by Lisa Daniels
A voice behind her pulled the druid back to the current situation. “There is a small outcrop not too far from here where we should be safe without putting too much of a strain on you.” Orion pointed north of their current location, his other hand resting on his hip. The smile on his face was contagious—she simply could not see those dimples and not return the smile.
“Okay. Quick.” She began to scan the area as if she expected the Unwashed to materialize and start attacking them.
“You want to make this quick?” She could tell by the way he said it that Orion had moved closer to her. Still scanning, Phoenix nodded. “Do you mean you want to be as efficient here? Or do you want to move straight from here to the next one?”
“Two. No stopping.”
The sound of him opening his mouth caught her attention, but when her eyes met his, Orion shut his mouth. Taking her hand, he began to lead her forward, but he didn’t immediately create an opening as she had expected. He was hesitant as he reached out. Phoenix waited for him to figure out how to say what was on his mind. When those green eyes trained on her again, he was not as direct as he typically was. “I am not questioning your decision because you have proven to be right—almost always. But why do you want to rush through this?” The look in his eyes said what his words didn’t.
Orion wasn’t in a rush because even if they spent the entire time struggling, he did not want to rush their time together. There was no way to tell when she would be able to return.
Wrapping her arm around his, Phoenix held his arm to her, hoping that explained what she couldn’t say. Her voice was low as she said, “I have to think.”
A hand ran down her hair. “I understand. But two in such a short period of time? They can’t all be as easy as the last one. Considering how much trouble others have had, it can’t possibly be that easy.”
Phoenix tilted her head up, “These are easy. The last are not.”
He patted her head once more before reaching out. “Alright. Are you ready?” He was almost able to mask his disappointment. After indicating that she was, Orion pulled open the space and they stepped into it. The heart in this location was difficult to locate because it was considerably smaller than the previous one. “Well, I have to say you may be finished before me this time. I will try to keep that in mind and won’t play with them this time.”
With a giggle, Phoenix said, “Enjoy yourself.”
This seemed to throw him. “You mean enjoy killing people? That has never been something that I take pleasure in.”
Phoenix placed a hand on his forehead and sent a few images through his mind, images of a few of the women she had released from the last heart. By the time she pulled her hand away, there was a terrifying look on his face. “Enjoy isn’t the word for what I will feel.” The growl in his voice startled even Phoenix.
Without further words, he tore open the air and sprang through, his form shifting as he disappeared from her sight. By the time Phoenix emerged, the screams were already echoing around her. It distracted her from her task as she saw up close how vicious Orion could be when he was angry. Wondering if perhaps she had done more harm than good, she quickly walked over to the heart, trying to pull her mind into a state of focus.
The separation was much quicker this time, not only because the heart was smaller, but because Phoenix knew how best to guide the women. She could feel more of her mind returning as the last women departed. The coldness and corruption was more repugnant, and Phoenix quickly stepped away from the heart once she became aware of her surroundings again.
“Gods, it’s so repulsive.” The words were muttered before she had a chance to think.
“It looks like you are finding success.” The warm voice caught her off-guard. Phoenix quickly turned, losing her balance in the process. “Careful!” A hand grabbed her and pulled her away from the heart right before her hand touched it. The warmth of Orion’s arms seemed wrong in that place, but Phoenix allowed herself to relax against him for a moment, leaving it up to the assassin to finally pull away from the unexpected embrace.
“I’m not sure it is any safer with the magic drained, and would really rather not find out. So, please be a little more careful.” He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“You startled me.” There was no point in acting like she couldn’t speak well—he had already heard her.
“I’m sorry, it was not intentional. It was just surprising how much you’ve changed after two of these. I suppose once you have them all back, that will be the end of it, then? Balance restored?” The forced smile couldn’t hide the disappointment in his eyes.
“Three are easy, but the last four are not going to be nearly so easy.”
“As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I—” Orion stopped talking as they heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Phoenix could see what he was thinking; the assassin was trying to determine the best way for them to meet their demise. And by the best, she knew that meant the most horrifically painful. It was clear when he reached his decision.
Just as a couple of figures appeared in the door, the couple disappeared into the Holding Place. Emerging on the outcropping, Orion continued as if they had not been interrupted, “I know that you are going to finish things as quickly as possible.”
Phoenix turned her attention to her next task. Closing her eyes, she held out her hands parallel to the ground as she found the boundaries of the Unwashed’s nest. A quick jerk of her hands and the entire center of the forest collapsed in on itself. There was an enormous plume of dirt, bark, leaves, needles, and debris launched into the air, almost as if the ground were coughing.
Too afraid to mention what she was actually doing, Phoenix popped her neck. “Next.”
As if it were a command, Orion took them to the next location where they repeated the same process. Looking over the land, they determined the best place to emerge once the heart was drained of power. From there, everything went just as smoothly as the previous infiltrations, lasting only a matter of minutes. Orion took her hand as they turned away from the third crater. “You are truly amazing, to have come up with that and destroyed three hearts in less than a day. I don’t think that anyone besides you could have done that.”
