The Curse (Belador #3)(92)

The hurt in Lanna’s voice pulled on Evalle’s heartstrings. Lanna had powers, but she was deathly afraid of being left behind for some reason.

Tzader walked up, took one look at Storm and another at Lanna. “What the hell, Evalle?”

“I didn’t do all this.”

Before Tzader said another word, a light began swirling in the middle of the Beladors, pushing them out in a circle. Everyone quieted.

When the light vanished, a cluster of Belador swords materialized, stabbed into the ground, ready to be drawn.

Tzader immediately turned his attention to the battle, telling everyone, “Your warrior queen has sent us swords that are more powerful here than in any other place. Take up your sword and prepare to face the enemy.” Tzader told Quinn, “Send Lanna to stay in the castle with Brina until we return to Atlanta.”

“Done.”

When Lanna started to protest, Evalle put her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “That’s the safest place for you to be, because we won’t let the Svarts anywhere near the castle.”

Tzader told Evalle, “You take her there.”

“Me? Why do I have to take her?”

“Are you questioning me?” Tzader asked in full Maistir mode and out of patience.

Good grief. What had she been thinking to speak so freely with Tzader in this situation? “Absolutely not, Maistir. My apologies.”

He nodded. “Brina will give you a sword when you get there. Protect the entrance to the castle.”

Evalle had a chance to fight with the tribe on Treoir and she’d been relegated to babysitter and front-door guard. The Beladors would stop the trolls before reaching that point, leaving her out of the battle, but the last thing she wanted was to give Tzader any more reason to be disappointed in her.

She handed off her Nyght weapon to Trey.

Tzader finished issuing orders and turned to Storm. “You can’t shift here without Brina’s explicit permission, and I don’t have time to take you to her to discuss your presence on Treoir, but there’s a sword for you, too.”

Storm asked Tzader, “What happens if I shift without permission?”

“You’ll burst into flames.”

Storm lifted a sword, then turned back as if he intended to stay by Evalle’s side.

She shook her head, silently pleading with him not to make things any worse for her by refusing to follow Tzader’s orders. Storm held her gaze a moment, then left with the team he’d been assigned to, disappearing into the woods.

Ready to follow Tzader’s orders to a T, Evalle asked Lanna, “How fast can you move?”

“Fast.”

She took the girl’s hand and ran toward the castle with her Belador speed. No one had to hold back powers here, but Evalle slowed to a human pace when she noticed the girl used majik to hover above the ground every few steps to keep up.

Halfway to the castle, howling screeches erupted behind her in the forest. Her tribe had found the Svarts. But how many? Sounded like a lot more than eight in those woods.

When Evalle reached the castle steps, she released Lanna’s hand and stopped to peer up at the towering structure that was both fairy tale and dark fantasy. Blue, purple and black stones made up the outside with a Belador Triquetra carved into every blue stone. Two massive wood-and-iron doors fifteen feet tall and just as wide, together, opened into the castle.

Brina appeared in the opening, but stopped short of crossing the threshold. She frowned at Evalle. “Why aren’t you with Tzader?”

Evalle grabbed a mute Lanna by the arm and towed her up the steps until they reached the first landing. “He told me to guard the entrance and bring Lanna here.”

“Who is she an’ what would she be doin’ here?”

“Quinn’s cousin and—”

Brina studied harder on Lanna. “You are not Belador.”

“No. I am Romanian.”

Evalle continued up the last two steps to the wide, gray slab at the top landing. “She traveled with us by accident.”

“Storm traveled same way,” Lanna pointed out, clearly looking for safety in numbers.

What had Quinn called her? Brat. That fit. Evalle turned to Brina. “That was also an accident. We were in the middle of a VIPER op when Quinn entered the mind of a Svart troll and found out they were coming for you. Tzader had Sen teleport us so neither Storm nor Lanna knows how to find Treoir.”

Brina nodded. “The royal guard just reported encounterin’ Svart trolls. We’ve already lost two of our own.”

Evalle’s empathic ability came to life, picking up the anguish rolling off Brina, who had to be even more frustrated than Evalle about not joining the battle.

When the sound of howls erupted from the forest again, Brina asked, “Where is the other one who came with you?”

“Storm is fighting with the Beladors.”

“Those Svarts found out how to get here,” Brina said under her breath. “I will not sanction those two who traveled with you if Tzader feels they pose no security issue.”

“Thank you.” Evalle wondered who told the Svarts how to get to Treoir … or who teleported them here, but that was up to Tzader and Brina to figure out. She said to Brina, “Quinn respectfully requests that you keep Lanna inside the castle while we deal with Svarts.”