The King's Gate Read online

  Blinking at the light, he walked to the door. Strangely, the doorknob was located in the middle of it. When he opened it, his shadow stretched out into the hall. To the right and left were impossibly long hallways filled with lines of doors that all appeared the same. He inspected the one directly across from him and realized the door handle, which was also in the middle of the door, was shaped like a strange lizard. As he walked down the hall, he found they were each different from the other.

  He squinted for a moment, trying to remember how he had ended up there or where exactly where “there” was. He returned to the door across from the room in which he’d slept and pushed it open. It swung wide to a room without lights on. Stepping into the gray, he looked up. It was a fortress in which the ceiling rose much higher than that of the hallway.

  “Oh!” a voice called out. “Don’t let out the dragon!”

  He stumbled back in a daze as someone rushed by him to close the door. His sluggish mind recognized her as Melody, one of The Fates—the one who saw the past. A roar came from deep in the room, and Ethandirill nearly fell back into the hall before Melody closed the door, sealing the dragon within.

  As he struggled to remember how he had ended up here, his mind turned to Nanette, and then to how Elisabeth and he had fought and defeated the Black King. He remembered his brother turning to stone and then Arawn hunting them. They had been running and then…nothing. His mind knew no more.

  “What happened?” Ethandirill asked.

  “He was coming for you,” Melody said softly. “You could have died, but Destiny saved you. Sent one of the Erinyes’s to fetch you.”

  “Where are we?”

  “Within the Divine Court, safe from Arawn and his ilk,” Melody replied, moving down the hallway which prompted Ethandirill to follow her. She may not have eyes but she moved with the confidence of a woman who did.

  “We are still within the fortress?” Ethandirill asked.

  “Yes,” Melody answered over her shoulder, “but they will not find us. There were protections in place should the Divine Court and King Nauberon ever fall. We are well hidden and protected.”

  “Why me?” Ethandirill asked.

  “Because without you and the abomination, Elisabeth could endure what Arawn has planned for her,” said a new voice as they entered a large living area. “And your ancestors removed you from the balance. You are exempt from our influence.”

  Destiny stood in the middle of a living room full of bookshelves and opulent stuffed furniture. The ceiling was painted a pale blue, and shells adorned it. Serenity sat on the couch with a book open on her lap—her normally covered mouthless face, exposed for him to see.

  “Where is she?” Ethandirill asked. “And where is Ki?”

  “Elisabeth sent him back to his home, the place of his birth. It cost her a great deal to do it, but had he remained…well, even she recognized the liability,” Melody replied as she walked toward the doorway. “Elisabeth is within the maze, within the shifting terror.”

  “You left her there?” Ethandirill couldn’t keep the horror from his voice. “Arawn will kill her!”

  “Thanks to you, he can’t,” Melody replied as calmly as if she were commenting on the weather and then disappeared into the kitchen.

  “But he could have tortured and killed you to get to her,” Destiny explained.

  “I can’t leave her there!” he said.

  Destiny’s lips curled. “Cousin, I have no intention of leaving her there, but we must time it right. Elisabeth is safe, for now. It will take Arawn some time to work his way around your words and that will temporarily keep him from harming her. I have seen it myself. For now, we wait and watch.”

  Despite his anger, he couldn’t act hastily. Not when he was dealing with The Fates and their Erinyes’s. They were as slippery as Babayaga and were three times as powerful. Inspecting their incomplete faces, he considered their words. Elisabeth was safe—he didn’t know for how long, but at least for now.

  “What will he do to her?” Ethandirill finally asked.

  “When he cannot harm her, he will find a way to attack her mentally,” Destiny replied, her gaze steady.

  Ethandirill grimaced. “He has the entire Court at his disposal. She will face her darkest fears.”

  “Yes,” Destiny replied, “but she has already faced her darkest fears once and survived. The odds are good that she shall do so again.”

