by Lynn Landes
With his arms around her, he relishes the feel of her in his arms. This elf spells trouble for him. Syrran has never felt this possessive of a woman before. “They’re gone, we should go.” He turns abruptly and once again begins pulling her along in the darkness of Micah’s world.
Preoccupied by the feel of her, he almost misses the three demons waiting to ambush them. They smell the blood from Lilliana’s injuries and they lie in wait in the next cavern. When they step through the rough opening they are surrounded and Syrran is forced to drop her hand to defend them against the onslaught.
Lillianna is ready to fight and show him that she is no wilting flower. Tired of being abused, she turns, placing her back to his. Without his touch, she is blind to the assault of the demons and he needs both hands to fight.
Syrran speaks in a low voice and suddenly she can see the three demons! He has shrouded the demons in a purple phosphorescent light. How had she forgotten that he has his own kind of magic? She grins and throws one of her daggers, piercing the one closest to her in the eye. It screams and jerks the knife free, sending a spray of blood.
The other two demons are intent on getting past the Drow warrior, but they are not prepared for him at full strength. He stalks them with two silver longswords and they make the mistake of rushing him at the same time. He leaps up into the air and sinks his swords down into the tops of their heads with a sickening crunch.
Lilliana draws her sword and turns around, slicing the injured demons throat, severing its head. A heavy wet thud of a body hitting the floor tells her that it’s down and not a threat anymore. With the death of each demon the purple glow illuminating the cavern fades, until finally she is cast back into darkness. Unable to see Syrran, without his touch, she can only listen for him.
“I would say you are more than proficient with a blade,” Syrran says with a grin. “We have to keep moving, more are coming!”
He touches her shoulder and she immediately can see the cavern. They are in a large room with spires hanging down from the ceiling. As his hand travels down her arm, she shivers.
“You’re doing that on purpose, trying to distract me. Where are we going, Syrran?” she questions as she wipes her blade on the dead demon.
He reaches her hand and she locks her fingers with his. Syrran presses a kiss to the back of her hand and turns, pulling her along.
“I enjoy touching you, if that’s what you mean. You do not like my touch, Lilliana?” he inquires.
“You are avoiding my question,” she whispers now.
“Out, I am taking us out,” he promises.
Chapter 6
They walk quickly now through the inky black darkness and she can feel his sense of urgency. He is lost! Oh, what she wouldn’t give to have her magic back! The low ceiling opens up as they enter another large cavern. This one has three doorways at the far end leading out of it.
His golden eyes glow with frustration as he stops and stares at the three paths before them. “You will have to wait here. I believe I know which way to go, but I should scout ahead first.” He tucks her behind a large set of stalagmites and is gone before she can argue.
Enveloped in the darkness once again, Lilliana feels a cold draft and senses they are close to freedom. She slows her breathing and focuses on her sense of smell. A stale musty, cold cave is all she finds. Syrran said to wait, but from the passage on the right, she can hear a soft dripping as condensation slides from the ceiling spires. Drip, drip, drip, like the very heartbeat of the mountain. Using the rough cave wall to guide her she creeps blindly along towards the sound.
Lured to the possibility Lilliana continues. Soon the drops become louder and she can hear them echoing all around her. Her eyes begin to see a dim glow and she can see a few feet in front of her. To her astonishment, she finds a small stream! The black water is full of phosphorescent creatures, but when she bends to look in the water they scatter and the light fades.
Syrran returns and his stomach drops. Lilliana is gone! “Damn!” He spins around and quickly runs down the second passage. He knows they are running out of time. He growls as he passes through another cave. She couldn’t have gone far in the dark. “I’m going to tie her to me from now on!” He mutters as he turns back towards where he left her.
“Please,” Lilliana whispers kneeling on the ground she stares at the phosphorescent creatures hidden in the black velvety darkness of the stream, “help me.” Her hand hovers over the water and she feels the pressure of a song desperate to be released. It builds inside of her until holding it in becomes excruciating.
Lilliana sings and at the first note, the very mountain itself pauses to listen.
“No!” Syrran shouts and he turns running in the direction of her song.
Beneath her hand, the firefly-like creatures swirl frantically beneath the swirling water and the cavern fills with the light of a thousand stars. The pain in her soul shifts to her hands as the power builds.
Syrran bursts into the cavern behind her and jerks her back just as the small creature’s stream up and out of the water in a wave of light. Their illumination fills the black cave with bright light as they soar towards the far rocky wall. Empowered by her long dormant voice, they smash against the wall on the opposite side of the cavern. Their contact blows through the rock towards the surface. The resulting explosion of power irradiates the mountain in a brilliant display of light and sound. The cave fills with dust and falling debris as the sunlight cuts through to shine on their exit to freedom.
Lilliana is stunned, “Not what I was planning, but it will do. Time to go!”
Syrran is speechless and Lilliana laughs at the shocked look on his face. Giddy from the release of her song she does not wait for him as she scrambles towards freedom. The moment the sun touches her face her soul nearly bursts with joy. Two hundred years of captivity and finally, she is free! Ignoring the rocks and debris she stands on the edge and smiles.
