Wild One

by Donna Augustine

  “I’m sure of it. She’ll outlive the Magician, this world, and then whatever comes after.” There was a long pause before he added, “But she won’t resurface again for a long while.”

  I got the message. There would be no undoing the spell for the time being. I would’ve been caught several times already if I hadn’t been with him, though. I didn’t know what the right thing to do was anymore. Was I better off with or without him? What was complete independence if the Magician swooped right in anyway?

  But then again, he hadn’t even tried to get our connection severed. Doubt was piling high on whether that was what we’d gone there for.

  All those delays, first to get my leg fixed, then to go to a different village. Something was starting to smell wrong. If I hadn’t been so intent on worrying about what I was hiding, I might’ve noticed and taken a closer look at what he’d been holding back.

  He leaned forward, hand outstretched. “Can you walk or do you need me to carry you? We need to get moving.”

  I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet, but backed up when he would’ve lifted me.

  “I can walk.” And I wanted full autonomy of my body until I figured out what he was up to.

  Nodding, he took off down the trail, checking that I was staying right behind him several times. He didn’t have to worry about that. I was glued to him closer than his shadow. At least for now.

  “Why did you say severing our connection wasn’t the right decision anymore?”

  He turned around, waiting for me to get in front of him. His hand on my back got me moving again, this time in front of him. I hadn’t realized I’d stopped.

  “Why?” I asked. The silence coming from him was setting my hairs on end. I wanted him to tell me all the horrible things I was thinking were wrong. Tell me that I hadn’t confided in him only to get stuck in a prettier cage. That I hadn’t finally gotten out of the village to be chattel once again.

  “Callon?” I turned and then stopped, not caring if he tried to run me over with his larger size.

  “I can’t risk the Magician getting his hands on you.” There was no give in his eyes, only a determination that sank into me until a shiver ran over my skin.

  Had that been the plan all along? All the events came crashing down. While I’d been trying to survive, running around in the dark, he’d been shifting pieces around on the board as new information came to light.

  “What business did Koz have at my village? What was he there for?” Tell me it was something stupid, like he wanted to trade for some of Baryn’s wine stash. I’d take anything but them coming for me.

  “Word was spreading that there was someone in the village with unusual gifts.” His jaw was tense.

  “You sent Koz there to buy me first? Is that what you’re saying?”

  “I sent him to check the situation out. I’m not in the habit of buying people.” It was the slight shift of his eyes to the right, away from me, that really sealed it. He’d do what he thought he had to, and right or wrong didn’t factor in.

  Once he decided a course of action, that was what he was doing, and he wouldn’t let a little thing like feelings affect it.

  “What happened? Lost interest? Got outbid?”

  “He didn’t know you were there. Baryn lied to him.”

  “And if Baryn hadn’t?”

  “We’ll discuss it later. Walk.”

  I shook my head, not taking a step.

  “We don’t have time for this. Walk or I’ll carry you.”

  I walked, but only because if he touched me right now, I’d beat him. Or try. We didn’t need to discuss it later.

  “You lied.”

  “I told you I wouldn’t let him get you, and I won’t. You can’t play the victim card. I didn’t put you here. You did.” To him, that justified it all.

  “But you’ll gladly keep me now, huh?” I glanced back at him.

  “I do what I have to,” he growled, red tinging his eyes.

  “When did you know?” I was near shouting at him now.

  “I knew something was different from the first night, but I didn’t know what. That’s not why I agreed to bring you to the first village,” he said, his voice raised as well.

  I shook my head. I didn’t care why. I was too mad to speak. If I spoke, it might unleash the hell I was feeling inside and burn us both to ashes.

  I walked, barely paying attention to where we were going. When Callon’s hand urged me this way or that, I pulled away from his touch as soon as I felt it.

  When he held up a hand to stop, I did so without asking why. I wasn’t ready to speak to him. I moved a good ten feet away from him, while he watched. I crossed my arms and shot him a look that said, I can’t be anywhere near you.

