As Dragons from Sleep (The Tahaerin Chronicles Book 2)

by J. Ellen Ross

  As Ani said earlier, it made sense to keep her drugged, but so much time seemed monstrous. “Just over two weeks,” he admitted, but the moment the words were away, he regretted them. She was not ready for this.

  “Two weeks?” She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “I don’t remember. It doesn’t seem like so long.” Hunching forward over her knees, she laid her head on her arms and then whispered, “And it feels like an eternity.”

  Digging through the packs lifted from the dead men’s horses, Ani found enough food for a feast. Bread and cheese, meat, and fresh fruit emerged from saddlebags and she divided it all into neat piles for everyone. The food for the last week had been terribly boring, and everyone watched her with greedy eyes. “Eat up. I don’t want to carry this much weight tomorrow.”

  Eli stood and gathered a pile of food. “I’ll take this to our new friends,” he said.

  But Jan shook his head. “Eamon only. Let them starve,” he said under his breath.

  Nodding, the other man came to stand next to Leisha. “Your Highness, are you hungry?”

  Raising her head off her knees, Leisha could only stare at his offering. She remembered the room, the hunger, wanting to see her little family just once more. And she remembered saying goodbye, deciding not to eat anymore, so maybe she would die before they came for her. Her hands began to shake and she bit down on her bottom lip, trying to hold the tears back. Only yesterday she welcomed death; today she did not know what to think or feel.

  Ani’s heart broke at the bereft and confused look on her friend’s face. “Tomorrow, things will look different,” she said as Zaraki drew Leisha back to lean against him. “Both of you. We’ll take care of things tonight. Just rest.”

  Madness

  In the morning, Zaraki woke her before anyone in camp stirred, wanting to sneak a few minutes alone. Leisha’s confusion seemed to have lifted, so he told her about the prisoners before she found out any other way. If she wanted them killed, rather than taking them back, no one here would mourn.

  Her eyes went wide with shock as she looked around frantically. Here? Fear colored her thoughts. The air around her crackled as she prepared to strike them down, to kill Lukas and Lorant before they had the chance to drug her again.

  “I won’t let them take me,” she warned, her voice edged with hysteria.

  Holding her hands, Zaraki told her they were under guard outside camp. “We thought we’d keep them with us as hostages, to keep Lukas’s men from attacking if they find us. But if you want me to, I’ll kill them right now. If you don’t feel safe.”

  As suddenly as it came, her resolve faltered. Leisha wanted to break down and cry. Lukas was here and he would take her and sell her to Gerolt. Making a decision seemed impossible as she tried to force the fear down. Two years ago she burned her uncle at the stake for threatening her life. Now she felt an all-consuming terror when she should have been filled with righteous fury. What was wrong with her?

  She sagged as the pendulum of her mood swung erratically. “I don’t know what the right answer is. Do whatever you think is best.”

  Zaraki nodded, and grabbing his pack, he took her hand. “Come with me?” He guided her out of the clearing to find a bit of privacy. Once they stood a few yards from the others, he opened the leather satchel. At the bottom lay the dress Danica picked out for her. Steeling himself, not knowing what to expect, he drew it out and said, “We also brought you a change of clothes, warmer ones.”

  She looked down at the thin dress she wore, her hand picking at the rough material. “What is this? This isn’t what I was wearing when they took me.” A frown passed over her face and then she froze, realizing what it meant. She shook her head at him, looking like an animal trapped by a hunter. “Zaraki, I don’t remember. I don’t remember what they did to me.” A cold sweat broke out between her shoulder blades and she put a hand to her mouth, breathing hard now.

  His heart ached for her, and he cursed Lukas and Lorant both. The terror in her eyes enraged him.

  “Who put this on me?” Her voice came high now, full of fear. They had kidnapped her, drugged her, and Leisha imagined them dressing her as she lay unconscious, taking away even the choice of what she wore. “Get it off!” she shouted, starting to cry and tear at the strange gown.

  He spun her gently, so she faced away from him, and worked his hands down the few buttons on the dress. When it parted and he could see how thin she was underneath, Zaraki clenched his hands, imagining them crushing the life from Lukas. “We need to get you something to eat before we start riding, love,” he said.

