Escaping El Dorado

by Helen Scott

  One of them rushed over and began checking pulses while the other kept his head on a swivel. His focus was drawn to something on the top of the hill, where the skirmish had been taking place before, and when a roar sounded I couldn't help but freeze once more. There was nothing that wasn't terrifying about Niall when he was running full tilt down the hill, his ebony hair streaming out behind him while he roared and swung two swords that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.

  My stomach did a flip-flop of relief at the sight of him. At least I knew I wouldn't be stuck in this weird land alone now. I mean I knew I'd taken off, my hope being that I could just let Falcon take me back to camp and from there I could find the guys somehow. It was a weak plan. I know. The thought of being alone here without him or Falcon though? That was scary enough for me to be reassured that my original kidnapper had returned.

  He dispatched the two men who had been following me quickly enough that I was startled by the ease at which he took a life, or lives as it were, because they weren't coming back from the blows he just dealt them. What shocked me even more though was how he looked directly up at me, as though I was sitting there as plain as day.

  "You going to come down from there?" he asked. His tone was harsh, but that was understandable.

  "You going to put those swords away?"

  He chuckled and tucked them into holsters that ran down his back which I hadn't noticed before. Carefully, I swung down from the branches one at a time and when my feet hit the ground he was right there.

  "Are you hurt?" His eyes traveled over my body and... I liked it. The dynamic between us had changed. Maybe it was because I'd just watched him murder two assholes, or maybe it was because after everything that had happened today I trusted him more than I trusted myself roaming around alone out here.

  "No," I said quietly with a shake of my head.

  "What you did, picturing a hiding place like that? It was smart."

  I nodded. "Thanks. You knew though, why is that?"

  "I've got stronger abilities than most." He shrugged and turned away from me.

  "Why weren't you sent to the origin world then?" I asked as I jogged to catch up with him.

  "Because I was picked for the Queen's Guard instead. Those are the two highest honors that my people have."

  I wasn't sure what to say to that. Part of me wanted to know why the Queen's Guard was considered such a high position while the other part wanted to know what he was doing all the way out here if he was supposed to be guarding her royal psychicness. The worst part was I knew he could probably hear all of my tumultuous thoughts.

  "These men shouldn't have been fighting each other. Both families are loyal to the crown," he said as he ignored the rambling questions in my brain and began searching the bodies. On each of them he found a piece of paper which he shoved into a pocket before he took off at a fast walk up the hill. Once he was at the top he searched the other men, pulling papers from their pockets before turning around and coming back toward me.

  "Let's get back to camp," he said in a tone that made him sound unsure of what was going on.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I want to look at these orders I found. See if there's a reason they are fighting each other that I need to report to the queen."

  It seemed reasonable enough, although I was still confused. Atlantis was looking like paradise right now. As we began the long walk back to camp, I couldn't help but wince as the boots he'd given me before had already rubbed my foot raw when I was climbing the trees like I was Tarzan or something. This walk was going to be rough, there was no two ways around that.

  "I can carry you," Niall's voice rumbled next to me as we passed the other bodies.

  "Shouldn't we bury them or something?" I asked, more concerned about the corpses just being left to rot at the edge of the forest than what he meant by carrying me.

  "I've already contacted a local leader and they are coming out to clean up the mess. Do you want me to carry you or not?"

  "I'm not going to make you carry me all the way back to camp," I huffed. I was glad that someone was going to take care of the bodies, no one should be left to decompose like that.

  "I can fly us back to camp if you're comfortable with that. It'll be faster and you won't have to hurt your foot any more than you already have."

  I could tell that he wasn't exactly wanting to waste time walking when he had orders to read and motives to investigate, and since all of this was my fault I said, "Sure, that would be great."

  "You have an interesting mind." He reached out and picked me up, as though he was picking up a towel or a plate. His wings flared out behind him and we slowly rose off the ground. I couldn't help but marvel at the sudden appearance of the gray and brown feathers. I wanted to know where they went when they weren't visible. Did they just cease to exist? Were they folded into his body like some kind of weird origami? I knew what Finn and Griff would say as soon as I had the thought though. Magic. It had rules and abilities I had yet to even imagine.

  Within minutes we had crossed a distance that probably would have taken us hours on foot. Everything was beautiful and calm from up there. It was peaceful. As we landed I was happy to notice that Falcon had returned and appeared to be chomping on the same grass he'd been working on earlier.

  "How did you get to ride him anyway?" Niall asked, the flight seeming to have cleared his mind.

  "He was friendly enough, was nothing like you described to be honest."

  "Strange." It was all he said before plopping down next to the fire that was somehow still burning and pulling the notes from his pocket.

  I sat close-ish to him, not wanting to be that far away in case we were attacked again. His thick, blunt fingers opened the papers and looked at them one after another before starting at the beginning again and again. Each time he did his frown deepened.

  "What's wrong?" I asked quietly.

  "These all appear to be from the queen, but they all give contradictory orders. All the families have received a list of those that are aligning themselves with the One Worlders, the ones who want to destroy the four realms and take over yours. These are similar lists, but different. They pit ally against ally and phrase things differently in a way that is... strange."

