Troubled (The Binding Chronicles #4)

32. The Forsaken Blade

The Forsaken Blade

“ N o!” Marius screamed, his foot coming down not on the black marble as he’d expected but on a floating, glistening obsidian tile.

It wasn’t much bigger than him, and his heart raced as he realized that one wrong move would send him toppling over the edge. Silver streaks swam through the air, and his elven heritage thrummed in his veins at the sight of Fortune Elf magic in the wild.

His breath came in short bursts as his hand clenched around empty air. “This can’t be.”

His heart ached, and every part of him screamed at him to go back. Vivienne needed him. The monster, whatever it was, was coming.

But when he turned around, nothing was there. The mountain was gone. The cavern was gone. The dagger was gone.

Everything was gone.

He was in a place that wasn’t a place. Night, but not. The sky existed, stars shimmered, but there was no ground. No dirt or grass or trees. Nothing at all except for the single tile hovering in the air .

It was like he was in the Void, but he was alone. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be happening.

Marius pinched his leg, and pain flashed through him.

“Real,” he groaned, rubbing the sore spot on his thigh.

He’d known something was off about Death Mountain, but this…

Nothing could have prepared him for this. He’d never heard of anything like this happening.

And then he felt it.

A breeze, simultaneously cold and warm, brushed up against his arm.

“Marius Wisethorn,” a melodic female voice whispered.

He twisted his head towards the sound but couldn’t find the source.

“Prince of Eleyta.” Another woman spoke, and leaves billowed in the air all around him.

Where were they coming from?

“Who are you?” he asked the mysterious women.

At the same time, a baritone, masculine voice said, “Son of Kydona.”

Shivers ran down Marius’s spine. He clenched his fists and slowly turned but still didn’t see anyone. Was this a trick of his mind? He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to return to Death Mountain, but it didn’t work.

A fourth voice, another man, added, “You have been living with the creatures of darkness for so long.”

“Who are you?” Marius asked again when it became clear he couldn’t leave this place.

There was a pause, and then leaves rustled. Wind rushed. Brilliant flames cut through the darkness, revealing four legendary beings.

One, made of leaves.

Another, formed with water.

The third, a creature of the wind.

The fourth, born of fire.

They were myths brought to life, beings whose very existence had been doubted by many before they appeared to aid the High Ladies in the events leading up to and during the Battle of Balance.

The Spirits.

Marius’s heart hammered in his chest, and his breath caught as he drank in the sight of the legendary beings before him.

They were every bit as majestic and awe-inspiringly terrifying as he’d been told.

There was Myhhena, the Spirit of the Woods.

She stood on the left, her tall, lithe body floating on air. She was a woman, but not. Her flesh was bark, her eyes were moss, and leaves and vines covered her form. There was an ancient beauty about her.

Next to her, his body a living river, was Castien. The Spirit of the Waters dipped his head in Marius’s direction. He was made of water, yet he wore armor of the same liquid. He gripped a sword of ice, the weapon twice as long as Vivienne’s. His eyes were a piercing blue, and an aura of strength surrounded him.

Beside him was the one they called Omni. The Spirit of the Winds. His body was little more than air, a spinning cyclone that swirled in this empty, midnight space. The only reason Marius knew he was there, other than the wind that had brushed up against him earlier, was that every so often, silver sparks flew through Omni’s windy form. He was taller and bulkier than the other Spirits.

On Omni’s right was a blazing, living torch. Inferna, the Spirit of the Flames, was a consuming fire. Her eyes were blazing embers, a thing of beauty and death. Every part of her was made of flames, her feminine form outlined by the fire crawling up her burning limbs.

“You know who we are,” Inferna answered his previous question, her voice ringing through the empty space. “Don’t you?”

Marius dipped his head, instinct pushing him to his knees. Balancing on the tile, he bowed before the four Spirits. His pack slid, but it remained on his back.

“I do.” He couldn’t keep the wonderment from his voice. “Why am I here?”

At least now, the vastness of this space made more sense. The power held by the four beings in front of him wasn’t easy to contain. Even now, it rippled off the Spirits in waves.

Marius’s halfling magic would be no use to him here. Nothing could stop them from hurting him if that was what they desired.

“We called you here.” Omni stepped forward, and the wind brushed Marius’s face.

Inferna’s eyes were flames as they drilled into him. “We’ve been watching you.”

“Why?” The moment the question slipped out of Marius’s lips, he winced.

He was fairly certain interrupting ancient beings wasn’t a good idea, but he couldn’t stop the words from coming out of his mouth. His sister was always speaking at inopportune moments, and it seemed like it was his turn to do the same.

Myhhena’s leaves rustled as she strode on empty air. “You are not a child of the moon, yet you live as one. Now, you seek the Forsaken Blade.”

