Aftershocks

Chapter Fourteen

The loving with Ellie was always so incredible. He stared down at her gloriously naked body, aware he’d been gifted with someone so very special. As he ran his fingers over her full lips and high cheekbones, he marvelled that her purity could be so Dark inside. And yet, it was that Darkness that made his Ellie so very alluring.

He blinked, and suddenly, he stood in the hallway, his mind muddied at how he’d come to be there. The scent of iria tickled his nose and he smiled, reminded of their incredible lovemaking. His brothers’ shouts alerted him something had happened. As he strode towards the source of unrest, he passed Jonas barrelling in the other direction, a hard look on his face.

Stunned, Cadmus raced towards his brothers, shocked to see them and their affai surrounding someone on the ground. He moved closer and pushed past them, the sight of his mother lying motionless shocking him to action.

“Mother?” He stared in horror at the burning hole above her heart. The scent of scorched flesh and the remnants of blue flame made him ill.

“Cadmus,” she moaned, her eyes fluttering. “How could you?”

“Mother?”

“How could you bring that into my home?” Her eyes narrowed in Ellie’s direction, and she coughed, blood splattering her lips. “Such evil does not belong here, my son. You have doomed us all to die.”

Ellie stared at him without regret, her blue eyes shining bright, like the blue flame that had wounded his mother. The Netharat, those minions to Sin Garu, had done this. The Netharat—a conglomeration of ice wraiths, Shadren, and more importantly, the Djinn. The teachings of his father returned, stirring the shame deep within him that he had not been a better son, that though his father had been killed by the vile Djinn, Cadmus had disregarded the truth and accepted one of them into his home, into his heart.

Ellie laughed, a shrill screech that mingled with the blood-curling cries of the Netharat now tearing at the castle’s very walls.

Smoke and chaos filled the air as Light Bringer after Light Bringer fell, and then his brothers one by one. Until only Arim and he remained standing.

“You stupid, Darkling fool,” his uncle sneered, turning several nearby wraiths into stone. “You’ve single-handedly destroyed Tanselm. Led by your cock instead of your brain. Typical.”

Arim blurred, and the world around him faded until all that remained were two blindingly bright blue eyes and the sound of feminine laughter as he lost all that was dear to him.

Cadmus woke with a start, sweat streaming down his face. He glanced over at Ellie lying face down on the bed beside him. His hand trembled as he touched her skin, and the heat of her flesh served to shake him from the cold chilling his body. Warming, his thoughts began to clear, and he slowly nudged Ellie to her back, bemused to see her sleeping so peacefully.

Like the dream, she looked angelic, perfect in sleep. A tremor shook him, and as he stared down at his affai, he wondered whether his dream had possessed any truth, or if his fears of the future were simply trying to leech away his happiness. He continued to study her, looking for flaws, for anything that might tell him if what he’d dreamt might have a hint of foretelling. But try as he might, he found nothing, and the tiny seed of doubt that had plagued his sleep took root.

‘Sin Garu blinked into the dark recesses of the between and bit at his lip, his teeth itching to tear into flesh, to soothe the new hunger that both strengthened and weakened him. He searched the stark, dank space of Orfel, a Dark Lord retreat, and found only wraiths, to his disappointment.

Contemplating his needs, he couldn’t help the sudden smile that lit his face. So easy to tap into the Storm Lord’s dreams. The Darkness in the Earth Lord continued to grow, a delightful surprise ‘Sin Garu planned to take due advantage of. He wanted to extend his thanks personally to Elliara al il Ruethe. Such a lovely Djinn, and completely unaware of her potential. He pursed his lips and flashed into Ethim’s home, only to find it empty. He teleported to Ellie’s apartment, scowling to find it also empty and disturbingly neat, not at all as his Netharat had left it.

Damn Arim.

With a glance out the window, he spied an attractive woman with dark hair and a shapely body walking across the street. Much as he disdained what he was about to do, he knew he needed to bolster his strength. In just a few days, his plans would come to fruition, and he had to be ready. Closing his eyes, he looked inward and spied the source of his entry into Tanselm. He would have to hurry this feeding.

He walked into Ellie’s bedroom and snapped his fingers. In a flash, he had his arms full of a stunned yet feisty brunette. “And what’s your name, lovely?”

“What the hell? Where am I?” She struggled, unable to understand what was happening.

