Darcienna took several deep breaths as she inhaled the aroma of the cooked food. Her eyes were locked on the animal as it devoured its precious meal. She swallowed while trying to appear casual, but Kade could easily see the hunger in her eyes.
“Where did that come from?” Darcienna asked in awe.
“I made it for the animal,” Kade said passively as he looked upon the silky creature.
“Can you do it again?” Darcienna asked. Kade found himself watching the way her tongue ran along her lips and the way her mouth parted just slightly as she imagined the taste of the food. He mentally told himself to stop and focus but fond he was powerless to follow his own command. He took a deep breath as casually as he could and looked her in the eye. Fortunately, she did not see him staring, as she was focused on the food.
“Yes,” Kade said nonchalantly. “Would you like some?”
Darcienna looked at Kade and nodded her head. He closed his eyes and easily produced a hot piece of meat just like the one that was being devoured by Chance. The silky creature dropped its food and sat up, waiting for the new one.
“Not for you, you greedy little imp,” Kade said as he handed the meat to Darcienna. She immediately took a big bite and let the hot juice slide down her throat. She closed her eyes as she savored the taste of fresh meat. Some dripped down her chin but she did not seem to care. Kade found himself watching the way she would take a bit and then chew. Even this, he found enticing.
“You can make as much of this as you want?” Darcienna asked around the food in her mouth. She had her wrist over her mouth in an attempt to hide her bad manners of talking while eating.
“Yes,” Kade said, surprised at how easily she was impressed.
He had always eaten well and didn’t know what it was like to go without food. Master Zayle could conjure a four course meal with virtually no effort, and yet, most of their food was prepared by hand. Kade recalled not understanding why his master would go to such pains to do things the hard way when he could just call for the food. Zayle always preached that they should not be too dependent on the Divine for life.
“What I would give not to worry about where my food is going to come from,” Darcienna said with her mouth still full. She paused as she chewed absentmindedly. Soon, she was standing completely still. As he watched, her eyes changed from her normal blue to a milky, bluish glow, and then to a look of bright blue lightning as if she were in some sort of trance.
“Your eyes!” Kade said in awe.
“Danger!” Darcienna said in a tight voice.
“What is it?” Kade asked.
“I am sensing that there is danger!”
“Your eyes look like that with danger?”
“Yes,” Darcienna said, still trying to control her fear.
“Where? How long until it is here? Can you tell me what the danger is?” Kade asked in a rush, feeling his own heart start to pound. Darcienna seemed almost petrified with fear.
Rayden, danger. Come to the cabin right away! Kade thought quickly. Immediately, the dragon let out a fierce roar and raced to the front of the home.
“What am I going to do? Jorell is not here to fight them!” Darcienna said as panic seized her. Kade grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and forced her to face him.
“Darcienna!” Kade said, almost yelling, demanding her attention. “How long until the danger is here?”
“A few minutes, maybe. I am not sure. I never get much of a warning.”
“Can you tell me what the danger is?” Kade asked, speaking slowly, but in a commanding voice. This was not the time to fall apart. He knew it was up to him if they were to survive. He needed to decide if they could stand and fight or if it was best to flee.
“No. I can only tell that it is danger, but I have never sensed it this strongly. It’s overwhelming!” Darcienna said as if she were on the verge of hyperventilating.
That was all Kade needed to hear for him to decide. He forced Darcienna to look him in the eyes. With effort, those glowing eyes focused on him.
“Gather your things! We are leaving now!”
“But…,” Darcienna started to say when Kade cut her off as he raised his voice.
“NOW!” Kade demanded, making it clear he meant it and pushed her toward her room where the boy was still sleeping.
Rayden, be ready to leave immediately! Meet us out front! Kade thought as he picked up the sack of books. Rayden roared again, causing the house to shake.
Darcienna was back almost as soon as she had left. She had the boy strapped to her back and a small cloth sack full of clothes. The boy started to cry, causing Kade’s heart to pound even faster.
Great, Kade thought. Just what we need; a crying boy to make things worse. I can’t take any more distractions.
Ignoring the wailing noise, Kade grabbed Darcienna by the arm and led her toward the door. He looked around one last time, making sure he had not forgotten anything. Darcienna jerked to a stop as he quickly scanned the room.
“What about the animal?” Darcienna asked.
The chair was empty except for the half eaten piece of meat. The animal was nowhere to be found. Kade paused only a moment to consider what would make this hungry, little creature leave its precious food and then decided it was definitely time for them to leave. He turned and pulled Darcienna through the door a little rougher than he had intended. He would apologize later.
Rayden was waiting just as Kade had instructed. The dragon knelt down and prepared to let his passengers mount. Kade boosted Darcienna up easily. He forced himself to be careful with how much strength he used as he was sure he could throw her clear over the dragon. Next, he swung up to sit in front of her just as the ground was starting to shake.
GO! Kade thought fiercely to the dragon. Rayden took off in a burst of power that nearly unseated Darcienna. Even Kade, who was ready for it, almost came off. He grabbed Darcienna’s arm as her legs shot up and yanked her back into place. It was close, but they were on the dragon.
