The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Shit!” Kieran grabbed a fallen bloodstone sword as he kicked one over to Emil. He rose.

I grabbed hold of Tasos’ collar, pushing the weaponless guard back as Emil snatched up a spear with a bloodstone blade. “Stay back,” I ordered, not trusting the guard to pick up a weapon and use it on a Craven versus one of us.

A Craven shot forward—incredibly fast, and incredibly fresh. Under the blood-smeared face, the male’s skin carried the gray pallor of death, and shadows had already formed under its crimson eyes. But the black tunic and trousers weren’t ragged. Another broke free of the mist, letting out a shrill howl. This one was a woman, dressed the same as the man. Then another and another. None were missing clumps of hair or had patches of skin missing or hanging.

All had gaping, terrible wounds at the throats.

“Mother—” Emil changed up his grip on the spear. “—fucker.” He threw it, striking the male Craven in the chest.

The creature pinwheeled, falling backward. Another took its place as I raced forward, shoving my arm under the Craven’s chin. Blood-streaked teeth snapped at me. The woman…gods, she had to be my age, maybe even younger. She would’ve been pretty if not for the dark veins spreading out from the bite on her throat, covering the side of her cheek.

And for the fact that she was basically dead.

I shoved the bloodstone into her chest just as hot, burning pain slammed into me. Pain that was not mine. Arden. Yanking the dagger free, I jumped back as Emil tossed a headless Craven aside.

Delano leapt over Emil as the Atlantian bent to retrieve a bloodstone sword, landing on a Craven’s chest. He tore into it with his claws as I desperately searched the mist for any sign of Arden. I couldn’t hear him over the godsforsaken screeching.

Heart thumping, I thrust the dagger into a Craven’s chest as I let my senses stretch out, looking for Arden’s unique imprint. It was salty like the sea and reminded me of Saion’s Cove. I couldn’t find it. I couldn’t sense him. Panic blossomed.

Kieran cursed as he cut through a Craven, twisting as another bounced off the wall, rushing him. Shooting forward, I swung my leg out and up, planting my booted foot in the Craven’s midsection. I tried not to think about how it didn’t cave under the force like a rotted Craven’s would—about how this older male with bloody smile lines creasing his face must have been alive the day before. I kicked the Craven into the wall. It screamed while I rushed it, cutting the sound off with a direct blow to the head. I spun around, stirring the mist at my hips.

“Thanks,” Kieran grunted.

“We need to find Arden.” I shot past him, sucking in a sudden breath as a Craven grabbed for me. I ducked under its arm and then twisted, jabbing the dagger through the base of the creature’s neck, severing its spinal cord. I spun, searching the thick, churning mist.

Three Craven were on their knees, crowded together on the floor, over something once silver and white but now…red.

My heart stopped. No. No. No.

Horror propelled me forward. Grasping a fistful of hair, I yanked one of the Craven back as I jammed the blade into the back of her neck. Her slackened mouth glistened with blood. Choking on a cry, I grabbed another, throwing it aside. Kieran was there, thrusting his sword into the Craven’s head. Emil shot forward, his blade cleaving through the neck of the third Craven as I dropped to my knees beside Arden.

“Oh, gods,” I gasped, dropping the dagger. Arden was breathing too rapidly, and the wounds, the bites—

“Guard her,” Kieran instructed as he dropped to the blood-slick floor across from me.

Delano pressed against my back as Emil circled us. I sank my hands into Arden’s thick fur, feeling his chest rise and then stop. No inhale. Nothing. My heart made a tripping motion. My gaze flew to his head as the mist slowly dissipated around us. Arden’s eyes were open, pale blue and dull. His gaze fixed.

“No,” I whispered. “No. No.”

“Fuck,” Kieran exploded as he rocked forward, placing his hand on Arden’s neck. “Fuck.”

I knew what Reaver had said, but I had to try. I had to because I couldn’t be too late. Sharp, warm tingles ran down my arms, spreading across my fingers as I summoned the Primal essence. A silvery-white glow sifted through the fur—

The remaining Craven wailed, the sound higher and louder than before. Emil grunted as I felt him stumble and then catch himself. A body hit the floor beside us and then a head. Channeling the eather into Arden’s body, I focused all my will on him. Breathe. Live. Breathe. Over and over, I repeated those words, like I had with the small girl who’d been struck by the carriage. The aura spread over his body in a glittering web of eather and then sank through the matted fur and into the torn skin and tissue. I wasn’t too late. I couldn’t be. Breathe. Breathe. I funneled every wonderful and happy memory I had into my efforts. Ones of Ian and me on the beach with the people who would always be our parents. How I felt on my knees in the loamy soil as a ring was slipped onto my finger while I stared into beautiful, golden eyes. My entire world behind my closed lids became silver and white as the eather pulsed and flared deep within me—