by K.N. Lee
“My magic sustains me, and the sacred water of the Mother gives me the strength to fight my way back.”
Amalia reached out to her, saddened by all that she’d heard. It was true, she did not know suffering the way Eiko did. Her struggles were laughable in comparison.
“It doesn’t have to be this way,” she said. “My friend and I are going to escape.”
Eiko screwed up her nose. “How? There is no escape. Who is this friend of yours?”
She looked deep into Eiko’s eyes. “A dragon.”
That made Eiko’s eyes widen. She nodded, bewildered. “Oh,” she said, softly. “That might change things.”
18
Aros woke to the sound of his name being shouted. It vibrated against his ear drum and shook him to lucidity. He gasped, shooting up from his bed.
It was dark, with only tiny slivers of moonlight shining in from the small window he kept open for the cool breeze.
Sitting at the foot of the bed was Eris.
As his vision cleared and he got a better look, he realized that it was just an image of the god, an apparition. The room was cold, much colder than when he’d gone to sleep. He covered himself with his blankets and bowed his head.
“How can I serve you?” Aros asked.
“Gather the Wolves,” he said. “It is time. We wait no more.”
Swallowing, Aros lifted his eyes to the god before him and nodded.
Then, the image evaporated and vanished.
He was left alone, the cold of the room sucked out the instant the god’s presence left him. He glanced out the window. The moon was still bright and there was no trace of dawn coming anytime soon. Still, he knew he would not be able to return to his peaceful slumber.
Though he wanted to go back to dreams and memories of Amalia before his mission—before his betrayal, he removed his blanket and left the warmth and comfort of his bed. The candle at his bedside table had gone out hours ago. He stretched and put on his pants and tunic, then slid on his leather boots.
The snores of his brother Helgi could be heard through the wall from the other room. He sighed, raking his hand through his hair. He was the youngest, he had a great weight and duty on his shoulders. It was up to him to rally the Wolves and prepare them for the coming storm.
They’d weathered many a winter storm, but what was coming was unlike anything anyone in their generation had ever endured.
Monsters and men were one thing—they battled them often.
But, the darkness arising would require more than steel or strength.
Magic was needed.
The crisp dawn awaited Aros as he dressed and left the warmth of the dormitory. His things were packed and he carried it across his shoulder.
Before he reached the bottom of the stairs that led to the courtyard, Helgi and Magnus were right behind him. He knew the sound of their boots anywhere.
“Running away, little brother,” Magnus said.
Aros glanced back at him, furrowing his brows when he noticed that they too had their packs on their back.
“No,” he said. “I have something important to do,” he replied, pausing. He wasn’t sure how to explain his mission. “Somewhere I need to be.”
Helgi and Magnus approached, serious for once.
“We go together then,” Helgi said, clasping a hand on Aros’ shoulder.
“It will be dangerous,” Aros told him. “We might not survive.”
Helgi and Magnus shared a look, then lifted their brows and turned back to him.
“Death? Glory?” Helgi asked.
“Count us in,” Magnus added, and for the first time in years, Aros believed that his brothers would always be there to have his back.
“Off we go then,” he said, leading the way away from the academy.
“To where?” Magnus asked.
Aros glanced to the sky as the sun began to rise. “Through the Never Wood, across the red river,” he said. “To Skal.”
19
Night fell, and Amalia rested in her warm, and comfy bed, her skin clean, her belly full of delicious food. Still, as she fell asleep, she couldn’t help but worry about Kylan.
She hadn’t seen him in days, and it began to trouble her.
Once her eyes closed, she turned her thoughts to him—his face, those amber eyes she could get lost within, his broad chest and strong arms—his voice.
When the darkness took her over, his voice came to her, in a dream that felt all too real.
Amalia stood in the center of a clearing, dressed in what she’d gone to bed in, her hair brushed and long over her shoulders.
Her eyes narrowed and her breaths quickened when she saw Kylan standing there as well. Shirtless, wild, just how she remembered him.
Without thinking, she ran to him, closing the gap between their bodies as quickly as she could.
When she reached him, she jumped into his arms and he spun her around. The electricity and heat between them was euphoric. She could barely resist the urge to kiss him, but she did, though it took everything within her. She pulled back while he held her and looked down into his eyes.
Stroking his hair she licked her lips, trying her best to ignore the throbbing in her loins and fluttering in her heart.
“Is this a dream?” Amalia asked.
He lifted his brows, shaking his head. “If it is, I’m dreaming it as well.”
She tilted her head, and together they said the same thing.
“Brother Dagan.”
She laughed and hugged him tight. He squeezed her small frame and she closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the joy that filled every inch of her.
When he set her down, they kept their eyes fixed on one another. He touched her cheek and smoothed her hair.
“They’ve been treating you well?”
She nodded, biting her lip as she realized he hadn’t had a bath or new clothes or anything.
“Have they hurt you?”
He shook his head. “No,” he said, stretching his arms across his chest. “I just stay locked in a stall with the other beasts. Its good to be out in the fresh air.”
