by Candy Nicks
"I did him wrong. I will put it right."
"And you will absolve me?"
"That too. I need to be quiet for a moment. Let the Crystal read my request."
Joining with the Crystal was an ecstasy like no other. Some became hopelessly addicted to the union with the Source and now she understood why. Never had she experienced this level of unification. For a long moment she was lost to everything but the all-knowing force of its desires.
Let this be temporary. Hear my plea, Mother of all things. Do not make me carry these sins for all time, just long enough for Ancel to get away. Look into my heart and find my sacrifice worthy of this plea. I will praise you for the rest of my life, this I promise.
"Carine. Carine!"
"What?” She looked around, dazed and disappointed to find herself back in the room with Vin. “No,” she said. “I want to go back."
"Snap out of it, girl.” The connection severed abruptly and she looked down to find her palm empty, the symbols still in place.
"Did it work?” Vin touched his fingers to his head. “I don't feel anything."
She didn't either. Without the Crystal life was meaningless. “Give it back. Just a moment more ... please?"
Vin dropped the now-lifeless Crystal smartly back into its box. “That's it, sweetie. If it didn't work this time, it's never going to work. Want to get this baby back on the market. Recover some of my credits so I can have me another try with a Wish-in-Hand. Double the insurance, as it were.” He gave a humourless laugh. “Now, you come here."
He was a chameleon. One moment a pathetic shell of a man, the next razor-sharp and serpent-like, his small eyes glittering with malevolence. The window of opportunity closed tight. She could only hope that she'd managed to fool him while her mind was blocked. And that the Crystal had found her worthy of the boon she'd asked of it.
Vin's sharp fingernails dug into her skull, clamping tight as his mind invaded hers. He shook uncontrollably with the effort, nearly crushing her skull in his desire to read her every thought.
"What are you hiding?” He pressed harder, a scowl on his face. “You'd better not be up to anything. No-one double crosses me."
"I did as you asked,” she replied, heart thumping, head spinning. “Nothing more, nothing less. Let go, you're hurting me."
"Has it worked?"
"I don't know."
"Dammit woman, open up.” He shook her hard, eyes shining with vicious intent. “Stop trying to block me."
"I'm not.” She clawed at him, to no avail. Suddenly he stopped, as if listening to something she couldn't hear. She drew in a desperate breath, and watched a slow smile light up his face.
"You did it.” He let go and shoved her aside. “You actually did it."
"Don't,” she said staggering away, holding up both hands. “Don't ever touch me again...” She closed her eyes and doubled over. Images from his life flashed through her mind. “No ... You evil..."
"Not pretty is it? Yours, on the other hand ... You stole your sister's hair ribbon when you were five summers old? Is that all? Oh, and forcefully enslaving Ancel for your own selfish ends. That's more like it, but I don't think it's going to hamper my entry to Paradise for too long."
Vin prattled on in the background, buoyed up by his newly-cleansed soul. Carine could hardly stand under the weight of his sins.
"Bitten off more than you can chew? You can pray all you like. There's no going back, sweetheart."
The symbols tingled, faintly, reminding her of the other part of her plan. “Ancel. How does he get out?"
"I'll bribe a couple of the guards. I'll let you know when. You really think he'll go without you?"
"If the Bond is broken, he will hate me, probably more so than before for having put him through this. Yes, he will go."
"Don't even think of going with him. The charge would fry a small thing like you."
"I'll keep my word if you will keep yours. If the Crystal read my intention, then the Bonding is broken, I want him out tonight, tomorrow at the latest. And I want that medic for Brynn."
"Or you'll what? I gave you the code. It's up to Ancel to escape without getting himself killed."
"You promised a medic for Brynn. You lying..."
"If he lives, he lives. If he dies, well, the organ bank will give us a good price for him. Now run along, I'd like to be alone with my shiny new soul."
