Reed took the couch in the den while Delilah and Lilith each had their own chambers. Delilah was grateful to have privacy in the room once inhabited by the innkeeper’s children while Lilith took their bedroom. The long days of travel had them all fast asleep.
The following day, after breaking their fast, they went to the village marketplace. Delilah was surprised by the crowd of people walking the narrow streets. It seemed they had arrived just in time for the Market Day and this small village seemed to host it for a few other, even smaller ones.
Delilah followed her mother towards the trading area, the throng of people moving out of her way without being aware of their own footsteps. Reed was in the back, and for once Delilah was glad of it. She presumed she would have been swallowed up by the horde and lost if not for him. Although… Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
“Delilah…” Lilith stopped and Delilah crashed into her mother. Her eyes had been glued to her own steps, she didn’t handle crowds well.
The witch would have stumbled forward too, but Reed’s hand shot out from behind Delilah, preventing Lilith from falling to her knees. She turned around and shot a glare at Delilah. Lilith’s gaze softened as she looked up at Reed over her daughter’s head. “Thank you… it seems that my daughter’s deficiencies and lack of coordination will only be hindering us, so I am grateful to have you along. I will be sure to reward you properly tonight,” Lilith said and winked.
Delilah was caught in the awkward situation between them. Delilah knew her mother was making her uncomfortable on purpose, even going as far as behaving like she wasn’t right there.
“Oh…” Reed replied as he let his hands slide down Lilith’s arms in a gentle, promising caress. “I’ll be looking forward to it.” He pressed himself closer to Delilah’s back and she could feel his arousal against her lower back. She squeaked and jumped forward again, bumping into Lilith once more.
“Stupid child…” Lilith muttered but otherwise didn’t want to cause a scene. There were already too many people throwing wary glances their way as they passed by. “Go fetch some dried black cohosh flowers. You will be capable of that, won’t you?”
Delilah nodded without protest. As much as she couldn’t stand the crowds she wanted to get away from her mother and Reed.
“Here…” Lilith gave her daughter some coins. “That should suffice. Reed, you’re with me.” She whipped around and continued making her way through the mass of people.
Reed stepped around Delilah, who recoiled from him on instinct, causing him to snort and laugh as he followed her mother.
Delilah was now alone, and with Reed and her mother gone, the crowd soon overwhelmed her. She was being pushed aside, bouncing from one body to another, feeling an elbow to her ribs, another in her kidney. Her breathing became irregular and she gasped for air, heart pounding as her eyes darted around, seeking a way out. Imagining she was drowning in water, Delilah let herself be carried with the flow and was soon pushed out to the side, pressing her small figure against a nearby building. She had been in crowds before, surrounded by more people than this, but with these narrow streets it felt more constricting.
Gathering courage by holding her amulet in a tight grasp, Delilah closed her eyes and asked the Goddess of Nature for guidance and protection. When she felt the calming energy wash over her and her heartbeat slowed, she opened her eyes and took a tentative step forward. This time, she wasn’t swallowed by the horde. She seemed to glide smoothly through the crowding bodies.
The busyness of the marketplace thwarted her efforts to find and purchase the herb as promptly as she wanted to. About an hour later, she clutched a pouch of dried black cohosh in her hands and wove her way back toward the house they were staying at. She didn’t dare go to the inn. It was probably even more crowded.
As she rounded a corner, Delilah spotted the house. An excited and relieved smile bloomed on her face. She hoped her mother and Reed weren’t back yet so she would have some solitude and time to write in her journal. Keeping her gaze focused on her destination, she didn’t notice the person on her right. The man pushed through the throng of people just as she had.
She bounced off cold, metal plates of armor, but was thrust forward into the stranger again when someone walked by behind her.
Big hands softly but firmly grabbed her shoulders, steadying her footing. “I’m so sorry…” she stuttered, eyes stuck to the ground.
