Warrior's Soul (Book 3 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 53

"Put this on her."

Callused fingers pulled at her clothes. The cold hit her bare skin, prodding her brain awake. Her eyelids refused to open, her fingertips tingling, but not moving.

"Stop staring and get to it!"

She recognised the Leader's changed voice, then something silky and flowing was draped over her.

"Perfect," he said somewhere close by.

How much time had passed? Where was she? As her mind began to function Leyla realised that she was completely paralysed. Panic clogged her throat, but she pushed it away forcefully. Calm. Keep Calm.

She listened for the noises around her; there were at least two others with the Leader and the hum of the crowds below filled the damp air. It seemed like they were still in the same place as before, at the top of the cave.

"My son is truly a fool," the Leader's hot breath was suddenly beside her ear. "Did he give you this vial and tell you to leave?" He ran the object which she had been keeping hidden in her boot across her cheek and down the deep cleavage of the dress, making Leyla's stomach turn. She wanted to lash out, to swing her arm and punch him hard enough to knock him out, but her body was not listening.

"Pity." The vial lifted from her skin, then she heard him take a sharp breath before his tongue slid across her cold neck. "I should have made you mine from the start."

No! Her heart pounded as she struggled to move, but she couldn't even get her eyelids to flutter. Helplessness fuelled the panic she was keeping at bay. Calm! Calm! She had to stay calm. Had to focus. The paralysis wouldn't last. She would be able to move sooner or later and then...then the bastard would die.

"My Lord Shik!" A panicked voice burst into her haze of fury. "There's trouble."

The Leader drew back, "What is it?"

"Soldiers in white uniforms have appeared! They are fighting with our men outside!"

Raphael, Leyla thought and her chest felt lighter in an instant.

"How in Gaia did he find this place?" The Leader growled, then his footsteps moved further away. "How many of them?"

"Twenty, maybe thirty..." the man replied then hesitated before continuing. "We have double the guards, but our men are falling quickly..."

"INCOMPETENCE!" The word echoed in the cave and Leyla could imagine the fury on the Leader's face. "Fools! I am surrounded by incompetent fools!"

"Forgive me, Lord Shik!" There was fear in the minion's voice.

"Forgive? Did I not tell you, I am not a forgiving god?" The Leader spoke softly.

"L-l-lord Shik, I -"

"SILENCE!"

Leyla heard the Bone Eater scramble at the sudden fury in the Leader's voice.

"Give the signal. I want every Bone Eater in the three caves on the field. Let them see my power before they die. Kill them all."

"Yes, my Lord!"

A sinking feeling settled into Leyla's belly as two sets of footsteps rushed away. Kill them all. Did he just give the order to kill Raphael? His own son? And what did he mean three caves? How many of these bastards were already here?!

"This is your fault," the Leader spoke into the silence. Then he was bending over her, his hands covering her nose and mouth, cutting off her breath. "I trained that boy for years to do my bidding and you -" he pressed down harder against her face, his hands cold and clammy: "You. Ruined. It. All!"

Every cell in Leyla's body screamed for her to move, to struggle; she was running out of air! But it was no use. The effect of the pill was still too strong. She couldn't fight him! Tears of frustration stung beneath her heavy eyelids.

"Ah, no, no, no. This will not do." The Leader released the pressure, lifting his hands from her face. Leyla took in air as slowly as she could, her lungs burning. "You do not deserve an easy death." His fingers ran over her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear gently. "Once you wake, I will torture you slowly. I will make you feel such pain, that you will beg for death. And when I'm satisfied with your suffering, only then will I slit your throat and offer you blood to my men!"

As his footsteps receded, Leyla found herself alone. The moist darkness around her descended, pushing against her chest along with despair.

Raphael.

Leyla strained to move her fingers, her legs, but to no avail. She lay, useless on some cave floor, while Bone Eaters in the droves were on their way to attack Raphael and the Light Soldiers with him. No matter how good a fighter, no matter how superior their tactics, twenty against hundreds stood no chance!

Leyla took a slow breath. She had to pull herself together. She had to move. To get out of there. To help! Focusing all their attention on her cold fingers, she called for the Heat.

Nothing happened.

Taking another breath, she tried again, willing her fingers to move. Move damn it!

A sudden scampering sound filled the room, followed by distant footsteps. Who? Before Leyla could count the number of approachers a warm, rough tongue moved across her cheek and the scent of feline filled her nostrils. Athiri!?

Hope filled her as the big creature nuzzled her neck with his wet nose.

"Athiri, move back!" Someone hissed. Then Athiri's fur was no longer on her and two hands grabbed at her shoulders. "Protector! Wake up!"

Leyla recognised Tai's voice and tried once again to open her eyes with no success.

"I can't feel a pulse!" The boy's voice was teary. "Is she dead? She can't be dead!"

"Make space," the Sage's calm voice came to her next and urgency filled her once more. Hurry, Gabriel! Please!

His fingers were on her wrist, then he was pushing at vital points just above her collar bone and the back of her neck. "Give me green paste, and the red pill. Hurry!"

It was as if a door had been unlocked in her head. Suddenly her eyes opened and Leyla found herself watching as Tai rummaged through a small bag, while Gabriel held out his hand impatiently. Athiri, who was sitting behind them, jumped up at the sight of her gaze, whining as he pushed his head into her stomach.

"Athiri stop!" Tai frowned, handing the medicine to the Sage.

Leyla tried hard to speak, but no words would come out as Gabriel reached for her face and pushed first a pill, then some green mush into her mouth.

"Protector! You are awake!" Tai gasped.

As the medicine slid down her throat and the green paste began to disintegrate, Leyla could feel her muscles starting to wake.

"W-we...we need to go!"