Bekka nodded. She wanted to reach out and take Constance’s hands in her own but she feared being too forward.
“I need you to leave. As soon as you possibly can. If not right now, then after one last night with me.”
“Night?” Bekka asked, blocking out the painful part of the request. “I haven’t spent a night with you.”
Constance nodded. “You have, my dear, sweet, beautiful Bekka. Every night we’ve spent together. It is the days that you sleep away. Closed away in my little citadel you’ve not realized it, but it’s true.”
“How old are you?”
Constance smiled. “Surely you’ve guessed, I’m a witch. I’ve used magic to create this place and magic to stay young.”
Bekka nodded. “I wondered, but it wasn’t important. You already know I’m a sorceress.”
Constance nodded. “You told me of your trip to the Fayer. I visited them once myself, probably before you were born. I was young and I wanted the power to live forever.”
Bekka nodded. “Forever’s a long time to be alone.”
Constance’s eyes glistened as she stared at Bekka. “I could…no, I can’t. Forget I said anything.”
“How can I do that?” Bekka knew her friend had been on the verge of telling her something important. Something that would change everything. She feared what her words would be and she was desperate to hear them.
Constance smiled. “Yes, that’s true. How could you? I was going to offer to try and teach you about magic. Your talent is raw and natural. It’s alien to me but all the more impressive because of it.”
“You think you can’t teach me because of that?” Bekka felt disappointed. Surely an offer of assistance with magic wasn’t what made Constance second guess herself?
Constance stepped closer and knelt on the floor. Bekka’s legs widened to let her slip between them. Her skirt, slit high up the slide, slid to reveal a generous portion of creamy thigh. “I can’t help you because you have to leave,” Constance whispered. She picked her head up and stared into Bekka’s eyes, her own glimmering in the candlelight.
“I haven’t heard from my companions. They have each other. I don’t have to leave.” Bekka couldn’t leave. Not yet, not when there was such a wonderful and understanding person left behind with no one to keep her company.
Constance reached up to rub the wetness from her eyes before tears formed. Bekka wanted to kiss her fingers and her eyes, to let her know it would be okay. The bloodshot look in her eyes tore at her heart. “You have to leave because if you don’t you’ll never leave. I’ve listened to your stories of travelling amongst the void. It amazes me. I’d love to experience it—“
“So give this up,” Bekka interrupted. “Come with me. My friends will welcome you.”
The White Lady beamed at her even as she had to reach up and catch another tear to keep it from falling. “You’re wonderful, you truly are! But you don’t understand me fully, nor what I am. I can’t leave. It’s not about my responsibilities. I’m bound to this place and I don’t want you to be limited like I am.”
“You’re not making any sense,” Bekka said.
“I beg of you, don’t ask me to make sense of it. I want you to go and to remember me fondly.”
Bekka stared at her until the need for breath forced her to gasp. She blushed again at the awkward moment, then a sudden idea came to her. “What if I won’t leave?”
Constance’s lips parted. “Don’t tease me,” she whispered, her voice a few octaves off.
“I mean it. I’ve drifted through life with no attachments. The only thing I’ve been good at is flying a voidship, but helmsman aren’t hard to come by. The Fayer think I can be a great sorceress if I find myself, but in my entire life of searching the only thing I’ve found that I’m afraid to lose is you.”
“If you stay with me, you’ll be here forever. There’s no end to this life, and no escape from it. You’ll do things your innocent mind can’t fathom.”
“Innocent?” Bekka smirked. “I’ve seen horrible things, Constance. I can’t imagine you doing anything so foul that I’d be shocked.”
Constance lowered her head to Bekka’s lap, the skin of her lips resting against her naked thigh. Bekka stared down at her, then moved her hand to gently run her fingers along Constant’s tightly pulled hair. Constance moved her head and kissed Bekka’s skin, further along the inside of Bekka’s thigh than she’d realized was exposed. It sent a thrill up her leg to the union of them and caused a soft gasp to escape her lips.