  Helping her into her underthings first, he laced them carefully and took his time. It helped take his mind off murdering Lukas and Lorant.

  “I’m sorry,” Leisha said as his hands moved up her side. His slow, patient movements soothed her, and she felt more in control now. He always spent more time doing this than strictly required.

  Zaraki grabbed the new gown from where he had hung it on a tree branch. “For what?”

  Stepping into the brown riding dress, she turned so he could reach the buttons running up the back. “For the way I acted. I was out of control.”

  “Leisha, don’t apologize. This is all a shock to you.” He spun her to face him and hugged her gently, stroking her hair. “I promise things will be better soon.”

  She leaned into him, feeling overwhelmed and bewildered. Days ago, she believed he had died, and she committed once more to hastening her own death. She had said her goodbyes and set her memories of him free. Now, he stood before her, solid and real. He felt strong, safe, and utterly foreign.

  Moving the short distance back into camp, they found everyone up and preparing to leave. Hand in hand, they walked over to the horses, and Leisha stood stroking Capar absently as Zaraki checked his hooves.

  Inside, she cringed at her outburst over the dress. Losing control like that was completely out of character for her. What’s wrong with me?

  She did not want people thinking she had gone mad, but maybe she had. Maybe two weeks of constant fear and crushing anxiety had broken her. It almost felt that way now, as the silence of the forest pressed down on her. In the stillness, she could hear the click click click of the clock mechanism if she thought hard enough. What would they do if she had gone mad? Her thoughts unwound, imagining all the possibilities.

  “Your hands are ice cold,” Zaraki said, surprising her as he pried her clenched fingers from Capar’s bridle.

  Mad, she thought. They drove me mad in that room.

  Stepping up to the edge of the clearing, Irion said, “Can someone come watch these two assholes while I get their horses? Oh, pardon me, Your Highness, I’m so sorry.” Leisha appeared not to have heard.

  “Ten minutes everyone and we ride out. Irion, I’ll come and watch them.” Aniska said, catching Zaraki’s look. She needed an outlet for all her frustration over the past two weeks, and the ache in her arm annoyed her.

  Following Irion, she found both men sitting on the ground, tied to trees, just as she had left them the night before. After checking their bonds, she crouched down on her heels, directly in front of Lorant. “You look like the most likely one to squeal first, so we’ll start here.” Waving her thin, needle-sharp stiletto in his face, Ani grinned as he tried to shrink away from her.

  “Here’s what you need to know, gentlemen. I swore oaths years ago. The most important was an unfaltering commitment to protect Her Majesty. I failed, but it won’t happen again. I’m going to kill you both. Even if somehow you manage to convince her to be merciful and spare your lives, I’ll hunt you down before you’re more than a mile from her. The manner and timing of your deaths will be determined by how much work you make me do to get the information I crave. Let’s start.

  “First, did either of you touch her?”

  “What? Gods, no.” Lorant flinched, sounding pathetic. She thought he might go straight to begging for his life. “No, we’re not rapists.”

  “That’s a very g
uilty response and an even more guilty look in your eyes. If I ask her and find out you’re lying, they’ll be finding pieces of you in the Vinca for months.” She let the threat hang in the air for a moment and then looked at Lukas.

  The prince shook his head firmly, no.

  For some reason, Aniska believed him. He never struck her as the violent type. “So you had enough decency not to rape an unconscious woman, but not enough to keep you from selling her to an invading army?” she asked testily. “Shut up, Lukas. I don’t want to hear any excuses out of you.

  “Now, what did you use to drug her?” When Lorant’s eyes shifted to look in Lukas’s direction, Aniska gave him a tight grin. “So, he knows about the drug? Or he has some? Is that it? Excellent.”

  Without standing, she shifted over near the prince and grinned at him. “Lukas, my old drinking buddy.”

  “Yes, imagine my surprise when you rode up with the others.” He sounded bitter.

