by C.K. Bryant
Chapter Thirty Four
“Pull back real slow,” Octavion instructed.
“Do you mind? This is my bow and it isn’t the first time I’ve used it.” Kira knew she was a bit snappy, but he was treating her like she’d never even seen a bow before, let alone spent two years competing in high school. “Just give me a target.”
He looked around for a moment, then pointed. “See that stump about fifty feet off? Can you hit that?”
Kira lowered her bow and glared at him. “Octavion, be serious. I could hit that if I was blind.”
He stepped back and folded his arms. “Then you pick.”
They were in the canyon with plenty targets at their disposal, so she searched the tree line and found a branch void of bark and needles that hung from an old pine tree. It was about 150 feet away. There wasn’t so much as a breeze, so she knew her chances were pretty good. “That dead branch.” She pointed with the tip of her arrow.
“Ha! I should wager.”
“Okay. If I hit it, you have to take me back to the falls—and not on horseback.”
“And what do I get if you miss?”
Kira thought for a moment. “I might let you kiss me again.”
“Deal,” Octavion said without hesitation.
Kira notched the arrow on the string, drew back the bow, aimed and let the string release from the tips of her fingers. It hit dead on. “YES!”
Octavion just stood there, staring at where the arrow landed. “Luck.”
“Fine—you pick the target.”
He searched the meadow again, this time pointing to a large pinecone about the same distance away. It barely dangled from a small branch. “There,” he challenged.
“Care to have another little bet?” Kira had to admit it felt pretty good to hold her bow again. She thought it would take some practice to get used to it, but where the sword and knife felt awkward, this weapon was merely an extension of her body.
He paused for a moment. “What did you have in mind?”
Kira considered his question—she had an idea. “I’ll take the kiss if I miss, but if I hit it, you have to wear normal clothes tomorrow when you take me home.” She wasn’t sure what he had to wear, but it was worth a try.
He raised one brow and searched her eyes. “What do you mean by ‘normal clothes’?”
“Well, Lydia told me when you lived in Montana, you had a job. I assume you have something besides those.” She motioned to his leather pants and vest. “You know, jeans, T-shirt, and maybe even a pair of tennis shoes.”
“My sister needs to learn when to hold her tongue.” He looked across the canyon at the lone pinecone, as if willing it to stay in place. “Deal.” A mischievous grin crossed his face.
Now if she could just hit the darn thing. Her butterflies were back and they flitted wildly around in her stomach. She pulled back, took a deep breath and, at just the right moment, released it, sending the arrow toward her target. Never before had an arrow seemed so slow, but when it finally reached the pinecone it grazed the side, leaving it dangling on its branch.
“I hit it.” Kira shouted. “State Champion—two years in a row.” She held out the bow. “Care to give it a try?”
“You missed.” He pointed to the target. “It is still there.”
“What? Are you blind? I hit the side of it.”
“It did not fall. I win.” A mischievous grin crossed his face as he crooked a finger, motioning for her to come closer.
“Oh, no you don’t. That’s cheating. You said I had to hit it, not knock it from the branch.”
“What good does it do to graze a target? You must hit dead on to kill your opponent. The pinecone still lives.”
“It still lives?” Kira laughed. “Oh man, you’re stretching for that one.” She kept her distance, but had an idea. “Okay, how about a compromise? One kiss in exchange for blue jeans. That’s it. You can wear anything else you want, but I get you in jeans.”
A grin slowly crossed his face. “I can live with that.” He came toward her, but instead of letting him kiss her on the lips, she playfully presented him with the back of her hand. “I didn’t say where you could kiss me.”
He was suddenly as gallant as she’d seen in Lydia’s memories. “As you wish—my lady,” he teased. He brushed his lips across the back of her hand, then continued planting tender kisses up the length of her arm. When he reached her neck, her heart raced and her insides felt like mush.
Threading his fingers through her hair, he drew her closer, pressing his lips to hers. The warmth of it swelled within her as he scooped her into his arms. He pulled his lips away, but held there, so close she felt his warm breath rush down her neck. Their eyes met and she could see the heat of passion in them. She wondered if hers revealed the same feelings to him.
“Close your eyes,” he whispered.
“Octavion, what—?”
“Kira, please. Close your eyes.”