  His look called me a hypocrite.

  I crossed my arms and ignored the rest of his looks.

  Callon made a noise that rumbled through the area and seemed completely out of character for a human. A minute later, a similar growl rumbled back to us from somewhere farther east.

  Koz appeared a few seconds later, with Tuesday by his side, Zink and Hess behind them.

  It took Koz two seconds to ask, “What happened?”

  “The Magician showed. We didn’t have time to accomplish anything,” Callon said, ignoring me as hard as I was him.

  “Fuuuck,” Hess said.

  Zink ran a hand over his hair, but didn’t speak.

  Tuesday stepped closer and then paused, trying to figure out where she was supposed to walk and why we were standing so far apart.

  “At least you got out okay.” With a couple more glances back and forth, she walked over to me.

  I nodded, biting down on my tongue.

  Koz didn’t ask what was wrong with us, but he was staring at where I stood, arms crossed.

  Tuesday continued to stare, her eyes intent, and I could see the question about to bubble up.

  I wasn’t going to say a word. Let Callon explain what the problem was.

  Everyone was awkwardly quiet for a few seconds.

  “I guess we’ll be staying with them for a while?” Tuesday asked.

  I wasn’t going to say a word. Not now. Not until I got control of myself.

  But it was bubbling up and there was no tamping it down. “He didn’t even try. It’s all a lie. All he wants is to know how to transfer life.”

  “She said. She. Wouldn’t. Do. It.” Callon’s attention was solely on me.

  I swung around. “You didn’t even try. You could’ve made her do it.”

  “You mean the way you do what I want?” He shook his head.

  “You didn’t want her to because you want to use me.” The accusation tasted bitter on my lips.

  Callon turned and addressed the group with fake calm. “Teddy found out that I have a problem with the Magician getting his hands on her to use as a weapon. This seems to be affecting her moral sensibilities.”

  There were a few “ohs” but I was too busy transferring all my anger to my eyeballs and trying to light Callon on fire.

  Tuesday poked my arm. “I don’t understand. I thought you pretty much stuck us with them for a year anyway? What’s the difference?”

  All eyes swung to me, and I could see varying levels of agreement. Koz still looked like he understood, Hess was shrugging, and Zink nodded his agreement with what Tuesday said.

  Callon smiled, staring at me. His was a silent Even your friend sees reason.

  I was about to gag Tuesday but then she said, “But wait, why were you so mad about getting stuck with her?”

  I smiled at Callon now. Yeah, buddy, now what are you going to say?

  Koz leaned down to softly speak to Tuesday. “I think he didn’t like being the one stuck.”

  “Dumping her at our place is a hell of a lot different than getting tied to someone with no say-so,” Hess said, laughing as he did.

  Koz shook his head at Hess and sliced a hand across his neck, trying to shut up the laughter.

  It didn’
t matter a whit. I was furious anyway. It just kept getting better. It looked like me and Tuesday were the only ones who hadn’t been kept in the loop.

  “So you all knew?”

  Koz shrugged and then looked everywhere but me. Zink nodded and Hess shrugged again.

  I swung on Callon and shook my head.

  “You did what you had to, and so did I.”

  “And you gave me hell for it, too.” I threw my arms out to the side.

  His jaw twitched as he gritted out a reply. “I also saved your ass over and over again, which I continue to do.”

  I couldn’t help a niggle of satisfaction at seeing him start to lose some of his cold detachment.

  “So now what?” Koz said, trying to smother the fire building between Callon and I before it burned everyone.

  “We get back to home base and we need to get moving. There’s a large group on our tail,” Callon said in his normal bossy manner.

  Hess and Zink started walking.

  Callon stared at me, but I didn’t budge. He took a step closer.

  I took a step closer to him, crossing my arms. “I’m not being used again. Not for anyone or anything.”

  I gave Callon my back and followed the guys.

