The God King by James A. West

Author:James A. West
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Speculative Fiction, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 1484122275
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2011-11-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Despite Kian’s advice, Ellonlef stayed where she was, nibbling a date, watching his shadowed figure merge with the rest of the canyon’s darkness until he was lost from sight. She

had never met any man quite like him, and she found him oddly compelling. There was no bluster to him, at least once she had realized that his commanding presence was simply an innate and necessary quality—he was a warrior, a wielder of steel and death. The coldness she had thought was in his heart after the incident with the dying Asra a’Shah, she concluded, was more a result of his role as a leader of a mercenary company. And now, having been in his presence for many days, she sensed in him a deep and often burdensome understanding of life and death that most people would never have or want.

Ellonlef bit into another date and winced at a bit of sand grinding between her teeth. She spat it out and stood, searching the night for a last glimpse of Kian. On my life, I will protect you. The words came to her, not for the first time, as if on a breeze. Could she truly trust his vow, and more, should she burden him with a vow obviously spoken in distress?

A scratching sound, followed by a fall of pebbles, froze her. In the direction of the ruins a man shouted, then another screamed. Ellonlef bared her dagger without thought, the collected dates held in her robes once again thumping to the sandy soil. Something rustled across the dry streambed, but she turned too late. A shape loomed out of the night, quickly closing the distance.

“Attackers!” she cried.

The figure halted before her and fear twisted her insides. The shape was that of a man, but its eyes glimmered with the hue of faded silver. The figure advanced, pressing her back, seemingly taking delight in her fear. It had been Azuri and Hazad who had spoken of the mahk’lar at the beck and call of Lord Marshal Bresado, those with silver eyes.

I face a demon clad in the skin of a man, she thought, mind racing. Kian’s companions had said their weapons were nearly useless against such creatures. At the same instant, she understood that Varis had not raised the dead of Krevar at all, but rather infused once human flesh with the spirits of demons. Does he know that is what he has done? She was certain he did not.

Without warning the mahk’lar darted at her, a blur of motion against the black backdrop of night. Ellonlef staggered, dagger raised. The ring of a sword slamming into her small blade was loud, and the blow rippled through her every muscle, but she kept hold of the weapon. She twisted to one side as the demon’s blade shrieked down the length of hers, and she narrowly missed having her arm hacked off. Wheeling, staying close to her assailant’s sword arm, she forced the creature to turn with her.

“The Life Giver wants you,” the figure said in a voice that rattled.

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