Assassins will, p.1
Assassin's Will, page 1
part #3 of Tales from the Mirror Realm Series
Assassin’s Will
Tales from the Mirror Realm Book 3
A. Lonergan
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Afterword
Acknowledgments
Also by A. Lonergan
About the Author
To the women that are fighting something no one can see. Whether it is a chronic illness, domestic violence, emotional abuse, infertility, or something else. Keep fighting, this is for you. You aren’t alone.
Chapter One
Willow
It was a bloodbath. Everything I thought I knew about war had been wrong. I had lived in a naive world of fairytales even though I had killed for a living. The smell of death hung heavily in the air and at this point, I didn’t know if we were winning or losing. Did it matter? I needed to get out alive, I needed to get my friends out alive. Terror swept through me as another sword arced in my direction. I was accustomed to fighting in the shadows. This was Marîd different.
It seemed like we were all losing, both sides. But we continued on.
I had lost sight of the demon Hel had sent me, Balam, hours ago. I could no longer tell if the king, Cal Coliver, had made it out of the center of the battlefield without a scratch. There wasn’t a single recognizable face in any of it. Except for Marîd, the genie we had come to save. Her face transformed into rage and I knew there wasn’t anything we could do to save her. The giants that the Artovian Kingdom had promised us were nowhere to be found. The dragon egg in my weapon sheath had proven to be a dupe. Every reassurance I had been clinging to no longer mattered.
A sword came for my head and I flipped my wrist out quickly with my whip. It wrapped around the elf’s hand before my magic severed his arm off. His screams were drowned out by the sound of battle ringing in the air. The horse that my magic had conjured up, took a step back and I knew this wasn’t good. The bodies pushed in closer as they hacked at each other.
Nausea swirled in my core and as I looked around, I could no longer see familiar faces. This was a war we were going to lose and there was nothing I could do about it. There was nothing anyone could do about it.
I called my magic to me one more time, but it didn’t matter. I was too drained to keep my horse tangible underneath me, much less zap an army down. I retreated as best as I could but more elves surrounded me. Their blue and purple hair stood out against their white skin. Their piercings shined in the light and their weapons were slick with blood as they swung them in my direction.
“A woman!” one of them shouted as he pointed to me. It seemed like every face turned in my direction. I had to get out of here before they destroyed me too. My magic knew what to do, even if there wasn’t much of it left. The horse charged the creatures and walked right over them like they were simply steps and not bodies. I was thankful I couldn’t hear the crunch of bones as we went because the scene under me was too gruesome as it was. My horse raced across the bloody field where men continued to lose their lives. My head spun with the smell and I shook my head to get some kind of relief. But I knew there wasn’t going to be any. What I had embarked on was a lost cause.
I passed through into our camp and my horse disappeared before I could get my feet on the ground. I tumbled and rolled across the dirt and rocks. On trembling legs, I pulled myself from the ground and walked to the big tent on the other side of the camp. No one noticed me as I tripped across my own feet. Everyone was too busy tending to their own wounds or helping others. Even in the camp, the smell of death was strong. Overpowering.
I fell into the tent and landed on my face. I had no more strength in my arms. My whip had gone missing during my fall, I imagined. My body ached like never before.
“Are you okay?” Strong hands pulled me from the ground. Nico, Cal’s right-hand man, put his hands on either side of my shoulders and stared into my eyes. I had no doubt that they were bloodshot. I could hear whispering on the other side of the small area but my hearing couldn’t focus on it.
I nodded my head. “Did Balam make it back?”
Nico gave me a worried glance before he shook his hair, the red shining in the light. “No, many of our men have disappeared into thin air. I don’t know what to make of it.”
My heart sank. “Marîd is behind it.”
Nico’s face fell. “I don’t know what to do.”
Cal had his face close to the new girl. Princess Ailia Artrovia had joined our party just before we had marched to war. Her father had supplied his army in exchange for me saving their giant allies and for letting her join us on this suicide mission.
Cal’s hair had started to grow out again. It brushed the collar on his tunic and I had a slight urge to touch it, to brush it from his face. My frown deepened at the thought. There was no use in having such a thought.
“What does Cal think?” I asked.
“We need to call for the giants.” Nico looked down at me and concern pooled in the depths of his eyes. “Where is your whip?”
I shrugged but the movement hurt. “I lost it on my way in. It was quite a spectacle.”
