Although the mound was immense in size, the wonder of it was that it was virtually the tip of the iceberg and most of the Hole was underground. The Elder had chambers at the very top and deepest depths; while the Bryfolk preferred their depths, there was still that human instinct that said that power rose to the top. 200 years of existence was not yet enough time to figure out all the kinks in the combination of genes. Krose was simply relieved to see that the Hole was not billowing the black smoke of destruction and still seemed untouched. As of yet. He was not so sure that that was going to be the case for too long. His steps started to quicken a bit until he realized Rienna was stirring, a soft moan and languorous stretch announcing her intent to sleep no more. He jilted to a halt and smiled down at her, keeping it out of his eyes and hoping residual lust wasn’t at the surface.
She arched her back enough to gesture she wanted her feet to be let down and he acquiesced and made sure her muscles held her up before letting go and stretching out his taxed muscles as well. He even kicked his legs up into a handstand to stretch and felt wonderful once he swung back to his feet. Rienna laughed tiredly and ended it with a yawn. She looked a little shy all of a sudden and Krose was really hoping she wasn’t still overthinking, well, everything.
“Ah, Krose, you’ve been carrying me for hours, haven’t you? No stops to rest?” Rienna supplied politely.
Krose felt a bit of relief and shrugged it off.
“You’re worried about Dinsch and didn’t want to wake me either,” Rienna said, lightly scolding him. She was looking around and saw the Hole in the distance. “You should have woken me so we could have lunch at least. We’re still a good hour’s walk away so can we stop and eat a bit before going?”
Krose wasn’t so sure he should be relieved because Rienna never ASKED anything of him; it had always been commands. He thought that if his rape bugged her she would have just been annoyingly sympathetic, but he was on guard with her politeness. It could be a mask for so much. He wondered if she was just too exhausted from grief to put up a good fight. He suddenly felt the urge to make her angry. Polite Rienna scared the piss out of him.
“What’s with the little lady routine? Did seeing me naked make you shy?” he chortled with false bravado.
It had worked— Rienna’s eyes flashed humorlessly. “You can joke about it all you want, but I’m sick of being helpless when people I care about are hurt or killed or… worse! I’m not putting on some routine, Krose; I just thought that MAYBE taking on Lumina’s ‘gifts’ at the expense of Freesia’s life might have, I don’t know, affected you too! Forget about it! Leave it to a man to misunderstand everything!”
Rienna suddenly forgot all about food and turned to stalk off, to Krose’s relief, glad that his challenge hadn’t led to her testing out the strength of his new armor. She hated that she pulled the man card—it wasn’t like her to resort to that weak excuse. However, Rienna’s stomach wouldn’t be ignored and a monstrous gurgling brought her to a stop and it was all Krose could do to not let that sudden laugh bubbling up escape his lips.
“I think we need to eat first. Then I’ll be mad at you, if that’s what you’re after,” Rienna grumbled and Krose’s laugh won out as he crumpled to the ground grabbing his stomach. Rienna stalked over and kicked his shins then snatched the pack he carried to forage through it for a quick bite of jerky and bruised apples. She saw a rabbit hopping by and her mouth watered but she immediately was set against it. After meeting Dinsch, she doubted they’d ever appeal to her as food again. Killing and eating rabbits near Bryfolk was probably as horrid as watching them slaughtering and eating human babies.
Where humans departed from monkeys millions of years ago, Bryfolk were not in existence until a couple of hurried centuries ago. She honestly did not know if they held any reverence for rabbits or humans at all for that matter. Culture and origin would be a hard thing to revere for ones who had started as they had. Rienna didn’t know the details, only that it had not been pleasant.
She chewed on that information while she chewed at the food and occasionally shot Krose narrowed looks. Oddly enough, she could swear that he looked more relieved with each one.
It was not long before Krose and Rienna were stumbling across the first of the Bryfolk. She wondered why no one stopped to greet Krose or why they all seemed to scatter just when she was about to ask them if they had seen Dinsch. Rienna was getting frustrated, but Krose laughed it off.
“They’re not being rude— this is just the way it has always been done,” Krose offered to his irritated companion. “They are running to tell the Elder or one of his Council and none will speak until we have been addressed.”
