Blood Legacy Read online

  The Amazon’s Vengeance: Blood Legacy

  An erotic epic fantasy adventure

  Published by Jade Fantasy

  Copyright © 2019 Sarah Hawke

  Cover Art by Tony Tzanoukakis

  Maps created with Inkarnate software

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved.

  The Northern Reaches

  Dedication

  I want to offer a special thanks to all my wonderful supporters on Patreon, especially Joseph, Lamar, Timothy, David, Alan, Commissar Hecht, Michael M., Michael B., Dumblindeaf, Jimmie, and Joe. Because of your help, all of my books will finally have unique covers!

  Content Warning

  This erotic novella contains explicit sexual content. If you are offended by adult language, rough sex, and/or the idea of a harem of badass, bisexual fantasy babes, then you probably shouldn’t be reading this! Consider yourself warned!

  And perhaps intrigued…

  1

  Homecoming

  “Considering all we’ve done for these people, it would be nice if we could actually use the front door once in a while.”

  Jorem Farr sighed as he glanced back over his shoulder for the hundredth time since they had entered the underground tunnels. None of the three women accompanying him had noticed any signs that they were being followed, and they all had sharper instincts and keener senses than he did. But he was feeling especially paranoid these days, especially considering they didn’t actually know how their former “ally” was going to feel about their unexpected return.

  “We spent years skulking in and out of Vorsalos to avoid your Senosi sisters,” he said. “Is this really any different?”

  “That’s not the point,” Valuri grumbled, her crossbow in hand and her green eyes flicking suspiciously about the shadows further down the passage. “I just think it would be nice if we actually got rewarded for risking our lives once in a while.”

  “Our reward is the satisfaction of knowing we did the right thing,” Kaseya said.

  The Huntress groaned. “I knew you were going to say something insufferable like that.”

  “I knew it would bother you,” the amazon replied with a wry smirk.

  “I’m not sure if I like the idea of you developing a sense of humor, Red.”

  “You’ll adapt,” Kaseya replied mildly. “We should be approaching the main entrance soon. If the Black Mistress has posted guards, they will be nearby.”

  “She didn’t bother last time we came through here,” Valuri said. “Though I suppose the situation has changed since then.”

  “To put it mildly,” Jorem murmured. He still wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of walking right up to the doorstep of the Black Mistress—aka “Silhouette,” aka “Solemi”—but he hadn’t seen any other choice. With a small Vorsalosian army already encircling Highwind and blocking all major entrances and exits, strolling through the main gate hadn’t been an option. They were fortunate that Solemi had told them about these old drow tunnels leading into the city’s underbelly.

  The problem was that they still weren’t sure how the half-elf sorceress would react to their presence. During their last encounter, Jorem had accused her of manipulating or murdering half the Highwind Council. For all he knew she had completely taken control of the city at this point. Her sorcerous powers wouldn’t have been affected by the Shattering, but all her enemies would be completely crippled.

  Still, at least he knew Solemi wasn’t in league with the Inquisitrix. Perhaps they could forge another temporary alliance against a common foe. If not, the only other person they could possibly reach out to was Ranger-General Serrane Starwind, assuming she was still alive…

  “We are no longer alone,” Selvhara said, her nose twitching as she sniffed at the air.

  Jorem glanced back at her. The druid remained something of an enigma, and every time he looked at her now he couldn’t help but see the hulking werewolf lurking beneath her slender elven figure. Ostensibly, Selvhara was here to help him learn how to unlock his ancestral memories and transform into a dragon, but he remained skeptical—both of her and of his powers in general. He had definitely felt something back in Riverbend, but he needed more time to process what had happened.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like they were going to catch a break anytime soon.

  “Can you tell how many people are up ahead, wolf girl?” Valuri asked.

  “Three,” Selvhara replied. “Two are Basarn…the third may be an elf.”

  “Basarn—you mean orcs?” Jorem asked.

  “Yes.”

  Valuri grunted. “How can you possibly tell that? Do they smell as disgusting as they look?”

  “The Black Mistress has surrounded herself with refugees from the Winter War,” Kaseya pointed out. “There were many, many half-orcs living in Darkwind.”

  “Including her personal bodyguard,” Jorem said, reaching out to the Aether just in case. “Everyone just stay calm and be polite. Remember, we’re trying to forge an alliance here.”

  “Uh huh,” Valuri muttered as she checked the cartridge on her crossbow. “Well, I’m ready to ‘negotiate’ if you are.”

  Bracing himself for the worst, Jorem trudged forward. After the passage took one final turn, he spotted a small, lit brazier in front of a meticulously crafted stone door that hadn’t been here a couple months ago. Standing in front of it were two half-orcs and an elf just like Selvhara had warned. The former were clad in heavy armor and clutching halberds, while the latter was sheathed in a skin-tight metal breastplate and skirt. Jorem recognized the drow aesthetics even before he noticed the woman’s gray skin and luminescent blue eyes.

  “Ilhari vlos,” the dark elf whispered when she saw their faces. “You have returned!”