Nico’s lips twitched into a smile. “It always is with you.”
“How do we get the giants?” I could think of a few ways to call them. My magic was one of those things but I knew Cal wouldn’t approve.
“Cal sent a rider a few hours ago. We should hear back soon. They cover more ground than the goblins do.”
I nodded my head and looked back at the couple. Ailia’s face held concern but also longing. Cal’s face was unreadable as ever as he whispered away. I nodded again as I departed from the tent. There was nothing left for me there. I had protected the love I thought I had. I had saved his life and he had saved mine. There was only so much longing my heart could take, even if it no longer ached for him. The tent flap opened behind me and I wondered if Cal would chase after me. If he even noticed I was there. But no, it was Nico that chased behind me as I wove through the camp, searching for the demon’s tent.
But as I neared the edge of the camp, my heart sank and I knew my hope was for nothing. The dark magical tent was gone, just like the demon that had caught my attention.
Chapter Two
Balam
I held the goddess’s gaze. Her eyes were alight with fury as she looked down at me. “You lied.”
I went to shake my head but the movement was impossible given my current circumstances. “I didn’t lie.”
Hel’s hair swirled around her head in anger. “I don’t believe you and I never will. Abaddon told me what you did. You will rot for this.”
“You’re going to believe Abaddon? The one that is angry with me for beating him in his own game? I learned a few things and I implemented them, it isn’t my fault he isn’t a good healer.”
Hel spit at my chained feet. “Enough. You will be replaced.”
“She’s going to die out there without me.” I lifted my chin and tried my hardest to get level with her.
“You were never the Horseman of war, Balam. She will do better with others.” Hel turned away from me and I could barely hear what she said next. “You will come to terms with it eventually. This was never about love.”
Chapter Three
Willow
Cal stared me down from across the tent. “I said no.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and clenched my jaw. “You can’t tell me what to do anymore, Cal.”
“Why not?” He furrowed his eyebrows.
“Because I am not your property. I am not your Queen. I am not one of your elite. I am nothing but an ally here.”
His gaze grew dark. “You don’t have to be here then.”
The war was still progressing. They were pushing into our territory and it wasn’t looking good for Cal. The giants were on their way but at this point, there was no telling when they would arrive. It had been days.
“I am here to see you win.” My voice sounded pleading and I hated it. Why was I begging him?
“You don’t have to.” Cal leaned back on his pallet and closed his eyes like I didn’t matter. How could I not matt
“This is because of Ailia, isn’t it?” My words shot at him.
His eyes flew open and he had the audacity to laugh. “Are you jealous?”
I took a step back like I had been slapped. My heart stung. Yes, I was slightly jealous but I wouldn’t admit it. I had done the same thing with Balam and look where it had gotten me.
Alone.
“I only want what’s best for you and I am not that.” I swallowed.
“If that’s what you believe, who am I to change your mind?” He propped his ankle on his knee and watched me with lazy eyes.
“I will leave when the giants get here. I cannot see you hurt.” I stormed from the tent and practically knocked Nico over. “Do you always listen to conversations you aren’t welcome to?”
Nico laughed as he chased behind me. “Yes, it keeps life interesting.”
“You can find interest somewhere else.” I flipped my hair over my shoulder and searched for the tree line. If anything I could find refuge in the branches. I would get a good night’s sleep there. I hoped. I hadn’t been able to sleep with the sounds of metal clashing together and men dying not even two hundred feet away. I whirled around to face the guard. “In fact, I heard some of the elven women have been hanging around the camp late at night. I hear they want to know what it’s like to be with a human.”
Nico clenched his jaw and shook his head. “That isn’t entertainment I am interested in.”
“It would probably do you some good.” I spotted trees and broke into a sprint. It was nothing to scale the trunk of the tree and tuck myself into the branches. My magic wrapped around me like a cocoon and I snuggled in for the night. It wasn’t as nice as Balam’s tent but it would do. I tried to push the thought of him away from my mind but I couldn’t help but wonder. Had he intentionally left or had something happened to him? Did it do me any good to worry?
Nico followed me up the tree at a much slower pace. “Ailia has been looking for you.”
“She could have found me if she had been looking hard enough.”
He rolled his eyes. “You know rutting well that if you don’t want to be found, no one will find you.”
