by S. E. Smith
One by one he either carried – or in Drago’s case, dragged – the others the last few yards. He was in the process of pulling Ashure over his shoulder when a horrendous cracking noise split the air.
Gem was creating water for Drago and Orion to drink when she hear the sound and looked up. She stared in horror when she realized what was happening – the bridge was disintegrating.
“Ross, run!” she yelled.
Ross sprinted across the bridge, his arm wrapped around the back of Ashure’s legs as he carried the pirate over his shoulder – fireman style. After a few harrowing seconds, he stumbled to a stop several feet from her. Orion and Drago quickly stood up and pulled Ashure off of his shoulder.
Ross bent forward with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Sweat beaded on his brow as he took several deep breaths. Then he suddenly straightened up and looked over his shoulder. The bridge was still there, though it was vibrating and becoming more unstable by the second as vital pieces slowly disintegrated.
“Shit! Hold on,” he said, twisting around.
Gem didn’t understand where he was going at first. Her lips parted in protest when she saw him run back to the bridge one more time. He slid and almost fell as he changed direction. She saw him grab Ashure’s large hat, his own shield, and his and Ashure’s swords. She was shaking her head in denial when part of the bridge closest to them crumbled.
Ross tossed the shield and the swords across the gap when the bridge bowed upward. A scream ripped from her when she saw his arms flailing before he disappeared from sight. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, holding her back when she tried to run to him.
“Gem, it is too late. You cannot save him,” Nali said.
“No! Ross! No!” She refused to believe he was gone. He had saved all of them – only to perish over a hat, a piece of wood, and a couple of swords. It didn’t make any sense. “No! Let me go!” she demanded, struggling to break free.
“You cannot cross the barrier,” Drago said, rising to his feet from where he had been kneeling next to Ashure.
“I can—” she argued, placing her hand on Nali’s arm.
“Ouch!” Nali hissed in pain.
Ice covered Nali’s arm, and she shook it. Drago grabbed her when she tried to pass him. Gem turned and hissed a warning at the Dragon King.
“Release me,” she demanded.
“Princess Gem – there is nothing you can do,” Orion quietly said.
Gem looked back and forth between Drago and Orion. Her mind was splintering. Fear, grief, and denial hit her with such an intense wave that she began to shake. She curled her fingers into Drago’s arm and looked back to the edge of the crevice, her tears blinding her. As she swiped them out of the way, she registered Ashure’s hoarse laughter. Fury swept through Gem and she turned to face Ashure, ready to unleash her grief on him when she heard Nali’s excited exclamation.
She turned her head to follow where Nali was pointing. A choked laugh slipped from her when she saw a hand holding Ashure’s large, purple hat – the feather on it still glowing with a small flame – rising over the edge of the crevice. Drago released her when she pushed against him. In faltering steps, she started forward in a slow, hesitant walk. She stopped at the shimmering wall and brushed a hand across her cheek.
Ross slowly pulled himself over the edge and rolled onto his back. She could see that he was breathing heavily. She laughed again when he lifted the purple hat and patted out the flame on the bedraggled plume. He placed the hat on his chest, coughed a few times, and turned his dirty face toward her. Her heart melted when he gave her that crooked grin.
“Perhaps I should want to be a human instead of a dragon,” Ashure mused.
Gem giggled and gave a tearful nod. She watched Ross roll over and stand up. He stretched and looked behind him with a grimace before he walked over and picked up the swords and the shield. She impatiently waited for him to cross through the shimmering barrier. The moment he did, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his throat.
“You have got to be either the craziest man I have ever met or the dumbest one,” she choked out against his throat.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close. “I think a little bit of both. Next time, Ashure’s hat gets sacrificed to the great Fire God,” he teasingly threatened.
She leaned back and looked up into his eyes. “I thought I had lost you,” she whispered in a throat tightened by tears.
He shook his head. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Princess,” he murmured.
“My hat! You saved my hat! Ah, my poor feather. Nali, it looks as if I’ll need to come and visit you again for a new one,” Ashure moaned as he pulled the hat out of Ross’s hand.
“You’re welcome,” Ross dryly commented.
Ashure beamed at him as he placed the hat atop his head. “You are not so bad for a human,” he informed him.
“You’re not so bad for a pirate,” Ross retorted with a grin.
“I think we’ve had enough ass-kissing. It will be dark soon,” Drago said.
Orion nodded. “Yes, it is getting a bit nauseating,” he added.
“They are just jealous of you, Ross,” Nali replied with a shrug. “Gem, do you know a place where it may be safe for the night?”
“Yes, there is a place not far from here,” she answered with a small, reassuring smile.
“Looks like we’re going to have a lot more company than we did last night. I’ve gotten kinda spoiled with having you all to myself,” Ross grumbled near her ear as they walked by the others.
Gem felt a wave of heat go through her. “Well – suffer!” she whispered. “You almost made my heart give out I was so scared – for you!”
He stopped and looked at her. He reached up and gently traced a line on her cheek with his thumb. She knew from the way his eyes followed the movement that he could see the trail left by her tears.
“You’ve got me tied up in knots, Princess,” he said.
