He remained silent with his hands still holding her shoulder. His golden eyes were locked on hers with such intensity that she couldn’t look away. The expression on his face seemed softer than she could ever remember seeing and there was fragileness about him that she could barely fathom. “Zoey.” He whispered as he drew her closer and the desire to run fled completely. Just the sound of her name from his lips held her transfixed. There was so much longing in that single spoken word that she simply stared at him unsure what to do or say. His lips brushed against her forehead and a flash of uncertainty filled his eyes as he lowered his head and kissed her lips as lightly as a breeze.
She hesitated for a long moment before wrapping her arms around him and leaning in to kiss him once more. It was foolish and she knew it. She had seen his temper, and she had felt his Charm magic peel away from her with Finn’s touch. She knew Seth had been manipulating her the entire time she had trained with him, but those were all things that her mind knew, and it was her heart that was returning the kiss. Her lips parted slowly and his kiss intensified growing deeper until her heart was hammering in her chest.
She felt him shiver in her grasp and pull back from the embrace. The scent of him was thick about her, that intoxicating mix of spice and sweat that was Seth’s alone. He stared down at her for a long moment and then his lips were on hers once more with what seemed like hunger. She could feel the heat from his body and the look on his face no longer held a trace of uncertainty. The fragileness was gone replaced with Seth’s pure confidence. His hands slid down her shoulders to rest on her hips and then he was pulling her down to the grass with him. She straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck as his grip on her tightened and pulled her almost painfully close. His lips moved from hers to trace a path down her neck and to her shoulder. She could feel the brush of his teeth against her flesh, but it wasn’t painful.
A soft moan burst from her lips and she clung to him. All desire for talk had fled her mind and the only things that mattered were his hands tracing down her body and the feel of his lips. Cool night air brushed against her bare flesh as he unlaced her tunic. His lips found hers once more as his hands rose to her breasts. Her entire body was screaming for more and she knew no matter what Seth asked from her she would give it willingly.
“What I don’t understand is why you are avoiding me, when you obviously don’t want to.” Seth whispered in her ear and his voice was hoarse and filled with desire.
“I…I…” Zoelyn stammered but his mouth had moved to her breasts and words would no longer form in her mind. She felt the brush of teeth again and another moan burst from her lips. His lips traced a path back to her neck and her own hands scrambled to push away his cloak as her fingers frantically sought the buckles of his armor. She wanted to feel his flesh against hers and very little else mattered beyond that. They could talk later when she could manage the words. The buckles seemed to evaporate beneath her fingers and the armor fell away leaving nothing but Seth’s pale scarred chest beneath her hands. Her nails dug into his sides and she heard his breath hiss through his lips.
“Had I known your dreams were this interesting I would have dream walked sooner.” He whispered and her fingers froze on his back. “This is much more satisfying in reality you know.” He added with amusement thick in his voice. She pulled back and stared at him eyes growing wide and he smiled at her with a devilish look in his eyes. “You can’t avoid me Zoey. I know the truth of things now and I won’t give up. I promise you that.”
The garden seemed to swim around her as her vision blurred and the feel of his flesh beneath her hands faded. She pulled back further and the press of his hands against her flesh was gone, and then she was falling.
Her eyes flashed open as her chair hit the stone floor with a clatter and for several moments her mind refused to comprehend what she was seeing. The kitchen ceiling above her, the table beside her, and Grim’s boots as he rose from his chair to move to her side. It all flooded back then in a rush, Shade’s healing and Grim’s mission in Rivana. She had fallen asleep at the table, and Seth had been a dream. A panic rose in her chest as his words echoed in her mind. Had I known your dreams were this interesting I would have dream walked sooner. He had truly been there then. He had truly been in her mind and he had seen everything. Her breath quickened in her throat as her panic rose and she could feel the blush burning her skin as Grim crouched beside her fallen chair and stared down at her with a mixture of concern and amusement on his face.
