The Warrior Priestess: Book Two of the Warrior Midwife Trilogy Read online

  THE WARRIOR PRIESTESS

  BOOK TWO OF THE WARRIOR MIDWIFE TRILOGY

  E.P. BALI

  BLUE MOON RISING PUBLISHING

  CONCUBINE. WIFE. PRIESTESS.

  * * *

  Captured by a demon king, Drake, with his memories returned and Saraya, must now come to terms with a surprising truth:

  That Drake is not only Saraya's true mate, but is also the son of a monstrous deity who bound his powers at the age of thirteen. But now the demon king wants Drake's true powers to be unbound for his own nefarious purposes.

  Forced to marry each other, Drake and Saraya must now gain the trust of the Court of the Demon King in order to escape.

  But there are even bigger forces at play here.

  Will Saraya give into her desire to be Drake's fated mate? Or will she do the unthinkable?

  Join Saraya and Drake the seductive adventure in Book 2 of the Warrior Midwife Trilogy

  * * *

  Please note this novel contains mature themes and is best suited to audiences ages 18+

  The Warrior Priestess is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and locations are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locations or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  * * *

  Copyright © 2022 by E. P. Bali

  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.

  * * *

  This first edition published in 2022 by

  Blue Moon Rising Publishing

  www.ektaabali.com

  * * *

  ISBN ebook: 978-0-6452939-0-6

  Paperback: 978-0-6452939-1-3

  Hardcover: 978-0-6489830-9-5

  Paperback (Pastel Edition): 978-0-6454650-5-1

  Hardcover (Pastel Edition): 978-0-6454650-6-8

  * * *

  Illustrated Cover design by Carly Diep

  Hardcover Case by Jessica Lowdell

  Maps by Najlakay

  Chapter Header by Jessica Lowdell

  Book Formatting by E.P. Bali with Vellum

  The author acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land where this book was written. We acknowledge their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples today.

  A NOTE ON THE CONTENT

  I care about the mental health of my readers.

  This book contains some themes you might want to know about before you read.

  They are listed at www.ektaabali.com/themes

  * * *

  Please note this novel contains mature themes and is best suited to audiences ages 18+

  To the first woman whose baby I caught as a new midwife. You looked into my eyes, held my hand and said, “Thank you so much, Ektaa. You are kind and patient and I can’t thank you enough.” I rushed out the door before you could see me cry because it was you who showed me the might and patience of a woman. I will never forget you.

  CONTENTS

  1. Jerali Jones

  2. Saraya

  3. Saraya

  4. Drake

  5. Saraya

  6. Saraya

  7. Saraya

  8. Drake

  9. Saraya

  10. Drake

  11. Saraya

  12. Drake

  13. Saraya

  14. Saraya

  15. Drake

  16. Saraya

  17. Saraya

  18. Saraya

  19. Saraya

  20. Drake

  21. Saraya

  22. Saraya

  23. Saraya

  24. Saraya

  25. Saraya

  26. Saraya

  27. Drake

  28. Saraya

  29. Saraya

  30. Saraya

  31. Drake

  32. Saraya

  33. Saraya

  34. Saraya

  35. Saraya

  36. Drake

  37. Saraya

  38. Saraya

  39. Drake

  40. Saraya

  41. Saraya

  42. Jerali Jones

  Afterword

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by E.P. Bali

  1

  JERALI JONES

  I held my sword like a lover.

  A sword had been my first love.

  And as far as I was concerned, it would be my last. This battle that had begun in the Sticks and spread like a rampaging ox through Quartz City filled my veins with fire. War was where I was home. And against demons this vicious and bloodthirsty, I was a happy match.

  I had been skulking through the shadows— scouting the Sticks past curfew to gather information on the fae scum who had invaded my home when I heard two fae guards gossiping. They were talking about how Saraya’s wedding to Prince Daxian had been expedited to tonight. The information had frozen me because her marriage would change everything about our current dilemma. But the fae guards didn’t even get to finish their sentence before they abruptly began sniffing and retching. There was a choked-out “demons” before I saw the first of the massive horde that would descend upon the city. They were demons alright, with mouths full of fangs and skin colours ranging from blue to red. They were headed straight for the palace.

  There had been no time. I knew it would be a massacre, and that reality chopped at my heart like a meat cleaver.

  But perhaps there was one way a single, skilled swordsperson could help. I had friends in the castle, and they needed a warning. Saraya might be the one getting married, but there was also Tembry, who was with child, and Blythe, who had once painted a portrait of me as a bloodthirsty warrior for my birthday.

  I cherished that painting.

  So, I ran for the secret tunnel that Saraya had helped Captain Starkis and I escape through a few days ago. If I was quick, I could get into the palace at the same time as the demons and get to the girls.

