Bound by the Mist (Mists of Eria)

by Kumar, Lisa

  He needed to regain a sense of peace before he could help her. His strong objectivity usually tempered his emotions into something malleable. But not today. Now he had no control over either. Bond or no bond, she had his life in an uproar.

  He didn’t want her here, so close by. Yet, he’d chosen to bring her to the falls. What had he hoped to gain? A kiss, a caress, her love…. He stiffened his spine and yanked his mind from that path. It would serve neither of them well.

  Taking a deep and steadying breath, he willed a sensation of calm over himself so the thread-like link would carry it to her. Her respiration slowed, and her shoulders stilled. She lurched around and threw herself against him. Astonishment flooded him. His arms moved automatically to hold her close. The press of her body against his stirred desire in his nether regions, but he crushed it. She didn’t seek comfort of that kind.

  Cal wouldn’t look him in the eye, in fact, wouldn’t even glance up. He tilted her chin up from where it rested against his chest. Droplets streaked down her cheeks. How he wished it had merely been water from the river, as before. No matter how she upset his life, he never desired to see her cry.

  He swiped the tears away with his fingers. Language and culture stood between them, but she walked on foreign soil, not he. He had no doubt, in time, she would be able to adapt. Humans had always been known to do so faster than his kind to most circumstances. It was especially hard for Cal, though, as she’d no common ground or language on which to start. And aside from her friend Maggie, a land of elves encapsulated her.

  He was the only familiar being—albeit a still slightly strange and foreign one—from this world in which she found herself. No wonder she turned to him now. Indeed, who could understand the situation better than he?

  When her crying quieted, she made a few adorable hiccupping noises. Without completely releasing her, he moved them a safe distance away from the water. The only telling signs of the tableau that had played out near the pool were the prints left in mud and grass by their feet. Though the elves of Eria had devised an enchantment in order to leave nary a trace of their presence behind, he—like most of his people – didn’t bother to do so unless circumstances called for covertness.

  Once upon the bank, he pressed her down to sit upon the velvety grass. She gazed up at him, her eyes appearing luminous if not a little red-rimmed from the tears she’d shed. The look didn’t detract from her uniqueness, her human beauty. It just presented a different side of her.

  He held up one finger to indicate he needed to step away for a moment. Relian retrieved a water flask from one of the saddlebags and handed it to her with a small flourish. She shot him a wobbly smile. Once she finished drinking, he removed the decanter from her hands and took a sip, his gaze never leaving hers. Shadows bruised the delicate area under her eyes, and her heavily lidded-stare would narrow only to jerk wide open again.

  Instead of returning the flask to the saddlebag, he lowered to the ground behind her. She glanced at him but didn’t stiffen at his nearness. Heartened, he scooted nearer and placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her back to rest against his chest.

  Only rigid for a brief moment, she wearily melted against him, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. They sat thus for many quiet minutes. A new level of comfort in their relationship had been reached, but how long would it last? And did it spring up from her tiredness or their sharing of a soul-baring experience? Regardless, they’d breached one impasse for now, and he’d enjoy and use it to his advantage.

  But he didn’t desire to push her any further, so he determined to savor the feel of her in his arms. He wanted to enjoy this moment, away from all pressures. Rarely in such close proximity to her for any length of time, he’d only managed fleeting touches in all their previous encounters. Truthfully, they’d never been away from all prying eyes before. She’d be mortified if she knew how little was private once outside her chambers. Given this, he hadn’t sought to make any overtures in a semi-public setting where anyone could chance upon them, be it gardener, servant, or sentry.

  As he reclined back on the soft grass, he pulled her back with him so she curled into his side with her arm over his chest, her head still on his shoulder. Hot liquid heat swamped him, escaping the tight control he usually exerted. Closing his eyes, he drew in gasping, ragged breaths. Finally, the more persistent parts of his body settled down.