He dismissed her with a wave, tucking the Crystal back into his sleeve. Inside her pounding head, the images continued to flash, one after the other in an endless loop. Parading Vin's life before her horrified eyes. I can control this, she told herself. I can. She ran from the room, past the guard who called on her to wait for an escort. She ignored him and ran on ahead, painfully aware of the other thing that was happening to her. The symbols. Nothing more than a flicker now. Like a flame about to go out, they sputtered and slowly started to fade.
Their room was empty.
The training room. She remembered Ancel had been scheduled for a work-out.
Spinning on her heels, she turned for the gym and, when there, threw herself at the door, wrenching at the handle, knowing it would be locked, but desperate to get to Ancel before his symbols faded too. One last touch was all she asked.
"Let me in.” She turned to the panicked guard who now had her by the arm. “Unlock the door. I have to see him."
"What's with you?” he said, holding her tighter.
"Nothing.” She forced herself to be calm. Outwardly at least. Didn't the man realise how urgent this was? “Ancel said I could train with him ... I'm late ... I forgot ... Please let me in."
The guard frowned. “Bloody irregular."
"I'll make it worth your while."
The guard grinned and looked her up and down. “Done.” He punched in the access code and pushed open the door. “I'll see you later then?"
"Yes.” She'd already forgotten him. In front of her stood a man. Impossibly tall, broad as a barn. A sword held aloft. Short spiky hair as bright as the sun.
An Eagle warrior. Lacking the long flowing locks for which they were famed, but with that hair colouring he could be nothing else. Instinctively she glanced around for somewhere to hide.
"Well, if it isn't my little Moon-Child.” The warrior lowered the sword, pointing it at her throat. “What-Did-You-Do?” He stepped towards her, his eyes full of murderous intent. “Moon-Child witch. What did you do to me?"
* * * *
Carine searched the jumble of thoughts and memories crowding her mind. Why had they locked her in here with an Eagle warrior, her greatest enemy? Was this just another sick entertainment for the decadents? She looked around for the cameras. Cold steel touched the tender flesh of her neck.
"Don't hurt me, please. Here,” she said remembering what she had in her pocket. “It's an access code for the slave bracelets. See if it fits yours. You can have it, only don't hurt me."
The warrior snatched the metal strip and frowned. “How did you get this?"
"I bargained for it. Can you use it?"
He pushed it into the notch on the bracelet. With a small whirring sound, the band fell in two, clattering to the floor. The warrior picked them up and snapped the bracelet once again onto his wrist. The strip he tucked into the back pocket of his leather pants.
Thank the Goddess. Carine took a step back. I might yet live through this.
The warrior frowned at her. “I called you my Moon-Child. Why? Should I know you?"
"I'm merely a slave here, like you. Why are we together in this room?"
The warrior glanced at his palms, one after the other, then took her hands and peered down at them, turning them over to look at the backs. “I do know you. You did something ... tell me what.” He was calmer now, mystified by something he didn't understand.
"My Wish-in-Hand.” Carine glanced at her own palms. “It's gone."
"I think you gave it to me. For my life."
She strained to sort out her memories from Vin's. “Yes, I re
member now. You were in the slave cart. Dying. The Wish chose to save you. And then I...” She couldn't meet his accusing eyes. “And then I Bonded with you."
"And then you made me your slave.” He snorted in disgust. “An Eagle warrior, slave to a Moon-Child. I ought to kill you right now.
"But you owe me. For the access code. And for saving your life. If you have any honour, you will repay your debt."
"You dare question my honour? After what you did? I remember now. Night after night, I fought for you, thinking this real. When all the time it was nothing but a snare, woven from your lies."
Memories flooded back. Her skin heating at the things they'd done. Shame overtaking her for the way she'd used him. “Ancel.” He looked surprised to hear his name on her lips. “I'm truly sorry for what I did. But I've paid for my sin, believe me. Now you have the access code, you can leave this place. Tonight the guards will turn a blind eye."
He nodded. “Honour demands that I take you with me. I must repay my debt to you."
