His shoulders tensed. “Maybe.”
My heart sank at his reaction, and I began to turn away. “If you don’t want me to meet them, I understand. I know you didn’t want this life.”
His large hands settled on my waist, pulling me back to him. “It’s not that. I’d like you to meet them, but I worry they won’t have an easy time accepting this situation.”
“You mean with the other men?” Multiple partners were almost unheard of in the Earth Realm, even though the practice was common in the Air and Water Realms. Slade had already made it clear he wasn’t interested in sharing me with the other men. Sometimes I thought he might be able to love me if it was just the two of us in a relationship, but that wasn’t an option. I understood his hesitation and respected his feelings, especially since this was all unexpected and new for me too. I’d never imagined I’d end up with four men, nor that I’d be able to have strong feelings for each of them, but here we were.
I would do whatever I could to make this situation more bearable for Slade, and the fact that he was still here showed he was willing to try to make this work. He’d originally claimed he was only with me because of duty, but when he’d kissed me it had felt like a lot more. And oh, how I longed for another of those kisses now.
His hands lingered on my waist. “The people in my village are very religious, but also very traditional. I’m not sure how they’ll react to our relationship. It’s a great honor to be chosen by the Gods as one of your mates, but sharing a woman simply isn’t done in the Earth Realm. I’m still trying to accept it myself.”
I slid my fingers along his bearded jaw, unable to resist touching him when he was this close. “I know, and I appreciate it. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier on you.”
He took my palm and kissed it softly, and his tenderness made my heart skip a beat. “It’s not only because of the other guys. There’s something I need to tell you about my past too.”
“What is it?” I asked, leaning forward. I was greedy for any scrap of information about him. Anything to get closer to him.
He opened his mouth, but then froze as we both heard a rustle in the leaves near us. I reached for my bow instinctively, but I’d left it in Auric and Jasin’s tent along with my sword. Slade unsheathed his axe and changed his stance, instantly ready to defend me from any threat. I moved into position beside Slade, summoning small balls of fire into my palms. I was unarmed, but I wasn’t defenseless.
As we stood perfectly still, I caught the faint snap of a twig in the brush. We weren’t alone.
3
Kira
Men and women with scarves over their mouths and dark hoods over their faces slipped through the woods and surrounded us. I couldn't tell how many there were, but I estimated at least six from the quick glimpses between the leaves and the soft sounds of their movements through the brush. Bandits, most likely.
Slade let out a low warning growl, but the bandits didn’t attack. That wasn’t like them—from my time as a bandit, I knew they preferred to take people by surprise. What were they doing?
A hooded man emerged in front of me, and I prepared to strike him down with a lash of flame until I saw his sword was still sheathed. He reached up and slowly lowered his hood, and my eyes widened as I took in his familiar face.
“Cadock?” I asked, as the fire in my palms vanished.
“Kira,” he said softly. “It really is you.”
I nodded, speechless at the sight of someone from my past I thought I'd left behind forever. Cadock strode toward me with a smile, his blue eyes flashing under the moonlight. He was just as attractive as I remembered him, although his thick blond hair had grown longer since I’d seen him and now hung about his shoulders. His frame had filled out too, becoming a warrior’s body instead of a lanky teenage boy’s.
He threw his arms around me and drew me in for a hug. “Gods, it's good to see you. It's been far too long.”
Cadock's embrace had once meant everything to me, along with his approval, but I was no longer that young girl on the run, looking for a new family, searching for someone to love me. I had my mates now and a new purpose.
I stepped back, but offered him a warm smile. “Four years.”
“When one of my scouts said they’d spotted you by the lake, I didn’t believe it, yet here you are.” He brushed his thumb across my chin as he gazed into my eyes. “And somehow you've gotten even more beautiful.”
Slade shoved Cadock’s shoulder, pushing him back. “Get away from her.”
“It's okay,” I quickly told Slade. “He's a...friend.”
Cadock arched an eyebrow. “We were definitely more than that once.”
I gave him a sharp look. Did the man have a death wish? I needed to quickly change the subject before Slade ripped off his head. “What are you doing in the Earth Realm?”
Cadock gestured around us. “The Air Realm has stepped up its patrols. We moved here a year ago and now wait for travelers on this side of the border. This is a good spot since people always camp by the lake.” He gave us a wry grin. “Easy pickings.”
“And you planned to do the same to us,” Reven’s voice said from the shadows. I hadn’t even realized he was there.
Cadock shrugged. “We do what we have to do to survive these hard times. Kira did the same once.”
“What is he talking about?” Slade asked, his green eyes narrowing.
“Ah, did she not tell you about that?” Cadock chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, she gave up this life to settle down in a quiet town somewhere. Or so she said.”
“I did, but the quiet didn’t last,” I muttered.
His eyes danced with amusement. “Of course not. You're not meant for a quiet life.”
Jasin and Auric suddenly emerged from the tent, gripping their weapons and wearing only their breeches. Jasin asked, “What’s going on out here?” while Auric called out, “Is everything all right?”
