Deceptions fall, p.1
Deception's Fall, page 1
part #6 of Call of the Elements Series
Deception’s Fall
Book 6
Call of the Elements Series
Copyright © 2020 by Yvette Bostic
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
More books by Yvette Bostic
Acknowledgement
I’d like to start by saying, while there are some references to places and events, any similarities to specific people are purely coincidental.
I hope you enjoyed the beginning of the Call of the Elements Series by reading Magister’s Bane, Vampire’s Crucible, Elemental’s Domain, Fae’s Enlightenment, and Alisandra’s Kairos first. Don’t start with Deception’s Fall, or you’ll be truly disappointed.
I had a blast writing this series and allowing the characters to run wild with their own stories. I hope you enjoy reading it just as much.
I want to say thank you to the people who’ve helped me throughout this process. My husband has been my encouragement, as well as the perfect sounding board and first-draft proof reader. I could not have done it without his positive attitude and patience. Thank you to my wonderful editor, Hannah at Between the Lines Editorial (www.btleditorial.com). She is an extremely talented young woman who’s also a joy to work with.
And thank you to Aleksandra Klepacka (https://www.facebook.com/AlissandraArt/), the very gifted young artist who created my cover art. Thank you to my very gracious beta readers. Your comments and opinions about the characters, events and time lines make all the difference!
And last but not least, thank you to my readers! You’re the reason I continue to write.
The Light in the Darkness Series:
Light’s Dawn: A Novella https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C1WNLJ8
Light’s Rise-Book 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0762Q52DP
Light’s Eyes-Book 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079GHC3CD
Light’s Fall-Book 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CV5QQMY
Sentinel’s Rise https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PRXM123
Watcher’s Reckoning https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S8YLRQL
Prologue
Braden looked out across the half-built estate and frowned. With the new barrier in place, human construction workers could not enter. Which meant vampires were doing the rest of the work. Fortunately, some of them actually had the skills. Unfortunately, tension was at an all-time high between the different vampire clans forced into the same space for the last three weeks.
Vampires didn’t play nice together. With Sabina putting a target on their backs, the games became deadly.
Braden heard Gordon’s approach before he entered the room. The man’s tentative steps added another layer of annoyance Braden had no patience for.
“What is it, Gordon?” he snapped, not moving from his place at the window.
“I just got off the phone with the witch’s Seer,” he replied. “Her sight is the same as mine. She informed me that all the others are the same.”
Braden slowly turned to his second-in-command, the man he’d always trusted with every one of his plans.
“You are all blind?”
Gordon nodded. Braden sneered at the apprehension rolling around the room. Now was not the time for fear.
“What else?”
“Another of our groups disappeared last night,” Gordon said, shifting uneasily. “I tracked their phones, as always, but they vanished as well.”
Braden’s tightly controlled anger started to spiral. Just as it had several times in the last few weeks, something he’d never struggled against. Until that tiny mage entered his life. He should’ve steered clear of her, but he’d listened to his Seer, the man standing in front of him sweating fear.
“The fae have finally won,” Braden growled. “I never should’ve listened to the little bitch and her new friends. We are prisoners within these walls.”
Braden watched the subtle change of expression on his most trusted vampire’s face. Gordon would defend Alisandra, but why?
“I don’t know what to believe, Braden.” Gordon hesitated but only for a second. “If the fae are broken like you said they are, it’s possible Ronquil’s group is sincere in their efforts to help. He did save you from Yutaka’s ambush.”
Braden’s open-handed slap echoed on the bare walls. Gordon took it like the loyal soldier he was, igniting even more of the elder’s anger.
“The fae did not save me. Alisandra did,” he growled. “I hate not knowing why. What payment will she demand for my life? Will she claim it when I’m at my weakest? That’s exactly what I would do. Wait for the enemy to be on his knees, then exploit him.”
Braden turned his back on Gordon, watching the workers outside but not really seeing them. He only saw blue eyes set in a round face with a pointed nose and thin lips. The mage’s actions made no sense. Neither did her reaction to him the last time he’d seen her over three weeks ago. She’d looked at him with expectations, like he should show her appreciation or friendship. He couldn’t figure out why she cried when he didn’t give her the emotions she so clearly wanted. He didn’t care about her feelings.
“Can I speak freely?” Gordon asked, still standing behind him.
“Only if you can give me answers.” Braden didn’t need opinions and guesses. He needed information. He was desperate for a way to save his people, but his fractured mind was driving him to insanity.
“I believe she loved you, or at least thought she did.” Despite his closeness, Gordon’s voice was barely audible.
“Why the bloody hell would she think that?” the elder retorted, barely forcing himself not to turn around and beat his most trusted soldier to death. “She’s not stupid. She knows vampires do not love.”
“Does anyone understand the heart of a woman?” Gordon asked.