“If that means you’ll be more careful in the future, then that is a good thing. Otherwise, I might actually tie you up to keep you safe,” she replied.
“There are sexier reasons to tie me up – if we ever get any privacy again I’ll show you,” he teased.
Gem tilted her head in curiosity and Ross smiled, leaning closer, his lips a moment away from brushing her own. She placed her fingers against his lips when she saw four heads turning in their direction behind him. She lifted an eyebrow and glared at the grinning foursome.
“Do you mind? This is a private moment,” she snapped.
“Sorry,” Orion muttered.
“But of course,” Nali demurely agreed.
“Ah, sweet love,” Ashure murmured.
“Why should I mind if he wants to kiss you?” Drago demanded.
Gem opened her mouth to give Drago a scathing reply when Nali shook her head and winked at her. Gem tried to keep from grinning when Nali threaded her arm through Drago’s and pulled him away. She could hear Nali quietly explaining why she and Ross needed a few minutes alone.
“Are they gone yet?” Ross asked.
Gem looked back up at him and nodded. “Yes,” she replied.
“Good. Because I’m going to kiss you like there is no tomorrow, Princess,” he warned.
Gem started to say there might not be, but the words were smothered when Ross captured her lips in a deep kiss that left her breathless. She tightened her hold on his neck and kissed him back with even more fervor, fueled by her earlier fear that he had died. He slowed down her frantic kisses, though, and took his time, uncaring that their audience might have returned or that it was getting late.
After several minutes, he reluctantly ended their kiss with a deep sigh. He rested his forehead against hers while they both caught their breath. She pressed a light kiss to his lips.
“There will be a tomorrow,” she finally murmured.
He smiled. “You bet your sweet ass there will be, Princess,” he vo
wed with an amused voice.
“It’s getting late,” Drago called out.
“Ah, Drago, it is good to know I am not the only obtuse one at times,” Ashure said with a resounding slap on Drago’s shoulder.
“I swear if you slap my bruised shoulder one more time, Ashure, the pirates are going to need a new king,” Drago threatened.
“Gem, Ross, the children are getting antsy. I think it is in the best interests of all the kingdoms to get to a place to rest for the night,” Nali suggested with amusement.
“I will definitely not pretend that I’m the father to those two children in any universe,” Orion stated.
Gem laughed and wrapped her arm around Ross’s waist. They passed Drago and Ashure as they continued to trade increasingly rude remarks and ignored Orion threatening both of them if they came to blows. She had never seen this side of Drago – or Orion before.
“Are they always like this?” Ross asked.
Gem shrugged. “I’ve seen this type of banter between Nali and Ashure, but I’ve never spent much time with the others. They are actually very entertaining,” she said with a glance at the small group.
Ross looked at Ashure and Drago with a raised eyebrow. “I’d place ten dollars on the dragon. Anything that can survive a lava creature has to be pretty resilient,” he remarked.
“You might be surprised about the pirate. I’ve heard tell that almost everyone – including the dragons – have tried to kill Ashure at one time or another,” Gem chuckled.
“I can certainly understand why,” he murmured when he heard another slap and Drago’s answering growl.
20
“This is a good spot. We should be safe. There was no mention in the stones about any traps by the lake,” Gem said.
“What did the stones tell you?” Nali asked.
Gem bit her lip. “Beware the waters that you sail, danger lurks with deadly tails,” she recited as she stared out across the lake. She unconsciously leaned back against Ross when he came to stand behind her and slid his arms around her waist. Since the incident crossing the Field of Fire, they couldn’t get enough of each other’s touch. She rested her hand on his arm.
“Well, between myself and Orion, I think we can handle just about anything above or below the water,” Ashure stated with a dismissive hand.
“Yeah, just like a dragon and a lava monster,” Ross retorted.
Ashure grimaced. “Perhaps now might be a good time to give you your first lesson in sword fighting,” he suggested.
Gem nodded. “Nali and I can gather some food while Drago and Orion set up camp,” she said.
“That sounds good to me,” Nali agreed.
Gem pulled away from Ross. He tightened his hold on her for a brief moment. Their eyes met, and she lifted a hand to his cheek. He was worried about her.
“Be careful and don’t go too far,” he murmured.
“I will. Watch Ashure. He doesn’t always fight fair,” she warned.
Ross chuckled. “Neither do I,” he replied.
She nodded and reluctantly turned away. They had less than an hour before darkness fell. She looked up at the sky. Both moons would be full the day after tomorrow. Time was running out. Throughout the day there had been minor tremors coming more frequently than before.
She unconsciously held her hands out to her sides and spread her fingers, trying to sense the changes. Nali walked silently beside her. Her expression grew troubled when she felt the rippling vibrations.
“How much longer?” Nali gently inquired.
“No more than two days,” she guessed.
“We will be successful,” Nali reassured her.
“What happened – to Magna and the alien?” Gem asked.
Nali walked over to one of the small bushes along the bank of the river. It was loaded with small, round purple berries. Gem waved her hand, and a bundle of nearby sticks and dried leaves wove together until a basket was created.
