by Ivy Clyde
“Eat up, Daria,” said Norvin, pushing the plate of sausages at me.
I ate but remained wary. Closing my eyes, I invoked my connection with Tuto, urging him to wake up. The owl ruffled his feathers begrudgingly but opened his eyes, giving me a look at the interior of my cottage. Blinking, I cleared my vision. Tuto would be here soon.
Feeling marginally relieved, I stuffed some bread and meat into my mouth.
When breakfast was over, the princes sat back to talk amongst themselves while I remained vigilant. Elga’s command to protect them was getting harder by the minute. Once we were in the woods, away from this shack, I would have to teach them to blend better around village crowds. They were acting far too complacent and handing out gold. It was astonishing Cain and Adal made it this far from their palaces.
We were about to leave when a gust of wind jolted away my braid, followed by taloned-feet digging into my shoulders. “Oww! Get off, Tuto!”
He flopped away to perch on a low branch, looking at me with reproach.
“There’s no need to be like that,” I told him, loosening the knots on the rein of my horse. “I told you we were leaving last night but you stayed out late.”
Norvin chuckled beside me. “Why are you bringing this creature along?”
“I need him,” I said shortly, still angry at his nonchalant behavior. He seemed confused but I was eager to get out of there.
“We better get out of here soon,” I said, watching a cloaked man riding off on the path we were headed on. He’d been talking covertly with the shack master only minutes ago.
Cain and Adal sensed my urgency. They mounted their horses after me, leaving Norvin to dawdle behind. I kicked at the sides of my mount, urging it to pick up pace.
Soon we’d left the shack behind us. Our pace slowed down as we entered a wooded valley. Tuto flew overhead. From time to time, I switched my vision to get a bird’s-eye’s view of the vale.
Suddenly, something shifted down among the greenery. Stopping the horse, I focused on it, urging Tuto to fly lower. It could just be wild wolves but I wanted to be sure it wasn’t a threat.
Men in black garb moved down the hills. They were concealed among the thickets but moved fast on their feet. Long, naked daggers flashed in their hands.
“Stop!” I cried out.
The three princes came to a halt, glancing back at me. Before they could ask me anything, an arrow whistled past me, narrowly missing Adal but sinking into his horse’s neck. The beast’s shriek of pain shattered the silence of the forest.
All three pairs of eyes looked just as desperate as mine.
We were being ambushed.
11
Adal jumped off his horse before it could fall to the ground. He watched with shocked eyes as the animal writhed in agony on the forest floor.
“Take cover,” shouted Cain, his voice booming around the woods, startling us out of our stupor. Norvin and Cain rushed their horses towards a clump of trees, Adal was left behind, still standing beside the writhing creature. As I glanced at him, I realized the prince wasn’t carrying his sword. It was still strapped to the saddle of his horse.
Jumping off my horse, I dashed towards Adal.
Reaching him, I pushed him down until he was lying on the leaf-strewn forest floor. Arrows whistled over our heads. Heart in my throat, I protectively laid an arm over his torso.
Closing my eyes, I entered the mind of my horse. Fear and confusion from the creature threatened to choke me but I suppressed it, subduing the beast’s mind. “Go after Cain and Norvin,” I said through gritted teeth. “Get out of the open.” With a loud neigh, the horse sprinted towards the bushes through which Cain and Novin had disappeared moments ago.
“Fear not, Daria,” said Adal, turning to look at me. “I will protect you.”
“You’re not even armed, Prince Adal.”
He seemed to realize that and glanced towards his fallen horse. Getting onto his feet, he dashed towards it. He kept his head low as arrows continued to rain down upon us. Further ahead, I heard the clash of swords. Cain and Norvin must’ve been attacked.
“We’ve got to get out of the open,” I shouted, running towards Adal. He’d managed to grab his sword by then. To my surprise, he covered me with his body as we sprinted towards the trees through which Cain and Norvin had disappeared.
Men’s shouts filled the air.