Braden snorted then immediately growled. The unpleasant noise was something Alisandra did frequently in their short time together. Rather than fear him like everyone else, she sneered at his superiority. And he let her. Why?
Movement from outside caught his attention. Six vampires raced across the compound, heading straight for the center building where he stood. They only slowed when they reached the door to Braden’s office. All six dropped to their knees in the hallway, and Braden could almost taste their fear in the air.
“Master Braden, they’re coming,” the lanky man in front stuttered. “They took half of our group before we knew they were there. We ran, but they followed.”
“And you led them here,” Braden said, somehow keeping his voice calm. He wanted to tear out their hearts and feed them to the fae these idiots brought to his doorstep.
“We didn’t know where else to go.” The man dropped his forehead to the floor. “Will the shield protect us from them, Master?”
“I guess we’ll find out,” Braden snapped.
“You should see this,” Gordon said.
As Braden turned back to the window, his eyes widened. Dark swirling shadows crawled over the invisible dome protecting his estate, blocking out the rising sun. A lone man stood on the other side with hands outstretched. The same dark shadows swirled around him, obscuring his features even to Braden’s superior sight.
Silhouettes of more men emerged from the surrounding trees. The morning’s sun reflected off hundreds of armored chests. His mother’s dark warriors had finally come for him.
Braden’s fear bubbled to the surface.
“Record what’s happening on your phone, then send it to Kellen,” Braden instructed Gordon. “I have a feeling this shield will not hold against them. We need to be ready to fight.”
Chapter 1
I lay in my new bed, staring at the stone ceiling. Shadows danced across it from the oil lamp on my dresser. I’d upgraded from just candles when the queen moved me to my new apartment. Well, not really new. I moved into the space three weeks ago. So, almost new. Lamps weren’t the only upgrade. It also came with a living room and small dining area.
The bathroom attached to my bedroom was extravagant. Something I hadn’t seen from the fae. Their island had the whole ‘one with nature’ thing going on. Some of the guest rooms were kind of fancy, but they didn’t generally dress up their space with ornate stuff. So the bathroom with its large copper tub, separate from the enormous shower, was a unicorn thrown into a herd of horses.
The open living space was the same way. A large china cabinet filled the wall behind the dining table, ready to be stocked with my favorite stuff. But I’d have to move Lodron’s family heirlooms to do it.
Dozens of small alcoves were carved into the walls of the living room. Each one was filled with tiny sculptures and artwork, obviously made by children. Lodron and Luria.
I hated my new space, mostly because it wasn’t mine. It belonged to Lodron’s family. Everything in it reminded me of that fact. It was like no one had moved a thing when his parents died.
They hadn’t died, though. They’d lost themselves to their darkness and were taken to the Forest of Tears. I shuddered, hoping Lodron and Luria would never see that place. I’d do everything I could to make sure they didn’t.
I swallowed hard and pushed the thought aside. One fact still remained. The stubborn man refused to trade apartments with me. I’d been here three weeks and no matter what I said, Lodron wouldn’t budge. I considered asking my elementals to help me move the furniture into his space, but I knew he’d be pissed. So, I didn’t. Not yet. But it was coming, sooner than he wanted.
So was my official induction into the Oceanic Fae Kingdom. I didn’t realize I’d have to endure some stupid ceremony, but apparently it was a thing. A thing making me doubt my decision to stay with them.
I was sure they’d make me pledge myself to the king during this ceremony, something I didn’t think I could do. Did I really want to draw that line in the sand with the Woodland Fae? The Woodlands should’ve been my home, not this island. It was Elise’s fault I wasn’t there with them. When the Woodland Fae finally got to go back home, maybe I wanted to go with them.
Grant had made every effort to lure me home. He’d promised I wouldn’t be pressed into any leadership position. I could choose my role or profession or whatever I wanted to do with my time.
The argument with the most bite was my newest nickname. Dionadair. Protector of the fae realm. It separated me from all the other fae, which might preclude me from pledging myself to Nardan. Dusha’s brief explanation implied I would serve all fae, not just one kingdom. I needed to ask him.
Three weeks had gone by with no sign of Sabina or Neònach’s dark warriors. No news of the vampires being taken. No attacks on the other supernatural families. Nothing.
Not exactly. Three days after our battle in the desert, Elise had demanded to see me. I could still hear her screeching at me. Blaming me for the fall of her people. I could still see her bloodshot eyes wishing for my death.
I squeezed my eyes shut but couldn’t rid myself of her words.
“You cannot win against Neònach!” Elise cried out, pulling against the iron chains attached to her wrists and ankles. “No one can match her power, not even your elementals.”
She fell to the ground and cradled her head in her hands, keening with an unseen pain. Lodron warned me she couldn’t talk about Neònach. Every time she did, she fell to her knees in agony.
