by Helen Scott
"Don't stop on my account," he chuckled.
"Are you a perv as well as a kidnapper?" I demanded.
"No, but I'm not going to turn down a free show from a beautiful woman. Also I didn't kidnap you, I rescued you. You were all alone in the middle of a field, unconscious next to a town of recently slaughtered people. For all I know you're the one that killed them." His voice seemed to swoop and carry around the dark tent like a hawk searching for its prey.
"You can search my mind, find out for yourself."
"You could be hiding it, or maybe you weren't aware of what you did."
"I can't hide anything from you, isn't that what you said? Dres would be able to tell, maybe he's just that much more powerful than you."
"That little baby bird that could barely fly? Yeah, I'm not worried about him, sweetheart."
"You don't get to call me that," I snarled.
"Sorry, Princess. Listen, I know you're not behind the murders, but that doesn't mean I can just flat out trust you. I'm sorry you’re restrained, but you'll have to stay that way until we get to the palace."
I didn't respond. What could I say? Maybe going to the palace was for the best; hopefully the guys would find me there and we'd be able to sort all this out. I just had to keep my hope, and not give up on them.
The light in the tent began to lighten slowly and a horn blew somewhere else in the camp, startling me. The commander rose from his bed on the other side of the tent and disappeared behind the screen. I'd only caught a glimpse of him, but I knew there were more scars covering his body than just the one on his face. I didn't want to think about it though. I didn't need to have sympathy for the man who took me from my guys, they couldn't have been far away from where he found me after all.
"I'm going to go and find you some clothing to wear that will make you less conspicuous, then we will breakfast and leave."
"What about the tent?" I asked, suddenly feeling panicked at being taken to a secondary location.
"It will still be here when I get back," he said before he disappeared through the flaps of the doorway into the open space outside. I could sense the movement of the day starting, people shouting and greeting one another as they woke and began their normal routine.
Lying there, tied down, and forced to wait at someone else's orders was not my idea of fun, especially since he apparently wasn't satisfied with the black pants and t-shirt I was wearing. He was wearing his black armor again, so I didn't see why I couldn't keep wearing my t-shirt and pants. Also when we'd arrived I could swear I'd been wearing a jacket. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to it as I shivered on my bed.
One thing about Hyperborea was that it was cold. From the few facts that Dresden had told me I knew that it was supposed to be the kingdom beyond the north wind, that most mortals had been afraid of it because of the brutal conditions, and I was starting to understand why. From what I could hear outside everyone was acting like it was a summer day, but I was freezing my butt off inside the tent with a fire going.
I had no concept of the passage of time as I waited, but eventually Scirocco came back. When he did, he tossed a flurry of silvery material at me and said, "I'm going to untie you to change. If you run I will catch you, if you attack me I will stop you, if you do anything I don't like I will be forced to change you myself, something which I'm sure we would both rather avoid. Understood?"
The thought of being untied made my mind race with ideas of escape. Something he evidently sensed because he flexed, rounding his back slightly, and giant wings popped into existence behind him. They were a soft grey and white that reminded me of a dove's wings and they had a black band that covered each of the primary and secondary feathers.
My mind was completely empty for a moment as I took in the sight of him. There was nothing about him that wasn't beautiful in that moment. He was power and grace personified.
"You have wings?" I breathed.
"I take it, this Dres person didn't tell you?" He sighed heavily.
"No..." I tried to think of something intelligent to say, some excuse for why Dres had kept this from me, but I couldn't. Unless he didn't have wings. Was that even possible? "So you weren't talking about flying metaphorically?" He shook his head. "And all of you have wings?" He nodded.
After a moment of quiet he gently asked, "Do you understand now why I say that you can't run? I can fly faster than your kind can run on their best day."
"I understand," I said, my mouth going dry at the thought that he had literally flown me here. How could he carry someone and fly at the same time? Surely that's too much weight for one person to gain altitude with. Were his bones hollow like birds in my own realm? There was so much information I was missing and so many questions swirling in my mind that I just spluttered ineffectively at him.
"Go and change. Once we get on the road I can answer what questions you have." He strode over and undid the ties that had been holding me down. I stood and clutched the bundle of fabric to my chest. Before I could take another step I swayed in place at the sudden change in position. Hands clamped on to my shoulders. "Don't faint on me, soldier, I need you to be able to ride a horse in a minute."
"Soldier?" I muttered. The guy wouldn't quit with the nicknames, which I didn't particularly appreciate since he was the one who kidnapped me.
"Rescued," he said as I walked away.
"Kidnapped," I called back as I disappeared behind the screen.
I pulled my t-shirt and pants off and replaced them with the dress type thing as fast as I could, hating being exposed like that. The silvery material was almost like a mix of linen and satin, it shimmered slightly in the light. There was a ruffle on one side of the neck, which was cut wide and deep so my breasts were more than a little exposed.
A waistband that looked more like an underbust corset wrapped around and held the fabric in place. It was a darker gray and looped around me almost twice as I tied it in the front. The thick, quilted material felt comforting and secure against the almost sheer dress.
