by A Lonergan
Cal
I woke up foggy and disoriented. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried my best to clear my vision. My back was aching and I couldn’t remember how I had gotten on the floor and without a sleeping roll.
I rolled over and came face to face with a very much asleep Willow. The night before flooded my mind and a smile touched my lips. I had promised I wouldn’t touch her and I hadn’t, even though I wanted to. When she had burst through with her knives out and her night clothes billowing around her legs, I was stunned. She looked like a goddess with windburn. Her cheeks were fire-red and there were little cuts on her legs. She didn’t look bothered by any of it. She was a woman on a mission.
Her hair had fallen over her cheeks and I reached out to brush it behind her ear when her hand shot up and stopped me mid-reach. “Don’t,”
I cracked a smile. “Not even fully awake and feisty.”
“I was trying to enjoy some extra rest,” she said with her eyes still closed. She pushed her fingers through her hair and rolled over so I could no longer see her face. “You’re going to have to leave so I can get dressed.”
“What’s the point? Your sleep clothes leave very little to the imagination.” I smirked.
She sat up quickly and kept her back to me. “You can leave now.”
“This is going to start whispers.” I chuckled.
“Let them dream up what they want to. They will see my tent all over the camp when they drag their asses out of their own.”
I didn’t know why I had been surprised by the lack of commotion at Willow’s exit from my tent, but maybe it was the fact that they had already seen her sleeping quarters ripped apart and assumed before she came out, like Willow said. Or maybe, they didn’t care. Which would have been a first. I tried to keep my thoughts calm as we continued forward. I had a little map that was old and crumpled to help us find our way the best we could. I had a feeling it wasn’t doing much. There had always been rumors that the Mystic Mountains shifted. Its terrain never stayed the same. I didn’t know how it worked but I didn’t want to stay in one spot for too long to find out.
I wiped at my brow and looked at Willow out of the corner of my eye. I could see little black wisps swirling on her fingertips and I wondered if she knew about it. I turned her way and smiled.
“You aren’t my captive, my wife, or my soldier.” I started and her face dropped. I was not off to a good start. “But you are a valuable part of my team with a skill set that very few possess. I trust you and your judgement. If you feel like you need to scout ahead, I will not stop you.”
She grinned at me and my stomach dropped. It was the most malicious grin she had ever thrown my way. “I’m glad we are on the same side because I was planning on leaving the camp tonight if we weren’t.”
She skipped ahead of me and I was left standing there dumbfounded. So dumbfounded that I didn’t notice the familiar smell surrounding me. Until it was too late.
I whirled around and positioned my sword in front of my body. A laugh bubbled around me and I had to blink my eyes a few times to believe what I was seeing. The smell that had been enveloping me was a very powerful tracking potion and only the highest witches could use the magic without it killing them, or worse.
“Now is that any way to greet a friend?” Nico said from in front of me. His red hair was standing straight up on his head and his cheeks were pink from the travel.
I threw my sword down and then threw my arms around my brother. My best elite. It had been a few days but it felt like a lifetime. I had never gone so long without him by my side. I pulled back and frowned.
“How is the castle?” I frowned.
Nico held up a handheld mirror that had ancient text engraved into the back of it. “It the best hands possible.” There on the glass of the mirror was another Nico. He was talking animatedly with some townspeople before he ruffled a little girl’s hair.
“What witch did you contact for this kind of magic?” I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes. There were very few that could do all of this magic at once and still live through it.
Nico’s eyes flashed and he clenched his jaw. “The best.”
“Your mother,” I whispered.
“She approached me at the castle soon after you left.” Nico said somberly. “She told me that she scried great disaster on this mission and that you would die if I wasn’t here. I told her that I couldn’t be in two places at once, so she improvised.”
“Since when has your mother cared for you before?” The question came out a lot harsher than I intended.
Nico’s face grew serious. “I don’t know, but she sacrificed much to get me here and to hold all of this magic together. The mirror will show me if I need to go back. I have the herbs needed to get there instantly.”
“What will happen to the other Nico?” I had never dealt with this magic before and the thought of it made me uneasy. It wasn’t natural.
“He will go back to my soul. She had to break it to split it.” Nico shuddered and I couldn’t blame him. It sounded awful and painful.
“Her magic will come with a price,” I said. “Please be mindful of that. There is a reason she never came around until now. We may never know that reason, but I want you to be careful.”
Nico wrapped his arm around my shoulder and changed the subject. “Where’s the dark spitfire? She lasted this long?”
Chapter Eleven
Willow
I would have known that voice anywhere. I had been in the treetops when I heard it. There was a slight tilt to it and always a sarcastic tone behind it. I crept down the tree and listened to the end of the conversation. I smirked.
“She lasted this long?” Nico laughed and Cal shoved his shoulder.
I let my black magic drift down from my fingers. One tendril tickled his cheek while the other yanked his ear. I didn’t know how I was doing it, but watching his face contort in confusion was amusing. I flipped down from the tree and landed in front of him. His red hair was a wild mess and his cheeks were pink.
“I am more resourceful than what you give me credit for.” I grinned and popped my neck.