‘Sin Garu chuckled. He loved when they resisted. “I think, lovely lady, I’m going to like you very much.” He gripped her hair and ripped several strands out of her head, making her scream. “Do I have your attention yet?”

“Fuck you,” she sobbed as her strength faded. “What do you want? Why are you doing this?”

Her terror enhanced his hunger, and he stared at her with an emotion akin to affection. “Ah, pet, just turn your head away and all will be well.”

She remained still in his arms, obstinate, and he sighed, his teeth lancing his cheeks as they grew, the tangy taste of blood filling his mouth.

“I picked a winner,” he murmured as he yanked her head to the side and bit deep. Quickly draining her of what he needed, he dumped her the moment he finished, conscious of the mess she made on Ellie’s spotless wooden floor. With a wave of his hand, the dead brunette and her blood teleported to Orfel, where her carcass would be a welcome appearance to his starving Netharat.

Wiping his fingers on his sleeve, he picked at the flesh in his teeth with his tongue and spit it out, disgusted that he’d been reduced to a blood drinker by that bitch, Lexa. Her deceit vexed him as much as it pleased him. Quiet Lexa Van Nostren, his timid little sister, had so much to answer for. Because of her, he’d killed his brother sooner than he’d planned. Because of Lexa, he’d lost a golden opportunity to exterminate not only Arim, but the conniving Aellei as well. He growled, extremely pissed he’d have to work twice as hard to kill Aelle’s new king, that fucking Sava, once he’d conquered Tanselm.

He told himself to be patient, that the blood drinking tampered with his logic. Closing off that part of himself, the part that strengthened his physical body but hurt his mental faculties, he gathered himself together and shimmered, taking on the form that had recently garnered him much in his battle against the Light Bringers.

When his Djinn informant tentatively requested an audience, ‘Sin Garu was ready.

He closed his eyes, concentrated, and opened them once he felt the welcome return of his arousal that had lately been all-too-lacking. He shifted his head, letting his new, long black hair sway against the small of his back. In this form, he felt decidedly different, and extremely wicked. He grinned, looking forward to this new adventure.

Remir, one of the Sarqua’s most experienced warriors, stood before him, looking bemused. “Mistress?”

‘Sin Garu smiled, knowing he had the young warrior’s attention. In this guise as his sister, ‘Sin Garu had found more than he could have hoped to aid him against the Storm Lords. Especially now that Cadmus had fallen to a Djinn’s enticements.

“Yes, Remir, what have you to tell me?” He couldn’t help talking slowly, captivated by the sounds of his sister’s husky voice. By Dark’s deceit, he liked being a female. While most shapeshifters, to include the Djinn, merely presented the illusion of transformation, Dark Lords actually transposed their genetic material to match their target. In truth, at this moment, ‘Sin Garu was a female, and a carbon copy of Lexa at that.

“Why do we meet here and not in Tanselm, as you had initially requested?” Remir studied ‘Sin Garu—Lexa—with puzzlement.

Shit. He’d forgotten what he’d earlier told the Djinn. But how could he step foot in Tanselm without the fucking Light Bringers knowing the instant he entered their plane? He might have been able to mask his presence for a brief time earlier, but not now that he’d consumed blood. “Do you question your Dark Mistress?” he asked silkily. “Do you not remember how well I reward those in my care?”

Remir’s eyes darkened and he licked his lips, his gaze centred on Lexa’s breasts. Pleased he’d recaptured the Djinn’s attention, ‘Sin Garu listened attentively to what Remir had to report.

Then he removed his clothing, urging Remir to do the same. In moments, he had Remir’s undivided attention, and the secret to the Earth Lord’s downfall.

When Ellie woke up, it was to an empty bed and a brief note from Cadmus.

“Meet me in the dining hall for breakfast. Your clothes are on the table. C.”

“What? No ‘Thanks for a great night’? No ‘Love, Cadmus’? No ‘To my dearest affai’? Jerk.” She smiled as she grumbled, her body and mind too replete from her adventures with Cadmus the previous night to be truly annoyed. After stretching, she searched for a bathroom and blinked at the majesty of his room during the day.