  “We’re as surprised as you are, don’t worry,” Valuri muttered. She braced her heel against a rock and angled her crossbow off to the side as a not-quite-threat.

  “We bring news from the east,” Jorem said, holding out his hands diplomatically. When he drew closer, he belatedly recognized the dark elf as Varassa, one of Solemi’s personal attendants. Given that the drow woman had spent almost every second of their past visit stark naked, he hadn’t expected her to be wearing real armor…

  “Vendui, abbil,” Varassa said, smiling. It looked genuine enough, but he didn’t let his guard down. “The Mistress will be pleased…with all that has happened, she feared the worst.”

  “Uh huh,” Valuri muttered. “So is she sitting on the throne yet or what? Has she declared herself queen?”

  Jorem bit his lip and balled his hand into a fist. Sometimes it felt like she wanted everyone to hate them…

  “The Mistress is doing everything she can to help defend the city,” Varassa replied. “Unfortunately, some members of the Council are blinded by their prejudices. I can only hope they see reason before Vorsalos attacks in earnest.”

  “Well, maybe we can help her out,” Jorem said, shooting a warning glare back at the Huntress. “We would love to tell her everything we’ve learned…all we ask in exchange is a place to stay.”

  “That will not be a problem,” the dark elf assured him. “Please, follow me. If you traveled all night, you must be weary…”

  While the two half-orcs held their positions, she escorted them through the massive stone door and into an adjacent tunnel. Jorem’s stomach twisted into knots in anticipation of a betrayal, and he shared a wary glance with Valuri and Kaseya. If they were walking into an ambush, Solemi’s people would probably spring it here before they reached the undercity. He kept a barrier spell on his fingertips just in case.

  But thankfully, his caution proved unnecessary.
A few minutes later they were standing inside the sprawling, impressive undercity called “Darkwind,” and just like before he couldn’t help but marvel at everything Solemi and her people had built.

  He also couldn’t help but marvel at all the armed and armored inhabitants in the streets.

  “Zor kalah,” Kaseya whispered. “She has an entire army down here…”

  Jorem nodded solemnly. He had no concept of just how many people Solemi had rallied to her cause, but at a quick glance there could have easily been a thousand soldiers down here, possibly even more. With the Silver Fist on the brink of collapse, such a force would theoretically give her even more influence over the Council.

  The quality of the arms and armor on display might have been even more impressive than the sheer number of bodies. The Black Mistress had been running a smuggling ring under the city for some time—that was how they had originally learned of her existence—and she had apparently been sneaking in more than a few illegal magical baubles. All of this equipment must have been forged somewhere. Perhaps she had contacts in Silver Falls or Falcon Ridge…

  Either way, Varassa eventually led them back into the palatial structure where they had spent most of their last visit. The interior still looked more like an elaborate, high-class brothel. Crystal-clear pools of water encircled the main area, and dozens upon dozens of naked attendants catered to the needs of the men and women who were bathing. The racial diversity was as staggering as always; this was probably the only place in the Northern Reaches where full-blooded humans were in the minority. He even spotted a few of the cat-like chagarri and reptilian drolask.

  “The Mistress is currently indisposed, but I’ve no doubt she will wish to speak with you the instant she returns,” Varassa said when they finally reached one of the many opulent rooms. “In the meantime, please relax and enjoy yourselves.”

  “Thank you,” Jorem said before Valuri could fire off an insulting quip. “As always, we very much appreciate the hospitality.”

  “Any of the attendants will be pleased to offer you their services.” The dark elf took a step into the room and studied the girls for a long moment before her eyes return to Jorem. “I am also personally available to assist you, should you find yourself in need of…release.”

  “That will not be necessary,” Kaseya said.

  The smallest hint of a smile touched Varassa’s lips before she bowed her head. “If you change your mind, I shall be nearby.”

  “There is one thing you can help us with, actually,” Valuri said. She leaned in and whispered something in the other woman’s ear, and the drow’s smile widened.

  “Of course,” she said. “Ilhari kyorl dos, abbil.”

  Jorem waited until she left the room before he glared at the Huntress. “What the hell was that about?”

  “I just asked for some supplies,” Valuri said with a shrug. “I have a feeling we’ll have to wait here for a while.”

  He frowned as he tried and failed to read her expression. She was obviously up to something, and he didn’t like it one bit…

  “I do not sense any ill intent from the people here,” Selvhara commented as she glanced down over the balcony to the pools below. “Though I admit, this is not what I expected when you mentioned a city of refugees beneath the surface…”

  “It definitely takes some getting used to,” Jorem said, finally dragging his eyes from Valuri. “But we still can’t afford to let our guard down.”

  “If you are truly that concerned, we could simply head up into the city,” Kaseya suggested. “The hidden entrance up to Moonshadow Plaza is not far from here.”

  “No, but I’m sure it’s heavily guarded,” Jorem said. “And if we pack up and run now we’ll be burning this bridge behind us. We might as well have a chat and see where we stand.”

  “Well, at the very least I doubt she’s stupid enough to attack us directly,” Valuri said. “Still…this place creeps me out even more than it did the last time we were here.”

