“Let go, Nicole,” Sanso said, “let go. The sooner you sleep, the sooner you’ll be healed.”
“Need to . . .” She couldn’t finish her sentence. She drifted away.
What felt like moments later, she woke up to Sanso lying next to her, propped up on one elbow, brushing his fingers across her cheek. “Jacob is on his way,” he breathed in her ear.
Judging by the light in the forest, several hours had passed, but Nicole felt like she needed to sleep for much longer than that. She felt herself drifting away again.
The second Sanso’s lips were on hers, though, her eyes shot open.
She pushed him away with arms weak from exhaustion. “What are you doing?”
He easily resisted her efforts and only scooted closer, gently placing his finger on her lips. “Shhh . . . you’re safe with me.” He lowered his face to hers again.
Nicole turned away, then tried to roll over. She didn’t care about her burns—she wasn’t about to let the creep kiss her.
Sanso must have heard someone approaching because he jerked back, looking away from her. “Good, you brought a Makalo,” he said.
Nicole sighed in relief—Jacob and Akeno were there. They’d keep the Ember God off her. Then a third figure stepped into the small clearing and she relaxed even more.
“Who is this?” Sanso asked.
“Get your freakin’ hands off my girlfriend,” Austin said, his voice deep with anger.
Sanso jumped to his feet. “She wanted my hands on her. Just ask.”
“He’s lying,” Nicole whispered. She smiled up at Austin. “You’re exactly what my tired eyes need to see right now.”
He got to his knees next to her, eyeing her body. “You’re in bad shape.” He glanced back at Jacob. “And this is better than earlier? Wow.” He turned to Nicole again. “You still need to sleep it off.”
Nicole nodded. She tried to reach for him, but pushing Sanso away had sapped all of her energy, and her arms didn’t want to raise themselves.
Austin noticed her struggling and gently scooped her off the forest floor, getting to his feet. She leaned her cheek against his chest, gratitude rushing over her, warming every inch. She had the best boyfriend ever.
“I can shrink her,” Akeno said.
“We’ll do it back at the castle,” Austin said, pulling her closer. She sensed his protectiveness—he wanted her away from the Ember God.
The trip through the forest and to the castle was a blur, as was Akeno shrinking her and putting her in a Minya container, where she gratefully drifted into sleep again.
Chapter Six
Loud voices woke Nicole. She pushed the top of the container aside and got to her knees. Austin was arguing with Dmitri. The sun was about to rise—light filtered in through the huge stained-glass windows. Austin looked exhausted and haggard. King Dmitri looked refreshed and cheerful. Had Austin stayed up all night watching over Nicole’s container? Her heart warmed at the thought. He was such an great guy.
“Why can’t someone else train her?” Austin was saying.
Dmitri watched the younger man pace. “I understand your concern, Austin, but Sanso is the only Ember God we’ve ever had contact with.”
Austin glared at the king. “I don’t care—go find another one. Find a Fire Pulser, for crying out loud.”
“We’ve never successfully negotiated with Fire Pulsers.”
“Keitus did.”
Dmitri sighed. “And Keitus doesn’t care about casualties as long as he gets his way. He would probably agree to let the Fire Pulser destroy Nicole once the task was complete. Austin, Sanso is the closest we can get to mirroring what she’ll have to fight in Shonlin. I’ll have my men start searching for another Ember God, but until then, we must continue as planned. With Sanso.”
“Then I want to be at all of their practice sessions.”
Nicole thought that was an excellent idea and was about to say so from her little box when Sanso spoke from the entrance to the throne room.
“Out of the question,” he said. “Put your petty jealousies aside, human. What exactly are you afraid of?”
Austin growled. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”
“If you’re worried she’ll leave you, maybe it’s not without reason. Are you this insecure in your relationship?”
Nicole looked at Austin, wondering how he’d respond.
“Of course not. I know Nicole loves me and would do anything for me. We’ve been through a great deal more than you could imagine, Sanso. She’s been loyal to me through much worse.”