“I heard I missed all the fun.” Nico placed something into the pack on his back and grinned at me. Something stirred in my chest and I felt my face go solemn. I had missed the rutting loser more than I thought I had.
“What brought you back to us so soon?” I asked. There was no humor in my voice as I realized I cared for the strange man. How another person had managed to wiggle his way into my heart was beyond me.
“There isn’t much that can keep me away from you.” Nico smirked as I frowned. He loved to get under my skin, that was for sure.
Cal punched his arm, “Come, we have much to discuss and there are too many ears around us. Willow will scout ahead while we make camp.”
The dismissal stung but it was needed. As much as I had wanted to see Nico and be in on their broromance, I had too much I needed to do. If I was being completely honest, I wanted to be alone too. There had been too many prying eyes around me. I wanted a bath and maybe a hunt, alone. I had the field journal. I knew which fruits and animals were easy enough prey. The food Madam Colver insisted on preparing was delicious, but I knew there was simply no point in getting attached to it. The food and supplies she had would eventually run out. I didn’t need to get spoiled now.
Up into the trees, I went again. There was a nagging voice in the back of my head that told me my magic could eavesdrop for me and they would never know. But the need for a river and time to myself outweighed their secrets.
“Aren’t you decadent?” A purr vibrated the air around me.
The hair on my arms stood up and I tried to keep my wits about me. It had been 3 hours and I had managed to stay alive this long. I hadn’t found the river and somehow, I had managed to get myself lost. I knew if I didn’t return to the camp soon, Cal would never let me have this alone time again.
I still wasn’t sure how I hadn’t heard the man sneak up on me. For a b
rief moment, I wondered if it was someone from Cal’s army. But then the air changed and the temperature elevated around me. I rubbed my hands down my arms and searched the branches around me. The branch beneath me hadn’t dipped so there wasn’t a man that close.
Right?
“What do you want?” My voice sounded steady, even though I didn’t feel that way. I commanded my magic to my fingertips and watched as the wisps shook with my anxiety. My tongue flicked out and wetted my bottom lip.
There was a rumble directly behind me and my stomach dropped. I had a feeling that whatever this creature was, it could smell my fear. “I’m here for you.”
I swallowed. The ground beneath me was empty but dark. The shadows moved and my eyes followed them.
“Put your magic away. It senses me and knows you’re inferior. You should listen to it when it speaks. Your magic will do much, but only if it’s respected. It knows when to back down from a fight, young one.” The deep voice rolled over me and my body trembled.
“What do you want from me?” I pulled my magic back within me and I could have sworn it sighed in relief.
The creature chuckled. The ground trembled and the branch I had been perched on began to crack. The vibrations shook my body from my stance. I knew it was no coincidence that I could no longer stay in the tree. My feet landed softly on the ground but my body hadn’t been prepared for the leap and my knees buckled as I landed. The dirt beneath me was too soft and I could feel myself panic. Why had I been so determined to be alone? Had it been this creature trying to break me away from my group? I curled my fingers in the damp grass before I looked up.
I gasped as my gaze caught him. He was magnificent. My mouth parted in surprise at his beauty, and the unique way his eyes glinted. He was easily the prettiest man I had ever seen. Except he wasn’t a man. His power rolled off of him in waves and when the waves hit me, my knees buckled. I rolled my shoulders and scowled.
“You’re dirtier than I thought you’d be.” He smirked. His blindingly white canines pushed over his bottom lip.
“I taste disgusting. My magic is dirty too.” The words escaped my mouth before I could catch myself. This creature would gobble me up in one rutting bite. He wouldn’t stop to savor my taste. I could practically imagine my bones crunching already.
The bottom half of his face, that wasn’t hidden by shadow, grinned before he licked his bottom lip. I didn’t know it was meant to be sensual, but for whatever reason, the movement caused heat to shoot down my body. “When that moment comes, you’ll beg me to do so.” The color drained from my face and he stepped from the shadows. “You’re certainly a heathen, Hel was right about that, but nothing I can’t fix.”
My heart stopped at his beauty and her name. Now that he mentioned my ancestor, it made sense. His body and face were crafted by gods. His liquid orange eyes watched me with amusement as the situation continued to settle around me. His lips were dark and full. His body was larger than I thought a man could ever be. He towered over me and I wondered how I was still breathing. His jaw was sharp and muscular. I had never thought it possible. His cheek bones looked like they were carved from marble and his scent. It wrapped around me and I wondered if Hel was trying to torture me. Spicy with a wintery note and possibly, fire or maybe not fire, charcoal. My head inches forward of its own free will and I inhaled again. Much to my shock and displeasure, the scent was gone. But the creature looked beyond amused at my curiosity. My lips curled down.
His black hair seemed to float around his face in perfect wisps and curls. It reminded me of my magic and for a moment- one crazy moment- I wanted to reach out and touch it.
“You’re one of The Maiden of Death’s minions.” I stated.
He smiled again and I could have sworn I was no longer in the Mystic Mountains. I had certainly been brought back to Hel itself. “One of her Horsemen, yes. Balam at your service.”
