“I’ve noticed that everything has been about you,” Azuriah said. “I’m surprised Shonlin claimed you as one of her own after seeing how selfish and self-centered you are.”
“You’re calling me self-centered? Whatever!”
Azuriah scoffed. “What a surprising display of emotion you’ve presented me with this evening. First, humility. Then giddiness, triumph, and anger, and now arrogance and obtuseness.”
“This is ridiculous.” She grabbed Austin’s arm, pulling him to the door. “Let us know what Renforth says.”
Nicole ignored Austin’s smile the whole way out of the fortress. Pambri apologized as she shut the front door behind them.
“Why don’t you ever stand up for me when we’re around him?” Nicole snapped at him. “You always back off. I really could have used your support back there.”
“You handled it nicely,” Austin said. “Besides, he only goads you because you rise to the occasion. If I didn’t know you better, I’d suspect you enjoyed it.”
Nicole’s mouth popped open. “What are you talking about? Enjoyed it?” She threw her hands in the air. “Argh!”
He chuckled. “If you don’t enjoy it, then try to control your tongue around him. You push him, he pushes back. He doesn’t attack me because I don’t give him reason to.”
Nicole glared at him, folding her arms. “Excuse me? If you’ll remember, he attacked me first, and without any provoking!”
Austin shrugged. “I do remember. Azuriah was going after everyone, not just you. You’re the only one who rose to the occasion.”
Nicole sputtered, trying to come up with a response for that. Instead, she stormed off to Sweet Pea’s cabin, knocking loudly on the door. She didn’t need to put up with that from Austin, of all people. The person who was supposed to back her up, regardless of what she said or did—if it was within bounds, at least. And what she’d done with Azuriah had definitely been within bounds. That stupid Shiengol was so arrogant and such a jerk . . . And Austin wasn’t acting much better.
Nicole tried not to think too much about how her wonderful date with her boyfriend had been ruined. Hopefully, when looking back, she’d remember the good parts of the evening—finding the charm, lighting the beautiful castle, kissing during the Sindon ride . . . And everything else.
The kissing was definitely the best part.
Chapter Seven
Pambri assisted Nicole with her clothes this time—Lizzie was in class and couldn’t come.
“There—that should do it,” Pambri said, tucking the last Kaede-sap-soaked cloth into the last pocket. She turned Nicole around and surveyed her, hands on Nicole’s shoulders. “This is the best help we can give you. I hope it’s enough.”
So did Nicole.
The two women left the large bathroom and joined Austin, Jacob, and Azuriah in the library. Nicole barely looked at her boyfriend or at the Shiengol. She was still irritated with them both.
Austin put his hands on her upper arms, trying to force her to look into his eyes. “Hey,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
Nicole shrugged, looking away. She could tell he was sorry that what he said upset her and sorry that she was still hurt over it, but he wasn’t sorry for feeling the way he had. And that bothered her the most. To think that she and Azuriah fought because she rose to the occasion was ridiculous.
But not wanting to leave Austin while she was still angry, she gave him a quick peck on the lips before breathing “I love you” in his ear. Then she turned to Jacob.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Jacob nodded, getting up from the couch and opening a link to the abandoned building in Maivoryl City.
Sanso was waiting for Nicole. If he noticed her change in attire, he didn’t say anything. And she wasn’t about to draw his attention to the tight clothes.
The session was much more intense than usual. Practice was rough, painful, and furious. Nicole barely kept up with the Ember God, but she poured all of her frustrations into their fight. She wondered if he was frustrated about something too because he seemed just as intent on the fight and not flirting for once. It was a nice break.
The next couple of weeks flew by in a whirl of fighting and sleeping off her injuries. Regardless of how fantastic the clothes were and how great the Kaede sap worked, Nicole was still injured a great deal every time. She was progressing, though. And that was encouraging.