Nicole had to agree. Puking all over Austin and being unable to touch each other or even be in the same room for months had been hard, very hard. But of course, the worst was when he’d nearly been forced to remove several of her organs. That was horrendous.
“Then you have nothing to be worried about.”
“I’d still feel better being there,” Austin said.
Sanso shook his head. “It’s hard enough to fight her without killing her. Having a second human there would make it nearly impossible to keep her and you safe. I can’t control where my fire goes that easily.”
Nicole sank to a sitting position. The guy was probably right, dang it.
Sanso approached the throne, and after a quick bow, watched as the king counted several coins into a small leather bag, which he handed to Sanso. Of course he would be getting paid for his help. He’d never do anything simply because it was the right thing.
The Ember God left, and not wanting Austin and Dmitri to know she’d overheard their conversation, Nicole lay back down in the container, pulling the lid shut. She counted to sixty before pushing the lid open and calling for someone to enlarge her again.
Austin insisted that Jacob key them to his apartment so he could drive her home. She assumed he wanted to talk, but instead, he gripped the steering wheel and stared at the road the whole time, not saying a thing. She smiled to herself, recognizing he’d talk when he was good and ready.
Knowing Austin, it might be a while.
***
The next several weeks flew by as Nicole continued practicing with Sanso. Austin didn’t bring up whatever had been on his mind, but he did relax, probably because the Ember God had backed off considerably with his physical overtures. He still flirted with her as much as he’d done before, but it was harmless compared to him trying to kiss her when she was nearly unconscious.
She and Sanso quickly found the best way to protect her against his fire attacks. It involved coating her with Kaede sap before every fight. It took a lot of trial and error, but they eventually figured out the perfect amount. Too much of it, and she would fall asleep while fighting. Not enough, and she’d get severely injured.
Once that was taken care of, Nicole began improving. She became faster at predicting where he’d shoot his flames and better at getting out of the way on time.
She still couldn’t see how she’d ever be able to fight the Fire Pulser hand to hand. There was no way. Unless Lasia had less fighting experience than she, and Nicole seriously doubted that would be the case.
“Lasia’s dead, you know,” Jacob said one day after picking her up.
“How is she using her flames, then?” Nicole asked.
He shrugged. “It must be something totally ingrained in her—a full part of her. Like her red hair.”
Nicole groaned inwardly. How was she supposed to defeat someone who was already dead? The more she thought about the upcoming battle with Lasia, the more positive she became that she’d need to outsmart the demon and leave hand-to-hand combat as a very last resort.
Professor Coolidge told Nicole about fireproof clothes he and Azuriah were designing specifically for her. Knowing that people had devoted so much time and attention to her success made her heart tingle with warmth and happiness. Even considering that Azuriah still disliked her a great deal, he invited her to his fortress for the first time the day he and Coolidge planned to give her the clothes.
&n
bsp; “Azuriah is adamant that the clothes not go anywhere but to your practice sessions, Shonlin, and here,” Coolidge said when they reached the fortress with Jacob, Lizzie, and Austin.
“Why?” Nicole asked.
Jacob knocked on the Shiengol’s door. “If they’re anything like the robes he gave me, they’re going to be really special to him.”
Austin raised an eyebrow. “They were made from materials from earth—our dimension of earth. How special to him could they be?”
No one responded, and Azuriah opened the door, inviting them in.
Nicole entered, not sure what to expect from the Shiengol’s fortress. The inside was pristine and not lighted well enough for her taste. Of course, not many places were, and she probably shouldn’t have expected a fortress to have a lot of light.
Azuriah took them past a few closed doors and into a huge library with a large, old-fashioned chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Nicole stopped in the doorway. A woman—a Shiengol—got to her feet from a plush couch and smiled at the visitors, keeping her gaze averted. The bright light shining from her eyes stayed on the rugs or walls as she approached, taking Nicole by the hand.
“I’ve heard a great deal about you,” she said. “I’m Pambri—Azuriah’s wife.”
