The Oblivion Stone (The Liftsal Guardians Book 3)

  The Oblivion Stone

  The Liftsal Guardians Series Book Three

  Alexandra Moody

  Copyright © 2017 by Alexandra Moody

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Pete Thompson

  Cover Design by Alexandra Moody

  For Pete, who makes all things seem possible.

  Contents

  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

  Stay Connected

  Also by Alexandra Moody

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Sloane pulled her knees to her chest and stared out at the dark horizon. The bitter cold of Rhyn’s world seeped through her jacket and chilled her skin, but she was so empty inside that she couldn’t seem to feel it. How could she feel anything when her sister was missing?

  She glanced over her shoulder at the rift that sparkled brightly in the air behind her. Through the hazy mirage that separated the two worlds, Sloane could just make out the woods of Aeris. Though it was dark on Ellysia, the first rays of light were beginning to touch the tops of the trees on the other side of the rift. Morning had arrived on the green planet, but there was still no sign of Rowe or Jack.

  It had been hours since Sloane and Rhyn had fled the human settlement on Aeris. They had returned to the rift hoping to find Jack and Rowe waiting for them, but the pair were nowhere to be seen. Deep down Sloane knew her father’s men had captured them, but a small part of her still hoped she was wrong. Every hour that passed made it harder for her to deny the truth though.

  Sloane’s gaze drifted to Rhyn who was talking in a low voice with the handful of warriors guarding the rift. He’d already doubled their number, and he’d sent even more through the rift to act as lookouts on the other side. He needed to be prepared for when Sloane’s father came looking for the rift. And the Captain was sure to be looking for it now.

  She blew out a long breath, the air leaving her lips in a cloud of chilled vapour, and looked away from the glowing portal. She rested her chin on her knees as she stared into the night. The moon shone brightly in the sky and lit the world below her in deep shades of black and blue. She was sitting on a ledge at the top of a sheer cliff face, and from her vantage point, she could see the frozen world below sweeping out and into the distance. It extended for what seemed like forever until the dark horizon blurred with the midnight-blue sky above.

  Sloane didn’t want to think about the night before or the events that had led up to it, but thoughts of her brother’s betrayal plagued her. Everything had ended in disaster because she had trusted him to persuade their father to leave Aeris. Ash knew the terrible danger the Brakys posed to humans; he had experienced it first hand. But she had been wrong to put her faith in her brother, and her mind was still reeling as she tried to understand how he could betray them so easily.

  It wasn’t Ash’s deception alone that troubled Sloane. While it hurt that he had lied, she was more concerned about the Liftsal. From the way her father and brother had talked, it seemed like they had come all the way to Aeris in search of the Unfaih’s sacred water. Sloane had no idea how they knew of the Liftsal’s existence, or why they wanted it, but she knew that both the humans and the Unfaih would be in grave danger if the Captain managed to obtain some of the mysterious liquid that gave Rhyn’s people their eternal life.

  Sloane clenched her hands into fists, and she gritted her teeth as she attempted to remain calm. But it was a struggle to stay composed when she recalled the way her father’s eyes lit up when Ash told him he’d found the Liftsal. His gaze had been filled with an intense mix of hunger and desperation. He would do anything to get to it, and that was something she couldn’t let happen.

  Ash had seen how the liquid could miraculously heal injuries when applied externally in small doses. But drinking the stuff didn’t end so well for humans. One sip would turn them into a dark and cruel creature; a monster so vile it lived out its existence in the shadows—they would become a Braky.

  Sloane was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t hear Rhyn approach. She jolted with surprise when he eased himself down onto the rock beside her. His body was inches from hers, but she could easily feel the heat that radiated from him. Though they sat in a world of snow and ice, he wore only his fitted fighting pants and leather vest. It seemed like his arms were always bare, but Sloane couldn’t recall him ever noticing the cold despite this.

  ‘You can go back to the village and rest if you like,’ he said.

  She glanced up at him and lifted one eyebrow. ‘You think I could rest when I have no idea what’s happened to Rowe?’

  ‘No, I guess not,’ he replied. He lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at Sloane. There was so much concern etched into his features; his forehead was furrowed, and his eyes were much darker than usual. Most of the time they were the colour of the lightest blue sky she’d ever seen, but tonight they swirled with the darker hue of a stormy sea.

  ‘It’s time we went back to the camp to look for them both,’ she said.

  ‘I’m still waiting for the scouts I have watching it to return.’

  Sloane’s scowl deepened, and she knew Rhyn must have caught the look of defiance in her eyes because he folded his arms across his chest.

  ‘You can’t go back yet,’ he growled. ‘The human settlement and the woods surrounding it were swarming with men when we left. Until we know it’s safe, it’s too dangerous for you to go.’

  Her jaw tensed as she stared him down. ‘You said we would return at dawn to find my sister. The suns are up on Aeris; it’s time for us to go…’

  ‘I won’t let you take that risk until I know what is happening at the settlement,’ he replied, not an ounce of uncertainty in his voice.

