Cloak of Darkness (The Destroyer-Blessed Saga Book 1) Read online

  “Do n-not touch… me, you… you witch! I don’t… don’t care if… if y-you can… if you can g-give… me a damn… n-new leg. D-do… do not lay o-one… one of y-your s-savage… fingers o-on m-me.” The guard panted at the effort from his bout of anger, but Red did not move to help as she took in his dying figure.

  “At least let me take away your pain,” Red begged. She popped off the cork from the potion bottle, emptying some of the contents so that she would only numb the horrible pain that was surely coursing through the man’s entire body. “I did not mean for any of you to die tonight. I can’t just leave you to die like this. Please, let me help you.”

  “A-and let… that t-take away… a-away your guilt… f-for destroying t-the… the lives… of h-half… half a dozen d-decent men?” the guard gaped as he failed to move his body even another inch. “You d-don’t… don’t deserve… t-to forget what… y-you did to these… m-men,” the guard coughed, his breathing growing more ragged the longer he struggled to remain conscious, blood slipping down the side of his mouth. “I… I h-hope your… your d-death is as… as painful a-as this… w-when… when they f-finally catch you.”

  Red took the insult with a smile, constructing it into the hateful mask of a killer who did not care what happened in the world around her. “Sorry to let you down, but I’m not going to be caught anytime in the near or distant future. It’s a shame that your dying wishes won’t come true.”

  The guard spat in Red’s face again, the rust tinted saliva running down her cheek as his eyes began to cloud over. The panic in the young guard’s face made Red cringe, her eyes closing as his breathing became quieter and heavier. She placed her left hand on the guard’s chest, his heartbeat stuttering at the sudden touch, but he had no energy left to move.

  When the sun began to peak over the horizon, Red felt the man sigh his last breath—the Destroyer pulling him into an endless sleep.

  “Blessed Maker,” Red whispered as she closed the eyes of the dead guard, “bring this man into your ever-loving arms.”

  Red swiped her fingers through the pool of blood surrounding the guard’s mangled body.

  “Take his soul and let it flow across the winds of this continent until it reaches your hand.”

  She stood at the sound of shouts from the citizens awakening in nearby homes.

  “Place his energy in the safety of your womb so that there might be a child born with his bravery and spirit. Let him feel no pain” Red’s fingers brushed against the red brick from a nearby building, the stone scraping against her sticky skin—“as you welcome him into your kingdom of light and warmth.”

  The same solemn words poured from Red’s lips as she walked away from the crime scene. Red repeated that prayer for each guard that she had felled, the six destroyed corpses never knowing that their final prayers had been sent to the Maker.

  In an instant, Red’s cloak was turned inside out. Dirty black covered the bloodied crimson, the dark fabric hiding any traces of the woman she had been just minutes ago.

  Blood from the ‘R’ that Red had left behind trickled down the cool bricks—the mark the only mention that Red had even been involved in the chaos of the night.

  The blood and gore would be erased from the streets before the sun had fully risen, but nothing could erase the events from Red’s mind. And the whispers that Red Riding Hood, Cathal’s mysterious killer, had been near, would be the only news in that sector for weeks.

  Red did not need to look back to know that the gathering crowd would be too enamored with that mark to bother sending more men to search for her while they still had the chance of catching her.

