chores, Elycia was sure Bella had seen to that, but that was about all there was to do. No one was about to bring a charge like that against one of the Ontar’s guards, especially one of the First. Slaves turned up missing spouting off like that.
Bella warned her that day to steer clear of him. She still wondered how the big cook knew to tell her to never look him in the eye.
That had been her mistake…
She did her best to avoid him, stuck to groups of women for the most part, and recoiled from looking at any of the crimson clad warriors, just in case it was him. Finding herself in a hallway coming face to face with the monster was bone chilling. She dropped whatever she was carrying on the spot and ran.
It wasn’t long before she started seeing him in the oddest of places, always staring at her with dead hungry eyes, like he was sick with incurable fever. Fear still rippled through her spine at the memory of those eyes. Under the blanket that Thaniel had dug from the cart’s provisions, she gripped her fists to keep her hands from shaking.
She trembled with the memory of trying to get away from the big soldier. Panic had whisked away her wits like a broom did dust. She ran with such abandon that she had no idea where she was going. Before she even knew where she was, she found herself in the cold wet place, all alone. It was a matter of habit more than anything really. How many times had she made that trip down to into the cistern for fresh tea water? Elycia smiled, knowing she’d never have to go down to the dreary place again.
How Thaniel had sensed what was happening and knew where to find her before Keriim caught up to her was mind numbing to say the least. She couldn’t imagine how fast he must have run to beat Keriim to the cistern, where she had stupidly let herself be cornered. The way Thaniel showed up and knew just what to do, how he navigated the dark passages of the hold, rescuing her from Keriim, was nothing short of miraculous.
If only everything had stopped right there…
But it didn’t. Everything changed in the hallway. How could she ignore the way he made that carving transform before her very eyes? She shivered, recalling the next day. The strange blue light of the dais alone would have been enough to give her pause. She didn’t even want to think about the actual dra he magically called.
Elycia stiffened, realizing she had unknowingly nudged closer to Thaniel. She hoped he didn’t notice as she slowly leaned away.
He turned and smiled, the same goofy grin that grabbed her the first time she saw him. He was at a loss for words, again. Thaniel had a loose tongue when it came to Jorel. The two of them shared a banter that probably hadn’t stopped since the moment they met. But when it came to her, he always seemed to get befuddled and then blabber out nonsense to try and cover it up.
It surprised her that she found his awkward shyness refreshing. With Thaniel, you got what you saw. When he was happy there was no hiding it. When the boy smiled his entire face lit up with infectious joy.
Then, as if it were the other side of the coin that was Thaniel, a vision of the dra, its wicked blue eyes flashing, peered back at her from her memories. She let the silence stretch, not really knowing what to say.
What was there to say?
Elycia tore her eyes away from him, peering instead into the cold deep shadows of the pines. That was when she saw the first set of big diamond shaped yellow eyes watching them as they lurched by.
Chapter 20
Long Trip
The trees became thicker the further down the pass they rode, their branches blotting out what little light there was to see by. Once the moons passed, leaving them in an all engulfing blackness, they lit a tarnished brass lamp that the blessed Bella had been thoughtful enough to make sure they had. The pale flame barely penetrated the gloom of the forest around them, giving off just enough light to keep them on the trail. Beyond that small lurching
Bella warned her that day to steer clear of him. She still wondered how the big cook knew to tell her to never look him in the eye.
That had been her mistake…
She did her best to avoid him, stuck to groups of women for the most part, and recoiled from looking at any of the crimson clad warriors, just in case it was him. Finding herself in a hallway coming face to face with the monster was bone chilling. She dropped whatever she was carrying on the spot and ran.
It wasn’t long before she started seeing him in the oddest of places, always staring at her with dead hungry eyes, like he was sick with incurable fever. Fear still rippled through her spine at the memory of those eyes. Under the blanket that Thaniel had dug from the cart’s provisions, she gripped her fists to keep her hands from shaking.
She trembled with the memory of trying to get away from the big soldier. Panic had whisked away her wits like a broom did dust. She ran with such abandon that she had no idea where she was going. Before she even knew where she was, she found herself in the cold wet place, all alone. It was a matter of habit more than anything really. How many times had she made that trip down to into the cistern for fresh tea water? Elycia smiled, knowing she’d never have to go down to the dreary place again.
How Thaniel had sensed what was happening and knew where to find her before Keriim caught up to her was mind numbing to say the least. She couldn’t imagine how fast he must have run to beat Keriim to the cistern, where she had stupidly let herself be cornered. The way Thaniel showed up and knew just what to do, how he navigated the dark passages of the hold, rescuing her from Keriim, was nothing short of miraculous.
If only everything had stopped right there…
But it didn’t. Everything changed in the hallway. How could she ignore the way he made that carving transform before her very eyes? She shivered, recalling the next day. The strange blue light of the dais alone would have been enough to give her pause. She didn’t even want to think about the actual dra he magically called.
Elycia stiffened, realizing she had unknowingly nudged closer to Thaniel. She hoped he didn’t notice as she slowly leaned away.
He turned and smiled, the same goofy grin that grabbed her the first time she saw him. He was at a loss for words, again. Thaniel had a loose tongue when it came to Jorel. The two of them shared a banter that probably hadn’t stopped since the moment they met. But when it came to her, he always seemed to get befuddled and then blabber out nonsense to try and cover it up.
It surprised her that she found his awkward shyness refreshing. With Thaniel, you got what you saw. When he was happy there was no hiding it. When the boy smiled his entire face lit up with infectious joy.
Then, as if it were the other side of the coin that was Thaniel, a vision of the dra, its wicked blue eyes flashing, peered back at her from her memories. She let the silence stretch, not really knowing what to say.
What was there to say?
Elycia tore her eyes away from him, peering instead into the cold deep shadows of the pines. That was when she saw the first set of big diamond shaped yellow eyes watching them as they lurched by.
Chapter 20
Long Trip
The trees became thicker the further down the pass they rode, their branches blotting out what little light there was to see by. Once the moons passed, leaving them in an all engulfing blackness, they lit a tarnished brass lamp that the blessed Bella had been thoughtful enough to make sure they had. The pale flame barely penetrated the gloom of the forest around them, giving off just enough light to keep them on the trail. Beyond that small lurching
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