Eternity of Darkness (Divisa Huntress Book 3) Read online

  Tonight, she dies.

  “I know. He’s worse,” she groused as we slunk swiftly up the dark stairs.

  Sandwiched between my mother and the Ngah, I thought about how many demons, humans, and others would lose their souls tonight.

  We reached the top of the landing and my mother halted, listening for any movement.

  “What are you up to, luv?” Ashor asked through our bond, momentarily distracting me.

  “Trying to decide if I should kill you or my mother. Of all the people you could send to aid me…,” I snapped back, flattening my hand to the wall as I waited.

  His chuckle fed my soul. “She’s quite resourceful and persistent, like someone else I know.”

  “Now stop worrying about me. I’m okay. And don’t die. I forbid it.”

  “As if I would die on you.”

  “Now what?” I whisper-hissed to my genius of a mother, who still had her ear pressed to the door.

  She tossed a scowl over her shoulder. “Do I look like a mastermind of breaking and entering?”

  My nostrils flared. “You don’t actually think that question deems an honest response, do you?”

  “There are three guards approaching from the east,” the Ngah informed us. “Two guards remain unconscious to the right of the doorway.” He rattled off the details like some special ops shit you’d see on TV.

  Mom and I both glanced over our shoulders at the Ngah. Grinning, I faced my mother’s narrowed gaze. “Aren’t you glad we brought him with us?”

  Her chin stiffened. “Don’t get smug. His worth hasn’t been revealed yet.”

  I drew in a breath, inhaling the jasmine scent of her hair. “It would be great if you worried about how you’re getting us out of here unnoticed instead of what he’s doing.”

  Kira’s fingers curled around the door handle. “Who says we’re leaving the castle? All I had to do was get you out of that cell.”

  “Super helpful, Kira,” I grumbled, wedging myself up onto the top step beside her so I could peek my head around the corner. “Three. That leaves one for each of us. Can you handle it?” I prodded her.

  “Watch and learn, sweetie.” Pushing open the door, my mother strutted into the hallway with a flip of her hair and pulled her already low-cut top lower. Her heels clicked purposely, and I heard her greet the trio of guards in her seductive tone, a cat purring at its prey, reeling them in before she went for the kill.

  Rolling my eyes, I followed, taking a different approach. Mine was direct, not that I hadn’t used my looks to lure demons before. I wasn’t against the method. Whatever worked.

  “Your mom is…,” the Ngah started, then trailed off as he stepped out after me.

  “Exactly,” I said, filling in the blank as I stalked toward the demons ogling my mother. “She leaves you speechless, and not in a good way. I know. Try not to get distracted by all that.”

  One of the guards noticed us then, and the hazy look in his eyes sharpened. “What the—”

  The heel of my foot hit the guard in the mouth before he could finish the sentence. The bastard flew back into the wall, dropping to the ground. “God, that fucking felt good.” It had been too long since I’d been able to use my skills.

  “Not bad, demon huntress,” the Ngah said flatly, standing over the limp bodies of the other two guards. He had taken them out without making a sound.

  I almost asked him if they were dead, but after a quick glimpse at where the bodies had been a second ago, I realized it wasn’t necessary. The souls had left their demon forms, turning them into nothing but dust.

  “Do you want me to finish him?” There was a look of hope in his eyes, as if he had gotten the taste of death in his veins and was addicted.

  Conflicted, I didn’t answer immediately, but my mother did. “Yes. It would be better if we left no evidence behind.” She didn’t even blink while giving the order.

  Before I had a chance to open my mouth and argue, the Ngah unleashed his nails, scratching the unconscious demon on the neck, and just like that, he no longer existed.

  “Where to?” my mother asked as if nothing happened.

  I shook my head, pulling my gaze from the sooty floors. “The throne room,” I answered quietly.

  A direct route through the castle would be the quickest way to the throne room but also the riskiest. Too many guards about. We needed to move unseen, drawing as little attention as possible. A damn near impossible task, considering our companion’s skin practically glowed in the dark, making him look like a human star, and my mother had dressed us for a costume frat party versus practical fighting leathers. She used her assets to distract the enemy while I preferred to use my fists. Whatever worked.