  All I could hope was that Starkis and the other human rebels would catch on and work to free the soldiers kept in the barns—before the demons came down on them as foxes tore apart a chicken coop. Without weapons, those soldiers would be dead in the space of a few heartbeats.

  I ran for the tunnel on farmer Thompson’s land and thanked my lucky stars that I had the presence of mind to kick a rubbery tree branch into the door before Saraya magically closed it. I had never seen her do magic so openly before, and it had stumped me for a fraction of a second before I made the split decision, knowing that we might need access to it later.

  It was just unfortunate that I had imagined a contingent of soldiers would be with me when I re-entered the palace. So much for that plan.

  Through the dark, the sounds of distant screams spurring me on, I felt my way through the bushes and vines, scraping my skin on brambles and thorns.

  I found my branch, stuck my fingers into the side of the door and hauled it open an inch at a time. After a minute of sweating, I was able to hold my breath and squeeze into the tunnel, closing the door shut behind me.

  I ran like fire was on my heels.

  By the time I entered the palace, the demons were making the foundations shake and there came a distant roar. I clenched my teeth and made my way into the labyrinth of servant’s tunnels. Saraya’s maids would not have been permitted to attend the wedding, so there was one place I would check first—her personal rooms.

  I knew the entire palace like the back of my hand because, as armsmaster, I was one of those responsible for training our military. I needed to teach my cadets how best to protect the palace. The first thing I had done when Saraya’s mother had enlisted me was to memorise the palace maps. The only thing that hadn’t been on there was Saraya’s secret tunnel. Other than that, I knew every inch of the place.

  I had known that one day, an invasion like this was possible. Lobrathia’s quartz quarry was too valuable for anyone to overlook. And apparently, the demons had thought this very same thing, just as the fae.

  I slammed through Saraya’s servant’s door, only to find Tembry, Blythe, and Altara’s maid, Lucy, cowering in Saraya’s closet.

  A ball of rainbow-coloured fur launched itself at me with a snarl.

  “Opal, no!” Tembry screamed, running out of the closet, a bundle of blankets held close to her chest.

  The rainbow ball of fluff abruptly closed its snarling mouth and scrambled up my chest and onto my shoulder.

  “Jerali’s a friend!” Tembry said. “Thank God you’re here, armsmaster. We don’t know what’s going—"

  “A horde of demons is invading the land,” I said simply, going to the side window and peering out. “We need to get out of here immediately.”

  When I turned around, the girls were gaping at me. Tembry, red-headed and slightly swollen from pregnancy, dark haired, stubborn Blythe and cherub-faced Lucy.

  “Why?” asked Blythe. She was always the most fiery of the three. And the best fighter. “Demons? I mean—are you sure? They’ve never come above ground before.” She stared at the others.

  “I’m sure,” I sai
d darkly. “There’s too many of them. If we stay, we are dead. I saw their numbers. They’re here to take over.”

  Tembry clutched the bundle tighter, and it took me a beat to realise what it was. “Oh, Tem!” I rushed forward to peer at her child. “The baby’s here!”

  “A few days ago,” she whispered. “I’ve called her Delilah—but now I almost wish she was still inside me. I can’t let them take her. What if—”

  “No one is taking her,” I said firmly. “Blythe. Lucy. Help Tembry strap the baby to her back. You might all need to fight if you want to get out of here.”

  “What?” Tembry blanched. She was terrified. I knew that feeling, and I had discarded it years ago, condemning it as useless. Lucy and Blythe began leafing through the clothes in Saraya’s wardrobe.

  “What about Saraya?” Tembry asked as Blythe carefully took the tiny rosy cheeked babe from her. She was healthy, that was good. The creature on my shoulder made a distressed noise.

  I shook my head. “She’ll have to look after herself. There’s a bunch of fae warriors with her. She should be…”

  But I had no guarantee she was going to be fine. Because, in fact, if I let that dark thought at the back of my mind peek through, I knew that these demons would come for her first.

  The creature still sitting on my shoulder, Opal, leapt onto the bed where the girls were arranging the baby’s blankets. She was the size of a kitten, with pointed, cat-like ears, a sweet, round face, and a long tail she kept coiled. Her rainbow eyes filled with tears. I stared at the obviously intelligent creature—she could have only come from the fae realm.

  “Oh, Opal,” said Tembry, rushing to grab the creature. “You’re only still a baby too. Oh!” Tembry’s eyes lit up. “Opal can make illusions, Saraya told me! We can get out of here, unseen, with her help. Can you do that, Ope?”

  The creature patted its eyes with a paw and nodded, sniffing.

