by J E Reed
The arrow struck on point and the deer jumped once before falling.
“Nice shot.”
Reece slid down the ladder and she followed. His hands brushed her sides as she jumped the remaining foot.
“Couldn’t have done it without you.”
He knelt and took out a knife. At one time she might have vomited from the gutting of such a large animal, but this time she watched as Reece did the work.
Once finished, he tied a rope around the rear feet. “Ready to go?”
She nodded.
Kiuno offered to help several times as Reece dragged the creature through the woods, but he laughed, claiming he could more than handle it.
The camp was alive when they returned and Kiuno wondered how long they’d waited in the tree. She worried for Elite but found him laughing at Nsane’s side.
“I see you got something good today,” Marci said.
Reece handed the animal off to another who drug it across the settlement and beyond her sight. “Actually, Kiuno got this one for us.”
Upon hearing their voices Elite turned. He glanced at the deer, then back to her. “Have fun?”
“Always.”
Elite pressed a kiss to her brow, then wrapped one arm around her shoulders and led her to a log where they were all seated.
Kiuno leaned her head against Elite’s arm and observed the smiling faces. They were family. They had a life here and judging from their conversations it didn’t appear they ever planned to leave.
Maybe she could make a life here too. If she were forced. It was a rewarding existence. One where everything you did made a difference to the small community you supported.
K.J.’s group didn’t make her feel that way. And home didn’t even come close.
“We should head back,” Kiuno said.
“Damn, and here I was hoping you’d stay,” Reece said. “Visit more often and we’ll keep up on your shooting skills.”
Kiuno stood. “Blue would tell you I need it.”
Kiuno bid them farewell then proceeded toward the castle with Elite’s hand clasped in hers. As they walked through the knee-high grass Kiuno thought back to the first time she’d passed over this plain.
She hadn’t been sure what to expect back then, but it certainly hadn’t been to find K.J. and her husband within a few days.
Cybele would stay with Reece for a while. The woman was curious about them though she seemed as wild as the creatures she lived among.
When they walked through the gate, Kiuno headed straight for K.J.’s office and for once Elite didn’t protest. They were both tired, but there were things to be done.
Kiuno opened the double doors after a brief knock and K.J. and a few others turned to her, their previous conversation put on hold.
K.J. rose from his chair. “Didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”
“I can’t goof off forever.”
He nodded toward those at the table and they picked up their belongings and left the room. When the last one closed the door, K.J. took his seat again.
“Discover anything interesting?”
“The woman’s name is Cybele. She’s about as wild as the felinians, but she’s friendlier than she put on.”
“Sounds like you made friends.”
“Reece did.”
K.J.’s brows rose. “Better she went with him then, though you’ll be seeing her shortly.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“A meeting has been requested.”
“By the alliances?”
K.J. shook his head. “By those who live beyond the forest.”
“I didn’t think anyone could access the other side,” Kiuno said.
“Cybele’s group lives within it.”
“Good point.”
Elite pulled a seat out and sat down. “Does Cybele know about them?”
“I’m not sure. But we might have a problem on our hands if they discover we had anything to do with the fire. Especially if they suffered from it.”
“That could mean another enemy,” Elite said.
K.J. folded his hands. “We know whoever is there isn’t from the alliances. We could be dealing with the creator.”
“You think they had something to do with the attack on Silver and Elite?”
K.J. shrugged. “It’s possible. It’s also possible that the whole thing is a trap which is why I’ll be taking our best to ensure everything goes as planned. We’ll ask Cybele what she knows. If the two aren’t allies, then I imagine she’ll want to bring her people up to speed.”
24: Traitor
Realm: 5
Day: 275
Lillian handed him a glass of wine then adjusted her gown before sitting across from him in an armchair as fine as the dress she wore. The elegant way the fabric folded around her legs might have been alluring to others, but he wasn’t so easily tempted.
Lillian swirled her drink and took a sip. The liquid stained her lips red and he briefly thought of all the blood she’d spilled on this land. She was perfect for his plans.
“Spill it.” She crossed her legs and sat back in the cushions. “What do you want?”
A wicked grin spread across his angular face. “My dear, do I have to want something to visit you?”
She huffed. “I don’t pretend to seduce you and you don’t pretend I’m not part of an elaborate scheme remember?”
His smile widened. “It’s time.”
Her eyes flashed and she set her glass on the table. “Already? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure and the timing is perfect. With the forest gone, there’s nothing to stand in your way.”
Lillian sat back again. “What becomes of our relationship,” she emphasized the word, “once I’ve done as you asked?”
“You’ll be free to run this world as you please.”
“Freedom,” Lillian seemed to taste the word before she met his gaze. “Is that something you can promise?”
He gestured with one hand to encompass the extravagant room. “Is all this not up to your standards?”
She tapped her fingers on the glass. “It is, but you don’t strike me as someone who leaves loose ends untucked.”