She had a soft air about her—a femininity that was very attractive. Nicole found herself wishing she were that feminine. She glanced at Azuriah, then back to Pambri. “I apologize for any offense you might have received through my insults to your husband.”
The Shiengol smiled demurely. “I assure you, I wasn’t offended by anything you have said. I believe Azuriah needs some humbling occasionally.”
Nicole grinned, avoiding looking at Azuriah. She was positive the Shiengol wouldn’t be thrilled with this conversation, which, of course, only made her want to continue it. In the interest of time, though, she thanked Pambri for her graciousness and turned when Coolidge cleared his throat.
“The clothing we’ve fashioned for you isn’t actively magical, of course,” he said, “but it’ll still help immensely. The Arete who created most of it just finalized the formula a few weeks ago. You’re the first person to use it in a combat situation.”
“What part did Azuriah play in their creation?” Nicole asked.
“He designed it—the actual cut. He also supplied a couple of the key ingredients.”
Nicole nodded. She wanted to ask what those ingredients were, but Azuriah grabbed some black clothing from the back of one of the couches and approached her. She reached for it, but hesitated for a moment. She really hoped it wouldn’t look like the robes the Shiengol wore. She didn’t want to have to adjust to that much of a difference from what she wore on a regular basis.
Apparently, though, Azuriah knew what he was doing because when Pambri helped Nicole hold up the separate articles of clothing, they weren’t so different from something she would have picked out herself.
Azuriah seemed to know what she was thinking. “I matched your usual daily attire as much as possible. You don’t have time to learn to wear something completely new.”
Nicole nodded. “Good thinking.” She glanced at Coolidge. “Haven’t fireproof clothes been invented before?”
“Yes. But these are different—they were created with magic, both Arete and Shiengol. Magic always beats technology. Every material known to repel fire was fused together into what you’re holding.”
Nicole looked down at the black material. It was much softer than she’d thought it would be. “Should I try it on?”
Coolidge shrugged, but Lizzie jumped up and down. “Yes, of course!” she said. “I’ll help.”
Azuriah nodded his approval, and Pambri took Nicole and Lizzie to a large bathroom at the back of the kitchen. The fortress was much smaller on the inside than it appeared on the outside, and Nicole made that comment to Pambri.
“Azuriah likes appearing more than he is,” she said with a smile. “I’m fine with wherever we live, as long as it keeps the bugs out.”
Nicole chuckled. She and Lizzie stepped into the bathroom, and Lizzie helped Nicole get everything on. It included underclothing, a tight top, and very tight pants. She wasn’t able to close them on her own and needed Lizzie’s help.
“Suck it in, girl!” Lizzie said, tightening the closure.
“Why do they do up in the back, anyway?” Nicole asked. “I’m never going to be able to get these on myself.”
“You’d think men would know better, huh?” Lizzie said, finishing with the snaps and buckles. “I don’t mind helping, though.”
Nicole turned and hugged her friend. “I’m so grateful for that—you have to know.”
Lizzie sighed exaggeratedly. “Someone’s gotta be around to pick up the pieces.”
Nicole chuckled. “Sure, sure.”
Dreading what she’d see, she turned to look in the mirror. She gasped. Instead of the severe muffin top she’d been expecting, a completely smooth waist greeted her. She ran her hands down her stomach. With how tight the pants were, she should have had a little bit of loose skin around the top, but the tightness of the shirt held it in.
“Holy Hannah,” Lizzie said, “you’re totally hot.” She circled Nicole slowly. “This is seriously amazing. There aren’t any loose ends to snag.”
“Okay, yeah,” Nicole said, “I can see why that’s great, but can I breathe and move while wearing this getup?”
Lizzie shrugged. “Only one way to find out. Move and breathe.” She smiled.
Nicole bent over, palms on the floor, then reached high. She pushed outward first to the left, then to the right. The fabric shifted with her, moved with her, and didn’t constrict her. It was like a second skin. The shirt was long and flexible—it never went above the tops of her pants to expose skin.