  “Now, you’re going to tell me everything you know about those flowers I saw at the bottom of my cup. Because that’s what you used, isn’t it?” Lukas nodded. “I thought so. You can tell me now, or I can torture it out of you later.” She felt a little sting of disappointment when he chose to talk.

  “Under my belt, there’s a pouch of them,” the prince admitted. “We were told to give her one every eight hours. Crush one, put it under her tongue and make sure she keeps it there. It takes almost no time to affect someone like her.”

  Aniska reached over and dug out a small leather pouch. Tugging at the drawstrings, she saw a handful of small, yellow flowers. “Someone like her? You mean mind readers?” she asked, an idea already forming in her mind. When Lukas confirmed it, she patted his cheek. “We’ll be on the move soon. Enjoy the sunshine while you still have it. The cells at Cheylm are dark.”

  When Aniska emerged into the little clearing, she caught Zaraki’s eye and shook her head. No, she had likely not been raped, so Lukas and Lorant bought themselves another day of life. “Let’s go, everyone. We need to make the river by tonight.”

  Leisha stood stroking Capar’s nose as Zaraki mounted and pushed himself off the back of his saddle. She took the hand he offered and pulled herself up. As she settled on the Auleron’s broad back, she asked, “Evka? Is she gone?”

  “No,” Zaraki assured her. “Eamon found her and brought her back. She’s in the stables at Cheylm.”

  Nodding, she leaned into him and spent most of the morning sleeping in his arms. Awkward and uncomfortable as it was, he did not care.

  At midday, they stopped to rest the horses, and Lukas asked to be allowed down to relieve himself. At the sound of his voice, Zaraki saw Leisha jump and flinch back. When he reached out, she buried her face against his chest. He expected anger and outrage, so her silence disturbed him.

  Seeing her reaction, Eamon instructed the two prisoners not to speak at all.

  With the border so close, Aniska kept them riding. Even making frequent stops for the horses, they made good time, and an hour before dusk the river crossing came into view. A small ferry sat tied at a dock, the ferryman lounged in the grass nearby. Aniska hated the idea of taking horses on this flat-bottomed wreck. It looked ready to capsize with the slightest wind. But what choice did they have? She doubted Leisha could swim with the horses.

  “You there!” she called. “Get up and take as many across as you can. Horses and all.”

  The little man shielded his eyes and checked the position of the sun. “This isn’t a large barge, my lady. I can take four horses and riders the first trip, four the second, but at this time of day, the sun will be almost down before the last trip across. Getting dangerous by then.”

  Ani gave him a withering look. “How much extra for a late crossing then?”

  They agreed on a price, and though she hated the time it took to barter, refusing to haggle would look suspicious. Their party stood out already. Ani did not want to raise any alarms if possible, since she did not know when they would find a patrol on the far side of the river.

  The ferryman looked concerned when he saw the two men bound and tied to their horses, Eamon and Eli each next to one, hands on their swords.

  “It’s none of your business, boatman. Take these four and their riders across first.” She pointed to Capar, along with Irion, Jan and Lukas’s mounts.

  As the man scurried around to prepare the ferry, Zaraki took Leisha’s hand and Capar’s reins and led both to the front of the barge. She walked on without saying a word and without looking back, then huddled against him, silent and stiff. It reminded him of the old, guarded Leisha who refused to open up to anyone, jealously hoarding her secrets, like a dragon with her gold. He wanted to ask her what had happened, but she still showed no sign of wanting to discuss it.

  Instead he asked, “Love? Are you all right?”

  She flinched at the sound of his voice, surprised he still did not see. Perhaps I hide it well, she thought. Because, of course, she was not all right. She was damaged, beyond repair possibly. “I don’t know.” It was the closest she could come to admitting it. “When will we be back with the army?”

  “We should find a patrol soon after crossing. We had men all over this area looking for you.”

  He watched as she frowned. “Thank you. Thank you for saving me. I’m sorry. I love you so much and I’m so sorry.”

  “Sorry for what?” When she did not answer, he pulled her close and tried to imagine how to banish the haunted look in her eyes. “I love you and nothing will change that.”

