Auric leaned close and brushed a kiss across my lips. “I'd appreciate that. Thank you.”
“Hey, where’s my kiss?” Jasin asked with a grin that was impossible to resist.
I leaned close to give him a quick kiss, while Slade pointedly looked away and Reven rolled his eyes. A stab of guilt tore at me for favoring Auric and Jasin over the others, even if it wasn’t intentional. I was still figuring out how to handle all of my mates and keep them happy, though I wasn't sure I'd ever fully master that skill. With four men as my lovers there was bound to be some jealousy and awkwardness sometimes, no matter how hard I tried to prevent it. It didn’t help that Slade and Reven kept pushing me away either. I had to find a way to get closer to them quickly—and I only had a few more days before we reached the temples.
2
Kira
While Slade set up our tents, Reven moved to the edge of the lake and yanked fish out of the water with his magic. Brin and I unpacked some of the other food we still had, and I noticed we were running low on supplies. We'd have to stop at a village and restock in the next day or two. When Reven returned with some fish, I attempted to roast them over the fire, but Jasin huffed and insisted I was going to ruin supper and took over. It was hard to argue when his cooking was much better than mine, and everyone knew it.
We settled around the fire and began eating, all of us too hungry to do anything but shovel food in our mouths at first. I tried to savor this rare, calm moment among Brin and my mates, as I had a feeling they would become fewer and fewer as our journey continued.
“We should reach the Earth Temple in two more days,” Auric said, when the eating slowed. The temple was inside a peak called Frostmount, high in the northern mountains, where it was so cold few dared to tread. Another reason we’d have to visit a village soon. We’d left Stormhaven, the capital of the Air Realm, with the gear to travel through the scorching hot desert, not the ice and snow.
“What's the chance that the other Dragons arrive there first?” Brin asked, as she set her bowl down in the grass. She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen, with smooth golden skin, flowing black hair, and effortless grace. It would have been easy to hate her, especially since she’d once been Auric’s fiancé, but she’d managed to win me over somehow.
“Pretty high,” Reven said, from where he lazily leaned against a small tree. “They had a head start and can fly faster than Jasin and Auric can since they don’t have any passengers.”
Brin tilted her head to the side. “But they don’t know which temple we’re going to, do they?”
“No, they don’t,” Jasin said, as he wearily stretched his legs out in front of him. “My guess is that two Dragons will be waiting for us at each temple. They might have troops with them too. We’ll have to be prepared for anything.”
Slade scratched his beard with a frown. “We barely managed to escape two Dragons at the Air Temple. How will we make it into this temple if they're prepared to stop us?”
“Assuming the Earth Temple is still even there,” Reven added, bringing back memories of the ruined Air Temple we’d visited.
“We need allies,” I said. It was something I’d been thinking about over the last few days while we’d been traveling, and I’d come to believe it would be the only way for us to defeat the Dragons. They were more powerful and experienced than we were, plus they had the entire military at their disposal. We’d also learned recently that they could control shades, malevolent spirits trapped between life and death that wanted nothing more than to steal life from others. For all we knew, the Dragons controlled the elementals too, though we didn’t know that for sure. The six of us didn’t stand a chance against all of that.
“Allies?” Brin asked, her dark eyebrows shooting up.
I nodded. “Now that the Dragons know who we are and where we’re going, there's no hiding from them anymore. They'll do everything in their power to stop us, and we can't defeat them alone. We need help.”
“Who would help us?” Auric asked, as he ran a tired hand through his golden hair. “Even my father would be hesitant to stand openly against the Dragons, as much as he would like to aid us.”
“The Resistance,” Jasin said. “They're the only people who have dared to oppose the Dragons.”
Reven crossed his arms. “Except they do it from the shadows. Would they be willing to actually help us?”
“It can't hurt to ask, but how do we find them?” I turned toward Slade. “You were once part of the Resistance, and you helped those prisoners in the Fire Realm find a Resistance base. Do you know of one here in the Earth Realm?”
He hesitated, but shook his head. “No, the one I knew of was only temporary, and that was many years ago. I doubt they would still be in the same place.”
“That’s too bad.” I sighed. “Can you tell us anything that might help?”
“There’s not much to tell. I made them weapons for some time, but I gave up that life. I thought I was done with fighting and revolution and impossible wars.” He scowled. “It seems the Gods had other plans for me.”
I rested my hand on his knee. “If we can find them, do you think they'll help us?”
Slade’s eyes were so dark they were almost black, as if he was lost in memories he didn’t want to revisit. “I doubt it. They don't trust easily and they don't like to take unnecessary risks or expose their people in any way.”
“Maybe once we show them who we are, they’ll change their minds,” Jasin said.
“They will,” I said.
They had to—they were our only hope.
Once we finished supper, Auric and Jasin retired to their tents while Reven took first watch. I went to the lake to clean our utensils and bowls and then left them out to dry on a piece of wood. By the time I got back the camp was quiet, filled with only the sounds of crickets and the wind in the trees, and everyone else had gone to bed too. Jasin and Auric weren’t the only ones who were exhausted after our days of traveling.