As she gave into his plea, his lips found hers and Kira was in heaven. The sensation she felt flowing through her body as he lifted them from the ground engulfed her senses, and caressed every nerve ending that ran across the surface of her skin. A sudden rush filled her ears as their lips parted. They were at the falls. He lowered them both to the ground, still holding her in his arms. When another kiss came, he slowly slid his hand under the hem of her shirt, slipping his fingers around to the small of her bare back and pulled her closer.
Kira’s brain suddenly caught up with her heart as she realized what was happening. This wasn’t how she wanted this to happen. Not here. Not now. “Octavion, I can’t,” she breathed, as his mouth roamed the sensitive place just under her ear. His hand slowly made its way back to her stomach, brushing her skin with his fingertips until he found the top button on her jeans.
“Stop!” she cried. Pushing against his weight, she rolled out from under him and scooted across the grass to lean against a boulder. She paused there for a moment to catch her breath, then tried to stand, but her trembling legs refused to hold her. Using the boulder for balance, she managed to pull herself up enough to sit on it.
Octavion stood and went to her, obviously shaken by her sudden withdrawal. “Kira, I’m sorry. I thought—”
“No. It’s not you.” She scooted further back on the rock.
He straightened. “Do you not have feelings for me? Did I misunderstand?” He let out a sigh of frustration. “In my lair, I thought . . . and again this morning and our wager. You asked me to kiss you.”
“I know I did. And I do have feelings for you, it’s just—” She couldn’t look at him. She didn’t want to see the pain she’d caused him or the disappointment. “You can’t have feelings . . . for me.” Not when their future was so uncertain. She stifled a sob as she stood and began walking toward the crevice that led to the canyon. She had to get away, to put some distance between them, but when she stepped up on the rock ledge that led to the opening, her foot slipped on a piece of moss and she fell to the ground. It only caused her tears to come more quickly.
Octavion knelt at her side. “Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Kira. Please tell me what I have done to offend you. I will make it right.”
She still couldn’t look at him. Why couldn’t he just get mad like he always did and let her leave? It would be so much easier if he hated her.
The rush of the falls masked the silence between them. It wasn’t until she heard the shuffle of his feet that she looked up. He stood a few feet away with his back to her. A long moment passed before she finally spoke.
“Octavion, I’m sorry.” Kira pushed herself up to stand behind him and reached out to touch his shoulder. He relaxed the tension in his shoulders and slowly turned to face her. Moisture gathered in his eyes.
"Do you not trust me?” he asked.
“It’s me I don’t trust. I can’t be with you like this.”
“We are both adults. If you have feelings for me—”
“Adults?
I’m only seventeen. And you’re what . . . twenty?”
“I am in my nineteenth year—old enough.”
“No, it’s not that. It has nothing to do with our age.” Kira didn’t know what to say. She felt like a naïve little girl, trying to make sense of something she’d promised herself years before. She was sure he wouldn’t understand.
“Kira, are you afraid of me? I will not hurt you, not . . . like this.” His eyes were so revealing now, pleading for some kind of explanation.
“That’s not it. It’s just . . .” She looked down at her hands and lowered her voice. “I’ve never been with anyone before.” She went back to her rock and sat. Surely, he’d think she was old fashioned and insist she grow up, or give in to his advances and become a real woman. But she still felt she owed him an explanation. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Giving that part of myself to a guy is something I’ve thought a lot about. For years I watched my mother go through one man after another and I don’t want my life to be like hers. I want my first—and last—to be my husband. Can you understand that?” She looked up, expecting to see anger in his eyes, but instead she found compassion and understanding.
His whole body sagged with relief as he stepped closer and knelt in front of her. He took both her hands in his. “I did not realize. I am the one who is sorry. If this is what you want, I will honor your wishes.”
Kira searched his eyes, trying to draw courage from the love she saw there. To finish what she had to say. To tell him what was in her heart. They’d had so little time to get to know each other, at least for her, but it seemed as though they’d always been together. She didn’t understand how being with him made time seem to slip away and nothing else matter.
“Is there more?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Then you need to tell me.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I want to understand.”
Kira wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned her attention to the falls. It looked just as beautiful as the first time she’d seen it. But instead of a heavenly glow, a vivid rainbow glistened within its mist. She tried to choose her words carefully.