They both took a moment to observe their surroundings.
When she looked back to him she frowned. “Where are we?”
He breathed in and gave his shoulders a shrug. “Whatever that monk did to us, it seems to alter time and location,” he explained. “We can be anywhere in the world, during any era.”
She tapped her lips, thinking. From the dark trees and thick canopy, she felt as though she’d been there before. She picked up a twig with a large leaf still attached, dying. It was very familiar. Her heart soared when she placed where she’d seen those types of deep green leaves that were slippery and tough.
“I think we are in the Never Wood,” she said, in awe.
The silence of the woods was customary for that dark and unwelcoming place.
He paced the clearing, sniffing the air with his heightened sense of smell. “I think you might be right,” he said. “I can smell Wolves, not too far off.”
Her cheeks paled and she scratched the back of her neck. “We should get as far away from them as possible then.”
He lifted a brow, turning to her. “Why is that?”
She shook her head, sighing. “I have a bit of a history with them. They kinda took me in, trained me, sold me to the monks,” she said, her voice trailing.
“We could stay away from them, or I can go and break the neck of the fool who sold you.”
She placed her hands out in front of her, and onto his chest. “No,” she said. “I don’t think that’s why we are here.”
He cracked his knuckles, still looking into the distance as if he could see a Wolf standing in the trees. She followed his gaze, not doubting his sharp eyesight.
“Kylan?”
He looked to her. “Right,” he said. “We’d better figure out why we are here, quickly. These episodes don’t seem to last long.”
“I agree,” she said, and as she stood there
thinking, she heard the faintest of singing. “This way.”
They crept through the woods, and as Amalia looked up she noticed a heavy dark shadow blocking out the sky. They walked along, wary as it seemed to smother them from the trees.
The silence was unnerving. Where was the wildlife—the sound of crickets or birds chirping and fluttering about in the leaves?
She’d lived on the other side of the Never Wood most of her life. It was always warned against, and no one dared enter. There was no hunting or fishing in its territory. While she knew it to be harmless after having slept within it for a few nights, it still gave her chills.
“What an odd place,” Kylan said.
She nodded her agreement, keeping close to him as he led the way.
“One day, I will take you to Wregard. I want to show you the mountains and the forests there. They are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Its as if the sky comes down to kiss us every evening, sending fog into our roads and meadows. Stunning.”
She smiled at the thought of going to Kylan’s home. She would love nothing more.
“I’d like to see that,” she said, and he took her by the hand.
Her heart quickened at his touch and she hid a wide grin as they walked together, hand-in-hand. She would give anything to stay in this place with him. To be free of her prison, and the fears and expectations of their destiny would be perfection.
Sometimes she just wanted peace, nothing more.
The trees stretched tall into the darkening sky and the thick underbrush looked much like spiders locking legs to cover every inch of the forest floor.
Amalia froze.
The faint sound of singing vibrated along the silence of the forest. “There it is again,” she whispered. She'd never heard anything more beautiful or enchanting. She reached for Kylan, taking him by the arm.
“What is it?”
“Singing. Wait,” she whispered, craning her neck for a better listen. “Someone is here with us.”
He sniffed the air. “I don't smell anything. Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I am. Don't you hear a woman singing?”
Frowning, he shook his head. “I trust that you do, but I hear nothing.”
He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the ground. She gasped as he swung her around and placed her behind him.
Her eyes widened when she looked to see two peculiar women with crowns made of twigs and sparkling flowers standing right where she had just stood. Tall, skinny, and naked, they both shared the same wild brown hair that fell long to their knees, covering their small breasts.
“Forest nymphs,” he said, holding an arm out across her, protecting her. “That explains why I couldn’t smell them.”
“That is correct,” the nymph with a tattoo of a flower on her forehead said, softly. “I am Flora.”
“I am Fauna,” the other said.
Together, they bowed.
“We've been waiting for you,” Fauna said, reaching a hand out to them. “Come, we will take you to our den. There is much to do, and little time to do it.”
Kylan and Amalia were taken through the Never Wood by the nymphs. Their den was in the center, in a small clearing sectioned off by thorns and rose bushes. She and Kylan were seated around a blazing fire while the nymphs prepared a special concoction.
“It has been a long wait,” Flora said. “But, we had our trust in Brother Dagan. He has been an ally for many years.”
“The sacred ritual will begin with the drinking of the brew,” Fauna said. “You must both drink. It will strengthen your bond. With its power awakened, you will be able to reach one another with the sheer magic of your will.
Amalia didn’t hesitate. Neither did Kylan. Such a prospect was almost too good to be true.
Spicy and almost too hot to swallow, it was thick and smooth.
Kylan drank it down, wincing at the first taste. When they were both finished with the brew, he gave her thigh a squeeze and she smiled back at him.
“We've been waiting for your return,” Fauna said, sitting on the other side of the fire on her knees. Her chestnut hair hung long over her naked breasts, and Kylan kept his eyes fixed on her face.