  “Well, that’s helpful,” I said, eyeing Opal thoughtfully, “but let’s hurry.”

  Tembry had just strapped the baby to her back when there came a thud behind us. The main door crashed open, and a hulking crimson faced demon in the shape of a man, complete with black plate armour, stood there, bearing a naked sword. He sniffed the air with giant nostrils.

  “Opal!” Tembry cried. The three girls huddled together, a sheet of glitter fell around them, and instantly, they were invisible.

  But the demon warrior had already seen them and made to lunge. Except I got there first, levelling my sword at him. He stopped short and appraised me with yellow, slitted eyes.

  “Are you a woman or a man?” His voice was like a heavy boot over gravel.

  “Does it matter?” I asked. Honestly, to women, I was a woman. To men, I was a man because that’s what they were comfortable with. No one gave a tinker’s cuss what I thought. Only Saraya’s mother had accepted me as I was when she found me on that ship a long time ago.

  “It makes a difference in what I do after I kill you.” He showed me all of his summer yellow teeth.

  A rabid smile curved like a scimitar along my mouth. “Oh, but it makes no difference to me.” I lunged.

  He met me at the first strike and the second, but on the third—alas, he had never been trained by me—I feinted and proceeded to slice him precisely in the carotid artery. Blood burst from his neck and he gave one half-hearted swing before collapsing to the floor.

  Shaking my head at the folly of plate armour, I picked up the demon’s sword.

  “Madam Opal, can you shield me too?” I asked politely.

  After a little bird-like warble, I too was enveloped in the shimmering light. Now I was a part of the illusion, I could also see the girls.

  I gave Blythe the demon’s sword. Since she was undoubtedly the best of the three in swordplay, it was best that she have it. She took it with a wrinkled nose.

  “It kills the same as any sword you’ve trained with,” I said lightly.

  She nodded.

  I gave her an approving smile. “Let’s go.”

  Leading them down into the servant’s stair, I wondered which screams were coming from where. But I knew none of them would be Saraya’s. I’d trained her and Altara to rival even me. I wasn’t even surprised when I heard a rumour that she’d bested some of the powerful fae during her time with them. I hadn’t doubted her for one second. Not only did she have magic in her that would help her best the fae, but she had a determination and strength of will I’d never seen in a person before. Part of that reason was her stepmother— a vile, cruel woman I’d known from the start would be trouble.

  But I couldn’t afford to think about that now. The best thing I could do to help Saraya was to make sure our loved ones got away from this mess.

  The palace foundations shuddered again, and just as we reached the wooden panel in the wall that led to the secret tunnel, I heard the presence of others in our corridor.

  Silently, I opened the panel and ushered the wide-eyed girls into the darkness. Goddess bless them because they went in without question. Silently, I took Opal from Tembry’s shoulder and placed her on my own. I put a finger to my lips and shut the girls inside.

  Booted footsteps thundered down the wooden floorboards of the passage, and I pressed myself against the wall. They didn’t sound like the heavy boots I had seen on the feet of the demon I’d just dispatched.

  Opal trembled on my shoulder and I placed a comforting hand on her tiny body. She quietened as we waited.

  But it was not the enemy’s feet shuffling uncertainly down the passage. It was Derrick, the king’s manservant, closely followed by the royal contingents from neighbouring kingdoms: King Osring, teenage King Junni, and his older regent. They had all come for Saraya’s wedding to the fae prince. A neat present for the demons.

  “Stop!” I called.

  Opal’s magic fell away around me. Clever little thing.

  Derrick and the others froze, their faces contorting in panic. But it was Queen Helena, the Rubenesque leader of the Waelan Kingdom, who spoke first. “Who goes there?”

  “Just me, Jerali Jones,” I said, coming into view. “I have a way out. Follow me, Your Highnesses.”

  I opened the tunnel entrance and didn’t wait for them to follow.

  Tembry and the girls took one look at who was behind me and immediately started down the darkness of the tunnel.

  “It’s about a thousand paces long!” I called as Derrick shooed the royals in. “Let’s not tarry here.”

  They murmured in agreement or complaint; I couldn’t tell. Couldn’t care, for that matter. We reached the exit point after a number of stumbling and falling incidents but all in one piece.

  Farmer Thompson’s lands to the east of the palace where the tunnel came out was dark and absent of demons. We could still hear the screams and sounds of fighting in the distance.

  “Make for Kaalon,” came a deep voice. King Osring, Lobrathia’s eastern neighbour, shuffled his wiry frame to the front of the group, clutching a walking stick tightly.

  “We have no supplies, no horses, no nothing,” Queen Helena huffed, wiping dirt off her regal, lavender gown. “We must think this through. Where is a safe area we may hide?”