  Leisha could feel his confusion. He did not know how to act around her, or what she would find acceptable now. After trying to die for so many days, she did not know either.

  ***

  They ran into a patrol within half an hour of leaving the little landing. Coming down the road, eight armored soldiers caught sight of them and spread out, watching their approach.

  “Identify yourselves,” one of the men called out.

  Leisha started, not knowing if these were her men or Gerolt’s. Panicked, she looked around, frantic for any escape and unsettling Capar.

  Zaraki felt her jump. “They’re our men. I promise.”

  Aniska recognized several of the riders and felt relief wash over her. “Filion, it’s the queen’s rescue party.”

  The soldier urged his horse closer and squinted in the fading light. “Sire, Spymaster? You found her? I can’t believe it. Welcome home, Your Majesty.” The young man beamed at them, as did the others in the patrol.

  Leisha said nothing, afraid her voice would betray her and she would start weeping. A cascade of emotions threatened to overwhelm her and she began to shake. The forest pressed in all around her, danger everywhere. She felt Gerolt’s threat behind her, felt sure she heard pounding hooves coming for her. Suddenly, she had to get away, and she needed down if Capar would not run.

  She felt Zaraki’s arm tighten around her waist and his breath on her ear. “It’s all right, love, I promise. Please don’t be afraid.” His voice sounded strained, and Leisha realized her fear was hemorrhaging out. Clamping down on it, she tried to take back some measure of control. Thinking everyone would see how she was mad if she could not keep her emotions in check, she shuttered her mind, refusing to hear their thoughts or risk them feeling hers.

  “Can you please escort us back to the Cheylm, lieutenant?” Ani asked. “We’re light on manpower and have two prisoners.”

  The men stood up in their saddles to get a look at Lukas and Lorant, both easy to recognize in their finery. “Quite the catch, Spymaster,” Filion said as the men laughed and congratulated Ani. “Follow us. We have a campsite a short ride from here.”

  ***

  The next morning, the party broke camp and headed north. A day’s hard riding put distance between them and the Vinca. With no sign of pursuit, Ani felt herself begin to relax, though Leisha’s stony silence gave her new things to worry about. Zaraki said she would not answer questions about what happened in Embriel. But
with another day of travel they would reach Cheylm and everything would be better. Ani allowed herself to imagine they would find their way home safely.

  They made camp one last time as the evening light faded. Once more, Leisha picked at her food before turning to Zaraki and huddling against his chest. She fell asleep as he stroked her hair and cursed Lukas.

  Late, late into the night, he awoke as she started mumbling in her sleep and moving restlessly. He knew nightmares and remembered the ones that plagued him all through his childhood. Forgetting his hand still bore the scratches from two nights ago, he reached out and stroked her cheek.

  “Don’t touch me!” Leisha screamed, unleashing a hot rush of fury and hatred. She sat up, gasping and fully awake as the guard on duty jumped.

  Zaraki drew her back down and felt as she wedged herself against him. “It was just a dream, love. Go back to sleep.”

  Sleep is no refuge for me. I see horrible things, she sent to him, feeling out of control and disordered.

  “Tell me?” Zaraki asked. But when she did, he wished he had not.

  ***

  In the morning, Leisha awoke and rolled over, stiff and sore from sleeping on the ground. Around camp, others were stirring, preparing to ride for Cheylm. Zaraki sat with his back to her, digging through his pack. Hearing her move, he looked over his shoulder and frowned. Forgetting whatever he had been looking for, he turned around completely. “Are you all right, love?”

  Leisha heard the odd tone in his voice and noticed him glancing down to her lips. She raised her hand and felt something warm under her nose. Pulling her fingers back, she saw a smear of bright red blood. She looked up, alarmed. This had never happened before.

  Passing nearby, Ani caught sight of the blood and rushed over to grab her own pack. She pulled out a skin with water and a soft cloth. “It’s a nosebleed, I think. Let’s wipe it off.”

  “I’ve never had one before,” Leisha said, touching her face again. She started to tremble. It made no sense. Surely this was nothing to be concerned about, but along with everything else, it scared her. As Ani dabbed at the blood, she felt another gush.