  To avoid having to kill every guard from here to the throne room, we ducked into the first room we came upon, which happened to be one of many storage rooms. It was filled with extra clothing for the staff and the numerous servants Kali employed to keep this elaborate castle up to her standards.

  I grabbed a black hooded cloak off a hook and tossed it to my mother. “Put this on.” I took one for myself and offered a third to the Ngah. It would help us blend in.

  We snuck out the window, my boots crunching on loose rock as they hit the ground. For the first time in days, I gazed upon the night, eager to feel the cool breeze of darkness kiss my cheeks. Mist hung over the Fortress, gliding to the village below and along the plains beyond.

  Squawk. Squawk.

  A crow perched on one of the sharp crystal-like towers cried out, and then another. A warning, for in my next breath, the stone tiles under my boots shuddered slightly.

  “Your mate has arrived,” Kira murmured, the black hood pulled low over her head shielding the upper part of her face.

  Hearing that Ashor was close sent my heart into a whirlwind. I pressed my hand over my longing heart, so hungry for more than just the feel of him. I needed to see his face.

  Despite knowing that we shouldn’t be lingering and needed to move, I searched the area, desperate for any sign of Ashor. Even a glimpse of his army would do, something to hold onto.

  The Court of Darkness hushed, as if inhaling a long breath and holding it. The crows fell silent, sensing that danger was no longer impending. It was here.

  That was when they appeared, stirring shadows of mist and darkness. And like the sea rushed up on the shore, waves of demons emerged into the plains. Chaos and ruin, they stormed into the city. It was not an orchestrated attack but one of madness and carnage. So many more than I expected, and fiercer than I thought demons from the Court of Envy could be. They looked like warriors born for destruction, not from a court where sex was their biggest weapon.

  “Is that all… ours?” I asked, my fingers tightening against where the cloak clasped together.

  Kira stood shoulder to shoulder with me. I didn’t peer over at her, but I heard the pride as she answered, “Of course.”

  “How? It doesn't make sense. I didn’t think the Court of Envy had an army this size.” The darkness inside me rumbled. Somewhere in that sea of demons was my mate. Tingles danced down my arms.

  “They don’t. Are you sure you’re okay?” Kira mused. I felt her gaze on me.

  “I don’t understand. Did King Trist or King Angor change their mind?” I was trying to find an explanation.

  “Your mate held up his end of the deal he struck with King Trist. He got the Knights of Inferno to fight for him,” she said.

  I whirled my gaze to my mother. “What? You’re certain?” My mind spun as I recalled the dream. Had that not been a shared vision? Had it been planted into my dreams?

  With a flick of her head toward the ensuing battle, she said, “See for yourself.”

  Turning back to the valley below, nine knights the size of trolls surfaced from the darkness. The Knights of Inferno. Even from where I stood miles away within the Fortress walls, I felt the ground quiver as the knights moved with synchronized steps like robots. “But I saw—”

  “What did you se
e?” Kira prodded, waiting for me to finish.

  A horn blared from one of the towers, shrilling loud and long. The castle finally started to wake up, realizing trouble infiltrated their kingdom.

  I shook my head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. Not now. Let’s go.”

  Pride and hope swelled in my chest. Ashor hadn’t failed. He had succeeded. I should have known my mate would not take no for an answer, not when my life was threatened.

  Together, the three of us slunk along the castle walls, keeping our heads low and covered by the hooded cloaks. Ashor wouldn’t linger as his army decimated the villages, nor would he meet his mother’s army on the battlefield. No, he would come straight for me, and he knew precisely where I would be headed.

  A group of guards dashed past us, rushing for one of the towers. They didn’t spare us a glance, too preoccupied with securing the Fortress to worry about three suspicious demons lurking about. The unorganized mayhem worked in our favor.

  The clash of metal echoed over the valley; they were sounds that haunted my sleep. War wasn’t pretty or glorious. Even in the underworld, it stunk of death and hopelessness, fear and rage.

