“Do you think it’s true,” he said as softly as his deep tone would allow him, “what the Seer said about us all ruling?”
She gave a tiny shrug and shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Because if it were true, it would mean you would choose all of us. Not just one. Not a favorite.”
A smile touched her perfect lips. “I don’t have a favorite.”
“But you’ve kissed Vehel, and Orergon, too. I saw you the other night.”
She pouted, a cheeky twinkle in her eye. “Are you feeling left out, War?”
She’d never shortened his name before, and he liked how it sounded on her lips. “Not left out, exactly … I just wanted to make sure you felt the same way I did.”
“I never imagined a big Norc like you worried about feelings.”
She was teasing him, flirting with him. And had he imagined things, or had she edged a little closer, leaning into his space, her shoulders back slightly so her breasts pushed forward? He felt himself respond, hardening in that way only a man could.
“Things are different with you, Dela. I’m different with you.”
She stared up into his eyes, that small smile lighting her face. “Good,” she said, and then she leaned up and placed her lips to his.
The touch of her kiss fired everything that made him a man. With a growl, he swept his arms around her waist and twisted them both around so she was lying on the ground, and he was above her. He deepened the kiss, his tongue meeting with hers, so they danced together, exploring each other’s mouths. She wrapped her legs around his hips, her bare feet still wet from the pool. With the little he wore, he knew it would be easy for her to see how badly he wanted her. Her breasts pressed against his bare chest, and as he reached up to cup the mound beneath her vest top, she moaned in response. His thumb found her hardened nipple, and he rolled it, so she arched her back up to meet him.
She felt so different than a Norc woman. Everything about her was different, from her size, and shape, to the way she smelled. She was like something exotic to him, and he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her. He couldn’t imagine going back to only taking the Norc women again, even though they’d been more than enthusiastic. It was as though he’d tasted the sweetest of nectars, and now everything else was spoiled to him.
Tall palms and trees with hanging fruit surrounded them, hiding them with their fronds. Large insects with iridescent, brightly colored wings darted overhead, and in the pool there was a splash as a fish leaped for a fly.
Warsgra wanted her. Needed her. All else faded into the background.
He reached between them to rid her of her leather pants, and she let him know it was what she wanted by helping him, too, lifting her hips and helping to kick them away. The simple cotton underwear she wore did little to hide her intimate folds, and he pushed his hand down again, brushing over her mound and then slipping beneath the waistband. He met her wet heat, and she groaned again and lifted her hips to him. He paused kissing her for a moment to look down into her eyes. They burned with desire as she stared back up at him, her chest lifting with every breath.
“Is this okay?” he asked, and she nodded.
“Yes, War. Keep going. Don’t stop now.”
She reached for him, too, her small hand delving beneath the leather he wore at his waist. Her hand met with his hardness, and he sucked in a breath as her fingers surrounded him and started to move. A groan escaped his throat, and he lowered his forehead to hers, his eyes slipping shut as he focused on her movements. Then her other hand went to the tie which kept the leather together at his hips, and deftly she undid it and threw the loincloth to one side.
His lips found her again, their tongues lashing as their desire built. Frantic, almost angry kisses. He pulled off her underwear and settled between her thighs. He’d made sure he’d aroused her enough, aware of the difference in their size. But she was slick and wet, and when he added another finger, and then a third, she stretched perfectly around him. He would be gentle with her and take things slowly. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her.
She still had hold of his cock, and she pulled him toward her, to where his hand blocked the way. “Now, War,” she gasped, “I want you now.”
Her feet were back around his hips, her heels pressing into the taut muscles of his ass. He slipped his finger from her body then nudged his hips forward. He groaned as her wetness encircled the head of his cock, and his mind swam as he edged deeper, feeling her holding him tight. The little sounds she made were the sweetest, sexiest thing he’d ever heard, and he almost lost his control there and then.
“More, War. I can take it.”
He shunted in farther, and she gave a little cry. He froze, unsure if it was pleasure or pain, but when she bucked her hips in frustration, he figured it was most likely a combination of both and moved deeper. They found their rhythm, moving together, slowly at first, but then building faster. He wanted to give every piece of himself to her, and for her to know that.
His orgasm was close, but he wanted her to know. He slowed his movements and laced his hand in her hair, using his hold on her to tilt her head, so he could look straight into her eyes.
“I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, Dela,” he growled. “I’m yours, whatever happens next. I’m not asking you to choose, only that you’ll have me. I’ll be by your side. I’ll protect you with my life.”
He could see by the way her gaze searched his that she felt the same way. “I’ll have you, War. Of course, I’ll have you.” And she lifted her head, her lips finding his again, her mouth opening, tongues seeking.
That was all the reply Warsgra needed. He gave in to his desires, and his hips slammed into hers, losing himself in the pleasures of her body.
Chapter 21
Dela
Had she ever felt safer than when she was lying in Warsgra’s arms?
