When they arrived at the mouth of the cave entrance to L’ago Mistero, everyone dismounted and led their horses through the narrow passage into the opening of the oasis. The side cavern that had functioned as a hospital ward now contained only one, small form.
Sophi joined Eric as he un-tacked his horse and turned it loose to drink and graze.
“Adonia and Layna are with her. I will stay long enough to stabilize her for travel, then I and my flight will return to Sh’r Un Kree.”
Eric stood loosely relaxed, watching his animal crop grass. “You surprise me. I spent the better half of the ride back here forming an argument I thought would sway you to return to Sh’r Un Kree.”
A small smile played across her face. “You will be traveling fast to Sylvan Mintoth on a well-marked road with no attempt to conceal your presence. You don’t need us for that.”
He turned to her and gently moved stray hair from her face. “When we have dealt with the Haarb, however long that takes, I will come for you.” He paused and examined her intently. “If you are willing.”
He prepared himself for her rejection. Her lovely aqua eyes held his for long moments. She took a breath to answer him. “I—”
“Flight Leader, Petrina is conscious and begging for you!” Layna called urgently. “Flight Leader!” The woman ran up breathless. “She insists on speaking with only you.”
Sophi flashed him a helpless look and allowed Layna to grab her hand and pull her toward the cave mouth. He closed his eyes. Triple hells. Bad timing. He followed a moment later.
Sophi knelt next to Petrina, mummified by her blankets. Sophi’s arms braced to either side of the woman’s shoulders. Petrina muttered hoarsely, floating in and out of delirium.
“Wants you. Krakoll. Attack Sh’r Un Kree. You. Hostage.” Petrina’s hoarse voice rose hysterically. “Told—not Sh’r Un Kree. Desert. Never where. Never told. Rhea tracked. Fell wolves.” She started to sob quietly, rocking from side to side.
“Shh, Petrina. Shh, dear friend.” Sophi’s hands fluttered down to still her friend’s agitated movements. It was obvious to Eric that Sophi didn’t know where to put her hands that would not add to the woman’s pain.
“Adonia, dose her with the sleeping draught and more opiate for pain. Examine her carefully. We need to know if they hurt her internally. When she is out, let’s get her to the lakeshore. I want to put her in the water and try to bring down this fever. She is burning up.”
Sophi sat back on her heels, head bowed. “Commander, did you hear her?” She rose and turned to face him. “Krakoll. The Haarb leader plans to attack Sh’r Un Kree. Evidently, I am the prize. We must warn them.”
“Yes.”
Sophi nodded and strode to the entrance of the cave. “Eudora! Maeve! Attend me.”
He watched as the grim-faced archers took her directions, quickly caught their horses and left.
A grave Sophi walked back to him. “I sent Eudora to Sylvan Mintoth to seek aid from my brother and Maeve returns to Sh’r Un Kree to warn the Primus.”
“Flight Leader, I think Krakoll allowed Rhea to escape to track her back to us. We might have eluded their trackers by leaving so quickly to rescue Petrina but they could still have found L’ago Mistero.”
“Yes. And it is an easy guess we would return here with Petrina.” Her teeth worried her bottom lip.
He spat out every vulgar oath he knew. “We cannot stay here.”
“I cannot move Petrina, Commander. We would finish what the Haarb started.”
“And you cannot stay. Krakoll is not interested in anyone but you. His plans for you threaten all of Verdantia. He will use you as a hostage, a very effective hostage. Your brother would do anything for you and the Queen and her consort will do anything for him. I say again. You. Cannot. Stay.”
Her shoulders slumped in defeat. “Do you have a plan, Commander?”
Eric shook his head. “I need a little time to think this through. Do as much for Petrina as you can and let me chew on our situation for a few minutes.” He winced as pain shot through his gut. I need to remember not to turn so quickly. He walked toward the opening of the cavern.
“Commander.” Sophi’s voice halted him. “Come back. You reopened your wound. I can see the blood seep from where I stand. You can ‘chew’ on our situation while I re-bandage you. Sit here.”
He reluctantly sat where she pointed.