  "You're using that word a lot," I said as I scooted closer to the fire, seeming to feel the cold air more than ever.

  "Because something doesn't make sense. These aren't able to be forged to my knowledge, and yet, one set must have been if this is to make any sense."

  "Or there's something wrong at the palace," I replied tentatively.

  His dark eyes darted up to mine and I could see the denial forming in them before the words ever left his lips. Both of us knew what that would mean and neither of us wanted to admit how scary that possibility would be.

  8

  Tessa

  It had been three long days riding Falcon with Niall, and part of me was actually relieved to see the palace and surrounding town in front of us, but most of me was just terrified of what was going to happen once we got there. Ever since we had been able to see it on the horizon Niall didn't seem happy. It was almost to the point that I would have sworn the closer we got to the palace, the unhappier he became.

  "You were the one that wanted to take me to the queen, remember, so why the long face?" I asked when I heard him let out a long sigh behind me for the umpteenth time.

  "The orders I found on those soldiers’ bodies are still bothering me," he grumbled as Falcon swayed steadily underneath us.

  "We could always go and find my guys?" I suggested expecting him to laugh or make some derisive comment.

  He didn't. Instead, he just ignored the comment, but his hands tightened around the reigns, turning his knuckles white, as though he was having trouble staying the course. I wouldn't want my guys to fight him though, and that would be a hard pill for them to swallow. Knowing them the way I did, I was sure violence would be bubbling within them toward whoever took me.

  Aft
er spending days alone with Niall, I knew he didn't mean me any harm, not really. He'd thought he was doing the right thing when he picked me up, and I couldn't fault him for that, as much as I wanted to. What I could fault him for was not letting me return to the men I missed and had grown so attached to. Even Kai. Heaven help me.

  The other thought that weirded me out was that I didn't particularly want Niall to leave once I was reunited with my guys. I had become used to him as well. His quiet authority was reassuring in its own way, just like Griff's jokes and Kai's minute facial expressions. It reminded me so much of Dresden sometimes that part of me was having a hard time not accepting him as a member of our little band of mismatched people, even though I was the only member of the group present.

  "I'm sorry you miss them," Niall said quietly.

  "It's okay. I'll find them soon enough." The one thing I couldn't do was let doubt in. As soon as I did that I knew it would be all over, so I kept the faith. I knew Griff would find me with the mate bond magic and all that. I'd never been more thankful that he had fed from me than when I thought it might, no, would, lead them back to me.

  My mind filled with the memory of that moment, of his fangs sinking into me while his cock filled me, the gentle pull of his mouth against my skin as he drank and fucked me at the same time. Apparently, going more than a few days without sex left me feeling needy. When Niall's throat cleared behind me I realized he must have been aware of what I was thinking, especially when I felt his thick length against my ass.

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to... make things awkward," I muttered.

  His hand left the reigns and patted my thigh, as though he was trying to reassure me but couldn't vocalize it. I wondered if it had something to do with the bulge at my back. An image flashed in my mind of him fucking me from behind while his fingers played with my clit and if I'd had the ability to I would have squeezed my thighs together to try and ease the ache at the apex of my legs.

  A low groan escaped the usually implacable man behind me, and I felt a rush of triumph. I could get under his skin. The thought filled me with more glee than it had any right to. "Tessa, please, stop those thoughts," he said with a growly undertone to his voice.

  I felt like I should apologize, and yet I didn't want to. "I need you to make me a promise," I said, the words popping out of my mouth at the least opportune moment I could have possibly picked.

  "Oh?" he said, remaining noncommittal.

  "I want your word that if something goes wrong at the palace, if I'm in trouble, you'll do everything you can to get me out." My voice was low and quiet but didn't sound weak and scared, at least not to my own ears, even though that was how I felt.

  "I promise nothing is going to happen to you," he said with a sigh. "The queen will value you too much."

  "That's not what I asked," I said, not wanting to give in and accept something that wasn't what I needed.

  "Fine. You have my word that if you're in trouble at the palace or something goes wrong, I'll do everything I can to get you out. It was my idea to bring you here after all."

  I startled at his use of the word here. My mind was too focused on the possible future outcomes of the meeting with this queen. I realized as we looked around that we were entering the town that surrounded the palace. My jaw went slack as we slowly made our way along the main path.

  It was like with every few steps time was progressing. The whole world had felt old and out of date when I had been out in the countryside, but now, looking at the houses and buildings that were slowly progressing all the way up to the palace, there was a completely different vibe. The buildings changed from ones that looked like they should be in small town America, with their wrap around porches and shingled roofs, to something that looked like it belonged in the future. Glass and chrome and concrete seemed to span the horizon as I looked toward the palace.

  Dres's parents’ cabin flashed across my mind. That thing was practically medieval. Now, looking ahead, it was like I'd traveled through time. I couldn't get over the differences.

