I guessed their third partner, Johnno, hadn’t returned. Good, I thought. Perhaps Percifal had taken the man down with him as his own life was snuffed out. The thought didn’t make me feel much better.
I sat in silence while the two men spoke of the route we would take to Solis, and how we would have to make haste to avoid the colder weather. It sounded like it was going to be an even tougher ride than the one Percifal and I had been on. We would be riding through the night and only stopping once they could stay awake no longer. Chances were high I wouldn’t make it out of this journey alive. Surely I’d die from exhaustion or starvation… or mayhap I would freeze to death as the nights became colder.
I choked on a sob as I realized that I may never see Addy again—or my father, or even a comfortable bed and a good meal at that. Perhaps my death was inevitable, and I should force them to kill me when they untied me in the morning. At least then I wouldn’t suffer a slow death.
I hadn’t had thoughts this dark since my time in Algor’s dungeon, and I didn’t welcome them now. I didn’t want to give up, but I didn’t want to suffer any longer. I knew it wouldn’t be easy when I’d left Solis, but I didn’t think I’d have to endure these kinds of monstrosities. Surely Celestia was trying to teach me a lesson. A royal had no business leaving her kingdom unaccompanied. All right, I understand, I thought, looking to the sky. I made a mistake, but now I’m ready to join you, my goddess. Please have mercy on me.
As I finished that thought, as if she’d heard me, a man’s strangled cry of anguish and the sound of metal clashing drifted through the air from somewhere behind me. My breath caught, and I twisted my head to find two men fighting with swords and one lying on the ground. I couldn’t make out their faces from my post, but I could tell the big one was Horas, and I guessed the one lying on the ground was Oren. As for the other man… I wondered if he was Johnno. But that didn’t make sense. Johnno was their friend, not their enemy. The unknown man moved swiftly, spinning and ducking, his sword like an extension of his arm.
Horas moved slower, his strikes choppier, but he was big and strong, and his sword blocked every attempt the other man made to pierce him.
I held my breath as they battled on, their swords singing each time they met. It was like watching a flawless performance.
To my dismay, Horas struck the other man’s sword with such force that it was almost knocked right out of his hand.
The other man seemed stunned but quickly recovered and cut Horas’s sword arm on the inner side of his elbow.
Horas fell back and quickly scrambled over to me. To my shock, he snatched a dagger out from his belt and held the point to my throat. “Come any closer, and I end the lady’s life,” he hissed. The cold point met my skin.
His opponent froze. Our eyes met, and my heart stopped. There stood my saviour, the one man who’d shown me kindness… the one I believed I’d lost forever.
I breathed in a shaky breath, my eyes filling with tears.
His jaw hardened. His eyes narrowed, growing cold. In the next instant, his leg shot out, hitting Horas’s knees and taking him down.
As Horas toppled to the ground, Percifal stepped over him, and in one swift motion, plunged his blade into the big man’s chest. Hot, scarlet blood sprayed up, splashing across my face as I screamed in horror at the sight before my eyes. I’d never witnessed such bloodshed in my life.
With the two bandits slain, Percifal let his sword fall to the ground and dropped to his knees before me. Placing his hands on the sides of my face, he looked at me, anguish contorting his features, no trace of the coldness left in his eyes. “I thought I’d lost you forever,” his voice trembled.
“As did I,” was all I could get out before his lips met mine, stealing my breath. They were soft and warm. My whole body melted as I let him kiss me… as I returned it without a second thought. It felt good unlike my first kiss with Saffiero. So lost in the sensation, I forgot reality for a moment. He wasn’t dead. Percifal was alive.
And then he let me go, and the memory of gushing blood came rushing back to me.
Warm tears ran down my face as feelings of both confusion and shock surfaced from within me. “You—you killed so easily. This isn’t your first time taking another’s life. Is it? Who are you?”
He seemed taken aback with my words as he cut my bonds away. “I had no choice, Zephyra. They would have come after us and abducted you again—perhaps even killed you.”