  His hand, though, had an energy of its own. His fingers soon ran through that fascinating auburn hair. When he gently pulled upon the wavy tresses, they sprang back in the most delightful way, holding their shape in spite of their silky texture. He’d had the forethought to ask Arrein to arrange Cal’s hair in a fashion that wouldn’t hamper her eyesight while still letting it roam free over her shoulders. Now he reaped the benefits.

  As his hand slowed and his eyes grew heavy, a sense of peace assailed him that had long been missing from his life. He didn’t ponder when and how it had come missing, only that he’d discovered a portion of it again.

  ***

  Cal watched as Relian pulled their horses to a stop and sprang off his mount, giving the area a sweeping glance. Crouching low, he stared intently at the ground. He apparently spied something he didn’t like, for his shoulders stiffened. She craned her neck to take a closer look, but as she did so, he stood up abruptly and pocketed something in the pouch on his belt.

  Should she be concerned or not? If she had to hazard a guess, yes, she should be. He’d been acting harried and vigilant even before stopping to examine the area. A shiver of trepidation zinged down her spine. Was there an emergency back in town? But if there were, how would he know about it? She quickly discounted that thought. Whatever the problem was, it rested out here. However, she had no way to question him, even if he’d been inclined to answer. Stupid male.

  Cal liked to think of herself as a no-nonsense-kind-of-girl, especially if the situation called for it. To her, this one did, and if he were trying to keep her safe, who was she to protest? As much as she would like to demand some answers, it was neither the time nor the place to engage in a game of charades.

  Before she realized what was happening, he stood before her. Her gaze sought his out, and he gave a tight smile. His hands folded over hers and twined her fingers through the horse’s mane. She swallowed thickly. The return ride was definitely not looking good. Relian brushed his hand against her cheek as if in reassurance, causing all thoughts to fly from her head, before he vaulted onto his horse.

  Her mind chided her to stay positive once coherent thought had returned. At least, she didn’t have to worry about flashing too much skin at some poor unsuspecting elf if they broke into a mad gallop. The loose pantaloons-type construction of her skirt kept her modestly covered.

  Relian’s black horse broke into an immediate canter, jarring her right into the present. Her horse followed closely. They rode at breakneck speed, or so it seemed to her. Her fingers wound even more tightly in the mane. As the strands bit uncomfortably into her skin, she winced. That was going to leave marks. Luckily, the horse had a smooth gait, and she hadn’t slipped in the saddle so far.

  This was a depressing turn of events from their idyllic ending near the waterfall. Though such contentment couldn’t last, she hadn’t expected this. What she had expected was mental and emotional confusion. Well, she had those aplenty. But right now, confounded was the only way to describe her. Relian must’ve believed that this pace and riding separately were the best options open to them. If she actually knew how to ride, she might’ve been a little more comfortable with his choices. She sent up a fervent prayer that he knew what he was doing and that they made it back to the gates of Eriannon soon—and in one piece.

  Chapter 20

  Relian and his father entered the central courtyard, and the sight that met Relian’s gaze stiffened his shoulders. Peace never stayed with them long, and he’d been fighting for too many ages to be enamored with war.

  The warriors of Eriannon were amassed inside the palace’
s gates to await orders from their commander and the king. Warhorses pawed impatiently at the ground, scenting their masters’ determination to be off. Kenhel’s captains had already taken care of any chaos that might’ve occurred by ordering everyone into disciplined groups according to their respective ranks.

  As they passed the troops, all bowed their heads slightly in deference, as did Kenhel and his captains once Relian and his father stood before them. The king spoke first, as was his right. “I see everyone is in order and ready to go, are they not?”

  “Yes, they are indeed, Sire.” Kenhel had the same steely glint in his eye that most warriors in the courtyard carried in theirs. They ached to go and deliver justice, just as Relian did.