I peeked inside their tent and found them both fast asleep only a few inches apart. The summer night was warm, and they both slept without their shirts, showing off their tanned, muscular chests. Desire rippled through me as I gazed at them, and I removed my traveling clothes and slipped into the gap between their bodies. Jasin’s hand slid around me to cup my behind, while Auric’s arm draped across my waist. I let out a soft, contented sigh as their warm skin pressed against mine, while my magic helped ease their fatigue to give them energy to fly again tomorrow.
When I awoke, it was still dark and the camp was quiet. I carefully extracted myself from my two mates, threw on a dress, and climbed out of the tent. I disappeared into the brush to relieve myself, and when I returned I saw Slade leaning against a tree, keeping watch over our camp. I’d originally planned to return to bed with Auric and Jasin, but after seeing Slade there I couldn’t resist going to him. With the Earth Temple getting closer every day, I needed to spend as much time with him as I could.
I moved close and breathed in the fresh, clean scent of pine trees and moist soil. “It’s good to be back in the Earth Realm, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Slade said, as he straightened up. He was the largest of my mates and his broad shoulders were as wide as the thick tree behind him. With his dark skin, trim beard, and strong frame he had a rugged attractiveness that always made me feel safe and protected. I longed to be wrapped up in those muscular arms again and to press my lips to his soft, full mouth. “It’s only been a few months, but it seems like forever since I left my village.”
“I know what you mean.” The girl who had worked as a huntress in Stoneham seemed like a distant memory, even though I’d been her not long ago. I’d changed so much since leaving that small town, as had the rest of my mates. “I wish we had time to return to Stoneham and visit Tash. I wonder if she’s gotten my letter by now?”
“Probably,” Slade said.
Tash had been my best friend for the last three years while I lived in the Eart
h Realm, but I’d left her behind when I’d embarked on this journey with my mates. I’d promised to visit if I could, but with the Dragons on our tail it wasn’t prudent or safe. I’d sent her a letter from Auric’s palace and he’d promised to use his faster courier, but there was no way to tell if she’d received it by now.
I leaned against the tree beside Slade and gazed at his serious face. “I would like to visit your village and meet your family too. Maybe once this is all over…”
His shoulders tensed. “Maybe.”
My heart sank at his reaction, and I began to turn away. “If you don’t want me to meet them, I understand. I know you didn’t want this life.”
His large hands settled on my waist, pulling me back to him. “It’s not that. I’d like you to meet them, but I worry they won’t have an easy time accepting this situation.”
“You mean with the other men?” Multiple partners were almost unheard of in the Earth Realm, even though the practice was common in the Air and Water Realms. Slade had already made it clear he wasn’t interested in sharing me with the other men. Sometimes I thought he might be able to love me if it was just the two of us in a relationship, but that wasn’t an option. I understood his hesitation and respected his feelings, especially since this was all unexpected and new for me too. I’d never imagined I’d end up with four men, nor that I’d be able to have strong feelings for each of them, but here we were.
I would do whatever I could to make this situation more bearable for Slade, and the fact that he was still here showed he was willing to try to make this work. He’d originally claimed he was only with me because of duty, but when he’d kissed me it had felt like a lot more. And oh, how I longed for another of those kisses now.
His hands lingered on my waist. “The people in my village are very religious, but also very traditional. I’m not sure how they’ll react to our relationship. It’s a great honor to be chosen by the Gods as one of your mates, but sharing a woman simply isn’t done in the Earth Realm. I’m still trying to accept it myself.”
I slid my fingers along his bearded jaw, unable to resist touching him when he was this close. “I know, and I appreciate it. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier on you.”
He took my palm and kissed it softly, and his tenderness made my heart skip a beat. “It’s not only because of the other guys. There’s something I need to tell you about my past too.”
“What is it?” I asked, leaning forward. I was greedy for any scrap of information about him. Anything to get closer to him.
He opened his mouth, but then froze as we both heard a rustle in the leaves near us. I reached for my bow instinctively, but I’d left it in Auric and Jasin’s tent along with my sword. Slade unsheathed his axe and changed his stance, instantly ready to defend me from any threat. I moved into position beside Slade, summoning small balls of fire into my palms. I was unarmed, but I wasn’t defenseless.
As we stood perfectly still, I caught the faint snap of a twig in the brush. We weren’t alone.
3
Kira
Men and women with scarves over their mouths and dark hoods over their faces slipped through the woods and surrounded us. I couldn't tell how many there were, but I estimated at least six from the quick glimpses between the leaves and the soft sounds of their movements through the brush. Bandits, most likely.
Slade let out a low warning growl, but the bandits didn’t attack. That wasn’t like them—from my time as a bandit, I knew they preferred to take people by surprise. What were they doing?
A hooded man emerged in front of me, and I prepared to strike him down with a lash of flame until I saw his sword was still sheathed. He reached up and slowly lowered his hood, and my eyes widened as I took in his familiar face.
“Cadock?” I asked, as the fire in my palms vanished.
“Kira,” he said softly. “It really is you.”
