it. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. Taron hugged Alton
tightly and then stood back.
Dax held out his hand to Taron.
The Lemurian took it in a firm shake. Dax looked down at their clasped hands
and once more realized he was making a pact. He raised his head and looked
steadily into Taron’s green eyes. “We will protect your friend. This I swear.”
Taron nodded. “I’ll hold you
to that one, DemonSlayer.”
Eddy held on to Bumper’s
leash, and Dax grabbed her free hand. He looked about the small cell, once more
at the tall Lemurian standing in the shadows, and then followed Alton down the
dark tunnel with Eddy’s hand tucked tightly in his.
When Dax glanced at her, she
flashed him a big smile. There was no fear in her now. None. They were on their
way. He held tightly to the promise he’d made to Taron, to watch out for the
tall Lemurian. Held it close to his heart, both the promise and the name with
which Taron had gifted him.
DemonSlayer.
It was a title he would carry
with pride. He was no longer a demon. In spite of the curse, he would become
their greatest nemesis. With Eddy, Bumper, Willow, and now Alton beside him,
Dax finally had the confidence they might actually prevail.
Alton led them through a
series of lava tubes and tunnels within the mountain. He walked with the
confidence of one who had, as he’d quietly explained, explored every inch of
the dark passages with Taron when they’d come here as children, shortly after the
original continent of Lemuria was rocked by volcanic explosions and destroyed.
When she asked him how long
ago that had been, Alton merely shook his head and whispered, “Millennia.”
That was a little hard to
swallow, but so was picturing Alton as a child. It was difficult for Eddy to
imagine him as anything but a fearsome warrior as he led them, walking
confidently with his crystal sword held aloft. Shining like a brilliant torch,
it cast a silvery glow bright enough to light their way.
The passageway seemed to go on
forever, and Eddy felt as if she’d been walking for hours. Her stomach rumbled
from hunger, and the bottle of water she’d been carrying was almost empty when
Alton turned and held a finger to his lips.
“We’re passing close by the
main plaza. It’s just on the other side of this wall. Sounds carry through the
stone, so be very quiet. We’ll reach the veil shortly. Once we pass through, we
should be out of danger, at least from Lemurian guards.”
Eddy cast a quick glance at
Dax. He’d hardly said a word on the long walk, and his face appeared lined with
strain and fatigue. Leaning close to him, she whispered in his ear, “Are you
okay?”
He nodded, but she felt a
shudder pass through his body. The demon’s curse! How could she have forgotten?
“Hold Bumper.” Eddy shoved the leash into Dax’s hand and squeezed his fingers
around the strap. She practically ripped the top two buttons off his flannel
shirt in her haste to get it open. Then she slipped her hand inside and pressed
her palms to his chest.
Alton watched them, frowning
but not interfering, thank goodness. Eddy glanced up into Dax’s eyes. She felt
his angry frustration. He hated the fact he had no control, that the damned
curse should have the power to slow them down.
Even though Eddy couldn’t
actually see the tattoo beneath his shirt, she knew exactly where it was the
moment she touched it. His skin burned her hands. She felt the snake writhe and
ripple beneath her palms as she softly stroked the small portion she could
reach.
The Lemurian watched them
through narrowed eyes. It was obvious he was as intrigued as he’d been when
she’d done this earlier, when Dax was explaining their quest. Now, as then,
Eddy paid him little heed. Dax needed her. She felt it. Welcomed it.
Willow sat quietly on her
shoulder. Bumper had planted her butt on the stony floor and leaned against
Eddy’s leg. She could have sworn she felt their energy, their strength pouring
into her as
She nodded. Taron hugged Alton
tightly and then stood back.
Dax held out his hand to Taron.
The Lemurian took it in a firm shake. Dax looked down at their clasped hands
and once more realized he was making a pact. He raised his head and looked
steadily into Taron’s green eyes. “We will protect your friend. This I swear.”
Taron nodded. “I’ll hold you
to that one, DemonSlayer.”
Eddy held on to Bumper’s
leash, and Dax grabbed her free hand. He looked about the small cell, once more
at the tall Lemurian standing in the shadows, and then followed Alton down the
dark tunnel with Eddy’s hand tucked tightly in his.
When Dax glanced at her, she
flashed him a big smile. There was no fear in her now. None. They were on their
way. He held tightly to the promise he’d made to Taron, to watch out for the
tall Lemurian. Held it close to his heart, both the promise and the name with
which Taron had gifted him.
DemonSlayer.
It was a title he would carry
with pride. He was no longer a demon. In spite of the curse, he would become
their greatest nemesis. With Eddy, Bumper, Willow, and now Alton beside him,
Dax finally had the confidence they might actually prevail.
Alton led them through a
series of lava tubes and tunnels within the mountain. He walked with the
confidence of one who had, as he’d quietly explained, explored every inch of
the dark passages with Taron when they’d come here as children, shortly after the
original continent of Lemuria was rocked by volcanic explosions and destroyed.
When she asked him how long
ago that had been, Alton merely shook his head and whispered, “Millennia.”
That was a little hard to
swallow, but so was picturing Alton as a child. It was difficult for Eddy to
imagine him as anything but a fearsome warrior as he led them, walking
confidently with his crystal sword held aloft. Shining like a brilliant torch,
it cast a silvery glow bright enough to light their way.
The passageway seemed to go on
forever, and Eddy felt as if she’d been walking for hours. Her stomach rumbled
from hunger, and the bottle of water she’d been carrying was almost empty when
Alton turned and held a finger to his lips.
“We’re passing close by the
main plaza. It’s just on the other side of this wall. Sounds carry through the
stone, so be very quiet. We’ll reach the veil shortly. Once we pass through, we
should be out of danger, at least from Lemurian guards.”
Eddy cast a quick glance at
Dax. He’d hardly said a word on the long walk, and his face appeared lined with
strain and fatigue. Leaning close to him, she whispered in his ear, “Are you
okay?”
He nodded, but she felt a
shudder pass through his body. The demon’s curse! How could she have forgotten?
“Hold Bumper.” Eddy shoved the leash into Dax’s hand and squeezed his fingers
around the strap. She practically ripped the top two buttons off his flannel
shirt in her haste to get it open. Then she slipped her hand inside and pressed
her palms to his chest.
Alton watched them, frowning
but not interfering, thank goodness. Eddy glanced up into Dax’s eyes. She felt
his angry frustration. He hated the fact he had no control, that the damned
curse should have the power to slow them down.
Even though Eddy couldn’t
actually see the tattoo beneath his shirt, she knew exactly where it was the
moment she touched it. His skin burned her hands. She felt the snake writhe and
ripple beneath her palms as she softly stroked the small portion she could
reach.
The Lemurian watched them
through narrowed eyes. It was obvious he was as intrigued as he’d been when
she’d done this earlier, when Dax was explaining their quest. Now, as then,
Eddy paid him little heed. Dax needed her. She felt it. Welcomed it.
Willow sat quietly on her
shoulder. Bumper had planted her butt on the stony floor and leaned against
Eddy’s leg. She could have sworn she felt their energy, their strength pouring
into her as
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