“So you don’t deny that you’ve killed before? Is that why you won’t tell me about your past? Because you murdered someone?” I rubbed my sore but free wrists.
He grew cold at my words. A calm sense that scared me more than any rage would have, over took him. “I’m not a murderer.” And then he rounded on me, the coldness melting as fast as it had come on. “I don’t tell you about my past for your own good. If we were to be captured by certain people and they thought you were aiding me you would be condemned. I won’t have that!”
“So you admit you’ve committed some crime, then,” I stated, rather than asking.
“It was a crime, yes, but I did it for the good of others. That’s all I can tell you. You should be grateful I saved you. Instead, you interrogate me.”
“I am grateful.” I glowered at him.
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“I just—” I closed my eyes and heaved out a breath. “I thought you were dead. I didn’t know you had the—skills to defend yourself.” I opened my eyes to study him.
The anger in him dissipated as though it were never there. He smiled and tapped his sword. “What do you think I have this thing for?”
I sniffed, but felt my mood lighten.
He wiped the blood from his sword. “Come, now. Are you all right to ride? I have our horses ready over there.”
“Yes. I’m fine. Let us continue on to Aquila.”
I followed him and saw our horses were indeed saddled and ready to ride. I smiled at the sight of Moonlight. I didn’t think I’d ever set eyes on the beautiful mare again. She nickered softly as I rubbed her velvety nose with my palm, apparently happy to see me too.
Once mounted, we wasted no time. Off into the dark we rode at a gallop.
When at last we stopped to let our mounts rest again, I’d worked up the courage to ask, “So the third bandit, you killed him too?”
“You should not ask questions to which you don’t want to know the answer to,” he replied, letting Sunny slurp from the creek.
I rode up beside him and let Moonlight join in. I felt her sigh beneath me as if in thanks. “I only wish to know what exactly happened and how you escaped to find me. I’m tired of being kept in the dark about everything when it comes to you. You know everything about me, and all I know of you is that you’re called Percifal, and that Ginnie and Irving call you their friend.”
He looked up at the night sky through the treetops. I thought for a moment he might not answer. He broke the silence with a sigh. “I heard someone coming when I was washing in the creek. I’d set my sword down nearby. I snatched it up right before the bandit upon his horse could cut me down. I was quicker than he. When he leaned down to make a fatal blow to my heart, I blocked his move and pulled him from his mount—and then I sliced his throat. After that, it took me a while to find you. I would’ve been there sooner otherwise. I’m sorry you had to endure being tied to that pole.”
I tried not to picture the image that came to mind when he mentioned slicing the bandit’s throat. It came anyways. I forced my face to remain expressionless. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful. If it hadn’t been for him, I would be on my way back to Solis come sunrise. “Thank you for, once again, coming to my rescue. It seems I’m just an incompetent damsel in distress.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, my lady. The world beyond the walls of a kingdom is a dangerous place. It shows strength that you’ve made it this far.”
I didn’t agree but decided to take his compliment. I didn’t wish to insult him any further this
night. He had saved me for the second time; even if he’d slain three men to do it.
He’d already turned his mount and didn’t see me shudder at the thought.
“Enough rest. We must go on. We’ve lost at least a day because of those bandits.”
I groaned and edged Moonlight onwards.
We rode on through the night, the moonlight flickering through the trees like a bright candle in the sky and lighting our path. I tried not to think about the kiss I’d shared with Percifal as I listened to the hypnotizing sound of our horses’ hoof beats. The memory haunted me regardless of my efforts. Did he truly feel attracted to me? Or had it been a result of him thinking I was gone forever? I didn’t know how I even felt about it myself. Best to pretend nothing had happened.
Exhaustion tried to claim me the longer we rode. I focused on holding onto Moonlight’s lustrous mane to keep myself from sliding off. When the first edge of bright orange marked the eastern sky, we halted. Relief washed over me. I didn’t think I could have gone much further.