“When this is over—” She looked back at him. “Will you take Lydia home?”
“Yes.” There was no hesitation. No hint of regret for leaving Kira behind.
The ache that had settled in her heart that morning deepened. It wasn’t the answer she wanted. She’d hoped that Lydia was wrong and that they wouldn’t leave her alone like her mom had. She slowly pulled her hands away from his and leaned back. “I don’t think we should do this anymore. I won’t ask you to hold me or . . . kiss me again.”
“What are you saying?” He sat back on his heels and rested his hands on his thighs.
“I’m saying—you can’t have feelings for me. It’s going to be hard enough saying goodbye, Octavion. I couldn’t bear it if . . . I don’t want you to fall in love with me. Your oath to protect Lydia should be the only thing on your mind right now. I’m just a . . . a distraction.”
He threaded his fingers through her hair and ran his thumb across her quivering lips. “You do not need to remind me of my oath. I gave my word to protect my sister, and I will. But as for us—it is not within me to deny what my heart has already chosen.” He lowered his hands and looked intently into her eyes. “That is, unless you feel nothing for me.”
Kira’s heart fluttered. She’d expected their conversation to take a completely different direction—to end it all—but here she was, sitting in front of someone who claimed to love her. That, in and of itself, should have been enough.
But it wasn’t.
“I do love you. I don’t think I realized that until this morning when I watched you sleep. But our love isn’t enough to keep us together. Being in two different worlds wouldn’t exactly qualify as a long distance relationship. What will you tell your heart when you have to leave? Even the Crystor won’t have the power to heal it.”
Octavion smiled with a mischievous glint in his deep blue eyes. “I will not have to tell it anything—if you go with me.” He stood and offered his hand.
“To Xantara? But I thought—can you do that?”
He still had his hand out, but when she didn’t take it, he reached down and took hers, pulling her into his arms. “It would be difficult to make you my queen if I left you behind.” He kissed her briefly, then stepped back, holding her at arm’s length.
She gave him a sideways grin. “Are you proposing?”
He smiled again. “No. But when the time is right, I will.”
Kira shrugged out of his grasp and slapped his arm. “Well you better not wait too long. I might get another offer.” She rested her hands on her hips.
He raised one brow and folded his arms—just as the Crystor burned cold and sent a sharp pain up Kira’s arm. She grabbed her wrist.
“What is it?” Octavion asked.
“Didn’t you say I could tell when Lydia’s in danger, when something’s wrong?” She reached for his arm to steady the sudden weakness she felt in her knees and tried to focus on Lydia’s location.
“Yes, call to her.”
Lydia. Are you okay? No answer.
Lydia! “She’s hurt, Octavion. I can feel it and she’s not answering.” Kira leapt into Octavion’s arms and closed her eyes. “She’s in the clearing.”
For the first time, traveling with him felt violent and painful. It happened so fast she felt ripped from where she stood and thrown to the ground. She came down with so much force, she stumbled. The only thing breaking her fall was Lydia, who’d been crouched by the fire. Kira slammed into her, sending them both rolling in the dirt. Octavion knelt at Lydia’s side and tried to help her up. By the time Kira recovered, Lydia was sitting in the dirt holding her hands up like a surgeon who’d just scrubbed for surgery.
“I’m fine,” Lydia said. “It’s just a little burn.”
Kira took hold of Lydia’s wrists and pulled them closer to have a look. Her palms were seared like she’d pressed them onto hot coals. “This isn’t a little burn. What happened?”
“It’s so stupid. I’m not used to cooking, you know that. I never cook. I was in such a hurry.” She looked at Octavion. “I grabbed the side of the pot with my bare hands.”
“So, why didn’t you answer me?” Kira asked. “I thought Shandira had found you.”
Lydia scrunched up her face. “I was embarrassed,” she whispered.
Kira let out a huff of air. “Well don’t do that again. You answer me, no matter what. Your brother almost threw me across the clearing trying to get to you.”
Octavion’s head shot up. “I did not.”
Kira took both of Lydia’s hands and summoned all her strength into healing the burns. It took a little more effort than she expected—probably because her head was still reeling from the leap. Or maybe it was the kiss. She’d need to do a little more research to know for sure.