“Without you, it would have been impossible.”
A mixture of sadness and joy were etched on his face. “I’m just glad to be able to spend the time with you. Whatever you need, I am here.”
“I know.”
“Where to next?”
Phoenix thought about it. The less fragmented her mind, the easier it was to comb through the memories, but she could not wait to collect all of the pieces. As Orion had said, once she had retrieved all of her mind, the Unwashed would have lost almost all of their power, and enough balance would be restored to pull her back into the other plane. Phoenix now remembered enough to know that she would not be allowed to remain any longer than was necessary. If she was going to find a way to remain, she was going to need to find the solution soon. The next heart that they would destroy would be more challenging, but it would still be something they could do alone. However, it would require more planning because it was just outside of a large town.
“Home.” It was the first thing that came to mind.
“Alright. I will see if I can find a way to get you into the residence without anyone—”
“No, Orion. Your home.”
The disappointment on his face transformed into a delighted smile as one of his eyebrows rose. “Are you certain? You have never wanted to return.”
She nodded, “We have to plan. Is there anywhere better than your place?”
The dimples showed. “No, I don’t think there is.” With that, he led her through the Holding Place and back into his home.
Chapter 8
An Obvious Solution
As soon as they arrived, Phoenix felt a sense of peace just as she had before, but this time she could more fully appreciate it. All of her experiences and time in that home came
flooding back. Standing still, she looked around the place to let the history wash over her.
“Are you alright?”
Phoenix let her eyes continue to drink in the environment. “You know, I have never had the chance to fully appreciate just how much of yourself you have put into your home.”
“Hopefully not the version of me from our early days.” The tone of his voice drew her attention, and she noticed how embarrassed he looked. She had never seen Orion blush.
Drawn to him, she touched his face. “So warm. I’ve never known you to be embarrassed about your past.”
Orion turned away from her, “More like ashamed. If I had been—”
Phoenix stepped around, drawing his eyes back to her. “The past only matters in what you can learn from it. Of course, I was angry with you for a long time, and blamed you for so much that really wasn’t your fault. I made my own choices. And your home reflects who you are, past, present, and future.”
“Oh gods, I hope not,” a flash of anguish moved over his face. “I want it to be a comfortable place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Most of my past and future is suffering. Not quite what I want you to feel when you return.”
Phoenix laughed a little, “Screw any other visitors you have, then. If they feel uncomfortable, that’s their problem.”
“I never have anyone else over. Only Darius even knows where I live, and he isn’t inclined to leave Itzel alone.”
Phoenix wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. “You have really changed.”
“Yes, I have. I like to think that I learned my lesson.”
Phoenix began walking around the home, memories flashing through her mind faster than she could take them in. “So, this is where you sit around pouting, waiting for me to return?” She gave him a sly look.
“Wrong,” his dimples showed for a moment before he headed toward the kitchen.
“Are you saying that you aren’t pouting?”
“Not at all. What would you like to eat?”
She followed him to the kitchen. Hopping up on the counter, she talked with him while he made them food.
Eventually Orion got around to asking something that had been bothering him. “So, why did you decide to come back here? I’m not saying that I mind—in fact, quite the opposite. It’s just that I usually get the impression you prefer to avoid being here.”
Phoenix swung her legs and looked out the window. “For a long time it was because I just wanted to get away from you, though, I’m fairly certain you knew that.”
“Yes, I had figured that out the way you tended to run off with the first man we encountered after leaving.”
“Gods, I really wish you wouldn’t mention that,” Phoenix put her head in her hands. “I’m sorry, I will refrain from bringing up the worst of your past if you will avoid mine.”
“I didn’t mention it to make you feel guilty. Just letting you know that it was quite clear how you felt about me for a rather long time. I also noticed when your feelings started to change, even if they didn’t match mine.” Orion had stopped cooking to look at her. “But even then, you still didn’t want to stay here.”
“No, I didn’t. Even after I realized that I loved you too, I was always afraid of what would happen if I stayed.”
He moved closer to her. “I’m sorry that you felt you had to fear anything with me. I will always be here to protect you, no matter what kind of mess you get yourself into.”
“That’s actually what has always scared me. The longer I am here, the harder it is to go back. And not restoring the balance isn’t an option. I am only here to return order. Whether it means bringing an end to war, stopping megalomaniacs, or undoing something evil. If I don’t stop it, there won’t be a here to enjoy.”
Orion closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her. “I don't mind that our time is short because it didn’t entirely cease. Those few hundred years without you were the worst I have ever experienced. Whatever time we have, I am grateful.”
“And that is why you continue to suffer. It’s me. I’m the one causing you pain.”
“I don’t mind.” He kissed the top of her head.
