Read Online Prince of Fire by Linda Winstead Jones - Free Book Online
Authors: Linda Winstead Jones
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With that in mind, he decided that perhaps it would be best if he did not annoy her overmuch. Women could be quite spiteful when it suited them. Still, he could not allow her to take control of the situation. "Partner, I can tolerate. Superior, I cannot."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Unlikely as it seems, I can be your partner, but you must treat me as such. I am no longer your prisoner, Joryn."
"I apologize for my angry words. I am simply frustrated, Keelia."
She nodded, and he could tell by the expression on her face that he had been forgiven. "Very well, then." She continued walking down the path, and he remained beside her.
"Some things which should be clear to me are not," she said, "but I have been getting quick and sporadic visions as we move deeper into Caradon Territory. Flashes of truth. Pictures from a mind not my own. The Isen Demon has allied with a vile Caradon wizard who has been practicing dark magic for many years."
"Caradon do not practice dark magic."
Keelia snapped her head around. 'This one did, and does. I know it is difficult to face, but you do not know every member of your species. This one has been hiding for years, building his skills and ... and murdering Anwyn and Caradon alike." She shuddered in obvious distaste.
He wanted to believe that his people were inherently good, but he knew there were some who had chosen a wilder, darker path. "I suppose for now I have no choice but to take your word on the matter."
"That will do," the Queen said gently before continuing. "At the demon's instruction, this Caradon wizard made and cursed a number of talismans. He placed these talismans around the necks of Caradon, males and females, who were neither dark nor light, but somewhere in between. They possessed gray souls until the stones of the talismans touched their flesh. When that happened, the demon took their souls, and they ..." She shuddered, as if she saw and felt all that had happened. "They transformed into soulless creatures trapped between human and cat. They move at the silent instruction of the wizard who made them, and the wizard is under the control of the demon."
"Their numbers are increasing."
"Yes. The evil that infected them has become a disease, spread through their bite. Their saliva enters the blood, and in that way the curse is spread." She looked up at him, and her already pale face went snow white. "It can be spread to Anwyn as well as Caradon. If we don't find this wizard and stop him, the Mountains of the North will be overrun with soulless creatures from your people and mine, and nothing will ever be right again."
* * * * *
Sitting cross-legged on the stone floor of his cave home high in Caradon Territory, eyes closed to shut out the distractions of the things around him, the wizard Maccus smiled. He could feel the Red Queen coming closer, as if there were an invisible tug between them. His blood seemed to burn as it rushed through his veins; it seemed to dance in anticipation.
The power he had been promised by the Isen Demon was so near he could taste it on the tip of his tongue.
Knowing she was moving near, as he had always known she would, he ended his meditation and leapt to his feet. He had made a fine home, here in these connected caves. All the comforts any man might want were here. They were his. Soon they would be hers, too. He walked to the table where he often worked, and lifted the medallion which was resting there. It was a circle of silver adorned with a protruding gem. He had infused that stone with his power, with his enchantment, every day since the first full moon of winter. With an anxious finger, he caressed the stone. It was meant for the Red Queen. It would make her his in all ways.
Maccus wore a similar medallion against his own chest. It was through that metal and stone that the Isen Demon infused him with an incredible power that had seemed unimaginable just a few years ago.
There were times when the wizard was certain that
With that in mind, he decided that perhaps it would be best if he did not annoy her overmuch. Women could be quite spiteful when it suited them. Still, he could not allow her to take control of the situation. "Partner, I can tolerate. Superior, I cannot."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Unlikely as it seems, I can be your partner, but you must treat me as such. I am no longer your prisoner, Joryn."
"I apologize for my angry words. I am simply frustrated, Keelia."
She nodded, and he could tell by the expression on her face that he had been forgiven. "Very well, then." She continued walking down the path, and he remained beside her.
"Some things which should be clear to me are not," she said, "but I have been getting quick and sporadic visions as we move deeper into Caradon Territory. Flashes of truth. Pictures from a mind not my own. The Isen Demon has allied with a vile Caradon wizard who has been practicing dark magic for many years."
"Caradon do not practice dark magic."
Keelia snapped her head around. 'This one did, and does. I know it is difficult to face, but you do not know every member of your species. This one has been hiding for years, building his skills and ... and murdering Anwyn and Caradon alike." She shuddered in obvious distaste.
He wanted to believe that his people were inherently good, but he knew there were some who had chosen a wilder, darker path. "I suppose for now I have no choice but to take your word on the matter."
"That will do," the Queen said gently before continuing. "At the demon's instruction, this Caradon wizard made and cursed a number of talismans. He placed these talismans around the necks of Caradon, males and females, who were neither dark nor light, but somewhere in between. They possessed gray souls until the stones of the talismans touched their flesh. When that happened, the demon took their souls, and they ..." She shuddered, as if she saw and felt all that had happened. "They transformed into soulless creatures trapped between human and cat. They move at the silent instruction of the wizard who made them, and the wizard is under the control of the demon."
"Their numbers are increasing."
"Yes. The evil that infected them has become a disease, spread through their bite. Their saliva enters the blood, and in that way the curse is spread." She looked up at him, and her already pale face went snow white. "It can be spread to Anwyn as well as Caradon. If we don't find this wizard and stop him, the Mountains of the North will be overrun with soulless creatures from your people and mine, and nothing will ever be right again."
* * * * *
Sitting cross-legged on the stone floor of his cave home high in Caradon Territory, eyes closed to shut out the distractions of the things around him, the wizard Maccus smiled. He could feel the Red Queen coming closer, as if there were an invisible tug between them. His blood seemed to burn as it rushed through his veins; it seemed to dance in anticipation.
The power he had been promised by the Isen Demon was so near he could taste it on the tip of his tongue.
Knowing she was moving near, as he had always known she would, he ended his meditation and leapt to his feet. He had made a fine home, here in these connected caves. All the comforts any man might want were here. They were his. Soon they would be hers, too. He walked to the table where he often worked, and lifted the medallion which was resting there. It was a circle of silver adorned with a protruding gem. He had infused that stone with his power, with his enchantment, every day since the first full moon of winter. With an anxious finger, he caressed the stone. It was meant for the Red Queen. It would make her his in all ways.
Maccus wore a similar medallion against his own chest. It was through that metal and stone that the Isen Demon infused him with an incredible power that had seemed unimaginable just a few years ago.
There were times when the wizard was certain that
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