"There's no need. You've more than discharged your debt. I only had one code, and it's yours. The charge would probably kill me. I can't go with you."
"Why would you do this for me?"
"I wanted to put right the wrong. Reset time. You were never meant to be Bound to a Moon-Child."
"I was destined to die in the slave cart. Why did the Wish choose me, of all people?"
"I don't know. The Wish has wisdom beyond our understanding. It sees things that we do not. Ancel, Things are as they were before the Bonding. Now you may return home with your head held high."
"My capture shamed my family. I can no longer return home. I will go west and offer my sword arm to the highest bidder."
"I'm sorry for that.” His big warm hand still held hers. His touch achingly familiar. Bizarre as the pairing was, the Wish had chosen for a reason. His nearness sent her pulse racing.
"No blame lies with you for that. I was careless, and paid the price.” Ancel threw down the sword and called for the guard, thumping on the door as he did so. “We're finished in here. Open up.” They heard the muffled voice of the guard shouting for back-up.
"Carine, I..."
She ducked away from his touch. The Bond had been broken to make him hate her. What good would it do to rekindle what they'd had? They followed the nervous guards in silence and once in their cell she ran to the bathing-room and closed the door. This was what she'd wanted; what she'd asked for. Time to show her true Moon-Child colours and practice a little of their famed acceptance. She washed her face and combed her hair. Brushed her teeth and dusted a little colour onto her pale cheeks. She'd given Ancel leave to start a new life and Goddess-willing, at the turn of the first moon Vin would have his sins back. Perhaps she could persuade him, before he sold it, to let her hold the Crystal once more. Life as a slave would be more bearable if she could erase the memories of her time with Ancel.
Ancel passed her as she left the bathing-room, and minutes later she heard the shower beating down and his deep baritone singing songs of his homeland. He'd once asked her how she ever thought the Bonding would work. Well, now she had her answer. It worked very well. But love meant nothing if not freely given. She had bested him with Magic, nothing more. And soon he would be a free man. Everything was again as it should be.
Chapter 12
He needed clothes that would blend. Stop him standing out. In this City, where stunted growth was the norm, his height already marked him as an outsider. That and his hair. It had started to grow out, but he kept it short, liking the freedom it gave him. Now he shaved it all off, knowing that yellow hair would mark him as more than an outsider. The only Eagle tribesmen within the City walls were slaves.
Preparing for escape occupied him for a short while and took his mind off Carine. He was angry with her, yes, but that was nothing new. His initial fury at being Bonded against his will had simmered for a good while beneath the surface of their passion. It had tangled and woven itself into a helpless wanting and a desire so strong that he had wondered how either of them would survive it. He pulled on what he hoped would pass for artisan's clothes. Brown pants, a matching long-sleeved shirt which covered his tribal tattoo. Soft leather boots. His bald head would simply be one of many. Getting out of the compound would be easy. Breaching the City walls, less so. Perhaps the injuries he'd sustained in the fights had changed his configuration sufficiently to fool the scanners? That he wouldn't know until he was walking through the gates...
And now, the problem of Carine—something he couldn't ignore any longer. Whatever she'd done to break the Bonding was eating her from the inside. She sat in the centre of the bed, dry-eyed, but very obviously distraught. Arms wrapped about her body, putting on a brave face every time he glanced at her. The false smile wearing a little thin now. She hadn't eaten a thing all day.
"Eat, Carine. I'll be setting a hard pace. You'll need your strength if you're to keep up with me."
"I'm staying. I can't come with you."
"Look,” he said sitting on the edge of the bed. “I'm sorry I scared you earlier. For a moment, all this ... it just disappeared. You must remember what we've been through here."
He kept still when she shuffled away from him, not wanting to scare her further. “I'll carry you over the perimeter. The effects of the charge will last perhaps a few hours, a day. When you regain your strength we will leave the City. I'll take you through as my slave and then I'll take you home. Don't you want to go home?"