“But didn’t you live here for a time?” Rienna asked with some confusion.
Krose shrugged, his pace at ease and he seemed more relaxed than she had ever seen him yet. “I look like about half a million other adventurers to them and we never stayed here for long. Even when I was with Dinsch, the formality stayed the same. If you bring in newcomers, you expect to address the council first.”
“We’re not exactly dressed to blend in,” Rienna admitted and Krose laughed at that.
“The council should be along any minute now. Let me do the talking,” Krose added, his voice submissive with kindness but adamant.
As if on cue, a Bryfolk of advanced age but no less spry or handsome, approached in robes, no doubt a formality reserved for more conservative human guests. A great deal of the Folk wore scraps of clothing, modest enough but still too avant-garde by strictly human standards. The Elder swept into a graceful bow and his face tried at a smile but worry kept it from being genuine.
“Welcome, guests,” the Elder’s voice rumbled and his eyes inspected them more closely, halting on Krose. “Krose, is that you? Dinsch… came here late last night and was tumbling off, warning of attack. We assured him that we have surveyed the area and the surrounding lands and nothing has been amiss here; the old warrens were opened a while back and they are constantly under watch. He was babbling on about going off to save his friends in the port city Xanias but he was so hysterical that I had him imprisoned. He was damn near close to crumbling this place to the ground with that damned gnome he summoned but we’ve managed to subdue him. Well, as subdued as that boy can get anyway.”
Krose seemed so much more relieved that Rienna thought he would melt into a golden puddle. He started to hurry off, but caught himself and bowed to the elder.
“Elder Rashe, can I visit him?” Krose asked, hardly able to contain his excitement.
“You may…” and Krose needed no more permission as he grabbed Rienna’s hand and sped off for the burrow. Something about that gesture made her feel warm.
“W-wait, Krose! Shouldn’t we have had them escort us?” she gasped out between the running paces they kept.
Krose laughed. “No, Rienna, I’m sure the whole of the burrow knows to expect us by now!”
They ran into the burrow, the cramped halls clear of any traffic and they took twists and turns Rienna couldn’t keep track of until they ended up in a dank and dreary chamber that none could mistake for anything other than a dungeon. A Bryfolk nodded his head in the right direction then hurried out, no doubt happy to get out of this dank space. Before they could even see him, they heard Dinsch’s excited voice call out.
“RIENNAAAAAAA!!! KROSEEEEEEE!!!!” came the shout and they both gasped with relief and hurried to their excitable friend, Krose releasing her hand. Krose had not bothered with seeking a key; his lock picks were out and the cage was undone quicker than any key she had ever seen. She wondered with amusement how many times Krose had popped these locks.
Dinsch had plowed Krose to the ground and he nuzzled Krose’s face and his foot thumped heavily at the floor in excitement. Rienna had to contain her “aw” as her heart swelled at the touching scene before her. She was secure in her view as an outsider and hadn’t foreseen that she would be next. Dinsch was gentler with her and didn’t plow her to the floor but he pinned her in
his arms and nuzzled her as he swung her around and bounced. She didn’t object since she was both glad to see him and was captivated by the feeling of his fur on her skin. Krose was brushing himself off and enjoying the view for himself, although he seemed a bit annoyed the longer it went on.
When Dinsch had put Rienna down finally, Krose’s eyes were now sorrowful with an underlying rage.
“We need to talk,” Krose said ominously and Dinsch was calming visibly. He knew better than anyone when Krose meant business.
Dinsch’s ears twitched a bit as Krose told his tale in Elder Rashe’s own lush tower quarters, but they made it clear what the Bryfolk had to prepare for, although it seemed they were vigilant enough on their own. Dinsch looked so miserable hearing about Freesia and how much Krose despised his element. Krose skirted on some of the more intimate details, but though he glossed over being violated, he couldn’t help but assert that Rienna had seen him naked. She blushed furiously and almost rose when Dinsch chimed in with a deadpan voice.
“All well and good for you, but I bet it was hardly a party for her. I bet you’re just disappointed she wasn’t naked too,” Dinsch teased without missing a beat.
The blood drained from Rienna’s face almost instantly and Krose had tried to snatch at Dinsch but as quick as he was, Dinsch was quicker and Krose knew better than to chase after Dinsch once he was out of reach, so Dinsch hopped from foot to foot taunting his friend further.