She might have stood in a greenhouse. Plants of every colour and size bordered a ledge near the ceiling and covered one entire wall of his room. Several lavender and white flowers, the iria he’d mentioned, seemed to be smiling at her, their blossoms impossibly rich and abundant. The floor was stone, but around the massive four-poster marble bed laid a rug of intricate design, that of a gnarled and ancient tree, in an incredibly soft material, in shades of brown and green. Several portraits of Cadmus and his brothers adorned the wall, as well as a picture of his mother and father—a man with a large smile and a twinkle in his dark grey eyes that definitely called to mind her lover. Several mirrors reflected light from some source outside the castle, but to her surprise, she couldn’t find any holes in the walls or ceiling.

Despite the grandness of the furnishings, the room reminded her of what she would have thought a castle room would look like. Stone floors, a heavy oak door, no windows. And no bathroom. Frowning, she searched, but the other door in the room remained locked. To her dismay, only a small cupboard showed any sign of relief in the guise of a chamber pot. She made use of it and the washstand in the corner, wishing heartily for a toothbrush or some deodorant.

So much for magic being the end-all. A chamber pot. Ech. But, making do, she completed her necessities and quickly donned the feminine clothing left over a table. A silky brown blouse and matching loose-fitting pants with leather slippers. After brushing her hair, she left the room. Not having the faintest clue to where the dining hall might be, she figured to ask the nearest person she passed. To her surprised delight, she ran into Jonas a few steps from the bedroom.

“Jonas.”

Dressed in the same simple trousers and tunic from the other day with a large sword strapped to his back between his shoulder blades, Jonas grinned and bowed. “I’m so pleased to be at your service, my lady.” He studied her outfit and whistled. “Nice clothes. Pure shevi silk. I’m impressed.”

“Expensive?”

“Very.” He approved. “And the brown is most befitting the Earth Lord’s affai.”

She blushed, pleased Cadmus had given her something that clearly tied her to him. “Whatever. I know you weren’t happy to have to join me here, but I’m glad to see you.”

“Who said I wasn’t happy? Though it would have been nice to have been asked.”

They walked through several hallways, Jonas leading, chatting about Ethim and Amanda’s sudden merging of hearts.

“It’s about damned time, in my opinion. You should have seen them together last night, Ellie. Necking like fools and grinning like idiots.”

“You’ve obviously never been in love.” She wished she could have seen her parents so affectionate.

He grunted. “Love? Love is for,” he paused, catching the hard glare she sent him. “For people who deserve it,” he recovered nicely. “Not for hardened warriors like myself.”

“Sure, Jonas. Just remember your attitude when some woman kicks you in the ass.”

“Kicks me?” He smirked. “I’ve turned down more offers from women than you can count, ‘little Djinn,’” he mocked. “How the mighty have fallen. I distinctly remember you telling me how much you disliked Cadmus Storm and anything to do with magic. Seems like you were sandbagging, hmm?”

“Oh, shut up. Who invited you anyway?”

They walked down a flight of stairs before a commotion drew their attention to the left.

“Stay here,” Jonas ordered, his voice flat and commanding.

Surprised at his tone, Ellie nodded and waited while he investigated. The noise sounded fierce, as if two or more people were fighting. Jonas disappeared around the corner and all was silent. Then a noise sounded to her right. Ellie saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then she heard the noise again.

“Psst. Over here.”

She glanced in the direction of the voice and slowly approached a half-open door. The minute she drew abreast of the knob, a hard hand yanked her inside before she could make a peep.

“Shh, Ellie, it’s me.” Lexa closed the door, sealing her and Ellie inside, and waved her hand over it as she chanted under her breath. “We’re safe to talk.”

Ellie stared at her friend in shock. “Are you nuts? Do you remember Mr. Killer of Shadow who wants your blood? Arim will have a fit if he knows you’re here.”

“So don’t tell him.” Lexa ran a hand through her hair, visibly upset.

“Why are you here?” Ellie stared at her friend, feeling waves of tension pouring from the slight woman. It still felt odd to look down at her, when for so long they’d both stood eye to eye. “And how tall are you, anyway?”

Lexa laughed, a forced chuckle that at least helped alleviate some of her stain. “Not as tall as I wish I could be. Oh, Ellie, we’ve got problems.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” As if Cadmus’ vision, of him bound and bloodied, would leave her mind’s eye anytime soon.

“No, I mean real problems right now. I think one of the Sarqua has been compromised.”

“What?”

“Your father’s Djinn. I think one of them may have been turned.” Lexa’s eyes blazed, and Ellie blinked at the flare of light.