Lilliana feels the power of the sun on her skin and fills her body with its warmth. They may have severed her wings, but she has other gifts. Rejuvenated by the sun and fresh air, she draws on the magic of the earth and leaps to the trees. She jumps from tree top to tree top.
Syrran follows quickly stumbling over the rocks to the newly formed cave mouth. He knows they will all be after them now. Her magic may be weakened but when she sings her power is undeniable. “Wait, Lilliana!” Syrran yells. Her bliss is tangible, he feels it in his heart, but so will the others and she has just proven to them that she is still capable of powerful magic.
Lilliana hears his plea, but she is flooded by the lure of freedom. The sun soaks her starved body refueling her spirit. The wind blows and washes away the stench of the underworld. The river! Oh, how she longs to feel its cool touch!
Syrran leaps to the trees and follows her. His passage through the high branches knocks foliage and small branches down as he blurs past. He quickly catches up to her, only to groan in frustration when she laughs and leaps away, this time to the ground below the canopy of the trees.
“Come on Drow, keep up!” she teases and runs toward a river.
“Damnit, I didn’t want to have to do this.” He draws his bow and whispers a spell over the dark arrow, taking aim. Lilliana is placing them both in danger and she needs to stop. He releases the arrow with a twang of the bow string and it flies true, sinking into her arm with a flash of purple light and mist.
Her eyes jerk to his in shock and she stumbles to the ground skidding to a stop at the base of a tree. He is at her side instantly and lifts her sleeping form. A Drow slumber potion is good for twenty-four hours. Enough time to get them far away from Micah, he hopes.
“Let them go!” Micah orders from the shadows of the new cave. She turns to her demons. “My venom runs in his veins, we will track him easily enough and he will lead us right to the child. Follow, but keep your distance. Her powers will strengthen but they will never be the same again. The poor fool doesn’t even know it yet. I almost feel sorr
y for her.” Her wicked laughter echoes inside the caverns and she steps towards the exit created by the blast to watch Syrran chase after the Dragon Singer. The six dark elves exit silently through the cavern to do as ordered.
Syrran hears the echoes of Micah’s laughter, “Time’s up Dragon Singer,” he whispers gathering her in his arms and runs. She will send others after them, but that matters little. Once he reaches the barrier of the Vale they will be safe, hopefully. Another whispered spell and he wraps them both in his gifted cloak from the queen. It will shield their scent and buy him some more time. If only he had a moment to think!
His orders were to recover her with the child and bring them to the Elf Queen. His sister, Nienna was to reclaim the child and take her to safety. For now, he will deal with the soldiers following him and get Lilliana away to safety. Then he will decide what to do next.
With a glance behind him, the six following him look to be no match for him. He only allowed himself to be captured. Micah will be able to track him for hours unless he can rid himself of the poison from her bite.
How to buy time to get Lilliana away? He leaps to the canopy of the trees and wraps Lilliana in a spell of invisibility. Looking at her sleeping form, he is torn. If he leaves her behind it will place her in danger, but he must if he is to stall the band tracking them. Thanks to her gift in the caves, he is at full strength again. Syrran gently brushes the hair from her face and leaves her while he can.
Standing in the tree tops, he whispers another spell. The cloak given to him by Queen Amalie has her magic woven into every thread and it gives him the ability to camouflage. Funneling his power into his hands he leaps from tree top to tree top until he spies them below. Silently he drops to the earth and moves up behind two of the unsuspecting dark elves. Syrran tosses a rock and when one looks away, he shoves the other sending him sprawling.
His partner laughs at the clumsiness and the fight is on! Drawn by the noise the other four turn and snarl at the two beating on each other. The leader scowls and grabs them by their silver hair lifting them from their feet.
“Cease! Or I will take your heads myself!” He tosses them to the ground.
“Move out! They can’t have gone far and a storm is coming! Find us shelter!” He yells to the two on the ground. The other four fan out to search for tracks.
Hidden, Syrran grins from the tree he is leaning up against. When the group moves on he follows silently behind the two, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He follows and sighs when they choose a cavern leading underground for their shelter.
Drow are magical beings that are born with unique abilities. Syrran is a warlock, he is highly powerful, but these six will be immune to any of his poisons and they may have the ability to detect any strong magic. This makes the situation difficult, he will have to kill them in the old ways.
“This will have to do. The storm is moving in fast. Let’s go tell the boss,” the smaller of the two scouts says turning to leave.
When they leave to contact their companions Syrran searches the cavern. He smells something familiar and moves deeper into the cave. Finding a solution to his current problem he moves back to the entrance. Quickly moving around the inside of the cave entrance he lines the cavern walls with rocks enchanted with an explosive spell meant to fragment and draw blood, not kill.
“All that leaves is this,” he whispers and slices his palm open with his dagger. Squeezing his hand into a fist he dribbles his blood around the cavern. The smell of the rich blood wafts around the cave. Quickly, he wraps up his hand and escapes to wait outside under the darkening skies for his pursuers to return to the cave. He ignores the cracks of lightening and the wailing of the wind as the storm grows closer. The six return and hurry inside for protection.
