Page 36 of Stone Sentinels

The sound of fighting reverberates through the forest. Theren grins widely, leaning in to whisper something in Eilish’s ear. He lifts a hand to brush a strand of black hair from her shoulder and I see her flinch. His hand moves down her hair and he traces the line of her neck, down to one of her breasts. She doesn’t stop him and his fingers spread across her large breast, plying the flesh beneath. Even though I can see that he sickens her, I can also see the longing in her beautiful eyes.

Theren drops his hand as he casts Aima a look of irritation over the top of Eilish’s head.

“Is all of this worth your defiance, Aima?” he asks. “Your allies are being slain within the walls of their pitiful little refuge despite your efforts to protect them.”

“We won’t fall to your intimidation,” Eilish says as she boldly grabs Theren’s arm and stares him in the eyes. My brother’s brow furrows. He struggles to grab his sleeve with his free hand but manages and then yanks the fabric away. Sweat beads on his brow. One of Eilish’s eyes turns black as night while the other remains blue.

“Leave here now, or we will not be responsible for the lives lost within this clearing,” she says.

Just then, the sound of tortured screams fills the air. Heads turn to search for the new enemy, but there’s nothing to be seen. Theren sends a burst of magic into Eilish that highlights her whole body. As I watch, he forces her to kneel at his feet. She fights his compulsion and the glow surrounding her body begins to fade. She makes it back up to her feet and Aima assists her as my brother tosses his head back and expels red smoke from his lungs.

I move in front of him and shove him back with my shoulder, unable to use my bound hands. “Calm yourself, Brother! Don’t you sense the spirits in the forest?” I demand.

Theren stills. He eyes me suspiciously, then probes the forest with his magic. I can feel the tendrils of darkness creeping around me. When he tears his gaze away, I know he senses them, too. Theren returns to his place before Eilish and Aima.

“You will call off the spirits that approach,” he demands.

“I can’t call off the spirits,” Eilish responds as she glares up at him, still humbled by his magic. “This isn’t my world. The spirits only answer to the Guardian.”

“Then call him to me.” Theren paces. He tilts his head and arrows soar through the sky. Eilish doesn’t move and neither does Aima. The arrows form a perfect circle around them. Theren turns back to face Eilish.

“I can’t,” she says.

“You walk through his land without limit,” he says, glaring at her. “So don’t bother lying to me. Call the Guardian of The Veil and I will deal with him myself.”

“No.”

“No?” Theren growls as he moves to stand directly in front of her, trying to make her cower by the fact that he’s so much larger than she is

“No,” she answers.

“You don’t understand the danger you face, Eilish.” He grabs Aima and forces her to her knees, then holds a shard of mirror to his former lover’s throat. “If you don’t care what happens to you, then I can’t convince you otherwise. But I see it in your eyes that you care for the others.”

“Theren,” Eilish says as her eyes narrow on him.

“Must they all die?” he asks.

“It’s not only spirits on their way to remove you,” Eilish replies as a soldier runs to his king’s side. I barely make out what the young warrior says, but I catch the end as clear as day. Dread fills my gut.

“Some of the soldiers along the east end of the forest were slaughtered, otherspossessedby spirits,” the soldier says, his eyes wide. I don’t know why Pyre and the others are fighting back. It’s foolish. They have no hope of winning against Theren’s numbers... not unless Pyre has another trick up his sleeve.

***

MORRIGAN

The Veil

Boots pound against the slab of wood above my head. The sprite appears concerned, which is surprising as he usually acts as though he doesn't care about his companions. But the sound of Unseelie soldiers entering the cottage puts him on edge. I shift backwards, moving further into the darkness, and lower myself to the sacks of flour against the back wall.

Closing my eyes, I project my soul to Variant’s palace.

Variant is not in the throne room. I float through the corridors until I stumble on a faint light spilling beneath the door of his study. The sounds beyond the door make my skin crawl. My palm vibrates as I attempt to push myself through the wood, but I flinch away from the wards. They are similar to the ones used on my bedchamber in the tower.

“Variant, open the door.”

The sounds stop instantly. It takes more time than I would like for Variant to crack the door open. I step inside and look around, not seeing anything out of place, which makes mesuspicious.

“What do you want, Morrigan? Your habit of showing up unannounced is growing tedious. I can’t work if you insist on interrupting, can I?”

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