  “Good.” Talion was silent until he turned to address the gathered soldiers. “May your journey and fight be swift and sure.” He rounded on Kenhel. “I want no deaths on our side.” His gaze flickered over Relian and the other captains, who all bowed their heads at the command in his eyes. With that, the king dismissed them.

  Relian swung up onto his horse to lead the company under his command out the patina-gold gates of the palace grounds. As a prince of his realm, he actively protected his people, just as his father had before him. This didn’t only encompass meetings and councils, pushing around pen and parchment, but also physically seeing to his people’s defense. He served as a captain in the army when time permitted, especially in matters of great importance. And this was undeniably one. The darkindred had ventured too close to Eriannon. His people wouldn’t overlook and allow this trespass to stand.

  A prickling prodded at the edges of his mind. He scanned the area. The glint of red hair in the late afternoon sun caught his eye. Cal and Maggie stood in the opening of one of the Palace’s smaller paths. Relian gave a curt nod in their direction. They must’ve met up sometime after he’d deserted Cal in this courtyard. Knowing there hadn’t been a moment to spare, he’d thrown the lead of Cal’s mare to a stable hand and instructed the young elf to help her off the horse. It wasn’t the ending he’d planned for their day, but more pressing matters were at hand.

  ***

  Maggie shot Cal a glance. “What do you think that was all about? You believe Relian’s unseemly pace in returning you back here had anything to do with it?”

  The chaos in the grounds that surrounded the palace had abated somewhat. But only because so many elves, equipped with bow and sword, had vacated them in favor of journeying outside the palace’s gates and into the town below. Many would also probably venture outside the safety of the town’s gates. The steadfastness of both sets of gates worried her, as they appeared more decorative than functional in cases of war. Hopefully, there was more to them then met the eye. Maybe kind of like the people who’d built them—beautiful and graceful but strong and deadly if what she remembered from the training grounds was accurate.

  Her mind busy processing those possibilities, Cal belatedly noticed her friend’s choice of wording. “I wouldn’t say it was unseemly, just unexpected—and fast. I did manage to stay on the horse, so it wasn’t anything bad. Relian thought haste was necessary and, apparently, so did those soldiers.”

  “Yeah, but it cut your date short. I call that unseemly.”

  Cal cast her gaze heavenward, seeking patience. “I’m sure you do, but I wasn’t aware it was a date.”

  Maggie pulled a face. “Oh, come on, girl.”

  Cal ignored her scoff. “To answer your last question, I would guess it does have some correlation to his hurry. He woke in a normal mood and was fine, but that soon changed as we set off.” She flushed, realizing how her words must sound to uninformed and slightly wicked ears.

  “Ooo, woke up, did he? I knew this would be a great story. And just where were you?”

  “Nothing happened.” Well, nothing of that magnitude, but she didn’t feel like letting that tidbit out yet. She hadn’t found the time to sift through all the happenings that’d occurred. If she were honest, her mind wanted to gloss over most of it. She had no way to describe what had happened, no yardstick with which to compare it. Like everything else, she’d face it when she had to, not a moment before. For the sake of her sanity, it was one day, one hour, at a time for her. “What are you, my matchmaker? I already have to contend with the very king of the land as a staunch supporter of human-elf relationships. All for reasons unknown to me. There has to be more to it than what they’ve admitted. And I was...in the vicinity.”

  “You’ll have to tell me how “fine” he was later, not to mention what you meant by the word “vicinity.” I sense some heavy-duty stories here. Also, I seriously doubt His Smugness supports elf-human relationships, just this one.” Maggie’s smirk grew larger, as she apparently thought she had Cal where she wanted her. And did she ever.

  “Oh, why don’t you get a life,” Cal muttered half-petulantly.

  “Now, now, you know I live through yours.”

  “Go get your own elf to live through. Stop using mine. After all, you’re always commenting on how gorgeous they are.”

