Sorceress at War (A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale Book 4) Read online

  SORCERESS AT WAR

  By Lisa Blackwood

  A Gargoyle and Sorceress Tale

  Book 4

  Sorceress at War © 2017 by Lisa Smeaton

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and characters are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any print or electronic form without author’s permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Cover Art Design by Heather Sender

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Prologue

  Behind her, the hamadryad’s bark creaked softly as it slid back into place, closing the fissure from which she’d just emerged. As she took in her new surroundings, she flexed her toes in the soft grass of the Mortal Realm.

  The small glade she found herself in was quiet. The only noise was the soft rustle of her hamadryad’s needles as the tree shifted her branches out of the way. Yet, she was far from alone.

  Other Fae and mortals looked on, silent and full of tension.

  Were they too shocked to speak?

  Well, she supposed, it wasn’t every day that they witnessed a dryad being born into the world.

  She dismissed the other onlookers. Even had they shouted and yelled, or otherwise acted aggressively toward her, she still wouldn’t have paid them much mind, considering them relatively harmless in the rich fabric of the universe.

  Her attention focused on her gargoyle protector.

  He was all that mattered. The one constant in her existence. Presently, he was standing next to her firstborn body, that of a young dryad. Her beloved protector’s expression was understandably startled.

  She’d surprised him.

  A rarity in their long existence together.

  Typically, they thought as one mind. He knew what she was thinking long before she acted. But this plan was one she’d only enacted a day ago.

  Yesterday, when she still thought with the slow, steady determination of a hamadryad tree, it had not occurred to her to give her other half some warning. But then again, perhaps it was for the best. After all, if even the other half of her soul hadn’t guessed her plan, then it made it all the more likely that their enemies would not be expecting this either.

  As she took her first faltering steps, relearning how to move her new body, memories unfolded in her mind. Oh, yes, she’d had a name. Her beloved gargoyle had called her Daryna in her last life.

  She stumbled over a bit of uneven ground and nearly fell. Weakness coursed through her body until she felt as feeble as a newborn foal. That wasn’t a surprise. She’d just been born. Unfortunately, there was more to it than that. The dire situation in the Mortal Realm had required her to act, but the only way to do so was to clone her dryad’s body to house the soul and power of an Avatar. She’d been forced to grow this body to maturity far too swiftly.

  If the inability to manage a graceful walk proved the greatest hardship she had with this body, Daryna would consider herself blessed. Already she knew that her new body wouldn’t live more than a handful of seasons. Less if she was required to do too many great workings of magic. Yet it would serve its purpose. After that, her soul and powers as the Mother’s Avatar would return to her firstborn body and they would become what she’d always been meant to be.

  But first, she had much to accomplish.

  Clearing a throat that had only known breath for a few heartbeats, she forced her lips and tongue to form words and speak.

  “Hello Durnathyne, my hunting shadow.”

  “My Sorceress,” came her beloved’s startled reply as he swept down into an elegant bow.

  He paused only a moment and then straightened. In three long strides, he was at her side, dipping his muzzle down to her face and curling a wing around her shoulders to act as a ward against the night’s chill. Soon his warm, damp tongue slathered across her shoulder, pragmatically cleaning the sticky sap from her body while also showing her a gargoyle’s affection.

  “I have missed you.” He whined so softly that she doubted anyone else heard. Perhaps not even her firstborn body. That young dryad stood unmoving, frozen in shock. When their gargoyle dipped his muzzle down to her neck and lapped gently at her shoulder, Daryna saw a pained expression spike across the other dryad’s face.

  But her firstborn body recovered sooner than Daryna thought she would. Good. Adaptability was something they would all need if any of them were going to survive the coming war with the Lady of Battles.

  “Welcome to the Mortal Realm, Sorceress. I understand it takes some getting used to.”

  She could hear the raw pain behind those words. It slipped the other’s ability to contain and flowed through the soul connection they shared. The young dryad standing across from her thought she’d just been replaced.

  Replaced?

  What an odd thought.

  Daryna shook her head. It was such a strange sensation having two bodies. Three if she counted her hamadryad. At least the hamadryad did not think or sense emotions in the same way the dryad body did. It didn’t feel like a separate personality.

  However, the other, her firstborn body, already had a well-developed personality. Daryna dug through her memories for the dryad’s name. Ah, yes, she was called Lillian. Named after a dead girl by the one she called Gran.

  Frowning, Daryna looked to Gregory. He should have been the one to name her. They always honored each other with a new name at the beginning of each life. That they hadn’t, bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

  At least Lillian had given their beloved a strong name. Gregory of the Livingstone. In her memories there seemed to be something humorous about the name.