“Thank you, this will make it much easier to carry. We gathered on the Isle of Magic. Marina, the young witch who you met, and Mike, the human, were familiar with Magna and the alien’s abilities and defenses, and so we came up with a battle plan that had a chance of success for the first time in centuries. By dividing its attention between us, we were able to weaken it enough for some to sneak into the palace. Mike, Marina, Orion, and Drago confronted Magna in the palace while the rest of us fought against the alien creature’s overextended defenses. Magna was fighting to regain her free will and destroy the alien. In many ways, she was an ally that night. I believe it was her intention all along that we would focus our powers on her. Orion and Drago attacked Magna, Mike wounded her with a weapon he brought from his world, and the alien left her body through the wound to search for someone stronger. Magna ordered us to retreat and then released a powerful spell to destroy it. We thought Magna had been killed as well,” Nali said.
Gem paused in the process of pulling a nut from a nearby tree. She thought of Magna appearing a split second before the alien creature had reached for her. Magna had turned her to stone—
To keep the alien from taking over my body. Gem was certain of this now in a way she had not been when everything was happening so quickly. It was a weight off her shoulders.
“She didn’t die. Ross said that she is in his world,” she murmured.
“Yes. Several of my monsters saw her return here. She undid the spells she had cast when she was under the alien’s control. Our first confirmation of that was the return of the dragons,” Nali explained.
Gem turned to look at Nali. “I saw her – here. She transformed me into stone before the alien could invade my body. I was trying to escape. My parents told me to find you and the others,” she said.
“Magna did what she could. This alien is something our world has never seen before, and once it is destroyed, I hope we never see it again,” Nali confessed.
“How did you know – to come here? How did you know that I – we – needed your help?” she asked.
“The Goddess’s Mirror showed me the danger,” Nali murmured.
Gem could tell that Nali didn’t want to share any more. She placed the fist-sized nuts into the basket. Once the basket was full, she lifted it into her arms and began the short walk back to the camp. Perhaps Orion could supplement their meager meal with some fish from the lake. While she might not like to eat the meat of a living creature, she understood that others were not opposed to it and would prefer a heartier meal than tree nuts and fruit before entering battle.
“Tell me about Ross. He appears to be a very interesting man,” Nali casually commented.
Gem looked at Nali. “He is… different,” she replied.
“Your essence flows to him,” Nali observed.
“Yes,” Gem answered.
“Does he know?” Nali pressed.
Gem shook her head. “No. He sees it, but he doesn’t understand the significance,” she reluctantly admitted.
Nali laid her hand on Gem’s arm. Gem turned toward the older woman and gazed into her concerned eyes. Unable to stand the sympathy reflected there, she looked away.
“Will you tell him?” Nali asked.
Gem shook her head again. “No. He wishes to leave after – after we find my parents and destroy the alien creature. I will not tie him to me if that is not his wish,” she said.
She pulled her arm away from Nali and began walking again. She didn’t want to think of what Ross would do once there was no longer a threat. Would he stay? He had called her his love and kissed her as if he felt something deeper than just a passing fancy.
She took a deep breath when she heard Ross’s deep laughter. The men were sitting around a large fire. Orion had indeed gone fishing as indicated by the two large fish on a spit.
Ross looked up as they approached. His eyes met hers, and he gave her a smile that sent a wave of joy through her. His gaze was warm with a hint of another emotion that she was afraid to speculate about.
“He cares fo
r you,” Nali said, not feeling the same hesitation to decipher Ross’s expression.
“I hope,” she replied.
Nali chuckled when Ross broke away from the group and walked over to them. He reached for the basket. Pleasure coursed through Gem when he made sure that their hands touched.
“Good timing. Ashure said the fish will be done in about ten minutes,” he said.
“We can throw the nuts onto the coals. They won’t take long. I need to wash the berries,” she murmured.
“I’ll help you. Nali, you might want to help Ashure. Drago and Orion are skeptical about his cooking abilities,” Ross suggested.
Nali laughed. “Out of the three, I trust Ashure the most when it comes to cooking. Let me take the nuts. I can add them to the fire while you two wash the berries,” she said.
Ross held out the basket, and Nali picked out the six large nuts. Gem waited until Nali started toward the fire before she turned and began walking down to the edge of the lake. She tucked her hair behind her ear when the light breeze blew it across her face.
“They aren’t so bad. I’m glad they came,” Ross commented.
Gem looked at the group by the fire and nodded. “Yes, it will be nice to have them beside us when we reach the palace tomorrow,” she replied with a sigh.
Ross placed the basket on the damp sand. “Are you worried about tomorrow?” he murmured.
“Yes.”
He straightened up and looked at her. “We’ve done pretty well so far, I think, and now we have our own group of superheroes. Hell, if I can kill a piece of the alien with a cigarette lighter and some swamp gas, they can probably detonate a nuclear bomb up its ass with a snap of their fingers,” he said in a teasing tone.
“I don’t know what this nuclear bomb is, but I hope you are right,” she said with a touch of humor before she looked out over the water in the direction of the palace. “What if I can’t find my parents? The spell – my people vanished around me. What if they are gone for good and there is no saving my home?”
She leaned into Ross when he slid his arms around her. He pressed a light kiss to her brow and stared out across the water. This felt right.