  “Ha, you admit he’s yours. As for me having my own, they’re not for me.” Maggie pouted. “They’re definitely eye candy, no denying it, but none have captured my attention or I, theirs. But you admit you have your own. Finally claiming Relian–going where no man has gone before?”

  A few moments passed until Cal could sputter out a reply. “I doubt they’ve ever been referred to as candy before. And who says no man—or woman—has gone there before?”

  “Well, I do believe he prefers females, but human ones seem in short supply here. Oh, and I bet they’re not used to being referred to in that way.” Her eyes gleamed. “Think they might find it offensive?”

  Maggie more than likely meant one elf in particular. Cal cocked a brow. “What do you think?”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  “Ah huh.” Cal paused and shook her head. “Wait, wait, how did we become so sidetracked?”

  Maggie shrugged. “Not sure. All I know is that we know very little, Cal. It’s all conjecture. You went—you came back. Relian saw or found something along the way. It may be nothing serious.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” At Maggie’s blank look, Cal slapped her hand against her forehead. “The soldiers! They seem to be on high alert. There has to be something going on.”

  “Umm, that’s true about the soldiers. But we don’t know anything about their possible enemies. In fact, we know next to nothing about this world.”

  “But this fact doesn’t negate there is something going on. Even Relian admitted they have enemies and war. We can’t bury our heads in the ground, pretending otherwise.”

  “Until we learn the language, we won’t be able to learn much,” Maggie conceded. “Not that they would tell us much anyway, but polite eavesdropping would be possible.”

  “Polite eavesdropping? Is that what they call it here?” She sighed. “Guess that’s our cue to go and study, right?”

  “That’s what I call it.” Maggie laughed, linking her arm with Cal’s. “I think you’re right, my lady. Let’s go!”

  ***

  Cal sighed. Silence reigned between her and Maggie, as it did among the palace at large. They’d found a bench in one of the gardens outside the primary library and had been there for hours, undisturbed. Everyone forgot about their existence—a rare occurrence. The occasional elf, usually a servant or a sentry, would wander into their sanctuary for a bit or pass in the open corridor nearby, but no one paid any attention to their presence.

  How long would the soldiers be away? Was he unharmed? Whatever endeavor he and the soldiers set out to do, it had to be dangerous. But the who, what, and where they trooped after was a mystery.

  This wasn’t the first time Relian had gone out with the warriors. He often took part in patrols, sometimes to the borders. She didn’t know what borders these referred to. Now she had no way to ask.

  Even with all his duties, he’d made an effort to visit her every day, even if just fi
fteen minutes here or there. They spent much of that time walking the gardens in silence, as verbal communication wasn’t possible. Oh, how she dreaded those meetings. But the trepidation even grew stronger when they didn’t happen, and she’d feel like a child who’d lost her favorite toy. Then when he did stop by, she would perk up until administrative matters soon called him away. His life wasn’t one of leisure.

  Noise intruded. The thundering of hooves echoed off the stones that made up the palace paths and buildings. Even the stone bench they sat on reverberated with it. Maggie glanced over at her, and they both nodded. They rose quietly, leaving their books and parchment behind, and went to explore the place the racket came from.

  They weren’t alone in this desire. Elves increasingly clogged the myriad hallways and corridors. Any hope for stealth disappeared. Cal clasped her shaking hands before her and took in a deep, settling breath to calm her pulse. By the time they reached the main courtyard before the palace’s gates, a whole horde of onlookers had gathered.

  Cal peered past heads and shoulders. Weary riders formed groups on either side of the gate, allowing the non-mounted soldiers easy entry. That definitely explained the noise.

  Stable hands came forward to help, and she craned her neck. Where was he? Surely, his posture and stance would allow her to spot him in the throng. When utter silence overtook all the elves, she halted her quest. Great, what’d happened now?

  A dragging, scuffling noise she couldn’t identify sounded. She looked back toward the gate. There, two warriors drew a struggling creature into the courtyard. Two other elves served as guards, one behind and one in front of the prisoner.