  As I looked up at the palace once more I realized that the only reason I'd been able to see if for the last day or so was partially because it was all glass, but also because of the towers that sprouted up all over it. In some ways it looked like a giant city in and of itself. At the center was the tallest spire which was comprised of glass that had a blue tint to it interspersed with silver supports.

  When we reached a certain point, which to me wasn't distinguishable in any way, Niall stopped Falcon and got down. He faced me and held out his hand. I took it and swung my leg over to dismount. It was only with his assistance that I didn't fall before I even got off Falcon. As I started to descend, his hands moved to my waist and he pulled me against him. I slowly slid down his frame feeling the firmness of the muscles, which were just hidden under his clothing, and the hard bulge that still filled his pants.

  Once my feet were on the ground I moved to step away but his hands held me in place, before spinning me around to face him. "I will keep you safe," he said, although the fire that burned in his eyes was for anything but my safety.

  Part of me couldn't help but wonder if I had some light Stockholm Syndrome or something going on because it took all my willpower not to push up and kiss him right then and there.

  "Is it Stockholm Syndrome if I feel the same way?" he asked as his eyes locked with my own.

  A shiver of need ran down my spine. "Just don't forget your promise," I said.

  "My word is my bond." It was all he said before he grabbed the saddle pack and walked into the building we had stopped in front of.

  I followed, unable to do much else. When I pushed the heavy wood door open it gave way to an area I wasn't expecting. It almost looked like a train station or something similar.

  "What the..."

  "Horses are only allowed so far in the capitol city. Here, go and change in the bathroom so we can get to the palace." Niall shoved a small bundle at me and I took it, heading in the direction he pointed for the bathrooms. It was easy enough to find them since there were women streaming in and out of a specific door.

  I entered and made my way to one of the private areas within. The whole place reminded me of something that belonged at a high-class spa. Each mini room had its own toilet, sink, and supplies. I quickly unrolled the bundle of clothes Niall had given me and changed into the fancier outfit.

  A white sheath like dress covered me with sections of royal blue. The first section covered my breasts and split just under the band of my bra. It continued down, skating over the edge of my hips and covering my butt while the white fabric that had been underneath covered everything else. White gloved sleeves covered my arms and, thankfully, my new markings. The part that surprised me was the belt, if it could be called that. It was more like a piece of armor that hung around my hips and disappeared under the layer of blue material that hung down my back. Small chains hung in loops on each side, and in the front it held another strip of the blue material, but this time there was a sigil on it, not that I had any idea what it meant.

  When I figured I was as presentable as I was going to get, I folded up the dress that I had been wearing and took advantage of some of the supplies in the bathroom to freshen up. As I walked back out I didn't see Niall for a moment and panic began to curl in my stomach. Then I saw him, striding toward me, and everything I was worried about slipped away.

  Niall had changed as well. His black tunic and pants were replaced with a pair of charcoal gray dress pants, or at least that's what they looked like from where I stood, and a blue top that was kind of like a button up but without the buttons. The blue color came down the middle, covering three-quarters of the front of his top, while the sides were the same gray as his pants. It had a short collar with some kind of markings or designation by the v shaped cut out on the front of his throat, and on the chest, smaller, and off to one side, was the same symbol that was on the blue part of my skirt.

  "You just need one more thing before we ca
n leave," he said as he eyed me up and down. He reached into his pack and pulled two v-shaped objects from it. They were the same metallic consistency as the belt-like thing around my hips.

  With nimble fingers, he clipped one to the front of my dress, just where my cleavage started, and one to the back. I felt him press them both at the same time and suddenly there was movement. The metal expanded and surrounded me, covering my shoulders like I was wearing pauldrons and preparing for battle. The metal wove down my arms to my elbows and my back until it connected through a slit in the blue material, which I hadn't even noticed, to the belt.

  "Why do I need armor?" I asked quietly.

  "It's a symbol of strength and battle readiness. Oh, I almost forgot!" He reached back into his pack and withdrew what looked like a headband.

  People were starting to look at us like we were crazy and it was making me uncomfortable. When Niall placed the headband on me, he put it sideways, so it went around the circumference of my head, with the opening over my forehead. The delicate metal work was almost weightless and felt like it had been made just for me in terms of size.

  "Now, we're ready." Niall sighed with satisfaction as he gave me another once over and took the dress I had been wearing from my hands. He walked over to a wall and pressed on it. The square tile extended and he put his pack and the clothing I had been wearing into the box that seemed to appear as the tile moved toward him. He pressed it once more and put his thumb on what turned out to be a keypad of some kind before returning to me.

  I was open mouthed with shock. How had we gone from thatched roofs and sleeping on the ground to thumbprint activated storage?

  "Come on," he said as he offered his arm to me. I took it, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the juxtapositions that Hyperborea contained. "Oh by the way, that headpiece will help prevent others from reading your thoughts. It won't work for everyone. If their skill is strong enough, like mine, then there is no way to keep them out, but most people should sense the difficulty reading your thoughts would present and leave it at that. Sometimes the people of Hyperborea can be very lazy."