“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” I took a step toward him. Vidar reached out and touched my shoulder. I glanced back to see what he wanted, and he leaned down, kissing my cheek, his lips lingering a moment before whispering, “Safe journey.” He abruptly turned and climbed up the mountain, leaving me alone with Anders.
I stood there, dumfounded. Vidar had kissed my cheek, and not in a friendly sort of way. My face burned from shock and embarrassment.
Anders cleared his throat, gaining my attention. When our eyes met, my heart sped up. He spun around and stalked deeper into the forest. I jogged after him, trying to keep up with his fast pace.
“Aren’t we going the wrong way?” I asked. The mountain range was east, not south. He didn’t respond. “Anders?” Was he upset he had to accompany me? “If you didn’t want to come, then you shouldn’t have volunteered.”
He stopped, and I almost ran into him. “I wasn’t about to let you traipse through the mountains with an incompetent fighter.”
Fury filled me. I didn’t need someone to take care of me.
Anders scanned the surrounding area. “Let’s be on our way.” He started walking again. “Try to be quiet. I’d hate to run into another brubjorn simply because you’re too loud.”
“Why are you angry?” Did Vidar say something to upset him?
“I’m not angry,” he snapped.
I didn’t want to spend the entire trip bickering, so I didn’t respond.
We traveled hard and fast until the sun began to descend, and Anders finally slowed, heading east.
“Have you ever climbed over this mountain range before?” I asked. It was the first thing I’d said to him since we’d set out this morning.
“No,” he replied. “And we’re not going to climb over these mountains. There’s an entrance to a tunnel a little ways up. It goes straight through to the other side.”
“Is it safe?” The last thing we needed was to run into soldats.
“I know you have an aversion to being underground, but this is the quickest way.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” I pointed out.
We started climbing the mountain side by side. “I encountered a sleeping ulv once. That was a difficult kill in the narrow tunnel.”
My breathing hitched at the words narrow tunnel. “Can we at least carry a torch to light the way?” I didn’t particularly like the idea of traveling through the dark, especially if there could be predators.
He nodded as he pulled himself up onto the next rock. I continued climbing, my arms starting to shake from the effort of hoisting my body upward. After a quarter of a mile, we came to a tiny opening in the side of the mountain.
“If I wasn’t utterly exhausted, I’d slap you right now,” I muttered. The entrance was so small I’d have to crawl through it.
Anders chuckled. “It’s only like this right here. It gets larger a little ways in.”
“It better.” There was no way I was going to crawl through this mountain. I’d go crazy from being in the confines of such a small space.
“I’ll go first,” Anders offered. He lay on his stomach and pulled himself through the opening.
I readjusted my sack and my bo staff, which was attached to it. Trying not to think too much about the task before me, I got on my hands and knees and crawled into the dark tunnel after him. The rocky ground dug into my palms. Even though it was pitch black, I felt Anders right in front of me. I made sure to stay near his feet as we went deeper into the mountain. Utter silence emanated, broken only by the scraping of our bodies as we crawled along.
“Here we go,” Anders mumbled. A moment later, a dull light shone in front of me. He stood, holding a torch. The tunnel opened up to approximately four feet wide by six feet tall.
I scrambled to my feet, anxiety filling me. “Please tell me it gets bigger.”
His brows furrowed. “This is bigger.”
“How far to the other side?” The tunnel seemed as if it were pressing down, suffocating me.
“It’ll take a week.”
We were going to be in here for seven days with no natural light and no fresh air. Everything started to spin. I couldn’t do this. I wanted to run away from this place, screaming the whole way.
“Kaia,” Anders said, stepping closer. “Just think about the opening at the other end. Every step you take is one step closer to it. When we get there, the journey will have been worth it.” He gripped my shoulders, steadying me. “Kaia.”
I looked into his warm brown eyes, the torchlight sparkling in them.
“You have to trust me. Traveling over the mountains could take weeks, and the terrain is rugged.”
I forced myself to take several deep, slow breaths. “Okay,” I finally replied. This was the fastest and safest way. I couldn’t let my imagination get the better of me.
“We’ll walk a couple of miles, and then stop for the night.” Holding the torch out before him, he led the way, keeping a steady pace. Our shadows glided over the walls.
When we finally stopped, I removed my sack and bo staff and slid to the ground, trying to imagine that we were in a regular cave with an opening close by. Under no circumstances did I want to think about being inside a mountain, the possibility of the walls caving in, or being crushed alive.
Anders pulled out our bedrolls while I unpacked two loaves of bread and the waterskin.
“I’m going to extinguish the light,” he said.
“Why?” I had no desire to eat in the dark.
“We need to conserve it.”
Clutching my bread, I nodded, and he snuffed out the torch. I reached down to my pocket and felt the book tucked safely inside. As we sat in total darkness, I tentatively took a bite of my bread, listening to the sounds all around me. There was nothing besides my chewing and Anders’s steady breathing. I relaxed and leaned against the wall, finishing my food.
Fabric rustled. Anders had probably lain down.
“Vidar wants me to marry him when I return from this journey.”
Anders didn’t respond.
I climbed into my bedroll. “What if he’s misreading the prophesy?”