  Chapter 4: Lyreane

  Ki remembered why he didn’t like horses. He had spent so long riding Ashley, his Kemshi, that by comparison a horse felt too tall and shifty. A meaty creature on stilts did not feel as safe as his steadfast tiger had. Not to mention that it wasn’t his horse—it was one he had ‘borrowed’ to reduce the amount of time it would take to get to the northern part of Lyreane.

  Once he was done with it, he would turn it loose and hope it returned to its master. As the horse barreled through the thicket now, Ki held on for his life. Normally such thievery would not have bothered him, but he knew Elisabeth would frown at it. He didn’t like when Elisabeth disapproved, like she had the first they had traveled to the Netherworld, but he knew she would understand why.

  He wanted to groan from the pain of riding, and for the hundredth time that day dearly missed Ashley. His thighs hurt from riding so long, but that wouldn’t last forever. What was worse was being left to his thoughts. It was a good half a day’s ride until they’d reach the northern part of the continent, and he kept returning in his mind to the same moment. His mind continually returning to her.

  Elisabeth. She was the cause of all of this.

  She had been the one thing everyone hadn’t expected. The Black King couldn’t handle her, Malthael couldn’t control her, and he himself wouldn’t have been able to kill her. Ki didn’t think she would ever have committed a true mortal sin—at least not one bad enough that his Sin Eater would have been able to kill her. Extracting Kerrigan’s spirit and putting her into Jinq wouldn’t have been enough to constitute one. Kerrigan was a willing soul, or enough of one, at least, to leave Elisabeth’s soul unblemished by the act.

  Ki understood that he loved her, but he couldn’t understand why she loved him. He had been born in darkness to a group of men who had caused nothing but misery. He was known as the abomination. He’d hunted and tried to kill her, dogging her every move in an attempt to harvest her soul. But even if couldn’t understand what it was Elisabeth loved about him, he believed that she did. Just because he couldn’t comprehend her motivations didn’t mean her words hadn’t been enough. All that mattered now was getting her back.

  When he could go no more, he rested for the night. How much time had passed in the Netherworld by now? Time moved slower there, and while he had been traveling all day, it might have only been hours to Elisabeth. Just because Arawn couldn’t physically harm her didn’t mean he wouldn’t find another way to torture her.

  It took three more days of hard riding for him to reach the northern border. Despite his hesitation at stealing, he traded tired horses for fresh ones before heading out. Thanks to his swapping mounts, what should have been a week or longer ride was cut short to a few days. The only time he stopped was to sleep, and it was never more than a handful of hours before he would ride again.

  On the evening of the last day, he arrived at the white mountain. It was warmer in the north, but the mountainous air kept it cooler at the entrance to the temple. He pulled on the great double doors, but found them sealed. He knew the temple would go into lockdown the moment he passed through the barrier, but if he could manage gain entry, he was sure they would listen long enough for them to contact Malthael.

  He gripped one of the great metal knockers and rapped it three times. He stepped back and bent his legs, ready to dive through. After a moment, he heard the sound of them opening and he tensed, to dash. Before he could, a blur shot out and tackled him to the ground.

  Squished by a boulder-sized tiger, Ki lay stunned a moment. Ashley nuzzled his head. A
pparently, Ashley had missed Ki as much as Ki had missed him. Ki wrapped his arms around the Kemshi’s neck and then rubbed along his sides. The tiger rolled to its side like a docile cub.

  Ki sat up. “I missed you too,” Ki said as the giant cat twisted to get a different part of his belly scratched.

  “About time you showed up,” Malthael said, holding the door open. The reformed demon’s expression was strained, but he appeared happy to see Ki.

  “What are you doing here?” Ki asked, bounding from the ground, much to Ashley’s dissatisfaction.

  The tiger shot out a great paw and wrapped it around one of Ki’s ankles, tripping him. Resigned, Ki bent over to scratch Ashley’s ears but kept his attention on Malthael. The old demon leaned against the giant door and smiled at him. Ki’s gut twisted—he couldn’t remember anyone looking genuinely happy to see him besides Elisabeth.