“We all have,” Kylan said with a nod.
“No,” Flora said. “Not just her. We've been waiting for the both of you. The realm cannot be unlocked without your union. The gods have said as much.”
He grumbled. ”I've had enough talk of the gods,” he said. ”I've lost all trust and faith in those tricksters. They only show up to feed their own conceit and remind themselves that we only exist as their playthings.”
She lifted a brow. “Why is that?”
“Well,” he began, scratching his chin. He settled in, scowling as he recalled the betrayal he’d experienced when he dared to believe in Enit. “They led me to my capture by the monks. I was supposed to lead a raid and bring glory to all of my people.”
“Yet, you will bring more glory to them than ever by returning the heir to the Erani throne,” Fauna said. “Did you not meet Amalia while in captivity?”
He swallowed, then nodded.
“Then, the gods did not lead you astray after all, dear dragon. We should thank them for bringing you together—for delivering you to us.”
Kylan began to speak, when they were both felt the present ripping them away from each other.
“One last thing,” Fauna shouted, but her voice was muffled by the whooshing of wind and the inevitable darkness that smothered them both.
20
The days went by, and Eiko and Amalia spent them with hours of sharing stories of their pasts and exploring the only areas of the temple that were open to them. The gardens, the pools, the terrariums, and library were all they had to pass the time.
That—and each other.
It was a marvel to have a friend, especially a female one. Amalia couldn’t recall ever growing close to another girl while growing up. Despite coming from entirely different backgrounds, she and Eiko were fast companions. Perhaps it was the circumstances of being prisoners, but neither cared. They were simply grateful to have each other.
Whenever she and Kylan weren’t together in their dreams, Eiko was there in the morning, ready for the day with a smile.
Eiko brushed Amalia's hair, and she began to warm to the elf who had her brought her. It wasn’t her choice or her fault. That revelation made her think of Aros. Did he truly mean to betray her?
As Eiko brushed her hair, her eyes fluttered closed. “
She would not betray her vow never to cry again. It was time to be the warrior she had trained to be. But, dressed in the shimmering robes and treated like a treasure, she feared she would lose sight of her destiny.
She’d only been in the Temple of the Sky Brotherhood for a few days, and she found herself fighting not to get too comfortable. So far, nothing horrible had happened to her, and she left alone most of the day.
Still, escape needed to be planned.
Kylan called her, and she needed to be reunited. The warm fire crackled in the hearth. She drank her wine and sighed. As she sat her cup down, she glanced back at Eiko, who smiled at her.
“Do you miss your family?”
Eiko's smile faded. She dropped her hands into her lap. Shrugging, she looked away.
“What were they like,” Amalia pressed.
“What can I say? I was raised in the dark elf kingdom. My father and mother loved us and each other dearly until the day she died.”
“Was she kind? Was she beautiful like you?”
Eiko smirked. “My mother was a true vision. I wish I were half as beautiful as she was."
Amalia reached out and stroked Eiko's smooth cheek.
“Would you believe it if I told you that you were the most beautiful creature I've ever seen?”
Eiko snorted, but her cheeks reddened as she tried to hide the fact that she was blushing. “Creature?"
“Yes,” Amalia said. “More beautiful than any human, Mage, or Wolf I'v
e seen.”
That made Eiko purse her lips, a smile spreading across her cheeks. She nodded and leaned to kiss Amalia on the forehead.
“And, so are you, dear Amalia,” she whispered, and for the first time, Amalia realized she’d never been told that before.
Though she had seen the adoration in Aros and Kylan’s eyes—no one had ever spoken of her beauty, it was a strange idea that she had wished she’d felt about herself. As Eiko said it, she believed it. But, beyond that, she felt something more.
She hugged her arms around Eiko’a neck. “Thank you,” she said.
When she pulled away, Eiko’s gaze went to the open window. It was then that Amalia realized what night it was.
“Crescent moon?” Amalia asked.
Eiko nodded, her face pale, her eyes red. “The ceremony will be tomorrow. And so, tomorrow, I will die. I can only hope this time they let me meet my mother behind the gates of the dead.”
Her jaw dropped, and her heart broke at hearing those words. It was then that Amalia made a decision.
She had to free Eiko.
They had to escape.
Tonight.
21
Night fell, and Kylan rested in the stall, ready for sleep, craving it.
As he closed his eyes, he called out to her, reaching for her essence in the darkness of his mind.
Her scent came to him first. Such sweet rainfall and pine.
A smile was on his lips before he opened his eyes.
There she was, beautiful as ever.
But, to his dismay, she wasn’t smiling. She ran to him, consternation on her face, making a line across her forehead.
She grabbed onto him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face to the middle of his arms.
“Oh, Kylan,” she said. “We have to escape. There is no more time. It has to happen now.”
He held her out at arm’s length, his smile completely faded from his lips. Her cheeks were flushed and eyes red.
“What happened?” Kylan asked, his blood starting to boil. “Did someone hurt you? Did someone touch you?”
