His voice sounded melancholy, not like he blamed his upbringing, but rather wistful about missing the carefreeness of childhood she could only imagine he lost. What would it be like to have her every move dictated?
• • •
The next day, Mirhana walked beside Celeste as they let the horses drink. The men and Jeslyn were out hunting. Each had boasted that they could find meat the fastest, so Mirhana placed her bets on Jeslyn. Landon pouted, he said, because she didn’t pick him.
“It’s good to see a smile on your face.” Celeste broke through her thoughts.
She shrugged.
“I’m surprised you didn’t go with them.” Celeste picked a Fingecoup flower and twirled the white petals under her nose as she smelled it.
“Someone has to watch over you and the horses. Brock would strangle me if anything happened to you.”
She laughed and Mirhana joined in. “You and I both know I can take care of myself.”
“But the men in our lives? They take a while to understand that.” Mirhana wondered what Landon thought about her and her warrior path. What did it matter what he thought? She chided herself. No more human lovers, she had promised. It was too painful seeing them vanish so soon like a morning glory.
“Have there been many men in your life?” Celeste tucked the flower over her ear.
“No, not really. None like the love that you and Brock have. I wanted it. But after many trials and men, I cease to think it exists for me.”
“It just takes the right one and recognizing it. If you shut out love, how will you know when it knocks on your heart?”
“Did you know Brock was the one?”
“Not at first. It took a bit of time, though I realized it long before he did.
“Don’t be bitter about not finding love, it will come in its own time. And it is worth the wait. Fake love is like a wool dress. It fits, but leaves you itchy and not eager to wear it. Real love is like velvet. It glides on your skin, caressing you. Making you feel luxurious and pretty. When apart, you long for its return, as though a piece that makes you complete is missing.”
• • •
That night, Mirhana approached Landon during his night watch. Landon’s hair was brown with blond streaks, and as was his fashion, he had it pulled back at the nape of his neck and tied with a black cord.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asked.
“Just thought you’d want the company. I can leave if you like.” Why was she here? Just paying back the favor of him staying up with me during my watch.
“Stay. I don’t want you too tired, though.”
“I’ll be fine,” she snapped crossing her arms as she flopped onto the ground.
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
Relax. You are only talking with him, not anything else. She reprimanded herself. “No, it’s fine. I’m just curious why we have yet to find another village.”
“It’s farms and forest out here. People tend to keep to themselves, in places such as this. They don’t bother anyone and want the same in return.”
“Did you live on a farm?” He appeared the type to like wide-open spaces.
“No. I was raised in a … a village. A crowded one at that. Sometimes, when I was younger, I snuck out with Gillespie just to come to places like this. Once I fell into a pig trough and we had to give away my clothes as barter for new ones, because it was dusk and I couldn’t go home in filthy clothes or my mother would know. Though, I don’t think my mother ever believed my story of finding the beggar and trading clothes with him.
“Not that I wouldn’t do that,” he added quickly. “But I would just as soon give him gold to buy new ones himself. My mother made my clothes and they were too special for me to part with easily, even to help someone, for she rarely did anything except fight and sew.”
“Your mother fought?”
“Aye. She was a warrior, and even a better one than my dad. It goaded him that he could not best her in a duel.”
“Are you the same?” When he looked at her with his eyebrows raised, she continued. “If a woman won a sword fight against you, would you accept defeat or not?”
“Jeslyn beat all of us in the hunt, and I wasn’t angry, just disappointed.” He scratched the stubble on his chin. “No one has ever beaten me in a fight since I was twelve.”
“That so?”
“Why?”
“I think we’ll have to test that theory.” She stood and dusted off her black trousers. “After we break our fast tomorrow, let’s see how you fare after you lose to a woman.”
Chapter Fourteen
Landon couldn’t keep the smile from his face. All during his watch, his eyes kept roving to Mirhana sleeping. Briefly, he had seen her fighting the Troblin, so he was excited to see how she would fare against him. The crescent moon winked out behind clouds, hiding her silhouette.
Did Mirhana think he would allow her to win tomorrow? He never believed in that. A win must be earned.
Of course, since she was a woman, he wouldn’t use all his tactics. Just enough for her to admit defeat.
When his turn guarding the group was over, he lay under his blanket near the fire, but he tossed and turned, wanting the sun to waken. The brilliance of Mirhana’s grin when she told him about their duel kept flashing in his mind.
Hours later, when the sun rose, he groaned from the delicious smell of fresh rabbit cooking. He chided himself for not forgetting the matter of fighting Mirhana, and sleeping earlier. If he hadn’t thought of Mirhana most of the night and instead gotten more rest, he wouldn’t be annoyed that the morning came so early.
He rubbed his eyes and sat. Jeslyn trailed behind Brock as he picked black vine berries. She ate more than she picked. When they finished, she said something to Brock and he took a portion of the food to Celeste. Then Jeslyn added two quail eggs and noticed Landon watching her.
With a smile, she swung her hips as she approached. “I gathered all of this for you.” Then she handed him the quail eggs and berries.
He nodded, feeling self-conscious about what Mirhana had said about her flirting with him and Brock.