Was that the weapon’s name? It seemed fitting.

He explained, “I need the dagger to stop the First before it kills more people.”

The Spirits exchanged troubled glances, their faces grim.

“This is a dangerous path, Son of Kydona,” the Spirit of the Woods said. She seemed to be picking her words carefully. “There is a reason the Forsaken Blade is enchanted against children of the moon and blood. They have a history of being… difficult to co ntrol.”

Marius narrowed his eyes. He’d heard of Myhhena’s actions in Ithenmyr. He knew she’d both helped and hindered the High Lady of Life and her mate. He didn’t trust her, especially not with the turn their conversation was taking.

“My sister is a vampire,” he reminded them.

“Yes, and her husband is the King of Darkness,” Inferna said patiently. “His heart is?—”

“Don’t.” Marius rose to his feet, the tile tilting precariously beneath him. “You don’t know him as I do.”

Yes, people spoke about Sebastian as though his heart was black, and yes, he’d killed a lot of people. But that wasn’t all he was. Marius saw how the king was with Luna. Their love was strong, and Sebastian would never let any harm come to his wife.

Marius couldn’t ask for anything more for his sister.

“We just want to make sure you know what you’re doing,” the Spirit of the Waters said calmly. “If you’re being coerced into this, we can help you. This isn’t your fight.”

The wind blew, and Marius’s skin prickled.

“The prophecy has been fulfilled,” Omni boomed. “The harbinger is no longer needed. We can bring you somewhere where you’ll be safe.”

“You won’t have to deal with this anymore,” Inferna said gently, her flames growing taller, stretching above her head like a crown. “You can live the rest of your life in peace and explore the world free of the confines of the moon. If you come with us, you can do whatever you want.”

Marius stared at them, his mind whirling as he considered their offer.

He couldn’t deny there was something appealing about what they were saying. A life where he wasn’t bound by anyone else’s expectations of him, a life where he could travel wherever he wanted. Experience whatever he wanted.

He could go beyond the Four Kingdoms, maybe cross the Indigo Ocean to see the fae. He’d heard of them, with their powerful courts and strong elemental magic, but he’d never dreamed he’d be able to see their home.

Maybe he could travel to Coral City and see the merfolk. He knew of Mareena and Calix, the ruling mer who lived beneath the strong waves.

Maybe he could explore his halfling magic and learn how to walk the silver planes more effectively.

He and Vivienne could?—

Vivienne.

Marius’s chest seized, and he shook his head. What in the gods’ name was he doing? Why was he entertaining this train of thought?

He couldn’t leave. These Spirits were wrong. This was his fight, because the vampire in Death Mountain was only there because of him. He could not leave her to be devoured by whatever beast had emerged from the chasm.

Not only that, but he refused to let Sebastian and Luna down. What if they decided to go up against the First without the right tools, and the vampire killed them?

He’d never be able to live with himself.

Marius threw back his shoulders and lifted his chin. “No.”

“No?” Castien parroted, raising a watery brow.

“You heard me. I may be a halfling with Fortune Elf magic that is only somewhat useful, but they need me. I won’t abandon them.” Marius balled his fists, his nails cutting into the flesh of his palms. “I refuse your offer, and to be frank, I think it’s awful that you even suggested it.”

These Spirits were supposed to be powerful. Maybe they should be fighting the First instead of trying to tempt him away from this path.

A long moment passed as the Spirits of the Woods, Waters, Wind, and Flames exchanged grave looks .

Then, the strangest thing happened.

Silver wisps exploded out of the darkness like fireflies in a midsummer night sky. The air itself seemed lighter. The four Spirits exhaled. Castien nodded, and Myhhena’s wooden lips tilted up into a smile.

Leaves rustled as the Spirit of the Woods stepped forward, extending a hand.

The hovering tile jerked and glided forward as though tied by an invisible rope. Marius gasped, wobbling as he fought to maintain his balance. The tile moved swiftly, stopping a few feet from the powerful beings.

This close, he could make out the swirling orange and reds of Inferna’s flames, the deep currents running through Castien’s form, the striations in Myhhena’s leaves, and the small tornadoes that made up Omni’s eyes.

The Spirits were even more terrifyingly beautiful from up close.

“Congratulations, Prince Marius Wisethorn,” Myhhena declared in her ancient voice.

His brows furrowed. “Congratulations?”

Castien smiled. “The Forsaken Blade is a dangerous weapon, and it cannot be wielded by just anyone.”

Inferna’s eyes blazed. “We’re banned from interfering with mortal problems, but many years ago, we were tasked to watch over the Forsaken Blade, among other things. It’s our duty to ensure that only those with pure intentions take the dagger.”

They were all smiling at him as if this was…

“You were testing me?” His eyes widened, and his nostrils flared as burning anger surged through him.

