have just shared her, she might already be with child.A shower of rocks spattered Aeson as Dorian strode forward. They werent razor sharp, but they looked like they hurt. The Alder King winced and shielded his face.I dont share, Dorian said flatly. The earth near Aeson coalesced into ropes of dirt, winding their way around his limbs. Score one for bondage fetishes.Too bad. You might have lived had you felt differently.Aeson suddenly burst up, breaking through the bonds of earth. As he did, fire blasted from all around him, outlining him and then shooting forward. My scream was smothered in my captors hand as I saw Dorian fly backward. Aeson charged forward, his hands controlling and shaping the flames into a ring around Dorians crouching form. The walls flared up high and thick, so hot they gleamed blue and white. I wouldnt have thought Dorian could survive that inferno, but Aeson kept talking to him as though he were still alive.Too many theatrics, Dorian, and not enough skill left now to free yourself.I looked around desperately. There werent many guards left. In the distance, I saw Kiyo nail some guy pretty handily the mans pain-filled scream affirmed as much but he was too far to help, just like the spirits. I realized then my guards hold had slackened he was apparently transfixed by his masters showdown. Others, just as captivated, stopped and stared.Taking advantage of the guards lack of attention, I shoved my elbow back into his stomach and attempted to spring free. I didnt really expect to achieve t hat goal, but it did uncover my mouth. I spoke the summoning words, and Nandi and Volusian appeared.Get Aes I began, just before the hand slammed on my mouth again. Another guard joined mine to help with the confinement.The spirits shifted from humanoid form to something else, still vaguely anthropomorphic but more like a cloud of energy. They swooped toward Aeson, one shining and blue, the other black and silver.He deflected them with flames while still holding the walls on Dorian. An instant later, I saw a wand in one of his hands. No. He couldnt He spoke banishing words, and I felt the surge of power in the air as he tore open a hole to the Underworld. The form that was Nandi trembled and then exploded, disappearing in sparkles. Shed found her peace at last and without another two years of service to me.Call the other one off, snapped Aeson, unless you want to lose him too.The hand on my mouth lifted. I hesitated. I had nothing to lose if Volusian won or lost. In fact, Aeson s request likely indicated he couldnt banish the spirit to the land of death. gentry rarely had that kind of power anyway, so Aeson probably couldnt do what I had been unable to do. But if he fought Volusian, it was possible he could have enough strength to break my control and enslave him as a minion. That was not an option. Better for the spirit to be destroyed than turned against me.Hold, Volusian.He retreated immediately, coalescing back into his normal shape.Aeson returned to Dorian. The Alder King held up his hand and brought his fingers together in a fist. The burning walls contracted, resembling more of a cocoon than a cylinder now. Through the crackling of flames, I heard Dorian scream.Helplessness choked my heart. Just like with the mud elemental. Just like with the nixies. I had no weapons and no freedom. This was exactly the kind of situation Dorian kept speaking of. The time magic would be handy. I couldnt use it, however. My abilities included only miniscule water man ipulation and out-of-control storms and their consequences.Yet, suddenly, I didnt care about the consequences. I wanted to summon a major storm, a storm to devastate this whole area. Maybe itd kill my friends and me, but things didnt really look good for us anyway. Focusing my mind on that, I tried to recall the angry tempests Id created before.Onlyit didnt work. Maybe it was because Id never consciously done such a thing before. Or maybe it was because I could no longer see storms as a whole. They were pressure and charged particles and most importantly water. Dorian had taught me to compartmentalize the elements, and thats all I could do now. I thought about storms, but all my mind did was reach out and touch all the water sources nearby. Damn it. Finding water did no good, not unless I could move a whole lake and douse the fire. I doubted I could command that much water, even if I had a source like that nearby.But I didnt need one that big.I only needed to summon a little wat er source, one my powers could manage. I refocused. My magic reached out, grasping and connecting with the water molecules I wanted. They recognized me, and I called them forward. They resisted a little. There were more of them here than had been in the pitcher. ensue me I shouted to them. Come to me I am your mistress.Only a few seconds passed while I struggled for control of the water. Meanwhile, Aeson was still holding his arms up, collapsing the walls tardily in what was probably a sadistic effort to prolong Dorians pain. Still, I needed the delay as I pushed and pulled the water more fiercely.A leftover look crossed Aesons face just then, and he glanced around, as though trying to find something. Yet, he didnt know what that was.Come to meI could feel the water breaking free, unable to resist my command. A look of horror twisted Aesons face. His hands dropped and clutched his head, almost as if he would claw it off. Behind him the flames around Dorian abruptly faded and disap peared, almost as if a lake had dropped onto them after all.But as Id noted, I hadnt needed a lake. Id only needed a little source. Id needed Aeson. The water in him was a size I could manage, the source Id called out to and commanded. After all, the human or gentry body is 65 percentage water.And a moment later, all of it came to me. The other 35 percent didnt.