He struggled to keep his hands off her and feared that he’d be walking all the way back to the portal with a hard on. If they survived the Chamber of the First Dragon. He only hoped that whoever wrote the map and put it in the book had made the journey safely, so it was possible to do so. Otherwise, he would be plotting to kidnap a very fiery redhead who even now glanced at him.
Teasing her, he winked. It helped knowing that the need for each other went both ways. He didn’t feel so foolish lusting after a girl while their lives hung in the balance. Having her in his arms and between his thighs while riding all day had been sweet torture. Too bad he couldn’t play a song that would make Derog fly into the volcano and burn up. Of course, being a dragon, Derog could probably swim in lava like fish in water. Haytham glanced up at the now darkening sky. Where had the dragon gone and why?
Chapter Eleven
The sun set with a burst of color tinting the clouds red, orange, purple, and blue. Two of the guards rolled out sleeping mats while the other two watched the perimeter. Even with the heat, they kept a fire going. Haytham remembered Aiden’s warning. Hreghen was a dangerous place.
Stars started to appear as the last of the light fell behind the horizon. Haytham enjoyed looking into the vastness even though he didn’t recognize one constellation in the sky. Who had been the first witch to discover the portal spell to link two worlds light years away from each other?
“I wonder who discovered the portal spell,” Candace asked. Haytham looked over to see her attention also caught by the beauty in the sky.
“I just wondered that same thing.” Funny, it was almost like she read his mind.
“I bet Professor Brandt would know. He has a huge library at the museum where I work. If we make it back to Earth…”
“When we make it,” Haytham corrected her.
“Okay, when we make it, I’ll have to ask him.”
“I’d like to know that as well. Elise Delaire, the Guardian healer, found her Destined One. Now I’ve traveled through a portal to find my Destined One. There is a stanza for fire magic in the spell to undo the Marwolaeth. In the South summer’s heat rises, Dragon’s heart dances in flames, Firelight transmuting into purity. I wonder if the ‘Dragon’s Heart’ is the stone Derog wants.”
“You mean we might need the stone to help undo the Marwolaeth spell?” Candace asked.
“Maybe… It also occurred to me that maybe the Dragon’s Heart was your heart, or it might not refer to us at all.”
“What does the book I found on the Marwolaeth say?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t had the time to read it.” Haytham pulled the item from his pocket. He conjured a small ball of glowing light to read by. Flipping through the pages, Haytham realized there was too much information to take in quickly. “I’ll have to study this when we get back to Earth, but I don’t see the spell that explains about Destined Ones and the pieces we need.”
“See if there is a glossary in the back,” Candace suggested, leaning over to look at the volume.
Haytham flipped to the end and ran his finger down the list. “There is a chapter on preparation and another on spell ceremony.”
“Hey!” said one of the guards. “Put out that light.”
Haytham immediately released the light spell and returned the book to his pocket. Anything that would help with the Marwolaeth was too valuable to lose. “Put the paper in your ears. I think it’s time to put our guards to sleep.”
Candace nodded and pulled the paper from her pocket. When she nodded her readiness, Haytham pulled out the silver flute. He began to play softly, waiting to see the reaction of the guards. They muttered, but didn’t tell him to stop, so he got slightly louder and began to play a lullaby.
The two guards by the fire started to snore. Haytham played a little louder. The guard closest to the rocks began to yawn and then sat down, leaning his head against the stone. Soon, he, too, snored. The last guard, who stood farthest away, swore and headed to his partner. Each step he took closer to where Haytham played became slower and slower. He yawned and his eyes blinked over and over until he fell to the ground asleep.
Haytham shook Candace’s arm. She removed the paper from her ears.
“Hurry,” Haytham whispered.
§
Candace rose excitedly. Haytham motioned her to be quiet. She quickly nodded and hurried to the sleeping rogne to get her pack. When she turned back to look for Haytham, he’d grabbed two more water skins and a handful of travel rations out of the box on the guards’ mount. She tiptoed over to where he stood and opened her bag.
After putting the items inside, he took the pack from her and slung it over his shoulder. Then taking her hand, he led her to the stones. Candace tugged on her hand to stop him. They needed to go up toward the mouth of the volcano, not back to the rocks. Hay refused to let go. He continued forward, half dragging her beside him. When they got near where they had rested, he motioned Candace to start climbing the rocks. He boosted her up and then scrambled up after her.
“What are we doing?” Candace whispered. “We need to go that way.” She pointed.
“We can’t break the smoke circle,” Haytham mouthed. “It’s some kind of spell.” He kept climbing.
Candace looked around the camp. She’d noticed the circle, but thought to step over it. Haytham reached the top and motioned for her to follow. Shrugging, she climbed up to his side. How this would help, she had no idea.
At the top, she could see the mouth of the volcano glowing red against the night sky. She shivered. Haytham pointed down to the ground and Candace noticed the dark smoke ring hugged the back of the pile of rocks where they stood, but up this high, how did he expect to avoid the band of smoke?
Haytham took her hand and tugged her toward the edge. Candace struggled. Was he crazy? He frowned and suddenly lifted her into his arms. Then he did the unthinkable. He jumped.