How dare they waste his time with this while Vivienne was in danger ?

Omni’s eyes swirled with an internal storm. “It was a test, and you passed with flying colors. The blade is yours, Son of Kydona, and it will do what you need. But beware—if anyone else touches it, be they vampire, human, or shifter, they will perish.”

The warning reverberated through the space, the weight of each word settling upon Marius’s shoulders. This was a heavy burden, but he was ready to bear it.

He flexed his fingers, itching to get back to Vivienne. “I understand. I will keep the blade on me at all times.”

“We believe you.” Inferna stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. He jolted, expecting to feel pain from the fiery touch, but none came. The Spirit leaned forward and whispered the instructions for blessing the Forsaken Blade, adding, “Remember, you are worthy of the blade and its power.”

Shimmering silver ribbons imbued with moonlight swirled around Marius.

“The dagger will lead you to safety,” Myhhena said cryptically. “It will act swiftly the moment you touch it. Remember who you are, and all will be well.”

“Aim for the heart, Prince,” Castien added as leaves, water, flames, and wind spun together. “The blade, once blessed, will need to strike in the center of the cursed one’s being. Only then will she truly die.”

His last words were barely audible, lost to the rushing of elements as they streamed past Marius.

A gust of wind blew, and then, the tile disappeared.

A scream rose in Marius’s throat as he tumbled through darkness, silver ribbons twirling around him like a cyclone. His breath came in short bursts, and his heartbeat echoed in his ears.

The wind rushed past him as this place that wasn’t a place sucked him down, down, down.

Time had no meaning.

Minutes were hours, and years passed in the blink of an eye.

And then, as suddenly as the never-ending fall had begun, it stopped.

Marius’s feet landed on firm ground. He crouched instinctively, falling into a fighting stance, as his vision adjusted to the sudden appearance of brilliant blue light.

His heart pounded in his chest as three realizations slammed into him at once.

First, he was back in Death Mountain.

Second, he felt refreshed, as though he’d slept for hours. Days even.

Third, and probably most importantly, it seemed that time had stood still while he met with the Spirits.

A roar shook the space, and Vivienne was still standing at the entrance, her sword extended.

The vampire looked over her shoulder, her brows creased. “Grab the dagger, Marius,” she said. “Hurry! It’s coming.”

A terrifying scratching sound accompanied the next roar.

He stared at her. How was this possible?

“Your Highness!” Vivienne yelled, her eyes widening as urgency bled into her voice. “The dagger!”

It didn’t matter how time had stopped because it had happened, and Vivienne needed him to act. Shaking his head free of questions he couldn’t answer, Marius turned and crossed the platform.

A cry of alarm rose from the vampire as he wrapped his fingers around the hilt. At the same time, black and silver sparks erupted from the blade. They danced in the air, sinking into his skin .

Marius yanked the dagger free, the weight perfectly balanced in his palm, as lightning ran through his veins.

“I got it! Viv, we can—” His voice trailed off, and his eyes widened in horror as he took in the scene behind him.

A monster stood at the entrance.

A dozen glowing crimson eyes, some big and some small, were crowded on the creature’s face. It had no nose, but its mouth was a grotesque combination of rows of razor-sharp teeth and a purple, lashing tongue. It had the body of a massive white bear, but instead of paws, eight gargantuan, spider-like legs with enormous pincers held it in place. They were the cause of the scratching sound, the pincers struggling against the stone as the creature fought to squeeze its too-large body into the cavern.

Vivienne’s sword was pointed at the monster’s chest, her grip unwavering despite the monstrosity roaring at her.

Somehow, this creature made the one they encountered in the House of Forgotten Shadows seem like a harmless puppy.

Myhhena’s words from earlier echoed in Marius’s mind.

The dagger will lead you to safety.

Praying the Spirit of the Woods had spoken the truth, Marius leaped off the dais. The monster’s pincers clicked together, and it released another terrifying screech.

Vivienne stumbled back as Marius landed. He extended his right hand towards her while gripping the dagger with his left. He called her name, urging her to take his hand.

The blade was heating up, the hilt becoming uncomfortably warm as if warning him that he was running out of time. He wasn’t sure what the blade would do, but at this point, the Spirit’s assurance that it would get them out would have to be enough.

Thank all the gods, Vivienne didn’t hesitate .

Keeping her eyes on the monster, she held out her left hand behind her.

Marius slapped his palm over hers.

The moment they touched, the dagger’s hilt burned even hotter. Gold and silver sparks erupted from the blade, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Vivienne yelled, but her words were lost to the rushing wind as the ground opened up beneath Marius’s feet again.

Keeping the dagger far from Vivienne so he wouldn’t accidentally nick her, he gripped her against his chest with one arm as they tumbled.