Aware of the Seer more than the other two, even though she was supposed to be blind, they washed off together at the waterfall and quickly dressed again. They went back to where Dela had previously been sitting with her feet in the water, and sat side by side. She leaned into him and placed her head on his shoulder. His arm sneaked around her waist, pulling her in closer so her hip pressed against his.
Dela gave a sigh of contentment. The feeling of having a full stomach, rested, somewhere safe, was alien to her. She knew it wasn’t something that could be permanent, but a small part of her wished it were.
Maybe this was how life could be after everything was done.
Movement came from behind them, and they turned in unison to see Orergon approach. Orergon dropped to the ground beside Dela and joined them in bathing their feet in the pool.
She leaned in and kissed Orergon, too, his lips warm and soft, testing how it felt to have one man sitting on one side of her, and another on the other.
The Moerian blinked at her in surprise. “What was that for?”
“No reason. I just missed you. How are you feeling?”
He nodded, frowning down as he looked at the ground in contemplation. “Like I want to get out of here.”
“Why?” It was her turn to be surprised. Only a moment earlier, she’d been contemplating how peaceful it was here, and how she wasn’t sure she even wanted to leave, though she knew they’d have to eventually.
He shook his head. “It’s hard to explain, but it feels like there’s something wrong about this place. About the Seer, too.”
She sat up straighter. “The Seer is helping us. Do you think we shouldn’t trust her?”
He pushed a hand through his hair. “I’m not sure. This all just feels … wrong somehow.”
Warsgra leaned in to join the conversation. “Should we be worried about Vehel?”
“No, I’m sure he’s fine. This is the whole reason we came here, isn’t it? We sought out the Seer, not the other way around.”
Dela reached out and squeezed Orergon’s hand. “I’m sure things will be fine.”
A wave of guilt swept over her. They hadn’t been alert not long ago. Anything could have happened, and she and Warsgra wouldn’t have known anything about it. The only thing they’d been alert for then had been each other’s bodies. Had Orergon seen them together? Not that he had any more hold over her than either of the others, but she didn’t want him to think she’d chosen Warsgra over him, because it didn’t feel that way at all. They were a team, the four of them. This was how it was meant to be.
“Hey!” The shout made them all look up.
Vehel came striding toward them through the trees, his light blue eyes bright with elation.
Dela smiled at his return and jumped to her feet. “How did it go?
“Good. Great in fact.”
“So are we ready to leave?”
The Seer’s voice came from behind him. “He’s not ready yet. He needs more time to build his abilities.”
Doubt settled in her stomach like a rock. “How much more time? The human army is marching. We need to get out there.”
“Leaving before you’re all ready would be a mistake.”
Dela didn’t like being told what to do, but what choice did they have? They were relying on Vehel’s magic to transport them to Anthoinia. If he wasn’t strong enough yet, they’d have to do the journey by foot, and that could take weeks, and they might not even survive it.
She turned to the Elvish prince. “What do you think, Vehel?”
“I trust the Seer. She’s helping me learn.”
Dela exhaled a sigh. She couldn’t argue with that. “Okay, but time is passing, and each day the human army will be moving farther across the Southern Pass.” She looked to Warsgra. “It’ll be the Norcs they meet first at the Southern Trough. What do you think the outcome is likely to be?”
Warsgra frowned, drawing his bushy eyebrows down, and he rubbed his hand over his beard. Distracted, she remembered how the rough bristles had felt against her skin when he’d kissed her. “They’ll fight, no doubt about it.”
“Are they likely to be prepared?”
“Aye, if the human army is spotted moving through the Southern Pass.”
“Is that likely?”
“We Norcs treat the Southern Pass much like the rest of the mountain range. It’s our home. There’s no reason there won’t be riders in that area who will spot the army coming. We’re used to the terrain and will move faster, so they may get back to the Southern Trough, and then send a couple of scouts out to the other clans to warn them. Because we’re used to the terrain, that will also give us an advantage when it comes to battle.”
“So both sides will fight hard?”
He nodded. “Aye. There will be much bloodshed, I’m sure.”
Dela pressed her lips together and glanced away. She didn’t want for there to be deaths on either side. Though the human army must look like the bad guys from the Norcs’ point of view—they were, after all, the ones invading the Norcs’ homeland—Dela knew the young men fighting would have been fed nothing but lies to get them to leave their families. Some of these men would be little more than sixteen years old, and they would know nothing of war or the reasons behind it. They were marching while King Crowmere sat protected in his castle, waiting for news. The man didn’t have the guts it took to make it through the Southern Pass, she was certain.
A flare of anger spurted inside her. What did the king think he’d achieve by doing this? He had no use for the homelands of the other races. Was it his way of demonstrating his power? Or was he finally sick of receiving gold and diamonds and coal in small amounts, and figured this gave him an excuse to take it all for himself?
“Okay, we’ll give you more time, Vehel,” she relented. “But we can’t wait forever.”
