Blood and Iron Ch. 12
Keywords: and, 12, Ch., Iron, Blood,
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His blows hit Damien's sword with ear splitting clangs, forcing the bigger man to step backward into the midst of the heavy fighting.
Adrianna's eyes filled with tears for it was then that she spotted him. He came towards her, doffing the heavy helm he wore and throwing it to the ground. His hair spilled around his wide shoulders, his eyes lit upon her half naked form and a sneer of anger curled his lip. But when he looked into her eyes, she could see the love there, the caring as he asked with his eyes if she was okay.
She nodded as well as she could with the dagger at her throat, but her heart was heavy. If Damien didn't get her soon, her love would die in flames of agony as soon as the sun's rays touched him.
"Magda, let her go. It is me that you have a problem with."
"Let her go and then what will you do, Kaden, slay me with that sword of yours? You know what happens if I die. You will never leave your mirrored prison and see the face of the sun again."
Adrianna turned her head slightly, staring at the witch's face. There had been a note in her voice, a strange sound as she spoke. Was it fear?
"Then there isn't much I can do to you, so let her go. It's me you want, Magda. It's my fault that you were made into a crone for those two long years, kept away from your powers, forced to serve Damien. My fault and no other." He stepped even closer letting his sword tip drop toward the ground. "Wouldn't you rather point that dagger at me, Magda?"
"Yes!" she sneered. "It should be you beneath this blade. I gave you a chance for untold pleasure, for bliss at my hands. If you had succumbed as you were supposed to then I would be Mistress of Daring Castle and you could have served me for those two years."
"So release her and let me serve you now."
Adrianna's heart was racing, over his head she could see the clouds growing lighter, shots of red and orange streaking the clouds that filled the sky. "Kaden, the sun is rising," she whispered.
He looked at her, then. And she knew what he had planned.
"No, please Kaden, go back to the castle, go to the mirror. Be safe, please. Live." Her heart was in her throat and tears were in her eyes as she felt as if she'd be sick.
"Oh, listen to her pleas, Kaden. Isn't she so sweet?" She grabbed Adrianna's chin in her hand twisting it until she could look into her eyes. "Perhaps I should just let you watch him fuck me instead of the other way around. It would be much more pleasurable for me to watch him forget you."
"Reverse the curse, Magda. I tire of the mirror and the sameness of it all. I would serve you and gladly. You have but to reverse the curse."
Magda pushed Adrianna to one side. She fell heavily, hitting her head hard on one of the poles that supported the roof of the hut, falling to the ground, dazed. Above her, she could feel heat and the first rays of the sun touched the land around her. Shaking her head, she turned to look at where Magda and Kaden stood, still shadowed by the trees.
Magda raised her arms and Adrianna watched as Kaden knelt as if every muscle in his body gave away at one time, leaving him limp. His sword held loosely in his hand, he tipped back his head, staring up at the woman who held her hands above his head. Then she dropped them, laughing as he stared up at her in disbelief.
"Why should I release the curse, Kaden? I hate you and the others of that castle with every fiber of my being. I wish to see you burn." She stepped back as the first ray of sunlight shone down upon him.
For an instant it seemed that everything had stopped, from the ringing of the swords to the hum of the early morning insects, all noise ceased, all movements halted. Kaden was spotlighted in the single ray of sunlight, held motionless, his hair shining with blue black light, his armor gleaming.
And then he was on the ground, his skin slowly blistering and then blackening, smoke rising from his flesh as he writhed in agonizing pain.
"NO!" Adrianna screamed running to her mate and dropping to her knees beside him.
Damien turned from his battle with Bryant, seeing the sun hit Kaden and send him to the ground in a writhing mass. "Kaden!" he shouted, turning back to Bryant and deflecting the blow that would have caused his head to part company with his body. With a swift move, he turned, spinning a full circle, his blade sinking deeply into Bryant's chest. Yanking it free, he didn't bother to watch the man fall, instead, turning to run to his friend.
Magda screamed with laughter as she watched Kaden writhe in the dirt, his body smoking and burning. "To think you'd believe I'd want you," she laughed. "Die," she screeched.
Adrianna stared up at the witch, her eyes filled with pain and hate. She took Kaden's sword from where he'd dropped it, picking it up with both hands. And then she plunged it into the witch's chest.
Magda screamed in pain and shock, her mouth growing unbelievably wide, then she fell to the ground, the sword sticking obscenely out of her slender body.
Adrianna didn't wait but went running back to Kaden who lay upon the ground, his body smoldering but no longer burning. She knelt beside him, afraid to touch him, his skin covered with huge blisters.
"I...I'm sorry," he whispered through cracked lips. "I thought I could change the curse."
"No, Kaden," Adrianna said gently. "Don't be sorry love, we'll take you to Raven, she can cure you just like she did me."
"There's no time." He coughed and blood blossomed upon his lips, staining them red. "At least I saved you. I love you, Adrianna." He closed his eyes, and though his chest rose and fell, he didn't speak again.
Her cry of pain and rage filled the encampment. What men still fought, stopped, there eyes taking in the fallen lord with his lady next to him, her sobs shaking her body, her heart breaking with every agonizing second she still breathed without him. She'd found love, held its fragile life in her hands and had it snuffed out before even really being given a chance to live.
Damien stared down at the small woman next to his friend and felt his heart breaking too. Kaden was dying, there was nothing that anyone on this planet could do to save him. Even Raven, with her impressive gift would be unable to repair the damage done by the sun's rays. With a heavy sigh, he made his decision, dropping to his knees beside them. As he watched, Kaden's body seemed to shimmer with light and glow, and then it suddenly disappeared.
Adrianna stared at the spot his body had been just seconds ago then stared up into Damien's sorrowful face. Tears flooded her eyes but she held them back by force of will she hadn't known she had. "He is gone?" she asked quietly.
Damien nodded.
~*~
"****Okay, okay, don't hurt me. You know I'm a sucker for a happy ending, so don't give up on me yet. I'm writing as fast as I can. Take care, Danielle."
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Keywords: and, 12, Ch., Iron, Blood,