  “Waiting for you,” Malthael replied. “Emera wasn’t pleased about the prospect of a child of the Shadow Clan coming into her temple without some assurances. So I agreed to walk you through the gate myself.”

  Ki tried to keep all expressions of displeasure from his face as he finally turned away from Malthael to play closer attention to Ashley. The tiger was putty in his hand though his head was twice the size of Ki’s. “I’m sure she still hated that,” Ki muttered.

  “Enormously, but she would do anything for Elisabeth,” Malthael said. “Even if it means letting you through the gate.”

  “She’s still there,” Ki whispered. He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

  Ki stood and left Ashley before the tiger could protest. The Kemshi rolled onto his stomach, gazing in a very judgmental fashion before following them. Ki slipped by Malthael and into the temple. The same alarm system went off as before, but this one was almost immediately silenced.

  Ki tensely eyed the men in the white robes as they strode through the first atrium. “How did you know I was here?” he asked, taking in their surroundings.

  Malthael held up a charm that had a piece of cloth wrapped around it. “You and my daughter aren’t the only ones who know how to do locating runes.”

  “I don’t recognize it.” When Ki turned to get a better look, Ashley half pushed him over, trying to rub his giant head against Ki’s hands.

  “It only works on maps.” Malthael replied. “I had them all laid out. A bit of hair for Elisabeth, some bloodied cloth Elisabeth had taken from your home to track you down, and a bit of clothing for Ethandirill.”

  “Where are they?” Ki asked, fighting the panic in his chest. Even though he was asking, he already knew the answer.

  “Elisabeth is in Morhaven but Ethandirill is nowhere.” Malthael replied, gesturing back and forth as though a map was before him and it had indicated nowhere.

  Baffled Ki rubbed his neck. “How can he be nowhere?”

  “It hovers far above the Netherworld and just spins in place. It never settles on a location, just spins,” the demon explained.

  A thought occurred to him. “Is he dead?”

  Malthael shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. This spell won’t work on someone who is dead. The charm just lies on its side, as lifeless as the person it is trying to locate. Wherever Ethandirill is, he is protected from these basic runes.”

  “Nanette made it out?” Ki asked. He was fond of the Orani.

  “Yes, Nanette is fine. So are Kerrigan and Selene,” Malthael said.

  “Who are Kerrigan and Selene?” Ki asked as he noticed Emera standing waiting for them at the start of the labyrinth.

  Malthael glanced at him before placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve missed a lot. I think it is time we talked.”

  Chapter 5: Ashlad

  Selene was getting really tired of being stared at. When Malthael had returned with Ki in tow, she’d been sure she’d get more information on Elisabeth right away. Instead, he’d stopped in his tracks and gawked at her. First Kerrigan, then Malthael, and now Ki. Only Nanette hadn’t reacted that way. Though Nanette had been surprised, she’d accepted Selene as Elisabeth’s cousin without the incessant staring.

  Malthael and Nanette were talking softly now in Malthael’s study, she sitting in a chair while he leaned against the wall next to her as they discussed what Ki had told Malthael. Apparently, King Nauberon was stone and Ethandirill had just disappeared on Elisabeth and Ki within the fortress. The most shocking news had been the Black King’s death and Arawn’s betrayal.

  Selene didn’t really understand most of it, as she was so new to these people, but she knew who the Black King was—though she’d known him by another name. She had learned it in one of the lessons King Tricten had insisted she take. Her captor had wanted her to be as educated as his wives, so that their offspring would be smarter. She resisted the urge to gag at the memory.

  Selene glanced between Malthael and Nanette before her eyes went back to Ki, who was still watching her intently. His dark eyes unnerved her a bit, but there was a severe handsomeness to his dark features. None of which, however, made his staring any less annoying. He was as bad as Malthael. Worse, perhaps, because at least Malthael tried to stare discreetly. Ki just refused to look anywhere else. Selene glared at him, hoping he would take the hint. He didn’t.

  “I cut your hair,” Ki finally said.