  If only they knew that it was just meant to mark the guilt that Red so desperately wanted to leave behind.

  ~~~

  For a woman of fifty-five years, Queen Snow White paced the marble floor of her private office with an ease that could only come from being a queen for many decades. Her elegant, royal blue gown with ruby embroidery swished around her delicate frame as she walked. Her pale face was a stark contrast to her silver-streaked ebony hair. Her hazel eyes focused as she listened to the detailed report of the deaths of six city guards from the breathless morning patrolman.

  Unfortunately, these deaths were not at the top of her list of worries. The war was still nowhere near its final months, even after eight years of fighting. The numbers in Airaldan’s Royal Dwarf Army were starting to dwindle. And Cathal’s people were growing more and more restless as they were subjected to a continuous string of death and destruction.

  Every day there was a new task for Snow White to complete. A new problem to solve. Another family to notify that their beloved child had died in the never-ending battle for peace.

  Each day, Queen Snow White saw her life heading toward its end. The thread of her life magic pulled taut between the Maker’s and Destroyer’s hands.

  Every being that lived in Cathal waited for their own death every day, but the queen refused to give her life back to the Maker until the war was over. She would not give in to the powers of the Destroyer until she knew that her son would be ruling over peaceful lands.

  With a shake of her head, the queen returned her attention to the rest of the report before asking the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to. “Have you learned anything about who this killer actually is? This marking is the same as Red Riding Hood’s, correct?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. Our sniper reported seeing a red cloak on the criminal the deceased guards were chasing throughout the streets last night. He also mentioned that the figure was short but that was all he managed to gather before he was knocked out with a sleeping potion.

  “From the height description, we assume that Red Riding Hood might be an elf or a rogue dwarf. Someone who most likely wants to get revenge on the seven kingdoms for sending a loved one into battle,” replied the patrolman.

  At the mention of a dwarf going against their queen, the room fell into a deep silence. Every guard, servant, and councilwoman held their breath as they waited for their queen to reply.

  “That is impossible,” Queen Snow White plainly stated, her hands waving around as if she were swatting the idea out of the air.

  She moved to stand behind her desk, hoping that the solid wood would be enough to block the idea from entering her mind. “Every dwarf in Airaldan is loyal to my crown. This very kingdom was built by and for them. They have never disobeyed any of my commands before, so why would they decide to do so now?”

  “I fully agree with you, Your Majesty, but I have heard from some soldiers on leave that the dwarves have grown restless in the war camps. They say that the dwarves are not taking orders as willingly as they were before,” countered the patrolman with an urgent and suggestive tone in his voice.

  The queen’s face turned to white stone as she beheld the man before her. She too had heard the rumors, but they were just that, rumors. War was something that took a toll on everyone involved and the dwarves had been complaining for years. They would get over their grumblings soon enough.

  “That is enough jabber from you, boy,” declared the leader of Airaldan’s Royal Dwarf Army, General Helio. He still managed to look down on the messenger even as he looked up at the man. “This menace has struck across all of Cathal. And your description could be talking about anybody. If he was a dwarf, we would have known by now. You have no power and no sway in this office. I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself unless your queen asks for your opinion.” General Helio scrutinized the trembling messenger.

  The general’s stare alone could send even the bravest of men running. But standing in his battle beaten armor, his deadly sword strapped to his side, he looked like the Destroyer’s sidekick. The messenger’s face said as much as he beheld the general with enough fear to last an immortal lifetime.

  “M-m-my deepest ap-apologies, General.”

  “Maybe I should take you with me on my next trip to the front lines; then you might appreciate what those soldiers sacrifice in ord
er for you to keep your sorry ass comfortable in this palace,” Helio shot back at the poor man, giving one more killer glare before turning back to face his queen.

  “General Helio, there is no need to scare the poor man any more than you already have,” exclaimed the queen with a small smile that she was unable to hide. “You are all dismissed except for the general.”

  The royal council bowed deeply to their queen, the rest of the room following suit before they scurried from her office. The patrolman made it to the door first and flew out into the hall lest General Helio demand that he pack his bags and head to the front lines on the edge of Craelon and Britton.

  “Do you have any reports from the camps that required you to personally seek me out?” Queen Snow questioned as the office doors slammed shut behind the last servant.

  “My messengers have not been returning to me, so I came to tell you in person that we need more weapons and supplies. That lad was stupid to think that my soldiers were not following their orders, but they are getting hungry, and they are not satisfied with the garbage those cooks call food,” Helio stated harshly. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, but the queen was not frightened by his threatening stance and hard glare.

  “Soldiers not liking their rations are the least of my problems, General. I do not understand why you even bothered to come all the way to Peragon to tell me that news. As for the weapons, four shipments will be sent back to the camps with you upon your return.”

  “If we’re the least of your worries, then you must have already forgotten about Red Riding Hood.”

  Snow White gave her general a withering stare. Her gaze turned toward the rest of the papers on her desk, but she could not manage to focus on any of the words set before her.

  “I think it is right to say that this Red Riding Hood is at the top of my concerns, Helio,” the queen stated softly. She pushed the documents aside, her slim fingers coming up to rub her aching temples.

  Airaldan’s general scratched at his braided beard almost thoughtfully. “What are you going to do about him then?”

  “What do you suggest I do?”

  “Oh no,” Helio shot back with a heartless laugh. “I’m not helping you with this decision.”

  “And I thought you actually cared for the well-being of this kingdom for a moment there,” Snow White laughed as she sat in her simple oak chair.

  “I do care, just not enough to tell you what I think you should do,” Helio shot back as he leaned against the faded green wall. “It’s your kingdom after all.”

  “No worries, you old grump. I will be sending search parties in the areas surrounding the crime scene. A warrant will be sent out for this Red Riding Hood within the hour.”