“We’re fine,” I said, raising my hands in a calming gesture. “I know these people.”
“They look like bandits,” Auric said as he lowered his sword.
Cadock let out a hearty laugh. “That's because we are bandits.”
“Kira, I think it's time you explained,” Slade said.
I sighed. I'd hoped I could keep this dark part of my past a secret, but there was no hiding it now. I turned to face my men and met each of their eyes in turn while I spoke. “I was once part of Cadock’s gang. I’ll explain everything later, I promise. But right now I’d like to talk to Cadock alone. Please.”
“Definitely not,” Slade said, stepping closer until he was right against my back.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, then asked Cadock, “Would you give us a moment?”
He shrugged, with a hint of amusement on his lips. “Certainly. I’m curious to see how this plays out.”
He and his bandits slipped back into the forest, and I gestured for my men to join me by the fire. Not a single one of them looked happy, though I wasn’t sure if it was from the revelation that I used to be a bandit or because I wanted to speak to Cadock alone. They were overprotective at the best of times, even though I was supposed to be the most powerful of us all—or would be someday.
“Is it true?” Auric asked, once they were all crowding around me. “You were once a bandit?”
“Yes, I was.” I drew in a deep breath to steady myself and continued. “I was fifteen when they saved my life from two men who tried to capture me, and I became one of them because I had nowhere else to go. That gang, the Thunder Chasers, was like my family for two years, and Cadock’s father led us. Cadock became my closest friend, and he taught me how to use a bow and to live in the wild. But after his father was killed, things fell apart and the gang became desperate. I decided I wasn’t comfortable with what they were doing, and I left.” I paused, and then added, “I’m not proud of the things I did with them, but it’s the only way I stayed alive when I was younger.”
“Cadock implied t
he two of you were…together,” Reven said, arching an eyebrow.
My cheeks heated. Of course they would focus on that part. “We were, yes, but we were both a lot younger then. Nothing happened except for a few kisses, and I no longer feel anything for him.”
Jasin sheathed his sword but kept his hand on the hilt. “Good, but there’s no way you’re talking to him alone.”
“Agreed,” Slade said, crossing his arms. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Cadock would never hurt me, and even though he may look like an ordinary bandit, he’s clever and has a lot of connections,” I said. “If anyone can tell us where the Resistance is, it’s him. But I doubt he will do that if I have all of you hovering around me and glaring at him. I simply need a few minutes alone, and we won’t be far. Just trust me.”
“I do trust you,” Slade said. “I don’t trust him.”
I sighed. “If he tries to harm me, you can toss a boulder on him.”
“Believe me, I will.”
Auric rubbed his chin as he considered. “If you think he might have some information that could help us, then you should speak with him. Just be careful.”
“Thank you,” I said, relieved that at least one of my mates was on my side.
“Fine, but one of us is coming with you,” Jasin said. “You knew this Cadock guy years ago, but you don’t know what he’s like now.”
Reven stepped forward. “I’ll go. He’ll never know I’m there.”
“Fine.” I wanted to argue, but knew it was useless. This was the best compromise I would get from my domineering mates.
I grabbed my sword and my bow, just in case, and then headed into the woods with Reven falling into step at my side. He moved with the easy, predatory grace that came from a life as an assassin, and I managed to get one last look at his dark, deadly beauty before he slipped into the shadows. With his raven black hair, ice blue eyes, and sculpted face, he was the most striking of my mates. Being near him always made my heart race, and while I should have been afraid of him, I’d always known he would never hurt me. Instead, a calm steadiness settled over me as I walked through the woods, knowing his keen eyes were watching over me.
I squared my shoulders and set off to meet the bandit I’d once loved.
4
Kira
I found Cadock near the lake, waiting alone. His face split into an easy grin at the sight of me. “So glad you decided to join me for a chat. I thought your companions would never leave you alone.”
I hoped I wasn't making a mistake by trusting Cadock. Though I didn't think he or his people would harm me, it had been a few years since I'd seen them and things had obviously changed quite a bit. My hand was ready near my sword, though I tried to look relaxed. “It wasn’t easy to convince them you wouldn’t escape with me in the night, but I managed.”
Cadock laughed. “If you run off with me, it will be of your own free will, I promise.”
I moved to the edge of the black water, which reflected the stars back up at the sky. “How have you been?”
“Busy,” he said. “Things were hard after my father passed, and only got worse over the years as the Onyx Army increased its patrols and food became harder to come by in all the Realms. I realized to survive we had to change our ways and join together with other gangs to become more than simple bandits. I convinced others to merge with us and we formed a sort of tribe. We now have camps across the four Realms and more people joining us every month.”
“Impressive,” I said. Cadock had truly stepped up as a leader over the years. “Your father would be proud.”
“I hope so. But what are you doing on the road? And who are your companions?” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Has one of them replaced me as your man?”
“It’s…complicated.” I avoided meeting his eyes and then added, “I’m actually in a relationship with all four of them.”
Cadock let out a deep belly laugh. “All four? Gods, you really have changed. Who would have thought little prudish Kira would take four lovers?”