The clang of metal on metal was deafening, but I couldn’t help marvel at the courage of the man beside me. Adal was no warrior, and yet, he was be using his body to shield me. My heart swelled with gratitude. No one had ever wanted to protect me before.
All too soon, my mind returned to the situation at hand. Adal parried off a blow from a black-clad bandit. I was pushed back while he kept getting hit by the man in black. Without wasting a breath, I shot a needle at the robber who’d dared to attack my prince. Clutching the side of his neck, he fell within seconds.
“Stay close to me, Your Highness,” I shouted, throwing poisoned darts and needles at the men in my vision. As the bodies fell, I was able to look further ahead where Cain and Norvin were being attacked by five men at once. They were good with their swords but they couldn’t keep it up long.
More men charged at us, their black attires making them look like crawling ants over the hilly terrain.
“This won’t do,” I muttered, my heart racing as I looked for a way out. For a moment, I closed my eyes, shifting inside Tuto’s mind. The men were coming from the south, west, and east. “Good,” I whispered. The way north was left open and that was the direction we were meant to head towards.
My vision shifted away from Tuto’s mind but suddenly, I fell backward, feeling a heavy weight pushing on me. Blinking to clear away my eyes, I saw Adal leaning on me while a bandit raised a blood-stained sword to attack his back.
“No!” I cried out, stumbling backward as Adal continued to press his body against mine. Before I could fall to the ground, I let loose two poisoned needles. My aim was bad but one of them hit the man in the forehead.
“Daria,” Adal whispered urgently. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine,” I replied, swallowing the wave of panic threatening to choke me. My hand resting on his back came away wet and shining with blood. I stared at the sight of my bloodied palm. “What…” My voice shook with dread. “You took a blow for me!”
“I won’t let them hurt you.”
I clutched onto Adal’s shirt as my eyes squeezed in agony. He was the one who was slashed and bleeding, but it felt like I was the one who was stabbed in the heart.
Get a grip, a cold, calculated part of my mind instructed me. The voice was that of Elga’s.
As soon as I realized it, Elga’s frigid gray eyes flashed in my mind. At once, my panic cleared away. I knew what to do. “I have to get you out of here,” I shouted over the sound of struggles.
Closing my eyes, I searched for my horse’s presence. As soon as the orb of black and blue was visible to me, I reached forward, settling into the beast’s psyche. Willing it to stop panicking, I made it come back towards us.
When the horse came nearer, I hauled Adal to his feet. He swayed and leaned heavily on me. He was at least two heads taller to me, so it was a struggle to get him to climb on the horse. Once he was on it, I glanced around us to see five bandits approaching us. Their gazes flickered between me and the fallen men. Good. They knew to be careful with me.
Taking a deep breath, I conjured up my inner power, letting both my hands erupt in leaping flames. The bandits cried out in surprise but I wasn’t done with them yet.
I focused my power on them next, lighting their clothes on fire. Their shouts of surprise caught the attention of the men attacking Norvin and Cain. They halted momentarily, watching with astonishment as their comrades’ bodies erupted in flames.
Their shrieks of agony rang through the forest.
Even rolling on the ground would not douse the flames that were steadily covering their bodies.
The men standing close to Cain and Norvin stared at me, their eyes widening with horror.
My hands were covered with fire too, but instead of shrieking out like the men around me, I was smiling coldly.
They began backing away.
“Get on your horses,” I shouted.
Cain and Norvin, now free from the attacks, jumped onto their mounts.
“Come on, Daria,” shouted Norvin. His handsome face was a mask of horror and panic as his horse reared on its hind legs.
Giving him a nod, I climbed on my horse. By now, Adal had slumped forward. I wrapped my arm around his waist securely while taking the reins in another hand. I urged the horse to trot after Cain and Norvin.
Aware of the danger they were in, the bandits stopped attacking us.
Even as we rode north, the stench of burning flesh was carried over by the wind.
Tuto flew overhead, guiding me towards escape. I’d already communicated my need for a secluded place. Catching up with Cain, I signaled him to follow me. He gave me a nod, slowing down a fraction to get behind me. Norvin brought up the rear as we thundered towards the hilly caves Tuto showed me.
