Rogue Belador: Belador book 7 by Dianna Love Read Free Book Online Page A

turned on him. “You liar! You play with me then call back your army.” She raised her sword and advanced, slashing at her invisible opponent.
    Tzader’s knives hissed and clicked in response to her swinging that wicked blade as she moved toward him. He spit out old Gaelic, ordering his knives to stand down. Both blades quieted, but Brina was coming closer. “Brina, stop. There’s nothing there.”
     
    ~*~*~
     
    Twice as many shadow versions of this man, Tzader, had returned. They rushed Brina one at a time.
    She fought furiously, striking each shadow’s sword and blocking a hit, but never feeling a solid resistance even though she could hear metal clash with metal. Keeping track of their leader in her peripheral vision, she fought hard, slashing back and forth. Every time she made a clean strike, the shadow burst into tiny gray pieces that rained to the ground.
    Another one attacked her. A third one wound its filmy hands around her neck and tightened its grip, strangling her. This would be a good time for those powers her memory had hinted at, if only she knew what she could do to these things. More waited in the forest.
    Was Tzader calling them one at a time to wear her down?
    She clawed at the hand clamped around her throat, wielding her sword with one hand. Anger rode her hard until power ripped from her. It blasted toward the woods, smashing shadows that stood in the way. But more stepped into the empty spots and waited.
    For what?
    She’d fought her way over to Tzader.
    He stood there, staring at her as if he could see inside her mind. Good luck finding anything there . Still, his face and name stirred something deep in the recesses of her mind.
    Who was he?
    This was the dream world. Why couldn’t she push her power out again and make him and the rest of his army hovering among the trees go away?
    She wished for that with all her might. Nope. That one burst had happened all on its own.
    Why was this happening? What did this man want?
    Still, Tzader stood there without moving a muscle. He hadn’t lifted the sword. He’d made no attempt to harm her, but all the shadow soldiers wore his face. At this rate, confusion would beat her to a pulp.
    She let out a weary breath and asked Tzader, “What are you doin’ here?”
    “I always come for you here. I was here yesterday, the day before, and the day before. We’ve been doing this for many weeks. I’m here to remind you who I am and who you are. I’m here to help bring your memories back.”
    Her heart thumped at his words. Were they true or was this some hoax? Should she lay down her sword and trust him?
    The shadow soldiers sucked in closer, murmuring. She listened, sorting out words until she heard, “Give up. All is lost. Treoir castle is mine.”
    Those shadows belonged to him, and they were moving in as one unit this time. She didn’t bloody care who Tzader was anymore.
    If she cut him down, would his army vanish?
    Her mind might have doubts, but her body knew exactly what to do. She swung her sword to attack.
    And look at that.
    He dodged, and the shadows started receding. She’d made the right decision.
    For a man of Tzader’s muscular build, he surprised her with lightning-fast reflexes. He snatched up his sword with a curse, and blocked her next strike.
    He met every swing of her blade, blocking with enough force that her teeth shook. Battling felt good, felt right. Her body had been dormant too long. Getting in better physical shape had to help her mind, but at the moment she was breathing hard.
    Why? What did she do with her days if not train?
    On the other hand, what training could she have been doing in that stupid gown?
    How was she to know? She couldn’t recall anything at will, but she’d had a fleeting vision of growing up in a castle when she’d heard the name Treoir.
    She remembered this location, too, where a giant oak stood above a thick forest surrounding a lake, but not why this spot felt so important to her.
    With a new surge