“You know the noises you were making didn’t seem like those of a nightmare, but the way you jumped and fell has me wondering.” His voice was low, and to his credit Grim was obviously trying to keep the smile from his lips as he spoke.
“I..I...” Zoelyn stammered and for the second time she was at a loss of words. Scrambling quickly she pulled herself from the chair and rose from the floor. The back of her head throbbed painfully, but it was less than she deserved. She had not only fallen asleep at the table, but she had shown Seth her true feelings. The memory of his lips made her blush rise further and she hurried to the cabinet to fetch down cups. Perhaps by the time she had tea brewed for the two of them she could speak rationally.
“I...I...indeed. So who is he? Someone I would approve of?” Grim asked with the tone of an older brother as he crossed the small room to stand beside her. He leaned with his back against the cabinet and watched her frantic attempts to get the canister that held the tea herbs open before taking it from her hands and opening it himself. “Must have been one hell of a dream.” He mused and the amusement was back in his voice.
“You wouldn’t approve of him, and it doesn’t matter. It was just a silly dream there is nothing to it.” Zoelyn muttered as she did her best to avoid looking at him.
“Dreams are the canvas that our desires are painted upon. No dream is silly. They all have meaning. It’s just too often that our minds aren’t clever enough to decipher what we truly want.” Grim’s voice was gentle and while he was amused, there was no mockery in his words.
“I do not want what was in that dream.” Zoelyn said firmly, but kept her gaze fixed on the tea kettle she was filling. She knew if she looked at him, Grim, would see the lie.
“Who is he?” Grim pressed. He leaned back further against the counter so he could glimpse her face. “Is it the Blight? I mean Micah’s boy.” He asked hesitantly.
Zoelyn nearly dropped the tea pot as she whirled to face him with a look of shock on her face. “Dray? No!” she gasped and shook her head quickly. “Aspects no, Grim. Dray is barely more than a child himself. He is like a little brother in my eyes. He watches over me and I try to look out for him.” She explained quickly then frowned as her eyes moved to the faint dawn light outside the window. “Though in truth he has been spending more time with Vosha these days than me.” She admitted with a sigh.
“Vosha?” Grim queried and she could see him turning the name over in his mind trying to determine if it belonged to a man or woman.
“He is one of the Dragons that serves house Merrodin, and before you ask, no the dream was not about Vosha either.” She answered quietly and turned to set the water to boil. She spent several minutes busying herself with mixing tea herbs and thought he would let the matter go, but when she turned back to him he was still watching her with narrowed eyes. “For the love of the Aspects, Grim you are not even kin to me. Why are you so protective?”
“Who else do you have to look after you, Zoey?” he asked calmly. He ran a hand through his dark hair ruffling the white tips before moving back to the table. “The least I can do is make sure you will be ok before I go.” He added quietly.
“I will be in Delvay. Neph won’t let anyone near me there.” She assured him with a sigh. She wasn’t really sure what Neph would think about Seth’s promise though. The memory of the last time Seth had appeared in Delvay was still very clear in her mind, and it had been apparent then that the demon had her brother over matched. If it came down to a fight bet
ween the two of them Neph didn’t have a chance.
“Why would NephonDelvayon care about you? He barely cares for anyone aside from himself.” Grim objected mildly.
“He is family.” She answered simply as she pulled the hot water from the stove.
“Why were you in Arovan if he is your family?” Grim demanded with more anger in his voice than she expected.
The look on his face was one of quiet fury and Zoelyn was glad she had mentioned it before they arrived in Delvay. At least this way she had time to explain everything before it could come to blows. Grim wasn’t the sort that sought out a fight, but he wasn’t one that shied away from violence either. If he thought someone deserved to have their teeth knocked out, he would happily do just that.
