Raze, p.1
Raze, page 1
part #3 of The Morrigan Chronicles Series
Raze
Book 3
The Morrigan Chronicles
N.A. Montgomery
Copyright 2021 by N.A. Montgomery
ISBN: 978-0-578-83484-0
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places are a product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.
Visit www.namontgomery.com for more information on upcoming books.
To my Daddy, you’re more than a hero to me. You’re my best friend and I love you—in this life and the next. Until we meet again.
Love always,
Sugar
Contents
NAME/PRONUNCIATIONS/MEANINGS:
CHAPTER 1: EMRYS
CHAPTER 2: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 3: EMRYS
CHAPTER 4: ARTAIUS
CHAPTER 5: CIAN
CHAPTER 6: EMRYS
CHAPTER 7: CIAN
CHAPTER 8: EMRYS
CHAPTER 9: CIAN
CHAPTER 10: EMRYS
CHAPTER 11: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 12: LUKE
CHAPTER 13: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 14: LUKE
CHAPTER 15: CIAN
CHAPTER 16: EMRYS
CHAPTER 17: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 18: ARTAIUS
CHAPTER 19: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 20: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 21: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 22: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 23: MORRIGAN
CHAPTER 24: MORRIGAN
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
NAME/PRONUNCIATIONS/MEANINGS:
WARNING
I use mythology and lore for all the beings and creatures in this series. The names of the demons in this novel are not listed below. The demons included in this work come from the Lesser Key of Solomon, a very real book compiled from documents spanning centuries ago. The grimoire lists the descriptions of seventy-two demons, how to summon them, and the protection rituals to prevent them taking control. It is believed that saying their names aloud gives them power. Whatever you believe, I am not including their name pronunciations—just in case.
Morrigan: Mor-ri-gan. Celtic goddess of war, fate, and death
Conall: Con-ul. Strong as a wolf
Emrys: Emm-riss. Immortal. The true name of Merlin from the King Arthur legends.
Cian: Key-in. Ancient, enduring
Treasach: Tree-zak. Warlike, fighter
Alastar: Al-a-star. Defender of mankind
Aine: Aan-yaa. Splendor, radiance, brilliance
Artaius: Ar-tay-us. Bear God. Some scholars believe that King Arthur may have originally been a god, and was derived from the Gaelic god Artaius.
Caireen: Care-een. Irish goddess. A champion and defender of youth. Protective goddess of children.
Tuatha de Danann: Too-ah-huh day dah-nuhn. Race of Celtic gods or demigods; ruled Ireland in the Golden Age.
Teulu: Too-loo. Strong armed family
Fomoire: Foam-war. Hostile supernatural race in Irish mythology of Celtic sea demons. Foes of the Tuatha de Danann.
Gawain: Guh-wayn. Knight of the Round Table and nephew to King Arthur
Sigurd: Si-gurd. Old Norse, victorious defender
Gavin: Gaa-vin. White hawk
Fergus: Fur-gus. Courageous man
Melaney: Mel-uh-knee. Black, dark shadow
Druantia: Drew-an-sha. Queen of Druids
Marta: Mar-ta. The lady
Logan: Lo-gun. Dweller of little hollow
Daur: Dar. Thick as an oak
Luke: Lewk. Light giving
Dullahan: Dool-a-han. Irish mythological headless horseman
Tir Na Nog: Teer-Nuh-Nog. The afterlife
Lir: Leer. Celtic god of the sea
Gaia: Gay-uh. Goddess of the earth
Jupiter: Joo-pi-ter. God of the sky
Huitzilopochtli: Wee-tsee-loh-poch-tlee. Aztec god of war, sun, and sacrifices
Gnome: Nohm. Earth elemental
Undine: Un-dine. Water elemental
Sylph: Silf. Air elemental
Salamander: Sala-man-der. Fire elemental
Anubis: Uh-noo-bis. Egyptian god of the afterlife
Quan Yin: Kwan-yin. Goddess of compassion and mercy
CHAPTER 1
EMRYS
We stood on Madero Street, waiting for the sun to reach high noon. The Church of San Francisco in Mexico City was the entrance to the realm where we were headed. This was the third structure built on the site, the previous two were swallowed by the earth over the centuries. It had always been a powerful spot. Long before churches were erected here, it was the seat of Aztec power.
Leaning against the wall, I picked at my fingernail, glancing up occasionally to check the angle of the sun. Ten more minutes, at least.
Sweat dripped down my back, and dust coated my mouth. The scent of slow-roasted pork wafted down the street. People roamed about performing mundane tasks, unaware that their lives could be over soon.
My neck tickled at the apprehensive gaze of my three companions. Their eyes never sat long, brushing over me every few minutes.
The last hour had spun by as if I rode on an out-of-control carousel, whirling and making me dizzy. This brief break allowed my mind to settle. The churning of my stomach and racing of my heart slightly lessened. I didn’t let my face betray my thoughts, but my brain felt like it was fighting against a hurricane—and losing.