My gaze flickered towards Adal. The patch of blood on his tunic was continuing to grow. My hold around his waist tightened. Panic welled inside me but I suppressed it. Adal needed me. I couldn’t allow myself the luxury of breaking down and crying.
Because crying never helped with anything.
Soon, tops of the hills that I’d seen through Tuto’s eyes came into view. I cried out, urging the horse to move faster. I was driving him hard with two grown people on his back but I couldn’t bring myself to care for the moment.
Reaching the entrance to the caves, I pulled in my reins. Cain and Norvin stopped on either side of me, their gazes on the slumped figure before me.
“Help me get him inside,” I said, my voice cold and hard. Norvin came to aid him, lifting Adal from the horse. I glanced at Cain. “I need wood and water immediately.” Before he could ask me anything, I said, “Go westward from here. There’s a freshwater lake.” With that, I dismounted and began taking my bundles from the saddle.
“Look after him,” said Cain in a tight voice before riding away.
I took several deep breaths, struggling to keep my panic down. How could I fail my mission when the day was just beginning?
Walking inside the cave, I found Adal lying on Norvin’s cloak. His face was pale and sweaty.
Norvin sat beside him. As soon as he saw me, he rushed towards me. “Are you okay, Daria?”
“Fetch me some wood.”
“What?”
“I need wood for a fire. Don’t delay.”
I sat down next to Adal on the floor and opened the bundle containing herbs and potions. Norvin stood by, watching me. Why wasn’t he going yet? My irritation with him was rising.
Moving closer to Adal, I gently turned him around, so that his back was facing me. The tunic was soaked with blood by now. With shaking hands, I tore at the fabric.
Norvin gasped. A deep slash marked the otherwise flawless skin of Adal’s back.
“I need wood for a fire,” I repeated. Taking wads of clean linen from my pack, I pressed it onto the wound.
“But Daria…”
“Cain will be here with the water soon. It will be useless without some burning wood to heat it. There’s so much magic I can channel while treating his wound.”
“Fine. I am going but we’re going to have a talk when I get back.”
I grit my teeth from replying to him. Norvin didn’t understand why I was being short with him. He was still being a prince of Redfall, used to giving orders and not taking them. But this wasn’t his palace or kingdom. It was the wilderness.
A hiss of pain escaped Adal’s lips. Good. He was still conscious.
“Stay with me, Adal,” I said in a loud voice. “You’re going to be fine. Just stay with me, okay? I know it’s painful but I will heal you until there’s not a sign on your skin.” My hands shook as I kept talking to him like he was a child. Tears ran down my cheeks as I continued to press the linen to his wound, hoping both Cain and Norvin would come back.
From time to time, I checked the outside of the cave through Tuto. The owl was disgruntled, not happy with playing sentry in broad daylight but I controlled him with sheer forceful power. I would make it up to him with lots of fresh meat slices.
Keeping the linen on Adal’s back, I searched through my pack for a porcelain vial containing herbal ash. It was strongly antiseptic and would protect the wound from festering. When my finger felt the cold, smooth surface of the bottle, I breathed out a sigh of relief. Uncorking it, I sprinkled the powdery substance on the deep, bloody gash.
Adal hissed out in pain.
“I am sorry, my prince,” I said in a heavy voice choked with tears. “It’s terribly painful but it will help you heal faster.” My sobs filled the quiet, shadowy interiors of the cave.
It’s my fault. I was careless and he took the blow for me. I should be the one to be wounded for not paying enough attention! The thoughts wouldn’t leave my mind. With guilt burning my insides, I waited for Norvin and Cain to arrive.
Tuto’s hoots from outside the cave startled me. Grasping Adal’s hand tighter, I made the connection with Tuto and was glad to see it was Cain and Norvin. Within minutes, they were inside the cave.
Without a word, Norvin gathered the wood into a pile. Conjuring up his own dragon magic, he lit it. Within minutes, a warm fire was crackling, heating and lighting up our cavernous refuge.