As he chewed the food, he glanced around camp and noticed Mirhana was gone. Had she thought better of their test?
After he ate, he helped pack camp, but Mirhana still had not returned.
What if something happened to her? A deadwalker or worse? The acid of the berries crept into his throat.
“Looking for Mirhana?” Celeste asked at his elbow making him jump.
“N—er yes. Have you seen her?”
“She’s waiting for you past the second maple tree there.” She pointed to the woods. “It’s straight ahead near a clearing.”
He took up his sword. As he walked, he tied his sword and scabbard around his hips. She must have eaten breakfast early and came out here to practice. He chuckled.
At the clearing, Mirhana sat with her eyes closed, and legs crossed. She appeared to be sleeping. Yet when he took another step, her green eyes snapped open.
“Do you need to warm up first?” She wore black trousers that hugged her hips and a russet tunic that had him imagining the feel of her breasts through the fabric.
The breeze carried a scent of roses, spring grass, and chopped wood.
“I’m ready whenever you are.” He winked.
She tossed him a crude wooden sword.
“What’s this? So that I don’t scratch your lovely face?” He wished he could take back his words when he saw her scowl.
“Nay. So that I don’t give you a thousand cuts to bleed from. Whoever disarms their opponent wins.”
“Let’s say three disarms. That way if I get in a lucky strike, you won’t complain about it later. Ready?” He doubted he would have to try hard to win. Yet, he didn’t want her to think she couldn’t learn from him how to fight. He’d be happy to teach her.
The image of her back pressed up against him as he held a sword with her to show her some strokes made his groin tighten in anticipation.
In her hand, she held a duplicate wooden sword. The bark was fresh and he saw the shavings around her. So, she had carved these?
Without warning, she rushed him. He dodged her attack, but barely. “You didn’t call out for us to start.”
“You told me that you were ready. Do you need more time?” She cocked her head to the side as though he was a beetle she considered, wondering to let it live or smash it with her boot. “Though if I were a wraith, I would not give you time to prepare.” She smacked her blade against his, then countered his blow and spun away from him. “Would you be able to fight a wraith? If it took your form or someone else’s close to you? How would you know which one was real? And I wouldn’t move to the same slow speed as you humans.”
“I can parry whatever you’d like to try.”
“We’ll see.” She lowered her sword and took five steps around him in almost a blur, before landing the wood against the back of his knees, making him fall to the ground. “That’s one for me.”
He grunted and waved his wooden blade. “I still have hold of my weapon.”
“For now.”
He leapt up, trying to change his tactic and charge her. She dashed out of the way. Before long, his breathing labored, but he refused to give up.
He forayed high to her left and when she raised her sword to counter and he brought down his weapon with a quick slash and knocked her sword from her hand.
“One for me.”
She opened her mouth as though to say something, but closed it with a perplexed look on her face. “How did you move that fast?”
“You must be tired.” Or she attempted to distract him. It wouldn’t take much for as long as they had fought.
Sunlight filtered through the trees and lit up her green eyes. It was mesmerizing. She dashed forward, whacking his sword so hard that, unprepared as he was, it flew across the meadow, breaking the spell.
She snatched up his sword, then tossed it to him. “Again.”
This time, she disarmed him in three moves with a kick he didn’t expect to his weapon.
“One more and I win.”
With a frown, he threw in everything he had learned from his fencing teachers.
After playing offensive, he changed his tactics, used his strength, and pinned her and her wooden blade to a tree.
But her mouth, with its full pouting lips made him lean in. It was as though she were a scorching flame and he a moth. He smelled the scent of flat bread and berries on her breath as she exhaled.
He wet his lips in anticipation. When he lowered his head, her eyes widened. He pushed his body closer to hers and almost moaned when his lips brushed hers. They were softer than silk and roses. Involuntary, his eyes closed as he kissed her mouth. She linked her hand with his and he growled with pleasure.
Then she shoved him away with a triumphant smile on her face.
“Wha—?”
“I won. While you were preoccupied,” she twirled a wooden weapon in each hand, “I took your sword.”
“That wasn’t fair.”
She tossed one of the blades to him. “The Warloc doesn’t play fair. You fool yourself and will get killed if you believe so.”
• • •
Mirhana stormed off after their duel with Landon on her heels. If she hadn’t felt his weapon against her hand, she’d have succumbed to his kiss, even though she didn’t need another human lover.
Once, she had a companion who traveled with her to hunt the deadwalkers. He got distracted when a mob knocked her into a ravine. When she came up after wrestling with the creatures, and beheading them, he lay bleeding on the ground. He didn’t notice the vampyre. She slayed them both and then wept for days.
It would not happen again.
Today, Landon had surprised her a few times. Moved as fast as she could, it seemed. Still, he was human and too vulnerable. She would be happy if she, Celeste, and Brock would battle this Sorceress themselves. Leave all these other liabilities behind.
If she didn’t have to depend on Celeste’s magic against this evil, she’d tell Brock to take her to Tamlon and leave Celeste there for her own safety.
