Shattered Kingdoms | Book 2 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 12 - Cousins and Cellmates

"The girl has his blood?!" Leyon exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Shut your mouth before you swallow a Beezelbug!" Zaiela said dryly. Leyon shut his mouth with an audible clop. A Beezelbug was a huge beetle with three pairs of wings and twelve legs. They had the worst taste and smell, like apples left to rot for months then set in a stuffy room with no windows.

"So Garyth's blood lives on..." King Kashius mused, "And how did you come to know of this, Rowan?"

"I- I looked into the bloodlines of her mother after I married her. Aylusa is the daughter of Elena, who was the daughter of Garyth. My daughter... my daughter is the great granddaughter of Garyth."

"And you still married Aylusa?" Adrian exclaimed, "You're mad!"

Lord Rowan looked at him gravely, "More or less mad than trying to defeat him?"

Lasair spoke up, wincing when Kylian dug his boot heel into Lasair's foot, "Definitely less! But what's this about Garyth? He should have died at least a century ago."

"Sorry to shoot you down, boy, but Garyth is very much alive. In fact, he wants to kill everyone on Dargon," Rowan said.

"That's not possible," whispered Leyon, "It defies all logic! How?"

"He has allied with the Queen of Darkness. She prolongs his life. He also works Dark Magic, so who knows what he has done with it?" Lord Rowan sighed.

"We have to tell the Guardians. How does the portal work?" King Kashius broke the tense silence.

"It has... been charged... with... the pow-power... of... Anhua," Lord Rowan gasped, the curse sparking pain everywhere, choking the air from his lungs.

"Rowan!" King Kashius said, concerned.

Lord Rowan waved him off, "No. I'm fine. This is the price for disobedience. Reyneld was merciless when it came to secrets. About the portal," He said, grimacing in pain at the mention of the cursed word, "It will bring... you to Anhua... when you enter... it. Reyneld... knew more of it... than what... h-he imparted... to me. Go through, your majesty. You will enter the... Portal in the... receiving hall... in Esover. There is... one there, in Adwark, Sae-vuer, Warmen... and of course, here," Lord Rowan breathed raggedly.

"Thank you, Rowan. We will assist your daughter if we find her," King Kashius said soothingly.

Lord Rowan nodded gratefully.

"Alright, let us enter the portal!" King Kashius roared, his bearded face set in a ferocious grin. He stepped into the shallow water, wading to the portal. His children and Lasair and Kylian followed. Lord Rowan remained, catching his breath.

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A flash of light was all that alerted anyone that the portal in Esover was in use. The King and his companions spilled out of the portal and into Anhua. Lasair stumbled and stepped on Kylian's foot - payback for earlier. Kylian smashed his nose into Adrian as his head was jerked forward. He stumbled back dazed, his hand covering his nose. It came away bloody. The rest of the men, seasoned warriors, had no such difficulties. Zaiela and Elvina held tight to each other and to Leyon's cape. Before they could blink the blight out of their eyes, a shadowy figure descended.

A sharp pain and then nothing but darkness.

<--<< >>-->

Leyon was first to come to. A sour taste in his mouth and a throbbing pain in his head told him enough about what happened, not to mention the bonds around his wrists. He tried in vain to remember who had done this to him, but came up blank.