A pinch followed, startling her, but before Bekka could form a question to ask a sublime feeling flowed through her. She fell back on the bed, her hands slipping from Constance’s head while the woman continued to suckle her thigh.
What seemed a lifetime later, Constance rose up. Bekka stared at her, seeing the most beautiful creature in the world towering over her. It took a moment for her to notice the flushed look in the White Lady’s face and the incredible redness of her lips. Constance smiled sadly at her. “I love you, Bekka. It may be unnatural but for a creature such as me, that is the least of my sins.”
Bekka stared at her, confused. As Constance had spoken the flickering light had cast shadows in her mouth, making her teeth appear dangerously sharp. Her lips parted, prepared to admit the same depth of emotion to her. Constance leaned forward, putting her finger against her lips again. She followed it once more with her own lips, sharing her passion with Bekka for the second time. The difference this time was the coppery taste on Constance’s lips and the razor sharp teeth in her mouth.
Chapter 10
Haley’s endurance amazed Logan almost as much as he was amazed by his own. After the first full day of running they reached the northern edge of the swamp that bordered the gajrin’s plain. The sun had set but Haley pushed them on, stating she knew the area. She’d been correct.
Logan had collapsed again after Bailynn had climbed off, though this time after resting a few moments he summoned up the strength to revert to his natural form. Bailynn gave him a smile and a lewd wink, which served only to make Logan blush. He grabbed his pack from where Haley had dropped it and pulled on some clothes.
“Still think we can’t make it?” Bailynn asked the huntress.
She nodded. “Bekka had mentioned your curse, I thought it was far more dangerous?”
Logan scowled. “She had no right to speak of such a thing.”
“Hush, Logan. I didn’t realize it before, but now it’s obvious. Bekka’s more of a lost soul than I was.”
“Was?” he asked her with a grin.
Bailynn gave him another wink before ignoring his question and turning to Haley. “Logan’s curse is anything but. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful and powerful? He can control it now. It’s not something to be feared. Well, unless you’ve earned it, that is.”
“Got anymore birds?” Logan asked, distancing himself from the conversation. He’d yet to tell Bailynn all that he learned from the Fayer. She’d had little opportunity to share her story either. He was glad for the time chasing Bekka had given him, it had helped put many of his troubled thoughts to rest.
“Wait here,” Haley said before heading towards the plains.
“Think she’s telling her friends about us?” Bailynn asked, startling him out of his thoughts.
Logan turned to her and shrugged. “If she does you can take them, can’t you?”
Bailynn grinned for a moment, then she let her expression fade. “Logan, the test the Fayer gave me had you in it.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “They set a pack of wolves on me and I attacked them. By the time I realized what was happening I saw that I’d killed you. The others too. They were all our friends from the ‘Hawk. They’d been turned into wolves too.”
Logan grimaced in sympathy for what she’d gone through. She kept going, proving that there’d been more to it. “That wasn’t enough. My wounds healed and I saw you standing in the distance. I hurried up to you, afraid I
’d lost you. You offered to stay with me. We’d be together and safe, you said.”
“But you’re here,” Logan said. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
“I knew it wasn’t you. You wouldn’t abandon Bekka like that. It was tempting, though,” Bailynn admitted. “After all I’ve been through it’s easy to feel like I deserve something for myself. But I couldn’t leave Bekka, either.”
Logan smiled. “You were right about the wolf,” he admitted. Bailynn’s smile threatened to swallow her ears. “I hadn’t realized how it’d happened at the time. I was young and rash, I should have called for help instead of rushing in. I couldn’t beat it but by the time I accepted it, it was almost over. I’d hurt him, but not enough.”
“So how’d you beat him?” Bailynn moved closer to him.
“I’m not sure. I pulled the wolf’s spirit into me somehow. I realized I’d lost but I wouldn’t let him continue to terrorize the people.”
“So much responsibility,” Bailynn whispered. “You’ve always been amazing, I guess.”