When Grant walked up behind me, the scream erupting from her lips nearly burst my eardrums.
“I will kill you,” she snarled at her son.
“No, Mother, you will die in this cell,” Grant said.
I wasn’t sure what I expected from Grant when he looked at the woman who gave him life. His expression rolled from disgust to pity but never even touched on compassion.
Elise never said anything that really mattered the entire time I was there. I’d left feeling emotionally drained, and I didn’t even try to understand the amount of crazy she threw at us.
Thinking about it now only kept me awake.
I sighed and rolled out of bed. There’d be no sleep for me anytime soon. At least I was able to keep Lodron in his bed the last few nights. His nightly visits had slowed down considerably in the last week. I couldn’t decide how I felt about it.
He never asked for sex. Never even suggested it. He just crawled into bed next to me and slept, claiming I calmed his mind. It was hard to call him a liar when he acted like a gentleman. And I had to admit he had the same effect on me.
So why didn’t I open the shared door between my living room and his bedroom to return the favor? Because I didn’t want to become dependent on him to sleep. Which was probably the same reason I hadn’t seen him the last three nights. He didn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d be comfortable depending on someone else for anything.
I pulled on a pair of yoga pants to go with my tank top and went to one of my favorite training rooms. Maybe I could wear myself out with a little magic.
I arrived in the twenty-by-twenty stone room buried deep in the mountain. My hand flicked toward the torches on the wall, lighting them instantly. I used to suck at throwing fire at them. I’d always end up creating a long fiery strand and destroying the torches. There’s a lot to be said for practice.
Scorch marks covered the walls and ceiling from my previous visits. I’d sort of learned how to create a shield to protect them, but it didn’t always work. Not like the protective barrier in the main training cavern. I really wanted to find out how that one was made. But none of the fae knew. And if my elementals knew, they refused to share.
None of it mattered tonight.
I pulled on my connection to earth and created several fae-sized stone statues throughout the room. They would be targets. If Danae felt energetic, she’d give me moving targets.
“Not tonight,” her voice rumbled, but she didn’t show herself. “Don’t burn yourself out. You might be needed in the morning.”
“Whatever.”
It’d been three weeks since I was needed. Not that I’d complain. Sage, Luria, Gabby, and I actually got to go shopping. Then Luria and I took up space at several bars while Gabby and Sage ‘Bunny Hopped.’ We had a fantastic time despite the trouble we managed to find at one particular bar. How we stumbled into one of the only supernatural bars in town was beyond me, but I had no regrets. I even added their contact info to my cellphone because I was definitely going back.
Not tonight, though.
I mixed my special cocktail of earth and water, making a shield over the door to the training room just in case someone wandered by. I’d never forgive myself for hurting someone with a reckless spell. No one should be out in the middle of the night, but I was.
I extended my hand to the side and my favorite glaive flared to life. The stone handle warmed my palm, and the blue flames coating the blade flickered with a small draft.
“Time to have some fun.”
I twirled it several times, enjoying the feel of its magic saturating the air. Then I attacked my stone enemies with vengeance and hatred. The blade of my glaive sliced through the rock torso with ease, sending the top half tumbling to the floor. I spun around and sank the sharpened point into the heart of the next one, watching the stone melt around my weapon. I jerked it free, letting the bastard suffer with the pain of his broken heart.
I twisted again, covering my foot with the elemental cocktail. It smashed into the face of the next warrior, crumbling the stone on impact. I yelped in pain but didn’t stop. His fractured face looked up at me with hollow eyes, and I growled at his impertinence.
The next evil bastard made me pause. My torturer’s face taunted me with the crazed look of a man enjoying the death he inflicted. My death. Fear snaked around my mind, cutting off any reasonable thought. I tried to convince myself it was a stone statue I created, not the real man who had tortured me. But memories didn’t always work that way. This one haunted me frequently.
I’d only beat him once. The one time it really mattered, during our assault on Elise’s throne a few weeks ago. Every time he’d shown his ugly face in my mind after that, I broke. As unreasonable as it was, I couldn’t face the memory of him.
Today would be different. I’d kick his non-existent ass even if it killed me. I gripped my glaive and pointed it at his heart. He grinned, showing me his perfect white teeth. I pooled the magic in my core, letting it build until it hurt. He would die today. He was so dying today.
I glared at his hollow eyes and released all my pain and fear. My magic slammed into the statue. Chunks of stone battered the walls and my exposed skin. Unfortunately, the burst of magic didn’t stop with my enemy. The far wall behind him crumbled on impact, exposing the hallway beyond.
I cried out and reached for the ceiling, hoping I hadn’t just caused structural damage.
“I won’t let the mountain collapse, princess,” Danae said, rising from the floor. “But you’ll have to explain to your captain why there’s a new hole in the wall.”