“We’ll rest here, but only for a short while. We still have far to go and the nights are getting longer. We don’t have warm enough blankets and garments to keep us from freezing once the weather becomes colder,” Percifal stated.
“Surely you’re trying to kill me,” I said as I slid off Moonlight onto wobbly legs.
He snickered as he helped me along, “Truly, I’m not. In fact, I’m trying to do the exact opposite.”
I was grateful for his strong arms. I didn’t know if I could’ve walked on my own. He helped me to a grassy patch and laid me down. His face close to mine, his eyes softened. His beard had grown back, hiding some of his sharp features, but his gaze was warm in the dark shades of dawn covering us like a blanket of indigo. He brushed a piece of hair from my face and whispered, “Sleep now, Zephyra. I will take care of the horses.”
I must have passed out instantly, for the next thing I knew, he woke me with a gentle shake. I blinked up at the bright blue sky and touched the blanket he’d placed on top of me.
I shivered, suddenly aware of the chill in the air. Percifal handed me a handful of dried berries and some stale bread. My stomach ached to be filled, regardless of the state of our food. I had never missed the scrumptious meals I’d once enjoyed at the palace more than I did in that moment.
I sat up and broke my fast. My whole body ached from the hard ride through the night after sitting against the pole the night before. I felt as though I hadn’t slept in a decade, and soon, we’d be off again. It took all my strength to keep from breaking into tears.
Percifal must have seen the defeat etched in my face. “I know this journey is tough. We’ll be out of the forest soon, though. And then it won’t be long until we reach the village, Ambedar. We’ll have a good meal and rest in a proper bed there. Can you gather enough strength to make it until then?”
I nodded, afraid my voice would betray my feelings of weakness.
He gave me a sympathetic smile, and my heart skipped a beat. That got my mind off the current situation. What was this warm feeling blooming inside of me when he looked at me so? I cared about him, that I knew, but this… it was something different. Attraction.
I inwardly scolded myself. It’s only because he’s shown me compassion, I told myself. That was all. Once we made it to Aquila, he could let his sister take care of me. He felt responsible for me. That was why he’d been so kind… but deep down, I knew a part of me hoped it was more than that. Stupid girl, I thought. Don’t be getting your heart mixed up in this mess. You’ll only get hurt again.
He interrupted my thoughts by holding out a hand to help me up and back onto Moonlight. I felt sorry for our horses. They did even more work than us, carrying us through this never-ending nightmare of trees and bushes. I hoped there would be a nice green meadow waiting for them when we reached Aquila.
For the rest of the day, we rode through the forest, making camp at nightfall.
Three days later, to my fascination, the trees thinned, and our path became grassier. By mid-afternoon, we were riding through a meadow of tall grass that came to the horses’ knees. More than a couple of times, I had to edge Moonlight on with my heels to keep her from stopping to enjoy a snack.
I breathed in the thick, damp air and scanned the fog that hadn’t been in the forest, proof we were nearing water. I shivered, feeling the dampness seep through to my bones. Regardless of the chill, I couldn’t stop myself from grinning.
“Happy to be out of the forest, my lady?” Percifal asked, noticing my delight.
“I am. I thought we’d never make it out of that wretched forest.”
“We’ll reach Ambedar by nightfall. We’ll purchase lodging for the night and be off again on the morrow. It will take us three more days to get to Aquila from there.” He halted his horse and gave me a pointed look. “You must be sure not to use my name from here on. We’re close to Aquila, and I don’t want anyone to recognize it.”
I raised one eyebrow at him. “Pray tell, then, what shall I call you, sir?”
He answered without pause, “Vernovus, and you are travelling with me because I’m your guide, and I’m taking you to your new place of employment.”
“My guide? Well, that’s true enough. I suppose I shan’t say you were a vagrant who rescued me and is now taking me to see his magical sister then?” I teased.
His eyes widened at my comment, not noting my sarcasm. “Please hold your tongue! It could cause a lot of trouble for Chel.”