Soon they have a fire lit and are talking amongst themselves. When the first enchanted crystal detonates, it sets off a chain reaction and rocks explode all around the cavern. The small crystallized rocks are like miniature shrapnel grenades. Small pieces perforate or slice the Drow splattering their blood all around the rocky cavern. They dive for cover trying to avoid the blasts.
A low rumble rolls out of the blackness of the cavern the following silence. The bloodied hunters freeze and for a fraction of a second, look at each other in shocked awareness before running towards the exit.
Syrran removes his hood and smiles in the pouring rain. They see a flash of his golden eyes before he raises a hand and sends bolts of lightning into the rocks above the entrance. It collapses and seals their tomb.
The six are stunned. “He could have killed us. What kind of game is this!” the younger one asks. The fire flickers as the air shifts from the tunnels deep in the cavern warning of what is to come. Weapons are drawn and the six move back to back.
“Tell me, that you idiots cleared the cave before you brought us to this tomb!” The leader growls. A blast of air blows the six back and the fire snuffs out.
Syrran listens for the screaming he knows will come. His blood and the explosions will have woken the beasts beneath the earth, giving them a taste of the dinner he provided for them.
This shelter is home to a cave bear family. They hibernate together for warmth and protection. He counted eight beneath the earth while searching for the right rocks to make his bombs. The first roar sounds out and the others answer. When the screaming starts, Syrran returns to Lilliana and picks her up. He looks for any more pursuers and leaps away to find them shelter from the blowing storm.
Chapter 7
Nienna watches the truck pass her and lifts her hand, she whispers a spell. Jeans, shirt, and boots with her long blonde hair blowing in her face, she looks like any other attractive woman in their twenties. When the truck begins to pour smoke from the engine and slow down, Nienna pulls her red jeep out and drives up behind them.
Brynley is sleeping with Farley when the truck starts to stutter. Edward mutters under his breath and gives a quick glance at the child. He has to get her to safety, but his old truck has other ideas. The noise grows worse and smoke pours from under the hood now. He pulls over and cuts the engine just as Brynley wakes up.
“Papa?” she asks, yawning and sits up.
“It’s okay, give me a second. Stay in the truck.” He steps out of the truck and pops the hood making sure to stand back while white steam and smoke pours out.
Nienna pulls up behind him and cuts her engine. She steps lightly from the jeep and walks around to stand beside Edward.
“Looks like you’re having a spot of trouble. Can I help?” she asks.
Edward barely looks at the young woman and grumbles. “Not unless you know how to fix a blown engine.”
“No, but I can get you to Scotland much faster than any jet plane, Mr. MacLaren,” she quips with a smile.
He steps back towards the cab of the truck and all color fades from his face. “I’ll not let you take her from me!” he states balling up his fists.
Nienna throws up her hands to show him she is not a threat.
“I’m here to help, Mr. MacLaren. We don’t have much time before they find you again and my brother will not be here to help next time.”
Brynley is looking through the glass and watching her Grandpa speak to the pretty lady. When their eyes meet, Brynley jumps back startled when the woman speaks to her mind.
‘Brynley, I am Nienna, a friend.’
Pain beats at him as he stares at the girl and back at the child. “What do you mean, your brother?”
“That snake was no child’s spell, Edward. Brynley is being hunted by the Elves, both dark, and light. There is nowhere that you know that she will be safe.”
Edward is shocked. The wind blows while he stares at the woman in front of him and back at his great-grandchild.
“Let me help you,” she implores.
Brynley opens the truck door, Farley leaps down and rushes over to them. He leans against the lady, clearly besotted with her and she bends down to rubs his ears.
“Hello, Farley.
What a good dog you are. A hero to be sure!” Nienna looks at Brynley and smiles.
Edward looks at the dog and then at Brynley. “What do you think lass, can she be trusted?”
“She is sparkly, Papa.” She slips a tiny hand inside her grandpa’s and nods yes. “Not like the others. We can trust her.”
Edward looks at his truck and then at her jeep. “You say the Elves are after us, what does that make you? What did you mean by your brother helped us?” Edward demands.
“My brother bought you enough time to escape. Brynley called and he answered. I will get your bags, but we must get going.” She quickly loads the bags into her jeep and slams the gate on the back closed.
Edward helps put the car seat in the back seat and then buckles Brynley in. Farley leaps in the back beside her and Edward returns to his truck to grab his sword and tartan before climbing carefully inside the jeep. His body is stiffening more with each second and he is having problems breathing through the pain in his ribs.
Nienna starts the jeep and looks over at him. His lips are pursed shut to avoid crying out in pain and his breathing is rapid. She can feel his pain beating at her. With a gentle touch, she places a hand on top of his and whispers a spell.
The magic washes through his body and the pain eases. He feels the warmth and his eyes widen.
“That should help, Edward. I promise all your questions will be answered once we are safe. Rest while you can, I will wake you when we get closer.”
“Thank you,” his eyes are heavy and already closing. He leans the chair back and turns towards the door. Within moments his heavy breathing fills the cabin.
Brynley unbuckles and covers him with his tartan, then pats him. “Are you a fairy?” she asks softly. The love in the simple gesture is touching.