Only an hour ago, Caireen and I left Morrigan and Cian in her home deep in the swamp. She was a goddess from my realm, and I was stunned she had been living here in the earthly realm all this time. She and the other gods had destroyed everyone in my realm. While the other gods had to pay the price, she hid out here, safe and secure. My rage burned under my skin when I thought of all the lives lost in my home realm because she chose to do nothing. She stood by complacent.
Back in her cabin, she had given me a piece of the Creator’s essence, enabling me to know that what she said was true. I understood that she was now acting on behalf of the Creator, but the wrath I wanted to unleash on her was barely contained. Little did I know that finding out Caireen had survived and was living here was going to be the least shocking revelation of my day.
“Emrys, say something,” pleaded Druantia.
I quit fiddling with my nail and lifted my eyes to hers. The love of my life. The last Druid, other than me. Centuries of history shared between us. My anger and love, two sides of the same coin, fought one another.
I pulled in a deep, steady breath through my nose, expanding my chest, drawing my shoulders back. My façade was perfect, though my nerves felt shredded. The raw edges pierced through in my frigid voice.
“Druantia, you will forgive me if I need a moment to gather myself. Only an hour ago, I found out that Caireen was still alive. She didn’t lift a finger to save our realm and fled to earth and has been hiding out ever since. But you believe I should quickly get over that and forgive her because she is practically the personal assistant to the Creator, who is now here to help. She told Morrigan and Cian to head to the land of the Fae and then transported us to my home realm to get you. You—who for centuries refused to leave our realm because it would die. You— who chose to remain there rather than come here with me. You—who eagerly left the second she asked. You—who decided it was time to leave so that we may retrieve the four white stones that the gods used long ago to lock, and apparently somewhat recently unlock, the hell realm. I’m so glad that you could be bothered to come on this little quest with us.”
Druantia rolled her doe eyes, trying to make me feel like I was overdramatic since she knew where I was going with this. The cord in my chest strained as it twisted tighter. I let it.
“The black stones were the hearts of the four horsemen. They are the locks to the hell realm. Morrigan and Cian will have to find a way to retrieve them, according to Caireen. The white stones are the hearts of the original elementals that the gods killed in order to steal their powers. They are the keys to the hell realm. Because the white stones are so powerful, only those that are gods or carry a piece of the Creator can touch them. And—a person or god can only touch a single stone. But, not to worry—”
I threw my hands up, exasperated. The taught cord inside of me finally snapping. “Luckily, we have four people that fit that bill. Caireen is a god, so there is our number one. I’ve been given a piece of the Creator’s essence, so I make two. Unbeknownst to me, you had been given the essence a millennia ago, Druantia, so you make three. That makes only three of us but wait for it— you got pregnant over a hundred years ago when I was first awakened from the spelled sleep and visited you. So—our son Luke here was born with a piece of the Creator’s essence, making him our fourth.”
My voice had turned to a shout by the time I finished speaking. I breathed heavily as I looked at my son. Luke was handsome and a perfect blend of Druantia and me. He had my grey eyes and his mother’s soft chestnut hair. I knew Druantia wasn’t exaggerating when she told me that he was far more powerful than either her or I. That he was the most powerful Druid that ever existed. I could feel it. Power radiated from him effortlessly. Standing near him felt like standing next to a roaring fire.
I stared at the man, my son. I had a son. Joy at having him washed through me as a nger burned at having been kept away from him for a century. The two emotions grappled, leaving me feeling frayed.
Druantia pursed her lips together, crossing her arms. “I don’t know how many times I can explain this to you, Emrys. When Caireen came to me with a piece of the Creator’s essence, I knew in my heart that I had to follow through with the Creator’s wishes. That in due time, all would be revealed when it was supposed to be. Not a moment sooner.”
“Mother,” began Luke, “He just found out he’s had a son for over a century. Let’s just try to get through this, and we can untangle the family drama later.”
Family. I can’t believe I actually have a family.
CHAPTER 2
MORRIGAN
Cian and I were finally back from hell. Aquila glided down over the hills of the Ozarks, landing on the front lawn of what had been our home since we awakened a year ago. King Conall and the teulu, the king’s personal guard led by Brian in my absence, were there before Cian and I could dismount.
Conall strode up to Aquila. His face was stoic as always, but he quirked one brow up at seeing Cian help me down. “We have three days before the spring equinox Morrigan. I hope you bring good news.”
I ignored his arched eyebrow that he hadn’t bothered to lower. “We have quite a bit of catching you up on my king.”
Conall’s mouth threatened the beginning of a grin. “I bet you do.”
I crossed my arms and did my best glare that turned most men to stone. He couldn’t help letting loose the smile he had held back.
I shook my head in defeat and headed to the library. I suppose kings who you were married to, but are no longer in a romantic relationship with, had the luxury to not wither with a single look.
I turned to Brian, who had stepped in line beside me. He uncomfortably cleared his throat. “It’s good to have you back.”
We crowded into the king’s library. A dozen of the teulu, Cian, and Kate, along with five other Fomoire, myself, and the king, huddled around the table.
I took a long drink of water, clearing my throat, to update them on what Cian and I had accomplished.