  That didn’t matter at the moment. Now Daryna was more concerned about Lillian’s strength of body and mind. She would have many disadvantages to overcome now that her understanding of the universe was limited without her soul and power of the Mother’s Avatar inhabiting her body.

  It all seemed truly strange now that Daryna no longer resided inside the hamadryad.

  Perhaps Lillian wasn’t the only one limited? They would get through this together.

  The Sorceress smiled at Lillian in what she hoped was a reassuring way.

  She would explain the nature of her task later. There was something else that drew all her attention now.

  Allowing her eyes to travel part w
ay down the other dryad’s length, she paused at her mid-rift. There was already the slightest swelling of life curving the dryad’s belly. A tiny miracle. A child between her firstborn body and that of her beloved gargoyle.

  Without a second thought, she called her power to her and examined Lillian to be sure all was well with their little one. At seeing the new life for the first time, her heart beat fast within her chest as excitement rose within Daryna.

  So bright. So beautiful was that new soul flickering before her mage-sight that Daryna grinned. A soft laugh escaped her. It was only a hint of the indescribable happiness she felt at knowing she and Durnathyne would finally be able to love and raise a child begotten of their own blood.

  While Daryna was momentarily lost in her great delight, Lillian took a couple steps away. She half turned and then gestured down one of the green, leafy corridors that formed the maze that surrounded the hamadryad tree.

  “You must be cold. Come with me. I will show you where you can clean up and find a set of clothing.” Another pained expression crossed Lillian’s face. “Mine should fit you well enough.”

  “Yes, I suppose they would.” She looked down at her naked body. As Lillian had noted, it was a twin to hers. Once Daryna washed away the sticky coating of a hamadryad’s afterbirth and clothed her new body, there would be no physical markers to differentiate them. It was likely adding to Lillian’s feelings of disquiet. “I am sorry. I know this must be a shock for you. But once I explain everything, you will understand.”

  Across from her, Lillian arched an eyebrow in doubt and muttered something under her breath that sounded like ‘I doubt that.’

  Durnathyne huffed softly, tilting his ears in Lillian’s direction. He’d heard the words, too, and held out a beseeching hand. When the dryad didn’t come, he tried again. This time he stretched out the wing not sheltering Daryna towards the other dryad.

  Lillian didn’t accept Gregory’s invitation to come closer. Instead, she turned and started away.

  “Oh, man,” a young human male whispered. “Burn. Gregory, you’re totally sleeping on the couch tonight.”

  Daryna narrowed her eyes and focused on the speaker. After sifting through her new memories, she came to understand this one was Lillian’s human brother. He was…unimportant in the grand plan, so she ignored him and focused her attention on the retreating form of her other-self. “Lillian, our beloved Durnathyne still needs you as much as he did before my birth.”

  Lillian halted and then turned back to them. Her lips parted and she inhaled a deep breath. After several heartbeats, she snapped her teeth back together without saying anything. But Daryna caught the other woman’s thoughts.

  Ah, while she’d been hurt by their gargoyle’s earlier affection toward Daryna, that wasn’t why Lillian felt apprehensive. No, the young dryad didn’t trust Daryna. That was evident to see in her stiff body language.

  In time she would learn that there was nothing to fear.

  As her human-raised firstborn body would say, Daryna would move heaven and earth to protect Lillian and Durnathyne.

  “His name’s Gregory now,” Lillian said with an unhappy look.

  Ah. Lillian wasn’t completely unskilled in magic. She’d managed to pick up on Daryna’s thoughts using the soul link they shared.

  Daryna raised several layers of shields between them so that once again her mind was hers alone. Lillian and Gregory weren’t ready to learn all that Daryna had yet to reveal. In time they would, but not yet.

  “You are correct. Our beloved is called Gregory in this life, isn’t he? It will take some adjustment, as it always does when we are first reborn, but I will learn and adapt to this life.” And I will always give comfort and guidance to my other half during the coming days which will be both emotionally trying as well as physically dangerous times.

  And above all else, I will protect my children. Both that tiny, bright soul nestled in my firstborn body’s womb, as well as our full grown son.

  Although, she realized Gryton was likely to be much more temperamental, having been raised by a hate filled demigoddess.

  That was just another one of many injustices Daryna planned to rectify in this life. When she was done, the Battle Goddess would regret ever interfering with the Avatars.

  “This way. Before your teeth start chattering,” Lillian snapped, drawing Daryna from her thoughts.