Cain heated up the water by placing his hands on either side of the metal pail. When steam rose from the surface, he placed it beside me.
“Thank you, Cain.” I dipped clean linen into the hot water and began washing away the blood from Adal’s back. “I need you to lift him up a little so I can wrap the wound.”
Cain moved forward and gently lifted Adal’s body, giving me ample space to wrap the bandage around his torso.
“Is he going to be all right?” asked Norvin.
“I hope so.” In the flickering light of the flames, I could see Adal more clearly. Sweat shimmered on his deathly pale face. His eyes were closed shut in an expression of agony and he was starting to shiver. Taking off my cloak, I covered him. I was no dragon, but even I could tell it was bad for a dragon-blooded man to be feeling cold.
I checked in my pack, looking for the potion that helped with fevers. Finding the crystal container, I tipped some of the dark green liquid into Adal’s mouth. He groaned, shifting under the cloak.
“Would you require more water?” asked Cain.
“I may.”
“There’s no way we are going anywhere today,” said Cain decisively. “It would be good to store up some more wood and water, even hunt and forage for food.”
I nodded, grateful he was taking the lead on things while I could tend to Adal. “It would be good if you could catch some wild fowl. A hot soup with herbs will help strengthen him.”
Cain nodded. “Stay with Adal. We’ll go and take care of the rest.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully, looking into his anxious gray eyes. A part of me even expected him to blame me for what happened to his friend. Instead, he clapped Norvin on the back.
Norvin cast me a grim look before getting to his feet without a word. I could feel his anger towards me, but at the moment, I could only worry for Adal.
12
The skin and muscles of my back burned. My teeth ground together as I struggled to rein back the groans of pain escaping my lips. Teardrops fell on my face but I couldn’t form a word of comfort. All I could do was control my breathing and not scream out in pain.
“I am so, so sorry,” she whispered. I let the pressure of her hand on mine distract me for a moment. Daria’s voice was heavy with anguish. This was the sort of pain I wanted her to avoid in the first place and yet, she was crying and shedding tears like she was the one to get slashed by a sword.
My mind went back to
the moment it happened.
We were surrounded by men in black attires. My horse was shot down and within seconds, even more arrows flew towards us. While Cain and Norvin moved away, Daria stayed back with me. I wasn’t a warrior like them but there was no way I could let those bandits hurt Daria.
My heart belonged to her from the moment I saw her. Ancient lore often spoke of dragon mates, the one with the true half of our soul, the one we would recognize from the moment we laid eyes on them. Daria was the only woman who’d ever awakened such deep desire within me.
Her beauty and intelligence left me breathless. There was a touch of innocence in her despite the fact she was an assassin. Even when Norvin made every effort to show his possessiveness over her, I could not relinquish my desire for his sake. There was nothing I coveted in life until I met her.
My days were dedicated to acquiring as much knowledge as possible to aid Cain and Norvin in their efforts to topple Emperor Ivan. Being the son of a concubine, I knew I would never be favored by the courtiers to take the throne. In fact, other than the title of prince, nothing truly belonged to me. After the death of my father, my existence was even more insignificant than before.
However, meeting Daria changed the dreary perspective of my own life. She was the woman I wanted by my side. From the moment our gazes met, I knew she was my one true mate, both in body and soul. It didn’t matter who stood in my way from claiming her, my heart belonged to her.
So when one of the bandits moved towards Daria with his sword raised, I couldn’t help but get in his way. She’d already proven to be an excellent fighter, throwing poisoned darts and needles with expertise, but for that single moment, the green of her eyes had changed to tawny. I’d noticed it happen before and knew she was communicating with her owl. It was dangerous for her to get distracted in the middle of a fight but only now I realized she was trying to find a safe passage for us to escape the armed men attacking us.
I took the hit for Daria, and even though I was fighting through a haze of sheer agony, I didn’t regret the decision. I couldn’t imagine a life without her anymore.