The long sleeves were thin enough that I could see my arms through them, which made the intricate patterning on the material even more visible. The bodice, if it could even be called that, and the skirt were thankfully lined with something like cotton and as I pulled the V-neck closed so the goods weren't completely on display, I was able to tuck it in place with the belt.
When I emerged Scirocco gave me a once over followed by a satisfied grunt. He tossed some boots at me that I hadn't noticed before. I picked them up from the floor and pulled them on after removing my own. The supple gray leather was like nothing I'd ever seen before and the way it hugged and supported my feet and calves was incredible. It was almost like they'd been made just for me.
"You'll do," he said with a sniff before handing me a bowl with something very much like oatmeal inside. It was warm and nourishing and that was all I needed to know as I took my first mouthful. The oaty, wheaty, taste to it was softened by the dried chunks of fruit that I occasionally ran across. The meal was gone all too soon though. "Are you going to behave if I don't restrain you?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at me that reminded me scarily of Dresden.
"Yes." It was one simple word, but it was the truth. It was painfully obvious, especially after seeing his wings, that I was outclassed by this commander. Escape was an exercise in futility, so I decided to wait and take my chances with the queen. After all, unless she was on the side of destroying the four worlds then I'd be more valuable to her alive than dead.
Scirocco was up in my face before my next thought could even form. "She wants to keep her world exactly where it is, but you need to get those thoughts out of your head. Don't let anyone else hear you thinking that kind of stuff or you will be hunted, and I can't stop all of them." His tone was one of misery and regret, which made me wonder what had happened before that he knew he wouldn't be able to save me if push came to shove.
After a tense moment where we just stared at each other, nose-to-nose, he straightened
and sighed. "Stay close to me, do not wander off, these men haven't seen a woman as beautiful as you in a long time."
"Can I bring my own clothes?" I asked as I clutched the bundle to my chest.
He gave a sharp nod and headed toward the door. When I didn't immediately follow he said, "Come on then. We've a long ride ahead of us, unless you want to fly?"
"Riding is good," I said, before involuntarily gulping at the thought of depending on this man to carry me across the land. I didn't even know how high his people liked to fly, what if I froze or the air was too thin? Better just to stay on the ground where I was safe.
He snorted. "We fly high enough to touch the stars and drink the mana from heaven."
As he moved forward he held the flap of the tent open for me and as soon as I was through I was overwhelmed. The camp was bustling with activity, more than I'd expected even after hearing all the noises when people first woke. There weren't many words exchanged between soldiers, I assumed because they could communicate telepathically, so the noises of the camp were mostly clanging and grunting as people moved about doing their jobs.
Scirocco strode away and I had to jog to keep up with him. Within a few moments I'd had whistles and catcalls coming from every side, along with numerous propositions and proposals, not to mention the odd offer of money, all of which were quickly silenced when the commander turned and glared at whoever was talking. By the time we reached the other side of the camp I'd seen as many women as men and been propositioned by them as well, which surprised me. The horses were in sight though, so I knew we were almost free of his soldiers.
There was one horse, a dappled gray stallion with a black head and neck, that was saddled and ready to go. I instinctively knew that he was my ride. When Scirocco mounted him and held his hand down to me, my jaw dropped. I wasn't even being given the luxury of having my own horse? I'd have to be pressed against the man who kidnapped me for the whole ride? What. The. Actual. Fuck.
5
Tessa
"I want my own horse," I said with my arms crossed over my chest. My stance was wide and I knew anyone watching would see that I was ready for a fight if it came down to that.
"No. We have limited horses and I'm not going to waste one on you when you're small enough to ride with me." The Commander's tone brooked no argument, but when I didn't move or quiver and shake at his words, his eyebrows furrowed. After a silent moment where I could feel the eyes of the whole camp on us he growled, "I'll have them lift you up here if you force me to."
"You can try," I hissed as I backed further away from him.
His gaze traveled past me and with a nod of his head I felt hands clamp down on my shoulders. I wanted my dragon to come out and kick all their butts, but I also didn't want to expose that I had a dragon. It was bad enough that the tattoo-type marking was visible through the thin material of the outfit. Now I came to think of it though, I realized that I wasn't cold even though I should have been freezing.
I squirmed and tried to twist out of the soldier's grip, but as his hands gripped tighter I knew it was within his power to break my collar bones, or dislocated my shoulders, without much effort on his part. When another soldier joined in and grabbed my feet, hauling me into the air, I squealed in frustration and pain. My skirt flew up and I knew I was giving everyone a free show, but I couldn't bring myself to care when I felt a crack on my left shoulder. A cry of anguish escaped me as they walked me back toward Scirocco and our horse, who seemed more than a little irritated by the proceedings.
When they went to throw me over the back like a sack of potatoes I caved. "Fine! Fine! Put me down and I'll get on properly." The words made it out of my mouth just in time. I had felt their hands loosening as they swung me up to the horse's back. At the last moment they tightened and I swung back to the ground and was placed upright fast enough that it felt like stomach was lagging behind me by a few seconds.