I had been getting better at cloaking myself lately. He had a point but that didn’t mean I was going to admit that either. My black magic snuggled my face and for once in a long time, I felt comfort.
“You’re going to need another weapon.” Nico changed the subject.
“And? You know Cal won’t let me back out there, you heard the conversation!” My magic pulled me closer, sensing my irritation.
“Who cares what Cal says? He didn’t address it in front of the entire army.” Nico shrugged as his legs dangled off of the tree branch. He looked so young with the moonlight illuminating his red hair and the leather armor he was wearing. “For all I know, he never said anything to you.”
“That’s treason.” I shook my head. My decision was final. I wouldn’t go back out there until the giants came and then my agreement with the king was over with. My will would be done and I could do what I pleased. But did the giants mean victory? How would I be able to leave not knowing the outcome of the war? The outcome of my friend’s lives.
“You’re conflicted about leaving.” Nico’s face fell.
“What would you have me do?” My eyes filled and my voice broke. I didn’t know where the emotions were coming from but they were strong.
“I would have you run away as far as you could and never look back at this wretched place.” Nico’s voice grew soft and his gaze zeroed in on something in the distance.
“I thought you loved Rosalia,” As I spoke Nico scooted in closer to me and pulled my hand from the tree bark. He wove his fingers with mine and I felt at peace again. Like I belonged. Which was unusual because we were usually at each other’s throats. I didn’t mind the change for once. I needed a wholesome relationship in my life. There had been too much strife and contention.
“There is much you don’t know about that kingdom and you shouldn’t be saddled with its demons.” A shadow overtook Nico’s handsome face.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I frowned.
“My mother is a powerful witch, one of the best in the entire realm.” Nico bit his lip. “She holds control of the underground black magic market.”
I snickered. “What a mouthful.”
He looked at me with a serious face. “You don’t understand. She is powerful and she doesn’t like competition. She knows about you and your power. She wants me to bring you back with me.”
I pulled my hand from his. “Don’t you think you should have told me or, I don’t know, Cal?”
“It’s not that simple, Willow.” He bowed his head and I knew he was having a hard time but I didn’t know what to do either. “She is not an enemy you want to have.”
“That’s why she sent you back to us, isn’t it?” My magic tightened around me now, protecting me.
Nico looked at his dangling legs and nodded slowly. “Obviously, I could never go through with it but it’s been eating at me. I couldn’t keep it from you. I wanted to tell Cal but this isn’t exactly a good time to spill espionage.”
“Yeah,” I grimaced. “You’re right about that. He wouldn’t take it well. He would probably send you back.”
“When you leave, be sure to tell me goodbye, alright?” His voice cracked and I leaned forward to lay my head on his shoulder.
“I would never leave without throwing a book at your head one last time.” His thumb brushed my chin and I looked up at him with curiosity. The next thing I knew his lips were on mine. I sat there stunned. I don’t know how I had missed all the cues. His lips didn’t move with mine or force mine open as Cal’s had. They tasted somewhat sweet like he had been drinking wine but there were no butterflies or electricity coursing through my body. He sat back and looked at my face. His lips cracked a smile and I tried to smile back but I felt awkward.
“Did you feel anything?” He seemed uncertain.
I shrugged and my magic wrapped around me again like a blanket. “Not entirely.”
“No passion?” His voice didn’t sound hopeful.
I shook my head.
His shoulders sagged in relief. “Okay good, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t the only one not feeling it. But I had to try. I don’t know why. I knew that if I didn’t, I would have had regrets. I would have wondered about my feelings for you.”
“And you have answers now?” I smirked.
He nodded vigorously. It caused his red hair to flop into his eyes. He swiped it away but it did no good. His hair had a mind of its own. “Yes. You’re more like a sister to me and now I feel weird. Like I kissed my sister.”
Laughter bubbled up from my chest and I could have fallen out of the tree. “I am thankful for you, Nico. You make everything light.”
Chapter Four
Balam
I grabbed hold of the bars that kept me imprisoned and had the life jolted out of me. It was an out of body experience. I watched as my body seized on the plush carpet of my glorified jail cell. Hel was a different kind of breed. She liked her prisoners to be comfortable. I had a plush bed that was entirely too big for just one person. A fully functional bathroom and even a door to the brothel she had for the rest of the horsemen. But the door wouldn’t get me out of this prison. It merely rang for one of her girls to come service me.