  Tuesday plowed into me, looped an arm around me, and pulled me forward. “Teddy, this is good news. Now we’ll have protection. Why are you so mad?”

  “This is not good.” Nothing about it was.

  “The way I see it, now you’re kind of even. You did something morally questionable and now so did he. It all worked out.” She smiled as if life was grand.

  “Nothing has worked out. It just means we’re both assholes. That isn’t good.” Man, it must be nice wandering around with all those rainbows and unicorns, happily-ever-afters galore, while I was stuck in the mud.

  She was still smiling. I glared. After a couple of minutes of watching her scrunch her brow and twist her lips, she gave up and put a hand over her mouth.

  I rolled my eyes, avoiding looking at her face again. “I know you’re still smiling.”

  “It’s not my fault,” she said, through cupped fingers. “I’m trying to get rid of it.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re loyal.”

  27

  We’d only been walking a couple hours when Callon said, “I’ve got ten on my side.”

  “Fifteen or so behind us, maybe more,” Zink said.

  Ah, shit. We’d just entered a clearing with nowhere to hide.

  Tuesday moved so close her shoulder bumped mine. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re being surrounded. I think we’re about to be attacked. Don’t make a face,” I said, as I watched Koz drop back until he was on our right. Hess was slowing down as well, and I was pretty sure trying to casually fall to our left.

  I gulped a few times and then glanced over at Tuesday. She had a vacant expression locked down to such an extreme that I wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to smile again.

  I bumped her shoulder back, trying to get her attention while knowing every move was under surveillance. Before she set eyes on me, men came rushing out of the forest, so many I couldn’t count. There was a war cry and I didn’t know if it came from our side or theirs, but it seemed to multiply and grow into an all-consuming roar.

  Instinct told me to run. I grabbed Tuesday’s hand with my free one and grabbed my knife with the other. I shot forward through a gap in the men in the only direction that looked clear.

  I was knocked off my feet before we cleared the fighting. I let Tuesday’s hand go before I took her down with me, screaming, “Run,” as a body hit me.

  It was too late for her. One of our attackers had her by the waist and was lifting her off the ground, her feet kicking the air.

  My attacker flipped me over, straddling me. Grabbing my hand with the knife, he pinned it to the ground.

  No, no, no! I clawed his face with my free hand while trying to jerk my knee up toward his balls. He pressed further down onto me, trapping my legs between his, as he kept my right hand pinned down as his other hand tried to pry my fingers off the knife. When I didn’t let go easily, he pulled back and slammed a fist into my jaw. He was going to have to hit a lot harder than that to make me quit. Compared to Baryn’s punches, that had been a love tap.

  There was chaos all around and the sounds of fighting as he cursed me, still trying to get my knife. I was sure he had orders to not only keep me alive, but also uninjured, or he would’ve been striking me again.

  With all the screaming and yelling, somehow I still heard Tuesday’s voice as she screamed, “Teddy!”

  It was a call thick with desperation, and I knew I wasn’t only battling for my life. If something happened to her, this was on me. What if the Magician took her instead? What if he tortured her the way he’d planned on torturing me?

  Something inside my chest triggered, like a flint sparking onto dry brush. A heat within suddenly burned bright, growing fast. Fingers that had been trying to gouge his eyes felt hot, so hot I thought he was burning them. I didn’t know if the heat was from him or me.

  He suddenly gasped, releasing my hand. He paused over me, groping his chest.

  I lifted my knife in between us as he hovered, shock delaying my action. Before I could plunge it into his chest, his eyes turned empty. Then he fell on top of me, right onto the knife I’d been about to stab him with. His body slumped forward, and I turned my head, trying to avoid his head hitting mine.

  Everything froze, even as the battle raged on and I was trapped beneath his weight. Had that really happened?

  I thought back to the witch and her spell in the tent, and what felt like years in the past. Had there been heat? Maybe a warmth, but not like this. Maybe my attacker had been sick and died naturally?

  In the middle of battle.

