Читать книгу Venators: Promises Forged - Devri Walls - Страница 7

CHANGE OF PLANS

The spelled connection between Zio and her dragon was flawless. Every movement, every glance of his eye came through her amulet—she saw what he saw. From within the confines of her stronghold, Zio had scoured the forest with Maegon in search of the two Venators the council had so foolishly let out of their protected halls. The thrill of the hunt thrummed through her, and her fingers itched to feel the bodies of the Venators break beneath them. To warm her skin as hot blood flowed over it—to feel again.

But the connection with Maegon was only amulet deep, visual and no more.

As the evening progressed, however, things became more problematic than Zio could’ve anticipated. This hunt—that should’ve been a massacre—had rapidly become a battle. Though she’d expected Tate to be with the Venators, she’d not foreseen Beltran’s involvement. It was the shapeshifter who’d tipped the scales—the way he’d jumped off that cliff, his wings cocooned in protection, taking Maegon’s fire.

She shuddered with desire.

For years now, Zio had wanted Beltran—a desperate want that wasn’t bred of lust but of a need to own him. Beltran was even more skilled than the shifter she already possessed. His cunning rivaled her own. When such cunning mixed with the ability to shift . . . Beltran was a force to be reckoned with.

But Beltran or no, the hunt was drawing to an end. Maegon had their prey cornered.

The silver chain of the pendant glinted in the firelight that danced in the braziers on the balcony. Zio’s anticipation became a palpable thing that flexed about, spreading its wings and flicking its tail in excitement.

The corner of Zio’s mouth twitched in a barely there smile as she stared into the pendant. She tightened her fingers around the blue stone, watching the final moments of this scene from Maegon’s eyes. Her own eyes searched back and forth across the bubbling river.

They’d been under for too long.

Beltran could easily avoid Maegon underwater, but the Venator could not.

Where were they?

A form broke the surface, water pouring off it in sheets. Her throat tightened, as if it were she who could spew fire, but it wasn’t the boy, it was that worthless wench he’d been protecting. Still, death was death, and Zio’s heart hammered against her chest with euphoria as Maegon attacked. Fire rolled out as if from her own mouth, obscuring her vision momentarily and further raising the anticipation. When the blaze cleared, the pathetic human woman was a burning torch, dripping rivulets of fire.

Zio smiled, and her eyes rolled back for a brief moment. She let out a deep sigh of bliss before whispering, “Yes. And now”—she pulled the amulet closer, caressing the sides as she descended into a familiar ecstasy—“the Venator.”

The water just below them bubbled. Maegon lowered his head, and the young Venator rose. He was lying prone as something—or someone—lifted him.

Everything happened so fast. The Venator’s arrow was already nocked on the bow and aimed. The arrow flew. She jerked backward as Maegon did, an unstoppable reaction, but they were too slow. The arrow buried itself in Maegon’s left eye. The picture in the amulet went black as half the dragon’s vision was stolen and the other eye closed in agony.

The pendant tumbled from her fingers. It caught on the chain and slapped against her rib cage. She stumbled forward, hitching up against the black iron railing. Her fingers curled around the top as she leaned over and screamed into the calm night air that mocked the foolish surety of her victory.

This should not have been possible. Two untrained Venators escaping Maegon, even with help? But she’d watched it happen. And now the Venators would return to the council, where they would grow in strength while one of her greatest assets was desperately wounded. Her hands trembled against the cold iron, and breath squeezed out of her raw throat in a shaky hiss.

And then Zio did what she did best. She adapted.

By force of will, she calmed her breathing and brought her anger to heel. Her heart slowed, the beats halving in time and then halving again. Zio levered herself up to standing, mindfully releasing the rail and steadying her hands against the smooth silk of her gown.

She was master of her body.

The experiences of this life had taught her many things—control, truth, pain, power. But through the many metamorphoses of Zio, one truth had reigned—there was always, always, another way.

With her mind now calm, a plan began to form, slipping in and out as it morphed and changed, reacting to future problems she already anticipated. This plan was far more subtle than an attack by dragon and would require a certain amount of manipulation. It would demand patience and time, and more of both than she wanted to give. But one did not negotiate payment with destiny. The cost was the cost, and it would be paid without complaint.

This plan would be an investment in another Venator—one currently sitting in her dungeons.

Ryker roused slowly, driven to wakefulness by an incessant pounding. Reluctantly, he peeled open his eyes. That motion alone was immensely uncomfortable—heavy lids felt like sandpaper, forcefully scraping away the sleep and booze.

He’d drunk a lot last night, but he’d never woken with a hangover quite like this.

The room slowly came into focus. The light was dim, and it took a while to make out his surroundings. He was in an empty room, a stone box. The walls and floor were made of individual blocks about twelve inches wide and six inches tall. They’d been mortared together with something that looked like tar, smooth and shiny. A foul smell—body odor, sweat, and barnyard, overwhelming in its potency—rammed up his nostrils. Barely turning to the side in time, he vomited, muscles contracting so hard that his spine contorted into a severe arch.