  “It is fascinating,” Selvhara said, her eyes still wide with wonder. “So many races in such close proximity…such a thing is practically unheard of in Varellon.”

  “Here too, for the most part,” Jorem told her. “I never would have imagined drow, orcs, and humans in the same place without killing each other.”

  The druid nodded absently. “I had almost forgotten that the Basarn and Vaetharri of your lands are quite different than what I am accustomed to.”

  “You mean your dark elves aren’t murderous psychopaths?”

  “Not at all,” Selvhara said. “They stand guard over a great breach in the walls of the Pale, and they battle demons so that—”

  “Wow, that’s fascinating,” Valuri interrupted snidely. “I’ll tell you what: how about we skip the pointless history lesson and figure out what we’re actually going to do here?”

  Jorem let out a long, slow breath and dragged a hand back through his hair. He couldn’t blame her for being impatient; they were all sore and tired after their battle in Riverbend last night, and they still hadn’t slept or eaten anything in hours. Perhaps it was time to change that.

  “For all we know, Solemi might be busy for a few hours,” he said. “We should eat and get some rest. No matter what happens, I’d rather be prepared.”

  Kaseya braced herself on the railing next to Selvhara. “I am inclined to interrogate these people and see if we can learn anything before their mistress returns.”

  “I’m not sure how well that would go over, Red,” Valuri said. “We’d probably be better off having me sneak around. I learned about a lot of secret nooks last time, and I could—”

  “It’s not worth the risk,” Jorem said, shaking his head. “I don’t want to sabotage our chances before we even sit down and talk. Everyone here already knows us.”

  “They do not know me,” Selvhara pointed out. “If you are concerned about their motives, I could easily gather the information you require.”

  Valuri snorted. “We’ll manage on our own, thanks.”

  “Actually, she has a point,” Jorem said. “Selvhara could easily ask around in places we can’t. At the very least, someone here could tell her about the situation in Highwind. Then we won’t have to completely rely on Solemi’s personal version of events.”

  “I am happy to help any way I can,” Selvhara said. “I live to serve the dragon.”

  Valuri rolled her eyes. “Fine, get out of here,” she grumbled. “Just try not to eat anyone if you can help it.”

  The druid turned back to Jorem and placed her hand on his cheek. “I will not fail you,” she promised. “Soon we will be able to continue your training in earnest.”

  “I look forward to it,” he said, forcing a smile.

  Selvhara held his gaze for a long moment before she pivoted away and disappeared around the corner. He and the other girls remained silent for several seconds just to make sure the druid’s keen ears couldn’t eavesdrop on their conversation.

  “Escar’s mercy,” Valuri breathed. “I’m not sure how much more groveling I can take.”

  “Why do you insist on being so rude to her?” Kaseya asked.

  “Because I don’t trust her, and you shouldn’t either,” Valuri said. She huffed and crossed her arms then glanced up at Jorem. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to leave her alone without supervision?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I do think it will give the three of us a chance to talk in private for a few minutes.”

  The Huntress cocked an eyebrow. “That’s why you sent her away?”

  “It’s one of the reasons. What, you don’t think I’m capable of being clever sometimes?”

  “No.”

  He scoffed and turned to Kaseya. “What do you think about all of this?”

  The amazon pursed her lips in thought. “I am honestly not certain. I share most of Valuri’s concerns. We still know very little about this woman or her…condition.”

  “We know that she saved our a
sses in Riverwind,” Jorem said. “We also know that she could have easily eaten us but didn’t.”

  “That’s not particularly comforting, especially since she’s impervious to our weapons,” Valuri muttered. “We need to fix that—fast.”

  “What, are you going to buy a silver crossbow bolt just in case?”

  “Buy, steal, whatever. The point is that I’m not planning on taking any chances.”

  Jorem sighed and bade them into the room. “I never had a chance to tell you after the battle, but I drank that potion she brewed.”

  Valuri blinked. “You did what?”

  “I was desperate,” Jorem protested. “The two of you were pinned down, and I watched Selvhara get impaled by a spear right in front of me. That red-armored knight was up in my face before I could defend myself.”

  “So you drank a random potion that could have been poison for all you knew?”

  “I made a split-second, tactical decision,” he corrected. “And it worked…mostly.”

  Kaseya’s brow creased in thought. “I sensed a number of conflicting emotions through the collar during the battle, but I couldn’t afford to let my guard down and focus on them. I never had a chance to apologize for—”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Jorem said, touching and squeezing her arm. He needed to nip her guilt in the bud before she started blaming herself for leaving him alone during the fight. “None of us expected to be as badly outnumbered as we were.”

  “Be that as it may, I should not have agreed to leave your side,” Kaseya said. “What happened to you?”

  “Well, I suppose the short version is that I breathed fire,” Jorem told her.

  “You can already shoot fire out of your damn hands,” Valuri said. “What’s the difference?”

  “You saw the difference. That charred skeleton at my feet was one of the Inquisitrix’s new channelers, and I wasn’t able to breach his barrier with my normal spells.”