  ‘I can avoid being seen,’ she argued, glaring holes into his stupidly muscular chest. The only thing that had kept Sloane from going crazy while she waited for morning to dawn was the knowledge that she would return to the settlement to look for her sister once the suns came up.

  Rhyn blew out a long and measured breath. ‘I know you can, but your father will kill you if he catches you again. We can’t take that risk.’

  ‘That’s my risk to take,’ she replied through clenched teeth.

  ‘It won’t be long until my scouts return. We can talk about it then.’ His offer to listen to her pleas almost sounded genuine, but Sloane knew it was only because he had the upper hand and was slowly getting his way.

  ‘When do you expect they’ll be back?’

  ‘Soon,’ he replied, looking away from her.

  She sighed and rested her chin back on her knees. Rhyn could be completely impossible when he wanted to be. If it were anyone else holding her back right now, she’d fight tooth and nail to go after Rowe. But Rhyn was inhumanly fast and unbelievably strong. She’d never seen anyone who co
uld fight like him, and he wasn’t going to let her go easily. She felt like she needed to be doing something though, and she was tired of waiting.

  ‘What if something’s happened to her?’ Sloane murmured. ‘What if she’s in danger? What if she’s hurt and by waiting we’re making it worse?’

  ‘You told me yourself, your father would never hurt her.’

  ‘I didn’t think he would, but now I’m not so sure,’ she replied. ‘You didn’t see the way he looked at me when he found out about the Liftsal. I feel like he’s capable of anything right now.’

  Rhyn stiffened beside her, and she knew it was because she’d mentioned the Liftsal. It didn’t matter to Rhyn how the Captain knew about the Liftsal, or why he wanted it. Sloane understood that the Unfaih would do anything to protect their world, and Rhyn would strike down her father, as he would an attacking Braky, if the man tried to take the healing water.

  ‘How are we going to stop him?’ she asked. ‘Now that he has Ash, it’s only a matter of time before he finds his way to the rift.’

  ‘He can come to the rift, but he will not get past my warriors,’ Rhyn replied.

  Sloane paused as she looked at him. He seemed so certain of his fighters, but such confidence could be dangerous—especially when they were talking about her father.

  ‘You’re underestimating him,’ she said. ‘He’s more of a threat than you think.’

  ‘And I am more dangerous than ten of him combined,’ Rhyn fired back. He pushed himself off the ground and walked towards the rift without a backwards glance. Sloane frowned as she watched him step through the shimmering mirage between the two worlds. His back was stiff and practically radiating tension. He was far more worried than he was letting on—and he had every reason to be.

  It had been over a thousand years since humans first encountered the Liftsal, and the Unfaih had spent generations fighting the hideous monsters those humans had become after they drank it. Now, centuries later, humans were back on their doorstep, and the danger to Rhyn’s people was greater than ever before.

  Sloane stood to trail after him. The horizon was starting to lighten in the world of the Unfaih and dawn was arriving quickly. She didn’t want to wait in the cold anymore though; not when the warmth of the green planet her people had settled on was beckoning to her through the rift.

  She shivered as she stepped between the two worlds and tried to ignore the instant queasiness in her stomach as she moved through to Aeris. She didn’t quite realise how cold it had been in Rhyn’s world until the warm Aeris air enveloped her, melting the frost that still clung to her clothes.

  The suns were beginning to peek through the tops of the leafy trees on Aeris, and their rays brightly highlighted specks of dust that floated through the morning air. Another stunning day in the thriving green world was dawning, but Sloane couldn’t have felt more isolated from the beauty surrounding her.

  Rhyn had only been a few steps ahead of her, but he was already trading heated words with Elyx, his second in command. They were both speaking in Unfaih, and Sloane struggled to understand what they were saying as they argued. While she knew the language, for the most part, the words were rushed and whispered making it difficult to interpret. She didn’t need to understand their words though to know that neither one of them was pleased.

  ‘I’ve never seen Rhyn this tense,’ Allirie said, coming to stand beside her.

  Sloane glanced up at the woman and pushed down a twinge of envy at how amazing she looked despite the fact they hadn’t slept all night. Sloane’s eyes felt dry, and her body ached. Allirie looked like she’d just stepped off a catwalk.

  ‘I guess it’s understandable,’ Sloane replied, glancing back at Rhyn and Elyx. She was still only able to catch the odd word traded between them, and her curiosity was flaring.

  ‘What are they arguing about?’ she asked, nodding in their direction.

  As Allirie turned to face her, Sloane noticed there was a surprising amount of concern in her eyes.

  ‘They are discussing how many warriors they need keeping guard of the rift,’ she replied. ‘Rhyn wants more fighters here in the World of the Woods, but Elyx doesn’t want to spread their forces too thinly. They can’t effectively guard the rift and keep the Brakys from attacking the castellum. Not for long anyway.’