“Well, I’m glad everyone is having fun at my expense. All kidding aside, if that’s even possible with you two, I’m worried about Ashe, Night, and Pierait. Ashe may already have possession of the gifts of the wind, unless fate is cruelly sending the salamander to end him too. I don’t want to think like that though! I don’t want to lose another friend ever and I need us all together again. I just…” Rienna looked somber as she looked down on the Bryfolk below. “Don’t know how Night is going to take this. Freesia wasn’t just some flirtation no matter how casually he played it off. It hasn’t escaped my notice the subtle changes we take on once we are chosen and there is no telling what kind of hold the Dark has on him. We need to get to Xanias. Now isn’t soon enough.”
Rienna tilted her head and frowned at whatever she saw below. The bustling was more ordered than she had first thought and in a beautiful clearing, the Bryfolk were setting up tables and lanterns and she could see the white smoke of cooking meats.
“What are they setting up for?” Rienna asked, gasping a bit in exasperation and awe.
Dinsch bounded over but Krose just rose to his feet. Dinsch grabbed her shoulders in his excitement.
“Ah, Summer Festival! I forgot all about it! Oh, Rienna, we simply have to stay for the night— it’s the biggest Folk gathering we have all year! You two really need a night to remember before we go back to all the struggling. I’ll make it worth your while, I promise— I’ll carry you myself to speed to Xanias in the morning or we can even get some of those disgusting horses, if you want, but we just haaaaaaave to stay!” Dinsch rambled on with his usual rapid cadence.
“Summer Festival…” Rienna said softly, remembering back to when a bashful Belias had asked her to dance at Ersenais’s all those summers ago. Not so far back maybe but it felt like a lifetime ago. She held herself at the memory.
Rienna watched the bustle again without answering right away and wondered if she would regret giving in. Although she was beginning to think that she might need this to remember what life was worth living for. What if these moments of indulging meant losing more of her friends? Rienna turned to Dinsch with a frown on her face and her mind made up.
“We’ll stay, Dinsch, but we’d better be out by first light, so don’t go overboard. Either of you!” she commanded, pointing at Krose as she turned on him trying to disguise his smirk of pleasure. Rienna turned back to the window and her face lit up excitedly and she grabbed for Dinsch’s arm. “A Reishefolk, Dinsch! Take me to meet him!”
Rienna was mesmerized by the bird-human hybrid, much as she was when she had first laid eyes on the Folk huddled in Scryshaw. Many of the Folk from there recognized her as she went to see the Reishefolk and stopped her to thank her again for freeing them and soon the whole of the burrow was making her feel like family, offering her strong sweet drinks she had never tasted and letting her sample the night’s foods, but her eyes kept flicking back to the Reishefolk she was aching to see up close. That one could literally fly off at a moment’s notice. At some point, Dinsch had lifted her up, drink, food and all and made his apologies until he could deposit her at the Folk’s feet. Dinsch, not a patient sort by any means, mumbled to Rienna about talking to old friends and left her and the magnificent birdman to their scrutiny.
The man was breathtaking to look at. He watched her with keen interest, having been literally dumped at his feet. Reishefolk did not have the same aversion to clothes that the Bryfolk did but he was garbed sparsely still in flowing bits of cerulean silk. His genes were obviously borrowed from the blue-crested falcon. Feathers of cerulean, white and black dusted his forearms, broad chest, neck with the same natural gradation as the rabbit fur adorning the Bryfolk but as she rounded the man and he stood still to allow her perusal, she was taken aback by the enormous wings on his back and he fluttered them a little so she could see the powerful additional muscling that lifted this man into flight. His hair was short and downy white with some of the feather patterning dotting the shaven sides of his head. He had a man’s face still and his own set of arms so, like the Bryfolk; he was also more man than animal. Despite the powerful back muscles, the man was slight of form, lean muscled like Krose, and she had so many questions bubbling up but did her best to remember herself. She reached out and stroked his wing reverently and he carefully opened them so she could see the great span of them.
Her hands went to her face in a woman’s way and she lowered them quickly and shook her head to gather her thoughts as she stood in front of him.
