CHAPTER 38
M auree braced her feet in the soil and squeezed the damned sacred sunstone. Her fist trembled, the skin on her knuckles white with strain. Anger, bitterness, fear, regret all boiled in her veins, pounding against her skull. She focused on her rival, the male she’d once loved—Noeh. How did he still live?
He lunged with his sword, the tip piercing through a Gossum’s eye. Melissa was at his side. She raised her arms, and a shimmering light encircled Noeh and grew to encompass Tanen and Sheri.
A Gossum skittered toward them, its claws extended. As it plowed into the shield, the creature bounced and fell on its behind. Its eyes widened.
Mauree took a step toward Roan’s Rock. “You…you can’t be here. I killed you!”
“Mauree, there’s still time, hand me the sunstone.” Gaetan held out his palm. Encouragement and trust reflected in his eyes.
The young Dren, Nikki, stepped toward her. “Do as he asks.”
Liquid hot, bitterness rose in Mauree’s throat. She was once on the verge of becoming queen. No female told her what to do. “Water girl, you’ll be the first to obey me.”
She held up the stone and through sheer force of will, drew Nikki toward her.
Nikki took a tentative step, then another. “Gaetan!”
He gripped her around the waist, holding her to him. Wind whipped their hair, their clothes, tugging them apart. “I can’t hold on.”
Ripped from his grasp, Nikki flew through the air and landed at the base of Roan’s Rock. Face, arms, legs, her entire body pressed against the rough stone. A scream tore from her throat.
Gaetan bolted toward Mauree, hobbling at a fast pace, his face contorted into a mask of rage.
“Stay back or I’ll kill her.” Mauree shook the hand gripping the sacred stone.
Nikki’s head jerked back then slammed into the giant boulder. She whimpered.
Gaetan stilled. A growl of pure frustration and anger erupted from him.
Out of the corner of her eye, Mauree caught Noeh and the others approaching at a fast clip. Unable to harm them while inside Melissa’s protective barrier, her brood circled the group.
“Mauree. Don’t do this. I believe there’s still good in you.” Gaetan raised his staff, the sunstone in the end shining.
“Don’t do anything foolish, old one. You can’t—”
With more force than she thought possible, he rammed the tip of his cane into the ground. The earth shook and a jolt of light burst from his sunstone, the ricochet rippling over Mauree’s skin, knocking her backward.
The stone slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the grass at her feet. “No!”
Mauree dove for it, but Nikki was faster. The Dren female plucked the stone from its resting spot and rolled.
Nikki grasped the stone in her hand. Using her momentum, she tumbled over the grass.
Mauree landed hard on her. The air whooshed from Nikki’s lungs. Spots formed in her vision.
Mauree ripped the stone from Nikki’s grasp and shoved Nikki’s face into the dirt.
Nikki struggled to breathe, fear and anger bubbling up inside. She bucked against the larger female and her elbow connected with Mauree’s cheek.
“Ow!” Mauree gasped and rolled away.
The oppressive weight holding Nikki down was gone. She gulped a breath, and the cool air burned her lungs.
“Don’t do this, Mauree. You’re good inside. I feel it.” Gaetan wrapped his arms around Mauree.
She struggled against him, trying in vain to break his hold. Quick as a cat, she raised her foot and rammed the pointed end of her heel into Gaetan’s knee.
A scream of rage and pain escaped his lips. As he crashed to the ground, she pushed away from him.
A shot of adrenaline flooded Nikki’s veins. She drew on her energy, and the water flowing alongside Roan’s Rock bubbled. With a quick jerk of her fingers, Nikki sent a wave of water over Mauree.
The water drenched Mauree and knocked the blue sunstone from her grasp. The gem flew through the air.
Two Gossum, tongues snapping, scampered toward them. One caught the blue sunstone in his palm. They were so close, the wet slap of their tongues echoed against Roan’s Rock.
Mauree gasped for breath. She struggled to wipe her wet hair from her eyes. “You…you…”
Nikki’s chest tightened. Gaetan… They were out of time and options.
She glanced at him. Love and respect reflected in his gaze.
As one of the Gossum launched into the air, claws extended, a shimmering light enveloped her. The creature hit the barrier and fell away. It snarled, revealing serrated teeth.
“Are you okay?” Sheri placed a hand on her shoulder.
Nikki’s entire body shook. She peered at her friend. “How…”
“Nicole.” Gaetan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight. “You’re all right.”
Nikki slid her hands into Gaetan’s hair and melted into his embrace. “Gaetan…”
“How heartwarming.” Mauree cackled. “Glad to see you could all join me.”