When it was finally over, Ryker hung limp. Spit and leftover bile drooled freely from his lips, drizzling into a vile puddle on the floor. It was then, because of the odd twist of his shoulders, that he finally realized his arms and legs were tied to the chair.

“What the hell?” Sitting up, Ryker wiped his mouth the best he could on the collar of his shirt and jerked against the bonds. “Chad? Luke?”

A torch was the only light in the room, flickering by the wide iron door. It was damn authentic for a prank.

“This isn’t funny, guys!”

No response, only a dull thud as his words were swallowed by the room. He listened for something, anything, straining against the silence. But all he heard was a barely audible dripping. He squinted, making out lines on the stone walls where thin streams of water ran, so slight they made no sound except the occasional ping resonating from the furthermost corner where one splashed onto the floor.

He pulled and wiggled, trying to free his wrists, but made no progress. What happened last night? He couldn’t remember anything. “All right, guys. I’m impressed,” he called to the door. “Did Rune put you up to this?”

He loved his sister, but the nagging about his drinking was getting old. She’d lectured him so many times on all the things that could happen if he passed out and she wasn’t there to save the day. He could repeat her speech verbatim. Leave it to Rune to try some stupid scare tactic.

Ryker twisted his neck, trying to get a look at the knot they’d used. Then he froze.

His arms were covered in tattoos, glowing red in the center. But around the edges, several other colors blinked on and off. The lines were bold, sweeping arcs paired with ninety-degree angles that knotted around each other, almost Celtic—but not quite. They were unique.

His previous conclusions suddenly became less plausible as his sluggish mind tried to determine how someone could prank this. These weren’t stickers or rub ons. The colored light seemed to be coming from a deeper layer of skin, flickering like the glow of a jellyfish—from the inside out.

With a click, the iron door swung open. He whirled, looking at the middle of the doorframe. Movement pulled his gaze lower until he saw a short, squatty creature.

“No,” he whispered. A wave of vertigo made the room spin, and bile once again burned up his throat.

The thing grinned. Its tiny black eyes grew even smaller as wrinkles of grayish skin pushed in around the edges. Its lips stretched around the tusks, growing so taut that the lip line faded into skin, leaving no definition where one started and the other began.

Instantly he was a little kid again, backing through bushes in the front yard, searching for protection. All the memories washed over him. The smells—dozens of irises had bloomed along the walkway, and he’d hated that scent ever since. The feelings—confusion, fear, and the pounding of his heart—all as raw as the day they were bred.

“Welcome, Venator.”

It wouldn’t have mattered what words the monster had uttered. The sight of it unleashed all the anger he’d bottled up for years. It burst from his mouth in a roar. He lunged against the bonds, wanting to wrap his hands around its thick neck.

The creature just grinned as two more of the monstrosities walked into the room, laughing with throaty croaks and grunts.

“Shut up!” Ryker snarled, struggling. “I’ll kill you, all of you!”

“This Venator’s tough,” one mocked. “Too bad you’s tied up.”

The laughter burned through his ears, and he struggled harder for freedom. The ropes were tight, and the sticky wetness of blood flowed down the back of his hand from the effort.

There was a sharp click in Ryker’s head, like a part of his mind had suddenly unlocked, and his thoughts raced. Multiple plans of how to fulfill his threat flowed through his head simultaneously . . . but only one was any good.

He started rocking, walking the chair back toward the wall. The smiles of his captors faded. He saw their uncertainty, and it felt good—like staring at ants through a magnifying glass. They had no idea what was coming.

He grinned. “What’s the matter? You look nervous.”

Their eyes shifted to each other, gauging. One stepped forward, squaring his shoulders. “You’s tied up. You’s can do nothing.”

But an edge to his voice tickled Ryker’s ears—a framing of fear.

One side of his mouth twisted up in a smirk. “Then I guess you can relax,” he said, walking the chair the last few inches.

He’d turned himself so his shoulder and hip were against the wall. Tilting his weight to the opposite side, he used the toe of his shoe to balance the chair on two legs, and then threw his weight against the wall. The force was more than he’d anticipated—he hit like a battering ram. He had no time to wonder where the extra strength had come from. Over his own grunt of pain was the sound of the wooden chair cracking.

The three creatures yelped and scrambled for the door, shouting about weapons.

Ryker repeated the motion, leaning and slamming. The chair cracked again, and he repositioned, the square legs squealing as he spun to aim the force on the rounded top behind his neck. This time he felt the back buckle, and he leaned forward, wrenching the chair in two. He jerked his arms first one way and then the other, sliding free. The wooden back clattered to the floor.

With the extra slack in the rope, he was able to manipulate his hands so his fingers could loosen the knots. A moment later he was free and working on his ankles.

Shouts and feet echoed down the hall toward him. He swore and worked faster, stepping free of his bonds just as eight goblins flowed back into the room, swords and axes in hand.