“Sorry.” Lexa shuttered her focus. “The fact that I can’t see who has been turned tells me ‘Sin Garu is definitely involved. His spells are painstakingly complex, and this one more so. I saw Remir spying on us the other night. And I think I saw…”

“Saw what?”

“I’m not sure yet. But Ellie, you can’t tell anyone, especially not Arim or Cadmus. If you do, all the good work the Sarqua have done thus far will be for nothing. And your relationship to Cadmus may not survive.”

“No, Alex, I mean Lexa. Cadmus loves me. He would know I have nothing to do with a Sarqua traitor.”

“Are you so sure he’d believe you?” Lexa asked quietly. “I hate to say it, Ellie. But I know what I’m talking about. As much as your Light Bringer says he loves and trusts you, in the end you’re still Dark, and he’s still Light.” Lexa radiated a sadness Ellie could feel. “I once loved and thought I was loved in return, until something horrible happened. Everything I believed, everything I had ever cared for, came crashing down around me. I don’t want to see that happen to you, Ellie. You’re worlds better than I am, and you deserve to be happy.”

“But Lexa—”

“Let me find and take care of Remir and this threat. At least give me a chance to trace the problem. When I do, you can tell Cadmus what I suspect. Hell, maybe you’re right and he’ll listen to you. I just wanted to warn you that not everyone is what they seem.”

Ellie nodded, wishing she could deny Lexa’s warning as necessary. As much as Cadmus claimed his love, they hadn’t known one another all that long. His father had been killed by a Djinn, by her people. Family is everything to me, she recalled him saying, and strengthened her resolve.

“Lexa, Jonas heard something. Maybe it was Remir?”

“Jonas? I hadn’t realised he’d arrived already. Hold on.” Lexa shimmered out of sight and returned with Jonas in tow. “Two lords battling over an unrequited love for another.”

“Idiots,” Lexa and Jonas said together.

Ellie grinned at the pair of them. Her humour faded when she thought about the danger Lexa had warned her about. “Jonas, Lexa told me something--”

“I know. She told me on the way back.” He bowed his head at Lexa, and Lexa gave him a kiss on the cheek that had him blushing. “But I still think she has to be wrong. Not Remir.”

Lexa shook her head. “Everyone’s suspect, I’m afraid. I know you can handle yourself, Jonas. But Ellie’s vulnerable. She’s a weakness to not just Ethim, but to Cadmus as well. Should anything happen to you, Ellie, Cadmus will never be what he needs to be in order to rule in Tanselm.”

“Or to help defeat ‘Sin Garu,” Jonas added quietly.

Concerned for Cadmus, Ellie agreed to stick to Jonas at all times. Then she wished Lexa good luck and watched her shimmered out of sight.

Jonas blew out a breath. “No offence, Ellie, but this castle is like a maze, and I feel like the mouse getting no closer to the cheese.” His stomach grumbled, and he cursed. “The hell with this.”

Ellie opened her mouth to ask what he thought to do, then closed it when she looked around her at the dining hall.

“Ellie, how nice of you to join us.” Queen Ravyn didn’t miss a beat. She smiled and motioned for Ellie to join the gathering at the table with the rest of her family. Cadmus and Arim remained conspicuously absent.

Ellie glanced at her future motherin-law. The freaking queen. Hell. Where was Cadmus?

“Here, sit by me.” Ravyn motioned to the empty chair between her and Samantha.

“I’ve been demoted,” Samantha teased, grinning at Ellie. “But at least it’s by someone I like.”

Ellie grinned, relieved she had Samantha for comfort. And next to her, Darius, who smiled as well. Across from them sat Tessa and Marcus, and farther down the table, Alandra and Aerolus. Oddly enough, Ellie she didn’t feel as out of place as she’d thought she would.

“Cadmus said you’d probably beat him to the table. He had to see my brother about something important.” Ravyn scoffed her last words and grabbed a sweet roll from her plate. “Men.”

“I’m with you there,” Ellie agreed, watching her cousin leave the main dining area. Glancing around, she saw several smaller tables filled with well-dressed men and women, probably royalty or important people to the queen. Everywhere the mood seemed upbeat, chatter and laughter filling the room.

“It’s wonderful to have family and joy to balance the misery of war,” Ravyn noted, following Ellie’s gaze. She pointed to the stone archway above them. “Normally, we’d dine in the open.A spell transports the dining hall so that we float in the clouds. A lovely way to enjoy one’s repast.” Ravyn sighed. “Now it’s just too dangerous, what with the Netharat hovering everywhere.”