I glanced up at Scirocco to find a satisfied smirk on his face that made me want to slap him silly. After waiting a moment and taking a deep breath, he extended his hand to me once more. I took it and placed my foot into the stirrup and he helped me up. It was awkward because he wanted me sitting in front of him, which should have meant that I got on first. I knew if he'd tried to get on the horse after me though, there would have been problems, and I probably would have tried to escape. It wouldn't have ended well. I knew that intellectually, but my gut was telling me to keep trying.
Once I was settled, the commander clicked his tongue and squeezed the horse's ribs with his legs, giving it a light tap with his heels. I knew all of this because I could feel every muscle moving against my own body, and I wasn't talking the horse's muscles either, although I could feel those too. As we trotted out of the camp I got to look around for the first time in what felt like days.
The region was mountainous, with snowy peaks and deep valleys, which is what we were heading into at that moment. It was in the mountains though, in the craggy peaks, that I could see buildings. Tall towers and round domes poked out of the tops of some of the areas in the mountainside. There were even some waterfalls that I could see in the distance that looked like white slashes against the dark rocks. I was fascinated by it all.
"I do have a beautiful homeland," Scirocco said, his voice wistful as we slowed to a walk now that we were away from camp.
"Have you been to the other worlds?" I asked, unable to keep my curiosity in check.
"I have. They are all beautiful in their own ways, but so many things about my homeland speak to me. Everything from the cold winds to the mountains and the quieter way of life to the heritage the founding families gave us, it all makes me feel like I'm at home."
We fell silent again as the horse gently moved along, the sway and even motion almost rocking me in a way that had my eyes drifting shut. As I felt my lids close I snapped them open again. I'd been sleeping enough recently, I didn't need to sleep anymore.
"You can sleep if you wish, I won't let you fall. Wouldn't want to damage the Key after all." His tone was cool and collected as though it was no big deal he knew that about me.
I had to fight the need to stiffen against him. Part of me was angry, but most of me was scared. "What do you know about it?"
"Just that you're the Key to solving this problem we are having."
"And what problem is that?" I asked nonchalantly.
"Oh you know, factions warring with each other, trying to drag the four realms into the origin world, which would cause destruction and devastation the likes of which no one has ever seen before. Oh, and you might even be able to solve the problem of our kingdom's civil war."
"Oh, is that all?" I snarked back at him.
"Should be finished in a day or so, don't you think?"
"Well, that all depends on when we get to the palace now doesn't it?"
I felt his chuckle deep in his chest before I heard it. "You're funny. I like you."
"Well, my goal in life is to amuse men, so thank you for that. I can cross it off my bucket list."
"So feisty! You better get it out of your system with me because the queen won't tolerate it."
"What's going on with the queen? Are you at war because of her?" I tried to play it cool, to act like I wasn't dying to know what the hell was going on in Hyperborea, but from the way the commander stiffened behind me, I could tell my efforts at obscuring my curiosity failed.
"Curiosity will kill you, kitten."
I blew out a breath before I said, "Listen, you're the one telling me I need to solve all these problems. I'm just one girl. I need more info!"
"You certainly are from the origin world, aren't you? I mean, I knew you were, but there was still the sliver of doubt within me. However, you have completely dispelled that now."
"Is that a good thing?" I asked, trying not to pay too much attention to the man behind me.
"Well, you're certainly not going to grovel at the queen's feet are you?"
"It is unlikely," I admitted.
&
nbsp; "That's good. She respects strength. She never wanted war, but the founding families... There are some families that want to run our realm differently than we have been. They want the power themselves instead of acting as a council to the queen. It's all very petty and full of backstabbing."
"So there isn't a monarch going around executing people for traitorous thoughts?" I asked quietly. I wasn't sure if my question would upset him or not.
"Not so much, no. She is executing traitors, but not because they are going against her, because they are trying to change the way the whole world is run just so they can have power. Most of the founding families have sided with Her Majesty. It's only the ones who were already powerful enough to take on the crown on their own that have joined this rebellion. Some of the people of Hyperborea believe that these families are also involved with the One World faction. That they have been working not just to overthrow the queen, but to destroy the world that most of us love so much."
It was the most I'd heard him say at one time, and I was hypnotized by his voice. The rough, gravelly quality of his tone, the oddly formal way he spoke most of the time. It was almost enough to distract me from the information dump he'd just laid on me. Almost, but not quite.
Everything was so much more complex than the note that Dres received had explained. Although, maybe that was just because I wasn't as familiar with this world yet, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was being manipulated. The note from his sister said that her husband was killed just for his thoughts. That didn't seem like the kind of leader the commander was describing.
"What's your name?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could think twice about it.
"Why do you want to know?" he countered, but I could sense the amusement in his tone.
"Because I'm tired of just calling you 'the commander' or Scirocco when I think about you," I replied truthfully.
"Casimir."
"Fancy name!" I joked.
"I dislike it. I would prefer if you call me Niall." His tone was abrupt and practically screamed that he didn't want to talk about it, but I couldn't let a sleeping dog lie.