She winced as she attempted to peel back his clothing to get to the bandages wrapping his groin. The blood had dried black and crusty, gluing all the material to his abused flesh. She threw her hands up in disgust. “This didn’t just happen. Go get in the lake. Soak your trousers and bandages off. Then come back.”
He didn’t argue.
* * *
“Ahem. Commander?” Captain Biron’s voice interrupted Eric’s thoughts.
Shit. He always finds me in these awkward situations. First the dress, now I am just standing here, waist deep in a lake, freezing my balls off, for no discernible reason. He opened his eyes to look at his second-in-command.
“The bandages were stuck.”
“What?”
“Never mind. What is it?” Eric watched the captain struggle to maintain a serious mien.
“The men would like to organize a hunting party to supplement our rations with some fresh meat. They spotted a herd of scythe-horned klipspringer not too far from here.” Biron dropped his head and stood with hands on hips, the toes of his boots rearranging smoothly rounded stones on the shore into a straight line.
“It’s all right, Jon. You can laugh.”
The captain lifted his head. A grin stretched from jaw bone to jaw bone. “Did she tell you to go jump in the lake?”
“Actually, yes. I am soaking off my bandages.” He couldn’t stop the convulsive shiver running in a wave up his spine. He wrapped his arms around his bare chest a little tighter.
Biron grinned at him. “You look very cold.”
Eric ignored him. “Tell the men to organize their kits and saddle their mounts. We leave as soon as they can be ready.” Well, that sobered him right up. “I’ll fill you in as we ride. Oh, and, Jon, find me a dry pair of pants.”
“Yes, sir.”
It’s a good thing this water is so fucking cold. At least I won’t start out sporting an erection as she tends this wound. He waded slowly out of the water and slopped into the cave, a wet trail of lake water marking his path.
“I am all yours, Flight Leader.” He stood as involuntary shivers alternated with waves of gooseflesh.
Sophi turned to face him. “You look cold, Commander.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Stand still, please.” She knelt before him. He closed his eyes at her position and the pleasure of her warm hands unfastening his clammy trousers, stripping them down to his ankles. He did not enjoy the waft of air that circulated around his lower parts. I thought everything had shriveled as much as possible—apparently not.
“Step out.” She held his soggy apparel, head down, as he stepped out of them leaving him bare but for his bandages. She lifted her head, now eye-level with his cock and balls.
“Oh. I’ll get you a cloth to cover yourself.”
He could barely blow his nose on the scrap of cloth she handed him. He dangled it by a pitiful corner. “I am supposed to cover myself with this?”
Averting her eyes, she motioned to his groin area. “It appears it will do the job.”
“It’s the cold water. I’m usually much—oh, hells, never mind. Just change the gods-be-dammed bandage.”
He cupped his shriveled balls and cock with the scrap of cloth and his large hand. The heat felt inexpressibly good. He closed his eyes and imagined he and Sophi at a different time and a different place. As Sophi’s soft, warm hands gently cleaned and re-bandaged his sensitive groin the piece of cloth became, predictably, inadequate. He finally dropped his cupped hand and simply stood there with a full-blown erection. Ignore that, Flight Leader.
&n
bsp; When she finished, she stood. Abashed laughter lurked in her eyes and played with the corners of her mouth. “Next time, I’ll get you a much bigger cloth.”
He bent down, picked up the wet slop of his trousers and stalked out of the cave. Damn straight, woman. Now where in the seven hells is Biron with my pants?
Twenty-minutes later, he walked back to the shoreline where the women suspended Petrina in the cold water.
Sophi saw him coming and clambered to the shore. “I assume you want to speak with me?”
“Yes, get into some dry robes. I’ll wait.”
An eerie howl, as if the seven hells had released their damned, echoed down from the mountains surrounding the lake. Another voice answered, and another, then another, until the air resounded with the banshee wailing of lost souls.
His eyes flew to the deep shadows of the surrounding crags. Fell wolves. Godsbedamned unnatural creatures.
Sophi whirled around and shouted to Adonia and Layna. “Get her out of the water. Leave her on the grass. Grab your bows and meet me at the entrance to the cavern.” She took off running in the direction of the cave mouth.