The muscles in Nikki’s shoulders tensed. She glanced at the others in the strange energy bubble. Sheri was there with her mate, Tanen, along with the male she’d seen die at Mauree’s hands…Noeh, and beside him was a red-headed female that must be his mate. How was this possible? Nikki wasn’t sure, but she’d seen enough to know strange things could happen.
The Gossum handed Mauree the blue sunstone. A high-pitched titter eased from her mouth. “I don’t know how you survived, Noeh, and I don’t care,” her eyes narrowed, “but you brought the exact three females I need to win this war.”
Gaetan’s grip around Nikki’s waist tightened. Despite their circumstances, she felt protected in his arms. He’d proven himself to her, throwing away his pills, sacrificing himself for her. Love for him bottled up in her throat. She’d do anything to help him.
Kaelyn spread her feet, planting herself firmly in the meadow’s tall grass. A Gossum charged toward her. His tongue whipped in and out of his mouth with a loud snap. As it neared, the creature bared its serrated teeth. Saliva dripped from the pointed ends onto its chin.
Disgust coiled inside Kaelyn, bitter and hard. She tightened her grip and swung her mace above her head. The ball whistled as it twirled, sounding eerily like the wooden carving around her throat.
With a firm thrust, the Gossum launched into the air, claws extended.
Kaelyn brought the mace down. The spiked tip hit its mark, embedding into the creature’s skull.
A strangled cry ruptured from the creature’s throat as it exhaled its last breath, slipping to the ground in a pile of goo.
Blood pumping through her veins, Kaelyn scanned the meadow. Warriors fought against several Gossum and a few members of her tribe. Jacinth stood between the Stiyaha warrior Quentin and one of the bears, his arms outstretched. She clenched her hands into fists. Too many had died tonight. She couldn’t lose any more of her people.
Not far away, a small boulder protruded from the grass. She bolted for it. After jumping to the top, her feet landed on the uneven rock. She held out her hand to steady herself.
With quick fingers, she grasped her bear’s head whistle in her palm and brought it to her lips. She took a big breath and then blew into the hole. A shrill note floated across the meadow.
Several Ursus glanced her way.
She held up her hand, palm outstretched. “Stop fighting! As your true queen, I command it!”
The Ursus soldiers held still for a moment, but then resumed their battle.
Kaelyn’s jaw tightened. “Damn you, Zedron.”
“Kaelyn!” Saar’s voice boomed in the night air.
She turned toward him.
A Gossum launched itself at her. Its tongue snapped close to Kaelyn’s ear. Spittle splattered against her cheek. She whipped her mace around and smashed it against his shoulder, pinning him against the rock. With more force than necessary, she drove her foot into his back. The crunch of bones sent a satisfying thrill through her veins.
She drew her dagger from her belt and slit the creature’s throat. It disintegrated into a pile of black sludge beneath her boot.
Saar joined her on the rock and gave her a quick hug.
“Thank you, my mate.” She kissed him. “Now, let’s turn these Ursus to our side.”
He nodded. “I’ll do whatever I can to assist you.”
Her heart constricted with love for him. His willingness to help bolstered her resolve. She gripped her whistle once again and blew. The shrill tone reverberated off the trees at the meadow’s edge. “Ursus warriors, listen to me. Put down your weapons. The Stiyaha are not your enemy.”
Several Ursus close by glanced at her. A couple stopped their attack. One lowered his weapon.
Their willingness to hear her kept Kaelyn’s hope alive. “Free will is your right. You have a choice in who is friend and who is foe. Trust me. I changed sides. So did Jacinth. Join us and fight your true enemy, the Gossum.”
Saar placed his hand along Kaelyn’s waist. “Stiyaha warriors. Do not attack the Ursus! Repeat, do not attack the Ursus!”
Several warriors stepped back, putting space between them and their Ursus opponents. Many still gripped their swords, but the blades pointed at the earth.
Jacinth strode forward. He raised his fist in the air. “Through free will, I voluntarily chose to fight for Alora and follow Kaelyn, our true queen. You can, too. Who’s with me?”
Other than the clanging of swords as a few Stiyaha warriors battled the Gossum, the meadow was eerily silent. Kaelyn peered into the eyes of her old friends, almost commanding them through sheer force of will to switch sides.
“Alora and Queen Kaelyn.”
“My goddess and my queen.”
“I choose you and our goddess Alora.”
The spoken words of her warriors filtered into Kaelyn’s ears. Her chest lightened, filling with hope. “Join us! Fight your true enemy, the Gossum.”
Several cheers rang in the air. Ursus turned away from the Stiyaha opponents and attacked the nearest Gossum.
“You did it!” Saar tugged Kaelyn close and planted a quick, powerful, possessive kiss on her mouth. “Now, let’s go kick some Gossum ass.”
Kaelyn smiled and nodded. “Indeed, let’s.”