Candace closed her eyes. She braced herself. This would hurt. They’d be lucky not to have broken bones. She gritted her teeth and gripped his shirt. Haytham nuzzled her and she suddenly realized he sang something low under his breath. She opened her eyes. They floated out and away from the rocks. A spell! Of course. Haytham was an Air Witch and a Guardian at that. She sighed, swallowing the giggle that rose up her throat. They still needed to escape the sleeping guards.
Haytham landed as lightly as a feather and looked into her eyes. His mouth descended. Her whole body responded with a tingle as their lips touched. The sensations ended way too soon when he put her down and brushed a finger over her cheek.
“Come on,” he whispered.
Candace blinked. Hay took her hand and led her across the rock and sand toward where the door to the inner cavern was supposedly located. The stars and glow from the volcano provided some light, but Candace gasped when she stubbed her toe on the rocky surface.
Haytham stopped, looking concerned. Candace cursed up a storm in her head and pulled on his arm to keep moving. They needed to get inside the volcano before Derog made another appearance. He’d pick up their heat signatures in his dragon form if they weren’t inside where the molten rock would shield their presence.
They rounded another pile of rocks and a black figure stood in their path. Haytham pushed Candace behind him.
“You escaped? How did you cross the smoke ring without alerting Derog?”
“Lieutenant Kesari?” Haytham asked, stepping forward.
“Come on, I found a cave we can hide in until morning, then we can get back to the palace.”
“Wait. You know him?” Candace asked. Who was this guy and could he really be trusted?
“He’s a friend of Andras. I met him when I came through the gate,” Haytham explained.
“Hurry. When the guards wake and find you gone, they’ll break the ring to call their master. You’re lucky Derog went looking for dinner. He won’t find suitable prey until he’s a good fifty miles away.” Kesari started to walk away.
“We can’t come with y
ou,” Candace said. “We have to get to the inner cavern.”
Kesari stopped and looked back at them. “It’s too dangerous. No one has been able to retrieve the Dragon’s Heart stone. Come with me. The king will want his step-daughter safe.”
Candace wasn’t going to argue with the man. She needed to get into the volcano. She looked at Haytham and then turned toward the mountain.
“Hey! Wait. I must insist. The king will want you returned to Zaltana.” Kesari hurried after her passing Haytham.
The lieutenant grabbed her arm and she turned to shrug out of his grip, when she saw Haytham slam a rock into Kesari’s head. The man fell to the ground with a groan.
“I hope I didn’t hit him too hard.” Haytham leaned down and checked the man’s breathing.
Candace stopped, feeling guilty. Hay said a quick spell to scan the lieutenant and seemed satisfied Kesari would live. Then he dragged the man to the rocks and positioned him so he would be hidden from the casual eye.
“Okay, that should do it. Kesari is a good soldier. He’d never let you enter the volcano. Come on.”
“I can’t believe you did that,” Candace said as Haytham helped her over one of the rocks in their path.
“Are you sorry I did? You said you wanted to get the stone.”
“I know what I said, it’s just that you seem so…”
“So, what?” Haytham frowned.
“So mild-mannered. You don’t seem like the kind of person to break the rules.”
“Honey, coming through the portal broke the rules. The Witches Council outlawed portal hopping centuries ago. My uncle wanted to bring Elise and her Destined One up on charges before the council. Luckily, the council out-voted him or the Destined pair might have paid a hefty price.” Candace slipped her hand into Haytham’s. Her Destined One continued to surprise her. She liked that about him.
They continued working their way to the door that led inside the volcano, climbing over smaller rocks and circling the bigger ones. It was slow going. Candace’s legs ached from all the exercise. She gritted her teeth and kept moving. When they found a flat section, they would jog, trying to make up time.
They came around a large rock formation when she saw it. A small round dot of red light falling on the sand. She hurried over and kneeled to examine it. The light came from a rock that sat buried in the mountain itself.
“Is this it?” Haytham asked.
“If it is, there must be more to it than this. Where is the door?” Candace asked. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, her legs ached. She was so tired. Had they come all this way to fail?
“There must be a key, or a spell. What does the book say from the library?”
Candace sat. Haytham handed her the pack off his back and ignited a small ball of light with a glow spell. She dug inside, finding the volume, but she didn’t remember it saying anything about a spell to open the door. She flipped through the pages, all the while hoping and praying she’d find what they needed.
§
While Candace flipped through the pages, Haytham knelt and looked at the hole in the rock. It was perfectly round. Probably not a keyhole. Next, he felt along the edge of the stone, but couldn’t find an opening. Air Witches were masters of making illusions, but he didn’t sense any magic lingering on the rock.
Candace sighed. “There are all these warnings. Only one who is pure and kin of the First Dragon will be able to enter the tomb. I remember Derog and the librarian talking about it when I took the book.”
Haytham nodded. They must think of something. Could it be that simple?
“This may sound crazy, but I think it might work. Candace, put your finger into the hole.”
“My finger?”
“Yes. Remember how the flute wouldn’t work until I pricked my finger on it and it recognized me as an Air Witch?”