“Just because I wouldn't sleep with you didn't make me prudish.” I'd cared a lot for Cadock and had been tempted many times by him. We'd gotten close, but I'd always held back. Maybe a part of me had always known, deep down, that he wasn't the one for me and that I should wait for the right man—or in my case, men—to come into my life. When I'd slept with Jasin and Auric I hadn't felt any of that hesitation, it had simply been right, as if we were destined to be together. I'd never had that with Cadock, no matter how fond I'd been of him, or how much I'd desired his body. He might have been my first love, but he’d never truly had my heart.
“I apologize,” Cadock said, holding up his hands in surrender. “It's simply hard for me to believe.”
I had to confess the rest if I wanted to ask for his help, but it never got easier to say the words out loud. Especially to someone like him. “There's a reason for it. I'm the next Black Dragon.”
Cadock scratched his chin. “I'm afraid I don't follow.”
“The Gods chose us to overthrow the current Dragons and take their place. That's why we're traveling across the Realms.”
He crossed his arms and gave me a skeptical look. “If this is some sort of con, it's the strangest one I've heard.”
“It's not a con,” I said, trying not to let my exasperation show. This happened every time I told someone who I was. I knew the blame was with the current Black Dragon for hiding the truth and spreading misinformation, and I’d once been just as skeptical, but sometimes it felt tedious having to convince people again and again.
“Then it's a dangerous delusion.” Cadock shook his head. “I don't know what you're thinking, but you're going to get yourself killed if you go around talking like that.”
Enough of this. I conjured a large flame in my hand, and he let out a short gasp. “I know it's hard to believe, but I am the next Black Dragon, and the others are my mates.”
Cadock took a step back at the sight of the fire. “I caught a glimpse of you holding fire earlier but I thought it was sleight of hand or a trick of the light. It can’t be possible…”
“It’s real.” I let the flames burn brighter as they danced across my fingertips. “We're going to overthrow the Dragons or die trying, and we’re on our way to the Earth Temple now. But we need allies.”
His eyes widened. “Allies? To fight the Dragons? No one is that suicidal.”
Frustration settled over me as I closed my hand around the flame and let it die out. “I suppose that means you won’t be joining our cause.”
He let out a sharp laugh. “We're bandits, not soldiers. We don't fight for causes. We fight for survival and for riches.”
“But you just said you wanted to be more than bandits, and we could use strong fighters who know how to survive in the wild.”
“Maybe what you're saying is true, but what's in it for us?”
“The chance to live free of tyranny and oppression. Is that not enough?”
Cadock shrugged. “So we exchange one ruler for another. What difference does that make? We live outside the law anyway.”
“But what if you didn’t have to?” I asked, taking a step toward him and softening my voice. “I know you, Cadock. You're a good man with honor. We could offer your people a life where they won't have to run or hide anymore.”
He reached up to touch a piece of my red hair. “I’m sorry, Kira. I still care for you a lot, but I have to think about my people, and I can’t lead them into an unbeatable war.”
“I understand.” I bowed my head. Getting Cadock’s help had been unlikely all along, but I’d still hoped I could convince him, especially once I’d learned how he’d changed over the years. As disappointing as it was, I couldn’t blame him for wanting to keep his people safe, even if the fate of the world was at stake. “Perhaps you could help me with some information instead.”
“Now that I can probably do. What kind of information?”
“We’re looking for the
Resistance.”
He smirked. “Of course. The only fools who might be willing to fight by your side. Lucky for you, I know where their main base is located. Bring me a map and I’ll mark it for you.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I really appreciate it, and we can pay you for the information.”
He waved his hand. “No need. Consider this a favor for an old…friend.”
We walked back into camp, where the others waited with suspicious eyes and tense shoulders. Auric brought out our worn, crinkled map and Cadock marked a spot at the edge of the mountains in the north, not far from the Earth Temple, and told us to look for a boulder shaped like ‘two perky tits’—his words, not mine. As I scanned the map I noticed my old village Stoneham was directly on the path to it. Perhaps we’d have time to stop there, at least for a short while. We did need supplies, after all.
When Cadock was finished, I walked him to the edge of our camp and prepared to say our goodbyes. His eyes lingered on me with something like longing or regret, and he reached out to touch me again before stopping himself. “Kira, if you ever feel like giving up this mad quest, you’re always welcome by my side.”
A month ago his offer might have tempted me, but now I could shake my head with certainty. “Thank you, but this is my path.”
5
Slade
While the others packed up their things I stood under the trees near the lake, needing some space. It was the morning after our encounter with the bandits, and we were about to head out. I checked the map again, noting the supposed location of the Resistance base, and frowned. I'd never heard of a base there, but it had been years since I'd been a part of that world. Still, I didn't like it. We were trusting a bandit who likely would have tried to slit our throats and steal our things if he hadn’t recognized Kira. Who was to say he wasn’t sending us to our deaths?
Shake The Earth: Her Elemental Dragons Book Three Page 2