I nodded, speechless at the sight of someone from my past I thought I'd left behind forever. Cadock strode toward me with a smile, his blue eyes flashing under the moonlight. He was just as attractive as I remembered him, although his thick blond hair had grown longer since I’d seen him and now hung about his shoulders. His frame had filled out too, becoming a warrior’s body instead of a lanky teenage boy’s.
He threw his arms around me and drew me in for a hug. “Gods, it's good to see you. It's been far too long.”
Cadock's embrace had once meant everything to me, along with his approval, but I was no longer that young girl on the run, looking for a new family, searching for someone to love me. I had my mates now and a new purpose.
I stepped back, but offered him a warm smile. “Four years.”
“When one of my scouts said they’d spotted you by the lake, I didn’t believe it, yet here you are.” He brushed his thumb across my chin as he gazed into my eyes. “And somehow you've gotten even more beautiful.”
Slade shoved Cadock’s shoulder, pushing him back. “Get away from her.”
“It's okay,” I quickly told Slade. “He's a...friend.”
Cadock arched an eyebrow. “We were definitely more than that once.”
I gave him a sharp look. Did the man have a death wish? I needed to quickly change the subject before Slade ripped off his head. “What are you doing in the Earth Realm?”
Cadock gestured around us. “The Air Realm has stepped up its patrols. We moved here a year ago and now wait for travelers on this side of the border. This is a good spot since people always camp by the lake.” He gave us a wry grin. “Easy pickings.”
“And you planned to do the same to us,” Reven’s voice said from the shadows. I hadn’t even realized he was there.
Cadock shrugged. “We do what we have to do to survive these hard times. Kira did the same once.”
“What is he talking about?” Slade asked, his green eyes narrowing.
“Ah, did she not tell you about that?” Cadock chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, she gave up this life to settle down in a quiet town somewhere. Or so she said.”
“I did, but the quiet didn’t last,” I muttered.
His eyes danced with amusement. “Of course not. You're not meant for a quiet life.”
Jasin and Auric suddenly emerged from the tent, gripping their weapons and wearing only their breeches. Jasin asked, “What’s going on out here?” while Auric called out, “Is everything all right?”
“We’re fine,” I said, raising my hands in a calming gesture. “I know these people.”
“They look like bandits,” Auric said as he lowered his sword.
Cadock let out a hearty laugh. “That's because we are bandits.”
“Kira, I think it's time you explained,” Slade said.
I sighed. I'd hoped I could keep this dark part of my past a secret, but there was no hiding it now. I turned to face my men and met each of their eyes in turn while I spoke. “I was once part of Cadock’s gang. I’ll explain everything later, I promise. But right now I’d like to talk to Cadock alone. Please.”
“Definitely not,” Slade said, stepping closer until he was right against my back.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, then asked Cadock, “Would you give us a moment?”
He shrugged, with a hint of amusement on his lips. “Certainly. I’m curious to see how this plays out.”
He and his bandits slipped back into the forest, and I gestured for my men to join me by the fire. Not a single one of them looked happy, though I wasn’t sure if it was from the revelation that I used to be a bandit or because I wanted to speak to Cadock alone. They were overprotective at the best of times, even though I was supposed to be the most powerful of us all—or would be someday.
“Is it true?” Auric asked, once they were all crowding around me. “You were once a bandit?”
“Yes, I was.” I drew in a deep breath to steady myself and continued. “I was fifteen when they saved my life from two men who tried to capture me, and I became one of them because I had nowhere else to go
. That gang, the Thunder Chasers, was like my family for two years, and Cadock’s father led us. Cadock became my closest friend, and he taught me how to use a bow and to live in the wild. But after his father was killed, things fell apart and the gang became desperate. I decided I wasn’t comfortable with what they were doing, and I left.” I paused, and then added, “I’m not proud of the things I did with them, but it’s the only way I stayed alive when I was younger.”
“Cadock implied the two of you were…together,” Reven said, arching an eyebrow.
My cheeks heated. Of course they would focus on that part. “We were, yes, but we were both a lot younger then. Nothing happened except for a few kisses, and I no longer feel anything for him.”
Jasin sheathed his sword but kept his hand on the hilt. “Good, but there’s no way you’re talking to him alone.”
“Agreed,” Slade said, crossing his arms. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Cadock would never hurt me, and even though he may look like an ordinary bandit, he’s clever and has a lot of connections,” I said. “If anyone can tell us where the Resistance is, it’s him. But I doubt he will do that if I have all of you hovering around me and glaring at him. I simply need a few minutes alone, and we won’t be far. Just trust me.”
“I do trust you,” Slade said. “I don’t trust him.”
I sighed. “If he tries to harm me, you can toss a boulder on him.”
“Believe me, I will.”
Auric rubbed his chin as he considered. “If you think he might have some information that could help us, then you should speak with him. Just be careful.”
“Thank you,” I said, relieved that at least one of my mates was on my side.
“Fine, but one of us is coming with you,” Jasin said. “You knew this Cadock guy years ago, but you don’t know what he’s like now.”
Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series Page 34