“Ready to ride?” Celeste asked from Shadowdancer. “I’d like to speak with you as we travel.”
Mirhana nodded and then hoisted herself up behind the saddle and Celeste. “Won’t Brock mind that I’m taking his seat?”
“You’re only burrowing it.” He laughed. “Don’t get too comfortable.”
Gillespie handed Landon the reins of his horse and she wondered why Gillespie acted like a servant around him. When she and Landon had dueled, she could tell he had been trained. Trained, but not fought much. He was too meticulous in his form and countenance to have ever been in a battle with more than one or two opponents … much less someone or something that didn’t follow the rules.
“Is your heart prepared for what lies ahead?” Celeste asked.
“M-my heart? I have long ago shut off that part of me. It won’t be a problem.”
“I wish I could say the same sometimes, but perhaps it is our hearts that will save us. If Brock had not listened to his, but instead had obeyed the Shints that invaded his thoughts and planted my death inside him, I would be dead and the Warloc alive. The heart is our greatest weapon against evil. Never doubt it.”
Mirhana frowned. What Brock and Celeste had was special. Of course, she agreed with her in their situation. But for me? Love is too fragile and gullible.
“Please remember what I’ve said.”
“I’ll think on it.” It was all Mirhana could promise.
• • •
They rode until dusk and then made camp. Mirhana took the first watch and forced a nonchalant attitude when Landon sat down beside her.
“I may as well stay up, I can’t sleep. And I have the second watch anyway.” He leaned against the thin pine tree beside her.
“Don’t stay because of me. I’m used to little sleep. If you get ill, we’ll have to leave you here with Gillespie.” That might work, then I wouldn’t have to fret about his safety or anybody's.
“Alas, you worry for me?”
“No. I just don’t want you dragging us behind. We’ve no idea how long it will take, exactly, to reach the Primora Sea. None of us have been that fa—” She stood and strode over to Jeslyn who joked about a wild bull who chased its tail until it died.
Neither Brock or Gillespie found the humor in the story for they didn’t join in Jeslyn’s laughter.
“You said your lands border the Primora Sea," Mirhana said. "How long will it take us to reach it?”
Jeslyn took a swallow from the waterskin before answering. “It depends on the route you travel. The way we go now, it will take months.”
“How many?”
“Four, maybe five.” She shrugged. “It depends on the weather, how many miles we travel each day, and the inhabitants. The Zamorea will want tribute for passing through their sacred hunting grounds, but we wouldn’t want to go through the jungles of the Anda if we can help it. They are too temperamental.”
She knew that. Why wasn’t Jeslyn telling her what she wanted to know without being vague? And how was it that she was so far from her kingdom. “What was the name of your kingdom again?”
“It’s called by many names. I doubt you’ve heard of it.” She crossed her bronze arms over her chest.
The fire popped as Gillespie tossed a log onto the flames.
“Try me," Mirhana said. "I’ve been lots of places.”
“Did you know there are other kingdoms past the Forest of Everlang?” As though reading the shock on Mirhana’s face, she continued. “I’m from the tribe of Rel’ch Umb’rack.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“I told you.” She turned away from Mirhana as though their conversation was finished. “I’ve got to get some rest. I’m on guard duty after Landon.”
Mirhana shook her head as she stalked back to her position on the hi
ll to watch over the campsite, and where Landon waited.
She felt her heart skip at the thought of him wanting her company, but then she squashed the notion by imagining him getting too cocky with a waterhorse while it took him for a ride in a lake and drowned him.
“Everything alright?”
“I’m not sure.” She sat down beside him. When her hand brushed his accidently, a prickle raced up her arm. What would it be like to let him kiss me again? To feel the stubble on his chin brush my skin as he nibbled my neck? She shivered.
Another problem with her human lovers, none could match her stamina. Still, she had run him hard earlier today with their sparring, and now he seemed to have excess energy and could not sleep. Probably just nerves. “Jeslyn appears reluctant to answer questions.”
“I’m sure she’s only tired. See?” He pointed to the blue-wrapped bundle below. “She’s already asleep and it’s just now dark.”
Somehow, peace filled her whenever Landon was near. It was ridiculous that her heart thought this. It could get both of them killed if she allowed her emotions to rule.
“I’ll walk the perimeter before my shift,” Landon said.
She nodded and watched the stars twinkle above. What would she do whenever all of this was done? When the Warloc was sealed into The Forgotten Lands, his Sorceress defeated, and the land cleared of deadwalkers? She smiled. Well, there were always Troblins, wraiths, vampyres, and others she could hunt.
• • •
It had been two more days that they rode and did not find another village. Fields rolled into forests. Then forest sprang up at the tops of the cliffs, hiding caves. They rested the horses at night while they slept under the stars.
The morning sun winked through clouds as Mirhana dragged the blanket over her head. Landon had improved dramatically in these past two days of sparring. Often, she found herself depending on her speed to win.
She had been up most of the night battling thoughts of Landon washing her in a river. Then he backed her into a waterfall and she couldn’t catch her breath while he kissed her as the water crashed over their naked bodies.
“Ready for another chance to beat me?” he asked, standing over her.
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