  Right when Tuesday needed me the most.

  Tuesday. The thought of her jerked me back into action. I pushed at the man’s body, trying to dislodge at least two hundred pounds. My hands brushed against skin that felt too cool to have only died minutes ago, especially when it had been burning hot only seconds before.

  I listened for Tuesday as I shoved, realizing the battle was winding down and I had no idea who the victors were.

  My attacker was suddenly jerked off me and Callon stood there, covered in blood. Looking down at myself, I saw I wasn’t in much better shape.

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, the battle putting us in a temporary truce.

  I sat up, my eyes racing past him searching for Tuesday. Koz was beside her and she was looking my way. Her sobbing breaths and shaky nods let me know she was okay.

  I nodded back, letting her know it was the same with me. Callon knelt near my attacker and pulled my knife from his chest. After wiping it on the dead man’s clothes, he held it out to me, hilt first.

  I watched, waiting to see if he’d touch the man’s flesh. He didn’t.

  He stood, and I waited. It was a stabbing. That was all. Or a heart attack? That would work too. I certainly wasn’t saying anything. Not to him.

  He walked toward me, met my eyes with blood still shining in his. He kept staring, and I stood there as if I had nothing to hide.

  He didn’t know anything. Maybe the guy had just gotten sick. It could’ve happened. He was running a high fever, and when the fight broke out, his heart couldn’t take it anymore. It made perfect sense, right? Except for the burning sensation in me and then him feeling like he’d been on ice for a month. But exposed flesh would get chilly. It could happen.

  Then Callon’s eyes went to my cheek. And didn’t leave it.

  It only took a second for me to realize why. I knew swelling when I felt it. Shit. I hoped it wasn’t close enough to my eye that it swelled shut. Hard to fight with impeded vision.

  Callon knelt down and packed some snow, then slowly brought it to my face and held it there. “Keep it there for a bit.”

  I moved my hand to the packed chunk he’d made, but only so I could
take it off. “I’m fine.”

  He cupped my hand and moved it back. “Keep it there.”

  If this would move us past the man I might’ve killed, I’d hold it there.

  Callon turned and walked to where Koz was looking over the bodies, passing Tuesday, who was making her way over to me. She wove in between them, and there were a lot of them.

  I knelt, using the snow to scrub myself somewhat clean while taking peeks at Callon. I turned away quickly when his stare landed back on me.

  “Did you kill him?” Tuesday asked, her jaw hanging low enough to shovel snow. She couldn’t pry her eyes from the dead body not five feet away. “I mean, I knew you had it in you, but I didn’t think you could actually pull it off.”

  “It’s not a big deal.” I wrapped my arm around hers and began tugging her in the opposite direction. If it wasn’t for the super ears around here, I would’ve spilled all. I certainly didn’t need any extra attention in that direction, though.

  She moved with me but her body was angled away and her head nearly faced backward. “But wow. How did you do that?”

  I looked at the knife I was tucking back into my waist. “I got lucky.”

  “Are you upset you killed someone?” Tuesday asked, trying to figure out the strange expression on my face.

  “No. I had to.” What was freaking me out was how I’d done it.

  Callon walked toward us, the guys right behind him. They weaved in and out of dead bodies, the blood splattered across the snow like the ugliest painting ever made.

  When he stopped a few feet away, I asked, “How long do you think we have before they hit again?”

  “They’ll have to get more men. These were mercenaries. If they’d come from the Magician, they would’ve had guns. The next wave will be his own and more.” He raised his head to the sky and took a deep breath, looking like a savage king of old. “Storm will be here soon. We need to move.”

  28

  Callon was right. The snow started a couple of hours after we got moving. It came down so hard it was like the Abominable Snowman had a stomach bug and was dumping everything he had on us.

  I stumbled and Callon grabbed my arm, keeping me from making the ugliest snow angel in history. I pulled back from him as soon as my feet were solid again, which was harder than you’d think when the snow was up to your knees.