“No apologies needed, my lady. I was not mindful of my steps.” The deep, soothing voice made Delilah look up.
When their eyes met, sparks ignited. Delilah had seen some of the brown skinned people on her travels but never one whose complexion looked so warm and inviting. His eyes were almost black, his gaze filled with concern. The features of his face were so soft, they reminded Delilah of cuddling. I have never seen fuller lips. Without thinking she moistened her own. The man was looking at her with worry and confusion. She thought she could see surprise and awe in his own expression.
“Did I harm you?” That same smooth, worried voice brought her out of her scrutiny of the handsome man.
Before Delilah could answer, her mother’s voice pierced the tension between them. She glanced behind the man and spotted Lilith making her way toward them. The familiar fear crept up her spine and she shivered under the stranger’s gaze.
“Who is that?” he said in a whisper.
Delilah breathed out a sigh of exhaustion. “My mother…” She didn’t know why, but she gave him a pleading look, not knowing what exactly she was asking for.
“Delilah!” Her mother’s voice snapped her out of her trance as she jumped back and fled from the concerned stranger, leaving him speechless on the side of the street.
Chapter 39
Cassiel watched, mesmerized, as Delilah fled toward her mother. Her face had imprinted itself on his soul. She seemed to be very young, barely a woman. Her heart-shaped face radiated softness, especially with those full cheeks, bronze in color. Dark, almond shaped eyes, haunted in their depths, called out to him. Never should anyone so young look so desolate. He’d had to fight the urge to brush some of the honey colored hair away from her face just so he could see more of her. Her innocence reminded him of Olivia and the impulse to protect surged through his body. He was surprised by his own emotions when he wanted to taste her lips, the desire so strong yet very immoral. The feelings confused him, disarmed him. He remembered his father’s words When an Alevi falls, we fall quickly - and forever… He shook his head, dismissing the words.
Even more perplexing was her reaction when being summoned. Did she fear her own mother?
He focused on Delilah again, watched her stand now before a tall, dark-haired woman who looked far too young to be her mother. The woman looked down at his angel with a fierce gaze, full of resentment. When Cassiel noticed the man standing next to them, the smile left his face as if a bucket full of ice cold water had been poured on him.
“Reed…” The name left a bitter taste in his mouth and Cassiel retreated into the shadows as the scarred knight’s eyes scanned the crowd.
Cassiel had to find out who the young woman was, who her mother was and why Reed was with them and what Magnus was up to. Whatever their plans, he was convinced of the younger woman’s innocence. It was in her eyes, the panic when her mother called her, the despair of surrendering to a destiny dictated by others. He observed them a while longer as Delilah gave something to the woman, who turned and walked away. Delilah followed, shoulders slumped. When Reed’s palm connected with the girl’s behind and his roaring laughter reached Cassiel, he gripped the hilt of his sword, knuckles white. He made a silent vow to get the young woman away from them. She might have the information he needed, at least that was his reasoning.
Cassiel followed them, grateful for the mass of noisy people as he snuck around the house they entered. A window creaking open made him stop and hide. When no one appeared, he stole closer and chanced a glance inside.
There she was, Delilah. Si
tting on the floor in a corner of the room with a book on her lap, staring at the pages in absolute concentration. The sun shone through the window, reaching her sanctuary. The rays lit up Delilah’s features. They made her glow with an otherworldly radiance. Her straight hair flowed past her shoulders, hiding her from the world as if it was some liquid shield made of pure gold.
Cassiel wished he could see her smile.
Who was she to make him lose his cool composure? To make him feel emotions and desires no one had ever managed to provoke in him… she was at least ten years his junior, not that age mattered, but she was barely a woman.
He sighed.
He should just walk away and forget about her. His body’s response to the mere sight of her didn’t bode well for him. He would succumb.