Darcienna locked her arms around Kade in a death-grip that he was not sure he could undo, even with his increased strength. Fear was a powering thing. For just a brief moment, Kade could feel the contours of her body as she pressed up against his back and then quickly forced himself to ignore the distraction. He cleared his head and focused on what was important. He sent the dragon instructions to head east.
Kade looked over his shoulder just in time to see the cabin explode as though something hit it from beneath. He watched in awe as a rock-like head emerged from the roof, sending wood in all directions. The irony of seeing another home taken from another student was not lost on him. He considered turning back for just a moment as his rage built to a dangerous level. Then, he saw a speck on the horizon winging its way toward the cabin. Kade did not need to see it up close to know it was another flying creature like the one they had killed earlier. As much as he wanted to vent his fury on these creatures, he had other lives to consider.
Getting his rage under control, Kade held his breath, hoping not to be spotted. He looked over his shoulder as the trees raced by and felt relief. The rock creature never stopped pounding on the cabin until it was unrecognizable as a home. The flying beast circled the cabin, spitting its black flame, setting ablaze anything that would burn. Kade faced forward to settle in for the ride as he tried to organize his thoughts. He reached down, against his better judgment, and put his hands on hers. She intertwined her fingers with his and held on tightly. He hated feeling this way when her heart belonged to another, but he was powerless to change the affect she had on him.
They raced at the break-neck speed until they could no longer see the monsters. Kade felt the tension start to flow out of his body as the distance increased. Darcienna responded to Kade’s more relaxed posture and withdrew her hand. Kade regretted that release and vowed to get his feeling under control. He knew it was clouding his judgment and it could easy get them killed. He feared that this internal battle was going to be fiercer than any ph
ysical battle he had ever fought, and he was afraid he was not strong enough to prevail. Not even close.
Kade cleared his head as he forced his mind on what was to come. Guilt at the delay worked at him. He looked down at his hand and flexed it, checking to make sure it was healed enough for battle. He closed his eyes and thought to himself with all his heart, Mother, Father, please forgive me if I am not in time.
*CH8*
“Are you ok?” Kade asked.
“Yes, I guess. What happened back there?”
“More creatures showed up to finish the job.” Kade felt Darcienna stiffen. “It is a good thing.”
“What?” Darcienna asked.
“He must think we are a threat to him. As long as he believes that to be the case, then we must do what we can to prove his fears well founded,” Kade growled. He was still angry and she could hear it in his voice. “We just need to learn why he fears us. Whatever it is has been trying to kill me for several weeks now and has yet to succeed,” Kade said, stating the obvious. “I regret to say that they will be after you, also, if they know of your existence.”
Kade turned and looked at Darcienna, waiting for her to say anything. At a loss for words, she just stared straight ahead without uttering a thing. He felt his heart melt as he watched her blink her eyes several times while trying to work through this. Kade knew he would do anything for this vulnerable person. All he could see was a helpless, scared, young woman looking to him for protection and safety. He turned forward and scanned the woods for danger as Rayden continued to run.
“His ride is smooth,” Darcienna said, trying to lighten the mood by changing the subject.
“He is incredible, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” she said and paused for several long moments. Kade sat silently, hearing the intake of air, indicating she was going to continue talking. “Kade?” she asked meekly.
“Yes?” he responded, wondering what she was working up the courage to say.
“I…I just wanted to say thanks. You saved my life twice now. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay you for your kindness and willingness to risk your life for me,” Darcienna said, sounding small and scared. Kade did not answer. The one thing he would ask for, she wasn’t willing to give. She had already pledged her love to someone else and that person didn’t even seem to want it. The feelings in his heart started to come to the surface again. He clenched his jaw, hating himself for being so weak.
“Kade?” Darcienna asked hesitantly.
“What?” Kade responded, trying not to listen to the melody of her voice, and hating himself for hanging on her every word.
“What is going to happen to us?”
Kade’s heart leapt when he heard her refer to them as “us.” He felt a struggle raging inside of him. One part of him wanted to touch her and be with her all the time, wanted to hear her voice and watch the way she moved her lips when she spoke. He recalled how soft her hands had been when she had laid them on his arm, and he felt himself craving that feeling again. He put his hand to his cheek where her kiss still seemed to linger. The other part of him wanted to throw her off the dragon before she clouded every last bit of his senses. He shook his head, forcing himself to answer her question.
“Well, first, we are going to Arden. I need to see if my parents made it out safely. If you want me to drop you off somewhere, I can do that,” Kade said.
The voices inside his heart started to argue again. One side hoped that she would leave as soon as possible before he was affected too much, and the other side that was making him hold his breath, wanted her to say that she would stay with him. It was only logical that she would tell him someplace that she wanted to be dropped off, especially since she had a young child to consider.