Nicole hardly ever saw Austin or Lizzie. In the rare moments when she slept in her apartment instead of at the castle, Lizzie was usually in class. They texted as often as they could—it was their only connection with each other. Nicole made sure to tell Austin she’d gotten over their stupid little tiff, especially when she came to her senses and realized he’d been correct. She had risen to the occasion, and she seriously missed him. It clawed at her heart, making her ache and bringing her misery at odd times during the day.
After two weeks of daily fighting sessions, Sanso started flirting again. Nicole began dreading practice sessions even more, and yet she felt a bit of sympathy edging in. The more conversations she had with him, the more she understood his gruff exterior, his need to tease her relentlessly. But regardless of how sympathetic she was getting to his plight, she still didn’t appreciate the flirting.
At least the Ember God hadn’t tried kissing her again—not since Austin had seen the last time. Thank goodness.
***
Sanso shoved Nicole, then flung a fireball at her. It enveloped her, singeing the ends of her Kaede-sap-soaked hair and making her uncomfortably hot. But it didn’t burn her. For the umpteenth time, Nicole felt gratitude for the healing tree sap and the clothes.
“Very good,” Sanso said when Nicole didn’t let the fireball stop her, instead charging him through the flames. She didn’t give him a chance to say anything else before jumping in the air and kicking him as hard as she could. She tumbled to the ground, satisfied at how far her kick had sent him.
The Ember God growled. “You’re not pulling your kicks or punches anymore.”
Nicole shrugged, panting and out of breath. “I can’t with the Fire Pulser. If I make too much of a habit of it now, I’ll struggle with letting it all go later.”
“Excellent point. You’re a natural fighter.”
That was the other thing—Sanso had started complimenting her regularly. Nicole wasn’t sure if he had ulterior motives, but his compliments made her feel pleased with herself and she sensed the honesty behind them. She really was improving.
But not fast enough. There was no way she’d be able to stack years and years of learning into a few months. The time was drawing to a close, and she didn’t have much longer before Keitus reached his objective and that last talisman.
Without warning, Sanso attacked. This was the first time in a while that she hadn’t been prepared, and his kick spun her end over end. She landed roughly, dizzy and out of breath.
The Ember God rushed to her side, rolling her to her back. He leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head, a concerned expression on his face. The concern quickly melted away when he saw she was fine, just disoriented.
“Talk about surprise attacks,” Nicole grumbled, pushing him away and rolling to a sitting position. She felt the Kaede sap struggling to heal whatever injuries she’d just sustained. It made her tired and cranky. Waves of exhaustion flooded over her.
Sanso scooted closer, gingerly picking up her hand and kissing her palm.
Nicole rolled her eyes, pulling away. “Do you have to start doing that again?” she asked.
Sanso didn’t respond. He met her gaze with a serious one of his own as he studied her. He started saying something, but cleared his throat and looked away instead.
Nicole was curious, but not enough to pry out of him what he’d been about to say.
Sanso got to his feet and pulled Nicole up with him. He put both arms around her, running his hands up her back. Nicole felt heat trail after them.
“Are you using fire?” she a
sked, frowning.
The heat disappeared, though Sanso’s hands remained. “A habit. Sorry.” His eyes dropped, then rose to hers again. “You bring it out of me.”
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “I bring out your desire to burn people?”
Sanso chuckled, rubbing her back again. Nicole sighed in exasperation, her shoulders slumping. She did not have the energy to fight him off today, but her lack of immediate inaction seemed to encourage him. She opened her mouth to tell him not to read too deeply into her exhaustion, but stopped when he placed a finger on her lips.
“Don’t ruin this moment for me, Nicole,” he whispered.
Moment? They were having a moment?
He grumbled, the sound coming from deep inside his chest. His black eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he kept his serious gaze on her. “Ember Gods use flames to show people how much they care about them.” He trailed a finger along her cheek. “Why are you doing this?”
Nicole suspected she knew what he was referring to. “Doing what?”
“This ridiculous mission.”