“Sophi, no! Wait!” Eric shouted at her. She never slowed. “Damn-it-all, woman!”
He turned and ran to his troop clustered in a tight group. “Queens Guard, prepare to mount! Mount! Saber at the ready! Draw weapons! Loose formation. For gods’ sake, be mindful of the women.” He paused and looked in frustration at Petrina’s still body. He dismounted and threw his reins to Captain Biron. Damnation, I don’t have time for this. “Crawford!”
“Sir!”
“Take her up with you.”
“Yes, sir.”
Eric ran back to Petrina and bent, gently gathering her up, sliding her inert body into Crawford’s outstretched arms. “I don’t know what’s out there, Crawford, but if it’s more than we can handle, you ride like the demon-wolves are on your heels for Sh’r Un Kree. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Jon! Captain Biron!” he called.
“Here, Commander.” Jon rode up, leading Eric’s horse. He handed Eric the reins, then wheeled his horse and rejoined the ride.
As Eric swung up he ordered, “Protect Flight Leader DeLorion—to the last man. We are expendable. She is not. Is that clear?”
A chorus of “Yes, sir!” filled the air.
Damnation, Sophi, where have you gone? “Queen’s Guard, to me!” Eric spurred his horse into the cavern, clattering through the twisting narrow passage and emerging at the mouth of the entrance. Sophi, Adonia, Layna and Rhea had disappeared. The light of the sun slipping beneath the horizon caught the phosphorescent glow of six sets of eyes floating thigh-level before them. The Fell wolves had found them.
“Riccio formation. Back to back,” he shouted. His ride formed a circle, each rider facing outward to meet the nightmare shapes that approached on four legs.
In the growing darkness, seemingly bodiless crimson eyes slunk toward them, circling the formation of riders.
“How do we fight these things, Commander? I’ve never faced them. Damn creatures are as big as ponies.” Captain Biron’s low voice carried from his position to Eric’s right. The horses sidled nervously, jostling each other as they caught scent of the wolves.
“Gentlemen, listen up! Body blows won’t harm them. They heal too rapidly. Go for the brain. Run your sword through their eyes or behead them. It is the only way to ensure they die.” Eric raised his voice over the eerie growls emanating from the circling horrors. “Did you hear that, gentlemen! The Haarb have engineered them to heal unnaturally fast. You cannot hope to deliver a fatal wound to the body. You must destroy their brain.”
As the echoes of his voice faded, full dark descended. Damnation, Sophi, where are you?
A dark shape detached itself from the circling shadows and he had no more time to think. A huge, red-eyed perversion hurtled out of the darkness and landed on the shoulders of his horse, tearing into its neck with savage ferocity. His steady warhorse, a veteran of many campaigns, screamed in agony and reared skyward, then plunged down before rearing again in an effort to dislodge the great beast. It signaled the onslaught of the monstrous wolves.
The alpha wolf’s attack on Eric’s horse saved Eric. Effortless horsemanship preserved his balance on his madly plunging animal. Holding his saber high overhead in two hands, he slammed the narrow blade through a phosphorescent eye of the great beast, leaving it stuck fast in the abomination’s skull. The animal howled like the dead come to life and fell back, pawing at and shaking its massive head.
All around him, his men engaged with the great beasts. Without his saber, he had only his short dirk. Whirling his blood-soaked mount, he sighted Captain Biron unhorsed on the ground, desperately holding off one of the great predators. He moved to his aid, thinking to distract the snarling creature. Before he could shift, indistinct figures appeared from the hillside and the familiar pppfffttt of arrows releasing from bows filled the air. With banshee howls, two Fell wolves careened back, pawing at the arrow shafts piercing their eye sockets. Alerted by the death screams of their pack members, the remaining two wolves snarled savagely and with unnatural intelligence, retreated into the blackness of the night. Silence descended.
He watched as Sophi and the remainder of her flight rode cautiously forward. In their pale robes, atop pale horses, they resembled otherworldly specters.