Nicole took another glance at herself in the mirror. Obviously, magic had been involved. The fabric clung perfectly without making her feel claustrophobic or like she needed a spray of fabric softener. She grinned. It was fantastic.
Not wanting to make the others wait any longer, Nicole and Lizzie returned to the library, Nicole feeling more excited than she had in a while.
“Check it out,” she said, turning around for them. “They’re amazing!”
Austin grinned appreciatively, Azuriah rolled his eyes, and Jacob only glanced at her for a moment before turning back to a book.
Coolidge got down to business. “It has pockets to hold Kaede sap packages,” he said. “Did you notice them?”
Nicole frowned. “No, I didn’t.”
“I’ll show you,” Pambri said, approaching. She showed Nicole all of the pockets everywhere, represented by little slices in the fabric that Nicole had assumed were there for ventilation. “When you fight both the Ember God and Lasia, we’ll fill all of these with cloths soaked in Kaede sap. It’ll protect you the same as when you’ve spread the liquid on your skin.” She glanced at Nicole briefly, the light from her eyes making Nicole squint. “The cloths will last longer than straight Kaede sap, but they’ll require higher concentrations. Keep that in mind so you don’t run out when you face Lasia.”
Nicole nodded.
“I’m assuming Coolidge told you that these shouldn’t go anywhere but your practice sessions and your actual fight with Lasia?” she asked.
“Yes, and that they need to be stored here.”
Pambri nodded. “We’ll be charging them with as much power as we can in between your uses of them. The magic itself will drain immediately, but we hope that its benefits will stay for a while. Regardless, it would be wise of you to end any fight as soon as you can.”
Nicole hesitated. “I’m not sure how it’ll go with Lasia, but I’ll practice with Sanso accordingly.”
She and Lizzie returned to the bathroom—Nicole would be trying the clothes out for the first time the next day. But tonight, she and Austin had a date. She couldn’t wait to spend time with him.
“I can’t imagine those clothes being comfortable to fight in,” Austin said l
ater after he’d picked her up and as they were pulling into a store parking lot.
Nicole shook her head. “That’s the thing—I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something so . . . tight . . . but they were incredibly comfortable. I barely noticed them at all.”
Austin got out of the car and opened her door, then took her in his arms, kissing her forehead. “With the clothes and Kaede sap, you’re as prepared as you can be for fighting Lasia.”
Nicole relaxed against him. “I hope so,” she mumbled into his shirt, feeling a sudden sense of panic try to steal her breath. “It’s got to happen soon.”
“But not too soon,” Austin said. “I hope.”
Nicole pulled away from him to look into his eyes. “The sooner I fight her, the sooner we’ll be able to take Keitus down. You know that.”
He didn’t respond, but his shoulders sagged.
Austin took her hand, and the two of them walked into the store and bought as much water as they could find. Nicole had a debt to repay to a certain group of natives who’d saved her life back on Eklaron.
They emptied the store’s supply in the back, buying spring, distilled, filtered, bottled, and every other kind of water available.
Jacob was waiting near Austin’s car when Nicole and Austin started wheeling carts full of water out of the store. He used the car to create a link to Sweet Pea’s cabin, opening the front door out to the field. Then Nicole, Austin, Jacob, and Sweet Pea carried gallon after gallon and bottle after bottle of water through the link, lining the dirt in front of the cabin with it all.
“I hope they appreciate this,” Sweet Pea said, wiping sweat from his face and observing the over two hundred gallons of water.
“Me too,” Nicole said. She still wasn’t sure what the natives had been wanting her to do with water, but in case they desperately needed more of it, she hoped this would help. And if it wasn’t what they needed, she was still working on mastering her Water powers.
Jacob grinned at Nicole and Austin. “Well, have fun on your date. Let me know when you’re ready for me to get you. I’ll help load the Sindon, then I’ve got a date myself.”
Enshroud, Mosaic Chronicles Book Eight Page 9
