The Curse (Belador #3)(93)

Brina asked Lanna, “Are you immortal?”

“No. Why?”

“Because you would die if you tried to cross the warding into this castle if you were. Come in.” The minute Lanna entered, Brina told her, “Go over and stand with Allyn and the guards.”

Evalle leaned to look past Brina and saw a wall of guards who would surround Brina and protect her to the end if anything got past the doors. After it had gone through Evalle.

A screaming howl like a devil on a killing spree spun Evalle around.

Stomping out of the woods and onto the field came the largest Svart Evalle had seen so far. Had to be twelve feet tall. He wore a rough-cut, brown leather vest and matching pants that stopped at his knees.

Brina said, “Even from here I can see the yellow eyes of a demon. How can a troll be so powerful?”

The demon troll swatted Beladors aside like flies.

A shining Belador sword appeared before Evalle.

She snatched it out of the air, ready to defend this castle. Adrenaline pumped through her, firing up the Alterant beast inside with the urge to fight. Cartilage snapped, lifting a ridge of skin along the top of her forearms. All Beladors could shift their bodies to battle form, but she had to be careful to stop at this point or her Alterant beast would break free.

She’d force her beast to remain caged, but something told Evalle she could not face another demonic troll in this human body and walk away alive. But shifting fully into beast form would break her oath to Macha and dictate Evalle’s immediate death.

The battle between Beladors and Svart trolls filtered out of the forest into the open field. Working together in a place where the Belador power only strengthened, warriors appeared to be gaining on the Svarts.

All except the demonic troll. He picked up speed as he headed toward the castle.

Brina beat her fist against the doorframe. “I hate bein’ stuck in here like a glass treasure.”

Evalle doubted the sword she held was going to stop that particular Svart. She called out to Trey, We need the Nyght weapon at the castle.

Trey answered, The weapon doesn’t work here.

Ah, crap. Are you killing Svarts with swords?

Yes, but not the demonic troll. Nothing kills him. He’s crushed two Beladors.

Yellow eyes glowed bright as lightbulbs in the demon Svart as his face came into better view with each thundering step. A female Belador warrior attacked him. He slowed to lift her off the ground and rip her body in half.

Brina shouted, “That vermin is killin’ my people! Tzader has to—”

“Don’t call him, Brina.”

“Why not? He is Maistir.”

Evalle understood more than Brina realized. The warrior queen thought since Tzader was immortal—something Evalle couldn’t admit knowing—that he could handle the troll and survive, but Brina was wrong.

Keeping her eyes on the approaching threat, Evalle pointed out, “You don’t want Tzader to link with the Beladors and risk this thing killing everyone with one blow.”

“Of course not. That would be mass murder.”

Evalle gave Brina a sobering truth, careful not to point out Tzader’s immortality. “Even Tzader can’t survive if that thing bites off his head.”

Brina’s fists gripped so hard her knuckles turned white. She said, “We need Macha, but I do not think I can reach her.”

“Where is she?”

“At the Tribunal meeting, the one place she cannot hear my call.”

That’s right. Evalle would have to face Macha soon, and without Tristan, but that wasn’t her top concern right this minute.

Brina ran her fingers through her hair, thinking out loud. “The only way to be sendin’ a message to her right now is through Sen, but I cannot take him away from Atlanta until we send Beladors back. When Tzader arrived, he told me Sen was dealin’ with the last of the Svarts there.” She took a breath and said, “I’m guessin’ we’ve about four or five minutes before that troll reaches us.”

The unknown female voice that popped into Evalle’s mind at the most bizarre times chose that moment to speak again. Believing is the hardest thing to learn, but believing in yourself should be the easiest to do.

Evalle shouted inside her mind, If you’re so smart, why don’t you tell me who you are?

She ignored the distraction, focusing instead on the one thing she could do. She told Brina, “I can stop that Svart if you’ll help me.”

“Name it.”

Evalle swallowed. “Give me permission to shift fully into my Alterant beast state. Once I kill this Svart, I’ll shift back into my human form.” When Brina didn’t reply, Evalle said, “I can do this … if it won’t get you in trouble with the Tribunal.”

“They have no say over what happens outside the realm of Earth, an’ Treoir is not of that world, but I do not think that is a good idea.”

“In that case, if you aren’t going to give me permission, then take Lanna an’ hide somewhere that troll can’t find you. I’ll hold him off as long as I can.”

“Evalle, come with us or he’ll kill you.”

“I’m a warrior. My duty is to defend Treoir at all costs. You asked me to trust you in the past,” Evalle said, her heart slamming her chest as the demon got closer. “I’m asking you to trust me and allow me to shift. If you do, order the Beladors to stay back or Tzader and Quinn will interfere.”