Daur pulled out a bag of gummy bears, offering them to me. I shook my head as he emptied a generous portion of the bag into his mouth. Aiden groaned in disgust as Brian kept his eyes trained down, trying not to laugh. I had missed this.
Before Conall’s patience wore through, I began, “Cian, Emrys, and I went to New Orleans to meet with the mysterious seer that helped Cian awaken us. That seer turned out to be a goddess named Caireen. She was a goddess from Emrys’ home realm who now answers and serves only the Creator.”
I looked around the table. Everyone’s jaws were dropped. Well, not everyone. Daur continued to chew his mouthful of gummy bears.
I continued, “Long story short—the hell gate opens in three days. There is no way of stopping it, but we can relock it. It requires the four white stones, which are the hearts of the elementals. Emrys is getting those, and the four black hearts of the four horsemen, which Cian and I retrieved from hell.”
I sat there while everyone stared in silence at me, waiting for me to continue.
I shrugged. “I said, long story short. That’s the gist of it.”
Cian repositioned himself in his chair, amusement crinkled around his eyes. “Morrigan is clearly an excellent storyteller. Please indulge me in adding a few details.”
He leaned on his elbows as he spoke. “Emrys is with Caireen, the goddess from his home realm who is now a servant to the Creator, in search of the white stones. Morrigan and I forged alliances with the trolls, the seelie, and unseelie Fae. Artaius has forced most of our allies, including the seelie, into a blood oath that doesn’t allow them to battle against him. The unseelie and trolls are the only other allies we have that can fight back against Artaius. The terms of the blood oath won’t force them to fight us, but it won’t allow them to fight against Artaius or his protected allies. He has vampires, werewolves, and witches. And—an ally in hell.”
Nobody’s impartial mask was in place. Not even Conall’s. Cian pushed on. “Morrigan and I had to travel to the hell realm to get the black stones. I shall refrain from all of my heroic antics in this story; otherwise, it would require many days to tell.”
I saw the exasperated looks on the faces in the room, but I had gotten to know Cian. While they were thinking him smug, everyone in the crowded room dropped their shoulders, relaxing a little.
He noticed the tension ease and continued, “There are nine kings of hell. Bael is the most ruthless, most feared, and strongest of them all. He has the largest army and is the closest to the hell gate. He would love to come through and enslave this realm, torturing every creature he comes across.”
“He sounds awful,” Aiden interrupted crisply.
Cian shrugged. “Yes, he is. Purson, Beleth, Asmoday, and Zagan are four kings of hell that have allied themselves together to defeat Bael prior to the hell gate opening. Purson is the true leader of them. He wants to rule this realm as well, to be revered and worshipped. He wants to be the leader of the new gods that they would become once they rid this realm of the old ones. His plans are not to destroy this realm as it is Bael’s.”
“Trading one set of gods for another?” Daur questioned after having finished his bag of candy.
“Yes,” Cian said. “Purson and his merry band of demons want to be the new gods in this realm. Not torture souls or destroy the realm. While Bael wants to unleash hell upon it in every fashion.”
Cian paused to look around the room. If I could hear minds grinding and clicking away processing the information, it would have been a thunderous sound.
He continued, “Purson has an alliance with Artaius, here on our realm.”
Conall’s face reddened, and he hissed out a heated breath.
Cian raised his hands in assurance. “There is a blood oath between Purson and Artaius, that Artaius and his allies; including all of our former allies such as the elves, the seelie fae, vampires, werewolves and witches; will pledge allegiance to Purson, letting him rule. They will fight united against the current gods. They cannot harm Purson or his allies, and they cannot harm one another. Once Purson steps foot in this realm, that blood oath takes effect.”
“So, what you are saying,” Conall began, “Is that Artaius has a blood oath with all of our former allies, including the seelie fae, his army of vampires, and werewolves, a growing number of witches, and a king of hell. And we have us here in this room, the trolls and the unseelie that are the only ones able to raise a finger against the demons when the hell gate opens.”
“Not exactly,” Cian said, waving his hands dismissively. “We have a blood oath with Purson as well,” he finished smiling.
Conall’s face went from red to white in horror. He cut his eyes between Cian and me. I never flinched.
“As I said, we have the four black stones, and Emrys is getting the white ones,” I added, pulling a stray gummy bear left behind in Daur’s beard, plopping it into my mouth.
Cian and Conall both winced, which made me smile.
“Cian, thank you for filling us in,” Conall said, rising from his chair. “I need to speak with Morrigan— alone.”
Everyone filed out. I stayed in my chair but leaned back, kicking my feet up onto the table. Conall walked over next to me, leaning back sitting on the edge of the table.
“What is it you aren’t telling me?” he asked in a tone that was just Conall, not the king. “The only reason I am not livid is because you seem to have a plan.”
He added, “I saw that look pass between you and Cian. He held back part of the story.”
“Yes,” I said with a grin. “There is more to the story. You are going to either be ecstatic over my genius plan or— are going to cut my head off.”
He ran his hand over his face, either chuckling or grumbling. Sometimes, it was hard to tell.
“You are starting to sound like him,” he replied, both brows rising this time.