“For your sake,” Anders’s tight voice said, “I hope he’s not.”
“What if we marry, conceive a child, and kill Morlet, but the curse doesn’t end?” This was my biggest fear. I could go through with the marriage if it was the right thing to do.
“It will. It has to.”
“I need to know for sure.”
“Vidar is a good man,” Anders said. “He will treat you well. Ensure you have a good life.”
“That won’t matter if the curse doesn’t end.”
“No one knows what Grei Heks was thinking when she cast it.” His voice shook with fury. “Vidar makes sense.”
I disagreed. Vidar was simply a better option than Morlet. “That’s why we’re on this journey—to find the answers.”
“And if we don’t?” he asked. “What will you do then?”
“I have no idea.”
His breathing became heavy, agitated. I longed to see his face. “Go to sleep,” he muttered, ending our conversation on the matter. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” It sounded as if he rolled over, away from me.
✧
There was no way to tell whether it was day or night. We’d been walking at a grueling pace for days, sleeping when we couldn’t take another step, and eating only when necessary. Our waterskin was empty.
A faint gray light shone up ahead, and I cried out with joy.
Anders slowed, and I pushed around him. “Be careful,” he called after me.
I started running, unable to stop myself, even aware the exit would most likely lead to some form of a drop. I wanted to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on my face. Nearing the end, I stopped and rubbed my eyes. I was standing behind a roaring waterfall. Careful not to slip on the wet ground, I stepped around the rocky exit and onto the black gravel ledge cut into the side of t
he bright green mossy mountain, observing the view before me. A lush valley spread as far as I could see.
“We need to get down from here as soon as possible,” Anders said, coming to stand at my side.
“Why?”
“The dark clouds are a good indication a storm is coming. I’d hate to be up here when it hits.”
I started to descend the mountain, careful to keep my footing on the steep incline. The valley below boasted large, leafy trees, not the towering pines I was used to. About halfway down, a thin fog moved in, gliding between the trees and valley like a silk blanket.
As I got lower on the mountain, the vibrant colors became dulled and the rich sounds around me muted. I reached back, my hand connecting with my bo staff, seeking its power. It immediately responded.
“Is something wrong?” Anders asked.
“I don’t know. Everything is as it was before the jordskjelv.”
“What do you mean?”
“My heightened senses are gone.” I rubbed my eyes, but everything was still subdued.
“You’re farther away from Morlet, Norill, and the mines where they’re digging for the Heks power source.”
“What do those things have to do with my senses?”
“I’m not sure. Just making an observation.”
I kicked a nearby rock, sending it flying off the mountain. I hated not having definitive answers. Was Anders right and my senses were somehow connected to Morlet, Norill, and the Heks power source? Or was something else entirely at work here?
“Come on,” Anders said, heading down the path. “If you notice any other changes, tell me right away.”
“I will.” Although there was nothing he could do about it.
When we reached the bottom of the mountain, I had no idea which way to go in order to seek the valley of Berg.
“It’s due south,” Anders said, pointing to the left.
“Have you been there before?”
“No. But I’ve seen maps of the area. Beyond the valley of Berg, three lakes converge in a triangular shape. I’m assuming that’s what the poem is referring to, so that’s where we’re going to start looking. Unless you have another suggestion?”
“No. That sounds good to me.”
“Are your senses still dulled?”
I nodded. Without them, it felt as if a part of me was missing.
“What about your power?”
I unhooked my bo staff and pointed it at a nearby rock. Calling on my power, I released it out of the tip of my weapon. The rock cracked in two. “I didn’t hold back, and that’s all it produced.” The rock should have exploded into a million pieces.
“Would you say it’s dulled then?”
“Yes.”
A small smile tugged on the corners of his lips, and he started walking.
“Why?” I asked. “What are you thinking?”
“Have you ever experienced a loss of your powers before?”
When Morlet had kidnapped me, he placed me in a room that was encased with a spell preventing me from using my power. “Yes. Do you think there is something on this side of the mountains that could be blocking magic?”
“I can’t be sure, but that’s what I believe.”
We continued in silence. Did Morlet cast a spell over here? Or were other factors at play? I patted my pocket, feeling the book, and hoping I would discover the answers to all of my questions.
The mist thickened to rain, soaking my hair and clothes. I shivered, wondering where we were going to sleep for the night. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be out in the rain. After another mile or so, I started sneezing. Great. I was going to get sick.
Anders glanced back at me. “We’re almost there.”
“And where is there exactly?”
“An ancient temple built during the Heks wars centuries ago.” He pointed straight ahead. I squinted, trying to see through the steady rain. About twenty feet in front of us, situated between the trees, stood a ruined stone structure. Most of it was covered with vines, a few trees poking out of the missing roof.
“Who built the temple? Heks?”
“No, humans did. They prayed to the god of war for the strength to conquer the land and end the Heks.”
I’d never heard of humans praying to a war god before. “How do you know this?”
When we reached the temple, Anders pushed some of the vines aside, revealing an arched doorway. “My training wasn’t solely to kill. I was educated as well in order to understand the kingdoms I traveled to for various jobs. It was the best way to blend into different cultures so I could do my job efficiently.” He stepped inside the temple.
