Page 95 of Dark Elves of Ardani

The chaos followed them into the tunnels. With no leader and no time to discuss their plans, everyone scattered in different directions. Zara, half blind in the dark tunnels after being in the sunlight all morning, followed Nero. They ended up in the main cavern along with Naika, Devana, and a few others. All the elves faded, disappearing into shadows as they took up positions around the entrances and exits to the cavern.

Nero pushed Zara into the shadows behind one of the stone buildings. “Stay here,” he said.

She tightened her grip on his hand. “What do you mean? I am staying with you.”

“You’re better off staying out of sight.”

She gave him a sharp look. She didn’t like the implication that she couldn’t hold her own with the rest of them. “I can fight, Nero.”

“I know. But I can’t fade you and fight at the same time. You’re the only one here without any magic. You may as well paint a target on your back.”

It pained her to admit it, but he was right. She was more of a liability than an asset to them.

He surprised her by leaning in and kissing her. “Just stay behind the rest of us. Please.”

“Be careful, Nero.”

He nodded, then faded. Zara ducked low against the wall of the building, peering around the corner toward the tunnel where the Paladins would likely come from. She held her daggers so tightly that her hands trembled. Her eyes were on the shadow to the right of the entrance: Nero.

She had never felt so much fear for another person. After losing Kashava, death had become so much more real to her. She knew now how easily death came, even to the strongest people she knew. The idea of losing another person she cared for was terrifying.

The sounds of fighting and death traveled through the tunnels from other parts of the mountain as they all waited.

Torchlight announced the Paladins’ arrival, lighting the tunnel with a soft glow that brightened as they neared. When the first Paladin entered, Nero stepped forward and swept his sword across the man’s throat, killing him in seconds. The Paladin’s torch rolled across the floor, and one of the Varai quickly doused it.

But no other Paladins came. Nero peered into the tunnel.“There’s no one else,”he said, perplexed.

And then there was a commotion from the other sides of the cavern. Zara turned, and Paladins were flooding in from the other entrances. They raised torches, casting light across the dark cavern, and shadowy Varai were illuminated enough for the Paladins to attack. Zara’s eyes jumped from one skirmish to another. She could throw her daggers if necessary, but that would leave her without a weapon.

There was a sudden rush of footsteps behind her. Before she could turn, a large body was pressed against her and a hand was clamped over her mouth.

“Zara,” came Theron’s voice, far too close to her. Panic rushed through her, so thick and heady that it made her vision spot, and she wondered if she would faint. “You’ve really disappointed me.”

His arm had wrapped around her, pinning her upper arms to her sides. She jabbed down with her dagger, aiming at his thigh. But instead of the satisfying soft resistance of the blade cutting into flesh, there was a clank of metal on metal.

“Did your evil goddess send you to try to stop me?” he asked, grunting with the effort of holding her still while she struggled. He shifted his grip, squeezing her tighter. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to keep you alive. You’re going to tell me everything. You’re going to confess everything you’ve done, and you’re going to tell me why you did it, and then you’re going to beg for forgiveness even if I have to force it out of you.” He dug his fingers into her face, shaking her a little, and she gave a startled, pained sound. She felt him smiling. He enjoyed hurting her. “I don’t think you deserve forgiveness, but we will let Paladius decide.”

She maneuvered her leg between his, then threw her head back and knocked into his nose. He cried out, nearly losing his grip on her, and she kicked his ankle from behind. His leg went out from under him, and he was forced to release her to catch his balance. She spun toward him, lashing out with her dagger before she’d even fully turned around.

Theron stumbled back, putting a hand to his face. When he pulled it away, his hand was bloody. His nose was bleeding, and a bright red cut had appeared on his cheek, almost an exact reflection of the scar she’d left on his other cheek.

Blood oozed down his face. But as she backed away from him, the blood flow slowed. She thought she was imagining it at first, but no, the cut was slowly shrinking. She watched it seal itself into a pink line and then into a flat, white scar. It had healed itself.

Zara gaped. “Magic,” she said, her tone somewhere between accusatory and fearful and disbelieving. “You are using magic.”

“I’m not surprised you don’t know a holy blessing when you see one,” Theron said. “It’s not magic. It’s Paladius.”

Zara stared at him, horrified. Was that possible? Did the Five give their followers supernatural blessings? Did they give people likeTheronthose blessings? If Theron’s god was as terrible as Theron himself, perhaps he would.

“That is not possible,” she said. “That does not happen.”

“Then what is it?” Theron asked. She had no answer. “You want to deny it because it scares you. Because you know it proves that I’m right.”

It couldn’t be true. And yet, there was undeniably something different about him. Something had changed. There was a strange, uncomfortable vileness to his presence that hadn’t been there before—a physical feeling she could almost touch. Looking at him made her feel vaguely ill, like she was looking over the edge of a cliff. It was something unnatural, not of this world.

“No virtuous god would bless you for the things you have done, Paladin.”

“You’re in denial.” He lunged at her. Zara threw her dagger. She waited just long enough to see it glance off the side of his face, then turned and ran.

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