  Selene jerked back in surprise. “What?” Her hand went to her hair.

  “You’re King Tricten’s good luck charm,” he said. Every hair on her body stood on end. “The Black Council had wanted your hair specifically. Well, more specifically, hair as golden as the sun. I was told where to find it. It was one of my missions.”

  Selene glanced around the group in confusion, but they all looked as befuddled as she was. Hair…wait. One morning months and months ago she’d awoken to find a chunk of hair missing. She’d thought the king had done it but had never had the courage to ask him. Instead she had requested a haircut to cover up the damage.

  “Huh,” Malthael said. “Isn’t that something?”

  “It can’t be a coincidence,” Ki said, narrowing his eyes. “What demon took you?”

  The memory of the demon in the mirror popped into her mind. When he’d enacted revenge on King Tricten and helped her escape, her life had changed for the better. “I wasn’t stolen. I was given a choice,” Selene calmly replied. “He had golden eyes and markings on his face He didn’t give me his name. He had purple hair and pointed ears.”

  That seemed to catch Malthael’s attention. He stepped away from the wall. “Did he use a mirror?”

  “Yes,” Selene said. A chill went through her body, though she didn’t know why.

  “He is a demon, high order like I was,” Malthael said. Selene thought she detected anger just below the surface.

  “What’s his name?” Nanette asked.

  “We shouldn’t say his name,” Malthael cautioned, his tail flicking back and forth. “If we say his name three times, it will call him forth on any reflective surface.”

  “Creepy,” Kerrigan said with a shudder.

  “Even through the protective barriers?” Ki asked.

  “It would be like inviting him in,” Malthael replied.

  “Well, at least we can summon him if we need to,” Nanette said. “Can he be bribed? Perhaps we could use him to get into Morhaven.”

  “Unlikely,” Malthael replied, “and we have a bigger problem than that.”

  “What?” Selene asked, leaning forward. What could be worse than a mirror-hopping demon?

  “That demon belongs to the most devious member of the Divine Court. She will as soon make you her lover as kill you. A contradiction of love and war,” Malthael said. It sounded as though he knew from experience.

  “Yeah, that’s worse,” Kerrigan muttered.

  Ki frowned and, for once, stopped staring at her. “You can’t mean her.”

  “Who else?” Malthael replied. “I do not know what her game is, but if she is involved somehow, Arawn has more allies then we counted on.”

&nb
sp; “How do you know she is working with Arawn?” Ki asked, crossing his arms.

  Malthael sighed. “I don’t, but we can’t assume she is not.”

  “Who are you talking about?” Nanette asked, her eyes darting between them.

  Ki’s and Malthael’s eyes met, and an understanding seemed to pass between them. Finally, Malthael broke the silence. “Her name is Ishtar.”

  Chapter 6: Divine Court

  Elisabeth opened her eyes slowly. Sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, shimmering off the satin decorations on her duvet. The deep purple shone beautifully in the morning light. Stretching, she slowly began to sit up in bed, her eyes heavy with sleep, but quickly fell back onto the pillows. Something like a strong vice lay across her abdomen. Baffled, Elisabeth lifted the blanket and found that it was a very male looking arm.

  A blush burned her cheeks as she followed the arm up to his owner. Aryan the Black slept soundly beside her. Elisabeth screamed before she could stop herself and then managed to get herself free by shoving at his arm. Aryan pushed the quilt back and blinked the sleep from his eyes.

  “Good morning, my queen,” he said almost lovingly before bringing his hand up to her face and kissing her.

  Jerking back, Elisabeth tumbled off the side of the bed and onto the floor. She scrambled to her feet and backed into her dresser. Fighting back hysteria, she held out a hand to ward him off.

  “You’re dead.” She pointed at him with her other hand.

  “Another nightmare?” Aryan asked, extracting himself from the bed. “You’ve been having them a lot lately.”

  Elisabeth shook her head as she moved along the dresser and toward the door. That he was wearing only underwear made her want to cover her eyes, but that, of course, was the least of her problems right now.