  When Lillian turned swiftly on her heels and started back down the path, Gregory stiffened. His concern that he had hurt his mate’s feelings washed over Daryna a moment later. It was followed by his inability to leave Daryna when she was still so obviously weak.

  Ah, yes, if she needed to distract her gargoyle protector from her plans, Lillian would be an excellent distraction.

  “It’s all right my love,” Daryna said. “Go to her. She doesn’t understand what’s happened. She thinks I’m her replacement.”

  “But that’s ridiculous.”

  “No. It’s not. She’s young. And your previous behavior didn’t help any either.”

  “I did not mean…” His ears dropped to half-mast, and his muzzle wrinkled as his eyes narrowed unhappily.

  “Yes. I know that, but she doesn’t.”

  “I cannot leave you here in this state.” Even his tail lashed in agitation and indecision. “But I must go to Lillian.”

  “Well, then carry me. But we should hurry. You’re both still wearing those collars. In case you’ve forgotten.”

  With a huffing sound that was the equivalent of gargoyle embarrassment, Gregory scooped her up in his arms and broke into long, ground-eating strides. He quickly caught up to his shorter-legged mate. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Daryna rested her cheek on Gregory’s shoulder, enjoying the warmth and scent of her other half.

  It was nice to hold her beloved close again. She would allow herself to be weak this once. But after tonight she would have to be strong, this life had already proven one of the most difficult. Their enemy had already landed too many blows.

  Daryna would have to enact her plans as soon as possible to counteract some of what the Battle Goddess had already put into motion.

  Gregory might not condone some of her choices, Daryna knew. He might even hate her for a short time.

  But once all was said and done with this life, for either good or ill, she could always ask forgiveness when they were once again one being in the Spirit Realm. Until then, she would do what she must to save them all.

  If Gregory and Lillian saw her choices as a betrayal? Then so be it.

  Chapter One

  Lillian stomped down the gravel path headed back towards the stone cottage. She wasn’t running away. Or leaving in a huff.

  ‘Damnit. Even I don’t believe that’ Lillian thought to herself.

  It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going back to apologize. There was only so many times she could forgive fate for tossing unimaginable horror into her life. She’d already used her quota of forgiveness. She wasn’t going to feel sorry for slighting her replacement. And she’d be damned if she was going to stand there and watch Gregory with his beloved sorceress for one more minute.

  Neither one of them would get to see her cry. Embracing her anger, she stomped back towards the cottage. Somewhere behind, she knew her family and the other Fae followed like some curious parade of bystanders and paparazzi.

  At least there were no camera lenses in this crowd.

  The only ones were the type found in the scopes sitting atop rifles.

  The dark glower of the military was never far. At the moment, she had no desire whatsoever to explain this new…development to the officers or the scientists that had been trailing her earlier in the day.

  The present lack of scientists was likely due to her little brother and his pet human. Later she’d thank Shadowlight and Corporal Mackenzie for distracting them. Gran had also been acting as an intermediary, but Anna and the gargoyle child had made the greatest sacrifice as far as Lillian was concerned.

  Both had
agreed to become the scientists’ pincushions, undergoing a myriad of tests. Willingly. Other Fae would stand guard at all times to ensure that Shadowlight and Anna weren’t harmed in the process.

  Those stipulations were part of the treaty Gran had managed to hammer out with the military. Personally, Lillian thought it might have had more to do with Gran’s persuasive magic, than common sense among the humans. Though, no one would tell the military that.

  For now, there was an uneasy alliance. Lillian had hoped that hammering out the details of the collaboration would be the greatest stress in the immediate days to come. But no. Fate—that vindictive bitch—had other ideas.

  Again tears threatened to come. Lillian rubbed them savagely away while putting a slightly heavier stomp in each step.

  She was nearly back to the stone cottage when Gregory caught up with her. She side-eyed him. Of course, he was carrying his Sorceress in his arms.

  Seeing his easy, natural love for her still twisted like a knife in Lillian’s heart. Swinging her eyes forward again she locked them on her target. The back patio door.

  “Lillian, please.” Gregory’s voice reached across the distance, his tones the familiar velvet darkness she’d come to crave. “I am sorry.”

  Well, I’m damned sorry too. Sorry I wasn’t good enough and had to be replaced.

  She didn’t say it aloud, but by the way his ears wilted back into his mane, she was pretty confident it had shot across their mental link like an arrow from a bow.

  Continuing into the stone cottage, she stalked through the kitchen and on into the Livingroom. Behind her, Gregory continued to follow with his Sorceress held in his arms. After that Lillian kept her gaze focused forward as she made her way up the stairs and then down the short hall to her master bedroom.