“That’s one point of view.”
“It’s the one that counts!” she insisted.
Logan laughed. “You’ve a way of putting a smile on my face.”
“Just wait, I’ll stretch those lips so wide you’ll swallow your nose!”
The priest’s chuckle was halted by the sound of something coming through the darkness. He looked about and grabbed the sword that lay on the ground near him. Bailynn crouched low, hands held out and fingers curled into claws. Logan spared her a glance and wondered when she’d slipped her gloves back on.
Haley emerged from the weeds, hauling a small deer behind her. She pulled it over to them and let it fall to the ground. She’d already dressed it clean.
“Couldn’t find something bigger?” Logan asked with a smirk.
Haley glanced at her kill then shrugged. Bailynn clapped Logan on the back as she walked past and said, “The way you ate those birds this morning, I’m not sure there’ll be any left for us.”
On cue, Logan’s stomach grumbled. He bared his teeth and rubbed his belly. “Let’s get a fire going then! We’ve an early morning and time’s wasting!”
Haley butchered the spike horned deer while Bailynn and Logan gathered wood for the fire. Striking a rock against the steel head of Bailynn’s spear eventually gave enough spark to light the fire. In moments it spread enough to begin roasting the skewered meat.
“Will Ragnar let us pass back through?” Bailynn asked while Logan roasted the meat. She’d nearly made fun of him when she’d noticed how close he’d come to drooling twice.
Haley shrugged. “Perhaps,” she offered. “He respects you, but his moods are fleeting. Present a trophy to him and you’ll have a better chance.”
“What kind of trophy?”
“To the east in the plains there are some powerful beasts. Four legged but fierce. He battled one once, tooth and nail against the tusks and hooves of the mightiest of their herd. Neither was the victor. Bring the head of the boragin to him and you’ll be well on your way.”
“What’s a boragin?”
“A giant bore, the size of a draft horse with the temper of a swamp thrasher.”
“Well Logan’s already dealt with a thrasher.”
“Wait, what?” Logan asked, pulled out of his cooking daze at the sound of his name.
“Mind the dinner, this is girl talk.”
Logan grunted and went back to turning the roasting meat over the flames.
* * * *
Haley led the way the next morning. Bailynn ran alongside them for a while until she had to climb, gasping for air, onto Logan’s back. They followed the southern edges of the plains to the east until, after more than an hour’s travel, Haley cut to the north.
With the spirit of the wolf at the forefront of his mind, Logan felt the urge to take the giant boar down. Instinctively he knew how to run prey to the ground. Using distraction and striking at weak spots would be the trick, if the boar could be separated from its sounder.
Haley pulled up short, slowing from a run to a walk and then stopping altogether. Logan came to a stop beside her and lowered his haunches so Bailynn could climb free. She stretched her legs and ran her fingers through Logan’s fur between his shoulder blades. He fought the urge to push into her for more contact. She’d known just where to scratch.
“To the northeast the plains drop down a shallow hill. There’s a pond they gather around. They’re peaceful, mostly, unless they feel threatened. Then they become territorial.”
“Hard to kill one in a non-threatening way,” Bailynn opined.
Logan was grateful for his canine features, they prevented his grin from showing. He shifted form and stood up on his feet, turning to grab the pack from Haley. “I’m sure they’d feel a wolf running into their midst would be threatening.”
Haley nodded. “Men also hunt them for food, sport, and their ivory tusks.”
Bailynn cursed.
“How do you recommend we do this?” Logan asked. “I had some thoughts, but our pack isn’t big enough.”
“Pack?” Bailynn asked, staring at him. “Your pack is one, wolf-man.”
Logan raised his eyebrow. “As a priest I considered you my flock. Turns out I’m not much of a priest, so you’ll have to be part of my pack.”
“Not a priest?” Bailynn looked as confused as she sounded.
“Ask me later.”
Bailynn’s mouth opened and closed a few times. Logan gave her an appreciative nod, which caused her to leave her lips shut.