“I have to. Too many people will die otherwise.”
“Have they paid you back for what you’ve already done for them?”
Nicole closed her eyes. She put her hands on his chest, then pushed him gently from her. “Sanso, you will never understand why I do what I do.”
Sanso dropped his arms and looked away. “I want to understand.”
“No, you don’t. You want to change my mind. You want to influence me. You probably even want me to leave my boyfriend.”
Sanso didn’t respond for a bit, then said, “I don’t see what’s wrong with any of that.”
Nicole sighed. “How much longer until I’m ready to fight Lasia?”
“A few days, actually.”
Nicole breathed deeply, trying to calm the sudden fear that bubbled up in her stomach. “I’m not ready—I can’t do it.” She realized she was talking to the wrong person for encouragement with this particular task, but she didn’t care. He wouldn’t be able to talk her out of it anyway.
“Nicole, look at me.”
She glanced at him, surprised to see the tender expression on his face. “Yeah?”
“You’re amazing. You have more dedication and passion for this cause than I’ve ever seen in anyone. You’ve set your mind to stopping Keitus and to besting Lasia, and you will. You will because you won’t allow anything less. That is an admirable quality.”
Sanso sank to the forest floor, pulling Nicole down with him.
Nicole started complaining before Sanso shook his head. “I’m not going to try anything with you. I need to share something with you, and you’re too tired to stand anymore.”
Nicole motioned for him to go ahead, making sure there was plenty of space between them. She didn’t want Sanso getting more ideas than he already had.
“You know I used to work for Keitus, right?” he asked.
Nicole nodded. “Yes, Jacob’s dad told me.”
“I worked in this very city,” he said. “I was in charge of the villagers who lived here—the people Keitus constantly tested. I had a fantastic arrangement. Keitus supplied me with food, drink, and plenty of gold. Not to mention power.” He looked at Nicole. “Ember Gods crave power.”
“Yeah, that’s not something I missed.”
Sanso smiled. “There aren’t many Ember Gods—we’re very, very difficult to create, and it’s not exactly intuitive.”
“I really don’t want a birds-and-bees discussion right now.”
Sanso’s eyebrows creased. He didn’t understand what she was getting at.
“Never mind,” she said with a sigh.
“Anyway, we’re ‘born’ at the age of ten through an incredibly complex and excruciatingly painful process.”
Nicole waited for Sanso to explain what that process was, but he didn’t. Then she caught hold of the age he’d mentioned. “Ten?” she said incredulously. “How is that possible?”
“It’s not the same as a human birth,” he said. “We don’t need to talk about how it works. Suffice to say, there aren’t many Ember Gods.” He quieted before saying, “And Keitus drastically dropped our numbers.”
Nicole sensed this was the whole point of the conversation. “What did he do?”
“He asked us to accomplish something important. We failed. As punishment, he commanded his wolves to tear us apart.”
Nicole frowned. “Wolves? I’d think a wolf wouldn’t be a match for an Ember God.”
Sanso sat up and swiveled until he was facing her. “They weren’t ordinary wolves. They were immune to pain—to death, basically. We tried to defend ourselves, but they slaughtered us one at a time. I only survived because of how obstinate I am . . . and because a creature took pity on me and distracted the Lorkon dogs long enough for me to escape.”
The Ember God pulled his shirt over his head. Nicole was distracted at first by his fantastic muscles, but then noticed the faint scars slashed all over him. “These will always remind me of Keitus’s ruthlessness. One moment, you’re the only person who can help him get what he wants—you’re his confidante and best friend. The next, he destroys you.”
Sanso glared, staring off into the distance. “Those Ember Gods he killed were my best friends. My family. My brothers.” He stopped talking, and Nicole was surprised to see his eyes glistening in the fading sunlight. “You need to know how dangerous Keitus is—how determined he is to succeed, regardless of the cost. You’re better off letting him have what he wants and getting out while you can.”