  We approached the side of the castle closest to Kali’s throne room, and my palms grew clammy. It would have been nice to see Ashor’s face one last time before I walked into the enemy's den without him. Not alone though. Having Kira and the Ngah with me gave me courage.

  “Do you have a weapon?” I whispered to my mother as we came to a side door leading back into the castle. I needed the weight and security of a dagger or something in my hand. Fighting without one seemed… wrong.

  But it was the Ngah who replied, “You don’t need a weapon. You are a weapon.”

  This was true. My darkness could be wielded as I chose, just like Kali’s and Ashor’s. I could craft myself a weapon. Ashor had taught me.

  I had forgotten who I’d become—who I could be.

  Before slipping back into the castle, I took one last glance toward the valley. The knights, fully engulfed in flames, had crashed into the city, setting it ablaze. They stormed their way toward the Fortress, and it wouldn’t be long until the army was on Kali’s doorstep. I needed to move fast.

  Inside the corridor, a torch lit the dark path. I tried not to think about the silence within our bond. Ashor had his own battles to fight.

  I expected a dozen guards or more stationed outside the throne room. There were none. Was the queen not on the other side of these doors? Had she left her throne to see the commotion for herself?

  Knowing Kali, it seemed unlikely. Wariness descended upon me, weighing heavy on my shoulders. Something was wrong. I felt it in my bones.

  My first thought was Ashor, and I nearly burst through the doors, but a cold, strong hand stopped me.

  The Ngah.

  “It is best not to lead with your emotions,” he stated flatly, holding my eyes steadily.

  I took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “Is she in there?”

  A nod. “She has been waiting for you. And her son.”

  He was pretty damn handy to have around during warfare. The queen was eager for a family reunion. No matter how much I would have liked Ashor at my side, I was grateful he wasn’t here. I didn’t want to play into Kali’s grand designs, and I wasn’t foolish or naive enough to believe that this wasn’t all part of the bigger picture. We were most likely walking right into her palm.

  Still, I refused to alter my plans. The queen would die tonight. Well, one of us would.

  I stared hard upon the looming throne room doors. Dark as night, they climbed to the ceiling, making me feel about as big as an ant in front of them. An ancient text had been carved into the wood, difficult to see unless you were up close.

  Instinct kicked me forward. For once, my demon wasn’t telling me to run, to save myself. We were united in our determination to destroy the queen. My demon wanted revenge for all the shit Kali had put us through. For her, it wasn’t love that spurred her into putting our life on the line. It was hatred and her sheer will to live, and it had become clear that as long as the queen had her soul, my demon and I would never be safe. The only way to ensure future peace was to take the queen’s soul.

  I spared a quick glance at my mother and the Ngah on either side of me and said, “Let’s go make the queen regret ever seeing my face.”

  Kira grinned, removing her cloak and letting the material pool at her feet. The Ngah straightened his shoulders, green eyes blazing.

  Lifting my hand, I firmed my spine and grasped the door handle, steadying myself to walk into the jaws of corruption.

  19

  “You weren’t thinking of starting without me, were you, luv?”

  I whipped around, heart thumping wildly in my chest at the sound of his voice. Was it just in my head?

  No.

  Unless my eyes were also deceiving me, Ashor stood at the end of the hall, a shoulder leaning leisurely against the wall as if he had just happened upon me.

  I had imagined this moment a million different times, thought of all the words I would say, and yet here I was, tongue-tied.

  The mere sight of him left me gasping for air, my heart nearly bursting out of my chest, madly beating, and my damn knees wobbled. He was everything. My everything. A sob broke through my lips.

  I didn’t know if I should run down the hall and throw myself into his arms or get on my knees and ask for forgiveness, metaphorically speaking, because king or prince, whatever title he beheld, I would bow to no man. That was the stubborn girl inside me who refused to ever think she was lower than a man. Ashor was my mate, my equal, and when I told him I loved him, I would do it standing face-to-face.

