by Missy Jane
She laughed and ran a hand down one side of his face. “Yes. But you are impossible to resist. Perhaps we can be quick?”
He looked her over, his manhood hardening at the sight. “I’ll try, but no promises.”
She laughed again and helped him out of his clothes.
The barest whisper of sound woke Zephara hours later. Her body knew the sun had yet to rise, but someone called out to her. She listened and opened her eyes when she realized it was a wizard’s call, a summons sensed through magic more than heard. She sat up and looked at the man beside her, her Gargoyle Master, her eternal-mate.
She wouldn’t shame him by failing the test tomorrow. Everything rode on it and she would make both her people and her mate proud of her. Though she couldn’t imagine forgetting a second of their time together, she knew the power of the collective wizards was unmatched. She wouldn’t allow that to happen.
After leaving a kiss on his lips, she left the bed and dressed to head downstairs and face the Nineteen.
They waited in the dining room at the massive table that fit them all. Bastien sat at the head of the table, leaving the foot open for her. She sat and mentally prepared herself.
“Zephara, we will begin with our questions, then move on to yours. After lunch is served, you will meet with the King’s Weapons Master for one final lesson. Then you will be taken to the site of your final test,” Bastien said.
A servant set breakfast in front of her but her appetite had fled. She nodded and waited for the questions to begin.
Each wizard quizzed her on various spells and castings, as well as her general knowledge of the people of Haldor and all of Lenara. Though she would remain a citizen of Pastel, and her loyalty to her High King would always come first, the Twenty primarily served the kingdom of Haldor and the King’s people. She was given various scenarios in which her interests might conflict, and asked to resolve the issues. She did so to the best of her ability, remaining as faithful to her people as possible while still holding the King’s best interests.
Though it seemed days had passed, she was finally fed lunch late in the afternoon. Her thoughts drifted back to Wynn as she ate. What was he doing now? Did he think of her when they were apart? Would she see him before being taken to the testing site?
As soon as she finished eating Gregori escorted her to a large work shed beside the barn. A massive human male stood testing swords as they entered.
“Marcus,” Gregori greeted. “This is Zephara. She is already well trained in many weapons, but you are to go over each and every one within these walls and aid her in having a basic grasp of all.”
Marcus nodded to them both but remained silent.
“This will take the whole of the afternoon,” Gregori said. “Then you will be escorted to the testing site, where you will rest until the test begins at dawn. Any questions?”
“Not about the test.” She hesitated, but when he merely waited patiently she carried on. “Will I see Wynn before my test?”
“No. He’s been informed and will know you once the test is complete.”
Then he spun on his heel and promptly left.
“Know me?”
She looked at Marcus but he had turned away to fiddle with an axe. The wizard’s odd choice of words concerned her, but she couldn’t do with the distraction right now. With a shrug she removed her cape and lifted a short sword to begin her lessons.
They went through every type of sword known throughout Lenara. They tested various knives and axes. Marcus seemed especially taken with the war hammer and spiked mace, but she preferred the bow and arrows. Then he showed her how to poison a dart without injuring herself, and how to use the blowgun.
By the time they were through, the sun had set and torches lined the shed. Marcus set down the final weapon, a lance taller than Zephara, and turned away.
“You’ve learned all you can from me, Lady. Good luck on the ’morrow.”
She grinned as the quiet man lumbered off. “Thank you, Marcus. Goodnight.”
He raised a hand but didn’t turn around.
She set to putting the weapons away, admiring some of the swords’ intricate etchings before sheathing them. A sound caught her ear and she looked up to find Frederik approaching.
“It is time, Zephara. Are you ready?”
That was a heavily loaded question. She took a deep breath and set the final sword aside before giving a nod. “Yes, sir. I’m ready.”
“Good. You will find a cot at the back of the shed. There you will rest until dawn. Then you will face your final test.”
“My test will be in here?”
He rubbed his chin. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. It will be clearer in the morning. But know this, what you face at dawn is your test.”
Then he turned around and strode back to the castle.
His words haunted her. What would she face come sunrise? A sliver of fear took hold and she stepped out of the shed to face the castle. Somewhere inside Wynn waited for her, and she ached to be in his arms tonight. But there would be times that proved impossible. As a protector of the realm he would be called away from time to time. She would also have to attend the King as needed and meet with the other wizards when called, possibly at a moment’s notice. Her life wouldn’t be entirely her own anymore. Would Wynn mind? It was a lifestyle he already knew. Surely he would understand.
They hadn’t spoken of their future together. She sensed he was waiting for this final test before they spoke of such things, though he hadn’t voiced any doubts of her passing this test. Where would they live? Would his brothers welcome her into their home? This was the worst time for her to doubt Wynn, but she decided it was better to dwell on something other than the upcoming test and the repercussions of failure.
When no answers were forthcoming and her worries only grew, she found the cot and set it out near the front of the shed. She would sleep with a view of the stars this night and not dwell on that which she couldn’t control. Wynn loved her as she loved him. They would find a way to be together, no matter where they lived. Their times apart would be unpleasant but not impossible. All would be well. She would accept nothing less.