The only education I had was what my father gave me. He’d taught me to read and understand the politics of Nelebek, but that was it.
“We’ll sleep in here tonight,” Anders said.
A couple of trees grew in the middle of the temple, their branches and leaves thick, shielding the inside from the majority of the rain. A stream wound its way through the center of the temple. Moss and ivy coated the walls.
“This is strangely beautiful.” I turned in a slow circle, observing the intricate, crumbling statues, the dull light filtering in, and the unique ferns and plants growing everywhere. “But I’m not sure this counts as being inside. There’s no roof and there isn’t even a floor.”
“Would you rather look for another place to sleep for the night?”
“No. This is perfect.”
Anders dropped his sack. “Then stay here. I’m going to find us something to eat.”
After he left, I searched the temple for a place to lay our bedrolls. I found a relatively flat surface covered with soft, green moss a few feet away from the stream. I situated our bedrolls and then gathered wood, stacking it in a ring of rocks.
When finished, I sat down and removed my boots. My socks and clothing were wet from the rain and smelly from traveling through the tunnel for a week. I peered at the stream; the water was clear and inviting. Anders hadn’t been gone that long. It might be my only chance to clean myself up. After stripping off my jacket and tunic, I removed my pants and undergarments.
Since portions of the temple’s roof and walls were missing, cold air surrounded me. I grabbed my bar of soap and went to the stream, stepping in. The chilly water went up to my knees. Squatting, I quickly washed my body and hair. After rinsing off, I exited and grabbed clean clothes out of my sack, hastily putting them on and reveling in the fact that they were warm and didn’t smell like sweat. Standing upright, I squeezed the excess water out of my hair.
A twig snapped, and I froze.
My hands didn’t hurt. Maybe it was just a squirrel or some other non-threatening animal. However, if there were something on this side of the mountains blocking magic, then perhaps my hands wouldn’t pulse with pain to warn me of danger.
Anders stepped into view carrying two skinned rabbits, his eyes focused on the ground, studiously avoiding mine.
“You scared me,” I said, sighing with relief. He must have stepped on a twig, snapping it.
Anders set the rabbits next to the wood I’d gathered for the fire. Grabbing my dirty clothes, I knelt next to the stream, cleaning them. I peered at Anders as he lit the fire. His face had a pink tinge to it. He never was a big talker, but he hadn’t said a word to me since he’d returned. A horrible thought crept into my mind—what if he saw me naked? He could have returned before I put my clothes back on. No, I was just being paranoid. If he came back when I was dressing, he would have said something.
I tightly wrung my clothes and hung them on a nearby branch, hoping they would dry by morning. Anders had the fire going and the rabbits cooking on a stick. I sat down across from him, warming my hands over the flames.
“The next time you decide to bathe, can you please warn me ahead of time so I don’t rush back? I could have hunted longer to afford you more privacy.”
My mouth dropped open. “Did you see me?” I asked, completely mortified. This was even more embarrassing than th
at time in the brothel when we’d pretended to bed one another.
“No! Well… yes… but as soon as I saw that you were… you know… I turned around.” His face was a brighter shade of red than the fire.
“How long were you there for?” How much had he seen?
“I don’t know—just a couple of minutes. The next time you have to warn me. Okay?”
“Fine.” I folded my arms across my chest, wishing I could hide in a hole. Had he seen me bathing in the stream? Or just dressing? Had he turned away? Or did he watch me?
“You know,” he said, readjusting the rabbits over the fire, his voice stiff and formal, “you have nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a very beautiful woman.”
It kept getting worse. I’d never been so humiliated in all my life. A man had never seen me naked before. And this man—Anders—was the one I wished to be intimate with, but it could never be. “Take off your clothes,” I demanded, trying to regain my dignity and break the awkward tension between us.
“What?” he asked, his eyes bulging in shock.
“It’s only fair. You saw me naked. Now it’s my turn to see you.”
He blinked several times.
“I’m only kidding!” I burst out laughing. “The look on your face is priceless.”
“Oh,” he said, his brows furrowing together. “Of course you were kidding.” He chuckled, the sound forced.
I ran my fingers through my wet hair, untangling it.
Anders abruptly stood and strode off without looking back. He returned a few minutes later, carrying a stick the same length as his body. “Let’s spar while the food cooks.”
I’d always been comfortable practicing with Anders. In many ways, it was easier than talking to him.
Clutching my bo staff, I leapt to my feet and followed him to a nearby clearing still within the temple. The area was small so we’d have to remain close to one another while we fought.
Not wanting to be on the defensive, I struck first. He easily blocked my bo staff with his stick. I spun around and slammed my foot into his shin while swinging my weapon at his torso. His arm looped around my waist, and he threw me to the ground. I landed with an umph. Anders was about to thrust his stick at my stomach when I reached out and caught his ankle, knocking him off his feet. I grabbed his stick, throwing it into the stream. He reached for me, but I rolled away. When I sprang to my feet, something hit my back, sending me flying forward onto my stomach. A moment later, Anders was on top of me, my arms pulled back.
Burning Shadows Page 11