Leaning back against the house, he gazed up at the sky. Delilah’s quiet sobs reached him through the half opened window. His heart clenched at the sound of her distress, and the knot in his stomach tightened again. No, he couldn’t leave Delilah behind just because she awakened this side of him after only one encounter. That would be selfish of him, and he wasn’t that kind of person. He would just have to fight the temptation.
Decision made, Cassiel pushed himself away from the wall and headed for the inn.
The tight knot of unease which had unraveled after he had delivered Olivia’s father to the tribe alive settled in his stomach again. He was glad that Olivia’s father would recover fully, as Ma’ad had assured him, because Connal’s condition had worsened by the time they reached the forest. Olivia would be happy to know that the tribe had accepted her father as if he were one of their own. Wanting to gather whatever information he could on Magnus, he had taken a different route back. He had traveled east, passing through smaller settlements, and the news reaching him were not surprising. A whole village had to disperse because of the prince’s bad temper. He was pleased, though, when he’d heard that Damien and Theo had stood up to Magnus and left his company.
The unrest following the prince was cause for concern. If the prince did not start taking better care of his temper, the people might do more than just disparage him. They would rebel.
And now, with Magnus rampant, Delilah’s unspoken plea for help, and the situation with Reed and the unknown woman, the unease steadily grew.
He needed information.
Once he reached the tavern and paid a round for the local patrons, tongues unraveled and stories sprung forth. People always relaxed in his presence, and often offered information or their thoughts without prompting, whether he wanted it or not. It must have been the soft, worried look in his eyes that gained him their trust. And money. Money always talked.
He found out what he already knew, but the tidbits about Reed and the mysterious dark-haired woman caught his interest the most.
“Aye,” an older patron said and graced Cassiel with a toothless grin, “And what a mighty fine looking woman that is.”
The others murmured their agreement.
“But you dun wanna get mixed up with the sorts of her,” another patron added, this one bold, wrinkled with a wise twinkle in his eye, “She be a witch…”
The men around the table shushed the old man.
“Dun say that,” the drunk sitting across Cassiel slurred. “She gunna bewitch ya, play yer mind like Ike.”
“Oh, I better be careful then. Wouldn’t want to end up like Ike,” Cassiel commented, earning him a nod from the men. “Remind me again, what did she do?”
“Kicked him out of his own house, so she can… co… copulate! HA! Copulate with that ugly bastard.” The drunken patrons burst into laughter, and one managed to add, “Ike and his wife slept in the stables.”
Cassiel shook his head in disbelief and confusion. “Why did she do that?”
“Cause she can? Said they was ‘ere by the order of Prince Magnus himself and Ike dun like the prince much... but shhhh… none of us like him ‘ere… I had family in that village he tore apart… now they’re all crammed up in my house. Bloody crowded I tell ya!” The man slapped Cassiel’s shoulder, hastening his realization that he had heard enough information and that he needed some fresh air. The stench of the alcohol and stale air had assaulted his senses long enough.
“Well, gentlemen…” Cassiel rose to his feet. “It was a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for your company, but I must be going now. Still have a few things to buy.”
“Aye… yer welcome anytime, son. As long as you buy us a round or two.” The toothless man offered.
“I will remember that… oh… and one more thing.” Cassiel took up his cloak and put it around his shoulders. “What about the girl with them?” His heart inexplicably pounded faster as he asked the question. As if he was afraid of getting caught for having the irrational thoughts and feelings.
“What girl?” The oldest one said, his forehead scrunched as he looked up at Cassiel. “Ain’t seen no girl with them… you boys?” The men shook their heads no.
Cassiel frowned. Surely she couldn’t be overlooked, she was just too radiant. But, then again, maybe she wanted to be unseen. That would make sense.
“I must have been mistaken. I will bid you a good evening then.” Cassiel bowed his head slightly and walked away drunken farewells following him out.
When he stepped outside, her checked the sun’s position, judging that he had two hours before nightfall. He bought some food and provisions for his trip back from the market stands. After buying an extra blanket and bedroll, Cassiel checked on his horse and requested for it to be saddled and ready after dinner time.