Nicole ignored his last statement. “I’ve sensed his ruthlessness. I’ve seen the way he uses and treats those who are close to him.”
Sanso studied her eyes. “Don’t forget what I’ve said. It wouldn’t be beneath you to step aside and let someone else fight this battle.” He looked away. “I’d love to take you to meet the few other Ember Gods someday. It’s in a place where Keitus could never reach—he doesn’t have power there.”
Nicole frowned. “How is that possible?”
“We have our own magic sources.” He half smiled. “I’m serious about taking you someday. And . . . your boyfriend could come too.”
Nicole hesitated only a moment before saying, “I think I’d like that.” If Austin could go, there wouldn’t be any harm in it.
Sanso bent one of his legs and stretched the other out, resting his arm on the bent leg. He stared at her. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
Nicole rolled her eyes. “I need to be getting back now. I should get some rest while I can.”
“I’m serious. I can’t stop thinking about you, Nicole. I feel peace when I’m with you—and, well, it’s the only time I’ve ever felt peace in my entire life.”
Nicole’s heart stirred with pity for him. She wasn’t sure what to say.
He put a hand on her arm, but didn’t lift his gaze to meet hers. “We have different motivations for spending time together. You want to defeat a Fire Pulser in order to defeat Keitus. I wanted money, at first . . .” He finally lifted his eyes. “I have since set my sights on something far more valuable.”
Nicole turned away, but Sanso reached over and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her closer, forcing her to look at him.
“I’m falling in love with you, Nicole.”
“I’m sorry, Sanso, but I’m in love with Austin. I would never betray him.”
Sanso ignored her response. He rose to his knees, inching closer, still gripping her shoulders. “I’ll become what you want me to be if you’ll only have me. I could do anything for you—get you anything.”
Nicole scrambled to her feet and backed away. “Stop it,” she said. “I love Austin. You can’t change that. And he doesn’t need to promise me anything. He has already proven his love over and over again.”
Sanso chuckled. “Still believe I’m selfish?”
“You think the battles I’m fighting are a waste of time—you’ve made that perfectly clear. You’d be willing to let thous
ands and thousands suffer or die. Yes, that makes you selfish.”
He shrugged, but his playful mood had disappeared. He jerked away from her, getting to his feet and striding off toward the city. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he called over his shoulder.
Nicole stayed where she was. She couldn’t wait not to have to deal with his mood swings anymore. Or his intensity. Or his flirting . . . She already had one attractive man in her life who was a bit moody. She didn’t need another one.
***
That evening, Austin met Nicole at her apartment. She’d been injured during the fight, but not as badly as usual, and hadn’t yet slathered herself in her nightly dose of sap, wanting to be awake and alert for her time with her boyfriend.
At first, he was cautious around her, and she couldn’t help but wonder how much of her interactions with Sanso he’d heard about. She was sure Jacob checked up on her occasionally, and she was also sure Jacob would tell Austin anything he wanted to know.
Austin wasn’t the type to pry, though. And she knew he’d give her the freedom to choose someone other than him, if she wanted it.
That was the thing, though—she only wanted him.
Austin took her hand and led her to the living room and the plush leather couch that waited. He asked her to sit, then started pacing in front of her.
“My dad has a friend who creates special jewelry. He only makes it for friends and family. He’s an Arete, so he’s able to put together things that are extra special.” Austin pulled a ring box from his pocket.
Nicole’s heartbeat sped up. Oh, my gosh, was he going to propose?
“I told him what I wanted, and, well, he created a necklace for you.”
A necklace? That wasn’t a necklace box. Nicole tried not to show her disappointment. If he’d asked, she would have said yes.
“It’s magical, which means it won’t function in Shonlin, but I was hoping it’ll function everywhere else.”
“What does it do?” Nicole asked.
Austin opened the box, revealing a ring with braided metal vines. Where was the necklace?
Enshroud, Mosaic Chronicles Book Eight Page 11