  The queen looked to her general, her eyes sad as she looked at the scars that lined his face, no doubt matching many more on the rest of his body.

  She turned away from his hard stare in return, hating the worry that lined her trusted friend’s face. “You are needed back at the war camps. I don’t want to keep you.”

  “And you are needed in the courtroom, but that doesn’t mean you’ll go there right away,” General Helio retorted as he pushed himself off the wall and moved to stand before Snow White’s chair. He ignored all proper etiquette as he reached out to tenderly take his queen’s hands.

  Queen Snow White let the weight of her arms fall into General Helio’s strong grasp. Her husband had died within the early years of the war, and she missed his comforting touch every day the war continued to rage on.

  “Sampson is not a helpless twit, you know. He’s more observant than you think, even in those pointless council meetings,” General Helio commented as he looked into his queen’s dark eyes. “You should pass on some of your work to him.”

  His hands tightened around his queen’s fingers even as she tried to move away from his touch. “He will see war one way or another,” General Helio whispered. “You are dooming him if he doesn’t learn.”

  “You are my general, not one of my advisers,” the queen stated, looking away from one of her most trusted friends. “I have no need for you to tell me what to do when you are the one that takes orders from me. Know your place.”

  The general abruptly stepped away from his queen, the warmth from his hands immediately swept away. General Helio shuffled backwards, his head bowed as he stood behind his queen’s desk.

  “I vowed from the very start of this war that my son would not be involved,” the queen continued. She shifted in her chair, but she did not let the general know that she was ashamed of her own behavior.

  “I am not planning on dying anytime soon, so there is no need for Sampson to learn the horrors of the world now.”

  Queen Snow White rose from her chair with cold poise to look out the windows lining her office wall. Her hands still shook, but the queen held her fear at bay as she looked out into the city below.

  “For eight years I have made decision after decision to get Airaldan through this war. I have not given up hope that the war’s end is near. And I will continue to lead until it becomes a distant thought in Cathal’s past.”

  Snow White turned back toward her general, his eyes intently watching her as she focused her gaze on him. “I am not the naive girl who stumbled across your cottage in the woods all those years ago,” the queen sighed. “I did my best to keep the peace. And when peace failed, I worked to protect our people. This war has taken its toll on every being in Cathal, but I refuse to let it tear my son apart before he even has the chance to rule Airaldan’s people in peace.”

  General Helio shuffled across the office to stand next to his queen again. He glared down at the waking capital, his arms crossing with a huff.

  “He can’t go in blind, Snow,” the general bit out quietly, his teeth grinding together to keep his temper from boiling over. “He needs to learn how shitty this world is before you throw him to the lions.”

  “And how do you suppose I teach him?”

  The general eyed Queen Snow White as she turned back to watch her people in the city streets below. He shrugged his shoulders, his armor rattling with the movement.

  “The morning meetings are a start. Keep him from getting too lazy when he isn’t training with the guards. Have him ponder over your Red Riding Hood problem while you worry about everything else.”

  “What is there to ponder?” Snow White questioned. “He’s probably just some thug looking to steal some jewels before moving onto the next kingdom.”

  “He’s a rule breaker.”

  “Last time I checked, so were you.”

  “I’m a rule bender,” General Helio defended. “There’s a difference.”

  The queen’s lips turned up into the ghost of a smile, but her lips froze as she looked back at her concerned general. “Clearly I am missing something here.”

  “Rule breakers are dangerous in times of war,” the general grumbled. “They start small, stealing and other petty crimes. Feeling out how guards react in certain places, testing the waters. That leads to organized burglaries and big-time thefts. Once enough people are involved, that turns into the inner makings of a rebellion.”

  “You think Airaldan is going to rebel?” Queen Snow White asked despite knowing what his answer might be.

  “The dwarves would never rebel,” the general cut in sharply. “But I cannot say the same for the rest of our people.”

  “I have received rumors of small rebel bands recruiting soldiers from Perancis’s army,” the queen stated quietly. She turned away from the window, refusing to let herself imagine her streets falling into chaos. “Rebellion is not an option. It would tear Airaldan apart.”

  “Take care of Red Riding Hood then. I’d hate to see everything that you have worked to protect fall apart because of one miscreant.”

  The queen watched as her general stepped away from the windows, his dark eyes worried. Snow White prayed to the Maker that she would see the time when her old friend was once again only angry at the simple pleasures that l
ife had to offer.

  “When will you be back?” she inquired sadly.

  “The front lines won’t need me for very long,” the general stated, puffing out his chest with pride as he walked toward the office’s great oak doors. “They just need to be reminded of who they work for.”

  “Don’t be too harsh on them, old friend,” Queen Snow White cautioned. “I would hate for you to scare our best warriors away.”

  “They’ll get what they deserve,” General Helio said with a nod. His frown softened as he looked back toward his queen. “Fair wishes, Your Majesty. And may the Maker bless you.”

  Snow White gazed at her general with love and compassion, but her fear was clear through the shine that still lingered in her eyes. “Thank you, Helio. May the Maker bless you as well.”

  With a small bow, General Helio opened the large doors and headed back to his part in the war.

  A single tear made its way past Queen Snow White’s lashes, her hands fumbling to catch the drop of water before its appearance brought on a river.

  “Pull yourself together, Snow. Helio is right. And the last thing Airaldan needs is for their queen to fall apart from the stress of this cursed war. Rebellion is not an option. Falling apart is not an option.”

  Snow White pulled her shoulders back, her spine straightening out. She brushed imaginary wrinkles out of her skirts, the tedious task calming her nerves.

  “You are Airaldan’s queen,” she stated proudly. “You serve and protect your people through the good and bad. No one is as powerful as you. And no one will stand in your way.”

  Snow White looked down on her city—at the people below—and her decision was made.

  The war was going to rage on, tearing towns and cities and kingdoms apart. But Snow White vowed to herself and her people that they would get through each battle as long as they remained united.

  “Rebellion is not an option,” the queen repeated to herself as she rang for her personal guard. “Rebellion is not an option.”

  “Your Majesty,” the head guard saluted, his fellow guards falling into unison upon their entrance.