He took a sip of wine. “My dear if you pull this off, you’ll have this entire world to rule and nothing would make me happier.”
“Why go through the trouble at all? What’s so important about my conquering it if you could just make your hearts’ desire come to be with a flick of your wrist?”
He smirked. “That would ruin the game.”
Lillian sighed, but a smile played on her face. “You and your games.” She stood, crossed the room, and picked up a pen from her desk. “What would you like me to do?”
His heart sped and he gave her a devious smile. “Only what you do best.”
~~~
HE STEPPED onto the balcony and the cool night breeze hit his bare chest. The serene night was as elegant as the room he shared with his little pawn. Soon the grounds would be stained red and charred beyond recognition.
Lillian thought she had him in the palm of her hand. She thought she’d finally seduced him with her charisma and wicked ways.
He smirked. Quite the opposite. She was nothing more than a toy he enjoyed winding up. She’d learn the truth soon though she’d never get the chance for answers.
His attention drifted to wild lightning and consuming fire.
Magic would spread over the hills and that woman’s heart would darken beyond recognition. Those who claimed to love her might turn away at the sight of such darkness. But he’d bathe in that abyss and push it beyond the point of return.
25: Land of Death
Realm: 5
Day: 291
Kiuno coughed and wiped her soot covered hands across her brow. It didn’t matter anymore. Everything they touched turned black from the ash-covered land. Breathing. Eating. Sleeping. They did nothing without the Land of Death’s involvement.
“Ominous name you’ve given it,” Elite r
emarked.
“What else would you call it?”
“A new beginning.” He knelt and Kiuno crept forward in the dim lighting. “Look.” He pushed away a pile of ash to reveal a tiny sprout. “These will grow into more trees and soon the forest will be back to the way it was.”
“Let’s hope not,” K.J. said.
Kiuno crossed her arms. “I’m with him. There weren’t exactly friendly things living there.”
Elite stood. “No, but those things were placed by the creator. What comes next could be very different.”
Kiuno tried to wipe her fingers on her pants, but the black only smeared. “I’ll stick to hoping we’re out of here before then.”
They all turned when Cybele took to the sky on Milo. The burst of his massive wings against the ground sent another wave of ash twirling through the air and Kiuno shielded her face.
“Where’s she going?”
K.J. stacked another log on the fire. “We’re only a day out from her place and the felinian is growing restless. I told her to go on ahead.”
Kiuno envied Cybele’s escape, but Elite pulled her around and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
She giggled. “What was that for?”
“To cheer you up. We’ll be out of here soon.”
She sighed and lay back on the ash-covered ground. None bothered with a blanket anymore. They were covered in soot anyway.
Morning brought on a new level of cheer as the trees surrounding Cybele’s home entered their view. The horses trotted toward the green and Kiuno even felt herself moving quicker to escape the void they’d been crossing.
As soon as Kiuno brushed against a tree she tugged at her shoes and relished the feel of sticks and moss beneath her feet. The air smelled fresher beneath the canopy and lifted her spirit as they progressed forward.
When the first felinian roared, chaos erupted.
The horses reared and screamed. One kicked, cracking a hitch and those in charge raced to calm the frantic creatures. One animal bucked his rider and the man’s foot lodged in the saddle while it fled for its life.
Cybele, along with several of her human companions, put a stop to the scene and calmed the felinians attempting to protect their home.
With the horses put away and the wagon hidden in thick brush, they entered the clearing they’d visited before.
Once again, Kiuno marveled at the creatures, but her wonderment faded as a growing sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach.
Kiuno startled when Elite grabbed her hand. “Come on, they said we could clean up over here.”
Kiuno glanced at the grayish creature nestled in a tree, then followed Elite.
They walked past several creatures who kept a close eye on their movements. Most moved away if they walked too close and others snapped their jaw in warning. She wondered if they should be heading so far away from the people who cared for them.
Elite led Kiuno around a small pond that rested against the mountainside. The horses had gathered here, but their ears still pivoted, and nostrils flared at every noise. They wouldn’t be moving anytime soon.
Elite pulled her around an outcropping of trees, but she paused when he made to enter a crevice in the mountainside.
“Where are we going?”
“Don’t trust me?”
A smile crawled to her face. “Of course, I trust you.”
He ducked inside the narrow cavern and Kiuno crawled in behind. She crouched to keep from hitting her head on the rock above.
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?”
Elite jumped from the cramped tunnel, then turned to help her down. “Yep.”
Kiuno jumped into his arms and she gasped at the scene spread out before them.
Water fell from a ten-foot ceiling and several pools lined the inside of the cave. She took a step forward, her bare feet hitting the cool, damp stone in disbelieving steps.
“How did you find this?”
“I asked Cybele if there was a more secluded area and she told me about this.”
“Why?”