The image was too familiar. A memory flashed of him peeing his pants as a kid, so raw and painful that it jolted loose the fear and replaced it with empowering anger. Ryker picked up the chair by the legs and swung it against the wall. The seat broke free, leaving him with two splintered bats for weapons. Not much against swords, but better than cowering in the corner. Or in a bush. He’d cowered once, and he vowed in that moment it would never happen again.

Ryker took a step toward his attackers.

“You’s going to fight with those?”

Ryker noticed something he hadn’t expected and nearly laughed out loud. “Ridiculous, right?” He waved the chair legs. “But you’re scared.”

He took a second step forward, testing his theory, and all eight took a step back.

“Get out of my way,” he said, trying to sell the bluff. Although lacking a proper amount of fear given the situation, Ryker’s mind was functioning just fine. What the hell would he do with two sticks of wood against eight goblins with swords and axes?

“Stop!” A female voice rang from outside the door.

The goblins lurched as if they’d been shocked. Their weapons drooped to their sides as they shuffled back against the wall, heads bowed.

Ryker had only taken one step toward freedom when a woman walked into the room, the edge of her red silk gown skimming the floor. At first he thought she was floating. The moment he laid eyes on her, something washed over him like a bucket of water, leaving the rage simmering and steaming like a pile of dying coals.

“Who are you?” he stammered.

She demurely dipped her head. “My name is Zio. I apologize for your treatment. My servants sometimes forget themselves.” She gave one absent hand wave, and the goblins hurried out of the room.

Her eyes were a deep purple and framed by hair so pale it had surpassed blonde and become platinum white. Dark brows offered a measure of severity to her heart-shaped face, and full lips were painted red to match the dress. A long silver chain slipped between a tease of cleavage at the top of her corseted gown and dropped toward her navel. Hanging at the end was a pendant, an almond-shaped eye, with a huge, blinking sapphire surrounded by diamond-crusted eyelashes. Another blue stone dangled from a tiny clasp, shaped like a tear about to fall.

“I’m very pleased to meet you . . .” She trailed off, one eyebrow rising in question.

“Ryker,” he responded instantly, then frowned. He hadn’t meant to tell her that.

Zio began speaking, but her words were a buzz as the memories of last night finally broke through the veil of too much alcohol. “Where’s my sister?” he blurted, interrupting.

“Your sister?” Zio tilted her head, eyes wide like that of a doe.

“Yes, I heard her yell . . . I think.” His confidence in his memories waned, but he pushed through. “Yes, before they appeared.” He jerked his head toward the door.

“Ah.” She crossed her hands demurely at her waist. “I’m sorry to tell you, but we had no hand in that. Your sister came to this side quite willingly. Or so I’m told.”

“This side? Willingly?” Nothing was making sense. Although he had no idea where “this side” was or what that even meant, Ryker found himself sputtering, “She’s here?”

“No, not here.” Zio looked at him with pity. “I’m sorry, Ryker. This must be very confusing. You’ve crossed into an alternate dimension, one that runs parallel to the reality you know. Everything you’ve ever read about—magic, dragons, goblins, werewolves—they’re all real, and they’re all here. Your sister came to help a corrupt governing body take control . . . from me.”

Time fled, and reality twisted. “What?”

“Don’t you see? Your sister left you, Ryker. And we found you.”

“She just came to this . . . this alternate dimension, alone? And then what? Sent those little servants of yours after me?”

“No. She didn’t come alone. And the goblins were there on my order, to find you. The council wanted you destroyed. You weren’t supposed to live, Ryker.”

He wanted to call her a liar, to deny everything she’d said, but nothing else seemed to fit the current situation. Down the rabbit hole. The phrase rolled through his head like Alice had rolled into Wonderland, down a hole of the unexplainable. He stared at Zio, wordless. If it weren’t for the splinter working its way into his clenched fist, the undeniable foul smell wafting through his nose, and the painfully fading cloud of beer, he might’ve convinced himself it was a dream.

He looked into Zio’s hypnotic purple gaze. “But . . . who did she come here with?”

“I believe they call him Grey.”

For a moment he wondered if he’d heard correctly. But then, of course he had. He’d always known Grey for what he was since that night, the one he’d tried to forget but couldn’t. A blue man had saved Ryker and told him to look out for Grey—that they would need to lean on each other. When Grey had showed up at school the next week in a trench coat nearly identical to his rescuer, Ryker had known that Grey had seen the blue man too. And for a reason he couldn’t understand, it had instantly birthed a firestorm of hatred for Grey.

But then it had gotten worse—the way Grey looked at his sister, the way he openly waved his flag of strangeness. The little freak was practically a walking announcement to the world of what had happened that night. Deep down, Ryker lived in constant fear that one day Grey would approach him about it, his secret would get out, and he would never be able to bottle it up again.

Ryker clenched his fists harder, imagining a new use for the chair legs. “Take me to them.”

“Oh, I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”