A sudden roar filled the air. They stared at each other. Derog!
“Hurry. He can’t be far away,” Haytham said.
Candace nodded and stuck the index finger of her right hand into the hole.
“Ouch! Something stuck me.” She started to pull her finger out, but Haytham stopped her by pushing against the back of her hand.
“Wait. Give it a second.” He scanned the sky, looking for wings. The sound of rock cracking filled their ears. A large line started near the bottom of the stone and went up and around and back to the ground. Haytham pushed against the rock, hoping the door opened inward. He was rewarded by a small movement.
“Hurry! You’ve got to help me.” Another roar thundered in the sky, and now Hay could hear flapping wings.
Candace pushed with him. The stone moved inward more.
“Again,” Haytham urged. He bunched his muscles and gave a mighty shove. The stone slid the rest of the way back making a small gap they could squeeze through. A burst of hot air escaped the opening.
“Hurry, inside.” Haytham pushed Candace through the fissure. He scrunched his shoulders and squeezed inside as another roar filled the air. As soon as he was through, he and Candace pushed the rock back into place. A loud click reverberated in the chamber. They could hear Derog flying near the volcano, roaring his frustration. Sweat began to bead on Haytham’s face from the heat inside the mountain.
“I hope the lieutenant is safe,” Candace whispered.
“Me, too,” Haytham said. Would Derog kill the man if he found him? The idea that he might be responsible for Kesari’s death made him wince.
Candace leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good man, Haytham.”
A funny twinge in his chest made him catch his breath. This woman knew how to touch his heart.
“Thank you.” He pulled her close and kissed her, needing to show her how he felt with more than words.
The ground underneath their feet rumbled and then jerked and rolled, throwing both to the ground. Dust and rocks fell around them. Haytham tried to shelter Candace with his body before calling on his Air magic to shield them in a bubble.
When the earth stopped moving, Haytham scooted off Candace, checking her for injuries with the still glowing ball of light.
“Are you all right?”
Candace nodded. “Was that an earthquake?”
“I think so…Omeo may be waking up. We better find that stone and get out of here.” Haytham stood and reached down to help Candace to her feet. She laughed when she patted more dust out of her hair.
“What I wouldn’t give for a shower.”
“Sounds good to me, especially if we take one together.” Haytham winked at her. He smiled when Candace gave a saucy wink back.
“I’ll wash your back, if you wash mine.”
Haytham brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back, dust and all. “It’s a date.”
Chapter Twelve
Candace studied the map she’d pulled from her pocket. Her hand shook slightly. She glanced at Haytham to see if he noticed, but if he did, it didn’t show on his face. What was she thinking walking into the heart of a volcano? Her clothes already stuck to her body from the heat emanating from the earth.
The small tunnel near the opening traveled down and then opened into a large chamber. Inside, huge rock formations stretched from floor to ceiling. They ranged in width from the size of a pickup truck to about the size of a ten pound coffee can. One little push looked to bring the whole blade of rock tumbling down. The floor radiated heat through her shoes.
Haytham used his magic to surround their faces with a cooler air that also protected them from whatever gases vented into the mountain crevices.
“To the right.” Candace pointed, her voice sounding muffled from the air mask.
Haytham nodded and chose one of the random passageways through the maze of rock towers. Their glow lights bounced off the rocks picking up bits of crystal making them glitter like blue stars. It was almost pretty, but Candace couldn’t enjoy it. She felt a sense of urgency and hurried, making her way around the larger formations always bearing to the right. Circling a for
mation, she gasped.
A tunnel lay hidden behind the stone tower and she’d almost missed it. A red dragon was painted over the arched opening. Where the eyes were located, two crystals glittered as if the dragon watched them. Two unlit torches stood waiting, one on each side near head height. Candace grabbed one off the wall and calling her fire, she lit the oiled rushes. They blazed and filled the space with a warm yellow radiance.
Candace dowsed her glow light. Gulping, she stepped into the tunnel. The floor rolled beneath them. A large cracking sound filled the air. Haytham grabbed her around the waist and pushed her against the side. A large stone fell right where she had been standing. Dust filled the air. Candace covered her eyes. Hay glanced over to where the rock lay crumbled on the ground. His hand brushed her cheek.
“Are you all right? It seems the closer we get to the burial chamber, the more awake the volcano becomes.”
Candace nodded. She thought the same thing.
“Ready to move on?” Haytham asked.
“Yes.” Candace made her shaky legs take a step from the wall. One step at a time, she could do this.
Haytham held out his hand and she sighed in relief. His touch reassured her rapidly beating heart. Whatever happened, they were together.
The tunnel curved down and to the left where it narrowed significantly. Now instead of walking side-by-side, the path forced them to walk in tandem. Since Candace held the torch, she took the lead knowing Haytham would continue to look out for her.
The air became heavier and hotter. Candace started panting. Haytham called on his magic again. It barely made a difference in the temperature. The floor of the passage leveled and turned from dirt into stepping stones. Haytham put his hand on her shoulder.
“Look up.” He pointed. She held up the torch.
Fiery Magic Page 13
