necklace from her hands.
Despair and need raged in Ria’s thoughts and flowed through her body. If she’d held the stone, she would have sent a blaze to sear him. “Please give me the fyrestone. Without it, I am in danger. What if Malera strikes again?”
He tucked the crystal beneath his tunic. “The stone is mine. Trust me. All will be well.”
Trust him? How? Though they were bonded body to body, that bond could easily be broken. Anger toward him churned in her gut. She turned her back to him. Tears raised by fear and frustration threatened. She rubbed her arms. “If you won’t give me the crystal, fill me. Ply my body with your magic. Raise sensations to make me forget my need.” Without making a sound, she wept.
Ari turned her to face him. “We can’t join bodies. Our passion would draw the lopestas.”
“I’ve destroyed them all.”
“Others lurk around the edges of the cleansed area. Come and eat, then sleep.” He ran a finger over her cheek.
She couldn’t move. He didn’t understand the emptiness she felt. Though his light caresses brushed against the web of loneliness, the pain of loss was a constant ache. She needed a fyrestone. “Leave me here. If you won’t give me the stone, Malera will find and kill me.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the blanket. He lay beside her and stroked her hair and her back. With a shudder, the silent tears changed to sobs. She felt the heat from his crystal and she slept.
At dawn, she woke and stretched. Ari rose from the fire and brought her a bowl of cooked grain studded with dates and nuts. As she ate, she kept her eyes downcast. She felt shame for the tears she had shed. Even when she’d been ill from the fyrethorn poisoning, she hadn’t allowed her weakness to show. Last night, she had.
Once they were ready to leave, she took Bera’s lead and trudged across the rocky ground. The sun shone bright in a cloud-dotted sky. Thoughts engrossed her. Why was she drawn to Ari? Had the physical bonding given her a wish to change her goals? She had to remember her reasons for wanting a fyrestone. Confronting Malera and seeking vengeance for the victims of the chief priestess was necessary. Still, the physical union with Ari had opened paths she feared to take.
When they’d made love in the grove, he’d bombarded her with sensations she hadn’t known existed. Her body had tingled, and then burned. She desired him, yet she wanted his stone. If he would give her the scarlet, she would find a safe place and learn how to control and direct the flames. Another thought made her gasp. If Ari had worn the crystal for most of his life and had used it, even in an inept way, how could he bear for her to touch the fyrestone? If she took it from him, could he survive the loss?
* * *
By early afternoon, they left the waste. Though the rocky landscape prevailed, there were gnarled trees and patches of green grass. Ari found the road that led in the direction he believed they needed to take to find Gydon. When he noticed places where the hooves of coursers had bitten into the earth, he led Ber off the track.
“Why have you left the road?” Ria asked.
He pointed to the droppings and the signs a party had camped just off the trail. “They aren’t that far ahead of us. I have no desire to stumble into their camp.”
“Do you think Malera is with them?”
He shrugged. “How would I know? Does she ever leave the temple?”
Ria’s brow furrowed. “In all the time I was at the temple, she never ventured beyond the market square for ceremonies and to attend the slave market. Do you realize where the priestesses are going?”
“To Gydon.” And that troubled him. There was no chance of reaching the hamlet first. Would the priestesses leave anyone alive?
Ria shuddered. “Those poor people. When I saw them in the flames, they looked defeated. Most were women and children. I fear Malera intends to sell them to the slavers.”
“I think
Despair and need raged in Ria’s thoughts and flowed through her body. If she’d held the stone, she would have sent a blaze to sear him. “Please give me the fyrestone. Without it, I am in danger. What if Malera strikes again?”
He tucked the crystal beneath his tunic. “The stone is mine. Trust me. All will be well.”
Trust him? How? Though they were bonded body to body, that bond could easily be broken. Anger toward him churned in her gut. She turned her back to him. Tears raised by fear and frustration threatened. She rubbed her arms. “If you won’t give me the crystal, fill me. Ply my body with your magic. Raise sensations to make me forget my need.” Without making a sound, she wept.
Ari turned her to face him. “We can’t join bodies. Our passion would draw the lopestas.”
“I’ve destroyed them all.”
“Others lurk around the edges of the cleansed area. Come and eat, then sleep.” He ran a finger over her cheek.
She couldn’t move. He didn’t understand the emptiness she felt. Though his light caresses brushed against the web of loneliness, the pain of loss was a constant ache. She needed a fyrestone. “Leave me here. If you won’t give me the stone, Malera will find and kill me.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the blanket. He lay beside her and stroked her hair and her back. With a shudder, the silent tears changed to sobs. She felt the heat from his crystal and she slept.
At dawn, she woke and stretched. Ari rose from the fire and brought her a bowl of cooked grain studded with dates and nuts. As she ate, she kept her eyes downcast. She felt shame for the tears she had shed. Even when she’d been ill from the fyrethorn poisoning, she hadn’t allowed her weakness to show. Last night, she had.
Once they were ready to leave, she took Bera’s lead and trudged across the rocky ground. The sun shone bright in a cloud-dotted sky. Thoughts engrossed her. Why was she drawn to Ari? Had the physical bonding given her a wish to change her goals? She had to remember her reasons for wanting a fyrestone. Confronting Malera and seeking vengeance for the victims of the chief priestess was necessary. Still, the physical union with Ari had opened paths she feared to take.
When they’d made love in the grove, he’d bombarded her with sensations she hadn’t known existed. Her body had tingled, and then burned. She desired him, yet she wanted his stone. If he would give her the scarlet, she would find a safe place and learn how to control and direct the flames. Another thought made her gasp. If Ari had worn the crystal for most of his life and had used it, even in an inept way, how could he bear for her to touch the fyrestone? If she took it from him, could he survive the loss?
* * *
By early afternoon, they left the waste. Though the rocky landscape prevailed, there were gnarled trees and patches of green grass. Ari found the road that led in the direction he believed they needed to take to find Gydon. When he noticed places where the hooves of coursers had bitten into the earth, he led Ber off the track.
“Why have you left the road?” Ria asked.
He pointed to the droppings and the signs a party had camped just off the trail. “They aren’t that far ahead of us. I have no desire to stumble into their camp.”
“Do you think Malera is with them?”
He shrugged. “How would I know? Does she ever leave the temple?”
Ria’s brow furrowed. “In all the time I was at the temple, she never ventured beyond the market square for ceremonies and to attend the slave market. Do you realize where the priestesses are going?”
“To Gydon.” And that troubled him. There was no chance of reaching the hamlet first. Would the priestesses leave anyone alive?
Ria shuddered. “Those poor people. When I saw them in the flames, they looked defeated. Most were women and children. I fear Malera intends to sell them to the slavers.”
“I think
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