I stared at the man in front of me before I realized he was a creature. “You aren’t a man, are you?” I wanted to point out that his canine length wasn’t normal, but I kept the comment to myself.
“There have been many names for me. The first one was demon, the rest are various variations of that. But no, I am not a mortal. I would imagine your kind would categorize me with the witches, though you haven’t been put in the category yet. I have been listening to your party for some time, waiting for the moment you would need to get away.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “Oh? You have been following us?”
“Not for very long. I arrived at this awful place around the same time as you, but I wanted to explore. I don’t like to be in uncharted territory. For a moment I was fearful you were with those wretched elves.” Balam brushed his hand down the front of his black armor and made a disgusted face. Somehow, it was still gorgeous.
“What would make you think that?” I frowned. Hel knew where I was, didn’t she? I had no doubt she kept tabs on me now. It hadn’t been that long since we had spoken.
“The power coming off of their army is astonishing. I thought for sure that amount of power could only come from you. Once I blocked out the call of their magic, it was more difficult than I could have imagined to find you.” He sighed. “Powerful beings like yourself usually like to flaunt their power, but not you.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and considered pulling a blade from my leg. The thought brought comfort to me, but I didn’t think the action would bring comfort to the demon in front of me so I changed my mind. Though my fingers still twitched against the leather of my pants.
“The men in your army call you a demon, too. Your magic is delicious and something from my realm, but your eyes are interesting.” It wasn’t the first time I had heard that. I was getting frustrated with the term.
“Most of those men are halfwits.” I curled my lip up.
Balam laughed and the sound caused heat to unfold in my belly. I was certain he was doing it on purpose. How could a man have that much power over a woman and not know it? “Yes, there are a few of those, but most of them are pretending. Your cunning King doesn’t loop you into much, does he?”
The desire he had invoked was now gone, replaced with irritation. “I suppose it’s none of my business.”
“Hmmm,” Balam cocked his head. “When will we head back or were you still planning on that bath?”
I rolled my eyes. “We should probably head back, but I have no idea how I am going to explain any of this.”
I turned my heel but stopped short when something rubbed against my neck. My breath caught and my entire body froze. His sharp fingernail trailed down my neck. “You’re going the wrong way.” When I whipped back around, I was nose to nose with him. His face beamed with amusement and his nail didn’t move from my skin. “You could always tell him I am your lover from Arinal and I have come to find you.”
I laughed then. “He knows my past and that I have never been with a man.”
“Why would he need to know such a thing?” Balam quirked an eyebrow.
“You sure are inquisitive.” I raised my eyebrows and mocked his stance.
“Hel was right, you are interesting.”
I growled and marched past him. This whole thing was going to be interesting. Cal was going to be pissed, especially with Nico around. Nico would definitely be able to read everything my body was feeling when it came to Balam and I had only known him for a few moments. This was bad.
This was worse than bad.
I could have shouted in annoyance. Nico knew how to get under my skin without intentionally doing anything. It was like he subconsciously knew how to interfere constantly.
Chapter Twelve
Cal
I tried to keep my cool. I knew that I couldn’t be the hover boyfriend, or friend, or whatever we were. But I also couldn’t lie to myself. I was worried about Willow. She had been gone a lot longer than what we had agreed on. I had a feeling that if I was upset when she got back, it wasn’t going to end well. She knew how to kill and she did it
well, but that still didn’t make me feel comfortable about her being in the woods alone.. at night.
Nico cleared his throat behind me and I plastered on a smile before I turned around. I could feel her power as she approached the camp, but there was something else. It was like her powers had increased or something. Leave it to Willow to grow stronger in a strange, mysterious place.
I blinked a few times before I realized what I was seeing.
In the woods…
Alone…
So much for those thoughts.
There were collective gasps around me as the two of them entered the camp. I couldn’t help but look over to my best friend. One of his eyebrows was raised high and his mouth was set in a grim line. This wasn’t good at all. Willow’s face was slack with emotion. The only indication that she was feeling anything was the twitch at the corner of her mouth.
Then the wave of power hit me and I realized that it wasn’t her that had grown stronger, it was the man behind her that was giving off the dark magic like a beacon.
“Could you turn it down a bit? Everyone and their mother will be able to find us with your magic calling out like it is.” Nico said seriously. His face had hardly moved while he spoke. I was feeling some kind of way, but Nico was another story entirely. I could almost feel his rage.
The man smiled. “Of course, I am terribly sorry. I must have forgotten to tune it down a bit when I finally met my Willow here.” I didn’t believe a word he said, and I had a feeling that Nico knew whether he was telling the truth or not. I was leaning really hard toward the not side.
Willow cut eyes at him but remained passive. “Sorry I took so long, this bumbling idiot doesn’t walk very quickly and found amusement in my lack of internal direction.”
Nico’s face twitched and I knew he wanted to laugh at that. Hell, I did too, but I couldn’t side with the massive man just yet. He had wanted us to know how powerful he was and it confused me. Most people wanted to be underestimated, but for whatever reason, he wanted us to know him. I didn’t trust it.