“He thought I was dead, Grim. He would have come for me had he known I still lived, and I had amnesia remember? I didn’t contact him, and he had no way of knowing otherwise.” She felt a pang of guilt as she spoke the words, but she wasn’t ready to admit to him what she really was. Grim had always treated her fairly, but then he didn’t know everything about her. He knew she carried a curse, but he didn’t know exactly what it was, and she wasn’t ready to explain it to him yet. Just the thought of having him look at her with the same disgust his father had shown made her cringe.
Footsteps sounded from the hall before he could speak more on the topic and Zoelyn cocked her head at the sound. It was too quick of a pace for Jala or Valor, and Legacy was too small to make that much noise. The door burst open as the steps grew closer and despite herself Zoelyn jumped. She let out a faint sigh as Shade fairly skipped into the room and shook her head slowly as she pulled another cup down from the cabinet. She gazed at the goblin trailing along behind him with amusement. Shade was the only person she could think of that would tolerate the creature. Even Jala had seemed uncertain of it.
“Good Morning to you both.” Shade chirped in a voice that was far too cheerful for a man that had been crippled hours before. “Are you ready to destroy a country, save a child, make an alliance with people that despise us, and break into the best protected prison on Sanctuary?” He asked brightly with his gaze directly on Grim.
“Yes, yes, no, and no.” Grim replied calmly. He was watching Shade cautiously. “It’s rather early to be drunk or on whatever drug you are partaking of.” He pointed out calmly.
“I have two eyes. I can walk and I have insanely stupid goals ahead of me. Why wouldn’t I be in good spirits?” Shade responded with a grin that bordered on madness. “How about you Zoey? In good spirits today?” he asked turning his attention to her when he realized Grim’s opinion of the day apparently wasn’t going to change.
“She started her day off with a dream about a man she won’t mention and nearly gave herself a concussion from falling on the floor.” Grim informed Shade before she could even open her mouth to reply.
Zoelyn stared at him in accusation and narrowed her eyes before turning to look at Shade. “It was just a dream, and my spirits are decent considering.” she answered as she carried the tea to the table and sat a cup down for both of them.
“Noble? Vosha? Dray? Who are we dreaming about?” Shade asked as he settled in a chair and smiled at her. There were no signs of his former wounds, and he was freshly showered and dressed well. By just looking at him no one would ever guess he had been on death’s door when he had arrived. It was the good cheer that amazed her most though. She had fully expected Shade to be angry or depressed when she saw him. Instead he was buzzing with energy and apparently in a very good mood.
“None of them.” Zoey sighed in frustration and shook her head at Shade. “Shade how can you possibly be this happy knowing what today holds in store for you?” she asked in confusion.
Shade raised an eyebrow at her as he tossed a piece of dried meat to the goblin. The creature scurried from the door to snatch the morsel and then settled beside his chair to devour it. He smiled again and shrugged. “I don’t really see the downside of what today has to offer.” He admitted with another shrug and then busied himself tearing more pieces of jerky apart for the goblin.
“Grim intends to commit suicide and you have to assassinate someone.” Zoelyn reminded him stubbornly.
“Caleb won’t die because I won’t let him die. I can count the true friends I have on one hand and I value each of them too much to let them throw their lives away no matter what idiotic notion they may get in their heads.” Shade corrected calmly.
“And the Assassination?” Zoelyn pressed. She settled in the chair across from him and watched him closely. He didn’t even flinch at her words, but she knew how Shade felt about killing. From what Jala had told her about the man, he didn’t resort to violence unless he could see no other alternative. Shade was typically the mellowest of the people she knew, and the idea of him going into Rivasa to kill seemed too out of character for him.
Shade sat silent for a long moment before dropping the handful of jerky for the goblin. Turning slowly he folded his hands on the table and leaned forward to meet her gaze. His smile was gone replaced by a look of pure determination. “The man I am going to kill is going to die for the crimes he has already committed. He attacked a defenseless country and killed one of the few individuals I can honestly say I respected. I justify the blood I am spilling on the fact that it will be done for the greater good. Not only will I be ridding the world of a horrible person and avenging Micah Arovan, I will be forging peace for an entire culture of people in the process. I am killing a man that doesn’t deserve to live and I refuse to feel guilt for it.” He lifted his chin as he spoke and his smile slowly returned. “I will kill, Caleb will live, and Sanctuary will have peace. It’s as simple as that. I refuse to allow it to end any other way.” He finished in a voice that held no room for argument.