“I’ve forgotten my manners, sir, but I’ve never seen Reishefolk before. I am Rienna and I am passing through on an important mission. Do you by chance know anything about the machinations that are attacking the cities?”
The man laughed and his voice was clear and strong. “No, Rienna, I’ve spent quite some time with the Bryfolk but I am no stranger to human curiosity so you are not offending me. The news of Morgaze being attacked is still fresh so I’m afraid I have no useful information to give you. My name is Finn and I am honored to be in the presence of one of the Chosen.”
“Chosen?” she said with some slack-jawed awe.
“Chosen by the elements. I know the stories well enough. You are no princess, but you are garbed more richly than any I have seen in no fabrics that man can weave. A warrior and easily the most beautiful warrior I have ever laid eyes on,” Finn purred, taking her hand and laying a kiss upon it, not a privilege she allowed most men but this one she could not risk offending. Whatever was in this drink made her head feel a little light and in better spirits.
“You’re a silver-tongued one, Finn!” she said, a bit shocked at her flirtation. “Are you hollow-boned? Are there other kinds of Folk here? Do you happen to—?”
Finn stopped her with a finger on her lips and a good-spirited laugh.
“You’re sounding a lot more like the Bryfolk than a human, rattling off like that, my dear. But to answer your questions, I am not hollow-boned or I would break too easily, but too much muscle or fat and I am earthbound. There are some humans here but I am the only other Folk other than the Bryfolk at the moment. Stick around, lovely girl, tonight will be one to remember!”
With that, Finn flapped his wings in a great gust and took off, probably looping in a flip to flaunt himself to her. She stood in awe, not even noticing that Krose was beside her until he took the empty cup from her hands, smirking at her when she fumbled for it.
“Go easy on the Swoonfruit there, Rienna. It tastes like candy, but it’s a hard drink for the uninitiated. The ride out of here is going to be tort
ure if you get too carried away,” he jested, using her own words to drive it home. Rienna stuck out her tongue and bounded off to explore. He watched the drunken sway of her hips longer than he planned to.
The crowds seemed to grow as the sun dipped down in the sky and the lanterns started to light up as music started to fill the air. Food and drink was flowing in abundance and Rienna just observed now, mesmerized and relaxed by the uplifting aura of joy and peace surrounding her. She watched them dancing and a pretty little female Bryfolk bowed and handed Rienna another glass of Swoonfruit. It was her third all day but she was drinking them a little faster and she was even starting to sway to the music. Rienna was not the type to dance, but the mood was carrying her.
A lively dance was starting and someone was grabbing her hand to pull her into the frenzy, handing off her drink to someone else. She started to pull away in protest but recognized Krose and acquiesced, feeling an odd mixture of shyness and boldness at war in her. The evening was warmer and he had removed his tunic to cool off, several beaded necklaces haphazardly dangling from his neck. She watched the others and soon picked up on the steps as Krose led her confidently. She was out of breath and laughing so hard she was crying as he swung and dipped and skipped her around. By the time the song had ended and applause blended into the next song, she felt more alive than she had felt in so long.
Her eyes met Krose’s, bold from the drink, and the fire danced in his eyes and played over his handsome face. Suddenly, she felt this incredible urge to kiss him and did so. If he had thought Rienna was the tender sort, this certainly taught him otherwise. Without prompting, she had dipped her tongue into his mouth and he met it with the same enthusiasm. Krose felt his groin tightening at the excitement of his fantasy awakening and he pulled away fully expecting the moment to be gone, but Rienna’s eyes had danced with mischief.
Without a word, he took her hand and started pulling her away and into the surrounding woods to a spot he often went to for privacy. At any moment, he anticipated she would stop him and demand to go back but she didn’t and when he stopped her and turned, she was back on him with a ferocity that had him groaning into her mouth. Her hands were fumbling at his clothes, tearing away the beaded necklaces, and they were both frantically touching each other and hasty to remove the fabric acting as barrier to their bodies. When they were stripped bared, Rienna still seemed unappeased and shoved Krose to the soft grass and straddled him without hesitation, tasting the sweat along his neck and shoulder, nipping at him with her teeth and growling a little with frustration.
The Truth about Heroes: Complete Trilogy (Heroes Trilogy) Page 13