Darcienna looked at the strong muscular back of this man as she considered his words. She was certain that he was going to try to get rid of her. He seemed the type to be over protective. She also feared that he may think of her as a burden. She did not hold out much hope that he was not going to send her away, but he had to let her come. He just had to.
“Kade, please let me come with you. I will make sure the boy is safe,” Darcienna pleaded.
She looked at him, knowing that she was already becoming dependent upon him. She felt safe with him and the thought of being on her own with this unknown evil after her scared her more than anything. She feared that if a third time came, she would not fare well at all.
And, how would I keep Marcole safe without Kade there to protect us? she asked herself. She believed, with all her heart, that he could fight off any danger that presented itself. She just knew he could take care of them.
Kade turned and studied her for several long moments. Not only was she going to stay with him, but she was actually begging him to let her come. The only thing that would explain her pleading was her desire for revenge. He dearly wished her motivation for staying were for other reasons, but as long as she was staying, that was good enough for him. At least…for now.
“You can stay under a few conditions. First, you will leave if I tell you,” Kade said firmly. He felt Darcienna stiffen and he was sure she was preparing to argue. When it came to her safety, there was no compromising. If it had to do with anything else, he was afraid that she could maneuver him into doing what she wanted. She saw the look on his face and quickly closed her mouth. She would fight it later if she had to, but for now, she knew to keep quiet.
“You can be tough,” Darcienna said as she looked into those deadly serious eyes.
“Next,” he said, ignoring her comment, “you will follow my instructions without arguing no matter what,” he said just as firmly. Remembering how Zayle talked to him helped him put a tone in his voice that allowed no room for argument. He put every bit of firmness into his words because he knew that this was where she could affect him and manipulate him if he showed her weakness. She just nodded. “And lastly, you do not ever leave me unless I say it is okay. You are to let me know where you are at all times. No exceptions!” Kade said. She opened her mouth, preparing to argue. “No exceptions!” He emphasized again in as firmly a voice as he could muster. He put a little heat into his words to make his point and even managed a glare.
“Everywhere?” Darcienna asked, thinking about the few times a female would want privacy. Her face reddened slightly. Kade found it very satisfying to see the tables turned where embarrassment was concerned. He almost smiled, but he did not want her to think he was softening. “Everywhere,” he said with finality.
“Okay,” Darcienna said with just the slightest hint of a smile. The corner of her mouth quirked just barely.
Kade hesitated momentarily, seeing a look of satisfaction in her eyes. It seemed as if she had agreed too quickly to that last part. For that matter, he thought, she had agreed to it all pretty easily. He got the odd feeling that even though he felt he was in control, he was not. He thought back hard on how the conversation had gone and could not pinpoint where he did not make it clear that he was in charge. Seeing nothing, he shook his head and dismissed it as just a crazy passing thought.
“How is Marcole?” Kade asked.
“He seems to like riding the dragon,” Darcienna said in a cheerful voice as though there was never any tension between them. Kade looked over his shoulder and studied her.
“He has been pretty quiet,” Kade said as he narrowed his eyes while watching her closely, his suspicions tugging at him. Darcienna was smiling sweetly now; almost too sweetly. Kade sighed and let it go. “Is he always this good?”
“Most of the time,” Darcienna said and then hesitated. He waited patiently as he heard her take a breath. The more time that went by, the more curious he became. “Kade?” she finally asked, almost too quiet for him to hear.
“What?” he asked, sensing her trepidation.
“Did you mean what you said back there?”
“I meant everything I have said to you.”
Darcienna sat quietly, trying to formulate her thoughts. Ka
de could tell that she was thinking hard and sat patiently. As he waited, he found himself enjoying the way she was pressed up against him. He took in a deep breath and reprimanded himself for not keeping his thoughts under control.
“What’s his name?” Kade asked to give his thoughts a different direction. A part of him could not help but want to know.
“He…never told me,” Darcienna said in a whisper.
Kade was not sure if she was ashamed or if it was regret he was sensing. After a bit, he thought that she might even be sad. He could feel it, even though he could not see her. But, why would she be sad?
“Was he your first?” Kade asked, and for the second time, realized he was prying into things he did not want to know. Was this jealousy he was feeling? Why am I so bothered? He asked himself. He vowed to stop walking so clumsily through this conversation and put just a little more effort into not being such an oaf. “I am sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”
“Yes,” Darcienna said, ignoring his apology. She needed to answer his questions. She wanted him to know her and get the judgmental part out of the way before it was too late.
Kade found he was at a loss for words. He made it a point not to ask any more questions that he did not want answered. The more he thought on it, the more he realized having that answer helped nothing. If her heart belonged to the stranger, even if it was just once, then once was too many times.
“What are we going to do when we get to Arden?” Darcienna asked, changing the subject. Kade was grateful for the shift in topic.
“I am not sure, yet. It all depends on the situation when we get there. If my parents are safe, then I am going to find another Chosen and get some help,” Kade said as he thought about the information in the small, black book.
“What if they are still there?”
“I don’t know. I do know if they are there, I will do everything in my power to free them.”
The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) Page 24