  Sloane frowned and looked down at the grass beneath her feet. She couldn’t help but feel guilty. If she had been able to convince the Captain to leave Aeris, then none of this would be a problem for the Unfaih. All she had done was escort her brother back safely to the Captain, and now they were both set on coming for the Unfaih and the Liftsal they guarded.

  ‘They’ll figure it out,’ Allirie said, her voice softening as she took in Sloane’s expression.

  ‘Perhaps, but what about the other rift?’ Sloane asked. ‘Ash used a different rift to get to Ellysia when he first arrived here. They can’t guard that too…’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ Rhyn said. He was walking towards them, having finished his conversation with Elyx, but there was a frown still gracing his forehead from their discussion. His gaze flickered to Allirie as he came to a stop beside Sloane. ‘Can the warriors in your village guard the other entrance? From what Lorian has said, it sounds like it is in your territory.’

  Allirie nodded, her hand unconsciously drifting to the sword at her side. ‘Of course. They won’t want the humans entering our world either—especially not so close to the Brakys…’

  Allirie’s voice drifted off, and she quickly flicked her head to look towards the woods. Rhyn also spun around to face the trees and gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. Sloane followed their gaze and realised that everyone in the clearing had paused to stare into the shadows of the trees.

  ‘What is it?’ Sloane whispered.

  ‘Footsteps in the woods, coming this way.’ Allirie replied, not tearing her eyes from the trees. Sloane strained to listen for the sound across the silent clearing and eventually caught the faint tread of footfalls in the dirt, which grew louder with each step. Whoever was out there was moving fast and not bothering to be quiet about it. Before she knew what she was doing, Sloane took off towards the trees.

  ‘Sloane, get back here!’ Rhyn shouted. But she wasn’t listening to him as she raced across the clearing. It could be Jack or Rowe running towards them. Sloane had to see that her sister was safe and couldn’t wait another second to find out.

  She had almost reached the trees when a hand gripped her wrist and jerked her to a stop.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Rhyn asked.

  ‘What do you mean, what am I doing? I’m going to find out who’s there!’

  ‘It could be a trap.’

  ‘It could be Jack and Rowe!’ She tried to rip her hand from his grip, but his fingers held onto her like a vice.

  ‘You don’t even have a weapon,’ he said.

  Her eyes narrowed as she glared up at him. She loathed the fact her father had stripped her of her weapons the night before, and she didn’t need Rhyn throwing it in her face. ‘Thanks for reminding me,’ she replied, before holding out her other hand. ‘Give me one of yours then…’

  ‘I don’t think so.’ He pulled her in closer to him and grabbed her free wrist with his other hand.

  ‘Let me go, Rhyn,’ she demanded.

  ‘No. My men will scout the area. You’re exhausted and aren’t thinking clearly.’

  ‘I’m thinking just fine,’ she said, desperately battling to free herself from his firm grasp. ‘And I don’t need you telling me otherwise. What the hell has gotten into you? You’re treating me like a child!’

  Rhyn swallowed tightly at her accusation, and she could see a hint of guilt flaring in his eyes. He knew perfectly well he was being overprotective, but there was something desperate about the way he was looking at her that slightly lessened her anger towards him.

  He suddenly tensed and turned to look deeper into the woods. He let go of one of her wrists and gripped the hilt of his swor
d, but before he could draw it from its sheath, an Unfaih warrior emerged from the woods. He was running much faster than a human ever could. He wasn’t breathing heavily—not that Sloane had ever seen an Unfaih puffing before—but his movements were so frantic that it was clear he had returned to the rift as fast as possible.

  She felt a hint of disappointment that it wasn’t her sister who had appeared, but the feeling was quickly replaced by a wave of nerves when she caught sight of the Unfaih scout’s expression. The warrior was tall and muscular like all the other Unfaih males, but his eyes were uncharacteristically wide with concern.

  ‘What is it?’ Rhyn asked, falling back into the language of the Unfaih as the warrior reached him.

  ‘A group of humans are heading this way,’ the scout replied, as he came to stand before his prince.

  ‘How many?’ Rhyn asked.

  ‘I counted twenty.’

  ‘And how far off are they?’

  ‘Not far. I first saw them from my post, which is halfway between their settlement and here. They are walking, but moving fast enough that I believe they would have reached the crooked tree by now.’

  Rhyn glanced away from the warrior and into the forest beyond, but his eyes weren’t focused on the trees. Instead, they looked into the distance, as he appeared to process the information rapidly and come up with a solution. He weighed his options for only a few moments before he turned back to the scout.

  ‘Return to the castellum and gather as many fighters as you can,’ he said. ‘Send them here and have them ready for battle. We don’t have long, so hurry.’

  The scout nodded and took off towards the rift at a run. Sloane watched him as he made his way past the dozen other warriors who stood guard and disappeared into Rhyn’s world. Elyx had only been standing a short distance from them and had heard every word. He was already shouting orders to his fighters, and they began to fall into a defensive formation in front of the rift, blocking it from view.