She pushed him away, “Well, I do. I hate seeing you hurt so much. You may try to hide it, but the sadness is always right there behind your eyes, and it’s killing me.” Phoenix frowned at him. “You gave up everything. And in response, I intentionally caused you pain.”
“For far longer, you have made me happy.” He placed a hand on the side of her face. “When we were young, I took you for granted. I figured you didn’t have any talents, and because you didn’t think you were beautiful, you didn’t think you had anything to offer. Since you were always there waiting, it didn’t occur to me that one day you wouldn’t be. I went out and did whatever I wanted, leaving you behind to feel alone and unimportant. If I had treated you right, Caspian would never have fallen for you. He did what I should have done. You have no idea how angry I was after losing you.”
“Poor Caspian.”
“He did get over you, you know.” Orion fought back the urge to grit his teeth. “That wasn’t what I meant to say. Believe me, I am very aware that if I had not walked in on your training, you and he would almost certainly have ended up together. He blamed himself for what happened, and I was more than happy to pile on. It took a long time to forgive him, but it was never his fault.”
“Have you told him that?”
“Many times. It doesn’t stop him from blaming himself, though. But like me, he is not who he used to be. The curse on him now means that we have to be very careful when we are near him. At the moment, we cannot trust him.”
“Is that residual jealousy talking?” Phoenix tried to smile.
Orion shook his head, the look on his face letting her know that he regretted the way he had treated Caspian. “I have tried to trust him, but that is when things always fall apart. You have to remain guarded around him.”
“Which curse are you talking about?”
Orion frowned, “He was cursed by when he—”
“No, that isn’t the real problem.”
“What do you mean?”
Phoenix bit her lip, trying to gauge how much to say. She had spent far more time watching Orion, but she had not ignored Caspian when she was on the other plane. “There is a much older curse on him after what he did to the seers.”
Orion shook his head, “That isn’t possible.”
“Orion, he is supposed to judge, but that isn’t what happened. Those who ordered him to do it have all suffered terrible deaths, but like you, he has ties that keep him here. Have you not noticed how often he is cursed?”
Orion frowned, “I thought he was just incredibly unlucky. And he has become a lot less cautious.”
“That’s not what happened. All of those involved suffered terrible deaths. Caspian has suffered a miserable life.”
“He changed long before that.”
Phoenix began to nod, “Yes, he did, but the slaying of so many seers was what has caused him to become so callous and careless. It isn’t that we can’t trust him. It’s that he doesn’t trust himself. He tries not to care so that those around him are safe, and it is tearing him up nearly as much as what my absence is doing to you.”
Orion stared into her eyes, considering what she had said. A noise from the stove jolted him out of his thoughts. “I should probably finish our meal.”
“I’m really not that hungry.”
Orion moved over and turned off the stove. “Neither am I.”
She hopped down from the counter, measuring her words. “I want to use this opportunity to save him.”
Orion’s mouth twisted a little, but he nodded. “If you have an idea how, then I am willing. He has suffered far too much.”
Phoenix reached out and patted his arm. “He’s not the only one who has suffered more than his share.”
“I at least have some moments of happiness.”
“He does too, j
ust… not like you. As you said, he’s pretty different than he used to be.”
Orion looked to the window and sighed, “So, how do we save him? If he has several curses, what do we do?”
“Later.” Phoenix reached up and began to stroke Orion’s hair. “He’s not my priority right now.”
“You should be careful. Now that you are much closer to yourself, I don’t feel compelled to exert as much self-control.”
Instead of speaking, she leaned into him and kissed him. His reaction was not immediate, making it like kissing a warm statue. When she pulled back, Phoenix looked up at him. “Not what I was expecting.”
“I am not sure what you were expecting. You have made it clear that—”
Phoenix leaned in again and shut him up. This time, Orion did not stand still. His arms snaked around her slim body and pulled her against him. Phoenix was shocked by how rough he was, his tongue sliding into her mouth as his hands moved along her back, messing up her shirt.
When she finally had to push on him a little to catch her breath, it was like waking him from a trance. Orion looked down at her, his intense green eyes reflecting something she had never seen before. His voice was much lower, almost like a growl, “I am trying to warn you not to push me. I may have sworn not to take advantage of you, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a breaking point.”
Phoenix looked into his eyes, an idea forming in her mind. There was one thing that would make it impossible to pull her back into the other plane. The fact that it just happened to coincide with what she wanted made it that much easier. Her mind made up, she slipped her hands under his shirt and began kissing him with greater urgency.
He moved faster than she could have expected. One moment she was standing in the kitchen, backing him against the counter. The next second she was lying on his bed. Orion’s hands had managed to remove most of her clothing, all hesitation or sense of responsibility gone. Phoenix began to respond to his rough actions. As he ran his hands up her back, nipping at her neck, she leaned forward and carefully bit his shoulder, causing just enough pain to get through to him. He let out a purr, his head tipping back at the sensation. Phoenix moved to his neck, nipping at the soft skin as her fingers dug into his back under his shirt.