"That's a stupid question. Of course I want to go home.” At last, a reaction that wasn't blind resignation, or fear. “The perimeter charge, it would disable you, but there's a chance it might kill me."
"It's unlikely but you, of all people, won't take that chance? This is not the Carine I knew."
"You don't know the real Carine. Just as I don't know the real Ancel. All I know is what the Magic told me. And now that's gone. I've made amends. Leave it at that."
"Don't flinch from me.” Ancel took a deep breath to control his rising temper. Before him, without doubt, sat the most stubborn woman on the planet. “What does it take to get you to listen to reason? Calm down, will you?"
"I am calm,” she threw back at him, sounding anything but. “Haven't you got somewhere to be?” A pillow whizzed past his head. “I've set you free. Why don't you go?"
She picked up another pillow, but he was too fast for her. Before she could throw it, he had her on her back, arms pinned at her side. “You're not a coward, Carine, so stop behaving like one. For better or worse, you can't deny what happened between us. We've been through too much to simply forget it all."
"I'll call security. Let me go."
"The cameras are covered. Stop wriggling. You're distracting me."
She immediately went still beneath him, allowing him to study her. Her carefully-blank expression gave nothing away. Dark eyes, looking right through him, lips that he'd kissed too many times to count, pressed together in a tight line. He let go his hold on her and pushed back her hair, remembering the tumbling dark masses that had been hacked off without ceremony in the slave market. The way she'd tried so hard to escape with him, and then, after their capture, endured everything that had been thrown at her.
He ignored the way she fit into the contours of his body, her breasts pressing against the soft fabric of his shirt. The familiar smell of her clean skin. With a pang of shame, he remembered the first time he took her. Would that be how she'd remember him? He shifted over her and propped himself on his elbows, making a cage of his body.
"How did you break the Bond? You said it could not be undone. ‘You die, I die'; remember that?"
"I was wrong. Vin found me a Crystal powerful enough to do the job."
"The job?” He arched his brows. “Is that what I am now? Come on, don't treat me like a fool. Vin wouldn't let me go unless there was a very big something in it for him."
"I used the Crystal to cure him. Or at least give him a few extra years of life. In return, he g
ave me one access code. Yours. I broke the Bond because I knew you wouldn't run without me."
Dipping his head, he whispered close to her ear. “Did you really think I'd go without you? Even if I hated you, you must have known I would want to repay my debt to you?"
"I want you to hate me. Please let me go."
"Well, that's too bad. Because I don't. I'm mad at you, yes. You're certainly the most infuriating woman I've ever met. You're also the most determined, the most stubborn, the most selfless.” He tried to imagine life without her, and failed. “Carine, you're quite simply..."
"No.” She touched his mouth, stopping the words. “Don't say it. Find that anger you showed me back in the training room. There are some credits I earned in a pouch on the chest. Take them—you'll need supplies to get you home."
He pressed a swift kiss to her fingers. “You are also the most aggravating and the bossiest woman I've ever encountered. And, believe me, I've met a few."
The blow to his arm hardly registered. He was too taken with the way her eyes positively shone with anger. The rage would do her good, and hopefully take some of the steam out of her defiance. She hit him again, square in the chest. Strange not to feel the tingle of the symbols as her flat palm slapped against him. “That was pathetic. You want a fight? I'll give you one. But the outcome will be the same. You will do as I say."
Her knee dug into his crotch. The air left his lungs in a rush. He rolled from her, catching his breath while she jumped from the bed and faced him, fists raised. “Come on then,” she said. “I'll fight you with everything I have."
By the Gods, what an exciting woman. Painfully hard for her already, he adjusted his pants and refocused. Only one way this would end if he didn't keep a careful rein on his lust. He stood and took the blows she rained on him, easily fending her off when she went for his crotch again. She persevered, doggedly working out all her frustrations, until she tripped and fell panting against him. Stroking her back and hair, he held her, letting her recover, murmuring quiet words of encouragement.