She finally fell asleep when the moon was high in the sky, and dreamt of being in Wynn’s arms.
Once again she was awakened by a light sound, but this one differed from the last. She sat up and looked into the shadows as the sun’s rays barely crested the horizon. Dawn. Her test had begun.
Still fully clothed, she stood and walked into the shed to grab a short sword. Then she hefted a bag of arrows on her back and grabbed a long bow. She returned to the door and stepped out into the chill morning air, wishing she’d grabbed her cape.
Footsteps sounded in the woods facing the shed door and she waited to see which wizard would greet her, but the shape pushing through the brush was too large. Massive shoulders shook the leaves from the bushes as a gargoyle in full fighting form emerged. Wynn stepped out and faced her, a scowl on his handsome face.
“Wynn? I thought I wouldn’t see—”
He growled low in his chest, but loud enough to scare the birds from the trees.
Then he charged.
Chapter Eleven
The days stretched slowly and the road seemed to last into eternity, but Theda couldn’t find it in herself to care. She watched the man beside her from the corner of her eye, taking in his overwhelmingly masculine presence.
She still couldn’t believe he seemed so enamored of her…or her body at least. Every night since their first night together had been heaven. He was a patient and attentive lover, always seeming to give more than he received. She did everything she could to reciprocate, and hoped he enjoyed her as much as she enjoyed him.
They seemed to get along when not in a bed as well, a rare occurrence for her with any man. He talked at length about Halstrid, Ilstred, and the people he protected, but ra
rely mentioned the King. She wondered about that but didn’t ask why. Just thinking about her father made her stomach tremble.
They came upon a stream and stopped to rest. Kephas removed Triton’s saddle and set it on the ground for her to sit upon while he allowed the stallion to drink and graze. Giga frolicked in the grass nearby.
“Are you hungry?” Kephas asked.
“No, not really. We had a large breakfast.”
He grinned at the memory. Their breakfast had included fruit that he had eaten off her breasts.
“Yes,” he replied. “Breakfast was quite a treat.”
She looked away to hide her smile and he chuckled.
“You really do indulge in—”
Her words were cut off as a large animal burst through the tall grass and pounced on an unsuspecting Giga.
“Giga!” she screamed.
Kephas drew his sword but she was closer. On instinct she raised a hand and sent a blast of fire toward the odd creature. It moved too quickly and her flame missed, hitting a patch of dry grass instead.
“Oh gods, no.”
“Put that fire out while I fight it,” Kephas said as he ran past her.
Giga struggled against the creature, which was at least four times its size. The pair rolled away from the flaming grass and Kephas began hacking through the thing’s hard shell. Theda ran to the burning grass and stomped on it as fast as she could. Luckily only a small patch had lit and it didn’t seem to be spreading very quickly. After a few heart-pounding minutes she finally snuffed out the last ember. She looked around at the scorched earth in dismay, coughing on the smoke that met her.
“Are you all right?” Kephas asked.
She turned to find him standing over the dead creature, his sword sticking out from its chest. Giga sat just behind his boots, peeking out at her with one eye.
“Y-yes…fine. Giga?”
“Giiiigaaaaa. Goooooood.”
Kephas smiled. “Looks like you’re both all right.”
She nodded and looked around at the mess she’d made. “But look what I’ve done.”
“Yes. We need to discuss your affinity for magic.”
She turned and headed for the creek, unsure of what to say or how to say it. She had very little magic and every time she used it she always seemed to make things worse. Her mother had convinced her it wasn’t worth it to even try, but sometimes it simply flew out of her like a bird from its cage.
“Did your mother have the ability to call fire as well?”
She ignored him for a moment and knelt at the edge of the stream. He waited until after she had washed her hands and face before quietly sitting beside her.
“Yes,” she finally said. “But she was a healer too. She had the ability to do good with her magic. While I… No good ever seems to come from what I can do.”
“Did she train you to use it?”
“No, not really. The village where we lived was full of superstitious people. We tried to hide it as much as possible.”
“Ah.”
She looked at him. He sat with his arms wrapped around his knees as he watched the clouds pass overhead.
“What?”
“You need to learn how to use the magic running through your blood. It doesn’t serve you well because you can’t control it. It controls you. We’re heading to a land of wizards, Theda. The Twenty are the most magical beings in all of Lenara. Any of them could easily train you.”
It was a grand idea. If her father didn’t order one of them to kill her first.
* * * * *
Two weeks later, Theda saw the gates of Halstrid rise before her. A lump formed in her belly. She was going to be sick, and the movement of the horse beneath her wasn’t helping. She pulled Triton’s reigns and he dutifully stopped, allowing her to slide to the ground.
“What is it?” Kephas asked.
He was the most attentive man she’d ever met. No sooner could she shiver than he’d have a blanket around her shoulders. If she made a single odd sound he was there to check on her. Nothing escaped his notice where she was concerned. Not even her own mother had treated her so. It overwhelmed her at times.