“I’ll slip in and try to draw it away or push it towards you. Then you spring at it. Strike for the weaknesses – the legs in particular. Slow it down.”
Logan grunted. “Sounds like a good idea. Will you be safe?”
“Is anything safe?” She turned and started walking again.
“Why are you helping us?” Bailynn asked the huntress.
Haley hesitated and looked back. “Your companion talked too much. She reminded me of some things I thought were gone forever.”
Logan glanced at the sun. Every minute spent here was a minute lost in following after Bekka. “We appreciate the help. Just don’t run off on us again.”
She scowled at him and turned away. “Follow behind me,” she called over her shoulder as she began another jog.
Logan and Bekka followed. He felt odd running on two legs instead of four after all his recent travels. In either case, his body responded and he was amazed at how smooth and easy his breathing was. He heard Bailynn beginning to gasp again and wondered if he should shift to help her. Ahead of them a few dozen paces Haley slowed to a stop, then motioned them forward with a wave of her hand.
Bailynn bent over, hands on her knees, and worked on trying to catch her breath. Logan laid a hand gently upon her back and felt a jolt as a connection formed with her. Bailynn seemed unaware of it, which further amazed him.
Acting on instinct alone Logan pushed against her, not with his hand or body but with his mind. He let some of the energy he’d become aware since landing on Kelios flow into her. It was no different than when he used his powers for healing, save that he’d not needed to center himself and channel what he’d once thought were divine powers.
Bailynn shivered under his hand, then rose up and stared at him. “What did you do?” She accused, albeit softly.
“I’m not sure,” He admitted. “I tried to help you get your wind back. Did it work? You’re not gasping.”
“No, I’m not,” she said. “I felt a rush of heat through me, then it was gone. I still feel a little tingly. In fact, I feel like I could run twice as far right now!”
“I’ll have to be careful, I don’t want to hurt you.” Logan could see Bailynn wanted to throw herself at him, she had that hungry look in her eye. “Very careful, I think.”
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “You can experiment on me anytime you like.”
Haley cleared her throat, breaking up
what was about to become an awkward moment for the healer. “Down this hill is the pond I spoke of,” she said, pointing.
Logan walked the final steps to stand beside her and stared. As she said, the decline was gentle. It ran for half a mile or so and disappeared into some trees that grew up and surrounded the body of water. Logan considered it more of a lake than a pond, but the largest bodies of water he’d encountered for the last several years only filled a cup. Water was scarce in the void. That made it valuable even considering the many traders and merchants that did little more than ferry casks of water to ports and moons.
“The boragin will be near the water and in the shade of the trees, preparing to rest for the day. They’re covered in a short and wiry hair that does little to block the sun.”
“How will you drive one out?” Logan asked.
“I’ll figure that out when I get down there.”
He opened his mouth to insist otherwise but Bailynn’s hand on his arm stopped him. She shook her head. “She knows these beasts and this land, let her do her job.”
“Yes, let me do my job. Come down the hill near to the edge of the trees. They are social animals, they will help each other. We must be quick and then away, then we can return to claim the trophy.”
Logan felt like borrowing some of Bailynn’s colorful language. He wanted to call it off, being stampeded and gored by a sounder of horse-sized boars wasn’t the quickest way to their destination. Before he could voice his thoughts Haley had started down the hill. Bailynn squeezed his hand to offer support.
Logan sighed. “Well, let’s try to do this carefully.”
“Don’t worry,” Bailynn reassured, “I learned to not act as rashly. Your belief in seeking peaceful solutions to problems is wearing off on me.”
He chuckled in response. “I was a rash and intemperate boy. I learned my lesson but I think I may have erred too much on the side of caution. If I still truly believed that way we’d be finding another way to get to Bekka.”
“Compromise,” Bailynn said. “See, we’re already learning to how to get along together.”
Logan stumbled, drawing a girlish laugh from Bailynn. “Now stop with your distractions,” she teased, “we’ve got work to do.”
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