“You really can’t tell when I’m jesting, can you?” It was more of a statement than a question. I rolled my eyes and pushed my mare onward, leaving him to catch up with me—which he did before cantering past me.
The meadow stretched on until it turned into a valley of hills and craters. I imagined this land to be beautiful and green in the summer. Being that we were on the brink of autumn, the grass had begun turning brown. Dark, puffy clouds filled the sky, and it rained on and off throughout the day. If it weren’t for the chill, I wouldn’t have minded the weather. The earthy smell from the rain was refreshing. I sucked in deep breaths of it, enjoying the scent. We didn’t have the lushness this place did in Solis. It was always so dry and dusty up on the sandstone cliffs.
I let my thoughts wander as we rode on in silence. It would feel nice to finally be able to change into the other dress I’d brought. The green one I wore was now filthy. I hoped I would be able to take a bath in Ambedar. I wasn’t as dirty as I’d been after my rescue from the dungeon, and the rain had done its job at washing away any bad odor that had clung to me, but I still didn’t wish to arrive at Aquila looking like a vagrant.
Shortly after sunset, the sky turned deep sapphire, a few stars beginning to sparkle on its surface, and we came upon a carved wooden sign that read, ‘Welcome to Ambedar.’
The fishing village Percifal had told me about seemed quiet at this time of night. The smell of salt in the air told me we were close to the sea.
Stone buildings lined the streets, which were packed down by the numerous hooves and feet pounding over them from season to season.
“Welcome to Ambedar,” my ‘guide’ said, pulling his hood up to cover more of his bearded face.
“What shall you do when we reach Aquila? Surely people will recognize you there regardless of your disguise, Sir Vernovus,” I mocked his fake name.
“I’m not going to the kingdom of Aquila, Lady Phyra. I’ll take you to the gate, and then you will ask the guards to take you to Lady Chelela, my sister. If they ask why, you will tell them she’s employed you to be her seamstress.”
My heart sank. He planned to leave me once we reached Aquila? I scorned myself. Of course, he did. Coward. I stopped Moonlight, shaking my head.
“Don’t be upset. I can’t risk being seen. My sister will take care of you,” he offered while I tried to find my tongue.
At last, words came to me as he wrapped a piece of material from his saddlebag around the sapphire hilt of his sword. “So wha
t, you—you’re just going to go back to being a vagrant? Hiding and pretending to be someone you aren’t?”
“I will spend the winter here, and then, yes, I must go to some place far away and remain hidden.”
Something inside of me snapped. “But why?” I shot in frustration, which only gained me a panicked look and a gesture to be quiet.
“You know I can’t tell you why. Chel will fill you in once you explain everything to her. So rest your mind. Now, let us go find a warm meal and a place to sleep. My stomach aches,” he said, turning Sunny back toward the street, dismissing me.
I knew I’d get hurt if I let myself feel. My gut had been right. “So be it,” I replied, following him in silence until we reached our destination for the night; a busy fishermen’s lodge with a tavern inside called Oceania’s Den.
Chapter 23
Percifal asked me to wait while he paid the owner of the lodge. I studied my surroundings while they bartered over a price. The main area, the one we’d found the owner in, was a tavern full of fishermen, on their way to or from sea, I guessed. A few wenches preened over the fishermen; other guests seemed simply to be enjoying food and drink.
The dark wood walls and dim lanterns did nothing for the crowded room except make it look smaller. The wooden floor looked like it had seen many feet since it’d been built. There were round windows on the one outside wall and paintings of seascapes upon the others. I preferred The Golden Lilly Inn over this stuffy tavern.
“I’ve acquired us a room and a meal for the night,” Percifal stated, coming to stand beside me.
“One room?”
“It’s all we need. You can have the bed. I’ll sleep on the palette.”
“Oh,” I shrugged. “If you say so. Did you happen to inquire about a bath?”
The Elemental Diaries - Complete Series Page 17