“Nothing. I…don’t feel well.”
They’d been traveling for weeks, taking their time to get to Halstrid. He’d insisted they stop at an inn every night to rest. Even in Keva, where all the women seemed to know him, he remained at her side and tended to her as though she was royalty. Of course, she was royalty, but he didn’t know that. He treated her as a companion, and she’d spent every night in his arms. Would that change when he learned the truth?
Nervousness ate at her when she thought of her father and the meeting ahead. Should she confess to Kephas now that she was the runaway princess? Would he be forced to imprison her, or worse, kill her? Too many unknowns held her tongue as she rubbed a hand over her belly to ease the ache.
Her rash decision to journey here now seemed like the worst choice she could have made. Fear of being alone had prompted her initially, along with anger over whatever her father had done to cause her mother’s need for escape. But now she was at a loss as to how she should proceed. The ever aware Gargoyle watched her and immediately grabbed his waterskin from his saddlebag.
“Here, drink.”
She shook her head. “No. Thank you. I won’t be able to hold even that down, I fear.”
He kept the water in hand as they continued toward Halstrid. Triton needed no prompting to remain at their sides and Giga followed along the edge of the road. Amazingly the little creature had found them again and again, every time they left a populated area, and seemed content to stay with them. Once in Halstrid she didn’t know what would happen to him.
“Will there be a place for Giga in Halstrid?” she asked.
Giga’s head jerked her way, its small pink tongue hanging out as it panted.
“If he remains with us into the city, I’ll make certain he’s welcome in my home. My brothers won’t mind.”
“That’s good. I’d feel bad about abandoning him on the road…once I find where I’m going.”
A thick brow went up but he made no comment. They continued on in silence.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind of every piece of information her mother had let slip over the years. The Queen had felt imprisoned by her King, despite being treated well. They’d fought often in the privacy of their rooms, but after one heated argument in public he had demanded she remain in the castle.
That had been her breaking point and, while the King had been in council with the Twenty, she had bundled Theda up, running off into the night. Theda didn’t know any more details than that of the night they left. Had her mother been considered a traitor to the realm?
From the corner of her eye she watched Kephas, who appeared to take in everything around them. Though he seemed more relaxed this close to Halstrid he was still on his guard. She was considering how to break the silence when flapping wings echoed through the trees. She looked ahead as two large men dropped from the sky to land before them. Their gray skin instantly changed to human tones. With a gasp she reached for Kephas. He took her hand but had a smile on his face.
“Brothers.”
“Kephas, you’ve returned from your quest.”
Both men matched Kephas in height and girth yet looked completely different. The speaker had golden brown hair cut short, but not shorn to his head. His hazel eyes assessed Theda as if she might be an enemy, but she sensed no aggression from him otherwise. The other man had eyes the color of spring grass and flaming red hair. He also had a ready smile on his face as he looked her over.
“You were successful?” he asked.
Kephas wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “This is Theda. We met on the road and I guided her back to Halstrid to find her father. Theda, these are two of my eleven brothers. This is Adalstan and Petros.�
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“Nice to meet you,” she mumbled.
Adalstan, the grimmer looking of the two, simply nodded. The red-headed Petros stepped forward and held out his hand. When she took it he raised hers to his mouth and kissed the back with a twinkle in his eye. Kephas growled and pulled her from Petros’ grasp. That seemed to amuse both of his brothers.
“We’re traveling to the castle now so she can rest. Then we’ll make inquiries about her father,” Kephas said.
“And the King? Should we send word you’ve returned?” Adalstan asked.
She stiffened but didn’t pull away. Kephas shook his head.
“Not yet.”
His brothers both nodded before turning back to stone. Large gray wings spread from their backs and they leapt into the sky. A gasp escaped as she craned her neck to watch them move against the clouds until they flew out of sight.
“I never imagined such a thing,” she whispered.
The awe in her voice stilled Kephas when he should have urged her to walk on. They were mere paces away from the Southeastern gates of Halstrid. He’d brought her on a route that would ensure they met little to no traffic. Though they hadn’t seen any trouble on the road other than the single beastly encounter, he was eager to get her into the realm where he could better ensure her safety.
He hadn’t missed her reaction to Adalstan’s mention of the King. What had caused it? Perhaps her mother had filled her head with stories of a cruel king who trapped her in her bedroom and refused to listen to her pleas? He truly didn’t know what had transpired between the King and Queen, but he knew the King had never beaten her or mistreated her in public. At least his brothers had caught on quickly and not mentioned anything further about his mission.
The gargoyles had spent little time around the Queen when she’d lived in the castle and Kephas barely remembered her. Looking at Theda now, he couldn’t imagine ever forgetting her beautiful face. Her mouth turned up in a radiant smile as she watched his brothers fly off, and he wanted her to look at him that way. He stowed his waterskin back in the saddle bag and whipped off his cloak, tossing it over Triton’s saddle.