And where you least expect it. Ellie gave those around them a hard glance, searching with the Darkness within her as well. But to her disappointment, and relief, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just tons of Light and harried servants. Since Lexa’s warning, Ellie felt a responsibility towards her new family to keep them safe, especially since the threat came from one of her own.

Saddened, she tried to shake off the feeling and dwell in the here and now. A glance down at her plate showed it now covered with sweets and fruit.

“Wow. Neat trick.”

Samantha and Tessa laughed.

Ravyn shook her head. “Another woman we’ll have to convince that magic exists.”

Ellie flushed.

“Oh, wait, that’s right. You’re not a xiantope, are you, dear?” Ravyn stared at her, hard, and Ellie felt like a bug under a magnifying glass. “Such lovely Dark you have, Ellie. I love the Djinn, always have.”

Ellie stared. “You have?”

“Sure. The boys don’t realise I’m a good bit older than their father was. And you’ve met Arim. He’s a sorcerer, several hundred years old, in fact. I’m his older sister.”

Ellie blinked. “Does that mean Cadmus will live as long?”

“The Light willing.” Ravyn laughed at Ellie’s expression. “Don’t look so shocked, Ellie. This isn’t Seattle, anymore. This is Tanselm, where anything is possible.”

Down the table, Tessa smacked her husband in the arm. “You never told me you’d live to be a thousand, Marcus. What the hell? I’m going to be grey while you’re poking at younger women?”

Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but Alandra answered for him. “No, Tessa. You’re in Tanselm now. You’re tied to him. You’ll age as he does. Should anything bad happen to him, you’ll continue to exist until Tanselm releases her grip on you.”

“Funny how you all think of Tanselm as a her,” Aerolus said, his gaze introspective.

“Great, here we go.” Darius exhaled, loudly.

“No, really. It’s just that I’ve always thought of Tanselm as intelligent, but without gender. Yet even Alandra refers to her and I—”

“Arim, welcome back,” Darius boomed, sharing a look of relief with Marcus.

Ellie wanted to laugh at the annoyance on Aerolus’ face, but Arim’s stern expression as he walked into the dining hall gave her pause. Cadmus followed him, and he looked as agitated as his uncle.

A chair suddenly appeared beside her and the table magically lengthened as Cadmus sat next to her.

“I’m sorry I missed you this morning,” he said with a kiss to her lips. “Did I miss anything exciting?”

Deliberately shielding her thoughts, she shook her head. “Just Jonas being obnoxious.”

“Jonas is here?” Tessa beamed with excitement, and Marcus groaned.

“He dropped me in here before he left to find Cadmus.”

“I’m back,” Jonas announced, shimmering into view with his mouth full. “Wow. You Light Bringers make the best pastries I’ve ever had. Ellie, have you tried this sweet roll?”

“For those of you who haven’t met him, this is Jonas, my cousin.”

Jonas waved politely and finished his food in one swallow. He nodded at Ravyn, but no bow, Ellie noted with humour, and introduced himself, formally.

“By the order of Ethim il Ruethe, I, Jonas Chase al Surne, protect and serve at the behest of Ellie Markham and her betrothed, the Earth Lord, Cadmus Storm.”

“Very impressive,” Arim said with no small amount of sarcasm. He muttered a few words Ellie couldn’t understand but had Jonas grinning.

“And right back at you.” Jonas saluted before joining him at the end of the table.

“Really, Arim, such language, and to a guest?” Ravyn looked annoyed, her brother surprised and her sons confused.

“You speak Djinn?” Aerolus stared at his mother. “Fascinating.”

“Great, here we go again,” Darius groaned.

“Ellie, we need to talk.” Cadmus shot her the message laced with urgency.

Damn, damn, damn. Did he know about Lexa? His eyes were dark, his face blank. She couldn’t read anything from him but what he’d sent, the appearance of his mental guards a warning in itself.

She sent him the answer slowly. “Can I finish breakfast first? I’m starving.”

His face softened, and he nodded before turning to something Samantha said. He squeezed her thigh under the table, and Ellie felt terrible for deceiving him. But it was for a good cause, she reminded herself. He needs me, and he needs to trust me.

And lying to him should make him trust me, how? She deliberately ignored her conscience, hoping against hope she could deal with the consequences.