  Those three little words were on the tip of my tongue. I was ready to scream my declaration through the castle and seal the last of our bond in place. The timing might not be romantic, in the sense that there was no wine or roses, but our relationship had never been built on those idyllic notions of romance. The sacrifices he made for me, the way he protected me so intently, the pain he endured, those were all actions of love.

  Demons and all, I couldn’t possibly have asked for a better man to finally lose my heart to.

  Ashor was suddenly in front of me, watching with churning violet eyes as he pressed a finger to my lips. “Once we win this war, luv, I will make you say what’s in your heart over and over and over again.”

  Swallowing the lump in my throat, I gave a small nod of agreement. I wanted to weep. I wanted to curl up against his chest. I wanted him to stop being so understanding. “I’m going to kill her, Ashor,” I vowed, my breath warm against his cool finger.

  Flipping his wrist, he lightly dragged the pad of his thumb over my lip. The color in his eyes deepened. “And I’m here to stop you from making a mistake. I won’t let you tie yourself to this place.”

  A weak laugh left my lips. “How did I know you would say that?”

  He brushed a wisp of hair off my face. His face was more haggard than it usually was. It was sobering to see what my choices had done to him, the stress and havoc they had caused. I never wanted to hurt my mate, but in trying to save him, I had managed to do just that.

  Tight lines fringed the edges of his mouth. “Because you are a part of me, Lexi Winters.”

  I fell into his chest, wrapping my arms around him as I buried my face in his neck. “I missed you,” I whispered against cool skin.

  His hands moved around me, keeping me close. I felt him breathe in my scent, knowing he could smell hints of himself on me. He had marked me long ago. “Now this is the reunion I’ve been waiting for.”

  I clung to him, my arms unwilling to let go now that they were around him. “I can’t let you sacrifice yourself. I can’t. Don’t ask me.”

  “Then I won’t,” he replied with a sad, feeble smile.

  “Will the two of you ever stop self-sabotaging?” My mother’s harsh tone snapped us out of our little bubble. Even in the middle of war, Ashor had a way of making it seem that only
the two of us existed. “As overdue as this reunion is, we have pressing matters to attend to.”

  “Thank you for getting her out safely.” Ashor bowed his head a fraction toward my mother. “The Court of Envy is in your debt.”

  A throat cleared, and a deep voice said, “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

  Ashor’s stormy eyes landed on the Ngah. He regarded him cautiously, keeping me secured to his side. “It appears you’ve made a friend during captivity.” A ghost of a smile graced his lips. “Hello, old friend. How did she convince you of all people to fight alongside her?”

  “Your mate can be very convincing. And stubborn.”

  Ashor chuckled. “That she can. I almost feel sorry for you.”

  The Ngah’s gaze settled on me. “It seems our paths were destined to cross.”

  “Hmm.” Ashor pursed his lips. “Perhaps,” he agreed, not altogether convinced. “Whatever my mate promised you will become my debt.”

  “My oath is with the demon huntress, not you,” the Ngah said, voice hard like granite.

  Undeterred, Ashor wasn’t about to take no for an answer. “I’ll just have to change your mind.”

  I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Ashor, don’t. Our fight isn’t with him.”

  Footsteps of impending guards stomped through the hallways, heading this way.

  Grim shadows hung over Ashor’s features. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

  So everyone kept saying. “Perhaps, but I’ve seen enough. And it doesn’t matter now.” My eyes darted to the corridor. The approaching guards would be upon us soon.

  A whisper of power flickered off Ashor. “I won’t allow you to take the crown,” he said to the Ngah, his voice cold and low.

  The edges of his white skin shimmered. “Rest assured, young king, I have no designs to rule in your world, and the vow I made with your mate was not done to hurt you. I—”

  The doors to the throne room swung open on a gust of frigid air, our element of surprise thwarted. Not that I believed for a single second that the Queen of Darkness hadn’t been sitting on her throne, drumming her impatient fingers as she waited for our arrival. “Do you plan to sit outside my throne and chitchat all night?” her voice carried from within.