“Thank you so much for referring to my intentions as an idiotic notion.” Grim said dryly. He sat down at the table finally and pulled his cup of tea closer as he regarded Shade with annoyance.
“I call it as I see it my friend. Life is too precious to waste and friends are too important to lie to.” Shade responded without the faintest hint of apology in his tone. His gaze turned back to Zoey and he grinned again. “So Seth eh?” he asked and she felt her face go red again. He nodded at her reaction and smirked. “Figures. It’s always the ones like him that draw the attention.”
“Seth?” Grim asked seizing the name at once. He stared at Shade expectantly and didn’t even bother to look in her direction.
“Shade please.” Zoelyn begged and to her relief Shade glanced at Grim and then back to her but didn’t elaborate.
“Let it go, Caleb. If I have learned anything in the past year it is the simple fact that no matter how many times you try to tell a woman that the one she adores is not right for her she won’t listen, and as much as I hate to admit it there are times that she is right to ignore you. I was never able to see what Jala saw in Finn, but he gave his life to save her. In that much at least I will admit I was wrong about him. There is a fair chance that I’m wrong about Seth too.” Shade said and rose from his chair without so much as looking at his tea. “Dray is coming with us right Zoey?” he asked as he turned toward the door.
Zoelyn nodded silently and felt her tension ease a bit at the question. He had changed the subject willingly, and it was possible that the mention of Dray would keep Grim’s mind too occupied to press her more.
“Excellent. I have a plan, but I will need his help with it.” Shade announced then paused before stepping into the hall and turned back to look at her a bit abashed. “Um where exactly would I find him? I’m not sure which room is his.”
“He won’t be in his room at this hour. He will be practicing with Vosha somewhere.” Zoelyn answered quietly and rose from her chair.
“Somewhere?” Shade raised an eyebrow at her with the question and she smiled in response.
“The two of them have become rather close friends since we recovered Delvay, and Vosha has decided it’s his duty
to ensure Dray knows the appropriate skills for the next battle.” Zoelyn explained with a heavy sigh. “He knows my feelings on violence so he doesn’t include me on their training sessions. I have a general idea of where they go, but honestly it depends on what they are working on. Dray is learning swords, archery, and magic and each one seems to require a different place to practice.”
“So I should wander until I find them?” Shade asked hesitantly.
“Or Zoey could show us where she thinks they might be.” Grim suggested as he rose from his chair and headed for the door that led to the gardens. “I confess I’d like to meet Micah’s son. Valor says he is a mirror image of his father.”
“In appearance they could pass as twins.” Shade informed him with a wide smile and to Zoey’s eyes he looked entirely too pleased with his words.
Grim eyed him for a moment thoughtfully and then slowly nodded his understanding. “So the Rivasans are going to get a visit from a dead man are they?” he said softly.
“Perhaps.” Shade responded as he brushed past Grim and stepped out into the early morning light. He inhaled deeply and smiled as he glanced back at Grim. “It’s going to be a beautiful day.” He declared cheerfully.
* * *
There was nothing beautiful about the day as far as Zoelyn could see. The sky to the north was dark with promised storms and the humidity of the air made her leather clothes chafe against her skin. Her steps slowed at the edge of the training grounds and she let her gaze sweep across the men that already clustered there. Several were working on swords while still more carried grain and fresh water to the horses stabled nearby. None of them were Dray, but then she hadn’t really expected to find him near so many people. Despite how Jala insisted they were welcome in Merro, both she and Dray found it difficult to openly move amongst crowds. There were only a rare few they felt truly comfortable around, and just the sight of the soldiers in the yard made her want to retreat back to the house.
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