She rode up to him in silence. Her face appeared a pale moon in the darkness. “Adonia, Layna, help Captain Biron and the other wounded back to the lake. Rhea, gather our spent shafts from those…” her head swung toward the dark, massive shapes lying motionless, “things.”
She slid off her horse and stood beside its shoulder.
Eric shook his head in frustration, kicked a leg over his mount’s neck and slid down to face her. He kept his voice low. “Sophi, I cannot protect you if I don’t know where the hell you are.” I can’t erase the image of a savage wolf gorging on your bloodied corpse.
“I didn’t think.” She cleared her throat and followed him with her eyes.
Her disappearance had shaken him. He didn’t trust himself not to lay hands on her, so he crossed them over his chest. “I don’t know whether to kiss you or upend you and spank your hind until you can’t sit.”
Her eyes closed for a long moment. When she opened them he thought he might drown in their liquid depths. “An easy choice. Kiss me.”
Her blue eyes widened as he bent toward her—then he closed his and awareness of anything but her lips vanished.
She trembled beneath him, her mouth soft and dry. He pressed his lips to hers gently, cupping her face in his bloody hands, restraining his need to ravish, to take, to punish her for raising a fear in him unlike any he had felt before. Coaxing her lips apart with a gentle probe of his tongue, he drew in her sweet taste and lingered with soft presses and gentle nips of teeth until he felt her relax and begin to lean into him, returning his kiss. With a soft sigh, she straightened and pulled back.
“When that creature leaped at you…” She choked to a stop. “If we hadn’t heard your instructions to your men, we could not have killed them.” She closed her eyes with a painful grimace. “I am sorry, Eric. I panicked. I could think only that we were trapped. I would rather die than be captured again.”
He could feel the warm seep of blood in his groin where his wound had reopened. He pressed his hand against it gently, trying to stop the flow. The material tightened, delineating his partial arousal.
“Sophi, we work together from now on. Agreed? No more darting off on your own. It is not my intention to hinder your command, but I cannot help you if I don’t know where you are.” He took a deep breath and scrubbed at his face. “And once again, a timely intervention. Thank you.”
A small smile pulled up the corners of her lush lips. “Agreed—no more ‘darting off’ and you are welcome.” Her eyes wandered to the hand at his groin and she frowned.
“You have opened it again. Before we
leave this place, let me dress it.” With a hint at her old manner, she added, “I’ll give you a much bigger cloth.”
With a snort, he turned and they led their horses back toward the narrow passage. He stopped before the hulking body of the alpha wolf and placed his foot on the animal’s neck. After three attempts, he jerked his saber from the beast’s skull.
She looked up at him. “Before my precipitate flight, you were going to tell me your plan.”
“Hmm. We cannot stay here a moment longer than necessary. I want you to send your women back to Sh’r Un Kree. I’ll send my men with them for protection.” He couldn’t help a wry huff. “Though it is debatable who protects whom. If Petrina’s information is correct and Sh’r Un Kree is Krakoll’s target, the villagers will need all the help they can get. You and I are going to ride as hard and fast in the opposite direction as horses will take us, for Sylvan Mintoth. We cannot risk the Haarb capturing you. I must get you behind the shield walls of the sigil towers, Sophi. It is the only place you will be safe.”
Eric watched as Sophi stiffened and closed her eyes, her posture rigid, her fists clenched. As she relaxed, her aqua eyes slowly opened and met his.
“All right.”
Chapter Six
Sophi thought her body hard, toughened. After four years of daily riding, she thought she could match any pace Eric set. But she had not imagined a merciless flight that took no notice of night or day, rough terrain or smooth. They stopped only to water and feed their horses then they struck out again. Their journey across the wastelands stretched into stupefying days of riding and walking then riding again. Finally, when Eric had righted her on her horse for the second time within a span of minutes, he allowed them to stop, dismount and rest. A skeletal tree protected them from the blazing sun.
“The ground sways like a horse, Eric, make it stop.” She lifted her head from where it rested against the tree trunk. He held her spyglass trained in the direction they had just covered. She didn’t like the look on his face.
Hers To Choose (Verdantia Book 2) Page 6