They spent the next day doing much of the same. They ate the delicious food, slept on comfortable mattresses, and swam in the pool. Vehel disappeared with the Seer to work on his magic, while the rest of them waited.
There hadn’t been a repeat performance with Warsgra, though she sensed him watching her most of the time, and when they caught each other’s eye, there was a private smile between them. She felt connected to each of them in the same way, however. She’d got hot and heavy with Orergon before he’d pushed her away, and there was a special place in her heart for Vehel, too.
At night, they curled up together like a bundle of cats, with her in the middle. She often woke with her hand on one man’s hip, and her head rested on another’s arm. This was simply how they were together, and despite them being leaders of their own people, they didn’t show any kind of jealousy or supposed ownership over her.
And the best part was none of them seemed to mind.
A trembling woke Dela. At first she thought it was one of her dreams, but then she realized this was for real. She sat up and tried to process what was happening. The rock floor and cave walls vibrated, shaking her from side to side.
“Hey!” she called out to the others. Warsgra lay on one side of her, Vehel on the other. Orergon was the farthest away, sleeping beside Vehel. “Wake up! You need to wake up.”
At the sound of her voice, the others stirred. Warsgra sat up, frowning, and pushed a hand through his hair.
“What’s happening?” she asked, looking around in confusion.
The ground continued to shake, and a low-lying hum filtered to her ears.
Warsgra got to his feet unsteadily. “I don’t know, but we should move.”
She stared around, her eyes wide in horror. “It feels as though the cave is going to shake apart.”
Vehel was awake now, too. “Grab your things,” he told them. “If this place does collapse, it’ll bury everything with it.”
Dela looked around and spotted where her boots lay, her dagger shoved into the opening of one of them. She reached out and grabbed them, yanking her boots onto her feet and shoving the dagger into its place at her waistband. The others did the same, pulling on their boots and picking up their weapons. She wasn’t sure what they’d need them for, but after the last few weeks, one thing they’d all learned was that they always needed to be prepared for the unexpected.
Orergon stepped forward, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “Let’s get out of here.”
Vehel and Warsgra followed as they moved out into the main cavern. If they’d hoped to leave the trembling behind in the small cave where they’d slept, they were out of luck. The vibrations of the ground followed them out into the main cavern as well. Dela’s footing was unsteady, and she squeezed her fingers tighter around Orergon’s hand. Outside, the birds and insects had taken flight, wings fluttering in the air, also panicked at whatever was happening. The leaves of the trees and palms trembled and shook as though they were possessed, and the surface of the pool rose and fell with rippled waves that hit the bank and flooded the ground.
“We need to get out of here,” Vehel said.
They turned as a unit toward the rocky stairs that led them to the upper level, but pulled up short.
The Seer stood in their way. She appeared unaffected by the way the ground shook and rolled beneath them. Her balance was perfect, as though she stood on another plain. Perhaps she did.
“What’s happening?” Dela gasped as she staggered to one side at another shudder, Warsgra barely catching her before she fell.
The Seer regarded them all with her blind eyes, no hint of a smile on her young face. “It’s time.”
Chapter 22
Vehel
A spark of unease jolted Vehel’s senses. “Time for what?”
“For you to leave,” the Seer said. “Your time here is done.”
Orergon’s dark eyes flared with anger. “We’re trying to get out of here, before the cave roof comes down on our heads, but you’re standing in the way.”
“That’s not what I mean. It’s time for you to leave the north.”
Vehel shook his head. “Leave the north? It covers hundreds of square m
iles. How are we supposed to just leave?”
The Seer turned her attention to Vehel. “Now is the time for you to do what you’ve learned.”
Alarm rose up inside him and lashed its tail. “My magic?”
“Of course. Isn’t that what all this has been about?”
Around them, the trembling continued. The stone staircase they’d been heading toward began to crumble, and pieces of rock rolled down the cavern walls and dropped from the roof. They cringed and ducked away, instinctively moving closer to Dela to protect her with their bodies.
“The stairs!” Dela cried. “They’re our only way out.”
The Seer remained frustratingly calm. “No, they’re not. Focus, Vehel. You can take everyone to Anthoinia.”
He widened his eyes suddenly understanding what she meant. “Now?”
“Yes. The time has come.”
He looked around at his comrade’s frightened faces. Even Warsgra, who was rarely flustered, appeared paler than normal, his jaw tight, his wide nostrils flared. Vehel knew this time would come, but he hadn’t been expecting to be under such pressure when it did.
Around them, the place that had been their home for the past few days began to fall apart. The waterfall grew dry and flat then turned into nothing more than a painting—a two-dimensional image—and fell from the cavern wall in pieces of crumpled paper. The water of the pool turned to glass before shattering into a million pieces and then vanishing. A black mold spread quickly through the lush green leaves and ferns until it eventually engulfed their color and they all turned to ash.
The group spun around, not knowing where to look next, clutching at each other in fear and disbelief. The cavern was exposed for nothing more than it really was—a place of cold, jagged rock and darkness. It had been an illusion all along.
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