Elite’s fingers untucked her shirt and he pulled it over Kiuno’s head. Ash fell to the ground around them, but he didn’t appear to notice. Elite’s hands wrapped around her waist and he pressed his body closer to hers.
“Because you’ve looked stressed.” He kissed the side of her neck and his hand traced the curve of her spine. His gaze met hers and she playfully shoved him away.
“If you think you’re doing anything while we’re filthy, you’re crazy.”
He gave her a devilish grin. “You won’t stop me.”
She took a step forward. “You’re right, but I will do this.”
Kiuno shoved him then jumped into the freezing water. Ash and dirt curled along the water’s shimmering surface then disappeared along with her worries of anyone catching them.
~~~
CLEAN, REFRESHED, and far more relaxed than she’d been the previous evening, Kiuno settled herself into the saddle and gave Elite a sheepish smile.
They exited on the far side of the trees to avoid the felinians and the chaos of calming the horses again. They still snorted in protest, but none reared back until their hooves hit the soot. It returned to every crevice of her skin like a plague.
Once again, they walked across the barren area full of burnt trees and dead life. Maybe Reece should speed things up a bit. She glanced back at him and to her surprise found him staring.
“What?”
“You’re awfully cheerful this morning.”
“Maybe I had a good night.”
Reece’s gaze drifted to Elite. “I bet you did.”
He glanced back to her and something in his eyes made her think of jealousy, but he smiled and pulled ahead.
The landscape shifted with the afternoon and their horses pulled into a steady trot that none could stop. The men struggling to control the wagons cursed more than once as they crossed the bumpy terrain at an uncomfortable speed.
Grass and uncharred earth. She’d have run toward it too if not for the sharp drop on the far side of the mountain.
Kiuno cringed. Reece dismounted and she followed him toward the edge.
“Looks like a river flows under the mountain.”
Cool wind swept up from the depths and she fought against another shiver that snaked down her spine. “Why do there have to be cliffs everywhere we go?”
He glanced back with a smirk on his face. “No need to worry. I’ll catch you again.”
Kiuno’s stomach crawled to her throat as he walked along the edge.
“We should keep moving,” K.J. said. “We’re close and it’s too early to camp.”
Kiuno nodded and helped K.J. spread the news. Several horses seemed to protest their continued travel, so the lot of their group contented themselves to move forward on foot.
Her legs and back were sore, but when Elite wrapped his hand in hers, Kiuno couldn’t bring herself to wish for different circumstances. He completed her world and it felt as though a light shined deep in her soul with his presence.
Faint smoke rose into the sky and soon after they spotted the small fire on the open plains.
The strangers didn’t hide, but their proximity to the cliffside still made Kiuno uneasy. Kiuno released Elite’s hand and their squad fell into formation without command. She walked at the front with Maltack and Reece at her sides. K.J. walked directly behind her while Elite and the others covered the rear and sides.
Only three men stood upon their approach. Three. Could one of them be the creator? No, he wouldn’t meet them in a place like this. But they had to be magic users if they were willing to come out here alone. And powerful ones at that.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins, but Kiuno kept her outward composure. She didn’t need to give them any reason to attack or suspect her as anything more than a bodyguard.
As they neared, the men wrapped their hands around the hilts of their swords and Kiuno paused. Neither spoke for a long tim
e as one group studied the other.
Of the three men, the center one drew Kiuno’s attention the most. He was muscular, tan, and carried himself well. If she didn’t know better, she might think him the leader of those beyond the forest.
The other two glanced at him and from their straggly appearance it was clear they relied entirely too much upon their magic. Elliott would have enjoyed whipping them into shape.
“We’re here as you requested,” K.J. said.
The burly man took a step forward. “Are you the leader of those on the other side?”
Might as well be.
K.J. didn’t move. “I am.”
The man knotted his brows and glanced at their procession. “Our king requests a meeting, but it seems you’ve come too armed.”
“With the forest gone we didn’t know what to expect, I’m sure you can appreciate the caution.”
He lifted his lip in what looked to be a snarl. “Are you responsible for the forest?”
Silence.
“It was necessary.”
“It was stupid. The forest provided food to our people and could have done the same for yours.”
Kiuno bit her lip, but K.J. kept his composure. “My apologies, I didn’t realize people lived beyond the borders.”
The man clicked his tongue. “You can ask for forgiveness after you swear allegiance to our king.”
Kiuno glanced back at K.J., then K.J. took a step forward. “I’m sorry. I must have misunderstood.”
“We have a way of doing things and our king won’t be disobeyed. As a token of good faith, we were told to pass along a gift.”
He raised a muscled arm to the sky and a heavy silence fell around them.
Kiuno shifted her feet and pulled the flames to her fingertips. Her skin warmed, the magic buzzing with life as they waited for something to happen. Was someone coming?
Kiuno opened her mouth to speak and a deafening explosion from behind shoved her to her knees. Kiuno clamped her hands over her ears and fought to take a breath as the blast reverberated through her chest.