With nothing left to do but wait, Cassiel wandered around the closing marketplace, where he bought a good rainproof cloak. Delilah might need it if it rains.
Sooner than he thought, the time came.
Cassiel packed up his armor and left it with the horse. The ruckus it made would only hinder him. On soft and quiet feet he neared the house where Delilah, the Witch and Reed were spending yet another night.
He hid under the same window as he had done earlier in the day. This time, it wasn’t the sounds of Delilah’s soft sobs that reached him but Reed’s grunts of pleasure and female moans.
Worried about Delilah, Cassiel peeked through the window. She was in that same little corner, this time cloaked in shadow. Her palms were pressed against her ears as she tried to drown out the sounds coming from her mother’s room.
He knocked on the window, hoping it was loud enough for her to hear but quiet enough to avoid unwanted attention.
Her head snapped up and tilted to the side, confusion and a touch of fear written on her face.
Cassiel knocked again, making Delilah jump to her feet and glare towards the window.
He could see her mouth move and before he could warn her about not being able to hear her, a small floating light appeared next to his face, dazing him for a moment. After he shook it off and blinked his eyes a few times, Cassiel saw Delilah’s face close to the window.
Open the window, he mouthed and raised his hands, empty palms toward her.
With great reluctance but feeling a glimmer of hope deep down in her heart, Delilah opened the window. “Who are you?” she asked in a sweet voice, then winced at the sound of her mother’s loud moan.
“I know we just met today, but I know who your mother is, I know Reed, and I know the prince sent you. If you want to get away from them, I am offering you a way out,” Cassiel said quickly, cursing his lack of tact as Delilah blinked those beautiful dark eyes at him.
“That still doesn’t tell me who you are.” Delilah scrutinized him. Despite the pull she felt toward him, the promise of safety in his eyes, she wasn’t so naïve to just leave with a stranger. The words from her journal appeared in her mind: When he asks, go with him.
“My apologies, my lady. I am Cassiel, I was one of the prince’s knights until –”
“You left with her… with Olivia!” Delilah gasped. “What are you doing here?” She neared the window.
“It is
a long story and we do not have much time. I am going back to them - and I can tell you all about it on the way.” Cassiel stepped closer to the window again, almost coming face to face with Delilah.
“Is he really still a dragon?”
“Yes… Please, come with me. I can see in your eyes that you do not wish to stay. I promise you I will do you no harm and that my intentions are honorable.” Cassiel pleaded.
Delilah glanced over her shoulder at the door of her room, afraid her mother might burst through, even though she could still hear the noise from the other room. She might be rid of her, away from her mother, the repression, the abuse, away from Reed’s wandering hands. She could have freedom under the protection of the dragon. She believed this stranger, Cassiel, was telling the truth. She felt it vibrate from the amulet deep into her bones, the magic almost consuming her, pushing her forward. She could always trust her magic.
Her moment had come.
“I will be safe? Safe and free from my mother? From the prince?” The hopeful look in her eyes made Cassiel wonder what Magnus had done to her.
“I promise.” He didn’t hesitate in answering.
Delilah moved away from the window and grabbed her backpack with all of her belongings in it. She then arranged the bed to make it seem as if she were sleeping in it. Looking around the room, her heart pounded in her chest and thundered in her ears. She had never felt such a rush of adrenalin and her hands started to shake. Is this it? Is it as easy as sneaking out of a window? At least she didn’t have to worry about where to go, about not having any money of her own.
“Delilah, come.” Cassiel’s worried voice snapped her out of her reverie.
She hurried to the window and accepted his outstretched hand, so warm and gentle, unlike her cold and clammy ones. She was just too nervous.
Cassiel didn’t let go of her hand as he silently led her to the stable. The horse was ready just like he’d requested.
Dragon's Prize (Dragons Awaken Book 2) Page 34
